Antique and Classic Auto Collection
3535 Las Vegas Blvd. South
702-731-3311
With more than two hundred antique cars on display, this auto museum is an absolute must for all car buffs. Actually part of a larger collection, cars are rotated in and out of the museum on a regular basis, thereby giving second- and third-time visitors a chance to see something new. There is an admission cost, though discount vouchers are easy to get at the Imperial Palace casino.

Attractions at the Luxor Hotel
3900 Las Vegas Blvd. South
702-262-4000
Part of the new generation of Las Vegas hotels, the Luxor has three state-of-the-art attractions in the pyramid above the casino. "In Search of the Obelisk," is a high-tech flight simulation ride, while the 3-D effects at the "Luxor Live" are nothing short of awesome. The IMAX theater runs 24 hours a day.

Caesars Palace Attractions
3570 Las Vegas Blvd. South
702-731-7110
Located near the Forum Shops, "Race for Atlantis" is a 3-D IMAX presentation with excellent visuals and special effects. Also at Caesars, located just off the casino, is a 3-D Cinema Ride featuring a space flight, a spooky graveyard, and an Omnimax theater.

Masquerade Show in the Sky, The Rio
3700 W. Flamingo Rd.
This is another must-see attraction. Located inside the Rio, just a stone's throw away from The Strip, the "Masquerade Show in the Sky" is like a Mardi Gras parade gone airborne. Staged several times a day, the show boasts a full cast of acrobats, musicians and dancers, all circling the casino in floats suspended from a track in the ceiling. As with the Pirate Battle, the show is free, though parents should remember that the parade takes place inside the casino.

Pirate Battle, Buccaneer Bay
2880 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
702-794-3939
Fearless buccaneers engage in an eight-minute battle that takes place every ninety minutes beginning at 4pm and running until 11:30pm on Friday and Saturday during the warm weather months (10:00pm at all other times). It's usually worth it for families to arrive early and secure a kid-friendly spot next to the rail, since the spots offering the best view generally fill up early.

Roller Coasters on The Strip
Multiple Locations
There are four roller coasters on The Strip: the Manhattan Express at New York, New York, the Canyon Blaster at the Adventuredome, the High Roller at the Stratosphere, and the roller coaster at MGM Grand Adventures. The MGM theme park is best, although the Canyon Blaster comes in a close second.

Sahara Las Vegas Hotel Attractions
2535 Las Vegas Blvd. South
702-737-2111
With Speedworld, a virtual car race that draws its inspiration from Indy racing, the Sahara has jumped head first into the simulator ride craze. The interactive race works almost like a top-flight video game and the car is nearly as responsive as a genuine race car. Drivers pick a course and at the end receive a printout telling them how they finished. Speedworld is a bargain, though travelers who suffer from motion sickness may want to sit this one out.

Star Trek: The Experience
3000 Paradise Rd.
702-732-5111
"Star Trek: The Experience" consists of a Star Trek memorabilia museum and a flight simulator as well as an arcade and a restaurant.

The Freemont Street Experience
Fremont St.
702-678-5777
Launched in 1995 in an effort to lure more gamblers away from The Strip, the Freemont Street Experience is Las Vegas at its finest. The street, which is closed to vehicular traffic, has been transformed into a kind of neon park, replete with street musicians, terraces, and beautiful landscaping. The main attraction, however, is the spectacular light show. A 1,400-foot-long frame, studded with more than two million lights, has been installed over four blocks of Freemont, and evening visitors are treated to a computer-generated light show. Unlike almost everything else in Las Vegas, the light show is free and well worth seeing at least once.

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El Cortez Hotel and Casino
600 E. Fremont St.
702-385-5200
The El Cortez, built in 1941, still retains its original facade. It's a fun relic from an earlier age of Las Vegas.

Moulin Rouge
900 West Bonanza Road
702-648-4420
Opened in 1955, Moulin Rouge was Las Vegas' first integrated casino. Crowds packed in to watch late-night jam sessions, despite its location off the strip. Moulin Rouge stimulated the integration of Nevada's other casinos, to the extent that the law banning segregation in Las Vegas was signed in the building. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and an official city landmark, the Moulin Rouge will reopen in mid-2000 with a hotel, casino, and museum facilities.

Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park
Washington and Las Vegas Boulevard North
702-486-3511
Las Vegas initial importance was as a source of water in the mostly dry desert. The Mormons built an adobe fort/mission here in 1855 and used it as a way station for travelers. Since then the site has been owned or used by various groups, including Native Americans, miners, dairy farmers, and entrepreneurs who turned it into a resort. The Preservation Association Of Clark County organized a restoration project in the 1970s; the fort now serves as a museum to depict the lives of its original builders.

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Las Vegas Jazz Society
702-313-6778
The jazz society stages scores of concerts a year, with performers ranging from the internationally acclaimed Chick Corea to popular local acts. Venues include the Riviera Hotel, the Winchester Theater, and the Judy Bayley Theatre at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Call for a complete listing of upcoming events.

Nevada Institute for Contemporary Art
101-107 E. Charleston Blvd.
702-434-2666
As one of Nevada's premier art museums, the Institute for Contemporary Art prides itself on showcasing the finest local and regional talent. It sponsors a number of special exhibits throughout the year, and is fully equipped with meeting and event facilities.

Senator Howard Cannon Aviation Museum
McCarran International Airport
702-455-7968
Located above the baggage claim terminal at the airport, this open-air museum is dedicated to the history of flight in southern Nevada. Open 24 hours a day, the museum's emphasis is on the history of aviation, with exhibits covering everything from the first flight in 1920 to the jets and planes of the present day.

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Lake Mead National Recreation Center
702-363-1921
This park offers a wide range of hiking opportunities, though there are a limited number of designated trails. Located in the center are Lakes Mead and Mojave, both of which are full of bass, channel catfish, crappie, and bluegill. Fishing licenses are required for all anglers in Nevada. The park is also equipped with a visitor's center, which offers detailed maps and instructions to the most popular sites.

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
702-363-1921
Just 40 minutes away from the bustle of Las Vegas, Red Rock Canyon has a number of hiking trails of varying length and difficulty. Many of the shorter loops can be completed in an afternoon, while some can take a bit longer. Many of the trails wind up and around canyons, so be ready for gains in elevation.

Toiyabe National Forest
775-355-5302
Toiyabe National Forest, covering 3.9 million rugged, mountainous acres, has long served as a preferred destination for tourists and a haven for locals looking to indulge in some outdoor fun. The hiking trails, which are studded with pine trees, aspen, and white fir, vary in difficulty from easy to extremely difficult. The Toiyabe provides over 1,100 miles of trails for hiking, backpacking and horseback riding and offers more than 1,600 miles of recreational roads for travel and viewing scenery.

Valley of Fire State Park
702-397-2088
Along with great hiking, the Valley of Fire State Park has another unusual attraction: Indian petroglyphs. Trails range from anywhere between a half-mile to seven miles.

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MGM Grand Adventures Theme Park
MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South
702-891-7979
With 10 rides, three theaters, and myriad restaurants and shops, MGM Grand Adventures is a must-see for those traveling with children. While the park doesn't quite measure up to the larger theme parks in Southern California, kids under 10 should still find plenty of excitement in the bumper cars and merry-go-round. Admission varies, but count on spending $12 for adults and around $10 for children under 12.

The Adventuredome
Circus Circus Hotel and Casino, 2880 Las Vegas Blvd. South
702-794-3939
Located just behind the main hotel and casino, this small but well-designed theme park boasts a breathtaking water flume ride, "The Rim Runner," and the only indoor double-loop, screwdriver-style roller coaster in the United States. Designed with kids in mind, the Adventuredome is outfitted with several animatronic dinosaurs, as well as a small theater that stages magic and illusion shows.

Wet 'n Wild
2601 Las Vegas Blvd. South
702-734-0088
With its wide range of water rides, pools, and slides, Wet 'n Wild is the place to be in the summer. While many of the rides are best suited to teenagers, the park has plenty to offer children as young as three years old. For a break on the admission price, most visitor guides have discount coupons.

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Angel Park Golf Club
100 South Rampart Blvd.
702-254-4653
Designed by Arnold Palmer, Angel Park is quickly becoming one of the most talked about public golf courses in the United States. Those with late tee times need not fret, the course is equipped with lights.

Desert Pines Golf Club
3415 East Bonanza Rd.
702-366-1616
With trees and shrubs flanking the course's fairways, Desert Pines is one of the prettiest courses in Nevada. It is ideal for intermediate golfers.

Las Vegas Golf Club
4300 West Washington Dr.
702-646-3003
This is one of the area's oldest and most popular courses. Formerly owned by Senior PGA star Jim Colbert, the course's wide-open fairways are similar to those at the Desert Rose.

Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort at Lee Canyon
702-385-2SKI
Believe or not, the greater Las Vegas area actually supports a ski area. Just 45 minutes away from the bustle of the Strip, Lee Canyon provides a great winter getaway for travelers who've grown weary of the casinos. Although the skiing is best in the winter months, snowmaking equipment allows the park to stay open from Thanksgiving to Easter.

Legacy Golf Course
130 Par Excellence Dr.
702-897-2187
A bit more difficult than some of the local courses, the Legacy is played by intermediate and advanced golfers.

Mt. Charleston Riding Stables
1200 Old Park Rd.
702-872-5408
Mt. Charleston Riding Stables offers some of the best riding adventures in the American Southwest. The stables primarily rent quarter horses, and the prices are exceptionally reasonable. Guides are available.

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Bally's
3645 Las Vegas Blvd. South
888-742-9248
702-739-4111
FAX: 702-794-2413
Price Range: $$

While Bally's puts a special emphasis on entertainment (the only hotel in the city with two showrooms, one for special events and one for its long-running production show), it also boasts some of the Strip's best restaurants and arguably its best buffet. The casino has a continental motif, and manages to be classy and elegant without being stuffy. The large, spacious rooms offer one of the better values on the Strip.

Bellagio
3600 South Las Vegas Blvd.
888-987-6667
702-693-7111
FAX:
Price Range: $$-$$$

One of the newer resorts on the Strip, Bellagio raised the standard for luxury resorts when it opened. Situated in the heart of the Strip, across the street from Bally's and next door to Caesars, Bellagio is everything a top-flight hotel is supposed to be: spacious, classy, and exquisitely decorated. The Northern-Italian motif (which to the laymen recalls the design of the nearby Monte Carlo) is surprisingly accurate, down to the niggling details, and the rooms are comfortable and well designed.

Binion's Horseshoe
128 East Fremont St.
800-634-6811
702-382-1600
FAX:
Price Range: $

Like the Golden Nugget, the Horseshoe is one of the anchors of Glitter Gulch. While many of the upscale accommodations along the Strip market themselves towards families, the Horseshoe is still an unabashed "gamblin' joint," attracting high rollers and serious gamblers from around the world. In fact, the casino is famous for not putting a ceiling on maximum bets; if you want to bet it, the Horseshoe will give you action. The hotel is decorated in an Old-West motif, although the lobby and rooms are remarkably cheerful. The late-night steak specials are a local favorite.

Caesars Palace
3570 Las Vegas Blvd.
800-634-6661
702-731-7110
FAX: 702-731-6636
Price Range: $$$

This is a Las Vegas classic. While Caesars is often overshadowed by some of the Strip's larger and flashier resorts, this hotel still ranks as one of the finest in the city. The hotel hosts some of the finest entertainers in the world, from Diana Ross to David Copperfield, and it boasts what are probably the most opulent guest rooms in Nevada. Although the hotel has made an effort to make itself more family-friendly, the clientele is still quite cosmopolitan and upscale, meaning many families may want to consider lodging elsewhere.

Circus Circus
2880 Las Vegas Blvd. South
800-634-3450
702-734-0410
FAX: 702-734-2268
Price Range: $-$$

Located on the north end of the Strip next to the legendary Stardust, Circus Circus is probably the best place for families with children to stay. Its carnival theme is wholesome and fun. The Adventuredome--an indoor theme park adjacent to the casino--and the midway on the second floor should keep children busy for days. While the layout of the casino could stand to be reworked (the tables are crowded and the labryrinthine floor plan can be confusing), the Circus Circus works hard to make sure everyone in the family has a good time. The buffet and steakhouse are both first rate.

Desert Inn
3145 Las Vegas Blvd. South
800-634-6906
702-733-4444
FAX: 702-733-4676
Price Range: $$$

With its private golf course, complete spa and fitness center, and townhouse-style accommodations, the Desert Inn may be the most complete resort in Las Vegas. The ambiance is a little more restrained than that of most other Las Vegas properties, although families with children are still encouraged to make reservations. The rooms are stunning (most come with floor to ceiling windows), and it has the most luxurious bathrooms on the Strip. Like Caesars, the Desert Inn is the playground of some of the highest rollers in the world.

Excalibur
3850 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
800-937-7777
702-597-7700
FAX: 702-794-2413
Price Range: $-$$

Currently the third-largest hotel in the world, this massive accommodation has a King-Arthur theme and is a preferred destination for people traveling with children. The interior decor could safely be classified as, well, post modern. There's a Wild Bill's Saloon and Steakhouse, if that gives you any idea, and while the exterior is pure Las Vegas camp, the kids go crazy for it. The rooms are a bit on the small side, but at less than $50 a night during the week in the off-season nobody's complaining. Like sister property, Circus Circus, Excalibur boasts excellent food and great entertainment.

Luxor
3900 Las Vegas Blvd. So.
800-288-1000
702-262-4100
FAX: 702-262-4454
Price Range: $$-$$$

Perhaps the most architecturally unique property on the Strip, the Luxor is actually shaped like a pyramid, with guest rooms surrounding the perimeter from top to bottom. While not in the class of Caesars or the Desert Inn, the Luxor has found a niche amongst young, upscale couples in the market for distinguished accommodations at a relatively modest price. While the Egyptian motif may sound tacky it's actually quite tasteful, with custom-made furniture in the rooms and a nicely appointed lobby. As is often the case at the larger resorts, self-parking can be a nightmare, making the valet service a veritable steal at a cost of one or two dollars.

MGM Grand Hotel and Theme Park
3805 Las Vegas Blvd.
800-929-1111
702-891-1111
FAX: 702-891-1030
Price Range: $$-$$$

The granddaddy of Las Vegas resorts, the MGM Grand is the largest hotel in the world. Located on the southern end of the Strip across the street from the New York, New York, the MGM Grand broke ground by becoming the first Las Vegas mega-resort to put a genuine emphasis on non-gaming attractions. While the theme park has been a bit of a disappointment, young children should still get a kick out of the rides and games, and the excellent restaurants and well-designed spa complex continue to be major selling points. Since the MGM Grand is perpetually understaffed, we recommend that weekend vacationers check in early on Friday and depart as late as possible on Sunday.

Sam's Town Hotel and Casino
5111 Boulder Highway
800-634-6371
702-456-8111
FAX: 702-454-8014
Price Range: $

Located 20 minutes east of the Strip, Sam's Town is the preferred resort for those who want to escape the faced-paced bustle (and higher prices) of the Strip. Like the Horseshoe, Sam's Town has an Old-West motif. But, unlike the Horseshoe, it markets itself towards more recreational gamblers. In addition to the obligatory casino, Sam's Town also supports an excellent buffet, a wonderfully quaint '50s-style diner, and one of the better bowling facilities this side of the Mississippi. In fact, the women's professional bowling tour makes frequent stops here. Long a favorite of cowboys and seniors, the hotel recently added another 650 rooms.

The Golden Nugget
129 East Fremont St.
800-846-5336
702-385-7111
FAX: 702-386-8362
Price Range: $-$$

One of Las Vegas' foremost landmarks, the Golden Nugget is considered the most famous and prestigious of the downtown resorts. Located in the heart of Glitter Gulch, the hotel offers bright festive rooms with a tropical theme, a classy showroom, and surprisingly good lounge entertainment. Oddly enough, the Nugget somehow attracts both younger vacationers, often singles in their twenties and thirties, and retirees alike. Unlike many of the downtown properties, the casino is clean and spacious, and the tables are well spaced and equipped with comfortable stools. Slot players will be happy to learn that the Nugget hosts some of the best slot tournaments in Las Vegas.

The Mirage
3400 Las Vegas Blvd. South
800-374-9000
702-791-7111
FAX: 702-791-7446
Price Range: $$-$$$

The brainchild of developer Steve Wynn, the Mirage's impact on hotel and casino development can't be overstated. The decor, a classy combination of marble, bamboo, and lush foliage, manages to be exotic yet understated. The rooms are spacious and well lit, and most afford an excellent view of the surrounding city. The casino is something special, with its indoor jungle and white tigers, and currently ranks as the top tourist attraction in Clark County. The restaurants, particularly Kokomo's, are first rate.

The Stardust
3000 South Las Vegas Blvd.
800-824-6033
702-732-6111
FAX: 702-732-6296
Price Range: $

Located at the north end of the Strip, at the intersection with Convention Center Drive, the Stardust is one of the oldest and best-known resorts in Las Vegas. While the Stardust lacks a definite theme, it is quintessential Las Vegas--a little tacky, a little low brow, and a whole lot of fun. In fact, many seasoned Las Vegas vacationers rank it among their top three resorts. William B's is a high quality restaurant, rivaling anything found on the south end of the Strip, and the prime rib is delicious. New meeting facilities have increased the Stardust's appeal amongst business travelers, and recent improvements have doubled the number of available guest rooms. If you're coming to Las Vegas on business, the Stardust needs to be near the top of your list.

Treasure Island Resort
3300 Las Vegas Blvd. So.
800-288-7206
702-894-7111
FAX: 702-894-7446
Price Range: $$-$$$

Part of developer Steve Wynn's casino triumvirate (he also owns Bellagio and Mirage), Treasure Island's well-planned casino and nautical motif have been a smashing success amongst both young, active couples and families with children. Steve Wynn has a reputation for placing special emphasis on the design of his hotel rooms, and Treasure Island is no exception. Though pricey, the rooms are spacious and well decorated and avoid the gaudiness that plagues some of the Strip's other hotels.