Page 508 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

506  THE SOUTHWEST

Exploring Las Vegas glamorous, this street went into There is also a gallery for
Rising like a mirage out of decline. To reverse the process, temporary exhibitions from
Nevada’s beautiful southern an ambitious $70-million project leading museums.
desert, Las Vegas is a fascinating was initiated by the city in 1994
wonderland that promises to revitalize the area. The street E The Las Vegas Natural
fun to all its visitors. Beyond is now a colorful, bustling History Museum
the allure of the Strip are the pedestrian mall, covered by a 900 Las Vegas Blvd. Tel (702) 384-3466.
glittering malls and museums vast steel canopy, extending for Open 9am–4pm daily. Closed Jan 1,
in the downtown area. For five blocks, and from which the Thanksgiving, Dec 25. & 7
those who can tear them- spectacular sound-and-light ∑ lvnhm.org
selves away from the city, the shows are projected A popular choice
surrounding canyons, moun- every night. Gaze with families who
tains, deserts, and parks offer a upward to experience need a break from
wealth of natural beauty and high-resolution the Strip resorts, this
outdoor pleasures. Apart from images presented by museum has an
tourism and gaming, Las Vegas more than 12 million appealing range of
is also famous for wedding LED modules with exhibits. Dioramas
chapels that offer a wide range concert-quality sound. re-create the African
of customized ceremonies. Established by Dallas savanna, complete
bootlegger and with leopards,
 Siegfried & Roy’s Secret gambler Benny Façade of Binion’s cheetahs, and ante-
Garden and Dolphin Habitat Binion, the landmark lopes. The marine
Mirage Hotel, 3400 S Las Vegas Blvd S. Binion’s retains an old-style Vegas exhibit offers a chance to view
Tel (702) 791-7111. Open 11am– atmosphere. Now managed by live sharks and eels at close
6:30pm Mon–Fri; 10am–6:30pm Sat & MTR Gaming, the legend continues quarters. Animatronic dinosaurs
Sun. & 8 ∑ mirage.com with table games, slots, keno, and and the hands-on discovery
The highlight here is the Dolphin poker. Another historic casino room, where visitors can dig
Habitat, which has a 2.5-million- along the Street is Four Queens. fossils and operate a robotic
gallon (7,570,800-liter) saltwater Named for the owner’s four baby dinosaur, are popular
aquarium for Atlantic bottle- daughters, the casino has with children.
nose dolphins. Four connected chandeliers and gilt mirrors,
pools, an artificial coral reef reminscent of 19th-century New } Boulder City &
system, and a sandy bottom Orleans. It also claims to have the Hoover Dam
simulate the dolphins’ natural largest slot machine in the world. * 12,500. ~ @ Tel (702) 494-2517.
environment. All of the dolphins Open summer: 9am–5:15pm; winter:
were born here except for a few E Discovery Children’s 9am–4:15pm. & 7
that were transferred from other Museum Named after Herbert Hoover,
facilities. Visitors can watch them 360 Promenade Place. Tel (702) 382- the 31st president, the historic
swimming and playing with large 5437. Open Jun–Labor Day: Hoover Dam lies about 30 miles
balls through viewing windows. 10am–5pm Mon–Sat, noon–5pm Sun; (48 km) east of Las Vegas.
The Secret Garden is a palm- Sep–May: 9am–4pm Tue–Fri, Before its construction, the
shaded place with white tigers, 10am–5pm Sat, noon–5pm Sun. Colorado River frequently
lions, leopards, and black Closed Mon (except school hols), Jan 1, flooded acres of farmland in
panthers. The animal enclosures Easter, Thanksgiving, Dec 24 & 25. & Mexico and southern California.
7 ∑ discoverykidslv.org
are small, but the cats are rotated After much consideration, the
between the Secret Garden and Nine interactive galleries provide dam was built between 1931
larger quarters off-site. fun hands-on learning activities and 1935 across the Colorado
in science, arts, culture, and River’s Black Canyon. Hailed as
P Fremont Street early childhood development. an engineering marvel, it gave
Experience this desert region a reliable
Light Shows: Open 6pm–midnight water supply and provided
daily. 7 ∑ vegasexperience.com
Binion’s: 128 E Fremont St. Tel (702)
382-1600. Open 24 hours. 7
∑ binions.com Four Queens: 202 E
Fremont St. Tel (702) 385-4011.
Open 24 hours. 7 ∑ fourqueens.
com
Known as “Glitter Gulch,” Fremont
Street was where the first
casinos with neon signs and
illuminated icons were located.
However, during the 1980s and
1990s as the Strip became more An animatronic Tyrannosaurus rex in roaring form at the Las Vegas Natural History Museum
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p550–52 and pp553–5

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.7)
Date 1st October 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm