Boating in Las Vegas

Lake Mead,which is actually the Colorado River backed up behind the Hoover Dam, is the nation's largest man-made reservoir: it covers 229 square mi, is 110 mi long, and has an irregular shoreline that extends for 550 mi. You can get information about the lake's history, ecology, recreational opportunities, and the accommodations available along its shore at the Alan Bible Visitors Center (702/293-8990. www.nps.gov/lame/visitorcenter/. Daily 8:30-4:30). People come to Lake Mead to swim: Boulder Beach is the closest to Las Vegas, only a mile or so from the visitor center.

Angling and houseboating are favorite pastimes; marinas strung along the Nevada shore rent houseboats, personal watercraft, and ski boats. The lake is regularly stocked with a half-million rainbow trout, and at least a million fish are harvested every year. You can fish here 24 hours a day, year-round (except for posted closings). You must have a fishing license (details are on the National Park Service Web site), and if you plan to catch and keep trout, a separate trout stamp is required. Divers can explore the murk beneath, including the usually submerged foundations of St. Thomas, a farming community that was inundated in 1938. www.nps.gov/lame. $5 per vehicle, good for 5 days; lake-use fees $10 first vessel, $5 additional vessel, good for 1-5 days.

At Lake Mead Cruises you can board the 300-passenger Desert Princess, a paddle-wheeler that plies a portion of the lake; breakfast, cocktail, and dinner-and-dancing cruises are available. Ninety-minute sightseeing cruises occur daily, and dinner cruises are scheduled on weekends. Hemenway Harbor. 702/293-6180. www.lakemeadcruises.com. $22-$58; reservations strongly recommended for dinner cruises. Tours Nov.-Mar., daily noon and 2; Apr.-Oct., daily noon, 2, and 4.

Lake Mead Resort Marina has boat rentals, a beach, a gift shop, and a floating restaurant. 322 Lakeshore Rd. 702/293-3484 or 800/752-9669. www.sevencrown.com..