DK Travel : Las Vegas

The Entertainment Capital of the World offers just about everything: the world’s largest hotels; the brightest stars in show business; shops and restaurants that rival any on earth. It’s true, too, that the lights are brighter in Las Vegas. Yet you don’t have to go far from the glamour and glitter to find the natural beauty of lakes and the desert as well.

Judy Bayley Theater

In addition to possessing excellent acoustics and comfortable seats, the Judy Bayley Theater features a special stage of flexible design. Primarily used for ballet, musical comedy, and dramatic productions, the theater also serves as home to the Nevada Dance Theater.
Kolob Arch, Zion National Park

Kolob Arch is too inaccessible to permit accurate measurements of its bulk, but it is thought to be as much as 230 ft high and 310 ft wide (70 m x 95 m).
Kolob Canyon Picnic Area, Zion

Buy picnic provisions at Oscar’s Deli and a bumbleberry pie at the Bumbleberry Restaurant in Springdale for an al fresco meal in grander surroundings than any restaurant.
Kolob Reservoir Road, Zion National Park

Also called Kolob Terrace Road, this makes for a great scenic drive, taking in the multicolored Moenkopi Formation rocks, North Creek, Tabernacle Dome (a mass of red rock), cinder cones, canyons, valleys, and forests.
Lake Mead Marinas and Beaches

Along many miles of varied shoreline, Lake Mead’s marinas and beaches range from delightful tiny coves to long stretches of sand. Popular beaches include Boulder Beach, Callville Bay, Echo Bay, and Overton Beach. These have recreational vehicle sites with full hookups, and supplies at nearby stores. Boxcar and Icebox coves are favorites with houseboaters. Callville Bay and Lake Mead marinas are close to Hoover Dam, while Temple Bar marina serves the lake’s southeast reaches.
Lake Mead National Recreation Area

After the completion of the Hoover Dam in 1935, the waters of the Colorado River filled the deep canyons that once towered above the river to create a huge reservoir. This lake, with its 700 miles (1,120 km) of shoreline, is the centerpiece of Lake Mead National Recreation Area, a 1.5-million-acre (600,000-ha) tract of land.

Lake Mead
Lake Mojave

The 67-mile (107-km) long lake extends from below Hoover Dam to 2 miles (3.5 km) north of Laughlin, and is only 4 miles (6.5 km) at its widest. A National Park Service Visitor Center at Katharine Landing, just north of Laughlin, offers free guided walks by park rangers. These lead through the desert to the petroglyphs at Grapevine Canyon. Houseboats, pontoon rentals, and fishing tackle are available at Katharine Landing and Cottonwood Cove. Record-size striped bass have been caught in Lake Mojave.
Lance Burton: Master Magician

Even people who don’t usually care for magic shows wax lyrical about this one. Not only is Burton engaging, but his tricks are truly impressive. Children love this show: Burton invites them onto the stage to help him work his magic. The Victorian-style theater, designed especially for the show, is modeled on similar ones in London’s West End.
Las Vegas Art Museum

Housed in a $20-million contemporary-style southwest building, the museum is a repository for both national and international works, with local arts and crafts in the gift shop.
Las Vegas Athletic Club

The Athletic Club is considered by Las Vegas residents to be one of the premier fitness facilities in the city. It contains all the usual gym equipment, plus virtual-reality exercise machines, abdominal and cardio rooms, and childcare facilities. The rates are reasonable, too, and the surroundings scrupulously clean.

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Restaurant price categories

For a three course meal for one with a half bottle of wine (or equivalent meal), taxes and extra charges.
- under $20
- $20–$30
- $30–$45
- $45–$60
- over $60