Active Pursuits

Bowling

Las Vegas is one of the favorite cities in the world for bowlers of all levels, with several huge alleys offering everything from regular bowling to rock-'n'-roll style action.

• Gold Coast Hotel, 4000 W. Flamingo Rd. (at Valley View; tel. 702/367-7111), has a 70-lane bowling center open daily 24 hours.

• The Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave. (tel. 702/365-7400), has 70 lanes, a pro shop, lockers, meeting rooms, and more open daily 24 hours.

• Santa Fe Station, 4949 N. Rancho Rd. (tel. 702/658-4995), has a 60-lane alley with the most modern scoring equipment, new furnishings, a fun and funky bar, a small cafe, and much more.

• Sam's Town, 5111 Boulder Hwy. (tel. 702/456-7777), offers 56 lanes plus a snack shop, cocktail lounge, video arcade, day-care center, pro shop, and more. Open daily 24 hours.

• Sunset Station, 1301 W. Sunset Rd., in Henderson (tel. 702/547-7467), has a high-tech 72-lane facility called Strike Zone. It's got all the latest automated scoring gizmos, giant video screens, a full bar, a snack shop, a pro shop, a video arcade, and more.

• Suncoast, 9090 Alta Dr., in Summerlin (tel. 702/636-7111), offers 64 lanes divided by a unique center aisle. The high-tech center with touch-screen scoring has become a regular stop on the Pro Bowlers tours. Open daily 24 hours.

• South Point, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd. (tel. 702/797-8080), has a 64-lane facility with a similar divided layout to its sister at Suncoast. It has all the latest gee-whiz scoring and automation, plus the usual facilities. Open 24 hours.

• Texas Station, 2101 Texas Star Lane (tel. 702/631-8128), offers a 60-lane alley, video arcade, billiards, a snack bar and lounge, and more. Open daily 24 hours.

Tennis Anyone?

Tennis used to be a popular pastime in Vegas, but these days, buffs only have a few choices at hotels in town that have tennis courts.

Bally's (tel. 702/739-4111) has eight night-lit hard courts. Fees start at $20 per hour for guests of Bally's or Paris Las Vegas and $25 per hour for non-guests, with rackets available for rental. Facilities include a pro shop. Hours vary seasonally. Reservations are advised.

Flamingo Las Vegas (tel. 702/733-3444) has four outdoor night-lit hard courts and a pro shop. It's open to the public although hours vary weekly. Rates are $20 per hour for guests of the Flamingo and $25 per hour for non-guests. Lessons are available. Reservations are required.

The Las Vegas Hilton (tel. 702/732-5009) has six outdoor hard courts (four night-lit) and a pro shop. It's open to the public but hours vary seasonally. Rates are $20 per hour for guests and $25 per hour for non-guests. Lessons are available. Reservations are required.