Getting There
There are nonstop or direct (one stop) flights to Las Vegas from Austin (Southwest), DFW (America West, American, Delta), El Paso (Southwest), Houston Bush Intercontinental (Continental), Houston Hobby (Southwest), and San Antonio (Southwest).
Eating and Sleeping
HUGO’S CELLAR
202 Fremont (in the Four Queens Casino)
702-385-4011
It’s so Old Vegas. The setting is intimate, the menu old-fashioned. It makes for a nice and, rare for Vegas, unhurried evening.
entrées $28-$55
IN-N-OUT BURGER
4888 South Industrial Rd., (just off Interstate 15 and Tropicana)
800-786-1000
Everything is made fresh, including the fries; burgers $1.45-$2.50
PALACE STATION HOTEL AND CASINO
2411 West Sahara Ave.
702-367-2411 or 800-631-3101, fax 702-221-6510
stationcasinos.com
doubles $50-$170
I like this off-the-Strip hotel for its relaxed atmosphere and its ties to the old gambling days in my hometown of Galveston.
STAGE DELI
3500 Las Vegas Blvd., (the Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace)
702-893-4045
This offshoot of the grand New York delicatessen features overstuffed sandwiches named after celebrities like Wayne Newton and Don Rickles.
sandwiches start at $5.65
Game Plan
BEFORE YOU GO:
The best source for information on golfing in the Las Vegas area is the Web site teetimesinlasvegas.com. You will find course descriptions, rankings (up to five stars), and discounted greens fees for many courses. After you choose your courses, you can reserve your tee times on-line ($5 booking fee in some cases) or by calling 877-669-4653 (ask for directions to each course when you call).
FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE (OR LESS):
Greens fees vary according to the time of day and season of the year. The summer rates (fall rates are around $100 higher) for the courses I played are:
Bali Hai $125-$195
Bear’s Best $85-$150
Paiute Wolf $99-$125
Royal Links $125-$145
Las Vegas Golf and Tennis (4211 Paradise Rd., 702-892-9999 or 800-933-7777) is the best place in town for good prices on golf necessities.
