Here are several ideas for an evening out.

Dinner at the top of the Stratosphere .

This is a short walk from the Riviera. The Stratosphere is that really tall thing to the north of the Riviera. Find out when sundown is and make a dinner reservation for about that time. Twilight is about half an hour. The plan is to get up to the top just as the sun goes down or shortly after. The restaurant revolves so that as the meal progresses the view changes and the lights come on. Allow about an hour and a half for dinner. The author’s wife says that this is her favorite place to eat in Las Vegas. The author thinks that the food is pretty good and the prices are reasonable. The ride to the top is free for those eating dinner.

Free shows along the strip, an evening of casino walking.

This is our number one recommendation for anyone who has never been here before. Consult a map, listed north to south. Go out the front of the Riviera and turn left. It is about 1.5 miles to the Bellagio and with any luck it can be reached in one evening. My wife says to go until the legs give out and take a taxi back.

Ice cream cones at the Wynn Casino.

The Wynn is a pretty pricey place. Here is how to do it cheaply. From the Riviera street entrance, turn left and walk south to the Wynn. Go in the main entrance and circulate to the right. There are plenty of things to see, including a Ferrari dealership. There is a fee to get inside to actually touch one of the cars. (We warned that it was a pricey place.) About a quarter of the way around there is a shopping mall. Follow it to almost the end. On the right hand side there will be an ice cream shop. Pick out what you want. My favorite is mango sorbet. By now it should be obvious that this is not a cheap cone. But relative to everything else it is a bargain. The reward is at the back of the shop. Go out the back door and sit by a pool with a 40-foot waterfall. As near as can be determined this waterfall is solely for the enjoyment of ice cream shop patrons.

Bellagio
On the other side of Flamingo Road from Caesars Palace is the Bellagio. Go down to street level and watch the fountain shows from the sidewalk. The fountains operate every 15 minutes and are accompanied by music. There are a variety of shows so take a rest and watch a couple. The evening shows with the lights are very impressive. Next go back inside and find the lobby, from Flamingo Road the route is shopping mall then casino and finally lobby. Did they or did they not get their moneys worth when they paid $750,000 for the chandelier in the lobby? Off the lobby is the conservatory with its changing with the seasons flower display. We are talking about tens of thousands of flowers. On the way back, cross the casino, enter the shopping mall, and look for the jewelry store on the right. One of those ruby and diamond necklaces in the window will probably set one back about a quarter of a million, the earrings might only be $75,000. Like we said at the start, looking is free.

Venetian
St. Marks square, canals with gondola’s, wandering minstrel acts, large shopping area with many interesting shops.

Treasure Island
Pirate battle out front every hour and a half after dark. Very crowded, check show times and get there early for a good view.

Mirage
Out front is the fountain that turns into a volcano every 15 minutes, lots of noise and fire. Inside, behind the check-in counters, is the tropical fish aquarium. Be sure and check out the clown fish tank at the far end. In the center area is a tropical garden. Continue to the white tiger exhibit.

Fremont Street
Take a taxi to Fremont St. to see the historic downtown area. Why go here? The minimum bets at the table games are lower. The places are smaller. This is where the real cheap eats are located in town. Go to the back of the Golden Gate for the original 99-cent shrimp cocktail (it’s on the same end as the Plaza Casino). The primary reason to go here is to see the Fremont Street Experience. The street is now a pedestrian mall with a 5 block long overhead television. They have improved the resolution relative to what it was ten years ago. After dark there are a series of shows that are played at regular intervals. One takes potluck with the shows. What can we say: It is always an interesting mix of light and music. It could be classic Vegas singers like Dean Martin etc. It could be abstract art, high kicking showgirls, dancing cards and dice or a cowboy square dance. I thought that the 5-block swoop of an eagle with 100 foot wingspan was pretty impressive as was the fighter jet flyover.

Believe it or not, but, there are things to do in
Las Vegas that do not involve the casinos.

Hoover Dam. Hoover dam is the thing that most people think of when they want a change of pace from the casinos. This is a good choice and it is a world class wonder. Information is readily available elsewhere, so we will spend our time on two other trips.

Red Rock Recreation Area. This scenic area is located west of town. As the name says, there are red rocks. The area is the location of the Spring Mountain Escarpment. The several thousand feet of vertical displacement result in spectacular views. Follow Charlestown west out of town (it is one mile north of Sahara). A few miles past the edge of civilization (about 20 miles) look for the turnoff to the visitor’s center, right hand side. There is a $5 dollar fee.

At the visitors center tell them you want to hike Calico Basin. This is the classic hike in the area. It starts out easy and progresses to moderate difficulty. The end of the trail has excellent views of the Las Vegas valley. It is a fun drive with good scenery even if you do not hike the trails .

Valley of Fire State Park

The parks main attraction is miles and miles of very scenic and very red rock formations. Take I-15 north about 45 minutes. Exit where it says Valley of Fire. It is then about another 15 minutes to the park. There is a visitor’s center. Petroglyphs on the red rocks are one of the attractions.

Atlatl Rock

Other attractions include unusual sandstone formations, petrified logs, tanks (natural basins) where water collects after a rain, a renegade Indian hideout, etc. There are a variety of scenic vistas, hiking trails, picnic and camping areas. Elephant rock is a recommended spot to explore. The interesting thing about this rock is that it looks like an elephant from both sides.

Elephant Rock

Continue on through the park toward Lake Mead. At the Lake Mead road take a left back to I-15. At the town of Overton, look for the Lost City Museum on the left side of the road. It is a natural history museum with a replica of an Indian pueblo that was drowned by the waters of Lake Mead.