A few days ago, I took a trip to California. I used the opportunity to get in a little flying time and to fly over a portion of the San Andreas Fault that highly visible from the air. The part that is really prominent starts about half way between Bakersfield and Santa Barbara and runs northwest about 60 miles.

On my return that night, I was able to talk the air traffic controller  into letting me fly over the southern tip of the Strip.  The actual route was from the Henderson airport to the eastern end of the 25 runways at McCarran then a left turn toward the North Las Vegas Airport.

I filmed a portion of the flight, starting a little North of the Henderson Airport until the landing at North Las Vegas.

The City of Lights provides great access to several museums that are fun and educational for adults and children.  The Lied Children’s Discovery Museum is located on Las Vegas Boulevard near the heart of the action.  Here you’ll find 22,000 sqft of exhibits exploring the arts, sciences, humanities and early childhood.  This is a great experience for parents and children as the museum encourages adult/child interaction through shared learning and discovery.

There are plenty of activities that will keep the kids happy for hours.  Many exhibits at the museum simulate experiential learning offering children a way to get firsthand experience about life.  There is an exhibit about adult life allowing a child to try out a job, earn a paycheck and deposit their money into a bank.  Another area helps children to understand what it may be like to become physically impaired.  The mission of the Lied Children’s Discovery Museum is:

to provide a vibrant and engaging environment, through exhibits and programs, where children and families from economically and culturally diverse backgrounds actively participate in playful learning environments

They are doing an excellent job!

You might also take some time out of your day to visit the Las Vegas Natural History Museum.  Located nearby to the Lied Museum, here you’ll find dinosaurs, fossils, marine life, nevada wildlife and even an Africa exhibit.  Children will enjoy one of the museum highlights - a 3,000 gallon feef tank with live sharks and stingrays!

Join in the family fun, visit a Las Vegas museum today!

The City and surrounding areas of Las Vegas offer much, much more than just bright lights and casinos. Recreational opportunities abound within a 30 minute radius of city.  Mt Charleston is located 35 miles northwest in the Spring Mountains.  Year round activities such as hiking, biking, camping, skiing and more are just a few of the highlights enjoyed by a visit to this spectacular area.

There is much history surrounding Charleston Peak.  John C. Fremont named the mountain after his wife’s hometown - Charleston, North Carolina during his original exploration.  Housed within the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and boasting the third largest peak in Nevada, the mountain is just shy of 12,000 feet.  The cool breezes and higher altitudes of the alpine landscape make Charleston a favorite for escaping the desert summer heat.

There are more than 180 campsites and at least 160 picnic areas throughout the park.  RV spaces are also available at many of the campgrounds.  53 miles of hiking trails wind through the mountainous terrain for those with an adventurous spirit.  Some trails are even paved and provide handicapped accessibility. 

Horseback rides through Fletcher Canyon are available in summertime while winter brings adventure seekers more fun with the opening of the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort located in Lee Canyon.        

Mount Charleston is a fabulous city escape that won’t disappoint, guided tours are available or you can take US 95 north then head west on Hwy 157 to reach the area.

Situated in-and-around a private 320-acre lake, Lake Las Vegas Resort provides everything from Golf to water sports and yacht cruises.  This lush oasis is inspired by vibrant Mediterranean architecture and is just 17 miles from the Las Vegas strip and McCarran Airport.  The amenities offered at this resort make living here feel like a continual retreat.  Take a cruise on the lake, enjoy five-star dining, experience shopping at the many village boutiques, indulge in an afternoon at the spa, or play through a satisfying round of championship golf - Lake Las Vegas Resort has it all!

Many events also take place at one of the resorts neatest backdrops - a floating stage!  Movies, concerts, festivals and holiday celebrations - there is something for everyone.  Many private events are also held in this grand community - from weddings to conferences, intimate to grand - Lake Las Vegas provides the perfect venue. 

There are 19 distinct neighborhoods in the community providing living options from custom homes sites, to courtyard and golf villas, to condos, to executive homes and townhomes.  With 10 miles of shoreline and many distinct natural features, most homes feature lake, golf course or desert mountain views with the shimmering of the Las Vegas strip in the evening distance.

Golf at any one of the three championship courses is sublime:

• Reflection Bay Public course, Jack Nicklaus Designed: 7,261 yards, par-72, highlighting waterfront and features
• The Falls, Tom Weiskopf Designed: 7,250 yards, par-72, highlighting elevation changes and natural features
• Rainbow Canyon, Tom Fazio Designed, 7,500 yards, par-72, highlighting rugged mountain terrain, currently under development. 

Please Contact Jan or Kerry Coffman for more information about Lake Las Vegas Living

Recently we attended the 4th annual Las Vegas Celtic Gathering and Highland Games. Located at Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs, the gathering was a just another great example of the amazing diversity of our favorite city.

The gathering featured dancing, pipe band and athletic competitions, as well as traditional Scottish food (and some non-traditional food – I never pass up a funnel cake) and hundreds of kilt-wearing participants.

The first written reference to Highland dancing dates back 1,000 years, and originally this athletic dance-style was used to train soldiers. Participants competed in many types of dances at the Celtic Gathering, including Highland Fling, Flora MacDonald’s Fancy and Seann Triubhas (pronounced Shawn Troos).

Traditional Scottish music could be heard throughout the park as pipe bands practiced for their competitions. Getting to see the bands before their events, tuning the bagpipes and going over last-minute details, was a great behind-the-scenes experience.

In Heavy Events Athletics, participants compete in eight events (such as throwing weights and stones for distance) all in the same day. By the afternoon, when we saw the athletes compete in Weight Over Bar (which involves throwing a 56-pound weight over a bar 15+ feet in the air), they had been competing since early morning. Clearly, competitors need strength and endurance to excel.

The Las Vegas Celtic Gathering and Highland Games is a great way to spend a day in the park. Visit the following link for more information on the Las Vegas Celtic Society and next year’s Celtic Gathering.

Located along the western rim of the Las Vegas Valley just near the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is the community of Summerlin, Nevada.  Summerlin is a planned community originally purchased and run by Howard Hughes in the 1950s and named after his grandmother, Jean Amelia Summerlin.  Hughes obtained the land as the Hughes Tool Company which later became the Summa Corporation.  Much of the land was acquired for as little as twenty-five cents an acre as it was thought to have no use.  The Summa Corporation’s land holdings continued to grow over time and thus the two main areas, Summerlin North and South, were conceived.

Summerlin is actually contained within two locales, the City of Las Vegas and Clark County Nevada.  The area is generally divided into North, South, West and Centre.  There are many villages in each locale which contain a variety of gated, non-gated and age-restricted communities.  Summerlin is highlighted by wonderful pocket parks (there are over 100) and scenic rest stops that showcase the stunning natural beauty of the area.  Community members can be found biking and golfing or playing tennis, soccer and even chess in the park.  There are also many village community centers throughout the area to enjoy.  Golf is of course a big attraction for Summerlin - there are at least nine courses in the area.

The Red Rock Country Club Community is home to two of those spectacular courses - the private Mountain Course and the public Arroyo Course.  Both courses are Arnold Palmer designed signature courses which players of all levels can enjoy.  The natural beauty of the surroundings in this community are unmatched.  At the Red Rock Country Club you are sure to have a world-class golf experience.

Please contact Jan or Kerry at the Coffman Team for more information about living in Summerlin, Nevada!

Interested in Red Rock Country Club Homes?  Please use our online Las Vegas MLS Search.