Henderson Nevada is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. It is also Nevada's second largest city, and is often referred to as the gateway community into Southern Nevada. Henderson Nevada is separated by the mountains and deserts from Boulder City, as well as the popular Lake Mead Recreation area. Although the city was incorporated in 1953, it did not actually receive its charter from the Nevada State Legislature until 1965.

The city of Henderson Nevada is home to the District at Green Valley Ranch, which was the first metropolitan lifestyle center to open in the greater Las Vegas vicinity. The District represents a downtown environment that is encompassed in a suburban setting. This creates a "best of both worlds" scenario. It is a pedestrian friendly area that is made aesthetically pleasing by its beautiful tree-lined streets. Along these streets you will discover over 50 fine shops and restaurants, as well as office buildings and condominiums.

The city of Henderson Nevada is also home to two Nevada tourist attractions: The Ethel M Botanical Cactus Gardens and the Ethel M Chocolate Factory. The gardens feature over 350 various cacti and succulent plant species. In fact, it is the largest plant collection of its kind in the entire United States. More than half of the plants in the Ethel M Botanical Cactus Gardens are native to the American Southwest. The remaining plants are from South America and Australia. These include giant saguaro, beavertail cactus, bishop's cap cactus, clumping hedgehogs, compass barrel cactus, fish hook barrels, prickly pears, teddy bear cholla, mesquite, twisted acacia and desert willow. The Botanical Gardens in the city of Henderson also features a Living Machine which is a waste water treatment facility. This unique treatment plant uses live bacteria, algae, protozoa, snails, fish and plants to remove pollutants from the water. Unlike conventional treatment methods, the water in the Living Machine is cleaned without the use of dangerous chemicals.

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The nearby Ethel M Chocolate Factory in Henderson Nevada manufactures gourmet chocolate candy. A little-known fact is that Ethel M Chocolates are actually owned by the Mars Company. Ethel is the wife of company owner Frank Mars. Any Nevada tourist is welcome to take a self-guided tour of the Ethel M Chocolate Factory.

While it's not quite as active as Las Vegas, at the end of the day the city of Henderson does not lack for casinos. The Fiesta Casino Henderson is about 37,000 square feet. It has approximately 1,350 slot machines and 26 table games, as well as a race and sports book, keno and a bingo area. The Fiesta Casino Henderson also features award-wining dining at affordable prices at the Baja Beach Café. At the Festival Buffet, you can literally "eat your way around the world" at the restaurant's seven, live-action cooking stations. Even if you are not interested in gambling, if you are a Nevada tourist in search of affordable eating options in the city of Henderson Nevada, take a look at the Fiesta Casino Henderson.