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Leaving Las Vegas
For more Vegas Bargains, get outta town Wolf Creek at Paradise Canyon, among the top courses in Nevada, is the area's best. It is Shadow Creek meets Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, and the results are jaw-dropping, with dramatic canyon and mountain views that complement a well-conceived design. The course winds through canyons, with some holes playing uphill, some downhill, and some crossing ravines. The namesake man-made creek dissects several holes and provides visual relief from the desert landscape. This is golf for golf's sake-no homesites here.Neighboring Falcon Ridge Golf Club, on the other hand, is golf for real estate's sake, with homes everywhere. Still, it's an enjoyable layout. The terrain is similar to Wolf Creek's, only friendlier. Players find canyons, hillsides and plateaus to negotiate, but plenty of bailout areas too. The front nine barely cracks 3,000 yards from the back tees, but the newly finished back nine makes up for it with a 3,535-yard routing. On Mesquite's hilly north side, the Oasis Golf Club dishes up 27 holes, with an additional nine slated to open next fall. The 18-hole Oasis Course by Arnold Palmer features topsy-turvy fairways and small, true greens, many set on crowns or protected by water. Oasis is the only track in town that offers memberships, which lends the place a clubby feel. Four holes of the CasaBlanca Golf Club, also on the north end of town, play into the desert greenery around the Virgin River. Designed by environment--conscious Cal Olson, the layout can stretch to 7,011 yards. With several holes bordered by the river, CasaBlanca challenges golfers with more water than most Mesquite courses.
If you're looking for lodging, the CasaBlanca Hotel, Oasis Resort and Virgin River Hotel are similar: not too fancy, not too expensive. Families might prefer the Oasis because it has go-carts and mini-golf. CasaBlanca offers shows--The Bellamy Brothers and Crystal Gayle have headlined--with tickets in the $15 to $30 range. Katherine's in the CasaBlanca and Charmaine's at the Oasis are can't--miss dining options. Both serve steaks (the filet topped with Romano cheese at Katherine's is excellent), lobster and Italian specialties. For authentic Mexican, check out El Charro, hidden down Riverside Road. The proprietors are from Zacateca, Mexico, and the food is reminiscent of that region. For breakfast, try the Huevos Machaca or the Huevos con Choriza. For lunch and dinner, there's killer Chile Verde. Another local tip: There's a Starbucks in the CasaBlanca, but visit Brew Monkey in the Brickyard Plaza for espresso, cappuccino and creations like the Earthquake, six shots of espresso with steamed milk, white chocolate, caramel and vanilla.
Boulder City
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