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Las Vegas
Las Vegas was created as an entertainment centre and is known as the world's largest theme park, which is situated in the heart of the vast Mojave Desert. This psychedelic city of sin is home to over a million people and welcomes 35 million more each year to its lavish hotels and casinos. Visitors today are amazed that only 70 years ago this thriving metropolis was a backwater with less than a thousand inhabitants whose only guests were railway passengers stopping off to stretch their legs on the long journey between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City.
In March 1931 Nevada legalised gambling and only a month later the city issued six licences for gambling. In 1946 the Mafia don Ben 'Bugsy' Siegel opened the sensationally lavish Flamingo Hilton on Highway 91. Las Vegas Boulevard was born and the city would never be the same.
The entertainment Mecca began to attract stars like Elvis, Frank Sinatra and Liberace and Las Vegas became America's best entertainment destination. In the early days the Mafia dominated the gambling industry but in the 1960s their influence waned and soon all the large hotels and casinos were controlled by big business.
Home to eighteen of the largest hotels in the world (of which there are only twenty-one worldwide), 'The Strip' is home to skylines filled with a neon New York, Paris, the Pyramids of Egypt and the canals of Venice and visitors can see a full marine based battle between a British Galleon and a Pirate ship at treasure Island. Despite these excesses, room rates and restaurant bills are the lowest in the western world - all subsidised by gamblers intent on a free holiday.
Although gambling is a large part of Las Vegas, it is now promoted at a family holiday destination, with an array of theme parks, golf courses and shopping malls. However, the vast majority of visitors come to gamble and the incredible displays are mostly designed to lure passers-by into the casinos, and once there it's hard to leave; the exits are discreetly hidden.
Venetian Hotel and Casino
A recreation of Venice in the Nevada Desert is housed in the impressive Las Vegas complex of the Venetian Hotel, which cost two billion dollars to construct. Guests can travel around the hotel in a gondola - real canals run through the hotel - and a replica of St Mark's Square and the Basilica turns from night to day every three hours; visitors have to look carefully to notice that the sky is actually a vast fresco. The only thing missing are the pigeons and the backpackers. The casino itself is massive, featuring 2,500 slot machines and 125 gaming tables. For guests taking a break from the tables, there are five swimming pools, a fitness centre, and 17 restaurants - mostly pizzerias. One of the main attractions is Madame Tussauds Las Vegas, a wax museum presenting some of the world's biggest icons including stars, politicians, record-breaking athletes and legends.
Address: 3355 Las Vegas Boulevard; Telephone: (702) 414 1000; Website: www.venetian.com; Opening time: Hotel and Casino: daily 24 hours. Madame Tussauds: opening hours vary depending on the season, but generally daily 10am to 11pm; Admission: Hotel and Casino admission is free. Madame Tussauds: $22.95 (adults), $12.95 (children 6-12)
Bellagio Hotel and Casino
The Italian themed Bellagio Hotel and Casino (made famous in Oceans Eleven) is situated on a vast landscape of lush gardens and is one of the most opulent and popular hotels in Las Vegas. It has over 3,000 rooms and hundreds of slot machines and gaming tables, however its best-known attraction is its amazing water show - a breathtaking union of water, music and light. Between 3pm and midnight (from 12pm on weekends) Bellagio's world-famous fountains 'dance' to opera, classical or whimsical music with carefully choreographed movements. Beyond the Bellagio's gracious lobby lies the Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, a magnificent garden abounding in fragrance, texture and colour. The hotel also has a new fine arts gallery that hosts contemporary art exhibits; it is currently exhibiting a series of celebrity portraits by Andy Warhol.
Address: 3600 S. Las Vegas Boulevard; Telephone: (702) 693 7111; Website: www.bellagiolasvegas.com; Opening time: Daily 24 hours. The art gallery opens daily 9am to 10pm; Admission: Free (hotel and casino); $15 (fine art gallery)
The Mirage
The showpiece at the Mirage (another MGM mega casino) is a volcano, which shoots flames one hundred feet in the air and then transforms a breathtaking waterfall into streams of molten lava. As you'd expect of Las Vegas, it's all quite naff, but great entertainment. Siegfried & Roy's White Tigers are the other signature attraction at the Mirage (unfortunately the Siegfried & Roy show has been cancelled indefinitely due to the near-fatal attack on Roy Horn by one of the tigers during a performance). Unlike conventional tigers, which have black and gold markings, the white tiger is white with black stripes, pink paws and ice-blue eyes. There are only a few dozen white tigers in the world, which makes them rarer than the panda bear. The open-air Tiger Habitat features a swimming pool with fountains and simulated mountain terrain for the tigers' enjoyment and the public's entertainment. Another popular attraction is the aquarium located behind the Front Desk. This 20,000-gallon saltwater aquarium is home to angelfish, puffer fish, tangs, sharks and other exotic sea creatures.
Address: 3400 S. Las Vegas Boulevard; Telephone: (702) 791 7111; Website: www.mirage.com; Opening time: Daily 24 hours; Admission: Free
The Luxor
One of the most prominent sights on 'The Strip' is the ancient Egypt themed Luxor Hotel and Casino. It is a massive black-glass pyramid containing 36 floors of hotel rooms, and shining through it up into the night sky is the world's most powerful light beam, which they claim can be seen by planes circling Los Angeles. The ground floor of the hotel is given over to a massive casino, which stands beneath a recreation of Tutankhamun's Tomb. Other than gambling, entertainment at the hotel includes an IMAX theatre, gyms, swimming pools and shows by the spectacular Blue Man Group.
Address: 3900 S. Las Vegas Boulevard; Telephone: (702) 262 4000; Website: www.luxor.com; Opening time: Daily 24 hours; Admission: Free
Liberace Museum
Home to Liberace's sparkling costumes, jewellery and some fascinating memorabilia the Liberace Museum has been open since 1979 and offers insights into the late entertainer's career and life. Liberace was a massively popular musician in America and best known for his outrageous outfits and stage sets. He was a regular visitor to Las Vegas. The museum houses his vast collection of pianos and cars, which include a custom-made Rolls Royce, covered with tiny mirrors. His costumes, stage props and jewellery can also be seen. His 'crown jewels' include a spectacular piano-shaped watch with diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds, and a piano-shaped ring containing 260 diamonds in a white- and yellow-gold 18-carat setting with ivory and black jade keys. Proceeds from the not-for-profit museum support scholarships for the performing arts.
Address: 1775 E. Tropicana Avenue; Telephone: (702) 798 5595; Website: www.liberace.com; Opening time: Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm; Sunday 12pm to 4pm; Admission: $12.50; concessions available
Roller Coasters
The Strip in Las Vegas is home to four roller coasters; the Adventuredome, New York, the Canyon Blaster, the Manhattan Express at New York, the High Roller at the Stratosphere and the MGM Grand Adventures rollercoaster. The MGM theme park is probably the best, although for sheer terror factor head for the High Roller. At 1,149ft (350m), the Stratosphere Tower is the tallest freestanding observation tower in the United States and the tallest building west of the Mississippi River, and thrill seekers can enjoy excitement over 100 stories above the ground on the Big Shot thrill ride and the High Roller rollercoaster. There is also a revolving restaurant at the top of the Stratosphere, which offers great views, but pretty average food.
Red Rock Canyon
Ten miles from the neon lights and all night gambling are the dramatic landscapes of Red Rock Canyon, offering visitors an excursion into a natural environment to escape from the glittery man made ones in Vegas. Its defining feature is the steep Red Rock escarpment, which rises 3,000ft (914m) on its western edge. Today the dramatic landscape is peppered with cactus and Joshua trees and is a good spot for walking, rock climbing, cycling or simply a scenic drive. The Mojave Desert is not barren as you might think; it teems with life and beauty that is rare and unique - waterfalls cascade into the canyons and high above red tailed hawks search for their next meal.
Telephone: (702) 515 5350; Transport: The park has a 13-mile (21km) scenic drive. Coach tours can be organised through most hotels; Opening time: Visitor Center: 8am to 4.30pm. Scenic drive: 6am to 5pm (November to February), 6am to 7pm (March and October), 6am to 8pm (April to September); Admission: $5 per vehicle
