Laughlin
Laughlin
Small City, Big on Entertainment!
Small City, Big on Entertainment!
The now thriving resort town of Laughlin, Nev., began with a boarded-up motel on the edge of the rugged Mojave Desert, 90 miles south of Las Vegas.
Don Laughlin, a native Midwesterner and former owner of the 101 Club in Las Vegas, flew over the area in his private plane in 1964 and had a vision for the future. Below loomed piles of hot, desolate sand; the 11-year-old Davis Dam; a sparsely populated town named Bullhead City, Ariz.; and a dusty stretch on the Colorado River called South Pointe that was vacant except for a boarded-up motel at the end of a dirt road.
Laughlin bought the boarded-up motel and 6.5 acres of riverfront property for $250,000. In less than two years the bar/motel offered all-you-can-eat chicken dinners for 98 cents, slot play on 12 machines and two live gaming tables and accommodations in four of the motel’s eight rooms (the Laughlin family occupied the other four rooms).
That same boarded-up motel purchased by Laughlin in 1966 evolved into the lucrative 28-story, 1,440-room Riverside Resort Hotel and Casino. It became the cornerstone of one of the fastest growing communities and gaming resorts in Nevada.
Today, the destination is also home to the Golden Nugget Laughlin; Pioneer Hotel & Gambling Hall; Edgewater Hotel and Casino; River Palms Resort Casino; Colorado Belle Hotel/Casino; Ramada Express; Harrah’s Laughlin, Aquarius Resort/Casino and the Bay Shore Inn, a non-gaming property.
Hotels and Casinos
Laughlin has a host of casinos to satisfy any gaming enthusiast.
Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino Riverside has 1,404 rooms in its two towers, five restaurants and a showroom that continually features top-name celebrities. The resort has a state-of-the-art movie theater with six screens; a classic car collection featuring more than 80 rare and historic automobiles; convention facilities; a $15 million state-of-the-art bowling alley; and supervised children’s daycare center. The Riverside operates the U.S.S. Riverside, a luxury tour boat that sails under Laughlin Bridge to Davis Dam and offers daily narrated routes on the Colorado River. www.riversideresort.com
Golden Nugget Laughlin Golden Nugget Laughlin is an intimate, 300-room resort located on the banks of the Colorado River. Unrivaled in Laughlin, the Golden Nugget’s race book offers pari-mutual betting, provides access to major sporting events from around the world, and features more tracks than any other race book in Laughlin. www.goldennugget.com/laughlin
Pioneer Hotel & Gambling Hall The Pioneer Hotel & Gambling Hall is a unique boutique property, themed as one of the last Old West-style gambling halls and saloons with rich dark woods, ornate wall coverings, sparkling chandeliers and antique one-armed bandits.
Edgewater Hotel & Casino Edgewater features a 50,000-square-foot casino and 1,350 rooms situated on a 16-acre site adjacent to the Colorado Belle with nearly 1,640 feet of frontage on the Colorado River. The casino has more than 1,000 slot machines, 26 blackjack tables, several craps tables and roulette wheels, a poker room, and the largest race and sports book on the river. www.edgewater-casino.com
River Palms Resort & Casino River Palms features more than 1,000 rooms and 78,000 square feet of hot Vegas-style gaming including 1,200 slot machines on three levels and live table games in the main casino pit along with a poker room and bingo parlor. www.river-palms.com
Colorado Belle Hotel/Casino & Microbrewery The Colorado Belle is situated on a 22-acre site on the banks of the Colorado River with nearly 1,080 feet of river frontage. The hotel-casino is shaped like a paddle-wheel vessel and transports guests into the 19th-century world of old New Orleans, Mark Twain and Mississippi gamblers. It is also home to Laughlin’s only microbrewery. www.coloradobelle.com
Tropicana Express Hotel & Casino Tropicana Express is one of Laughlin’s premier destinations for gaming, entertainment and fine dining. The Tropicana features a 24-story luxury high-rise West Tower and a 12-story adults-only luxury East Tower equaling more than 1,500 newly-remodeled guest rooms and suites, many with breathtaking river and/or mountain views. The Tropicana is home to Laughlin’s only working railroad – “Old No. 7.” Since its debut in 1988, the train has carried more than 2 million guests around the 27-acre property. www.tropicanax.com
Harrah’s Laughlin Hotel & Casino Harrah’s Laughlin features more than 1,500 rooms in three towers, five restaurants, four specialty bars, a lounge, two pools, gift shop, boutique, convenience store, arcade, health club and day spa. Sun worshipers flock to the resort’s sandy, ocean-style beach fronting the Colorado River.www.harrahslaughlin.com
Aquarius Casino/Resort The Aquarius offers more than 1,900 guest rooms, four restaurants, multiple fast-food options, a sprawling casino with more than 1,500 new slots
machines, nearly 60 table games and a race-and-sports book. The 3,000-seat Aquarius Outdoor Amphitheater books spring and fall outdoor concerts to augment year-round entertainment in the Splash Cabaret, an intimate 300-seat showroom. www.aquariuscasinoresort.com
Bay Shore Inn The Bay Shore Inn provides 104 spacious and well-decorated rooms, some with a beautiful bay view. The facility includes a family picnic and barbecue area on the bay, pool and spa, a casual restaurant, lounge featuring video poker and a pool table. For guests’ outdoor enjoyment, personal watercraft may be launched from the property.
DINE ALONG THE RIVER
Historically, major hotel-casinos featured “gourmet rooms” in order to cater to high rollers’ tastes. Each restaurant created an ambiance designed to transport diners to a world far away from the action of the casinos. In Laughlin, these restaurants are not only alive and well, but you don’t have to be a high roller to enjoy them. While in Laughlin, make sure to check out these gourmet rooms and fine dining options.
At the Aquarius’ Vineyard Ristorante, you can indulge yourself with the satisfying flavors of authentic Italian cuisine. The flawless view of the Colorado River and incomparable menu make this one of Laughlin’s finest dining experiences.
Begin with a cocktail in The Riverside Resort’s intimate Gourmet Room piano bar lounge. Then move into the elegant dining room and enjoy a superb French gourmet meal. Serving a classic menu with tableside cooking, the Gourmet Room is one of Laughlin’s best kept secrets.
Granny’s Gourmet Room at the Pioneer Laughlin is reminiscent of the Victorian charm of the old west and delivers a superb dining experience. This award-winning restaurant features all the options of a classic steakhouse and the delicious selections of a seafood restaurant. For a brunch unlike any other, make your reservations for Granny’s Sunday Champagne Brunch.
The Prime Rib Room at Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort is renowned for its slow-cooked prime rib, carved and served tableside. The Prime Rib Room also features half-roasted herb chicken, lemon herb rainbow trout or macadamia coconut crusted mahi mahi. Your meal also includes an all-you-can eat salad bar and daily selections of fresh vegetables and potatoes.
The Range Steakhouse at Harrah’s Laughlin offers a classic steakhouse menu featuring juicy steaks, succulent seafood, delicious appetizers, side dishes and desserts complemented by popular wines. The beautiful surroundings and rotating menu creates a sophisticated meal you won’t find anywhere else.
For more information about Laughlin, Nev., go to www.VisitLaughlin.com. All information provided by LAS VEGAS CONVENTION AND VISITORS AUTHORITY.
Don Laughlin, a native Midwesterner and former owner of the 101 Club in Las Vegas, flew over the area in his private plane in 1964 and had a vision for the future. Below loomed piles of hot, desolate sand; the 11-year-old Davis Dam; a sparsely populated town named Bullhead City, Ariz.; and a dusty stretch on the Colorado River called South Pointe that was vacant except for a boarded-up motel at the end of a dirt road.
Laughlin bought the boarded-up motel and 6.5 acres of riverfront property for $250,000. In less than two years the bar/motel offered all-you-can-eat chicken dinners for 98 cents, slot play on 12 machines and two live gaming tables and accommodations in four of the motel’s eight rooms (the Laughlin family occupied the other four rooms).
That same boarded-up motel purchased by Laughlin in 1966 evolved into the lucrative 28-story, 1,440-room Riverside Resort Hotel and Casino. It became the cornerstone of one of the fastest growing communities and gaming resorts in Nevada.
Today, the destination is also home to the Golden Nugget Laughlin; Pioneer Hotel & Gambling Hall; Edgewater Hotel and Casino; River Palms Resort Casino; Colorado Belle Hotel/Casino; Ramada Express; Harrah’s Laughlin, Aquarius Resort/Casino and the Bay Shore Inn, a non-gaming property.
Hotels and Casinos
Laughlin has a host of casinos to satisfy any gaming enthusiast.
Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino Riverside has 1,404 rooms in its two towers, five restaurants and a showroom that continually features top-name celebrities. The resort has a state-of-the-art movie theater with six screens; a classic car collection featuring more than 80 rare and historic automobiles; convention facilities; a $15 million state-of-the-art bowling alley; and supervised children’s daycare center. The Riverside operates the U.S.S. Riverside, a luxury tour boat that sails under Laughlin Bridge to Davis Dam and offers daily narrated routes on the Colorado River. www.riversideresort.com
Golden Nugget Laughlin Golden Nugget Laughlin is an intimate, 300-room resort located on the banks of the Colorado River. Unrivaled in Laughlin, the Golden Nugget’s race book offers pari-mutual betting, provides access to major sporting events from around the world, and features more tracks than any other race book in Laughlin. www.goldennugget.com/laughlin
Pioneer Hotel & Gambling Hall The Pioneer Hotel & Gambling Hall is a unique boutique property, themed as one of the last Old West-style gambling halls and saloons with rich dark woods, ornate wall coverings, sparkling chandeliers and antique one-armed bandits.
Edgewater Hotel & Casino Edgewater features a 50,000-square-foot casino and 1,350 rooms situated on a 16-acre site adjacent to the Colorado Belle with nearly 1,640 feet of frontage on the Colorado River. The casino has more than 1,000 slot machines, 26 blackjack tables, several craps tables and roulette wheels, a poker room, and the largest race and sports book on the river. www.edgewater-casino.com
River Palms Resort & Casino River Palms features more than 1,000 rooms and 78,000 square feet of hot Vegas-style gaming including 1,200 slot machines on three levels and live table games in the main casino pit along with a poker room and bingo parlor. www.river-palms.com
Colorado Belle Hotel/Casino & Microbrewery The Colorado Belle is situated on a 22-acre site on the banks of the Colorado River with nearly 1,080 feet of river frontage. The hotel-casino is shaped like a paddle-wheel vessel and transports guests into the 19th-century world of old New Orleans, Mark Twain and Mississippi gamblers. It is also home to Laughlin’s only microbrewery. www.coloradobelle.com
Tropicana Express Hotel & Casino Tropicana Express is one of Laughlin’s premier destinations for gaming, entertainment and fine dining. The Tropicana features a 24-story luxury high-rise West Tower and a 12-story adults-only luxury East Tower equaling more than 1,500 newly-remodeled guest rooms and suites, many with breathtaking river and/or mountain views. The Tropicana is home to Laughlin’s only working railroad – “Old No. 7.” Since its debut in 1988, the train has carried more than 2 million guests around the 27-acre property. www.tropicanax.com
Harrah’s Laughlin Hotel & Casino Harrah’s Laughlin features more than 1,500 rooms in three towers, five restaurants, four specialty bars, a lounge, two pools, gift shop, boutique, convenience store, arcade, health club and day spa. Sun worshipers flock to the resort’s sandy, ocean-style beach fronting the Colorado River.www.harrahslaughlin.com
Aquarius Casino/Resort The Aquarius offers more than 1,900 guest rooms, four restaurants, multiple fast-food options, a sprawling casino with more than 1,500 new slots
machines, nearly 60 table games and a race-and-sports book. The 3,000-seat Aquarius Outdoor Amphitheater books spring and fall outdoor concerts to augment year-round entertainment in the Splash Cabaret, an intimate 300-seat showroom. www.aquariuscasinoresort.com
Bay Shore Inn The Bay Shore Inn provides 104 spacious and well-decorated rooms, some with a beautiful bay view. The facility includes a family picnic and barbecue area on the bay, pool and spa, a casual restaurant, lounge featuring video poker and a pool table. For guests’ outdoor enjoyment, personal watercraft may be launched from the property.
DINE ALONG THE RIVER
Historically, major hotel-casinos featured “gourmet rooms” in order to cater to high rollers’ tastes. Each restaurant created an ambiance designed to transport diners to a world far away from the action of the casinos. In Laughlin, these restaurants are not only alive and well, but you don’t have to be a high roller to enjoy them. While in Laughlin, make sure to check out these gourmet rooms and fine dining options.
At the Aquarius’ Vineyard Ristorante, you can indulge yourself with the satisfying flavors of authentic Italian cuisine. The flawless view of the Colorado River and incomparable menu make this one of Laughlin’s finest dining experiences.
Begin with a cocktail in The Riverside Resort’s intimate Gourmet Room piano bar lounge. Then move into the elegant dining room and enjoy a superb French gourmet meal. Serving a classic menu with tableside cooking, the Gourmet Room is one of Laughlin’s best kept secrets.
Granny’s Gourmet Room at the Pioneer Laughlin is reminiscent of the Victorian charm of the old west and delivers a superb dining experience. This award-winning restaurant features all the options of a classic steakhouse and the delicious selections of a seafood restaurant. For a brunch unlike any other, make your reservations for Granny’s Sunday Champagne Brunch.
The Prime Rib Room at Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort is renowned for its slow-cooked prime rib, carved and served tableside. The Prime Rib Room also features half-roasted herb chicken, lemon herb rainbow trout or macadamia coconut crusted mahi mahi. Your meal also includes an all-you-can eat salad bar and daily selections of fresh vegetables and potatoes.
The Range Steakhouse at Harrah’s Laughlin offers a classic steakhouse menu featuring juicy steaks, succulent seafood, delicious appetizers, side dishes and desserts complemented by popular wines. The beautiful surroundings and rotating menu creates a sophisticated meal you won’t find anywhere else.
For more information about Laughlin, Nev., go to www.VisitLaughlin.com. All information provided by LAS VEGAS CONVENTION AND VISITORS AUTHORITY.