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Las Vegas Info · Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 17 Home Country: usa

LAS VEGAS TOURISM GUIDE

General

You aren't going to lack for things to do in Las Vegas. More than likely you've come here for the gambling, which should keep you pretty busy. But you can't sit at a slot machine forever. (Or maybe you can.) In any event, it shouldn't be too hard to find ways to fill your time between poker hands.

Just walking on the Strip and gazing at the gaudy, garish, absurd wonder of it all can occupy quite a lot of time. At night, it is a mind-boggling sight. And, of course, there are shows and plenty of other nighttime entertainment.

Don't forget to check out the free hotel attractions, such as Bellagio's water-fountain ballet, The Mirage's volcano and white-tiger exhibit, and the masquerade show at the Rio. Oh, yeah, and the utter piece of hooey that replaced the pirate show at TI at the Mirage. (The pirates now battle scantily clad women. Except it's even worse than that.) You can probably give that a miss.

You could also consider using a spa at a major hotel; they seem too pricey (as high as $25 a day) to fill in for your daily gym visit if you are just going to use a few machines, but spending a couple of hours working out, sweating out Vegas toxins in the steam room, and generally pampering yourself will leave you feeling relaxed, refreshed, and ready to go all night again.

There are also plenty of out-of-town sightseeing options, like Hoover Dam (a major tourist destination), Red Rock Canyon, and nexus-of-all-conspiracy-theories Area 51, along with excursions to the Grand Canyon.

Animal lovers will have a field day in Las Vegas, where a large variety of animals, including rare big cats, piranhas, penguins, flamingos, hammerhead sharks, and more are part of the attractions. Regional fauna are also well represented at local museums and zoos.

Three times a day, Tiana Carroll and her avian friends delight all ages at the Tropicana, 3801 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/826-876 or 702/739-2222; www.tropicanalv.com). The big cats at the Lion Habitat at the MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 800/929-1111 or 702/891-7777; www.mgmgrand.com), sleep and frolic as you stroll through a clear tub. Look up, one might even be walking over your head. White tigers recline in their habitat at The Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 800/627-6667 or 702/791-7111; www.mirage.com), twitching their tails and padding about like giant tabby cats. At The Flamingo, 3555 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 800/732-2111 or 702/733-3111; www.flamingolv.com), hundreds of birds, including the hotel's namesake, in addition to penguins, wander about on their own islands surrounding the pool area. All of these attractions are free.

At The Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 800/627-6667 or 702/791-7111; www.mirage.com), dolphins swim and frolic in a huge pool, bouncing balls back to their trainer and to children who squeal with delight. The animals in the Secret Garden change regularly but can include black panthers, white tigers, snow leopards, and even an elephant. Admission is $12 for those over 10 years old and is free for those under 10.

Along with watching sharks (including one of the world's only hammerheads in captivity), moray eels, and piranhas go about their fishy business, visitors to the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-7000 or 702/632-7000; www.mandalaybay.com), can participate in educational programs offered weekdays that include a 1-hour guided tour. Admission is $16 for adults, $10 for children 5 to 12; those under 4 are free. Open daily 10am to 11pm.

Check out the region's reptiles and other critters at the Southern Nevada Zoological-Botanical Park, 1775 N. Rancho Dr. (tel. 702/647-4685), a quaint old-fashioned zoo. Here you will find Midas and Maniac Girl, a pair of lions born in 1998, along with a family of rare Barbary apes and swamp wallabies, as well as sidewinders, coyotes, and cougars. Admission is $7 for those over 12; admission for children 2 to 12 is $5, and children under 2 go free. It's open daily 9am to 5pm. Admission is free at the Marjorie Barrick Museum, at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 Maryland Pkwy. (tel. 702/895-3381), which has a collection of live local reptiles. The Wild Nevada Room at the funky Las Vegas Museum of Natural History, 900 Las Vegas Blvd. N. (tel. 702/384-3466), displays a tableaux of different desert environments, complete with sights, sounds, and smells. It also has dioramas of taxidermied animals from around the world, a tank of live sharks, and animatronic dinosaurs. Admission is $6 for those over 18, $5 for children 11 to 18, and $2 for children 3 to 11; those under 3 get in for free.

Auto Collections at Imperial Palace

Even if you're not a car person, don't assume you won't be interested in this premier collection of antique, classic, and special-interest vehicles. Check out the graceful lines and handsome sculpture of one of the many Model J Duesenbergs (one of which Elvis Presley drove in the movie Spinout). The craftsmanship and attention to detail make these cars, and others here, true works of art.

Note that the vehicles on display change regularly, so there's no telling what you may see when you visit. However, the last time we were here we saw a great deal of history. Down President's Row we saw JFK's 1962 "bubbletop" Lincoln Continental, Lyndon Johnson's 1964 Cadillac, Eisenhower's 1952 Chrysler Imperial 20-foot-long parade car, Truman's 1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitan with gold-plated interior, FDR's unrestored 1936 V-16 Cadillac, and Herbert Hoover's 1929 Cadillac. There's also a 1964 Chaika that belonged to Soviet leader Nikita Krushchev.

Commercial vehicles of bygone days include antique buses, military transports, taxis (among them, the 1908 French model that appeared in the movie version of My Fair Lady), gasoline trucks, fire engines, delivery trucks and vans, dump trucks, and pickup trucks. Other highlights are the 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood Special 60 driven by Marilyn Monroe in The Misfits, Al Capone's 1930 V-16 Cadillac, a 1954 Mercedes-Benz 220 Cabriolet currently owned by Wayne Newton, the 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback driven by Nicolas Cage in Gone in 60 Seconds, Howard Hughes's 1954 Chrysler (because of his phobia about germs, Hughes installed a special air-purification system that cost more than the car itself!), and a 1933 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow, one of only three still in existence today.

Bellagio Art Gallery

Everyone scoffed when then-Bellagio owner Steve Wynn opened an art gallery on his fabulous property. Sure, Wynn's been a serious and respected fine-art collector for years, and consequently there was good stuff on display (though there are no masterpieces, there certainly are serious works by masters), but who would go see art in Las Vegas? Tons of tourists, as it happens, so many that they had to almost immediately relocate the gallery to a larger space.

When the MGM MIRAGE company bought Wynn's empire, the future of the gallery, which did rely on his collection (he took most of it with him), was in doubt. The gallery is not only open again, it's getting written up by real art critics, thanks in part to such well-chosen shows as an exhibit from the collection of none other than Steve Martin! See, he's a longtime well-respected collector, too, and, consequently, there were real-life reviewers, hushed with happy reverence, who took the whole show most seriously indeed.

Clark County Heritage Museum

Someday, one of these casino moguls is going to take just some of those mega-millions they are pouring into yet another Strip hotel and put it into the museum that this bizarre town, and its ridiculously rich 100-year history, deserves. Until then, this dear little place will have to do its best -- and that best is actually pretty good. With everything from dioramas of dinosaurs to a small street filled with original buildings including the 1932 Boulder City train depot, this is a throwback to ghost towns and other low-tech diversions. Sweet, informative, and you can't beat the price. Note that hot days will make the outdoor portions less than bearable.

Eiffel Tower Tour

Whether this is worth the dough depends on how much you like views. An elevator operator delivers a few facts about this Eiffel Tower (this is a half-size exact replica, down to the paint colour of the original) during the minute or so ride to the uppermost platform, where you are welcome to stand around and look out for as long as you want, which probably isn't 2 hours, the length of the average movie, which also costs $9. Nice view, though.

Elvis-A-Rama

Three million dollars' worth of Elvis memorabilia! But alas, while this is a must for the Elvis faithful (and, admittedly, they are legion) looking to view holy relics, it's not the place for a novice to start.

The amount of cool stuff is amazing: Elvis ephemera ranging from his social security card (a $14,000 auction purchase) to his "little black book" (entries not divulged!), his Army uniform, a love letter to his hometown girlfriend, fan-club souvenirs (Elvis lipstick!), and on and on it goes. But, unfortunately, these precious (and discarded) possessions are exhibited in cases that, as of this writing, are lacking much-needed labels and identification, so all too often you have no idea what you're looking at, much less its significance. The displays also fail to give you a good overview of the King's life; the museum assumes you already know the highlights (Momma's boy, the Colonel, 'Scilla), and it's hardly complete. There is, however, a whole case displaying what amounts to the contents of Vernon Presley's wallet. It's also all a little too straight-faced and reverent, though the gift shop makes up for it a bit. And they do have various Elvis impersonator shows, ranging in price from around $15 to $20.

Ethel M Chocolates

This tourist attraction draws about 2,000 visitors a day. Ethel Mars began making fine chocolates in a little candy kitchen around the early 20th century. Her small enterprise evolved to produce not only dozens of varieties of superb boxed chocolates, but some of the world's most famous candies: M&Ms, Milky Way, 3 Musketeers, Snickers, and Mars bars.

Alas, the tour lasts only about 10 minutes and consists entirely of viewing stations with an audiotape explaining the chocolate-baking process. You learn very little. But the place does look like a bakery rather than a factory, which is nice, as no one wants to see their chocolates handled without love. Even more sadly, you get only one small chocolate as a sample -- delicious, but hardly satisfying. (Surely, this is by design; now overwhelmingly in the mood for sugar, you are more likely to buy some of their expensive chocolate.)

Note: Come before 2:30pm, which is when the workers start to pack up and go home.

What's really worth seeing is outside: a lovely and extensive 2 1/2-acre garden displaying 350 species of rare and exotic cacti with signs provided for self-guided tours. It's best appreciated in spring, when the cacti are in full bloom. There's a little gazebo in which to sit and enjoy the garden, which would be quite peaceful were it not for the busloads of tourists in the area. Behind the garden, also with a self-guided tour, is Ethel M's "Living Machine," a natural wastewater treatment and recycling plant that consists of aerated tanks, ecological fluid beds, a constructed wetlands, reed beds, and a storage pond.

Fremont Street Experience

For years now, it's been overlooked in favour of the Strip. And no wonder; it's so . . . small . . . by comparison. Even its once dazzling collection of hotel marquee lights seems like candles next to the klieg-light voltage of the Strip. Even a $70-million revitalization project hasn't helped give it back its mojo. That's too bad; things are cheaper down here, people, and speaking of people, if you get tired of feeling not pretty or rich enough for the Strip, you are not alone. The Fremont Street Experience is a 5-block open-air landscaped strip of outdoor snack shops, vendor carts, and colourful kiosks purveying food and merchandise. Overhead is a 90-foot-high steel-mesh "celestial vault"; at night, it is the newly revamped Viva Vision, a high-tech light-and-laser show (the canopy is equipped with more than 12.5 million lights) enhanced by a concert-hall-quality sound system that takes place four times nightly. But there's music between shows as well. Not only does the canopy provide shade, it cools the area through a misting system in summer and warms you with radiant heaters in winter. Go see for yourself; you will be pleased to see how a one-time ghost town of tacky, rapidly aging buildings, in an area with more undesirables than not, is now a bustling (at least at night), friendly, safe place (they have private security guards who hustle said undesirables away). It's a place where you can stroll, eat, or even dance to the music under the lights. The crowd it attracts is more upscale than in years past, and, of course, it's a lot less crowded than the hectic Strip. Some rightly mourn the passing of cruising Glitter Gulch, gawking at the original lights. It does indeed mean the end of classic Las Vegas, but on the other hand, classic Las Vegas was dead and nearly buried anyway. This has given a second life to a deserving neighbourhood.

And in a further effort to retain as much of classic Las Vegas as possible, the Neon Museum is installing vintage hotel and casino signs along the promenade. The first installation is the horse and rider from the old Hacienda, which presently rides the sky over the intersection of Fremont Street and Las Vegas Boulevard. Eventually, the Neon Museum hopes to have an indoor installation a couple of blocks from the Fremont Street Experience to showcase some of the smaller signs they have collected. It's uncertain when it will open, but in the meantime, the Neon Graveyard is there and it's amusing to see the (unlit, of course) old signs languishing away until they once again are lit up in their glittery glory.

GameWorks

What do you get when Steven Spielberg and his DreamWorks team get in on the arcade video-game action? Grown-up state-of-the-art fun. High-tech movie magic has taken over all sorts of traditional arcade games and turned them interactive, from a virtual-reality batting cage to a Jurassic Park game that lets you hunt dinosaurs. There are motion-simulator rides galore and even actual-motion activities like rock climbing. But classic games, from Pac-Man to pool tables, are here, too, though sometimes with surprising twists, such as air hockey where multiple pucks occasionally shoot out at once.

All this doesn't exactly come cheap. There are two routes to pricing. First is the standard version, where $15 gets you $15 in game play, $20 gets you $25, $25 gets you $35, or $35 gets you $50. Alternatively, you can purchase a block of time ($20 for 1 hr., $25 for 2 hr., $30 for 3 hr.; or if you get there at opening or closing, you get 2 hr. for $20), which goes on a debit card that you then insert into the various machines to activate them. But you do get value for your money, which makes this a viable alternative to casinos, particularly if you have children (though it's clearly geared toward a college-age-and-older demographic). Children probably should be 10 years old and up -- any younger and parents will need to stand over them rather than go off and have considerable fun on their own.

Note: If you don't like crowds, come here earlier rather than later, when it can get packed. They also have a dress code (no excessively baggy clothes, no tattoos or clothing with profanity, no chains, and so on) that they enforce occasionally, and no one under 18 is allowed without parental supervision after 9pm.

Guggenheim/Hermitage Museum

When two branches of the famous Guggenheim opened in Vegas, it was seen as a sure sign that Vegas was on its way to, or at least had an actual chance of, becoming a real city with real culture, and not just a glittery tourist trap. No one has said much now that the first branch, the one built for special exhibits, closed after just one show. The second branch, perhaps ultimately better reviewed and regarded, remains in operation, so maybe there is hope yet for Vegas's cultural significance. That museum, the Guggenheim/Hermitage, is the first co-venture between the Guggenheim and the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. The State Hermitage in St. Petersburg has one of the finest encyclopedic collections in the world, but few have had a chance to experience any of it.

King Tut's Tomb & Museum

This full-scale reproduction of King Tutankhamen's tomb includes the antechamber, annex, burial chamber, and treasury housing replicas of the glittering inventory discovered by archaeologists Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon in the Valley of Kings at Luxor in 1922. It was all handcrafted in Egypt by artisans using historically correct gold leaf and linens, pigments, tools, and ancient methods, and all items have been meticulously positioned according to Carter's records. It's hardly like seeing the real thing, but if you aren't going to Egypt anytime soon, perhaps checking out reproductions isn't a bad idea -- and for a Vegas fake, it's surprisingly enjoyable. A 4-minute introductory film precedes a 15-minute audio tour (available in English, French, Spanish, and Japanese).

Las Vegas Mini Grand Prix

Part arcade, part go-kart racetrack, this is exactly what you want to help your kids (and maybe yourselves) work their ya-ya's out. The arcade is well stocked, with a better quality of prizes than one often finds, but we suggest not spending too much time in there and instead hustling outside to the slide, the little roller coaster, and best of all, the four go-kart tracks. Each offers a different thrill, from the longest road track in Vegas, full of twists and turns as you try to outrace other drivers (be a sport, let the little kids win occasionally), to a high-banked oval built just so you can try to make other drivers take spills onto the grass, to, best of all, a timed course. The latter requires a driver's license, so it's for you rather than your kids (but the wee ones will find the fourth course is just for them), and here you can live out your Le Mans or Police Chase fantasies as you blast through twisting runs one kart at a time, trying to beat your personal best. The staff is utterly friendly, and the pizzas at the food court are triple the size and half the price of those found in your hotel. The one drawback: It's far away from main Strip action -- here's where you'll need that rental car, for sure.

Note: Kids have to be at least 36 inches tall to ride any of the attractions.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway

This 107,000-seat facility was the first new super-speedway to be built in the Southwest in over 2 decades. A $100-million state-of-the-art motor-sports entertainment complex, it includes a 1 1/2-mile super-speedway, a 2 1/2-mile FIA-approved road course, paved and dirt short-track ovals, and a 4,000-foot drag strip. Also on the property are facilities for go-kart, Legends Car, Sand Drag, and Motocross competition. The new speedway is accessible via shuttle buses to and from the Imperial Palace hotel, though some of the other major hotels have their own shuttles to the speedway.

Liberace Museum

This is a museum. Housed, like everything else in Vegas, in a strip mall, this is a shrine to the glory and excess that was the art project known as Liberace. You've got your costumes (bejeweled), your many cars (bejeweled), your many pianos (bejeweled), and many jewels (also bejeweled). Also, the entrance itself is a giant jewel. It just shows what can be bought with lots of money and no taste.

The thing is, Liberace was in on the joke. The people who come here largely aren't. Many of these guests would not have liked him living next door to them if his name was, say, Bruce Smith, but they idolise the-man-the-myth. Not found here is any reference to AIDS or chauffeurs who had plastic surgery to look more like him. But you will find a Czar Nicholas uniform with 22-karat-gold braiding and a blue-velvet cape styled after the coronation robes of King George V and covered with $60,000 worth of rare chinchilla. Not to mention a 50 1/2-pound rhinestone costing $50,000, the world's largest, presented to him by the grateful Austrian firm that supplied all his costume stones.

The museum is now better than ever, thanks to a costly renovation that turned what was once a too-low-key exhibition (especially given the subject matter) into something much more gaudy and over-the-top -- and, better still, properly enshrined. Expect a ridiculously outrageous entrance (three words: giant pink piano) into rooms with various exhibits that finally give detailed attention to facts and figures. Admission has been cranked up, probably to pay for the renovations. Unless you have a severely underdeveloped appreciation for camp or take your museum-going very seriously, you shouldn't miss it. The museum is 2 1/2 miles east of the Strip on your right.

Lost Vegas Gambler's Museum and Shop

From the same folks who brought you the late, lamented Casino Legends Hall of Fame, it's a smaller version that is only half the size of the gift shop that it accompanies. There are as many as 5,000 pieces of memorabilia associated with casino hotels of a bygone era, but those items include little gewgaws like matchbooks, a variety of old gaming chips, and even toenail clippers. Still, the videos of hotel implosions and the last days of Bugsy Siegel (the owner is particularly proud of his Siegel collection) are fun, and so is browsing among souvenirs of yesteryear -- some of which are for sale in the gift shop.

Luxor IMAX Theater/IMAX Ridefilm

This is a state-of-the-art theatre that offers both motion-simulator films and IMAX projects, some in standard two dimensions and one in 3-D. The glasses for the latter are really cool headsets (though they're a little too heavy for comfort) that include built-in speakers, bringing certain sounds right into your head. The movies change periodically but always include some extraordinary special effects. If you have a fear of heights, be sure to ask for a seat on one of the lower levels.

The IMAX Ridefilm is a motion-simulator ride with several different themed "adventures" playing at different times. You may find yourself hunting for an ancient relic in a pyramid or running from the ghoulies in Dracula's castle, among other amusements.

MGM Grand Lion Habitat

Hit this attraction at the right time and it's one of the best freebies in town. It's a large, multilevel glass enclosure in which various lions frolic during various times of day. In addition to regular viewing spots, you can walk through a glass tunnel and get a worm's-eye view of the underside of a lion (provided one is in position); note how very big Kitty's paws are. Multiple lions share show duties (about 6 hr. on and then 2 days off at a ranch for some free-range activity, so they're never cooped up here for long). So you could see any combo -- from one giant male to a pack of five females who have grown from cub to near adult size during their MGM time. Each comes with a trainer or three, who are there to keep the lions busy with play so they don't act like the big cats they are and sleep the whole time. But obviously, photo ops are more likely to occur as the more frisky younger set tussles, so what you observe is definitely going to depend on who is in residence when you drop by. (And, of course, actually seeing anything depends on how many other people think this is a two-star attraction; hordes of tourists are often pressed against the glass, preventing you, not to mention your kids, from doing the same.)

Madame Tussaud's Las Vegas

Madame Tussaud's waxworks exhibition has been the top London attraction for nearly 2 centuries, so even if you aren't a fan of wax museums, this, its sole branch west of the Mississippi, is probably worth a stop -- if you can stomach the price. Figures here are state-of-the-art, painstakingly constructed to perfectly match the original person. (Truth be told, though some are nearly identical to their living counterparts -- Brad Pitt gave us a start -- others look about as much like the celebrity in question as a department-store mannequin.) There's no Chamber of Horrors, but the exhibit makes up for it, since all the waxworks are free-standing, allowing, and indeed encouraging, guests to get up close and personal. (Go ahead, lay your cheek next to Elvis's or Sinatra's and have your photo taken. You know you want to.) The emphasis here is on film, television, music, and sports celebrities, plus some Vegas icons, who are housed in five themed rooms ("Sports Arena," for example). There's also a behind-the-scenes look at the lengthy process involved in creating just one of these figures.

Marjorie Barrick Museum

Formerly known as the Natural History Museum (as opposed to the existing Las Vegas Natural History Museum, and now you can see why they changed the name), here's a cool place to beat the heat and noise of Vegas while examining some attractive, if not overly imaginative, displays on Native American crafts and Las Vegas history. Crafts include 19th-century Mexican religious folk art, a variety of colorful dance masks of Mexico, and Native American pottery. The first part of the hall is often the highlight, with impressive traveling art exhibits. Children won't find much that's entertaining other than some glass cases containing examples of local, usually poisonous reptiles (who, if you are lucky -- or unlucky, depending on your view -- will be dining on mice when you drop by). Outside is a pretty garden demonstrating how attractive desert-appropriate plants (in other words, those requiring little water) can be. You just wish the local casinos, with their lush and wasteful lawns, would take notice.

Neonopolis

It's hard to get visitors Downtown, but if you are genuinely looking for activities that do not have to do with gambling, this $100-million open-air restaurant, shop, and entertainment complex (with an 11-screen movie theatre) provides at least some motivation. Located right at the Fremont Street Experience, where Fremont Street meets Las Vegas Boulevard South, it's basically a big open-air mall, but one that is powered by Jillian's, a national chain that specialises in creating little urban entertainment centres, with a state-of-the-art arcade (as well stocked, from air hockey to virtual-reality games), bowling alley, billiards, two bars, a nightclub, and a restaurant all in one tidy package. It's not a 24-hour joint, but the hours are long enough that nongamblers can amuse themselves here while the gamblers in their party are doing their thing. The cafe has an extensive menu (from hamburgers to jambalaya), with most items in the $4-to-$10 range and as tasty as you could want from such a place.

Ron Lee's World of Clowns

It's easy to give this one a miss, but you're here, so what the heck. This factory manufactures clown figurines (and other types, most notably Disney figures). The tour itself consists of simply looking in windows as people mold and paint. The real attraction (aside from a beautiful carousel) is the gift shop, with a nearly limitless amount of high-quality figurines, primarily with a clown motif.

Secret Garden of Siegfried & Roy and Mirage Dolphin Habitat

Siegfried & Roy's famous white tigers recently became rather infamous when one of them either did what tigers all do, eventually, and attacked his beloved owner/trainer, or -- depending on whether you buy this story -- helped said beloved owner/trainer when the latter was having a medical emergency. Either way this story is played, it explains why this attraction is still up; no matter what, the tiger is not to blame. Here, white lions, Bengal tigers, an Asian elephant, a panther, and a snow leopard join the white tigers (the culprit, Montecore, is not exhibited any longer). It's really just a glorified zoo featuring only the big-ticket animals; however, it is a very pretty place, with plenty of foliage and some bits of Indian- and Asian-themed architecture. Zoo purists will be horrified at the smallish spaces the animals occupy, but all the animals are rotated between here and their more lavish digs at the illusionist team's home. What this does allow you to do is get very close up to a tiger, which is quite a thrill -- those paws are massive indeed. Visitors are given little portable phonelike objects on which they can play a series of programs, listening to Roy and former Mirage owner Steve Wynn discuss conservation or the attributes of each animal, and deliver anecdotes.

The Dolphin Habitat is more satisfying. It was designed to provide a healthy and nurturing environment and to educate the public about marine mammals and their role in the ecosystem. Specialists worldwide were consulted in creating the habitat, which was designed to serve as a model of a quality, man-made environment. The pool is more than eight times larger than government regulations require, and its 2.5 million gallons of man-made seawater are cycled and cleaned once every 2 hours. It must be working, as the adult dolphins here are breeding regularly. The Mirage displays only dolphins already in captivity -- no dolphins are taken from the wild. You can watch the dolphins frolic both above and below ground through viewing windows, in three different pools. (There is nothing quite like the kick you get from seeing a baby dolphin play.) The knowledgeable staff, who surely have the best jobs in Vegas, will answer questions. If they aren't doing it already, ask them to play ball with the dolphins; they toss large beach balls into the pools, and the dolphins hit them out with their noses, leaping out of the water, cackling with dolphin glee. You catch the ball, getting nicely wet, and toss it back to them. If you have never played ball with a dolphin, shove that happy child next to you out of the way and go for it. There is also a video of a resident dolphin (Duchess) giving birth underwater; her fourth calf (30 lb. and 3 ft. long) was born just before Mother's Day in 2003. You can stay as long as you like, which might just be hours.

Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay

Given that watching fish can lower your blood pressure, it's practically a public service for Mandalay Bay to provide this facility in a city where craps tables and other gaming areas can bring your excitement level to dangerous heights. Note also that it is way off in a remote part of Mandalay Bay, which might be a hassle for those with mobility problems.

Speed: The Ride/Las Vegas Cyber Speedway

Auto racing is the fastest-growing spectator sport in America, so it's no surprise that these two attractions at the Sahara are a popular stop. The first is an 8-minute virtual-reality ride, Cyber Speedway, featuring a three-quarter-size replica of a NASCAR race car. Hop aboard for an animated, simulated ride -- either the Las Vegas Motor Speedway or a race around the streets of Las Vegas. Press the gas and you lean back and feel the rush of speed; hit a bump and you go flying. Should your car get in a crash, off you go to a pit stop. At the end, a computer-generated report tells you your average speed, how many laps you made, how you did racing against the others next to you, and so forth. It's a pretty remarkable experience.

In a separate 3-D motion theatre, you'll don goggles to view a film that puts you right inside another race car for yet another stomach-churning ride (even more dizzying than the virtual-reality portion). Speed junkies and race-car buffs will be in heaven here, though those with tender stomachs should consider shopping at the well-stocked theme gift shop instead.

Speed: The Ride is a roller coaster that blasts riders out through a hole in the wall by the new NASCAR Cafe, then through a loop, under the sidewalk, through the hotel's marquee, and finally straight up a 250-foot tower. At the peak, you feel a moment of weightlessness, and then you do the whole thing backward! Not for the faint of heart.

Star Trek: The Experience and Borg Invasion 4-D

It goes without saying that hard-core Trekkers (note use of correct term) will be delighted. On the other hand, normal, sensible fans and those who couldn't care less about Star Trek may find themselves saying, "I spent $35 and 2 hours in line for this?"

This is the undisputed champ in the Vegas motion-simulator ride category. You can't fault the setup and interior design; after a walk through a space-themed casino (check out those light-beam-activated slot machines!), your long wait in line will be somewhat entertaining, thanks to memorabilia (displayed as if this were the stuff of fact, not fiction) and TVs showing various Trek clips. As you make your way to the ride proper, you encounter actors dressed in Trek gear, who let you know that you've crossed the line into the Trek future.

Suffice it to say it involves time travel and evil doings by the Borg, and if all doesn't work out, the very history of Star Trek could be affected. Do expect to be beamed aboard the Enterprise (that's really kind of cool), and know that if you have a sensitive stomach, you can skip the actual motion-simulator part, a wild and sometimes headache-inducing chase through space. The new Borg Invasion 4-D is a 3-D film starring several Star Trek Voyager cast members, and since it's "multimedia," there are more live actors, plus some surprises as the film plays (be prepared to have your anatomy unexpectedly poked). It is as well designed as the original portion and does give this attraction added value for the money. It will also send most Trekkers into orbit with happiness. In addition to the often-lengthy wait (on average, 20 min.; best shot at a slight lull would be noon-1pm on weekdays), the quality of your experience can vary depending on the quality of those Trek-garbed actors, whose line delivery can be awfully stilted. On the way out, through the shops selling everything Trek- and space-related (go ahead, get that Tribble you've always wanted), don't miss the TV showing a "news report" about some of the very things you just experienced.

Stratosphere Thrill Rides

Atop the 1,149-foot Stratosphere Tower are four marvelous thrill rides. The High Roller (the world's highest roller coaster) was recently revamped to go at even faster speeds as it zooms around a hilly track that is seemingly suspended in midair. Even more fun is the Big Shot, a breathtaking free-fall ride that thrusts you 160 feet in the air along a 228-foot spire at the top of the tower, then plummets back down again. Sitting in an open car, you seem to be dangling in space over Las Vegas. Amping up the terror factor is X-Scream, a giant teeter-totter-style device that propels you in an open car off the side of the 100-story tower and lets you dangle there weightlessly before returning you to relative safety. And now they have the aptly named Insanity: the Ride, a spinning whirly-gig of a contraption that straps you into a seat and twirls you around 1,000 feet or so above terra firma. Insanity is right.

Note: The rides are shut down in inclement weather and high winds.

The Arts Factory

Believe it or not, Las Vegas has a burgeoning art scene (what some would consider soul-crushing is what others consider inspirational), and this complex, located in the Gateway district, is the place to find proof. It features a few galleries and a number of work spaces for local artists. Several of the spaces are closed to the public. On the first Friday of each month, they have a party event (unimaginatively named "First Friday") showcasing local artists and arts-oriented businesses, with live music, street performances, and other entertainment and activities.

The Atomic Testing Museum

From 1951 until 1992, the Nevada Test Site was this country's primary location for testing nuclear weapons. Aboveground blasts in the early days were visible to the tourists and residents of Las Vegas, a mere 65 miles away. This well-executed museum, library, and gallery space offers visitors a fascinating glance at the test site from ancient days through modern times with memorabilia, displays, official documents, videos, interactive displays, motion-simulator theatres (like sitting in a bunker watching a blast), and emotional testimony from the people who worked there. It respectfully treads that tricky line between honouring the work done at the site and understanding its terrible implications. Not to be missed, even if it's only because of the Albert Einstein action figure in the gift shop!


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