You don’t have to leave Las Vegas to get an Area 51 fix
What’s that? You don’t want to feel left out of the “Storm Area 51” phenomenon, but you’ve become accustomed to the finer things in life, such as indoor plumbing, proper hygiene and reliable sources of food and water?
Well, you’re in luck, because there are plenty of ways you can get your alien fix — before and during Alienstock from Sept 20-22 in Rachel — without leaving Las Vegas.
— Don’t just see them aliens. You can shoot them, too. Visitors to the Area 51 Experience at The Range 702, 5999 Dean Martin Drive, can “blast extraterrestrial bad guys into space goop” using an M4, a fully automatic P90 and an MK23. They don’t let just anyone handle that kind of firepower, though. Guests must be sober, “mentally stable,” not pregnant and at least 10 years old to shoot. All guests younger than 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. ($134.95; therange702.com)
— Drink some Alien Tequila. Founded by George Harris, owner of the Alien Research Center in Hiko, the Las Vegas-based company — motto: “An abduction in every bottle” — comes in Silver, Reposado, Anejo and Extra Anejo varieties.
— Grab a limited edition Area 51-themed can of Bud Light.
— The Area 51 Celebration, 8 p.m. Sept. 19 at the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center, promises “an out-of-this-world evening of top-secret entertainment.” Guests at the free, 21-and-over event who purchase a bucket of those Area 51 Bud Lights will receive a free commemorative T-shirt. (dlvec.com)
— The Great Area 51 Bar Crawl kicks off at 3 p.m. Sept. 21 at Troy Liquor Bar at the Golden Nugget and includes a complimentary “Alien Juice” welcome cocktail. ($20; greataliens.com)
— Snack on some Alien Fresh Jerky. There’s no need to travel to the flagship store in Baker, California. It’s available by the bag at convenience stores across the valley. (alienfreshjerky.com)
— Dust off your old-school Las Vegas 51s jersey.
— Get married by Captain James T. Quirk. The Intergalactic Wedding Package at the Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel, 1205 Las Vegas Blvd. South, includes a transporter effect and cutouts of “your favorite space characters.” ($700; vivalasvegasweddings.com)
— You don’t have to Naruto run; regular running is fine in these virtual 5.1K races that can take place anywhere. The Area 5.1K Raid entry fee comes with a glow-in-the-dark finisher’s medal featuring an alien whose mouth doubles as a bottle opener ($30; area51k.com). The Area 51 Fun Run & Walk 5.1 entry fee includes a bib and an alien-themed medal ($20; virtualrunevent.com).
Contact Christopher Lawrence at clawrence@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4567. Follow @life_onthecouch on Twitter.