Frommer's Las Vegas 2004

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Excursions from Las Vegas 160 372 Mercury TOIYABE NATIONAL N A FOREST 160 CALIFORNIA Indian Springs 95 156 F O R E S T Lake 157 Goodsprings 159 NEVADA Las Vegas Arden Sloan 15 95 93 North Las Vegas 15 Henderson Boulder City Logandale Overton Cactus Springs Charleston Pk. Pahrump Lee Canyon Mt. Charleston Red Rock Canyon 1 2 Blue Diamond To the E.T. Highway 3 MOAPA RIVER INDIAN RESERVATION LAKE MEAD 6 VALLEY OF FIRE STATE PARK 4 Hoover Dam (Boulder Dam) 169 5 Willow Beach Mead NATIONAL Temple Bar RECREATION AREA 0 0 25 km 25 mi 15 161 Jean 164 95 165 Nelson 93 White Hills ARIZONA Lake Mohave Area 51 3 Bonnie Springs Ranch 1 Hoover Dam 6 Lake Mead 5 Red Rock Canyon 2 Valley of Fire State Park 4 Searchlight Cottonwood Cove NEVADA Area Shown You can have lunch out in Boulder City, and then perhaps drive back through the Valley of Fire State Park (a landscape of wind and water-hewn formations of red sandstone), which is about 60 magnificently scenic miles from Lake Mead (purchase gas before you start!). Or you can spend the afternoon on Lake Mead–centered pursuits such as hiking, boating, even scuba diving in season, or perhaps a rafting trip down the Colorado River. GETTING THERE Drive east on Flamingo or Tropicana to U.S. 515 south, which automatically turns into I-93 south and takes you right to the dam. This will involve a rather dramatic drive as you go through Boulder City, come over a rise, and Lake Mead suddenly appears spread out before you. It’s a beautiful sight. At about this point, the road narrows down to two lanes and traffic can slow considerably. On busy tourist days, this means the drive can take an hour or more.
278 CHAPTER 11 . SIDE TRIPS FROM LAS VEGAS Impressions Everybody knows Las Vegas is the best town by a dam site. —Masthead slogan of the Las Vegas Review-Journal Go past the turnoff to Lake Mead. As you near the dam, you’ll see a five-story parking structure tucked into the canyon wall on your left. Park here ($5 charge) and take the elevators or stairs to the walkway leading to the new visitor center. If you would rather go on an organized tour, Coach USA (& 800/ 828-6699; www.coachusa.com) offers a Hoover Dam package that includes admission and a tour of the dam. When you’re in Las Vegas, look for discount coupons in the numerous free publications available at hotels. The 4-hour Hoover Dam Shuttle Tour departs daily at 1:30pm and includes pickup and drop-off at your hotel; the price is $44 for adults, $35 for children 2 to 12. THE HOOVER DAM There would be no Las Vegas as we know it without the Hoover Dam. Certainly the neon and glitz that we know and love would not exist. In fact, the growth of the entire Southwest can be tied directly to the electricity that comes from the dam. Until the Hoover Dam was built, much of the southwestern United States was plagued by two natural problems: parched, sandy terrain that lacked irrigation for most of the year, and extensive flooding in spring and early summer when the mighty Colorado River, fed by melting snow from its source in the Rocky Mountains, overflowed its banks and destroyed crops, lives, and property. On the positive side, raging unchecked over eons, the river’s turbulent, rushing waters carved the Grand Canyon. In 1928, prodded by the seven states through which the river runs during the course of its 1,400-mile journey to the Gulf of California, Congress authorized construction of a dam at Boulder Canyon (later moved to Black Canyon). The Senate’s declaration of intention was that “A mighty river, now a source of destruction, is to be curbed and put to work in the interests of society.” Construction began in 1931. Because of its vast scope, and the unprecedented problems posed in its realization, the project generated significant advances in many areas of machinery production, engineering, and construction. An army of more than 5,200 laborers was assembled, and work proceeded 24 hours a day. Completed in 1936, 2 years ahead of schedule and $15 million under budget (it is, no doubt, a Wonder of the Modern Fiscal World), the dam stopped the annual floods and conserved water for irrigation, industrial, and domestic use. Equally important, it became one of the world’s major electrical generating plants, providing low-cost, pollution-free hydroelectric power to a score of surrounding communities. Hoover Dam’s $165 million cost has been repaid with interest by the sale of inexpensive power to a number of California cities and the states of Arizona and Nevada. The dam is a government project that paid for itself—a feat almost as awe-inspiring as its engineering. The dam itself is a massive curved wall, 660 feet thick at the bottom, tapering to 45 feet where the road crosses it at the top. It towers 726 feet above bedrock (about the height of a 60-story skyscraper) and acts as a plug between the canyon walls to hold back up to 9.2 trillion gallons of water in Lake Mead, the reservoir created by its construction. Four concrete intake towers on the lake side drop the water down about 600 feet to drive turbines and create power, after which the water spills out into the river and continues south.
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Las Vegas 2004 by Mary Herczog Here
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Contents List of Maps vi What’s N
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CONTENTS v 9 Shopping 234 1 The Mal
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Acknowledgments As always, working
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What’s New in Las Vegas Gee, what
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WHAT’S NEW 3 SHOPPING When Las Ve
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THE BEST OF LAS VEGAS 5 Las Vegas &
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FROMMER’S FAVORITE LAS VEGAS EXPE
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BEST HOTEL BETS 9 extremes of fanta
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BEST HOTEL BETS 11 • Best for 20-
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BEST DINING BETS 13 specialties (fr
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BEST DINING BETS 15 light, and beau
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MONEY 17 Las Vegas Advisor Professi
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LAS VEGAS CALENDAR OF EVENTS 19 Las
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TRAVEL INSURANCE 21 December Nation
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SPECIALIZED TRAVEL RESOURCES 23 Tip
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SPECIALIZED TRAVEL RESOURCES 25 (&
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PLANNING YOUR TRIP ONLINE 27 7 Plan
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THE 21ST-CENTURY TRAVELER 29 cars,
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GETTING THERE 31 www.alaskaair.com)
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GETTING THERE 33 Travel in the Age
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TIPS ON ACCOMMODATIONS 35 (before t
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RECOMMENDED READING 37 If you aren
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PREPARING FOR YOUR TRIP 39 Rd., Dub
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PREPARING FOR YOUR TRIP 41 WHAT YOU
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PREPARING FOR YOUR TRIP 43 be denie
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GETTING TO THE UNITED STATES 45 pol
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FAST FACTS: FOR THE INTERNATIONAL T
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Getting to Know Las Vegas 4 Located
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Charleston Blvd. To Red Rock Canyon
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GETTING AROUND 57 Flamingo, Venetia
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GETTING AROUND 59 and three more br
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GETTING AROUND 61 The basic insuran
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FAST FACTS: LAS VEGAS 63 $9.50 for
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FAST FACTS: LAS VEGAS 65 Showbiz We
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Where to Stay 5 If there’s one th
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THREE QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE YOU B
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THREE QUESTIONS TO ASK BEFORE YOU B
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SOUTH STRIP 73 some kind of promoti
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Las Vegas Blvd. (The Strip) Harmon
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SOUTH STRIP 77 bobbing in the miniw
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SOUTH STRIP 79 Downtown French rest
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SOUTH STRIP 81 Kids Family-Friendly
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SOUTH STRIP 83 which is located sma
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MID-STRIP 85 Mexican restaurant tha
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Audrie St. Burbank St. Mid-Strip Ac
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MID-STRIP 89 Texas Station, 2102 Te
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MID-STRIP 91 18 stay free in parent
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MID-STRIP 93 or by swift train, and
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MID-STRIP 95 Tips So Your Trip Goes
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MID-STRIP 97 Having said all that,
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MID-STRIP 99 There’s a full-servi
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Country Club Ln. Paradise Rd. North
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NORTH STRIP 103 while East Tower ro
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EAST OF THE STRIP 105 The very reas
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Audrie St. Manhattan St. Paradise R
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EAST OF THE STRIP 109 Hilton restau
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EAST OF THE STRIP 111 via a charmin
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EAST OF THE STRIP 113 Tips Cheap Ho
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Gerson 15 Morgan Mesquite Grand Cen
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DOWNTOWN 117 a few changes had alre
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HENDERSON 119 age?), and so who kno
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HENDERSON 121 accepted. Amenities:
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WHERE TO DINE 123 Once, when faced
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RESTAURANTS BY CUISINE 125 Golden N
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SOUTH STRIP 127 Morton’s of Chica
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Valley View Blvd. Procyon Ave. Indu
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SOUTH STRIP 131 there’s too much
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SOUTH STRIP 133 to thank. He’s ou
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MID-STRIP 135 3 Mid-Strip Note: The
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Audrie St. Burbank St. Mid-Strip Di
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MID-STRIP 139 The presentation of t
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MID-STRIP 141 Moments A Dining Room
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MID-STRIP 143 prices for entrees ot
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MID-STRIP 145 title of Best Southwe
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NORTH STRIP 147 Other specialties h
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Country Club Ln. Paradise Rd. North
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Audrie St. Manhattan St. Paradise R
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EAST OF THE STRIP 153 MODERATE Carl
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EAST OF THE STRIP 155 There was als
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WEST LAS VEGAS 157 sua rong hai (
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LORENZI PARK Dining & Nightlife Wes
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WEST LAS VEGAS 161 In Spring Valley
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DOWNTOWN 163 goulash (remember, rea
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Gerson 15 Morgan Mesquite Grand Cen
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BUFFETS & SUNDAY BRUNCHES 167 Trop
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BUFFETS & SUNDAY BRUNCHES 169 MODER
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BUFFETS & SUNDAY BRUNCHES 171 50 it
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What to See & Do in Las Vegas 7 You
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THE TOP ATTRACTIONS 175 the Liberac
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Eastern Ave. (3 miles) 4 To Reno
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3401 Industrial Rd. & 702/309-7200.
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THE TOP ATTRACTIONS 181 finds, but
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THE TOP ATTRACTIONS 183 view—will
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THE TOP ATTRACTIONS 185 Siegfried &
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GETTING MARRIED 187 one relative, a
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GETTING MARRIED 189 weddings are a
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GETTING MARRIED 191 has a large pho
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Green Valley Pkwy. Olympic Ave. Mou
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ESPECIALLY FOR KIDS 195 moving Troj
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ORGANIZED TOURS 197 tokens); Unlimi
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FORE! GREAT DESERT GOLF 199 Palm Co
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STAYING ACTIVE 201 Out on the east
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SPECTATOR SPORTS 203 Monte Carlo (&
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THE FOUR MOST PERVASIVE MYTHS ABOUT
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indications of probable future spin
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THE GAMES 209 17 or over. If the de
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THE GAMES 211 Dice Probabilities Nu
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THE GAMES 213 miniskirted keno runn
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THE GAMES 215 are for each bet you
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THE GAMES 217 Another advantage is
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THE CASINOS 219 one that doesn’t
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THE CASINOS 221 completely remodele
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THE CASINOS 223 at a hotel, and foo
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THE CASINOS 225 about, as you gambl
Page 236 and 237: THE CASINOS 227 The Rio All Suite H
Page 238 and 239: THE CASINOS 229 Westward Ho Hotel &
Page 240 and 241: THE CASINOS 231 The World Series, L
Page 242 and 243: THE CASINOS 233 Lady Luck A complet
Page 244 and 245: FACTORY OUTLETS 235 Sunday from noo
Page 246 and 247: HOTEL SHOPPING ARCADES 237 and slot
Page 248 and 249: VINTAGE CLOTHING 239 THE RIVIERA Th
Page 250 and 251: ANTIQUES 241 describes her store as
Page 252 and 253: Las Vegas After Dark 10 You will no
Page 254 and 255: WHAT’S PLAYING WHERE 245 Note: Al
Page 256 and 257: THE MAJOR PRODUCTION SHOWS 247 Valu
Page 258 and 259: THE MAJOR PRODUCTION SHOWS 249 Kids
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Page 262 and 263: THE MAJOR PRODUCTION SHOWS 253 Lanc
Page 264 and 265: THE MAJOR PRODUCTION SHOWS 255 Sieg
Page 266 and 267: HEADLINER SHOWROOMS 257 Afternoon D
Page 268 and 269: HEADLINER SHOWROOMS 259 Headliner S
Page 270 and 271: GAY BARS 261 Flamingo, it’s now a
Page 272 and 273: OTHER BARS 263 tower, where your wi
Page 274 and 275: OTHER BARS 265 thought to be long v
Page 276 and 277: DANCE CLUBS 267 A KARAOKE BAR Ellis
Page 278 and 279: DANCE CLUBS 269 Once inside, you fi
Page 280 and 281: STRIP CLUBS 271 Utopia According to
Page 282 and 283: STRIP CLUBS 273 Tips Two Strippers
Page 284 and 285: STRIP CLUBS 275 that here you can a
Page 288 and 289: HOOVER DAM & LAKE MEAD 279 All the
Page 290 and 291: 0 20 mi Logandale Lake Mead & Vicin
Page 292 and 293: picture it as a wooded resort. The
Page 294 and 295: metropolis, do stop off at Inside S
Page 296 and 297: RED ROCK CANYON 287 believed were w
Page 298 and 299: BONNIE SPRINGS RANCH/OLD NEVADA 289
Page 300 and 301: alconies or patios, and mountain vi
Page 302 and 303: A CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH AREA 51 293
Page 304 and 305: A LOOK AT THE PAST 295 While the St
Page 306 and 307: A LOOK AT THE PAST 297 lush tropica
Page 308 and 309: Big Six, 208 Biking Red Rock Canyon
Page 310 and 311: Graceland Wedding Chapel, 190 Grand
Page 312 and 313: Outdoor activities. See Activities
Page 314 and 315: RESTAURANT INDEX 305 World Series o
Page 316 and 317: Frommer's Portable Guides Complete
Page 318 and 319: FROMMER’S ® COMPLETE TRAVEL GUID
Page 320 and 321: AOL Keyword:Travel Booked aisle sea
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Frommer's Las Vegas 2004

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