The 24-hour lifestyle of Las Vegas brings many great things. There is always someplace open for a late-night snack; if you feel like staying out late, there is no last call that sends you home at 2 a.m. or 4 a.m.; and there is a constant demand for workers around the clock. Some people, however, find that it can get to be a little much, especially when it comes to finding a place to really settle down a little and relax. For those who don’t need the constant stimulation and for those looking for something that approaches what most would consider “normal” suburban living, there is no comparison to Boulder City.

That, of course, is not to slight suburbs like Summerlin, Green Valley or Sun City/Aliante. But while they have separate municipal leaders and codes, they really don’t feel like much more than extensions of Las Vegas itself. Boulder City, on the other hand, really is a completely different world... and it’s only 25 minutes away.

In many ways, Boulder City is the antithesis of Las Vegas. There is no gambling—anywhere. The convenience stores don’t have slots; the bar tops in restaurants and lounges aren’t lined with video poker machines; and there are no casinos. The stores—even the grocery stores—have what the rest of the country considers normal hours. And unlike the seemingly unrestricted and unregulated growth of Las Vegas—note the use of “seemingly”—Boulder City officials take great pains to ensure that growth is controlled and sensible.

There is a very definite effort to make Boulder City into something of a family-friendly enclave in Southern Nevada. It’s a little carve-out in Clark County where some normalcy remains. It does not have the same “anything goes” attitude of Las Vegas. It is, in many ways, exactly what most people think of when they picture small town life—the only difference is that the big city and all it has to offer are just minutes away.

Boulder City was created in 1931 as a town to house workers building the Hoover Dam. At the time, gambling and alcohol sales were prohibited. While alcohol sales were approved in 1969, the city remains one of only two communities in Nevada that doesn’t have any form of gaming. In many ways, Boulder City retains the same family-friendly environment that it did when it was first created. It was created as a model city with a set of ideals that remain in place today.

One of the primary ways that the existing quality of life is preserved in Boulder City is through a slow-growth ordinance. The focus on controlled and guided growth fosters a stronger sense of community while keeping crime rates down—along with utility rates—and allowing for better delivery of city services.

But while life in Boulder City is relaxed, that doesn’t mean it is boring, and there are plenty of reasons for people to make the short trip to this desert oasis.

One attraction is a seemingly endless number of outdoor community events—the annual Easter egg hunt, the Fourth of July Damboree Parade and Celebration, Wurstfest and Christmas events, including an electric light parade on Main Street. There are also larger events like the annual Spring Jamboree held May 2 and 3. The Spring Jamboree features a car show, arts and crafts booths, live entertainment, including the Little Miss and Mister Boulder City competition, a dog show and a number of food vendors. It’s a great way to spend a day outside in a relaxed, small town atmosphere.

The other big celebration in Boulder City is Art in the Park October 3 and 4. Art in the Park is one of the largest outdoor art festivals in the Southwest, held every year to raise money for the Boulder City Hospital Foundation. The free event attracts more than 100,000 visitors who take in the artwork, the live music, food and raffle, and who get to see the judging of the art pieces themselves.

Another attraction in Boulder City is the great golf opportunities. There are plenty of golf courses in Las Vegas, but there are two excellent courses in Boulder City, too. The Boulder Creek Golf Club, which opened in 2003, is a 27-hole course that plays host to a number of tournaments every year, including the Clark County Amateur Championship in November and the UNLV Girls Golf Spring Invitational. The course differs from those found in Las Vegas with its oasis-themed holes with beach bunkers, lakes and waterfalls. And the ninth hole on the Desert Hawk course was voted the best par 4 hole in the area by Vegas Golfer magazine. Rates for Clark County residents hover in the $60 range depending on tee times.

The Boulder City Golf Course has even lower rates—around $30 for Clark County residents—that earned it the best bargain course in Southern Nevada designation for three years running from Vegas Golfer magazine. The 18-hole, par 72 course measures 6,600 yards from the back tees, making it a playable course for golfers of all skill levels.

Outdoor recreation really does reign supreme in Boulder City. The nearby Bootleg Canyon is one of the best-kept secrets of Southern Nevada. It features 35 miles of downhill and cross-country mountain bike trails. It attracts riders from all over the world. The trails range from moderate to difficult, so there is something available for all levels of riders.

For those who would rather see the area from above, there is Bootleg Canyon Flightlines. The company operates a zipline that flies customers through canyons 1,000 feet above the desert floor. The cost covers runs down four different lines, each offering a different experience ranging from serene to supreme.

For those who want an aerial perspective of the desert, but would prefer a little more freedom, Skydive Las Vegas can fill the void. The company offers two flights daily operating out of the Boulder City airport. Guests are treated to awe-inspiring views of Lake Mead, Hoover Dam and the Las Vegas Valley after the 120 mph freefall gives way to a controlled descent after the parachute opens.

Both Bootleg Canyon Flightlines and Skydive Las Vegas offer shuttles to pick people up from the Strip, but it is advisable to make the trip yourself to avoid having to wait around for the shuttle.

Boulder City is also a gateway to a number of natural attractions in the area, being just minutes from Lake Mead and Hoover Dam.

Hoover Dam attracts more than 1 million visitors every year who marvel at this 63-year-old structure that was, when completed in 1936, both the largest electric-power generating station and the world’s largest concrete structure (there is enough concrete in the dam to pave a two-lane highway from San Francisco to New York!).

The dam truly is a remarkable piece of engineering, and it is essential to the viability of Las Vegas and Southern Nevada. And while you can wander around aimlessly on top of the dam—as anyone who has tried to cross it on the trip to or from Arizona is certainly aware—the best way to experience everything is to spend some time watching the documentaries in the visitors center before taking one of the guided tours through the inner workings of the facility. The hard hat tour takes guests past the turbines inside and all the way to the base of the dam.

Behind Hoover Dam sits Lake Mead, an outdoor playground of its own. Not only is this federal park lined with hiking trails, it offers a unique desert experience of playing on or in a large body of water. The lake draws visitors every weekend to play on boats and jet skis and to sit along the beach.

The Lake Mead National Recreation Area is also one of the best launching points for one of the most scenic drives in Southern Nevada, the Lakeshore Scenic Drive. From the Boulder City entrance to the park, the drive runs along the west edge of the lake as it winds north past Lake Las Vegas and eventually ends in Valley of Fire State Park. It is a beautiful transformation to see the water give way to the sparsely populated desert, which then gives way to the fiery red rock formations of Nevada’s oldest state park.

Another option is to start at Valley of Fire and make the trip south before spending the rest of the day in Boulder City. Even when no events are scheduled, the city’s 71 acres of parks, quaint downtown commercial area and numerous restaurants still provide a great experience and a good way to get out of town without having to go too far. The trip may only be 25 miles, but it feels like a trip to another era and another state.

By Greg Jones

Greg Jones is managing editor of Casino Connection Nevada, as well as associate editor of Global Gaming Business magazine.

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