Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, approximately 15 miles west of Las Vegas off Charleston Boulevard Hoover Dam, approximately 27 miles southeast of Las Vegas on U.S. Highway 93 Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. South Stratosphere Tower, 2000 Las Vegas Blvd. South Stripıs neon lights, Las Vegas Boulevard South from Luxor to Stratosphere Fremont Street Experience, Fremont Street from Main Street to Las Vegas Boulevard World-class restaurants, various locations Lake Mead National Recreational Area, approximately 25 miles east of Las Vegas off East Lake Mead Drive and State Highway 146 ³Siegfried & Roy² at The Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. South Luxor, 3900 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Best of the Rest
³EFX² at MGM Grand Hotel, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South; Excalibur, 3850 Las Vegas Blvd. South; ³Folies Bergere² at the Tropicana, 3801 Las Vegas Blvd. South; golf courses, various locations; ³Jubilee!² at Ballyıs, 3645 Las Vegas Blvd. South; Liberace Museum, 1775 E. Tropicana Ave.; Masquerade Village at the Rio, 3700 W. Flamingo Road; Mount Charleston, one hour north of Las Vegas via U.S. Highway 95 and state Routes 156 and 157; ³Mystere² at Treasure Island, 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. South; pirate battle at Treasure Island; roller coaster at New York-New York, 3790 Las Vegas Blvd. South; shopping, various locations; Spring Mountain Ranch, approximately 18 miles west of Las Vegas off Charleston Boulevard; University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Parkway; Valley of Fire State Park, approximately 52 miles northeast of Las Vegas off U.S. Highway 15; volcano at The Mirage; ³Welcome to Las Vegas² sign, Las Vegas Boulevard South north of Vacation Village.
By Joe Hawk
Review-Journal So much to see, so little time.
A tourist could spend a month in Southern Nevada but still not see all the area has to offer.
From the natural majesty of Red Rock Canyon and Mount Charleston to the man-made majesty of Hoover Dam and the Stratosphere Tower, from the serenity of a day on Lake Mead to the excitement of a night on the Strip, from the mind-blowing entertainment of ³Siegfried & Roy² and ³Mystere² to the diet-blowing dining in any of a number of world-class restaurants, Southern Nevada has it all.
And more.
So what to do if your time is limited but, for the sake of argument, your budget isnıt? If you were a tourist here, what would be the Top 10 things you would have to see before returning home?
The Best of Las Vegas asked that question of several professionals with ties to the regionıs tourism industry, and the answers we received were as broad as a personıs individual tastes.
³The allure of Las Vegas is such that everyone, no matter what walk of life theyıre from, can find something here that theyıll enjoy,² said Van Heffner, president of the Nevada Hotel and Motel Association. ³You donıt even have to enjoy gambling to enjoy the area. There are people who come here just to enjoy the scenic beauty.²
Mike Magnani agrees. Heıs secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local No. 995, the union that oversees valet parkers, room reservation clerks, front desk personnel and concierges.
³Las Vegas is probably the most unique city in the world,² he says. ³Thereıs no other place where you can see a pyramid (Luxor) next door to a large castle (Excalibur). And then across the street is New York City (New York-New York) with the Statue of Liberty.
³But as much as the attractions,² Magnani added, ³I think people enjoy coming here because of the special treatment they receive. The treatment here is second to none. When people go away on vacation, they want to feel theyıre special. Las Vegas does a good job of providing that.²
Still, Southern Nevada has attractions galore to offer and topping the list, only somewhat surprisingly, is Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. Our experts who also included David Christianson, dean of the college of hotel administration at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; Bill Shranko, director of operations for Yellow-Checker-Star Cab Corp.; and Rob Powers, director of public relations for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority unanimously agreed that Red Rock Canyon had to be on the list.
³Itıs close, spectacular and relaxing. A short drive to see the otherı Vegas,² Shranko said.
³One of the most serene areas in Southern Nevada, Red Rock is a great place for hiking, biking, rock climbing and exploring the beauty of the desert,² Powers added.
Ranking second through fifth on the tourism lists were Hoover Dam, Caesars Palace, the Stratosphere Tower and the neon lights of the Strip.
³Hoover Dam is considered one of the wonders of the modern world and is recognized by virtually everyone,² explained Christianson, who has taught at UNLV for 21 years and has been dean of hotel administration for the past nine.
As far as Caesars Palace, one of Las Vegası older resorts, rating so high in the midst of all the new megaresorts, Shranko said, ³Letıs face it, the place just keeps getting better and better. The Forum Shops, Appian Way and simply magnificent architecture make it a must-see for everyone visiting here. ... Hail Caesars!²
The Stratosphere earned high marks, our pollsters agreed, because, with rotating dining and an observation deck near the top of its 1,149-foot pinnacle, thereıs no better view of Southern Nevada day or night.
And the Strip at night merited high praise for its brilliant, 64-Crayola spectrum of colors. ³The greatest collection of glitz and lights in the world (for) an adult Disneyland,² Christianson said.
Rounding out the top 10 were the Fremont Street Experience, the cityıs world-class restaurants, Lake Mead National Recreational Area, ³Siegfried & Roy² at The Mirage and the Luxor.
³The Fremont Street Experience is a one-of-a-kind attraction,² Powers said, of one of the cityıs latest and more popular sights and sites. ³There is something mesmerizing about the light show and the toe-tapping songs that accompany it.²
To Heffner, the fine dining to be found throughout Southern Nevada can be a reason in and of its own to visit.
³Where else but Las Vegas can you find such a mix of great dining?² he asked. ³Nobody leaves Las Vegas hungry or unsatisfied, for that matter.²
A visit to Southern Nevada without experiencing the beauty of Lake Mead would be a mistake, Magnani added.
³Lake Mead may be secondary to the mystique of the Strip,² he said, ³but what it means to this city is of primary importance.²
As far as entertainment spectacles, none ranked higher than ³Siegfried & Roy.² ³These two performers define the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas,² Shranko said.
Luxor, meanwhile, made the list for its architectural magnificence.
Heffner acknowledged the list easily could be expanded to a Top 25.
³I could list 15 more things just off the top of my head, and then Iım sure thereıs even more than that,² he said. ³I guess for any visitor, itıs whatever turns you on.²
Even in a city that never sleeps, thereıs only so much time.
