Things To Do In Spring Valley

On this week’s agenda: a musical spin on menopause, standup comedy at the Laugh Factory, a ride on the Nevada rails, a (funny) tour of the Hoover Dam, and a book event with Michael Jackson’s security-team-turned-authors. Have fun, and as always, check Groupon for even more great things to do in Las Vegas. Menopause the Musical The Strip | Nightly through October Menopause is hilarious. At least, it is during Menopause the Musical, appearing through October at the Luxor Hotel and Casino's Atrium Showroom. The show tells the story of four women whose chance meeting at a lingerie sale leads to spontaneous (and uproarious) song-and-dance routines about mood swings and hot flashes. (3900 Las Vegas Blvd. S; $39 and up; buy tickets here) Comedians Dom Irrera, Mike Saccone, and Frazer Smith at Laugh Factory The Strip | Sunday, August 31 at 8:30 or 10:30 p.m. LA comic Frazer Smith welcomes award-winning headliner Dom Irrera for this week’s show at the Laugh Factory. Irrera brings with him more than three decades of joke-making experience, which includes a Cable Ace Award for Best Standup Special and memorable guest spots on Seinfeld and King of Queens. Featured comic Mike Saccone opens the night. (801 Las Vegas Blvd. S; $32 and up; buy tickets here) Ride the Nevada Southern Railway Boulder City | Every Saturday and Sunday Ride the rails into the past every weekend on the Nevada Southern Railway excursion train. Departing from the Nevada State Railroad Museum, the train pulls its authentic Pullman coaches and open-air cars along an historic branch line built in service of the Boulder Dam project in the 1930s. (600 Yucca St., Boulder City; adults are $10, children are $5) Comedic Hoover Dam Tour Lake Mead | Daily A Hoover Dam tour hasn’t been this funny since the days of Clark Griswold. Led by Comedy on Deck Tours' comedian guide, tour-bus riders travel from Las Vegas to the Hoover Dam, where they enjoy PG laughs during a 45-minute trek atop the dam. The tour also includes lunch and a pit-stop at the Ethel M Chocolate Factory. (Bus tour departs from several Las Vegas locations before arriving at Hoover Dam; $79 and up; buy tickets here) Remember the Time: Protecting Michael Jackson in His Final Days Book Event Northwest | Saturday, August 30 Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard were present for the passing of a legend, working as members of Michael Jackson's security team at the time of his death in 2009. At Barnes & Noble, they'll recount their experiences and sign copies of their book, Remember the Time: Protecting Michael Jackson in His Final Days. (2191 N. Rainbow Blvd.; free)

On this week’s agenda: an all-you-can-eat gospel brunch, Grease in the park, a classic horror flick gone musical, plus a variety show and timeless R & B from Grammy winners Boyz II Men. Have fun, and as always, check Groupon for even more great things to do in Las Vegas. Gospel Brunch at House of Blues The Strip | Sundays At the House of Blues, Sunday is the Lord’s day. Local gospel singers belt out traditional and contemporary hymns handpicked by award-winning gospel singer Kirk Franklin. The accompanying all-you-can-eat Southern breakfast (with bottomless mimosas and bloody marys) tempts audience members to the sin of gluttony. (3950 S. Las Vegas Blvd.; $59+; buy tickets here) Boyz II Men The Strip | Friday, August 29 Grammy-winning R & B group Boyz II Men performs best-selling hits like ''I'll Make Love to You,'' ''End of the Road,'' and ''On Bended Knee'' at the Terry Fator Theatre at The Mirage Hotel & Casino. Discover in person why they're the best-selling R & B group of all time. (3400 Las Vegas Blvd. South; $59.99+; buy tickets here) V - The Ultimate Variety Show The Strip | Ongoing Special effects, magic acts, gut-busting comedy, and acrobatic performances—audience members can expect all this and more during this multifaceted variety show at the V Theater. Performers in the rotating cast include hand-balancers Iouri and Gabor, Melinda The First Lady of Magic, and skating daredevil duo The Skating Aratas. (3663 Las Vegas Blvd. South; $40.99+; buy tickets here) Summer Movies in the Park: Grease Downtown | Thursday, August 28 Downtown Container Park concludes its Summer Movies in the Park series with a screening of Grease, the back-to-school musical powered by nostalgic summer lovin’. Rekindle your romance with the Pink Ladies, greasers, and maybe even good girl Sandy. We won’t tell if you sing along. (707 Fremont St.; free) Evil Dead The Musical 4D The Strip | Tuesday–Saturday Sam Raimi’s cult horror classic transforms into a campy sing-along mutilation during Evil Dead: The Musical 4D. As reluctant hero Ash battles the undead, the rest of the cast performs numbers such as “Look Who’s Evil Now,” treating audiences to equal parts gore and giggles. (3663 Las Vegas Blvd. South; $34; buy tickets here)

Las Vegas is known for its top-notch golf courses, with more than 60 scattered throughout the Vegas Valley, complete with spectacular water features, views and challenges. While most experience courses in the environs of the city limits, two golf facilities are out-of-the-way hidden gems, nestled in picturesque settings off the beaten track and away from the hustle of the Strip. Located 35 minutes south of Las Vegas near the California border, the Primm Valley Golf Club offers two Tom Fazio-designed courses. The 6,945-yard par-71 Lakes Course is lush enough to make you forget you are in the desert, with tall pines, thick orchards, green ryegrass and acres of lakes and river systems. While the 7,131-yard par-72 Desert Course similarly contains five lakes and vibrant greens, it also spotlights the natural beauty of the mountain peaks and desert valleys. Palm trees, mesquite and a variety of cacti and native desert wildflowers can be seen, giving a sense of isolation while appreciating the beauty of the Mojave Desert. Best of all, your greens fees include the use of a rental cart and full access to the 22-acre practice facility, which offers a driving range, putting greens and more. About 25 miles northwest of the Vegas Strip at the base of Snow Mountain, the Paiute Golf Resort is a master-planned, multi-course facility built on Native American land. It offers three Pete Dye-designed courses suited to players of all skill levels, with panoramic views of the Vegas skyline and the nearby snowcapped mountains in the Spring Mountain, Sheep Mountain and Mt. Charleston ranges. At an elevation of 2,800 ft., temperatures run eight to ten degrees cooler than the city, providing a respite from the 100 degree heat that often blankets Sin City. The 7,146-yard 72-par Snow Mountain course features a desert landscape, wide ryegrass fairways, railroad tie bunkers and seven water hazards. The 7,112-yard 72-par Sun Mountain course is the least difficult and most scenic of the three, with Joshua trees, wildflower blooms, four large lakes and the best vantage point for viewing the mountain ranges. The 7,604-yard 72-par Wolf Course is the longest in the state of Nevada, and the most difficult of the three courses, thanks to tricky fairways and sloping greens. And if you need a little extra help, PGA-certified instructors are available for lessons.