Laughlin Nevada, The Gambling Mecca South Of Vegas

I promised a while back when talking about day trips from Vegas that I would expand on our gambling oasis to the south, Laughlin, Nevada. It looks like Beth over at The Daily Greensboring has beat me to it! There is much wisdom in humor. But seriously, it's not such a bad place, is it?


(Reposted with permission of the author.)

"I figured I'd write about something different today. Since Saddam is Dead, Bush is powerless, and the Boro is quiet, I thought it would make more sense to tell you about some other place. Today I'm going to tell you about Laughlin, Nevada. Why? Because I can.

If you ever watch the weather during the summer, likely at some point the weather person has turned to the camera and said the hottest place in the US today is Needles, California. Needles California is across the state-line in an area geographically where California, Nevada, & Arizona all meet. I used to live 10 miles from Needles in the Arizona city of Bullhead City.

Bullhead City is an old western town which is named after a huge rock that sits in the Colorado River. It's growth is due to the city of Laughlin, NV which sits directly across the river on the other side.

Most people aren't familiar that besides Las Vegas and Reno, this little town has been famous enough to appear as a joke in the Simpsons, and is comically referred to where stars of old go to perform.

Laughlin consists of about 10 different Vegas style casinos. With higher payouts, and low-cost buffets, the city attempts to draw crowds from the Vegas Mecca. In addition to the Rock-Star has-beens drawing retirees from all over the west coast, the nearby dam and lake provide water recreation for the hundreds of drunk rednecks on boats and water-skis.

What Laughlin lacks in erupting Volcanoes or White tigers that eat their trainers, it makes up with, in it's 3.99 all-you-can eat buffets that include every possible food you can imagine. Laughlin also has shows and entertainment ranging the impersonators of Elvis to the washed up Olivia Newton John. But the money you'll save in Laughlin at room rates often starting under $20.00 will allow for daily expeditions into the Arizona Mohave Desert.

Just a few miles from Laughlin's casino drive is the town of Oatman, Arizona. I've written about Oatman before. It's been virtually untouched since the 1800's and includes gun fights, and shopping "old-west" style.
If that's not your thing, you can take a ride on a full size steam train around the Ramada Express, there, you'll read old Burma-shave signs, and get a tour of the old-west including the casino's very own Tombstone cemetery.

Day-trips in Gold-mining, Off-Roading, or visiting famous desert Hollywood filming locations are all reasonably affordable, although you might just want to play the slots in the air-conditioned casinos.

Now the bad part about Laughlin. Smoke. The place is filled with the stuff. Horny old men. It's filled with these to. Guy's on ventilators and oxygen tanks roaming around the casinos smoking, and drinking stumble upon anything with boobs, and suddenly the vulgarities start. Worst yet is no one under the age of 50 actually goes to Laughlin. Lastly it's hot. Real hot. If you've never felt 125 degree weather, then there is no possible way I could ever explain to you what it feels like. Take a cooler, and make sure you rent a White car. It makes a heck of alot of difference.

Lastly, fill up with gas before you get to laughlin. Even though discounted room rates can often be 10.00 and meals are buy-1-get-1-free, everything outside of the Casinos is mucho expensiveo. Laughlin has one gas station on the strip, often charging twice what normal gas prices are.

At night, a drive out into the desert, or up to the dam, is a romantic get-away on the cheap. Laughlin is a poor persons town. Out of staters often fly in to the Laughlin airport which is capable of handling large wide-body aircrafts the same Vega's Mccarran Airport, but without all the hustle and bustle. Drive up to Vegas, and return to Laughlin by night. It's a discount Vegas without the costs."

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