A 320-acre artificial reservoir on the eastern edge of Henderson, Lake Las Vegas is surrounded by a resort and residential development that was built in the late 1990s to create a Mediterranean-style lakeside community in the desert. The project went bankrupt during the 2008 financial crisis and has been partially redeveloped since. The result is an oddly beautiful landscape — deep blue water against rocky desert hills, with resort hotels, a pedestrian bridge, and a promenade around the lake.
It is, unmistakably, artificial — the water is pumped from Lake Mead and the Spanish-style buildings are a fantasy — but as fantasies go, this one is reasonably pleasant. The lake has a public kayaking and paddleboarding rental concession and the promenade makes for a good early morning walk before the desert heat sets in. Several good restaurants are in the resort area.