As one August arrival put it, I thought I had landed on the sun . "
"Summer" here, it turns out, lasts well into fall - which balances things out nicely since it begins in spring .
Of course it & # 39; s the rare place that is not air-conditioned and actually all hotels and motels feature a cooling pool, from the basic rectangle to a full-amenity beach scene, the latter illustrated by such seasons as Wet Republic at MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay Beach, and the Garden of the Gods at Caesars Palace. But when it continues to feel like the whole place is in meltdown, it & # 39; s good to know there are escapes that can kick the chill factor into a new dimension.
One interesting trend of recent years is the ice bar, where it can be COLD, with ice often painting the furniture, the décor, maybe even the glasses {fees may apply}. Where to find them in Las Vegas: Minus 5 in the Shoppes at Mandalay Bay and at Monte Carlo, and the Ice Bar at the Golden Nugget downtown.
Some places have a normal temp setting but ice you down with frozen cocktails, a specialty at the Big Chill at New York, New York, Monte Carlo, and Excalibur, Evening Call at Bally & # 39; s, Fat Tuesday at Miracle Mile Shops { at Planet Hollywood}, and OneBar at Golden Gate downtown, plus selections at Catalyst at The Linq and PH Shiver at Planet Hollywood. Other places dispense, not frozen but, exceedingly frosty beverages and serve them on a bar outfitted with an ice strip, as found at VDKA at Encore and Red Square at Mandalay Bay, the latter upping the ante with a vodka vault that you enter bedecked in a loaner parka.
{Thought this was pretty funny. One patron suggested that bar design keeping the drink cold - should you happen to pass out from a bit too much of the wares, as soon as your forehead hit the icy inset you & # 39 ; d immediately revive.}
Just some choices: Café Gelato at Bellagio, Cocolini at Venetian, Serendipity 3 at Caesars, Graeter & # 0; crafting a couple of days ago / casinos. 39; s in the Forum Shops at Caesars, Mookies at Stratosphere, Ghiradelli at The Linq, Hagen Dazs at MGM Grand, Blizz at Mirage, Bally & # 39; s, Luxor, MGM Grand, and Palms, and Lappert the California downtown.
Guess in case the flick is boring they still want you awake when you exit into the casino.
Ice skating enthusiasts can take their cool talents to the Sobe Ice Arena at Fiesta Rancho hotel / casino in the northwestern valley, as well as several neighborhood rinks. Of necessity, the indoor climate in these places is in the brrrr category.
Visit Wet n Wild on the west side, open daily through August 23, weekends including Labor Day through September 27, or Cowabunga Bay on the east side, actually in Henderson, open daily through September 7 , weekends through Sept 27 {closed for private event September 13}.
Folks back east are likely familiar with the weather acronym, CBTL - cooler by the lake, versus inland. But here it & # 39; s routinely WBTL by Instead it 's the bracing water which in the summer / fall season will be progress from the mid - 80s to mid - 70s.
The first venue that will beckon is The Resort on Mt Charleston, an inn, bar, restaurant, and general store. Farther up , just before the road disappears into a residential area, meet Mt. Charleston Lodge, a restaurant with a gift shop plus separate log cabins.
Both feature outdoor seating to take full advantage of the panoramic views and cool mountain air. Temps here usually range 20-30 degrees lower than in the valley.
No matter when you hit Las Vegas, though, in sense or another it & # 39; s always hot. Always cool.
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