Suburban Las Vegas Summary
Pros
- Far from the crowds on the Strip
- Natural beauty of Nevada's red rocks
- Two beautiful, man-made lakes: Lake Las Vegas and Lake Mead
- Red Rock Canyon: unsurpassed hiking, biking, and climbing
- Winter skiing at Mount Charleston
- Extraterrestrial-spotting at Area 51 (as if Vegas didn't feel like outer space already)
- Over a dozen championship golf courses, including Angel Park and Bear's Best
- Plenty of casinos and the best bingo in town
- Often more affordable dining options than on the Strip
- Family-friendly: waitresses wear more clothing, streets free of porn-hawking, plenty of outdoor space
- Dry, warm-to-hot weather most of the year (but winters can get chilly)
Cons
- No all-night party scene, as found on the Strip
- A 30- to 40-minute taxi ride (about $60) to the Strip from some hotels
- No public transportation, just metered taxis
- Some hotels located along major highways -- less pretty scenery
- Most resort casinos draw a local crowd, not lively tourists
- Fewer prestigious dining options in general than on the Strip
- Blistering summers; average highs in the 100s (Fahrenheit) during July and August
What It's Like
Up until about a decade ago, the area surrounding Downtown Las Vegas and the Strip's towering hotel-casinos was an endless red desert. But as development expands, an ever-increasing number of resorts offer an isolated alternative to the 24-hour crowds. It's part suburban sprawl (fast food, outlet malls, congested interstates) and part outdoors escape, like at the gorgeous Red Rock Canyon, in Summerlin or the profound man-made oasis of Lake Las Vegas, in Henderson. Sure there are casinos -- it's still Vegas, after all -- but they often get less attention than the natural landscape.
Facts
| Languages: | English |
| Airports: | |
| Peak: | Oct. 1 - May 31 |
| Off-Peak: | June 1 - Sept. 30 |
| Currency: | U.S. Dollar |
| Electricity: | 120 V, 60 Hz |
| Tipping: | 15-20% at restaurants |
