BOULDER CITY, NEVADA

"Located approximately 20 miles from the glitter and excitement of Las Vegas and just a few miles from Hoover Dam's grandeur, Boulder City offers a quiet, relaxed living environment. With a population of slightly more than 15,000 people, Boulder City residents enjoy a quaint, small town atmosphere with a low crime rate and high quality police and fire services." read more from bcnv.org 

"Boulder City was initially created to house the workers who built Hoover Dam, and as such, was a significant and integral part of the successful completion of the Boulder Canyon Project. Constructed in 1931 in the midst of the Great Depression, Boulder City was conceived by the Federal Government as an ideal town, a "model" city to which the American people could look for hope of a better future." read more from bcnv.org

Boulder City is Nevada's answer to Mayberry, at least the main drag is.  There are no casinos in Boulder City.  My understanding is that casinos were prohibited to help reign in the Hoover Dam workers. 

If you need a gambling fix in the middle of the night, there is a really cool hotel/casino just down Boulder Highway - toward Las Vegas: The Railroad Pass Hotel & Casino.
The Railroad Pass                                                                                                                           2800 South Boulder Highway
Henderson, NV 89015
(702)294-5000
Fax: (702)294-0129)

The Railroad Pass is a self-contained, free standing structure just off Boulder Highway.  It offers modest hotel rooms, restaurants and plenty of gambling...It's a great get-a-way place.  Think All-American Fernando's Hideaway...

CATHEDRAL CANYON  (This Web-site is accessible, however, physical access to  Cathedral Canyon might be limited - Click the following link.)

This one of a kind, spiritually inspired, creative endeavor that was once a "shrine" to the deceased daughter of the creator was vandalized in 1999.  Click the link www.ziggy1.com for more information, hopefully a restoration will be forthcoming.

A small canyon like "wash" in the desert, Southwest of  Las Vegas (outfitted with: statues, pictures, poetic and Spiritual verses (presented in differant ways and mediums,) lights, piped in music and other interesting accoutrements) was home to this man's work.  Unless it's closed (because of the vandals) it is still worth the trip; The wash itself is inspiring.  You might find more information at the Pahrump  Chamber of Commerce Web site.   For directions to Cathedral Canyon, click the www.ziggy1.com link.

                                                                                                                                                        DURANGO, COLORADO

Southern Colorado town in the four corners area on the Animas River.  The Durango / Silverton railroad offers day trips on vintage coal-fired / steam-engine / narrow-gauge trains.  It's a memorable excursion to the top of the mountain as the train snakes and edges along high, breathtaking mountain passes that follow the pristine Animas River.  The bridge which the late Paul Newman and Robert Redford jumped from in the movie BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID can be seen from the train.  This is like the perfect all-day Disney ride to the top of the mountain...Click the following link for information including ticket purchase...

The Durango / Silverton Narrow Gauge Train

FURNACE CREEK

A day trip to Death Valley's FURNACE CREEK www.ziggy1.com will be remembered for a long time.  The rock formations on the edge of  DEATH VALLEY are other-world like.  A small stretch of the imagination would convince one that one was on the surface of the Moon.  You can visit old Borax  (20 Mule Team - Death Valley Days) mines click here and see one of the huge mule-team Borax transport wagons.  Drive West from Pahrump, Nevada's main drag (Hwy. 160) and follow the signs.  There are some services and even a golf course (check before you go.)

"Hoover Dam is a testimony to a country's ability to construct monolithic projects in the midst of adverse conditions. Built during the Depression; thousands of men and their families came to Black Canyon to tame the Colorado River. It took less than five years, in a harsh and barren land, to build the largest dam of its time. Now, years later, Hoover Dam still stands as a world-renowned structure. The Dam is a National Historic Landmark and has been rated by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of America's Seven Modern Civil Engineering Wonders."  [Excerpt is from USBR]

The LasVegasBuffetClub's Recreation page has more information for Hoover Dam including maps, links to US Bureau of Reclamation Web Pages, links to Wiki pages and more...

                                                                                                                                         HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA

Los Angeles is about a five hour drive from Las Vegas (a bit more than a day trip); you might want to spend a night in the city or...Get on I-15, drive south and follow the signs.  (Take me to the LVBC's Hollywood page for restaurant, lodging & other information.)  (More information coming soon.)

LAUGHLIN, NEVADA

Laughlin, Nevada is a Las Vegas-style gaming town, 90 miles south of Las Vegas, in the middle of the Mojave desert, on the banks of the Colorado river.  A dozen major casinos, including the Golden Nugget, Harrah's and Tropicana as well as smaller local hotel casinos offer full amenities. [click the link for Laughlin information.]

[photo is from laughlinnevadaguide.com]

Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino:
"Don Laughlin's Riverside Resort Hotel and Casino was founded and established in 1966 as Laughlin, Nevada’s first hotel and casino. The Riverside Resort is located on the banks of the beautiful Colorado River. Owned and operated by Don Laughlin and his family, guests will find a number of fun activities while staying at Laughlin's family-friendly resort. Enjoy Nevada-style gaming action and entertainment 24 hours a day in a relaxed small-town atmosphere."

Yes there is a free lunch -Take a free bus tour to Laughlin, includes free lunch.  Board the bus in Las Vegas.

"The Lake Mead Visitor Center, also called the Alan Bible Visitor Center, is located off of U.S. 93, four miles southeast of Boulder City [30 mi. from Las Vegas.] See the park maps [in link - below] to find the route best for you."  [Excerpts are from National Park Service.]

"Lake Mead National Recreation Area offers a wealth of things to do and places to go year-round. Its huge lakes cater to boaters, swimmers, sunbathers, and fishermen while its desert rewards hikers, wildlife photographers, and roadside sightseers. It is also home to thousands of desert plants and animals, adapted to survive in an extreme place where rain is scarce and temperatures soar." 

Read more on the LVBC's Recreation page for Lake Mead - Includes NPS links.

"Encompassing over 1.2 million acres, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NRA) offers unparalleled opportunities for water-based & backcountry recreation. The recreation area stretches for hundreds of miles from Lees Ferry in Arizona to the Orange Cliffs of southern Utah, encompassing scenic vistas, geologic wonders, and a vast panorama of human history."  [Excerpt is from National Park Service]

Read more on the LVBC's Recreation page for Lake Powell - Includes NPS links.

"The Southern Nevada Zoological-Botanical Park (a.k.a. Las Vegas Zoo) is managed by the non-profit 501 (C)(3) Nevada Zoological Foundation. Our shady 3-acre park is located just 15 minutes northwest of the Las Vegas Strip. The zoo exhibits over 150 species of plants and animals (for more information click here). As the only zoo in Las Vegas and the only year-round zoo in Nevada, we work hard to fulfill our mission to educate and entertain the public by displaying a variety of plants and animals."
 

50,000 year old well-preserved meteor crater in Arizona.  "Meteor Crater RV Park is central to many of Northern Arizona's most popular tourist attractions, and makes an excellent base for taking several scenic day trips. Flagstaff, with its many activities and amenities is just a short 35 minute drive away. The Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Sedona, Walnut Canyon, and Sunset Crater are all within an hour or two of the park. A video describing those day trips is available upon request."  Paragraph is from their website.

MOAB, UTAH

Desert city in the South-East quadrant of Utah.  Explore Canyonlands, the Colorado river, rafting, cliff dwellings, natural bridges, hiking, tours etc.  Moab has motels, condos, cabins, camping and RV Parks, restaurants, churches and other attractions.

PAHRUMP is About 60 mi. West of Las Vegas...

Click the link above for LVBC Pahrump information including driving directions from Las Vegas.

Photo is of The Road To Pahrump (Highway 160) - click photo to enlarge.

SEDONA, ARIZONA  - is an upper-crust artist community and New Age spiritual vortex, of sorts, cradled in a red-rock canyon south of Phoenix. 

Seligman, Arizona is on the Mother Road (Route 66) about halfway between Kingman and Flagstaff, and is home to Delgadillo's Snow Cap (a hot dog and burger joint.)  You'll have to experience it yourself! The main drag of the town (several blocks long - with  a few motels, gas stations and restaurants) is quiet most of the time.  Some of the time the Car Club guys and gals are out and about, and the town comes alive with Vintage Chevys, Fords and other Classic antique automobiles.  This is part of the "Heartland."

For directions and other information about Seligman click The Seligman Buzz - Information Website.

Located near the tip of the south-west corner of Utah (about 110 mi. N/E of Las Vegas,) St. George is nestled against red rock bluffs which overlook the beautiful spic-n-span-clean city.  Many buildings compliment the natural red tone of the land; adobe structures would be decidedly rouge...At first blush one is struck with the cleanliness of St. George.  Everything seems to be fresh and clean, even the terra firma.

After the Native Americans, Mormons settled the area in 1847.  read about this from the ST. George Chamber of Commerce...

Connect to The St. George City Website 

TECOPA Hot Spring's Baths

On the road (Highway 160 from Las Vegas) to Pahrump, Nevada [Pahrump is about 60 miles,] after about 35 miles you will see a sign on the left for TECOPA.  Turn left on the "Tecopa Road" / "Old Spanish Trail" turn off. If you take this turn-off and drive (South) about 35 or so miles (outstanding scenery) you will be in TECOPA where you will find the Tecopa Hot Springs [www.ziggy1.com] Mineral Baths.  Basically there are two (one for woman and one for men) tiled rooms that are fed by an underground hot spring.  The rooms have showers.  There are [now] modest use fees for this facility. ("Inyo County no longer operates the famous hot spring bath houses and the campground/RV Park. The county has contracted with California Land Management (CLM) to operate the facilities. Hours of operation have changed [ ] and a small fee is now charged to soak in the bath houses." - from onroute.com. June, 2008)  There is a small country store (sodas, snacks) an R.V. Park and a few other businesses.  Houses are scattered throughout the surrounding hills.  To view a better directional map for Tecopa, click on the CHINA RANCH link (above,) then click directions or use the TECOPA HOT SPRINGS RESORT link.  If you have an RV, you can spend the night at PETERSON'S TECOPA PALMS RV PARK, or at the TECOPA HOT SPRINGS RESORT, or you can spend the night in Pahrump or drive back to Las Vegas.  I simply dry-docked in the desert. 

VALLEY OF FIRE

VALLEY OF FIRE STATE PARK is about 50 mi. NE of Las Vegas (I-15 to Nevada Route 169 (at Crystal) then South to the Park.)  Take a hike up the trail and visit MOUSE'S TANK ("Hole In The Wall"  hideout for a "Renegade Native American,") at the turn of the century.  Along the way, you can view a good collection of Native American Petroglyphs and outstanding rock formations.  Find more information about Valley Of  Fire on the Web, at the Desert USA Web site:  www.desertusa.com.  Purchase an Audio Cassette Tape for The Valley Of  Fire State Park, from the Drive Yourself Tours Co. www.lasvegas-grandcanyon.com

WILLIAMS, ARIZONA

Home of the historic Grand Canyon Railway & Resort and Williams Depot where you can board a train to the Grand Canyon.  Have a peaceful night's rest at one of the motels; in the morning board the train, have a buffet lunch at the rim of the Grand Canyon or do one of the other motel/train/tour packages. 

"Packages with Train & Hotel - One complete vacation with one phone call to 1-800-THE-TRAIN or just a few clicks. Enjoy a package that includes train travel, lodging in Williams and Grand Canyon National Park, and meals at a great value. Spend the night and spend less!"

" The historic district of this once a [sic] bawdy frontier town, now offers glimpses into Williams' colorful past. Saloons, bordellos, and shops have been brought back to life through the care and concern of present-day Williams merchants." 

Williams, Arizona is on Route 66...Last time I was in Williams there was a humongous bike fest: hundreds of motorcycles...Also, Bike races, Classic Car Shows, Corvette Shows etc...