MachineGunsVegas, Guns & Ammo Garage: Pull the trigger on a trip

Two new Las Vegas venues invite guests to — quite literally — have a blast. Letting loose with high-powered firearms may not be everyone’s idea of a good time, but my visits to two indoor gun ranges suggested just how popular they are with tourists.

The bed. After you’ve plunkeddown plenty for a session at a gun range, that credit card may be close to maxing out. Consider staying at the Plaza (1 Main St.; [800] 634-6575, https://www.plazahotelcasino.com; rooms from $31 weekdays and $80 weekends). The furnishings are surprisingly upscale. The owners got them for pennies on the dollar from the never-opened (read: bankrupt) Fontainebleau on the Strip.

The meal. For great pizza, pasta, salads and more, locals head to one of Metro Pizza’s five locations. The food is delicious, and prices are reasonable; the Pasta Luna with grilled mushrooms and tomatoes is just $12.95. Its website (www.metropizza.com) has addresses and phone numbers; the South Decatur location is an easy shot from the MachineGunsVegas range.

The find. MachineGunsVegas (3501 Aldebaran Ave.; [800] 757-4668, machinegunsvegas.com) has built an inviting and — dare I say it? — sexy attraction. Women dressed in black — with fake guns strapped to their thighs — pull up various shooting packages on their iPads. “Call of Duty” is particularly popular with younger guests. “It’s just like the [video] game,” said sales rep Jasmine King, who explained that, for $169.95, the customer gets to fire an M4, AK-47, FN Scar and Beretta M9. The more exotic the weapon and the more guns fired, the higher the price. Steve Norman, a tourist from England, spent more than $400 yet left delighted. “It’s great to get hold of stuff that you can’t normally touch,” he said. Prices are similar at Guns & Ammo Garage (5155 S. Dean Martin Drive; [702] 440-4867, https://www.gunsandammogarage.com), where guests can purchase DVDs of themselves shredding targets that look like zombies.

The lesson learned. Consuming alcohol before shooting is a big no-no.

The tab. A two-night weekend stay in late May at the Plaza ($210), with a pasta meal for two ($30 including soda), plus two Mob packages at $110 a person, costs $460, excluding transportation.