Laughlin lies 90 miles south of Las Vegas and it's a whole different ball game, more chilled, smaller and less expensive. You'll find big casinos and glittering shows but it's all more relaxed in this country-style gambling town with its traditional rodeos, motorbike rallies and bargain-basement hotel rooms. But the enormous, stately Colorado River is the town's best asset, drawing just as many crowds as the slot machines.
The ghost town of Oatman takes you back to the Wild West with cowboy gunfights and showdowns.
Combining big city entertainment with small town charm, Laughlin offers cycling and biking, running and boating, glorious heritage trails, Lake Mohave and plenty of excellent gourmet restaurants. Plus, of course, the Hoover Dam.
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Take a gold mine tour
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Enjoy a guided horseback tour along the river
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Grab a jet ski ride
Try your hand at kayaking or water skiing, take a shoreline cruise, then head for the shops for some excellent retail therapy. Now you're getting up close and intimate with what makes Laughlin tick.
There's plenty of family fun here. Kids adore the town's 23 movie screens, bowling alley, arcades and swimming pools. Little kids aged 6-12 love Mountain View Park, where it costs just five dollars a day to play tennis, basketball and explore thrilling jungle gym equipment. But what about the grown-ups?
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Try the Tropicana Laughlin hotel and casino
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Visit the extraordinary Grapevine Canyon petroglyphs
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Mellow out at the Big Bend of the Colorado State Park
Check out Don Laughlin's Classic Car Collection, the perfect holiday destination for petrol-heads. Or hit the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for tasty treats US-style.
Find yourself in the Laughlin stone Labyrinths, curious tunnels where people meditate, contemplate, enjoy quiet time, prayer and spiritual connections. Users have reported feeling calmer, more centered, grounded and healthier.
Don't miss the exceptionally lovely Lake Mohave and the Lake Mead National Recreation Area with its varied wildlife, excellent fishing, boating, camping and water skiing. Make a point of visiting Katherine Landing, also on Lake Mohave, with its boat rentals, slips and launch ramps, picnic area, marina, restaurant and more. Discover the Katherine Mine, the remains of a once-booming 1800s gold rush claim and experience Spirit Mountain, your destination for peace, calm and contemplation, to the west of the town and at its best at sunrise. Choose from several hiking trails up the mountain, from moderate to tough going, for panoramic views into the blue distance at least 100 miles away.
Take a series of leisurely dinner cruises on the mighty river, the ultimate in romance. Enjoy thrilling, high speed jet boat tours of the area. Brilliant golf courses, all green and lovely in the sunshine, await you, plus late night revelling in the town's many friendly bars, lounges and pubs. Laughlin is an alternative marriage venue to Las Vegas, less brash and glittery than LA. Take The Aquarius Casino, for example, where you'll find fabulous facilities and a truly beautiful backdrop for everything from an intimate wedding gathering to the biggest, fattest marriage celebrations you can imagine.