You scarcely need a travel guide to help you conjure up images of flashing lights, casinos, crazy rides and big shows. Everything is over-the-top in Sin City and that's just the way the locals like it. If you are visiting Vegas for the first time consider it mandatory to include the following on your itinerary.
Things to See and Do
- Hit the tables – even if you aren't a gambler. Coming to Las Vegas and refusing to spin the wheel is like going to Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower. The casinos are a tourist attraction in themselves, but if you just want to get it over with, there are gaming machines everywhere. Literally everywhere. You'll find them in the airport, in the chapels, even in the public toilets.
- Take in a show. Everyone from Celine Dion to Pavarotti has played Vegas at some stage, and the Cirque Du Soleil premieres all of their shows on the Strip.
- Go to the Grand Canyon. It's not easy to leave the mini-planet that is the Las Vegas strip, but forcing yourself out of the door in day time for a trip to this unique chasm is unmissable. Take a donkey ride to the Canyon floor, or walk it if you're up for the challenge and have a full day spare. No pictures does the Grand Canyon justice; see it to believe it.
Off the Beaten Path
Although there is no city in the world that better deserves to be described as 'obvious,' Las Vegas does have its secrets, and they are well worth exploring. The possibilities are as quirky as the locals, so expect the unexpected.
- Cheap eats at Arizona Charlie's. When the effects of the night before can only be cured by a big breakfast, this place will serve up a huge plate of steak and eggs for a penny shy of $3. There are other dishes on the menu, of course, and all of them are cheaper than you can buy the ingredients for. A favorite of locals.
- Antique shopping on LVB South. Las Vegas probably isn't the first place that comes to mind when you think of fine antiques and collectibles, but the city continues to surprise. Head toward South Point casino to find this huge mall filled with rare old items in great condition.
- If the antique shopping unlocks your inner culturalist, First Friday offers fine arts, exquisite wines and the occasional string quartet to help you decompress from the overload of Las Vegas kitsch. You will be introduced to some of the country's best artists and the exhibitions are imaginative, tasteful, and completely cutting edge.
- Find Jesus at the House of Blues. It doesn't matter what faith you follow, the Gospel Brunch each Sunday is an absurd mix of all-singing, all-dancing church and the biggest lunch this side of Texas. Get into the piles of prime rib and artery-hardening cheese grits while the choir belts it out in the background. It's the best fun you can have on a Sunday morning for less than $40.
Hotels
Hotel prices in Las Vegas vary wildly: From $9.49 per night at the Gold Spike Hotel and Casino (downtown Las Vegas, 5 minutes walk from the Strip) to $34,994 for a night in Hugh Hefner's Sky Villa. Average Las Vegas hotel prices are pretty low when compared to other tourist hot-spots. You can sleep very comfortably for a median price of about $70 per night for a room that sleeps two, and be within shouting distance of the main drag.
Use the Hotelsio Rate Finder to find top accommodation and cheap hotels in Las Vegas.
(Photo:Fotolia/Cecilia Lim)
