Lovin’ LaughlinA Desert Place Founded on FunBy Sandra Scott
As soon as we turned off the main road to the Casino area and saw the sign, “Welcome to Laughlin,” I liked the place immediately. I felt like I was in a friendly place that would not overwhelm me.
A wandering trio of musicians put me into a New Orleans mood. So I headed for the Orleans restaurant for dinner. The Amber beer from their microbrewery quenched my thirst. Since the Colorado Belle had a New Orleans theme, I should have opted for some seafood but I was glad I picked the rib eye, which was the thickest I had ever seen and done to perfection. The amaretto in white chocolate cups was the perfect end to a perfect meal. Back at the Ramada I settled in at the Caboose Lounge to listen to Perfect Choice play all the old favorites from the 50s and 60s. The Ramada has free entertainment every night.
Time went by too fast. I checked out, then had Sunday Champagne Brunch at the Passaggio Italian Gardens complete with shrimp, crab legs, and black angus roast prime rib. It was the perfect end to my short stay. I didn’t win anything but left feeling like a winner because I had found a place to gamble that offered many of the attractions of Vegas yet didn’t overwhelm me. For more information check: |
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TM
I love Las Vegas and visit every year, but each year I get older and the Strip gets bigger and longer. While I love all the glitzy additions after a few days I miss the old Strip. It made me wonder what Laughlin was like so I headed 90 miles south through the desert past Searchlight, turned off I 93, drove down the long winding grade to a place that looks like it is on the fast track to becoming the “new” Strip. 
I checked into my Jacuzzi Suite at the Ramada, relaxed a bit, and decided to go for a walk. You might say I was train-ing. Trains are the Ramada theme and the property has its own classic train and station allowing visitors to ride around the property, the rooms are referred to as berths and the pool is even train-shaped. The price of a train ride is “One Smile!” The Ramada, rightly so, touts itself as being the “Friendliest” place in Laughlin.
The Casino Strip is very do-able with most attractions within easy walking distance. I was immediately drawn to the steamboat across the street, the Colorado Belle, the “Biggest Boat in the Desert since Noah!” A 600-foot replica of a 19th century Mississippi riverboat in the Nevada desert isn’t as strange as it might seem because Laughlin in located on the Colorado River. 
A new day dawned with too many options. The Horizon Outlet Center features 50 stores including Koret, Oshkosh B'Gosh, and Van Heusen. And, like Vegas there are plenty “green” opportunities available including the new golf course at Laughlin Ranch, listed in “Golf Digest” as one of the top ten upscale, new golf courses. And, they also have a new state-of-the-art spa.
Like Vegas there are plenty of shows to enjoy. After enjoying a great steak dinner at Tauras Steak House in Aquarius Casino, newly refurbished and rebranded, I walked to Riverside for the Hawaiian Christmas Show. While it put me in the holiday spirit, I wished I could come back for the some of the other upcoming shows that include “The Nutcracker,” The Oak Ridge Boys, and Charo! Back at the Ramada I ended the evening listening to the Perfect Choice. 
There is something Laughlin has that Vegas will never have – a river. Jet skis, boat rides and even a trip to the London Bridge in Lake Havasu are just part of the Laughlin fun. Laughlin claims to be “Founded on Fun.” There are museums, fishing, hiking, helicopter rides, and much more. I failed to mention the whole purpose for Laughlin’s existence – gambling. There is something to tickle the winning spirit in every gambler. The Ramada alone has over 53,000 square feet of gaming!