Trailer Life: Lively LAUGHLIN

Ample RV sites, great gambling, water sports, golf and a laid-back atmosphere is this a snowbird paradise or what?

SHE WANDERS THROUGH THE CASINO UNTIL SHE FINDS A PENNY SLOT MACHINE, unfurls a roll of pennies and settles in for some inexpensive fun. He tries his luck at the $2 blackjack table, pockets his winnings and then heads to the outlet mall next door, Later, before this RVing couple settles into their rig for the night in the free site conveniently located just outside the casino doors, they may take in a $15 variety show in one of the numerous showrooms along the main drag, indulge in an affordable buffet dinner or go for a scenic river cruise. Whichever activity they select, they will not encounter unmanageable distances, bumper-to-bumper gridlock or hordes of clubhopping partiers. This couple is well aware of Las Vegas' ad slogan, "What happens here, stays here," with all that it implies - which is why these RVers choose to stay year after year in Laughlin, Nevada.

This fast-growing small town at the southern point of the state is what Las Vegas used to be - uncomplicated, friendly, affordable and fun. And Laughlin is alluring in a way that Sin City never was, since its casinos overlook the beautiful Colorado River. A stroll along the boardwalk, passing the Flamingo Laughlin or the Colorado Belle, for example, does wonders to put gambling losses in perspective, especially since after their restorative walk visitors can still sit down to a delicious $6 dinner buffet across the street at the Ramada Express. Once they've fortified themselves, Laughlin-goers can attempt to recoup their losses at any of the nine casinos, all of which are within walking distance of each other. In fact, many Laughlin visitors prefer this destination to Vegas specifically because it is so easy to negotiate on foot.

With the exception of the Circus Circus KOA, the Las Vegas Strip and RVs aren't too compatible. Casinos do not generally allow RVers to camp overnight in their parking lots, an unfortunate policy that Laughlin s casinos have wisely eliminated. In fact, even the least-accommodating Laughlin casinos allow RVs to park in designated sections of their lots, and security guards leave these boondockers alone. Yet most Laughlin casinos go beyond passive acceptance of RVers and, in fact, court them.

The Ramada Express Hotel & Casino, considered by many locals to be the friendliest operation in town, maintains a simple, clean, casino-adjacent site in which RVers can remain indefinitely, so long as they are self-contained. Possessing one of only two dump stations in Laughlin (there are many on the Bullhead City, Arizona, side of the river), the Ramada Express RV park is a favorite among snowbirds staying a few days in town before heading south to Yuma in the fall, then returning to the north in the spring.

Because a stay in the Ramada Express lot is free - and since the casino's decorative touches, restaurants, lounge acts and gambling promotions are first-rate - RVers can't go wrong at the Ramada Express. Most everyone, especially veterans, will appreciate the hotel's free American Heroes Museum and its 15-minute tribute film, "On the Wings of Eagles." The train ride around the 27 landscaped acres is also free.

RVers intending to spend long periods of time - including those wintering in Laughlin - may want to stay in the Riverside Resort hotel & Casinos nearby Riverside RV Park, with its full hookups and many amenities.

Since "free" may very well be RVers' favorite word, it's no wonder that between 10,000 and 15,000 of them are estimated to call the Laughlin/Bullhead City area home each winter. The two cities are home to 21 RV parks that include 2,463 sites, and nine mobile-home sites that offer an additional 538 spaces. Yet not included in this figure are the countless free self-contained "sites" that the casinos make available.

The Golden Nugget Laughlin offers a large lot just across Paradise Road, the town's main drag, from its lush, tropicaldecor casino. The River Palms Resort Hotel & Casino not only provides numerous spaces high above the city, providing gorgeous views of the neon displays and the river, but this extremely well-appointed facility also provides shuttle service from its RV sites to its casino doors. And Harrah's Laughlin, the farthest south of the in-town casinos, provides ample RV parking adjacent to a convenience store, all within easy striking distance of its south-of-the-borderthemed casino, its sandy beach and its Fresh Market Square Buffet, generally considered the best in town.

Yet it is Don Laughlins Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino that started it all. In 1964, when the former owner of the 101 Club in Las Vegas flew over the section of the Mohave Desert that brings together California, Arizona and Nevada, he saw potential. He purchased a boarded-up motel and 6.5 acres of riverfront property. Soon 98cent all-you-can-eat chicken dinners lured travelers to the four available rooms. Of course, the 12 slot machines and two live gaming tables didn't hurt. From this humble beginning, the Riverside Resort has blossomed into an all-inclusive destination that today features 1,400 rooms, 900 RV spaces, six restaurants, a six-screen movie theater, two swimming pools, a 34-lane bowling alley, various lounges, unusual retail operations, numerous service-oriented facilities and two free classic-car exhibits.

The city's namesake creator donated to the states of Nevada and Arizona a $3.5-million bridge that links Laughlin to Bullhead City, and today nearly 5 million visitors annually partake of all the area has to offer, many arriving by plane at the airport that opened in 1991. The population of Laughlin today is about 8,000, and Bullhead City is one of the fastest-growing cities in Arizona, at 35,000 and counting.

The spectacular growth and popularity of Laughlin and Bullhead City are certainly related to the proliferation of gambling. Yet visitors who couldn't distinguish a heart from a club can easily spend a chunk of time in the area without testing the laws of probability. Simply driving through the rugged desert landscape, past buttes, arroyos and cacti, may satisfy some, while others will need to explore the water.

Just north of the two towns, Davis Dam holds back the Colorado in the form of Lake Mohave, which serves up the full complement of water sports. Below the dam, the Colorado's gentle, controlled flow allows watercraft of various kinds to scoot along its surface. Anglers plying the cold, clear water for stripers, catfish and trout may find the loud, fast personal watercraft counterproductive. But tourists riding the paddleboats and jet boats - traveling as far as Lake Havasu City, home to the transplanted London Bridge, about 58 miles to the south - should be able to peacefully coexist. Canoes and kayaks can also easily explore this placid stretch of the Colorado.

Many tourist-friendly events fill out Laughlins calendar, with most of the festivities taking place during the less-hot shoulder and winter months. For example, Viva! Laughlin celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month in October; Clouds Jamboree - a rock, gem and mineral show - dazzles enthusiasts in January; and that same month Winter Break appeals to travelers and locals more than 50 years old, featuring dancing, cooking demonstrations, exercise classes, slot tournaments and much more.

Yet as interesting as these events are, the main outdoor draw of Laughlin may very well be golf. As of this writing, new courses have either just opened or are being laid out, which almost seems like gilding the lily, since Laughlin and the surrounding area already had a handful of fine courses. Just south of town, Emerald River Golf Course serves up high-risk, high-reward desert golf at its most extreme. A few locals deemed this target course "borderline unfair," and its 144° slope from the tips certainly reveals that this is not a run-of-the-mill municipal course. Farther south, Mojave Resort Golf Club, adjacent to the comprehensive Avi Resort & Casino on the Fort Mojave Reservation, is one of the most beautiful and well-maintained courses most golfers will ever play. Challenging but never gimmicky or absurdly difficult, Mojave Resort Golf Club features a combination of water hazards, sand traps and rolling terrain that rewards superior shot-making without breaking the spirit of duffers out for a day of fun and relaxation.

RVers still in need of more fun and relaxation can scratch this itch by taking a seat in the Colorado Belle's poker room. Friendly dealers, a generally congenial clientele and the best badbeat jackpot in town turn the pursuit of poker fame and fortune into an experience that even novice gamblers can enjoy. They just shouldn't expect to win. If they're looking for a sure thing, RVers should devour a rack of ribs in the adjacent Boiler Room Brew Pub, then wander outside to the boardwalk and gaze at the river in the moonlight.

Laughlin is definitely not Las Vegas. No, this southern Nevada river town lacks the overwhelming scale, the stayyoung-at-all-costs vibe and the breakneck pace of its bright-lighted big city to the north. And this is all for the best. So visitors should feel free to share whatever happens in Laughlin with anyone at all. Or everyone, for that matter.

Laughlin Visitor Center, (800) 4-LAUGHLIN, visitlaughlin.com. Circle 211 on Reader Service Card.