Frommer's Las Vegas 2004

STAYING ACTIVE 201
Out on the east side of town, you’ll find 56 lanes at Sam’s Town, 5111 Boulder
Hwy. (& 702/456-7777), plus a snack shop, cocktail lounge, video arcade,
day-care center, pro shop, and more. Open 24 hours.
Suncoast, 9090 Alta Dr., in Summerlin (& 702/636-7111), offers one of the
newer facilities in town with 64 lanes divided by a unique center aisle. The hightech
center with touch-screen scoring has become a regular stop on the Pro
Bowlers tours. Open 24 hours.
BUNGEE JUMPING If you want to take a real gamble, this is the place to
do it—the odds are stacked in your favor, but the thrill is nearly immeasurable.
A. J. Hackett Bungy, 810 Circus Circus Dr., between Las Vegas Boulevard
South and Industrial Road (& 702/385-4321), is a worldwide chain; they’ve
done more than one million jumps and they haven’t lost anyone yet. The
instructors are enthusiastic and do much to make you feel comfortable. Expect
about an hour wait (there is a bar with a TV and pool table to keep you occupied),
but given how meticulous and careful they are with each jumper, you’ll be
glad they aren’t rushing people through.
An elevator in the shape of a rocket takes you to the top of a 175-foot tower,
the base for an exhilarating plunge toward a large swimming pool below. During
the ride up, you will receive your instructions (which basically amount to
“stick your toes over the edge, arms out in front, and dive”). Our guinea pig
needed a gentle shove. The whole jump lasts perhaps 3 minutes, but you will
have enough adrenaline pumping through your veins to keep you up all night.
(And then go gamble!) Dive at night, and you sail right into the lights of Vegas.
The price is $54 for your first jump, including a membership and T-shirt ($15
additional for a videotape of your jump), $25 for each subsequent jump. Students
and military with ID should inquire about discounts. If you’re under 18,
you must be accompanied by a parent. Call for hours.
HORSEBACK RIDING Cowboy Trail Rides (& 702/948-7061; www.
cowboytrailrides.com) offers a variety of rides and trails in Red Rock Canyon
and on Mount Charleston (at the 12-mile marker), ranging in price from $89 to
$139. The high end is for a Red Rock Canyon sunset trail ride; it’s about 2 hours,
with the canyon providing a glorious backdrop for the sunset. Riders then return
to camp for a barbecue dinner (including a 16-oz. T-bone steak), joined by the
cowboys for singalongs and marshmallow roasting. They also offer hourly rates
of $25 and buses from the Excalibur hotel. Riding stables at Bonnie Springs
Ranch (& 702/875-4191; www.bonniesprings.com) also offer guided trail
rides daily. Rates start at $25 per person for a 1-hour ride and go up to $135 for
dinner rides.
ROCK CLIMBING Red Rock Canyon, just 19 miles west of Las Vegas, is
one of the world’s most popular rock-climbing areas. In addition to awe-inspiring
natural beauty, it offers everything from boulders to big walls. If you’d like
to join the bighorn sheep, Red Rock has more than 1,000 routes to inaugurate
beginners and challenge accomplished climbers. Experienced climbers can contact
the visitor center (& 702/363-1921) for information.
If you’re interested in learning or improving your skills, an excellent rockclimbing
school and guide service called Sky’s the Limit (& 800/733-7597 or
702/363-4533; www.skysthelimit.com) offers programs for beginning, intermediate,
and advanced climbers. No experience is needed. The school is accredited
by the American Mountain Guides Association.