Getaways: Beyond the casinos in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS - In the land of flashing lights and scantily clad showgirls, schmaltz is as common as a penny slot. Schmaltz with a living legend, live animals and an entire building full of Rat Pack-era memorabilia, however. Now that's one in a million.

That's precisely why Casa de Shenandoah is so special. The 52-acre estate - for decades the private residence of Mr. Las Vegas, Wayne Newton - opened to the public late last year, and stands alone for what it delivers for visitors who sign up for two-, four- or six-hour tours. If you're lucky (hey, it's Vegas), you might even see the man himself.

The “Casa,” as it's known, is one of a few new nongaming attractions open or soon-to-open in and around this growing city. Other hot spots include a public park, an arena and a visitor center in the hinterlands.

All of the destinations provide visitors with diversions outside the hulking casinos.

Homage to Wayne

The Casa de Shenandoah experience starts in a visitor center across the street. After watching a short film about Wayne Newton's life, visitors board a tour bus that takes them through golden gates and into the estate.

The first stop is a museum Newton built when he decided to turn his home of 50 years into a tourist attraction. Inside, he displays artifacts and mementos from nearly 60 years in show business. One exhibit invites visitors to wander through Newton's private plane. Another shares stories and personal effects from Newton's work with the USO over the years. Yet another section displays some of the costumes he wore throughout his career.

Car fans especially will love the garage, from which Newton shows off a number of Rolls Royce, Bentleys and the last Hummer ever to be produced.

From there, tours head out to the animal areas, where visitors get to interact with some of the 60some Arabian horses in the stable; meet his pet Capuchin monkey, Boo; and get to see his Magellanic penguin, Charlie. Groups that run into Newton usually see him here.

Prices start at $35, so depending on the level of tour you purchase, your Casa de Shenandoah experience might conclude in Newton's former mansion, the very same 1976 home in which film crews shot the scenes between Newton and Beverly D'Angelo in “National Lampoon's Vegas Vacation.” Here groups can see Mr. Las Vegas' one-of-a-kind crystal pool table and ogle his antique wooden desk, which once belonged to Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

No, you can't touch any of the good stuff. But before you leave, you can hit the same bathrooms Newton used. Just be sure to say, “Danke Schoen,” when you're done. Casadeshenandoah.com

The Park/T-Mobile Arena

For years the stretch of land between New York-New York Resort Casino and the Monte Carlo Resort Casino was nothing more than a glorified parking lot, a parcel that parent company MGM Resorts owned but had not developed. Earlier this decade, however, after competitor Caesars Entertainment opened an al fresco promenade and a giant observation wheel, MGM officials knew they had to counterattack with something just as big.

That something opens early next month in two parts: The Park and T-Mobile Arena.

Think of The Park (yes, that's its real name) as the approach to the main attraction, the arena. The swath of land runs about a half-mile back from the Las Vegas Strip, alongside New York-New York. The park meanders past fountains, xeriscaped gardens, seating areas and giant shade structures that are designed to look like trees. It was conceived as a restful space for picnicking, letting the kids play or just escaping the frenetic energy of casinos and glamorous resorts.

A host of shops and restaurants line the casino side. One, Beerhaus, will have more than a dozen beers on tap, including brews from Healdsburg's Bear Republic and Santa Rosa's Russian River Brewing Company. The bar also will have board games for customers to play while they're drinking.

The arena itself will be a great place to see a musical event. It formally opens April 6 with a concert by the aforementioned Newton and The Killers, helmed by Healdsburg's own Ronnie Vannucci, Jr. They're followed this spring by Guns N Roses, George Strait, Janet Jackson and Garth Brooks.

Seating is limited, which means every vantage point is a good one. Open concourses mean concertgoers can see and hear the action even when they have to leave their seats to buy hot dogs and beer. T-Mobile Arena even boasts an outpost of Bellagio's Hyde Lounge, a top-floor nightclub on a triangle-shaped platform that hangs out over the arena floor, quite literally offering the best seats in the house.

Eventually, Las Vegas leaders hope to land a National Hockey League expansion team to play in the arena and call it home. Until then, “T-Mobile” will be the place for fights, concerts and college sports. Lasvegasarena.com

Spring Mountains Visitor Gateway

The vast majority of visitors to Las Vegas never leave the Strip. For those who do, however, Mount Charleston is a big draw, since it's the tallest mountain in the region.

The mountain sits about an hour northwest of downtown, the center of the expansive Spring Mountains National Recreation Area. In the olden days, visitors to the area could swing by a tiny information cabin to chat with U.S. Forest Service rangers about hiking some of the region's few dozen trails. Last year the region got a significant facilities upgrade in the form of a brand new visitors' center.

Situated at the bottom of a canyon that snakes its way up into a picturesque mountain bowl, the new Spring Mountains Visitor Gateway is a spacious LEED-certified building with exhibits designed to educate first-timers on the ecology and geology of the region.

While the free exhibits do a stellar job of teaching visitors about the local environment, rangers still are on hand to review hiking plans or point visitors in the direction of Lee Canyon, a popular spot for skiing, snowboarding and snow-tubing (the weather usually stays cool until May or so). The rangers also are happy to regale you with local history (the area around the visitor gateway once was a golf course), or sell you some of the hiking supplies carried in the on-site store.

There's even an art exhibit worth seeing. Las Vegan Austine Wood Comarow has put together detailed images of 150 plants and animals, visible on the center windows only with the help of special polarized glasses. The installation is unexpectedly brilliant; few visitors expect high-concept art when they arrive, and the artwork enhances the already picturesque view.

To be clear: You certainly don't need glasses to appreciate the beauty of the Spring Mountains. The nearest trailheads are quite literally steps from the visitor gateway. It's all further proof that the best new stuff in Vegas has nothing to do with the casinos at all. Gomtcharleston.com

Matt Villano is a freelance writer in Healdsburg. Learn more about him at whalehead.com.