Located about 25 minutes east of The Strip off Lake Mead Drive, MonteLago Village is designed to resemble a quaint Italian seaside town, complete with cobblestone streets, village squares, and a small marina. Take some time to appreciate what the architects and builders have done here… long, rambling, clay-tiled rooflines, jutting balconies and recessed terraces, trickling fountains, intricate stone and woodwork, and a light-washed, candy-colored paint scheme complete the faithful recreations of everything from Italianate villas to a rock walled church.

Each of the buildings was designed with a specific retail purpose in mind. For instance they intended certain spaces to be clothing stores so they built them with dressing rooms. Others were intended to be bakeries so they included the ovens. Unlike most shopping facilities that are “one-size-fits-all” and then converted to their eventual use, the shops and restaurants that make up MonteLago village were destined to be there long before an actual tenant was selected.

Boutiques on the shopping menu include Alexander Perfumes and Cosmetics, offering a full range of just about every scent and beauty product you can think of; Bluestone Gallery, featuring the artwork of Jerry Blank who does riveting street scenes and landscapes (including one of The Strip we were lusting after) and his wife Lona Blank who paints in a realism style that at first glance appear to be photographs; Collectors Fine Art, another boutique gallery with paintings, sculpture, and even classic Disney animation; Da Minicci Jewelers, with custom-made pieces and some truly stunning watches; Frangelo!, offering floral arrangements and gifts; J. Ryan’s and Moonbeams, a pair of clothiers (one men’s apparel, one women’s) that offers a wide variety of styles that are both traditional and funky; Splash Bath & Body, with all sorts of soaps, scents, and scrubs; Tesoro, a home furnishings and accessories store with a unique Morocco meets European style; and the Village Golf Shop, in case you need something to get you onto one of the nearby golf courses.

For dining and refreshments you have Como’s, an Italian steakhouse featuring head chef Joseph Keller, the man who ran the much celebrated and much missed Josef’s Brasserie and the Aladdin; Tutti Gelati, offering mouth watering Italian Ice Creams; the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory… mmmmm, fudge; Tappo, the two-story bar and café inside the MonteLago casino offering all kinds of mixed drinks and some really good jumbo hot dogs (among other edibles); Caffe Positano, a bakery and café; Luna Rossa fine Italian dining; Pizzamania, voted the best pizza in Rome; and of course a Starbucks. A New Orleans themed restaurant (Cajun and Creole menu) from Joseph Keller is scheduled to open in 2006.

But the real draw, as far as we’re concerned, has less to do with the actual things to do here and more about the overall experience. You’ve been up half the night gambling and drinking, seeing show after show, running from tigers to volcanoes, and you really could just use a break couldn’t you? Come here and take a stroll through the village and along pathways through gardens that line Lake Las Vegas. Even though it was microwave oven hot the day we visited, we didn’t mind the heat because the atmosphere of the whole place is so darned charming.

To get to MonteLago Village and Casino, take Interstate 15 (the freeway right next to the Strip) south to the 215 east (as if you’re going to the airport). That will meander through the southern reaches of Las Vegas and eventually turn into Lake Mead Drive. Go another 6 miles or so and look for the signs pointing to Lake Las Vegas.