Day Trip to Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam

Nothing can top Las Vegas, but Nevada does have one other mighty claim to fame that’s only about an hour outside of town: the Hoover Dam.  This engineering marvel transformed the Southwest, making it possible to actually live in Las Vegas and the rest of the region.

Getting to the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead

As you drive towards the dam from Vegas, you’ll eventually hit I-93 South.  Passing through Boulder City, you’ll come over a rise, and then, BAM! You’ll be surrounded by the magnificent, 9.2 trillion-gallon Lake Mead.  (You can also take an organized tour if you’d rather not do the driving yourself.  See below for more details.)

The Hoover Dam

Until the Hoover Dam came along, the twin evils of drought and flooding made living in the region downright treacherous.  Building an urban supercenter of entertainment, glitz and neon was out of the question.

(On the plus side: it’s all that tumultuous weather that carved the Grand Canyon.)

But starting in 1928, an army of thousands assembled to begin building this technical wonder.  The annual floods stopped.  Irrigation became possible.  And the dam immediately became the hub for hydroelectric power, enabling modern civilization to take hold here.

Although the dam is enormous, mechanical and, perhaps for some, a bit boring to look upon, there are lovely architectural elements to behold.  Witness, for instance, the Art Deco touches – it was built in the 1920s and 1930s, after all.  We especially like the 30-foot bronze sculpture known as Winged Figures of the Republic.

Tours are available here, ranging in cost from about $10 per person to about $30 per person.  More information can be found here.

Lake Mead

The Hoover Dam holds back the glorious consequence of its creation, Lake Mead, whose 700-mile shoreline is the center of the National Park Service’s Lake Mead National Recreation Area.  After paying your $10 per vehicle entrance fee, you can indulge in a bit of sport fishing, kayaking, boating, water skiing, canoeing, bird-watching, ranger-guided hiking along desert trails, scenic drives, and picnicking.

Tour Groups to the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead

A number of companies offer tours to get you to the dam and lake.  Here are a few:

Hoover Dam Tour Company

This company offers free hotel-to-hotel service and narrates the trip, which takes about 8 hours total (including visiting time at the sites).  You’ll have two hours to explore the engineering wonder of the dam, and the opportunity to take a cruise on Lake Mead itself.  The Deluxe Tour offers lunch, while the regular one does not.

Grand Canyon Tour Company

The Grand Canyon Tour Company offers a number of tours, ranging in cost from about $30 per person to $70 per person, and claims to offer “the fastest tour in town,” a four-hour trip that gives you two hours to explore the dam.

Papillon

Papillon is French for “butterfly,” and this company allows you to tack on a helicopter tour to your Hoover Dam bus tour.

However you get to the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, make sure to go!  They truly are, collectively, one of the engineering wonders of the world.

Paging Willy Wonka! Tour a Chocolate Factory in Las Vegas

What if we told you that one of the finest, most sinfully delicious, small-batch chocolatiers in the world was located right here in Sin City, only about ten miles from the Riviera Hotel & Casino?  Yes, we’d be salivating too.

You’re in luck.  The Mars family – yes, of M&M’s, Milky Way and Mars Bars fame – has been handcrafting chocolate, brittle and candy since Ethel Mars herself began doling her creations out to friends and family in 1911, and the quality of their products really does stand the test of time.  Known today as Ethel M premium chocolates, the shops have been serving up versions of her sweet treats since 1980.

Whether your tastes tend toward truffles, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, satin crème, nuts & caramel, sugar-free treats, kosher candies, or a mix of all of the above, you can design a chocolate collection for yourself right in the store.  And don’t forget that Ethel M is also famed for brittles: there’s the classic pecan brittle, the chocolate pecan brittle, and the classic & chocolate pecan combo.  Yum.

Best of all, they offer self-guided tours of their chocolate factory!  It’s located right next to the famed Ethel M Botanical Cactus Garden, featuring more than 300 species of cacti, such as prickly pear, saguaros and ocotillo.  Both the factory and the gardens are open seven days a week, although the chocolate machinery usually operates only from Monday through Thursday.  Regardless of when you show up, you’ll be able to taste divine chocolates, see the factory, learn about the chocolate-making experience, and visit the botanical gardens.

And it’s free!  Talk about a sweet deal.

The Ethel M Chocolates Las Vegas Factory
2 Cactus Garden Drive
(If using a GPS, type in 1 Sunset Way instead.)
Henderson, NV 89014
(702) 435-2655
http://www.ethelm.com/default.aspx

Hours: 8:00am-6:00pm daily, except holidays.  The factory stops making chocolate at 4.
For updates to hours or to find other Vegas-area store locations, click http://www.ethelm.com/store_locator/default.aspx.

Take a Day Trip to Valley of Fire State Park

We love Las Vegas! But every once in a while, as the song goes, be leaving Las Vegas is the thing to do.  (But not for long!  There’s too much fabulousness to explore here in Sin City to stay away for long.)

A day trip to the desert is the perfect way to explore what else the great state of Nevada has to offer, and one of our favorite places to explore happens to be only an hour’s drive from the city.  It’s the Valley of Fire State Park, and it’s the oldest and largest in Nevada.

The prehistory of the Valley of Fire State Park

If you’re a shutterbug, you’re in luck: this ancient, beautifully lit place is a photographer’s fantasy, especially if you happen to be here around sunrise or sunset.

About 150 million years ago, when dinosaurs still roamed these parts – yup, they did – fault lines and uplift shifted around some massive sand dunes.  Those sand dunes then ossified in place, turning red from the great amounts of iron in their makeup, and became quasi-permanent red sandstone formations that came to resemble fire.  That, friends, is how the Valley of Fire State Park got its name.

Ancient Inhabitants

Prehistoric and historic inhabitants of the area were here between 300 B.C.E./B.C. and 1150 C.E./A.D.  They include the Basket Maker people and the Anasazi Pueblo, who farmed in the nearby fertile Moapa Valley.  You can see their rock art, or petroglyphs, throughout the park.

The Visitor’s Center

When you visit the park, which is only six miles from Lake Mead, make sure to go straight to the visitor’s center: you’ll gain access to remarkable exhibits on the geology, ecology, prehistory and history of the area.  And if you like native snakes, you’ve got to check out the exhibit on reptiles.

The Mouse’s Tank

By far the most popular stop in the park, the Mouse’s Tank boasts not only gorgeous arches and hiking, but petroglyphs created by the ancient peoples who inhabited this place.

Bird Watching and other Animal Sightings

The park offers opportunities for spectacular migrant and resident bird sightings: you might see ravens, house finches, sage sparrows, and even roadrunners.  Other animals include snakes, lizards, coyotes, jackrabbits, antelope ground squirrels and kit foxes, as well as the rare and protected desert tortoise.

Hike, Bike or Drive Thru

The park is friendly to hikers, but there are also good views to be had from your car or from just beyond parking areas.  There are also several shaded picnic areas.  We recommend visiting during the spring or fall, as winter can bring rains and the summer can be quite hot.  In the spring, you’re likely to see the new blooms of desert marigolds, indigo bush and desert mallow.

Valley of Fire State Park
Overton, NV
(702) 397-2088
Open Daily, 8:30a.m.-4:30p.m.
Vehicle entrance fee (usually around $5)
http://parks.nv.gov/parks/valley-of-fire-state-park/

RIVIERA – SPRINGS PRESERVE

Go West, young nature lover.

It’s easy to forget on the Strip that Las Vegas is surrounded by a striking expanse of undeveloped nature, where desert beauty abounds.

When you’re not indoors enjoying the delights of our gaming, our shows or our restaurants here at the Riviera Hotel & Casino, we say: go outside.  See why this area earned the name Las Vegas, which is Spanish for “the meadows.”

And we have the perfect place for you to do some exploring: the Las Vegas Springs Preserve.  Hankering for some exercise?  Want to see desert plants in full bloom? Interested in checking out local produce?  The Preserve has it all.

Bike Rentals and Walking Trails

One of our favorite things to do here is to rent a bike at the Preserve’s Exploration Loop Trailhead, across from the amphitheater, and go for a two-mile whirl along the trails.

You can rent bikes on weekends for $8 an hour between 10:00 a.m. and dusk.  Get there early, as only 20 bikes are allowed out on the trails at a time.

Missed out on saddling up? No worries: there are 3.65 miles of trails and 110 acres of native habitats and even archaeological sites that you can explore by foot.  Bird watching abounds, and you can discover the Las Vegas Springs, which used to provide the valley with water.

Fun fact: the Springs gave Las Vegas its name, as “the meadows” were abundant when this area was moist and green.

The Gardens

The Springs Preserve hosts a number of different gardens, each worth a gander. Our favorites are the cactus gardens, the rose garden and the palm oasis.  There’s also an herb garden, plus vegetable gardens and fruit gardens.  Open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., the gardens show off the abundance of the desert.  You’d be surprised just how bountiful the desert can be! This place will prove it. You can even purchase a desert rose or cactus to take back home with you — something that doesn’t have to “stay in Vegas”!

Desert Living Center

Called the “Green Jewel” here at the Springs Preserve, the Desert Living Center is a LEED-certified collection of five buildings that host interactive exhibits and galleries that promote sustainable living.  You can learn about low-water gardening, green building materials, composting and saving money.  There are also lots of activities for kids here, including the Garbage Truck Theater.

Farmers’ Market

Need a healthy snack? The preserve also hosts a weekly farmers’ market.  Every Thursday between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. at the Desert Living Center, you can shop for sustainably produced vegetables, herbs, nuts, dairy products, coffee and more.  All products are grown locally or regionally.

To reach the Springs Preserve from the Riviera:

Springs Preserve
333 S. Valley View Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89107
(702) 822-7700
http://www.springspreserve.org

RIVIERA – GILCREASE NATURE SANCTUARY

The Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary is one of Las Vegas’ best-kept secrets.  If you’re an animal lover, or just need a few moments of peace and renewal, we urge you to spend part of a morning or afternoon visiting the sanctuary’s 600+ animals: among them are white peacocks, turtles, deer, goats, llamas, ostriches, baby donkeys, macaws, swans, ostriches, emus, miniature horses, lamas, and – entirely suitable for a town where people race off to get hitched – lovebirds.

The sanctuary has fully recovered from a 2010 fire that killed more than 200 of its most beloved, beautiful birds.  Back to being a relaxing and calm oasis, it’s a delightful place for both adults and children.  (Kids especially love the parrots, who both talk and perform little tricks.)

The Nature Sanctuary is dedicated not only to providing a safe haven for animals but also to educating the public, so in addition to tours, they offer classes and presentations about animal wellness. A well-timed visit can be fun, fascinating and informative for the whole family.

A visit here is also quite inexpensive: $5 for adult admission and $1 for children.

Open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the preserve not only provides the petting zoo, but also picnic areas and walking trails.  Give yourself at least two hours to tour this place at leisure.

FYI: if you’re really on a nature kick, there’s also a 60-acre sister orchard that sells fresh fruits and vegetables that you can pick yourself.  (It’s not next door to the preserve, but the taste of Gilcrease Orchard’s fresh cider is worth the drive!)  Check the orchard’s web site for hours, as well as to see what’s in season right now.  In the springtime, you’ll tend to find asparagus, carrots, spinach, arugula, bok choi, and of course their famous apple cider and pear cider.

To reach the Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary (and the orchard) from the Riviera:

Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary
8103 Racel Street
Las Vegas, NV 89131
(702) 645-4224
http://naturesanctuarygilcrease.org/

Gilcrease Orchard
7810 N Tenaya
Las Vegas, NV 89131
http://www.thegilcreaseorchard.org/
Open 7:00 a.m. – Noon
(Saturdays only until May)

BONNIE SPRINGS RANCH

We at the Riviera love Las Vegas: it’s glamorous, thrilling and the best place in the world to just let loose and have some real fun.

But even we die-hards can understand the appeal of getting away from it all every once in a while.  And that’s where Bonnie Springs Ranch / Old Nevada comes in.  Built in 1843 as a wagon stopover, and just half an hour outside Vegas (with temperatures around five to ten degrees cooler than on the strip), the frontier town/theme park/eatery embodies the charms of the Old Wild West.

In short, even though it’s just 25 miles away from Vegas (making it the perfect afternoon jaunt), wholesome, happy little Bonnie Springs is about as far from Sin City as it gets.

We recommend coming in the spring, when you’ll likely be surrounded by beautiful wildflowers, roses and even honeysuckle.  If you ride horses, take advantage of trail rides during the day.  They last about an hour, cost $55 per person and take you into the mountainous areas here.  (Please note that children have to be at least six years old to ride.)  If you plan to get hungry on your horse, take a breakfast, lunchtime or dinner ride: mealtime rides cost about $120 per person.

If you’re hungry elsewhere in Bonnie Springs/Old Nevada, you’re in luck!  Come summertime, you can quench your thirst at the rustic old Beer Parlor. And all year round, you can scarf down burgers or pizza at the Western-themed Miner’s Restaurant.

Additionally:

• Roam the ramshackle, charming Western streets.
• Watch a staged Wild West gunfight.
• Cheer on your favorite hoop-skirted actress in the live-action street theater melodramas.  (The Bonnie Springs Outlaws perform Wednesdays through Sundays.)
• Get your picture taken with Annie Oakley or Jesse James-types, even if it’s cheesy – we won’t tell: remember, what happens outside Vegas stays outside Vegas.

Once you’re done with the Clint Eastwood spaghetti Western experience, swing on back to the Riviera, dine on beautiful food, take in an incredible show, and gamble to your heart’s content! 

For more information on Bonnie Springs, be sure to ask our concierge.  We’re always here to help make your Vegas getaway your best vacation yet!

To Reach Bonnie Springs Ranch/Old Nevada from the Riviera Hotel:

Bonnie Springs Ranch / Old Nevada

16395 Bonnie Springs Road

Blue Diamond, Nevada 89004

(702) 875-4191

www.bonniesprings.com