Five Reasons Why Sin City is Sensational

By Chris Duthie

Las Vegas is internationally celebrated for its sensory overloading glitz and glamour. Steeped in perfect weather, premier casino hotels, titillating nightlife, gourmet restaurants, headliner entertainment, superlative attractions and vaunted outdoor recreation, winter is THE time for a Sin City vacation.

Here are five reasons why Vegas is sensational:

1) If you’re a bucket-list golfer, few destinations are more spectacular, memorable or rewarding. Start with Nevada’s top-ranked golf course — the Tom Fazio/Steve Wynn-designed Shadow Creek, also rated the 66^th best course in the United States by Golf Magazine. Then go experience Rio Secco Golf Club, which just completed an extensive, $2.1 million renovation by original architect Rees Jones that elevates the course with even more playable and enjoyable shotmaking. Insiders tip: Rio Secco is also the official HQ for the esteemed Butch Harmon School of Golf.

2) So many amazing shows, so little time! Narrow the field by considering this five-star sampling: Carlos Santana, Nov. 1-12 at Mandalay Bay; Céline Dion, Nov. 8-25 at Caesars Palace; Ray Romano and David Spade, Nov. 17-Dec. 2 at The Mirage; and Reba, Brooks & Dunn, Nov. 29-Dec. 10 at Caesars Palace.

3) For a luxurious, off-the-Strip change of pace, overnight in nearby Summerlin at the newly remodeled Suncoast Hotel & Casino. Offering incredible views of the Las Vegas Valley and the Spring Mountains, the 388-room property is also recognized for its lavish appointments, exclusive restaurants, fun gaming, bowling, movie theaters, and a 500-seat showroom. Insiders tip: The hotel is ideally located near outstanding golf like Angel Park, TPC Las Vegas, Palm Valley, Eagle Crest, Highland Falls, Red Rock, Bear’s Best and private TPC Summerlin, host course of the PGA Tour’s Shriners Hospitals for Children Open (Nov. 2-5).

4) Get outside and experience Las Vegas’ awesome outdoors. Leading the way is 10,000-acre Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, which annually draws 10,000 hikers, bikers and rock climbers. Even better, go tour 726-foot-tall Hoover Dam, regarded among history’s greatest engineering feats. Located 30 miles from the Strip, the Depression-era marvel holds back trillions of gallons of power-producing water from Lake Mead and is credited with making possible all of Las Vegas as well as much of the Southwest.

5) So Nikon-worthy are the area’s astonishing events and festivals, including: Glittering Lights Las Vegas (Nov. 10-Jan. 7); Nevada International Film Festival (Dec. 6-7); PRCA National Finals Rodeo (Dec. 7-16) and America’s Party (Dec. 31), which attracts to the Vegas Strip some 300,000 New Year’s revelers “and more celebrities than a year’s worth of TMZ.”

For more information go online to LasVegas.com. What are your favorite memories of Vegas? Share your comments below.

RELATED LINKS

2017 Travel Guide: Arizona, Nevada Utah

Vote in the 2018 CAGGY Awards

Las Vegas is Iconic Golf and More

Go For Broke in Las Vegas

Chris Duthie is a Durango-based contributor to Colorado AvidGolfer. Colorado AvidGolfer is the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it, publishing eight issues annually and proudly delivering daily content via coloradoavidgolfer.com.