Sun Archives
With nine visits to Nevada this year, President Barack Obama must have liked what he’s seen.
On Sunday, he’ll make his second trip to the area in less than a month, this time for a campaign rally at Desert Pines High School in Las Vegas.
But this trip will be different. The president’s decided to stick around this time and enjoy the region’s world-class hospitality for a few extra days. He'll be staying at Lake Las Vegas to prepare for the first presidential debate of the 2012 on Wednesday in Denver.
And while he’ll be plenty busy practicing for the debate – and running the country – there’s always a chance the president might make a few “unplanned” local stops during his three days in Henderson.
With that in mind, here are some options for the president to consider checking out in Henderson:
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Take in the lake
The president won’t have to stray far from his hotel to enjoy some fun activities. Besides the resort's restaurants, shops and casino, there's kayaking, fly-fishing, stand-up paddle boarding and a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course.
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Indulge your sweet tooth
If he'd like to return home with some sweets for the wife and daughters, he can swing by the Ethel M Chocolate Factory, which makes candy on site (we like the satin crèmes and the almond butter crisps). Or he can be inspired by how former President Ronald Reagan set out jelly beans in the Oval Office and go home with several bags of M&Ms -- or select specific colors from the candy bins. And he can impress the First Lady by taking a brisk walk through the cactus garden to burn off some calories.
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Have a drink
A noted beer enthusiast – the White House brews its own ales – the president might enjoy sampling some libations made in Henderson. For beer, there’s Barley’s casino and brewpub, which offers up more than half a dozen microbrews made on-site. For something harder, the Las Vegas Distillery has been cooking up craft liquors for the last year – including vodkas, whiskeys and rumskey, a unique concoction dreamed up by owner George Racz. Although tasting isn’t allowed on-site, Racz is always happy to give a tour of his distillery facility, and bottles of the distillery’s liquor can be purchased at nearby stores.
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Get outside and get active
Debate preparation can be stressful, and if the president ever wants to clear his head and get some fresh air, Henderson offers plenty of options. With 54 parks and 66 miles of trails, he won’t be far from some green space. The Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, an oft-overlooked natural gem, encompasses 100 acres of wetlands and ponds and draws more than 250 species of resident and migratory birds. If he’s trying to keep his hoops game sharp, the president should drop by the Henderson Multigenerational Center, where a pickup basketball game can almost always be found.
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Eat some grub
When he visited in January and spent the night in Summerlin, the president ordered pizzas and cannolis from Dom DeMarco’s Pizzeria and Bar. Henderson has plenty of options if you’re looking to grab a slice, including the oft-lauded Settebello Pizzeria. After giving a shout-out to Capriotti’s Sandwiches during his June visit, the president could also stop by one of five Henderson locations of the beloved sandwich shop to give the Thanksgiving-inspired Bobbie a try. And we know the president likes Five Guys, the burger-and-fries joint; there's one in Henderson, too.
