Frommer's Las Vegas 2004

THE TOP ATTRACTIONS 185
Siegfried & Roy’s House
When they aren’t on stage, they are just plain (okay, nothing is plain
with them) Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn. And they live in a
house at 1639 Valley on the corner of Vegas Drive (right across from
the golf course). We aren’t giving much away; if you want to be anonymous,
you don’t put a big gold “SR” on all your gates, which by the
way are huge and gilt. White lions top the massive white-stucco wall
that lines the property. You can’t see any of the fabulous wonders
inside, but you can see bits of the vaguely Spanish mission–style
dwelling peeking over the top of the walls. (If you’re dying of curiosity,
check out the book that’s on sale at The Mirage, complete with
many photos of their house, overdecorated and stuffed within an inch
of its life with objects from around the world, and with tigers roaming
freely.) Across the street are much smaller houses, also sporting the
gold “SR” on their gates. These have been purchased by the Austrian
magicians as guesthouses, turning the whole block into a sort of compound.
Drive by with the windows down and maybe you can hear lions
and tigers (and bears) roar.
In The Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S.& 702/791-7111. Admission $10, free for children under 10 if accompanied
by an adult. On Wed, when only Dolphin Habitat is open, admission $5. Secret Garden Mon–Tues and
Thurs–Fri 11am–5pm, Sat–Sun 10am–5pm; Dolphin Habitat Mon–Fri 11am–7pm, Sat–Sun 10am–7pm. Hours
subject to change and vary by season.
Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay Given that watching fish can lower your
blood pressure, it’s practically a public service for Mandalay Bay to provide this
facility in a city where craps tables and other gaming areas can bring your excitement
level to dangerous heights. Unfortunately, it’s just a big giant aquarium
(though we admire the style—it’s built to look like a sunken temple), which,
hey, we like, but gee, not at these prices. (Though standing in the all-glass tunnel,
surrounded by sharks and finny friends, was kinda cool.) Note also that it
is waaay off in a remote part of Mandalay Bay, which might be a hassle for those
with mobility problems.
In Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S.& 702/632-7000. Admission $15 adults, $9.95 children 5–12, free
for children under 5. Daily 10am–11pm.
Speed: The Ride/Las Vegas Cyber Speedway Auto racing is the
fastest-growing spectator sport in America, so it’s no surprise that these two
attractions at the Sahara are a popular stop. The first is an 8-minute virtual-reality
ride, Cyber Speedway , featuring a three-quarter-size replica of a
NASCAR race car. Hop aboard for an animated, simulated ride—either the Las
Vegas Motor Speedway or a race around the streets of Las Vegas (start with the
Strip, with all the hotels flashing by, and then through the Forum Shops—
whoops! There goes Versace!—and so forth). Press the gas and you lean back and
feel the rush of speed; hit a bump and you go flying. Should your car get in a
crash, off you go to a pit stop. At the end, a computer-generated report tells you
your average speed, how many laps you made, how you did racing against the
others next to you, and so forth. It’s a pretty remarkable experience.