Haunted Las Vegas

Description:

The Flamingo is the Strip's senior citizen, boasting a colorful history. It's changed a great deal since Bugsy Siegel opened his 105-room oasis "in the middle of nowhere" in 1946. It was so luxurious for its time that even the janitors wore tuxedos. (Hey, new Vegas? That's class.) Jimmy Durante was the opening headliner, and the wealthy and famous flocked to the tropical paradise of swaying palms, lagoons, and waterfalls. Renovations and expansions over the years aren't going to make Siegel's a "real class joint" cause you to forget about, say, the rooms at The Palazzo, but they have freshened the joint up -- including making it somewhat easier to reach the outside world, which in the past was often difficult. A recent addition is a branch of singer Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville nightclub, a theme locale that makes us wince when it's in, say, New Orleans, but this one, here in Vegas? Not bad!

By Vegas standards, the old girl is Paleozoic, but not only is it hanging in there, some of the changes have made us reconsider it entirely. Gradually, all their dated rooms are getting upgraded. The first set off the conveyor belt are flatly terrific. Rushing headlong into the Dean Martin/Rat Pack retro vibe, they are kicky candy modern, with hot pink (the signature Flamingo color!) accent walls, hot pink lights in the bathroom where you can also find TV screens embedded in the mirror, candy-striped wallpaper, black-and-white photos of The Flamingo from its early days, squishy white beds with chocolate accents and vinyl padded headboards, huge flatscreens with HDTV, iPod docking stations, and more. Two-bedroom suites scream classic playboy bachelor pad. It's ring-a-ding fun and Dino would surely have approved, well worth the extra $50 currently charged for the upgraded rooms. It's uncertain whether further room renovations will follow this design, but thus far, the hotel has inspired confidence.

The Flamingo Paradise Garden Buffet is a decent choice. There are also several bars, plus a huge casino and the improv production show The Second City. And the monorail has a stop out back.

For those planning some leisure time outside the casino, The Flamingo's exceptional pool area, spa, and tennis courts are big draws. Five gorgeous swimming pools, two whirlpools, and water slides are located in a 15-acre Caribbean landscape amid lagoons, meandering streams, fountains, waterfalls, a rose garden, and islands of live flamingos. Ponds have ducks, swans, and koi, and a grove of 2,000 palms graces an expanse of lawn. Although the water can be a little chilly, kids should be able to spend hours in the pool area.

A health club ($10 per day for machines only; $20 for spa and health club) offers a variety of weight machines, treadmills, stair machines, free weights, sauna, steam, a TV lounge, and hot and cold whirlpools. Spa services include massage, facials, salt glow, and body wraps.

Facilities: 8 restaurants; casino; showrooms; wedding chapels; 5 outdoor pools; 3 night-lit tennis courts; health club; spa; small video-game arcade; car-rental desk; UPS store; shopping arcade; 24-hr. room service; laundry service; dry cleaning; executive-level rooms

Description:

At Luxor, the Pyramid Hotel in Las Vegas, you'll enjoy extravagant décor. In addition to spectacular city views, you'll be treated with Luxor's signature 24-hour room service, valet services, and first-rate staff. Choose a deluxe room, spa suite, tower luxury one-bedroom suite, tower premier one-bedroom suite, or player suite.

Description:

With all the fancy-pants new hotels in town, it's hard to keep up with the Joneses, or the Wynns, as the case may be. And here's poor Bally's, with a perfect location, and it's got no big fountain or Eiffel Tower or anything to make a passerby think "Gotta go gamble there," much less a tourist booking long distance to think "Gotta stay there." And we aren't really going to make you change your mind, though we might give you a reason to consider it. After all, you can get a room for a ridiculously low rate these days (not reflected in the official rack rates below, but give them a try), and those rooms, which are larger than average, have been redone to an admirable degree, with some swell touches, including modern curvy couches, big TVs, and marble this and that. The public areas still feel a little dated, but the hotel is connected to its sister property, Paris Las Vegas, which is swanky and modern enough. Also, it's a stop on the monorail system, so you'll be able to go just about everywhere by foot or by swift train, and, thanks to those nice rooms, you've got someplace pleasant to return to.

Bally's has the usual range of dining choices and is justly renowned for its Sterling Sunday Brunch. The casino is large, well lit, and colorful, and there's also a headliner showroom and the splashy Jubilee! revue.

Facilities: 13 restaurants; casino; showrooms; outdoor pool; 8 night-lit tennis courts; golf desk; health club; spa; video-game arcade; concierge; tour desk; car-rental desk; business center; shopping arcade; salon; room service; laundry service; dry cleaning

Description:

A bit of a drive, but well worth it for those seeking an authentic (read: dining in a restaurant that's been around more than 10 years) Vegas experience. This joint used to be owned by none other than the Rhinestone King himself, Liberace. See, it was formerly Liberace's Tivoli Gardens, and he designed the interior himself, so you can guess what that looks like (it was reopened a few years after his death, and they kept the decor pretty much intact). This kind of history is more and more rare in this town with no memory, plus it's right next door to the Liberace Museum, no coincidence, so go pay your giggling respects in the late afternoon and then stop here for dinner. Expect traditional Italian food (pasta, pasta, pasta, and scampi), but done very, very well.

Description:

Someday, one of these casino moguls (yeah, we're lookin' at you, Trump) is going to take just some of those megamillions they are pouring into yet another Strip hotel and put it into the museum that this bizarre town, and its ridiculously rich 100-year history, deserves. Until then, this dear little place will have to do its best -- and that best is actually pretty good. With everything from dioramas of dinosaurs to a small street filled with original buildings, including the 1932 Boulder City train depot, this is a throwback to ghost towns and other low-tech diversions. Sweet, informative, and you can't beat the price. Note that hot days will make the outdoor portions less than bearable.

Description:

Before Bugsy Siegel made it to town, the Mormon Church created this tiny settlement in 1855. It boasts the oldest European-American building in Nevada. The site was purchased by the State of Nevada in 1990 and restored as a state park. Tours are now available that outline the harsh life that the first settlers endured. The place was once a rest stop for those heading to California to seek their fortune during the gold rush.

Description:

This spirited and spooky Haunted Vegas Tour will take you to the haunting grounds of Bugsy Siegel, Liberace, Redd Foxx and Elvis. Robert Allen, creator of the tour now makes it possible to visit such eerie sites by offering a guided Haunted Vegas Tour and Show, featuring Sin City's Darkest Ghostly Secrets. Additionally, experience the supernatural at the Las Vegas Seance that provides a spine tingling look into the dark and mysterious side of the afterlife.

According to Allen, who consulted with Tim Cridland, a paranormal historian and Janice Oberding, author of the book "Haunted Nevada", there are more than 21 places where paranormal activity has been documented in Las Vegas.

The Haunted Vegas Tour covers such sites as the "Motel of Death," where numerous celebrity deaths have occurred, and the former home of a Las Vegas legend whose ghost continues to haunt despite numerous attempts to exorcise it.

Description:

Las Vegas poses some challenges for families--namely, what to do with the kids. The Adventuredome at Circus-Circus is the Strip's only remaining theme park, and while it might not have the size or technology of larger theme parks like those in Southern California or Orlando, it's a good place to spend an afternoon with the kids. One of its best features is that it is indoors, a major bonus during the summer. You'll find rollercoasters (including the world's largest indoor, double-loop rollercoaster), laser tag, and miniature golf, all in a small indoor theme park that has the same circus midway feeling reflected in the rest of the property. If you're looking for upscale, top-of-the-line, brand-new rides, you may be disappointed--Circus Circus is known as a budget destination almost as much as a family destination. Circus Circus and Adventuredome are on the northern part of the Strip, closer to downtown and the grittier side of Las Vegas, which may turn some visitors off. But if you're hoping to find a reasonably-priced, G-rated place away from the slot machines and poker tables, Adventuredome has five acres of family-appropriate entertainment. Visitors can purchase all-day passes or buy tickets to individual rides for $4-$7 per ride. Signature rides include the Canyon Blaster, a 55 m.p.h. double-loop rollercoaster; Disk 'O, which spins riders in circles; Rim Runner, the requisite water ride; Chaos, a whirling, spinning ride that sends you in several different directions; and the Inverter, a ride that will flip you over and make you scream.

In October, the Adventuredome loses its family-friendly ambiance when it transforms into Fright Dome. Fog machines, haunted houses, and professional actors come together to turn the park into a place too scary for those under 12. Be prepared for crowds and lines; this attraction is also popular with the locals, especially teens.