Las Vegas NV Golf Weekend
Golf Digest, 10/10
TravelGolf.com, 2/10
Golf Magazine, 1/09 & 2/09
PGATour.com, 10/08
Las Vegas
My Town: Natalie Gulbis
America's gambling mecca doubles as a golfer's paradise, according to one LPGA Tour resident
By Ron Sirak
October 4, 2010
The words "Natalie Gulbis" and "Las Vegas" just seem to go together. The California native is one of the most glamorous players on the LPGA, and it's logical she would call the glitziest city in the U.S. home. But her love of her adopted city extends beyond the neon lights of The Strip.
"What's neat about Vegas is that no matter what you are into -- theater, sports, music, gambling, golf -- it's all here," says Gulbis, 27, who has settled in Lake Las Vegas. "People don't realize how beautiful it is here."
Like Vegas, Gulbis' beauty runs deep. In 2007 she won the William and Mousie Powell Award for exemplifying "the spirit, ideals and values of the LPGA" in a vote by players.
COURSES
You can't beat Rio Secco GC for beautiful views of the city. The Rees Jones course is southeast of The Strip and is always in great shape. If you have the time, take some lessons at the Butch Harmon School of Golf. That's where I see Butch when I'm in town working on my game...South Shore GC is an awesome Jack Nicklaus course that starts on Lake Las Vegas before climbing into the hills... And if you can manage to finnagle your way on Shadow Creek GC, it's spectacular. It helps, of course, if you are a high roller or a guest at an MGM Resorts International property. You never know what famous person you'll run into there.
WHERE TO STAY
The thing about Vegas is you almost can't go wrong when it comes to hotels. This is the service capital of the world. The rooms in the Forum Tower at Caesars Palace have great views of The Strip, plus you can see the Bellagio water show from some rooms. The hotel is easy to get in and out, and everything is right there: casino, spa, shops, restaurants. Of course, there is the Bellagio itself and the MGM Grand Hotel. An easy Internet search will find you a room at any price.
DON'T MISS
The shopping is fantastic. All the tony brands have stores on Las Vegas Blvd.: Gucci, Chanel, you name it. Plus there are outlet malls at the south end of The Strip.
The thing about Vegas is it's like a giant amusement park for the entire family. At The Venetian you can take a gondola ride. At The Mirage there are dolphins and white tigers in a protected open-air habitat. New York, New York is like being in New York City with Little Italy and all.
But if you want to get away from the bright lights, there are great spots, too. It's less than an hour's drive to Mount Charleston while Lake Mead and Hoover Dam are about 45 minutes away, and well worth the trip.
Dining:
You can get any kind of food in Vegas, but I love the steakhouses. Tops on my list is The Palm restaurant at Caesars Palace. Another great one is SW Steakhouse at the Wynn. Rao's Caesars palace is modeled after the legendary restaurant in New York's East Harlem that is impossible to get into. You might have better luck getting a table in Vegas!
Sports bar:
At The Palm on Sunday and Monday nights you can get your own flat-screen TV and a private booth to watch football. But for the real-deal Vegas sports experience, the sports books are where to go. Again I'm partial to Caesars. You can see all the games at the same time, get down a bet with the legal book-makers -- and play video poker.
Whale of a weekend: Golf, food and fun on the Las Vegas Strip
By Mike Bailey, Senior Staff Writer, TravelGolf.com
LAS VEGAS - What's more perfect than a three-day weekend in Vegas? How about a three-day weekend with three rounds of golf? After all, it's Las Vegas; you're supposed to cram in as much fun as possible. Sleep is overrated.
To make this happen, forget the rental car. That's for another trip. In this scenario, you want to stay on the Strip, in the heart of the action. Besides, the line to the rental-car shuttle can be long, so why not find transportation directly to Las Vegas Boulevard?
So here's the plan: Book one of those cheap flights on Southwest, U.S. Air, Continental or some other airline. (I get e-mail offers for cheap Vegas flights all the time.) Get a room on the Strip and reserve tee times for three rounds of golf. Good golf close to the Vegas Strip While most of the golf in the Las Vegas area shifts away from the Strip, three courses sit within easy cab rides – Bali Hai Golf Club, Las Vegas National and the Wynn Golf and Country Club.
"These courses are a long dice throw from the fabulous Las Vegas Strip," said John DeMarco, director of travel and tourism for LasVegasGolf.com and the Golf Channel. "If you need to squeeze in a round or just don't want to spend much time commuting back and forth, these courses offer the best in convenience from the Strip."
Heck, if you're staying at Mandalay Bay, you could walk to Bali Hai Golf Club. The 7,000-yard, par-71 layout literally sits in the shadow of the great casino, resort and hotel.
Billed as a golfer's tropical paradise, this Lee Schmidt and Brian Curley design features more than 4,000 imported palm trees, spectacular Augusta-like white sand against black lava rocks, seven acres of water and 100,000 tropical plants and flowers. You can also expect immaculate conditions, memorable holes – including the signature island green, par-3 16th – and great service, which can include a top-notch forecaddie service.
Las Vegas National on Desert Inn Road, probably less than a $10 cab ride from most of the major casinos, ranks as one of the least expensive green fees in southern Nevada, especially on weekdays.
Las Vegas National offers a great taste of old Vegas. Tiger Woods began his professional career at the club, which formerly hosted a PGA Tour event. But more than that, it's where the likes of Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack hung out - and not just on the golf course. Check out the old clubhouse. If you try hard enough, you can probably still hear the music coming from the old piano bar.
As one of our readers observed: "They should put somebody on salary to play that piano. ... I miss that."
Finally, if you're a high roller and don't mind the $500 green fees, take in the golf course at Wynn Las Vegas. It's the second extremely high-end Las Vegas golf course built by Steve Wynn. The other is Shadow Creek, which he no longer owns.
Like Shadow Creek, Wynn Golf and Country Club was designed by Tom Fazio to look nothing like a desert golf course. There's water on 11 holes, including the finale that features a 37-foot waterfall. The golf course bears absolutely no resemblance to old Desert Inn layout, sat on the same site. Wynn is wall-to-wall turf with a forest of more than 6,000 imported trees.
Sample Las Vegas golf weekend itinerary
So here's the plan:
Friday 8 a.m. – Catch Southwest flight into Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport.
10 a.m. – Arrive, get luggage and take taxi to Bali Hai.
Noon – Lunch at Bali Hai's Cili Restaurant, which offers an eclectic menu of contemporary American cuisine with Asian influences.
1 p.m. – Tee time at Bali Hai. Take the forecaddie; it's well worth it.
6 p.m. – Check into Wynn Las Vegas resort for a chance to get a tee time at the Wynn golf course on Sunday.
7 p.m. – Dinner at the SW Steakhouse, one of a dozen or so award-winning restaurants at Wynn Las Vegas.
10 p.m. – Hit the gaming tables.
Saturday
9 a.m. – Walk to the Bellagio for breakfast buffet, features cuisine from all sorts of countries.
11 a.m. – Tee time at Las Vegas National.
2 p.m. – Grab sandwich at the turn.
5 p.m. – Head back to Wynn for a nap. (You're going to need it.)
7 p.m. – Dinner at TV personality Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill at Caesar's Palace. Reservations suggested.
9 p.m. – Drinks at the Shadow Bar at Caesar's Palace.
11 p.m. - Back to the tables or some other entertainment option.
Sunday
10 a.m. – Light breakfast at Wynn's Terrace Pointe Café.
Noon: - Tee time at Wynn Golf and Country Club. Eat lunch at golf course.
5 p.m. – Hot stone massage at the Wynn Las Vegas Spa. (Ask for late checkout at the hotel.)
8 p.m. – Dinner at Nine Fine Irishmen Pub at New York, New York.
11 p.m. – Return to airport for red-eye flight home.
And don't forget to take Monday off work to recover.
[Fat Guy Note: Just doing some back-of-the-envelope calculations, the above 3-day itinerary will run you roughly $1,800-plus, even with a cheap flight.]
February 16, 2010
Golfing the Las Vegas Strip
Golf Magazine, February 01, 2009
Las Vegas is home to some of the most expensive courses in America, but Walters Golf offers a trio of themed courses that are close to the Strip and easy on the wallet. They're not muni-cheap, but they deliver a fun experience and save you enough money for one more shot at the roulette wheel.
Bali Hai
This 7,002-yard layout has always been a players' course, with strong par 4s and a cluster of eye-candy par 3s, notably the 9th and 16th holes. Service is impeccable, and firmer turf conditions in 2009 will allow for many more shot options.
$195-$320; 888-427-6678
Royal Links
Royal Links remains one of the least expensive ways to experience a facsimile of Royal Troon's "Postage Stamp" and the Road Hole at St. Andrews. And when you look at the faux castle clubhouse, you'll swear you can hear bagpipes.
$125-$269; 888-427-6678
Desert Pines
The pine trees and containment mounds at Desert Pines evoke a Carolinas feel. The contoured greens demand precise approaches, and the brutal closing par 4s on each nine will have you scratching your head at the diminutive 122 slope rating.
$99-$174; 888-427-6678
The Deal: Walters Golf offers one-stop shopping for Vegas golfers through Las Vegas Golf Getaways and Las Vegas Preferred Tee Times, and works with most top Strip hotels.
For more information, call 888-427-6678 or visit www.waltersgolf.com
Travelin' Joe's Guide to Las Vegas Golf Courses
By Joe Passov
Senior Editor (Courses/Rankings)
Golf Magazine, January 09, 2009
"Ching Ching Ca-CHING!" Ah, there's nothing like the sound of cash money, and there's nowhere else it echoes with more enthusiasm than in Las Vegas, Nev., America's entertainment capital. These days, however, the reverberations of cash drawers and clanking coins aren't quite so deafening, yet even in a down economy, Las Vegas remains a premier playground in the U.S. — and that applies to golfers as well as slot jockeys.
At long last, Vegas has beaten the odds and joined the inner circle of outstanding desert golf destinations. It can't quite match Arizona or Palm Springs for sheer quantity, but where quality is concerned, Vegas golf can hold its head high. The last word, naturally, comes from our own David Feherty, who sagely observes, "The value for your money in Vegas is extraordinary, because when you're on the golf course, you're only losing two, three hundred bucks in a 6-hour period, which isn't bad."
What's New in Town
As with many major resort destinations in the U.S., Las Vegas has witnessed new course construction hit a brick wall. Nonetheless, there's a flurry, if not a storm, of activity these days. Most notably, Vegas' gold standard track, Shadow Creek, re-opened in mid-December, following a 7-month shutdown for maintenance work and some minor design tweaks by original architect Tom Fazio. New bentgrass greens, trees trimmed back to open up long-lost vistas and the addition of 321 yards to the tips were among the changes.
On the downside, The Falls at Lake Las Vegas Resort, a 7-year-old wild ride through the desert, courtesy of Tom Weiskopf, is facing an uncertain future, due to the bankruptcy of the resort itself. Closure is imminent — so if you're entertaining any thoughts of playing it, call ahead.
The newest Las Vegas-area layout is a superb, if awkwardly named Jack Nicklaus design called The Chase at PGA Golf Club Coyote Springs. Opened in May 2008, the Chase caught GOLF Magazine's No. 4 ranking in the Top 10 New Courses You Can Play. The experience starts with a lonely 50-minute ride up U.S. 93 through barren, if eerily attractive desert. If you continue straight instead of turning right where 93 meets State Route 168, you're headed straight towards the U.S. Air Force's highly secretive Area 51. There's nothing quite so mysterious about the Chase. This is a wonderfully low-key design, with fast, undulating greens, an army of strategically deployed tattered-edge bunkers and just enough bells and whistles in the form of lakes, waterfalls and mountain views to lure potential homebuyers to the new PGA Village at Coyote Springs.
My favorite marketing gambit comes from OB Sports Golf Management, which makes available a pair of motorcoaches to take groups from Strip hotels right to its three area courses, Angel Park, The Legacy and Aliante. Given the price of cab fares — and multiple cabs — and the hassle of rental cars in this traffic-choked city, the motorcoach shuttle is the rock star's way to travel — with the band along for the ride.
"Most improved" goes to Bali Hai, a Walters Golf facility that boasts incredible access to the Strip and to the Airport, as well as Cili, the best golf course restaurant around. What's new, however, is a superintendent that's figured out how to keep the grass green, while making the turf play much firmer and faster than ever before, thus vastly increasing shot options and short-game skills required.
There's plenty of on-going construction on the Strip, but you'll have to stay tuned and monitor economic realities as to if and when these projects will come online. The newest lodging experience in the vicinity is the Aliante Station Casino + Hotel in North Las Vegas that opened November 11, 2008. The 202-room hotel sports a 700-seat showroom and is next door to the enjoyable Gary Panks-designed Aliante Golf Club.
The Trophy Collection
If you're a serious course connoisseur — or just a big winner at the tables — Shadow Creek, Cascata and Wynn Las Vegas are in a $500 league by themselves. Perhaps Shadow Creek no longer has the mystique it enjoyed when it was next-to-impossible to get onto, but the course is still one of the nation's best. In contrast to the lush, almost Carolinas-like atmosphere that Tom Fazio and Steve Wynn created at Shadow Creek, Cascata is draped dramatically across stark mountain slopes and soars 3,200 feet above the desert valley. Tour-quality caddies, Bighorn sheep sightings and a river that runs through the clubhouse are among the attractions, as is the current Sunday through Thursday rate of $350, for you bargain-hunters. Wynn Las Vegas is open only to guests of Steve Wynn's eponymous hotel and with the first tee just steps from the lobby, there's no question this is Sin City's most convenient great golf experience. Just how great the design really is spurs debate, but what's undeniable is that its oasis-in-the-desert ambiance with its only-in-Vegas landscaping and water features makes it a must-play.
Best of the Rest
Angel Park is the most versatile facility in town, with two mostly affordable, reasonably challenging Arnold Palmer-designed 18s, along with the Cloud Nine Short Course and an 18-hole, all-grass putting course, both of which are lighted for night play. Testifies comedian George Lopez, a frequent Vegas golfer, "I think Angel Park is great. You don't have to have waterfalls to have a good time."
Perhaps Las Vegas' most distinctive course is Royal Links, where architect Perry Dye fashioned 18 holes that pay homage to holes found on British Open courses, such as Troon's "Postage Stamp" and St. Andrews' Road Hole, with plaques on each tee box to educate as well as entertain. The faux-castle clubhouse serves up that ubiquitous Scottish treat — the hot dog — that is not to be missed. It's big, it's grilled and it comes on a seasoned, buttered bun. Says Mr. Feherty, "You go out there and if you close your eyes and forget that you really came here for the slot machines — you can really believe that on a cool day, maybe that you're floating around Scotland. I mean hell, they've got pirates, they've got the Eiffel Tower, they've got the pyramids ... Why the hell shouldn't you be in Scotland, and if you're in Scotland, you should be on a golf course."
Rio Secco is a Rees Jones design with perfect greens and a stunning back nine through desert canyons. Perfect and stunning also describes Vegas resident Natalie Gulbis, who you might see at Rio Secco from time to time on the practice tee at Butch Harmon's Golf School. Just take a right-hand turn after the first hole for a potential glimpse of paradise.
Las Vegas Paiute Resort boasts three wind-blown Pete Dye designs that are free of homes and invariably in superb condition, but the highlight of the round could be the post-round beverage in the handsome clubhouse, where giant floor-to-ceiling picture windows let you gaze across the desert floor clear out to the mountains.
Southern Highlands is a very private Robert Trent Jones Sr./Jr. collaboration that's studded with massive bunkers, but you should try to talk your way in just to check out the palatial clubhouse.
Finally, Badlands truly polarizes players with several cramped, lay-up holes, but it also tosses out several memorable examples of dramatic, forced-carry, desert target golf, a surprisingly rare commodity in Las Vegas. Shock-rock golfer Alice Cooper, who plays off a 5 handicap, smiles when he recalls this 27-holer, designed by his pal Johnny Miller and says "If you want to get beat up, Badlands can take care of that for you."
Travelin Joe's Perfect Weekend in Las Vegas
By Joe Passov
Senior Editor (Courses/Rankings)
Golf Magazine, January 10, 2009
These days, there are two things you can pretty much count on in Las Vegas: First, there are deals to be had, and second, the House will always win — eventually. That said, with this economy, there's never been a better time to strike it rich where value is concerned. So take advantage with a weekend jaunt. Here are my picks for the perfect Las Vegas three-day getaway.
Friday
We get our first golf game in this afternoon on the day we arrive. Even if you're jetting in from the East Coast, you'll gain three hours, so it's no problem getting in with time enough to squeeze in 18. Complimentary limos have drivers waiting at baggage claim to pick up High Rollers — and since it's my perfect weekend, that's how I'm going — but if that's not the profile you fit, it's an either/or re: cabs vs. rental car. The cab ride to a Strip hotel is short (10 minutes) and cheap (under $15). However, if you're going to play more than one round of golf at outlying courses, the cost savings by renting might outweigh the huge cab fares and hassle factor of driving yourself from place to place in some serious snarling traffic.
First stop is the Bellagio, a 5 Diamond-rated MGM/Mirage property in the heart of the Strip that's fronted by an eight-acre lake. The lake comes complete with its own fountain, music and light show. Trust me, it's more tasteful than it sounds. We drop our bags off, as Vegas rooms are almost never ready until 3:00 p.m. or so, then head south on Las Vegas Boulevard for one gigantic city block. Our destination is the Wynn Golf Club at Wynn Las Vegas Resort, a lightly played venue due to its $500 price tag, that's now open to outside play. We can buzz around this Tom Fazio extreme makeover of the old Desert Inn course in short order and have plenty of time to refresh for the evening activities.
Wynn's compact holes are cocooned by more than 15,000 pines and shrubs and water features grace 11 of them, notably the par-3 15th, that's guarded by a wishbone-shaped stream and the par-4 18th, its putting surface backdropped by a 37-foot waterfall.
Dinner is Rao's, next door at Caesars Palace. A Vegas outpost of the legendary 11-table Harlem dining establishment, where reservations are nearly impossible, this Rao's replicates the Sopranos-like ambiance admirably — and it's a lot easier to get in. Uncle Vincent's Lemon Chicken or a veal chop parmesan served on the bone — with a side of Rao's meatballs — we're talking real Italian here.
If you've got the energy to see a show, stick with the Italian flavoring for a production of Jersey Boys, just down the road at the Palazzo, an excellent, new low-key all-suite hotel connected to, but separate from the Venetian. Have a nightcap at Bellagio's Baccarat Bar, or for a more high-energy people-watching experience, at The Bank. What you do after that is your call — I'm going to get some sleep because I'm playing Shadow Creek in the morning.
Saturday
It's still the coolest golf experience in town, so as long as you're staying at an MGM/Mirage property such as Bellagio, take the limousine for the 35-minute drive to North Las Vegas to tackle Tom Fazio's masterpiece of near-fantasy proportions. Imagine the flattest, dullest site possible, wave a wand and voila, a lush, rolling Florida/Carolina combo to blow your mind. Only the distant mountain views remind you you're in Vegas.
If you're bound and determined to experience desert golf, skip one of the first two wall-to-wall grass encounters and head to Boulder City for Cascata. Avid golfer Alice Cooper calls Rees Jones' engineering marvel "a great target course, with maybe the premier clubhouse in town." With its gourmet food and a river running through it, the clubhouse is in a league of its own. Keep it straight and the course is conquerable, with firm fast greens and run-up shots the norm, but stray and you're up with the Bighorn sheep on the rocky desert slopes that frame every fairway.
Fanatics on a golf mission that have extra daylight at hand should slot a round at Royal Links. I'm a history buff, so I always get a kick out of dueling with Perry Dye's homage to holes found on British Open rota courses, that come complete with history lessons on each tee.
If one Saturday round is plenty, go back and unwind in a private cabana at Bellagio's Mediterranean-themed pool, complete with waiter service from the Pool Bar. Liquid refreshment and how shall we say, people-watching, will hold me for an hour or two — but now I'm getting antsy, so it's off to the Sports Book at Mandalay Bay, another MGM/Mirage property down at the end of the Strip. No matter what time of year you're there, there's always something good to watch — and wager on — on a Saturday afternoon.
We'll come back to Saturday's dinner, but if you're still craving more golf, don't let a lack of daylight dissuade you. Angel Park, maybe 15-20 minutes from the Strip, doles out a range, a 12-hole, par-3 replica course called Cloud Nine and an 18-hole all-grass putting course — all three of which are lit for night play. Add a cocktail or three to the putting experience and you'll be amazed at how good you are — or how good you think you are.
If dinner's on tap, you've got to do a classic Vegas Steakhouse experience at least once. Trouble is, there are so many great choices, from chains to one-offs, it's hard to narrow down one — but hey, it's my perfect weekend, so I will. It's tough to beat Charlie Palmer's at the Four Seasons, the always reliable Palm, at Caesars Palace and there's plenty of chatter about Cut, Wolfgang Puck's new eatery at the Palazzo, but I'm staying put, downstairs at Bellagio, for Prime, Jean-Georges Vongerichten's brown-and-blue hued meat palace that looks out over Lake Bellagio.
There's plenty of poker and blackjack to plow through before the night is over, but if you're still show-prone, even after Jersey Boys, Las Vegas offers every flavor from Blue Man Group to Carrot Top. The best musical production show is LOVE, a Cirque du Soleil Beatles retrospective at the Mirage; for magic, stick with Penn & Teller at the Rio; for comedy, I'm always amused by George Wallace at the Flamingo; and for a headliner, I'll go with the classic rock stylings of Elton John at Caesars. Nonetheless, my favorite show is Cirque du Soleil's jaw-dropping, how-the-hell-did-they-do-that water fantasy, O, at Bellagio, so that's where you'll find me.
So you missed out on dinner to gamble and take in a show? Grand Lux Cafe at the Palazzo, the Cheesecake Factory's upscale sibling, is a late-night haven, serving up huge portions of comfort food like Yankee Pot Roast or Salisbury Steak with mushroom gravy at respectable prices in a great-looking locale.
Sunday
Still hungry? The Sterling Sunday Brunch at Bally's is as good as it gets. For less aggressive appetites, the House of Blues Sunday Gospel Brunch at Mandalay Bay infuses food, music and spirituality in one tasty package. However, put your fork down, because it's time for one final round before we board the plane.
I'll do it at Bali Hai Golf Club on the southern tip of the Strip, partially because it's a fun, eye-catching layout, and partially because it's so close to the airport, you can hit a flight attendant with your backswing. Barack Obama played a quick nine here while on the campaign trail, so you know it's tough to top it for convenience. Strong par-4s, eye-candy par-3s and the tropical theme of blindingly white bunkers, palm trees and water features form the resort appeal, while the gleaming backdrops of the pyramid-shaped Luxor and the Mandalay Bay beckon in an only-in-Vegas way.
Save time before your flight to sample Cili, Bali Hai's clubhouse restaurant, which for my money — not that I part with it often — is the best golf-attached dining experience in the country. With its American/Asian fusion cuisine and patios that overlook lagoons, you won't want to leave.
Spend a few more quarters at the airport — and say goodbye for now. If I've poured in a few birdies, it's been a perfect weekend.
[Fat Guy Note: Again using back-of-the-envelope calcuations, the above weekend itinerary will run you roughly $2,350 including a $250 flight.]
About Town: Las Vegas
PGATour.com, Oct. 14, 2008
By Ceri Mobley
As if Las Vegas weren't exciting enough on its own, the annual Sin City TOUR stop now has a new host -- Justin Timberlake. Ladies love him. Guys are jealous of him. And yes, the man knows how to swing a golf club.
If you're making the trip out West to one of the coolest tournaments of the year, here's the lowdown on making the most of your stay.
SOMEWHERE TO SNOOZE
Like you need my help, right? Well, who knows, some of you might not be as talented with the travel booking as me, so here goes.
• Bellagio, baby: This quintessential Vegas hotel/casino is if not the first -- one of the top-three hotels -- to pop into the head of a Vegas-goer. It has five-star everything you want and, located right on the strip, is only 20 minutes from TPC Summerlin. Rates spike in Vegas over the weekends, so on average, you're looking at about $235 a night here.
Other options
• Mandalay Bay: More Vegas luxury awaits at this four-star resort on the strip. Also about 20 minutes from the course, rates average about $215 a night.
• Stratosphere Tower: If you're looking for something a little bit cheaper, this is your best bet -- no pun intended. It's three stars on the strip, 20 minutes away and rates average $85 a night.
SOMETHING TO SNACK ON
Much like with hotels, Vegas has restaurants-a-plenty. If you need a kick start, here are some tried-and-trues of mine.
• Rum Jungle: Inside the Mandalay Bay, Rum Jungle serves up Brazilian-, Caribbean- and Cuban-style food before transforming post-meal into a hot lounge. It's the place to be in Vegas.
• Top of the World: Located atop the Stratosphere on the strip, this rotating restaurant gives you a stunning view of Sin City and serves up steaks and seafood so naughtily nice they should definitely stay in Vegas. Plus the butter for the rolls is in the shape of the tower. Cool, no?
• Salt Lick: OK, I have only tried this in Texas, but it's the same company, so I am willing to say go ahead and get you some barbecue in Vegas. It's like nowhere else (well, except Texas).
• TAO: In Vegas, you can go to New York, so why not be able to go to one of New York's biggest restaurants, too? Asian dining at its finest, TAO couldn't be trendier.
SOMETHING TO TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT
Yes, yes, what you do in Vegas is supposed to stay in Vegas, but here are some g-rated ideas for things to do that you can share with your friends.
• A Vegas show: You can take your pick really, but Cirque du Soleil is always a popular choice; why not see what all the fuss is about?
• Hang out poolside: The weather should be in the 80s all week, which isn't Vegas scorching, but it's plenty warm to relax by one of Sin City's world-famous lagoons.
• Try your luck: You can't come to Vegas and not have a little turn in the casinos. Check out all the big ones: Bellagio, Caesar's Palace, The Venetian, MGM Grand, New York New York ... the list goes on.
• Hit the shops: The Vegas strip has world-class shopping if you have the wallet for it, kind of like diving with sharks if you have the stomach for it.
STICKING AROUND?
So you made the trek out to the middle of the desert and aren't ready to go home yet? If so, check out these regional time wasters ...
• Grand Canyon helicopter tour: By car, the big hole in the ground is a good five hours away, but it'll take you much less time to get there by chopper, and the view is undeniably better, too.
• Hoover Dam: Without a doubt, this is the best dam tour you'll ever go on, and if you go, yes, that joke will get old, very quickly. But it's really something to see -- as long as you don't pull a Clark Griswold.
Zane Lamprey's Drinking Made Easy Guide To Las Vegas (2011):
Known as “The Entertainment Capital of the World”, Las Vegas, an internationally renowned resort city in the middle of the Nevada desert, is famous for drinking, gambling, shopping and fine dining. Often referred to as “Sin City” with the slogan “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”, it’s come to be a popular destination for weekend getaways, weddings and conventions. Las Vegas was founded in 1905 and officially became a city in 1911. Gambling was legalized in 1931 in Nevada, which led to the advent of casino-hotels, and what is now downtown Las Vegas became an entertainment center for the men who were working on the nearby Hoover Dam, which was completed in 1935. Major development occurred in the 1940s and the first resort hotel to open on the now famous section of Las Vegas Boulevard, the El Rancho Hotel, was built in 1941. As development of the “Las Vegas Strip” began to grow, the Flamingo Hotel, which still resides here, was opened in 1946 by organized crime boss Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel. Today, Vegas is a 24-hour a day adult playground where drinking from open containers is allowed on the streets, gambling is encouraged and entertainment is at every turn. Nineteen of the world’s 25 largest hotels by room count are on the Strip, with a total of over 67,000 rooms. For tourists, the Las Vegas Strip and Fremont Street are the main hubs of activity, but as locals will tell you, their city has plenty more to offer. With the convenience of finding a drink 24-hours a day, if there’s one thing that Las Vegas tourists and locals would agree on, it’s that there might not be a better city on earth, where drinking is made easier.
GLITTER GULCH
Dating back to 1905 when Las Vegas itself was founded, Fremont Street was also the first paved street in Las Vegas in 1925 and received the city’s first traffic light in 1931. It is the second most famous street in town, after the “Las Vegas Strip”. Named in honor of explorer John Charles Frémont, it’s located in the heart of the downtown casino corridor and is/has been the address for many famous casinos. The abundance of neon signs, and its inclusion in virtually every television show and movie that wanted to display the lights of the city, earned it the nickname of “Glitter Gulch”. Now a tourist destination, The Fremont Experience is a section of Fremont Street that is closed off to traffic (pedestrian-only) and visitors can wander in and out of the numerous casinos, bars and restaurants lining the street.
One casino on Fremont Street that has survived the test of time is Golden Nugget. Built in 1946, it’s one of the oldest casinos in the city and is the home to the largest gold nugget in the world, a 875-troy ounce piece of metal called “The Hand of Faith” that was found using a metal detector in Australia in 1980. Within the Golden Nugget, is one of the best upscale nightclubs in town, Gold Diggers. Priceless views, like a balcony with a 180-degree view of the Fremont Street Experience, music, dancing and drinks with names like Sugar Daddy, Rock-A-Fella Cosmo and the Empty Wallet, make Gold Diggers a hotbed of activity.
Another nearby joint, The Griffin, located on Fremont Street between Las Vegas Boulevard and Carson Ave., is a place where locals like to convene over a Griffin-sized pour of booze (a generous pour at an affordable price). Dark and cozy with some of the nicest bartenders in town, this watering hole is a great place to meet friends for a beer or cocktail.
Hogs and Heifers, also located on Fremont Street is a no frills biker bar who claims “no specialty drinks, no dress code, no ties, no guest list and no whining.” Female patrons are encouraged to dance on the bar, as their New York location was the inspiration for the film “Coyote Ugly”, or throw their bras onto the Antlers of America like hundreds of patrons, including Julia Roberts, have done since its opening in 1992.
LOCAL BREW
It might come as a surprise to hear that Las Vegas is the home to several craft breweries. Sin City Brewing Company, established in 2003, is known as Vegas’ hometown Microbrewery and features three signature locations on the Las Vegas Strip. Sin City beers are brewed in small batches and adhere to the 1516 German Beer Purity Law, Rheinheitsgebot, which means that the only ingredients they can use are water, hops and barley. Their original location is located inside Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood and their other locations are at The Venetian and the Flamingo. Each bar features their four custom brews on tap, in addition to seasonal specials. At 5.7% ABV, their “Say Hello to Amber” Oktoberfest-style Amber lager is their flagship brew. Sin City beers are brewed and distributed exclusively in Las Vegas.
Sin City Irish Car Bomb
½ glass of The Dark Side of Sin Stout
Drop in a shot of ½ Irish whiskey and ½ Irish Cream and chug
Sin City Brewing Co. | 3663 Las Vegas Blvd S # 504, Las Vegas, NV 89109 | (702) 732-1142
Another local brewery, located in Northeast Las Vegas, is Big Dog’s Brewing Company. Opened in 1991, their brewpubs feature award-winning beer, eclectic canine décor, food and 35 multi-denomination slot machines. Their beer is not bottled or distributed but you can find them on draft at any of theirfour locations.
Tenaya Creek Brewery is another local brewery making award-winning brews. Founded in 1999 by Tim Etter, Tenaya Creek was established in order to provide a unique product to the market of Las Vegas. Brews include an IPA, Nut Brown Ale, Hefeweizen and an award-winning Pilsner. Unlike many of its local competitors, they bottle their beer and it’s sold throughout Vegas and Reno, Nevada.
Joseph James Brewing Company and Ellis Island Casino & Brewery both make craft beer as well as soda pop. Joseph James Brewing make six year round brews, several season brews and root beer and cola. Ellis Island combines great beer and gambling. With over 350 gaming devices, they feature four handcrafted beers and homemade root beer.
BEER BARS
With so much great beer made right in Las Vegas, it’s no wonder that there are many local bars which are dedicated to craft beer. One of the best examples of beervana can be found at the Freakin’ Frog which features more than 1,000different bottled beers (in two walk-in coolers) and 10 taps. They claim to have the largest beer selection in the West. While its beer list is incredibly impressive, Freakin’ Frog has more recently added their Whisky Attic, an upstairs space that houses more than 600 different whisky’s from around the world. Boasting the largest whisky selection in the country, their whiskies are served straight up and range in price from around $5, to more rare varieties that cost around $400. Freakin’ Frog also offers food and beverage classes that are presented by owner Adam Carmer who is also a professor at UNLV.
Freakin’ Frog | 4700 S Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89119 | (702) 597-9702
A more recent addition to the craft beer bar scene is Aces & Ales. Opened in 2009, it’s the brainchild of Alice Cooper guitarist Keri Kelli and buddy Ryan Johnson. With 22 taps, between 50-70 rare bottles and over 100 cellared kegs, Aces & Ales’ selection will appeal to beer connoisseurs as well as the casual beer drinker. Inspired bythe classic gastro pubs of London, they offer a full range of beer styles served in traditional glassware, as well as simple, quality-conscious comfort food. They also carry a fine selection of Single Malt Scotch, Tequila and Bourbon.
Inverted Beer Bomb
Patron XO Café
Deschutes Black Butte XXI
Aces & Ales | 3740 South Nellis Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89121 | (702) 436-7600
If you head closer to the Strip, you’ll find a number of beer heavy bars, like Todd English P.U.B., which is located at Crystals CityCenter. This “Public Urban Bar” features 30 premium beers on draft, traditional American comfort foods from three-time James Beard Award winner Todd English, a full raw bar featuring the best of the sea and a carvery with an assortment of prime meats.
About 10 miles south of the Strip is 32 Degrees Draft Bar at the M Resort. Named after the optimal beer serving temperature, 32 Degrees boasts 96 different unique ales, lagers, stouts, microbrews, classic imports and domestic favorites. It’s also open 24 hours.
SIN CITY COCKTAILS
Las Vegas is often referred to as the center of the mixology scene. In a city that is home to many of the best gourmet restaurants in the world, it’s only fitting that they also produce some of the nation’s best cocktails.
One of the stars of the Las Vegas Strip nightlife scene is Ghostbar, located on the 55th floor of The Palms Casino Resort. This hotspot offers some unique features like an outdoor skydeck that provides almost a 360- degree view of Vegas and a glass inset in the floor that offers a jaw-dropping view straight down. Most nights you need to be on a guest list, but make a night of it and stop in to check out some of their unique cocktails.
The Absinthe Lemon Drop
Lemon wedges
Absinthe
Sweet and Sour Mix
Simple Syrup
Shake with ice and pour into a shot glass
Van Gogh
Absinthe
Apple Pucker
Cranberry Juice
Ghostbar | 4321 W. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, NV 89103 | (702) 942-6832
The Voodoo Lounge is notorious for its cocktails and skilled bartenders. Located on the 50th and 51st floors of the Rio Hotel, The VooDoo Lounge creates specialty cocktails, like the world-renowned Witch Doctor. Featured on Three Sheets: Las Vegas, its flair bartenders load this dry ice drink with 15 different types of rums and juices. Other signature cocktails include the Silk Chocolate, which is made with Starbucks coffee liqueur, Absolut Vanilla vodka and Godiva Chocolate liqueur and the Love Spell, a mix of white cranberry juice, lime, POM juice and Finlandia Mango vodka.
The Fireside Lounge at the Peppermill is another great place for cocktails. Featured in movies like “Casino” and “Showgirls”, it offers an extensive martini and exotic drink menu and has been called one of the swankiest old school lounges in Vegas.
Blue Hawaiian
In Hurricane glass, fill to top with ice
Vodka
Blue Curacao
Lemon Lime Soda
Pineapple Juice
The Scorpion
Fill blender with ice
2 scoops of vanilla Ice Cream
Grenadine
Vodka
Cherry Brandy
Rum
Orange Juice
Blend and serve
Peppermill | 2985 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109 | (702) 735-4177
The Double Down Saloon offers a more authentic Vegas experience. This anti-tourist destination calls itself “a clubhouse for the lunatic fringe” and is the home of both the Bacon Martini and Ass Juice. Made with house-infused bacon vodka, where three pieces of crisply cooked vodka are soaked in a bottle of vodka. The Bacon Martini is simply this infusion served cold in a martini glass. More like a shock-tail than a cocktail, their Ass Juice is said to be a mixture of about a dozen liquors, none of which the bartenders will reveal. Greenish in color, its consistency is that of mostly melted Jell-O and the Double Down has a strict rule: You puke, you clean.
Breakfast in a Glass
Bacon Infused vodka
Tomato Juice
Worcestershire Sauce
Hot Sauce
Bitters
Celery Salt
Garlic Salt
Pepper
Lemon
Double Down Saloon | 4640 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, NV 89169 | (702) 791-5775
Glitzy Vegas is home to some of the most expensive cocktails on the planet, including the $3,000 Ménage a Trois at Tryst at the Wynn Hotel. Made with Cristal Rosé, Hennessy Ellipse, Grand Marnier Cent Cinquantenaire, 23-karat gold flakes and liquid gold syrup, the drink is sipped through a golden straw studded with a 9-point diamond, which is yours to keep. On the lower end of the expensive spectrum is the Liquid Gold, which costs $175 and is available at Fleur de Lys in Mandalay Bay. Made with Grand Marnier Centenaire, Louis XIII Cognac, Krug Grand Cru Champagne, Fee Brothers West Indian Orange Bitters and raw sugar, it’s garnished with 23-karat gold leafing and a burnt orange twist.