Welcome to the most comprehensive Las Vegas tourist guide on the net! Here, you can get practical information, things to do other other than gambling, including shows and shopping, and day trips and excursions from Las Vegas!

Las Vegas, The Gambling Capital of the World!

Las Vegas is a city that everyone should visit at least once. Home to some of the glitziest hotels and shows, the city is designed to have magnificent tourist amenities of every sort, and is nothing short of the gambling capital of the world. The sheer opulence (and, to some, the tackiness) of the Las Vegas strip, is a marvel unto itself, and a testament to modern commercialism and excess. Whatever one's proclivities and inclinations, Las Vegas does have much to offer the tourist, be it a warm weather getaway, a gambling escape, or a trip that combines casino hopping, shopping, and, if one has the time, the natural beauty of the southwestern United States.

A trip to Las Vegas could be pretty much an escape into the magnificent facilities of your hotel, complete with its gaming, restaurants, shopping, spa, pool and evening entertainment, a place where there is no schedule, and nothing shuts down. Or you could also as easily leave your comfortable nest, and be a short monorail or cab ride from a special show or a museum.

Practical Information

In advance of your visit, do the following:

• Choose your accommodations. In fact, it is absolutely worth exploring air and hotel packages with any one of the many airlines that fly into Las Vegas, or an online booking agency. You can even get a package that includes airport transfers, or, if you are planning to explore the environs and go as far afield as the Grand Canyon (some 180 miles away), have the car rental in the package. However,  If you are limited in time, it is worth picking a major hotel right in the middle of the Las Vegas strip, so you may walk to other hotels and museums, or else, take the city's monorail or cab. Hotels have different "star" ratings, and have different distinguishing features. For example, the Mirage has a wonderful spa, and, while it no longer has the Siegfried and Roy show, it still has its tropical gardens and beautifully kept white tigers. Caesar's Palace is the home of the Celine Dion show.  Some hotels are more fun for kids (Treasure Island, Excalibur), and some probably better for a more adult getaway.
  
  
  
  
• For restaurants, you can also pick up a copy of the Zagat guide for Las Vegas, which will not only give you ratings, but also indexes restaurants according to types. You can also check online at any number of Las Vegas sites. (Useful links are given below.)
• Download maps, or, if you are a member of AAA, stop by your local ofice to pick up maps and guides. You can also get brochures in advance. For maps, transportation, hotel information, check:
  http://www.vegas.com/  (for hotels and shows)
  http://www.lasvegas.com/ (general information)
  http://govegas.about.com/  (a lot of different and comprehensive information, if dificult to distinguish between ads and information!)
  http://www.lvchamber.com/ (This will give information on relocations, overall statistics etc. Las Vegas is a rapidly growing city, and with that growth come business opportunities.)
  
• In general, visiting Las Vegas is a more straightforward experience than cities like New York or Chicago. The main "drag" is the Las Vegas strip, and the monorail that was completed just a few years back will take you almost anywhere you want to go. Hotels are laden with inexpensive buffets that are family-friendly, as well as higher-end dining. Your hotel will have quantities of brochures, and you can certainly take a package tour (which you may also purchase at the time of booking your vacation) to nearby sites. However, you may just want to hang out at the casino and enjoy free drinks and the excitement of the gambling tables or slot machines, taking breaks to stagger to the pool or go shopping.

The following pages will give you some insights into the gambling and gaming culture,  as well as different activities you can engage in when you are ready to tear yourself away. Don't forget: Las Vegas is a place of extremes, and so activities and ideas can indeed range from the sublime (not that likely) to the ridiculous (likely, but very entertaining).