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Getting Away
 Lake Las Vegas
By Rebecca Antioco
Hop on a plane from Phoenix, and in less than an
hour you can visit the Statue of Liberty, ascend
the Eiffel Tower, ride on a Venetian gondola, play
the slots of Monte Carlo and even lounge on the
beach.
Ok, so it’s not the real deal — just adult
theme park versions of these travel icons, rising
out of the Las Vegas desert.
Just 17 miles from the lights of the Strip, you’ll
find a different Vegas experience, another kind of
oasis — Lake Las Vegas Resort. It is a great home
base for Vegas visitors who want to spend some time
experiencing the bright lights of the big city, but
want a quiet retreat to escape the headache-inducing
clang of the slot machines.
Situated a short distance from the Lake Mead Recreation
Area and about 30 minutes from Hoover Dam, Lake Las
Vegas is also more family appropriate than Las Vegas
proper. Take the kids into town to see the M&M
museum or to ride the roller coaster at New York,
New York if you’d like, but you can pass more than
just a few hours time hiking, boating or fishing
before returning to your quiet, luxury accommodations.
Fishing and other water activities are also available
on the lake itself.
And golfers will find plenty to do, teeing off at
one of three championship golf courses, two designed
by Jack Nicklaus and one by Tom Fazio. Lake Las Vegas
has held the distinctions of being named a “Gold
Medal Resort” by Golf Digest and one of the nation’s
top ten golf resorts by USA Today. Those needing
a little help with their swing can enroll in golf
school at The Golf Institute or sign up for private
lessons.
Lest you worry that wandering off the Strip leaves
you too far removed from some of the finer things
Vegas has to offer, not to worry. The resort area
itself consists of two major hotels — the AAA five
diamond Ritz-Carlton Lake Las Vegas and the four
diamond Loews Lake Las Vegas Resort — and, of course,
a lake. Several upscale dining options are available,
as well as premier shopping and world-class entertainment.
The resorts floating stage is the setting for a summer
concert series featuring stars like LeeAnn Rimes,
America and Three Dog Night. It was also the site
of Andrea Bocelli’s 2006 PBS special “Amore Under
the Desert Sky.”
And the resort does have some Vegas-esque qualities,
mimicking the look of a Mediterranean village and
featuring the 40,000-square foot Casino MonteLago,
which is separate from the hotels and easily avoidable
if gaming is not on your agenda.
Personally, my Vegas threshold is about two nights.
Any longer and my mind and body feel as if they’re
on overload. But if you’d like to extend that vacation
a night or two, a short jaunt to the lake in the
desert is an excellent option to relax (or to recover)
away from the fast pace and the glamour.
Photo courtesy of Lake Las Vegas
If you go:
Lake Las Vegas Resort Info
877-LLV-LAKE
lakelasvegas.com
Loews Lake Las Vegas Resort
702-567-6000
lakelasvegas.loewshotels.com
The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas
702-567-4700
ritzcarlton.com
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