July 4th Fireworks Laughlin

4th of July Celebration Fireworks
Rockets Over The River
July 4th and July 6th

The fireworks start at dusk, usually approx. 9:30 pm

Best viewing is on the River Walk anywhere between the Aquarius and the Colorado Belle Casinos.  Usually there are a lot of people. 


Video clips of the finale of the fireworks last year.

In addition to the two fireworks shows by the River Walk, the Avi Resort and Casino is also holding their fireworks show on July 4th.  This is always a great show and they have some of the best fireworks legally available for display. 



The Cove Bar and Lounge at the Aquarius Resort Casino

The Cove Bar and Lounge
Aquarius Resort Casino

Tucked just steps from the River Walk is a great little Bar and Lounge.  They feature wonderful cocktails including an array of Margaritas, Martinis, Mojitos and Bloody Marys.

Margarita

 We stopped in one evening for Free Drinks* (see below) and an appetizer.   There were so many good drinks to choose from but we went with our usual favorites.  A frozen Strawberry Margarita and a Vodka Martini.  Everything else looked so tempting though!  Maybe next time we will switch it up and try some of the other choices.  Click here to see the Drink Menu at the Cove  You can even get a 22 oz. Breakfast in a Bucket Bloody Mary.

Grey Goose Vodka Martini Dirty Straight Up

The Cove also offers a nice a selection of delicious appetizers, including gourmet pizza.  Although they don't specify this, the appetizers are from the same kitchen/chef at The Vineyard Ristorante located in the Aquarius.  If you have been to the Vineyard you know how good it will be! 

Mushrooms Casino

Chicken Tenders

We really had a hard time deciding which appetizer to go with.  Finally we ended up ordering two.  The Mushrooms Casino were absolutely delicious.  Packed with King Crab.  We knew we would like them after having had them at The Vineyard.  We also got the Chicken Tenders.  These were cooked perfectly with a light breading and were very juicy, not dry.  The spicy Asian sauce was perfect for dipping.

Several other diners had ordered the Gourmet Pizza.  Seeing the Pizza as it came out made us wish we had tried one too.  We have been searching for a good Pizza in Laughlin.  Maybe this is the spot?!!

Here is a link to the Appetizer Menu for the Cove

Our server was wonderful.  Fast and attentive in spite of them being fairly busy.  As you can see from the menu prices are pretty reasonable and the quality backs them up.  We will definitely be back and recommend you try this little spot.

There is also a bar with Video Poker machines.  Although we don't play them very often we have heard they have some of the best pay tables.   Don't quote us on that but if you are a video poker player check them out.

The Cove is open: 

Monday through Thursday - Noon to 11pm

Friday through Sunday - 9am to midnight

Appetizers - Daily - 4pm to 9pm

The Cove is a non-smoking lounge.  

*Currently if you are a Green or Red ACE Play card holder at the Aquarius it appears you will get a comp of 2 Free Drinks and possibly 1 Free App at the Cove each week.  Although we haven't paid attention to the specifics of how these are determined or given, it appears to be awarded based on the amount of your play on a weekly basis.  

Visit  http://www.laughlinbuzz.com  for more news and updates about Laughlin. 

Laughlin Chef's Food Fest Winners

The 26th Annual Chef's Food Fest was held in Laughlin, Nevada at the Aquarius Resort Casino last Thursday.  In total the event raised $23, 000 for the River Fund, Inc. 

The winner of the People’s Choice for Best Food was won by the Aquarius Casino Resort. 

The winner of the People’s Choice for Best Booth Design trophy went to Harrah’s Laughlin.

The River Fund is based in Laughlin and provides emergency and crisis services to families and individuals in the communities of Laughlin, Bullhead City, Fort Mohave, and the Mohave Valley.  

For more about the Laughlin area visit  http://www.laughlinbuzz.com 

Fresh Market Buffet at Harrah's Laughlin

We were attending the Jeff Dunham show at Harrah's Laughlin and decided to eat dinner first.

Baja Blue had a big line and the only other choices there are Fast Food or the very pricey steakhouse.  So onto the Fresh Market Square Buffet it was.  We didn't realize it was Steak Night so got sticker shocked at the cashier.  One doesn't expect to pay upwards of $80 with a couple of drinks for a Buffet (3 people) in Laughlin.   Despite the price of the buffet the lines were still pretty deep.  With a Total Rewards players card of Platinum or higher you can skip fast through the VIP lines.  We definitely wouldn't of waited a half hour or more for this buffet.

Got seated and our drinks came promptly.  No silverware on the table.  You must go to the silverware section to get it yourself.  Since we still tip at a buffet, shouldn't they at least put the silverware down for you?   Every other buffet we have been to does so.

The buffet does have a very good selection, from Italian, Shrimp, Chinese, Carving Board Meats.  Something for everyone.   Everything was fresh, hot, replaced promptly and kept clean.

The steak was called a N.Y. Strip steak.  The chef was grilling them right behind the area on the Buffet where they were served.  He grilled them medium rare, medium, and well done and there was a platter for each choice.    One steak a member of our party took from the medium platter was very well done.  He returned that one and got another one that was just right.  The trick is to time it just right and wait for the chef to put your steak choice on the platter from the grill.  Do this and you will get it hot and juicy.  The steaks are cut ultra thin.  Perhaps 1/4 inch at most.  Never have seen a NY strip cut so thin.  Reminded us of what you would get in a steak sandwich.

Highlights:
The Prime Rib was very good, much better than any other we have had at Laughlin Buffets.
The Shrimp (peel and eat) and breaded, fried were good.
Salad bar selections were good.
Desserts were very good.  You can choose from some selections placed out on plates, or you can go up to the glass counter and select what you want.  Many choices.  Plus they had soft serve ice cream and 4 choices of flavors or regular hand scooped ice cream.
Chocolate Covered Strawberries.

Low points:
The ribs were fatty and not very good.
The pasta for the most part was overcooked (typical for a buffet)
Breads on the buffet were not that fresh.
Pizza could of passed for frozen variety.
They took out the little self server coffee/expresso/latte machine they used to have there.  We used to love that but it is gone and we couldn't even located our waitress at dessert time to get a regular coffee.

The bottom line is a buffet no matter what the special of the night might be...is still a buffet.  Go to a buffet and expect buffet quality and food.  Yes, some of this one was good.  Definitely not worth 20+ dollars a person (our opinion) though.  It is all a matter of preference and how much you love buffet food.  If you love them, this would be one of the best buffet choices in Laughlin.

Unless we are in a pinch to find somewhere to eat we probably won't return to this Buffet again.

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Harrah's Rio Vista Amphitheater in Laughlin

Harrah's Laughlin Rio Vista Ampitheatre, Laughlin, Nevada

Review and Seating Chart

We recently attended the Jeff Dunham show at the Rio Vista.  This was on June 15th so the temperatures were in the mid 100's during the day and didn't drop much lower by showtime. 
Seating in the red sections is in folding chairs on the floor (parking lot).    Seating in the yellow sections is bleacher seating.  

Our seats were in Section 101 (see the graphic above).  All of the seats have fairly decent sight lines, except for the handicap accessible ones.  They are close to the stage but almost parallel to it for seeing the show. Sections 201, 209 and even 202 and 208 are as good or better for seeing the stage than the deeper rows on the floor.  Except you are on metal bleachers with no backrest.   The best seats in the bleachers are the front row of section 201 and 209.   Seats on the floor start with Row AA and go back to Row EEE.  So, for instance, Row HH would be 8 rows back.  

Both the bleachers and the seats on the floor are very crowded. Too crowded.  On the floor there is perhaps less than a foot of space between the rows.  Your feet have to go under the chair in front of you and if anyone wants to leave the row, everyone has to stand up.  The chairs are laced together with plastic ties so they cannot be moved.  This does not allow any space.  

Chairs tied together

Not alot of room between rows or seats.  Shoulder to Shoulder

The chairs are very narrow even for an average size person.  Even worse for those above average. People are literally shoulder to shoulder unless there is a group of all thinner people together.  When the temperature is in the high 90's and it is near impossible to get up and out of the row without disturbing everyone this makes for an uncomfortable experience.  

We arrived at the Harrah's well ahead of the 8 o'clock show and figured we would eat and then go into our seats around 7:30.  Plenty of time to get a beverage, look at what they might be selling and get seated.  With the temp so high we didn't want to get in there too early.  

Many people must of had the same idea because the line to get in snaked from the theater all the way down to the side door of the Casino.  It took us nearly 25 minutes in the hot sun to get to the gate.  They only had a couple people at each gate and had to scan in every ticket.  The ticket people were moving very slowly and actually had to stop and scan the tickets of people who wanted to go back out too.  They should of had a separate line for people going out and reentry but we didn't see one.  The problem compounding this was that the portable bathrooms and the vendor selling T-Shirts, dolls, etc...were located OUTSIDE the gate.  We didn't want to lose our spot on the line to look at what they were selling or use the bathroom or even get a drink.  At least they did have a concession inside and outside the gate.   When we did get in the gate the line was too long for a drink and we figured the show would be starting soon.  

We found our seats by matching up the painted row numbers to the rows of chairs.  Chairs didn't seem to be marked with numbers so we had to count in.   Once in we didn't even get back out despite really wanting to get something to drink.    Then minutes before the show was supposed to start they announced it would be delayed to allow more people still in line to get in.   Certainly this is not the first show they have held there, though perhaps it is one of the only ones they have sold out?!  Still, this is no excuse not to be able to handle the crowds, provide better logistics and a better experience. 

The Harrah's website says the amphitheater seats 3000.  Perhaps they either need to expand it and provide more space in the seating or cut that back the number of seats to 2500 and give people more room.   They should want people to be comfortable and have easier access to the concessions and vendors.   If they cannot manage to do this they should also rethink summer time use of the venue. 

Have you been the the Rio Vista?  Did you attend the Jeff Dunham show?  What was your experience and how did you like it?  We would love to hear your review or comments.   Comment below or visit us on Facebook or our Website and contact us. 

The show itself was wonderful.  We enjoyed it.  The Rio Vista not so much.  

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Even one of Jeff Dunham's "dummies" pointed out the perfectly nice 

Hotel in the background with the Air Conditioning as place to hold the show!   

New at the Colorado Belle and Edgewater in Laughlin

Laughlin, Nevada

Colorado Belle and Edgewater Casino Resorts

Much needed room remodels of both properties are due to be completed by the end of June.

At the Colorado Belle, the gift shop located on the second floor (or deck as they like to call it) is in the process of being moved to the Casino Floor.  Oddly enough they chose to place it right next to the windows overlooking the River.  Right next to the Chill Bar.

New Gift Shop Location is almost done - first week of June 2013

This has been in the process since mid-April and by the looks of things should be completed any time now.  Given that there is very little left on the upper deck this should increase traffic in their gift shop.  In fact, when this move is completed the only things remaining on the upper deck will be the Captain's Buffet and Mark Twain's Restaurant.  Plus the kids arcade.   This is a shame because it is a very nice space.  

Update on 6/9  - New Gift Shop location is open, the one on the Upper Deck is closed.

New Live Entertainment "Lounge" at the Colorado Belle Casino

In addition, at the Colorado Belle, they are putting in a small venue offering free live entertainment.  This is is being situated on the Casino floor as well.   There appears to be a stage for the entertainment and space for tables and chairs.  This small lounge will be next to the River Bar and is expected to have seating for about 50 guests. 

Update on 6/9  Looks like they added a uber-tiny dance floor - see pic below.  Enough for three couples?

At the Edgewater, the William Hill Sports Book is wrapping up another much needed remodel of their facility.  Gone will be the old, tiny, 80's era monitors, dirty carpeting and crowded seating.   We expect new high tech screens, better viewing and with any luck some much improved customer service. This project is also due to be completed in mid June.

Places to eat at the Colorado Belle?

Visit our review here for more information on the available restaurants and dining choices.

For more updates visit  http://www.laughlinbuzz.com