Sun City-Summerlin is located in the Northwest corner of the City of Las Vegas, Nevada. The area teems with things to see and do, from good shopping provided by factory outlet malls, to elite boutiques; from cultural events presented by the University of Nevada/Las Vegas and performing arts centers, to the glitzy ones like the Freemont Experience's computerized light show in downtown Las Vegas, and casino/hotel shows; from sporting events of all types, to great golf, health and fitness. We are fortunate to be located in the Entertainment Capital of the World. Most casino/hotels have interesting exhibits and shows to keep people coming back for more.  But Las Vegas has much more to offer than the glitter and entertainment for which it is known!

Cultural Attractions ...

There are Arts and Museums for all ages and tastes: 

• Las Vegas Art Museum, 9600 West Sahara Ave., 360-8000

• Rainbow Library, 3150 North Buffalo Dr., 243-7323

• Summerlin Library and Performing Arts Center, 1771 Inner Circle Dr., 256-5111

• Nevada State Museum, 700 Twin Lakes Dr. in Lorenzi Park, 486-5205  – Check out the state fossil ichthyosaur, 48 feet long and 225 million years old, and other extinct skeletal creatures.  See Mojave Desert animals and plants.  In the History Gallery, see how Las Vegas has grown over the last 100 years.  In the Changing Gallery through September 16, 2001, Nevada folk arts, past and present, are the feature exhibit:  Handed Down:  Nevada’s Living Folk Arts.  Open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. admission: $2 for adults and free for children under 18.

• The Las Vegas Natural History Museum, 900 Las Vegas Blvd., North, 384-3466, features exhibits of Southern Nevada's plant and animal life, as well as interesting displays of animated dinosaurs and a children's hands-on exploration room--something your grandchildren will enjoy.

• Another geared-to-the-younger-set attraction is the Lied Discovery Children's Museum, located at 833 Las Vegas Blvd., North, 382-3445, with over 100 hands-on exhibits to touch, see, explore and experience. This is one of the largest children's museums in the USA. 

If you are interested in learning about what grows and thrives in this desert environment, three places are on our list: 

• The Gardens at Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd. between US 95 and Alta Drive . The Las Vegas Valley Water District has put together these gardens as a horticultural resource center, well worth the self-guided tour, and they offer free literature and classes.

• Ethel-M Chocolate Factory and Cactus Garden Tour, 2 Cactus Garden Dr., in Henderson, 433-2500, features a cactus garden with a self-guided tour to view over 300 cacti and desert plants. And, yes, the Chocolate Shop gives free samples!

• The Arboretum at UNLV, 4505 South Maryland Pkwy., 895-3392, is another sampling of flora for our area.

If you enjoy classical and pops music look into the Las Vegas Philharmonic Orchestra.

Water, Water Everywhere . . .
If it's water you are looking for, why not 

•  Take a hard-hat tour of the Hoover Dam? US Highway 93,Boulder City, 294-3524.  Learn about the history, the engineering wonder, construction and benefits of this National Historic Landmark, still the Western Hemisphere's highest concrete dam.

• Enjoy Lake Mead Recreation Area, with boating, fishing, skiing, swimming.

• Lake Mead Cruises, Lakeshore Rd. (State Hwy 166), Boulder City, 702-293-6180. Enjoy a narrated scenic cruise aboard one of the showboat style stern-wheelers, to view the dramatically beautiful shoreline with its cliffs and coves, or from a personal watercraft.

• Try Black Canyon River Rafting, Hacienda Hotel & Casino, Highway 93, Boulder City, NV. This group presents a 12-mile rapid-free raft tour down the Colorado River, below Hoover Dam, featuring waterfalls, hot springs, fascinating geology and history.

Nature's Backyard

Is escaping into nature’s backyard your forte? We have that close-by, too:

•  Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is only a few minute’s drive from Sun City-Summerlin. Take Charleston Blvd., West (State Hwy 159), 363-1921. Here you may escape into a world of peace and quiet to drink in the natural beauty of colorful sandstone cliffs and canyons of wildlife and desert scenery. The Visitor Center is full of excellent native displays. If you like hiking, this is your place, with trails for lazy ambling to very strenuous rock scrambling. Make it a short soul-refreshing drive-through on the scenic loop or a day-long trek, complete with picnic lunch.

• Spring Mountain Ranch State Park is an historic spot not to be missed in Red Rock Canyon, just West of the Scenic Loop Road exit. The 100 year old main ranch house and grounds are open to visitors interested in the history of the development of the Las Vegas Valley. In the summertime, one may enjoy presentations by the Super Summer Theater under the stars at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park. Call 875-4141 for Ranch information.

• While in the Red Rock Canyon area, you may want to take in Bonnie Springs Old Nevada, 875-4191, with its petting zoo, riding stables and Old West entertainment. It’s just a short distance West of the Spring Mountain Ranch. Then turn and re-trace your way on Hwy 159 for one more look at the beauty of Red Rock Canyon as you head home.

• Mt. Charleston is part of the Spring Mountains, looming 11,918 feet above sea level, and in the winter its  snow-capped peaks are a reminder that we are near a winter playground. Mt. Charleston offers skiing, snow-boarding and sleigh rides in the wintertime, and is a cool respite from summer heat. Take US 95 North to State Hwy 157, for a relaxing trip in the high country of ancient bristlecone pines, about an hour’s drive from Sun City-Summerlin, making the loop to return via State Hwy 156 to US 95. For general information, call 222-1597.

• Valley of Fire State Park is located approximately 50 miles North of Las Vegas on State Hwy 169, off I-15, and is a Fall, Winter and Spring favorite. The Park, which has a well-appointed Visitor Center, was once part of the Arrowhead Trail, a road linking Salt Lake City and Los Angeles. The area with its red rock formations was described as “a whole valley being on fire.” When work on roads was completed, Valley of Fire became Nevada’s first state park, in 1935. The entire park area is steeped in the history of the Anasazi and Paiute Indians, with an abundance of fascinating petroglyphs. There are picnic areas, restrooms, campgrounds and gook hiking .The younger generation (and also the not-so-young!) enjoys scampering over the rock formations. Call 397-2088. 

Farther afield, the attractions of the area also abound: 

•  Ancient American Indian symbols and ruins stretch across most of the West, with concentrations in Nevada, Utah and Arizona, and are easy to reach.

• Death Valley, part of which claims the lowest spot in our hemisphere at 282 feet below sea level, Furnace Creek and Scotty’s Castle are on the Nevada/California border, near delightful Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.

•  Across Nevada to the West, lies historic Virginia City, queen of the Old West’s mining boom-towns. This grand dame has capitalized on her past and is a thriving reminder of the gold and silver mining days of this State, with all its glory. Call (775) 847-0177 for local information.

• Reno and our State Capital, Carson City, and the two beautiful lakes, Pyramid and Tahoe, top off the list on the western edge of the state. These places and Virginia City would make a nice week’s trip from Las Vegas.

• Nevada’s only national park, Great Basin National Park, is about 300 miles north of Las Vegas, near Baker. Take US 93 North to US 6/50 East to reach this vista of mountain peaks, lively streams, wildlife and the famous Lehman Caves, one of the finest limestone caverns in the country... Call (775) 234-7331 for more information. * 

• On the way to the Great Basin National Park, you will pass Cathedral Gorge State Park, near Panaca, the second oldest town in Nevada (the oldest is Genoa, near Carson City). Cathedral Gorge is made up of narrow, deep canyons, weirdly eroded, and grottos, with cathedral-like buff-colored spires, which give the area its name.

• Bryce Canyon National Park, Cedar Breaks National Monument, and Zion National Park, all within a half-day’s drive in Southern Utah, are spots of spectacular natural beauty. * 

• And everyone’s favorite, Grand Canyon National Park, is in northern Arizona, just 280 miles from Sun City-Summerlin. * 

*For detailed information on national parks, log on to http://www.nps.gov/ then click on “Visit the Parks,” an alphabetical listing of all the national parks.

Houses of Worship

Catholic
     St. Elizabeth Ann Seton

          1811 Pueblo Vista Drive

Islam

      Masjid As-Sabur

            711 Morgan Avenue

      Madrasa I Islam

            3799 Edwards Avenue 

Jewish

       Temple Bet Emet

            8901 Del Webb Boulevard

      Shema Yisroel

            Desert Vista

      Temple Bet Knessert Bamidbar

            Desert Vista

LDS [Mormon]

      Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
            9011 Hillpointe Road

Protestant

      Desert Spring United Methodist Church

            Palo Verde High School

      Mountain View Presbyterian

            8601 Del Webb Boulevard

      St. Andrew Lutheran

            8901 Del Webb Boulevard

      Sun City Community Church
            Rampart Plaza

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