Planning your luxury vacation to Las Vegas

Introduction vacation to Las Vegas

The point about [Las Vegas], which both its critics and its admirers overlook, is that it's wonderful and awful simultaneously. So one loves it and detests it at the same time.

-- David Spanier, Welcome to the Pleasuredome: Inside Las Vegas

As often as you might have seen it on TV or in a movie, nothing can prepare you for your first sight of Las Vegas. The skyline is hyper-reality, a mélange of the Statue of Liberty, a giant lion, a pyramid, and a Sphinx, and preternaturally glittering buildings. At night, it's so bright, you can actually get disoriented -- and suffer from a sensory overload that can reduce you to hapless tears or fits of giggles. And that's without setting foot inside a casino, where the shouts from the craps tables, the crash of coins (or computer-generated simulation of same) from the slots, and the general roar combine into either the greatest adrenaline rush of your life or the ninth pit of hell.

Las Vegas is a true original; there is nothing else like it in the world. In other cities, hotels are built near the major attractions. Here, the hotels are the major attractions. What other city has a skyline made up of buildings from other cities' skylines?

Once you get to Vegas, you'll want to come back again, if only to make sure you didn't dream it all. It's not just the casinos with their nonstop action and sound, the almost-blinding lights, or the buildings that seek to replicate some other reality (Paris, Venice, New York, ancient Egypt). It's not the mountains of shrimp at the buffets, the wedding chapels that will gladly unite two total strangers in holy wedlock, or the promise of free money. It's the whole package. It's Frank and Dino and Sammy. It's Elvis -- the Fat Years. It's volcanoes and magic shows and cocktail waitresses dressed in short-short Roman togas. It's cheesy, sleazy, and artificial and wholly, completely unique. It's wonderful. It's awful. It's wonderfully awful and awfully wonderful.

Las Vegas can be whatever a visitor wants, and for a few days, a visitor can be whatever he or she wants. Just be prepared to leave all touchstones with reality behind. Here, you will rise at noon and gorge on endless amounts of rich food at 3am. You will watch your money grow or (more likely) shrink. You will watch a volcano explode and pirates fight sexy showgirls. This is not a cultural vacation, okay? Save the thoughts of museums and historical sights for the real New York, Egypt, Paris, and Venice. Vegas is about fun. Go have some. Go have too much. It won't be hard.

The Vegas of the Rat Pack years does not exist anymore. Even as ancient civilizations are replicated, "old" in Vegas terms is anything over a decade. Indeed, thanks to teardowns and renovations, there is virtually nothing original left on the Strip. In a way, that is both admirable and ghastly, and it's also part of what makes Vegas so Vegas. What other city can completely shed its skin in such a short amount of time? But as much as one might mourn the loss of such landmarks as the Sands, one has to admit that time marches on, and Vegas has to keep pace. Nostalgia for the vanished does not mean you can't enjoy what turns up in its place. Even as you might sneer at the gaudy tastelessness of it all, you have to admit that what's out there is remarkable.

And when it's all lit up at night . . . well, even those who have lived here for years agree there is nothing like the sight of the Strip in all its evening glory. Everything is in lights in Vegas: hotels, casinos, 7-Elevens, the airport parking garage. Stand still long enough, and they'll probably cover you in neon.

Oh, the gambling? Yep, there's plenty of that. Let's not kid ourselves: Gambling is the main attraction of Vegas. The rest -- the buffets, the shows, the cartoonish buildings -- is so much window dressing to lure you and your money to the city. But even a non-gambler can have a perfectly fine time in Vegas, though the lure of countless slot machines has tempted even the most Puritan of souls in their day.

Unfortunately, the days of an inexpensive Las Vegas vacation are gone. The cheap buffets and meal deals still exist, as do some cut-rate rooms, but both are likely to prove the old adage about getting what you pay for. Be prepared to pay if you want glamour and fine dining.

However, free drinks are still handed to anyone lurking near a slot, and even if show tickets aren't in your budget, you won't lack for entertainment. Free lounge shows abound, and the people-watching opportunities never disappoint. From the Armani-clad high rollers in the baccarat rooms to the polyester-sporting couples at the nickel slots, Vegas attracts a cross section of humanity.

Yes, it's noisy and chaotic. Yes, it's gotten more and more like Disneyland for adults. Yes, it's a shrine to greed and the love of filthy lucre. Yes, there is little ambience and even less "culture." Yes, someone lacking self-discipline can come to great grief. But in its own way, Vegas is every bit as amazing as the nearby Grand Canyon, and every bit as much a must-see. It's one of the Seven Wonders of the Artificial World. And everyone should experience it at least once.

Best Vacation Dining Bets

A number of celebrity chefs are cooking in Vegas, awakening us to the opinion that Vegas's rep for lackluster restaurants is no longer deserved.

Best Restaurant to Blow Your Money On: You could lighten your wallet at the craps table -- and why not? -- or you could spend that same amount, and take a lot longer doing so, exalting in the culinary work being done at Joël Robuchon at the Mansion (tel. 702/891-7925), in the MGM Grand, where you will have a once-in-a-lifetime meal. Somewhat less in the stratosphere, but still plenty costly, are Alex Strada's (tel. 702/770-9966) and Paul Bartolotta's (tel. 702/770-9966) eponymous places in Wynn Las Vegas, and Hubert Keller's Fleur de Lys (tel. 702/632-7200) at Mandalay Place. Meals come dear at all four places, but each is turning out works of edible art, from four different inspired sources of creation. To us, this is what Vegas indulgence is all about, and the memories make us much happier than our losses at the table.

Best All Around: Given our druthers, we are hard-pressed to choose between Alizé (tel. 702/951-7000), at the top of the Palms, where nearly flawless dishes often compete with the sparkling view for sheer delight, and Rosemary's Restaurant, 8125 W. Sahara (tel. 702/869-2251), a 20-minute drive off the Strip and worth twice as much effort, for some Southern-influenced cooking. Each of these may well put the work of those many high-profile chefs, so prominently featured all over town, to shame. Speaking of high-profile chefs, we have just sworn allegiance to Thomas Keller's Bouchon (tel. 702/414-6200), in Venezia at The Venetian. Keller may be the best chef in America, and while this is simply his take on classic bistro food, you should never underestimate the joys of simple food precisely prepared. We also never ever turn down a chance to eat what Julian Serrano is making over at Picasso (tel. 702/693-7223), at Bellagio.

Best Inexpensive Meal: Capriotti's, 324 W. Sahara Ave. (tel. 702/474-0229), serves beautiful, fresh, monster submarine sandwiches. They roast their own beef and turkey on the premises and assemble it (or cold cuts, or even vegetables) into delicious well-stuffed submarine sandwiches, ranging in size from 9 to 20 inches, and most of them under $10. We never leave town without one . . . or two.

Best Buffet: On the Strip, it's Le Village Buffet (in Paris Las Vegas, tel. 888/266-5687), where the stations break from standard form by adhering to regional French food specialties (from places such as Provence, Alsace, and Burgundy) and the results are much better than average. Though not cheap, this is a reasonable substitute for an even more costly fancy meal. If you want a little more traditional buffet -- as in, one not devoted to one particular cuisine -- Wynn Las Vegas (in Wynn Las Vegas, tel. 702/770-3340) is terrific all the way, even through the usual buffet weakness, dessert. The Palms Fantasy Market Buffet (in The Palms, tel. 702/942-7777) offers the best of the more budget-oriented options, with an array of Middle Eastern goodies and some eccentric additions to the ubiquitous carving stations. Downtown, the Main Street Station Garden Court (in Main Street Station, tel. 702/387-1896), has an incredible buffet: all live-action stations (where the food is made in front of you, sometimes to order); wood-fired brick-oven pizzas; fresh, lovely salsas and guacamole in the Mexican section; and better-than-average desserts.

Best Sunday Champagne Brunch: Head for Bally's, at Mid-Strip, where the lavish Sterling Sunday Brunch (tel. 702/967-7999) features tables dressed with linen and silver. The buffet itself has everything from caviar and lobster to sushi and sashimi, plus fancy entrees that include the likes of roast duckling with black-currant and blueberry sauce.

Best Group Budget Meal Deal: Capriotti's, 324 W. Sahara Ave. (tel. 702/474-0229), again -- a large sandwich can feed two with leftovers, for about $5 each. Or split a bowl of soup at the Grand Wok (tel. 702/891-7777), in the MGM Grand. This pan-Asian restaurant offers a variety of soups in such generous portions that four people can make a decent meal out of one serving.

Best Bistro: We ate nearly the entire menu at Bouchon (tel. 702/414-6200), from Thomas Keller, in The Venetian, and didn't find a misstep, just what you might expect from one of the most critically lauded chefs in the country. But don't overlook Mon Ami Gabi (tel. 702/944-4224), in Paris Las Vegas. Offering lovely, reasonably priced bistro fare (steak and pommes frites, onion soup), it's also a charming spot.

Best Restaurant/Nightclub Interiors: The designers ran amok in the restaurants of Mandalay Bay. At Aureole (tel. 877/632-1766), a four-story wine tower requires that a pretty young thing be hauled up in a harness to fetch your chosen vintage. The post-Communist party decor at Red Square (tel. 702/632-7407) is topped only by the fire-and-water walls at neighboring rumjungle (tel. 702/632-7408). And then there is the futuristic fantasy of Mix (tel. 877/632-1766), on top of THEhotel, where stunning views of the Strip compete with a giant beaded curtain made of hand-blown glass balls, to say nothing of silver pods in lieu of booths.

Best Spot for a Romantic Dinner: Alizé (tel. 702/951-7000), at the top of the Palms, has windows on three sides of the dining room, with no other buildings around for many blocks. You get an unobstructed view of all of Vegas, the desert, and the mountains from every part of the restaurant. Aren't you in the mood already?

Best Spot for a Celebration: Let's face it, no one parties like the Red Party, so head to Red Square (tel. 702/632-7407) in Mandalay Bay, where you can have caviar and vodka in the ultimate capitalist revenge.

Best Free Show at Dinner: Daniel Boulud Brasserie (tel. 702/770-9966), at Wynn Las Vegas, provides front-and-center seating of the strange yet compelling Lake of Dreams show. And then there is the vista offered by the restaurants in Bellagio -- Picasso (tel. 702/693-7223), Le Cirque (tel. 877/234-6358), Olives (tel. 702/693-7223), and Circo (tel. 702/693-8150) -- which are grouped to take advantage of the view of the dancing water fountains. See chapter 5 for reviews of all the Bellagio restaurants.

Best Wine List: It's a competitive market in Vegas for such a title, and with sommeliers switching around, it's hard to guarantee that any wine list will retain its quality. Still, you can't go wrong at Mandalay Bay's Aureole (tel. 877/632-1766), which has the largest collection of Austrian wines outside of that country, among other surprises.

Best Beer List: Rosemary's Restaurant, 8125 W. Sahara (tel. 702/869-2251), offers "beer pairings" suggestions with most of its menu options, and includes some curious and fun brands, including fruity Belgian numbers.

Best Views: Mix (tel. 877/632-1766), on top of THEhotel, and Alizé (tel. 702/951-7000), at the top of the Palms, win with their floor-to-ceiling window views, but there is something to be said for seeing all of Vegas from the revolving Top of the World (tel. 702/380-7711), 106 stories off the ground in the Stratosphere Casino Hotel & Tower.

Best Eclectic: Many celebrity-chef or other high-profile restaurants in Vegas are disappointments because said chef isn't in the kitchen. But Charlie Palmer's Aureole (tel. 877/632-1766), in Mandalay Bay, hits all the right gourmet notes with its clever, sophisticated cuisine.

Best Italian: You won't find anything more authentic outside of Italy than at Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare (tel. 888/320-7110), at Wynn Las Vegas. Given that the chef has his fish flown in daily from the Mediterranean, this also wins "best seafood." For Tuscan cuisine at slightly less dear prices, Circo (tel. 702/693-8150), in Bellagio, is terrific.

Best Deli: Wars are fought over less, so all you New Yorkers can square off between Stage Deli (tel. 702/893-4045), in Caesars, and Carnegie Deli (tel. 702/791-7310), in The Mirage. Los Angeles residents will fight for the branch of their beloved Canter's Deli (tel. 702/894-7111), in TI at The Mirage. The rest of us will find our mouths too packed with pastrami to weigh in.

Best New Orleans Cuisine: Emeril's Delmonico Steakhouse (tel. 702/631-1000), in The Venetian, brings the celebrity chef's "Bam!" cuisine to the other side of the Mississippi, and we are glad, while we are perhaps even gladder that Commander's Palace (tel. 702/892-8272) has an outlet in Planet Hollywood.

Best Red Meat: Lawry's The Prime Rib, 4043 Howard Hughes Pkwy. (tel. 702/893-2223), has such good prime rib, it's hard to imagine ever having any better. If you want cuts other than prime rib, Charlie Palmer (tel. 702/632-5120), in the Four Seasons, has some of the best steaks in town, though the more budget-conscious might want to either split the enormous cuts or try the justly popular Austins Steakhouse (tel. 702/631-1033), in Texas Station, 2101 Texas Star Lane.

Best Vacation Hotel Bets

Best for Conventioneers/Business Travelers: The Las Vegas Hilton (3000 Paradise Rd.; tel. 888/732-7117; www.lvhilton.com), adjacent to the Las Vegas Convention Center and the setting for many conventions, offers extensive facilities that include a full business center. And now it's a stop on the monorail, making access to the Strip easier than ever.

Best Luxury Vacation Resorts: The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas (1610 Lake Las Vegas Pkwy., Henderson; tel. 800/241-3333; www.ritzcarlton.com), perched on the edge (and over part of) Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, wins the prize for its combination of setting (gorgeous, peaceful) and experience (such service!). But you might want something that's actually in town, and for that, you must go to the Four Seasons (3960 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; tel. 877/632-5000; www.fourseasons.com), because experience running luxury resorts around the world makes them the only true claimant to the throne within Vegas.

Best Vacation Resort for the Indecisive: Green Valley Ranch Resort, 2300 Paseo Verde Pkwy. (at I-215), Henderson (tel. 866/782-9487; www.greenvalleyranchresort.com), somehow manages to combine the comfort of a Ritz-Carlton with the style of boutique chains such as the W, and makes it all work. Sleep in one of the most comfortable beds in town or lounge by one of our favorite pools.

Best Archetypically Las Vegas Hotel: To be honest, these days there aren't any. Las Vegas hotels are one and all doing such massive face-lifts that the archetype is mostly a memory. Still, despite some major changes, Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/427-7243; www.caesars.com), will probably continue to embody the excess, the romance (oh, yes) and, well, downright silliness that used to characterize Vegas -- and to a certain extent still does.

Best Non-Vegas Vegas Hotel: Mandalay Bay's THEhotel, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-7800; www.thehotelatmandalaybay.com), is as elegant and sophisticated as any lodging in Manhattan. All accommodations are true suites, complete with flat-screen TVs and deep soaking tubs. Since it's a separate tower, you are far away from the clash and clang of Vegas -- at least in spirit. In reality, it's just a medium walk down a long hallway. Quite possibly our favorite hotel in the city.

Best vacation Swimming Pools: Hands down, the acres of water park fun at Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-7000; www.mandalaybay.com) -- wave pool, lazy river, beach, regular swimming pools . . . no wonder they check IDs carefully to make sure only official guests enter. Everyone wants to swim and splash here. If you can't, you won't be disappointed by the amorphously shaped pools with water fountains and slides, plus a rather festive atmosphere, at The Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 800/627-6667; www.mirage.com). But if you've ever longed to swim at Hearst Castle, Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/987-6667; www.bellagio.com), with six swimming pools in a neoclassical Italian garden setting (and a more hushed, chic ambience), is for you. Then again, the pool at Green Valley Ranch Resort, 2300 Paseo Verde Pkwy. (at I-215), Henderson (tel. 866/782-9487; www.greenvalleyranchresort.com), with its foliage, beach, and everything else, may have them both beat. But its distant location (in Henderson) takes it out of the running. But only just.

Best luxury Vacation Spas/Health Clubs: We only wish our own gym were as handsomely equipped as the one at the Canyon Ranch Spa in The Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/2-VENICE; www.venetian.com), which also has a number of other high-priced amenities on which you can blow your blackjack winnings. We are also partial to the full complement of machines at the health club at Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/987-6667; www.bellagio.com), probably the best-equipped club of all. Attentive attendants, a well-stocked locker room, and comfortable lounges in which to rest up after your workout are other pluses.

Best Vacation Hotel Dining: Foodies can't miss the chance to eat French food from the hands of a true master, at Joël Robuchon at the Mansion (tel. 702/891-7925), in the MGM Grand. If, of course, you don't mind taking out a small bank loan to fund that gastronomic venture. Otherwise, you can work up a good case of gout trying all the haute-cuisine options at Bellagio, which has restaurants by Todd English (Olives; tel. 702/693-7223) and Julian Serrano (Picasso; tel. 702/693-7223). The hotel has seven James Beard Award-winning chefs on staff. Wynn Las Vegas has brought in a number of name-brand chefs, including Alex Strada (Alex; tel. 888/320-7110) and Paul Bartolotta (Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare; tel. 888/320-7110). The Venetian isn't too far behind, with restaurants from Emeril Lagasse (Delmonico Steakhouse; tel. 702/414-3737), and Joachim Splichal (Pinot Brasserie; tel. 702/414-8888), plus a branch of the noted Lutèce (tel. 702/414-2220). In The Venetian is a version of Thomas Keller's bistro Bouchon (tel. 702/414-6200).

Best Vacation for 20-Somethings to Baby Boomers: Palms Casino Resort, 4321 W. Flamingo Rd. (tel. 866/942-7777; www.palms.com), is the single most happening hotel for the hip and hip-hop sets. The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 4455 Paradise Rd. (tel. 800/473-ROCK; www.hardrockhotel.com), bills itself as the world's "first rock 'n' roll hotel and casino" and "Vegas for a new generation." (Note: At press time, The Hard Rock was actively being shopped to new owners who may make substantial changes, including a new name and theme.)

Best Vacation Interior: For totally different reasons, it's a tie between New York-New York Hotel & Casino, 3790 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 800/693-6763; www.nynyhotelcasino.com), The Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 800/627-6667; www.mirage.com), and The Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/2-VENICE; www.venetian.com). The Mirage's tropical rainforest and massive coral-reef aquarium behind the registration desk may not provide as much relaxation as a Club Med vacation, but they're a welcome change from the hubbub that is usual for Vegas. Speaking of hubbub, New York-New York has cornered the market on it, but its jaw-dropping interior, with its extraordinary attention to detail (re-creating virtually every significant characteristic of New York City), makes this a tough act to beat. The Venetian's authentic re-creation of Venice, however, might top it.

Best Vacation for Families: The classic choice is Circus Circus Hotel & Casino, 2880 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/434-9175; www.circuscircus.com), with ongoing circus acts, a vast video-game arcade, a carnival midway, and a full amusement park. Less aged, and less hectic, Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-7000; www.mandalaybay.com), is a more modern choice, right for families because you can gain access to both the guest rooms and the pool area (itself fun for kids, with a beach, a wave pool, and a lazy river) without trotting through the casino. Those of you with bigger budgets might want to try the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas, 1610 Lake Las Vegas Pkwy., Henderson (tel. 800/241-3333; www.ritzcarlton.com), because not only is it well out of range of Sin City's temptations, but it also offers a variety of healthy and fun activities (from hikes to fly-fishing to stargazing).

Best Vacation Rooms off the Strip: Again, we love the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas, 1610 Lake Las Vegas Pkwy., Henderson (tel. 800/241-3333; www.ritzcarlton.com), with its perfect decor, spacious interior, and gorgeous bathrooms, but you'll probably want something closer to town.

Best Vacation Rooms on the Strip: We need to break this down. If one is talking actual suites, then THEhotel, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-7800; www.thehotelatmandalaybay.com), wins the day, with its one-bedroom could-be-a-great-apartment-in-Manhattan sophisticated wonders. Best "suites" (because no matter how the hotel bills them, these accommodations are really just one big room) are clearly the 700-square-foot extravaganzas at The Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/2-VENICE; www.venetian.com), with separate sitting and bedroom areas, full of all sorts of special details. Best "room" goes to the Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/320-9966; www.wynnlasvegas.com), where the rooms are quite big, the bathrooms not far behind, the beds are plush, the TVs (plural!) are flat-screen, and the tubs are deep. The standard rooms at Bally's Las Vegas, 3645 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 800/634-3434; www.ballyslv.com), are the best bet in the medium price range; certainly nothing daring but well-appointed and comfortable.

Best Vacation Rooms Downtown: Downtown, the rooms at the Golden Nugget, 129 E. Fremont St. (tel. 800/846-5336; www.goldennugget.com), are getting some much-needed love that should return them to the top of the heap, but don't forget about the lovely Main Street Station, 200 N. Main St. (tel. 800/465-0711; www.mainstreetcasino.com), with lots to offer both in the rooms and beyond. It has done a terrific job of renovating an older space, boasts solidly good restaurants, and has surprisingly nice rooms for an inexpensive price.

Best Vacation Bathrooms: This honor goes to THEhotel, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-7800; www.thehotelatmandalaybay.com), where each good-size marble bathroom features a large glass shower, a separate water closet, a flat-screen TV, and a soaking tub so deep the water comes up to your chin. It's a wonder anyone ever leaves to go to the casino, either. But not far behind is Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/320-9966; www.wynnlasvegas.com), which offers a similar layout, including that plasma TV and the deep, long tub, plus lemongrass-scented amenities and silky robes to cradle you afterward.

Best Non-Casino Vacation Hotel: Four Seasons, 3960 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-5000; www.fourseasons.com), used to win this category, but now it's a tie with THEhotel, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-7800; www.thehotelatmandalaybay.com). It can't be a coincidence that both are found around Mandalay Bay. Once you've experienced the Four Seasons's quiet good taste, superior service and pampering, and the serenity of their non-casino property, or the sophistication and elegance of THEhotel, it's hard to go back to traditional Vegas hotels. But best of all, should you want the best of both worlds, you need only pass through one door to have access to Mandalay Bay and all its traditional Vegas hotel accouterments, including that missing casino. Coming in a close second is the Venezia, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/2-VENICE; www.venetian.com) at The Venetian; same idea as THEhotel (a separate yet equal entity, the non-casino part of the casino hotel), though we prefer the decor and gestalt of THEhotel.

Best Vacation Casinos: Our favorite places to gamble are anywhere we might win. But we also like the casinos in The Mirage (lively, beautiful, and not overwhelming), New York-New York (because of the aforementioned attention to detail -- it almost makes losing fun), and Main Street Station, because it's about the most smoke-free casino in town and because it's pretty.

Best Vacation Views: From the high-floor rooms at the Stratosphere Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, 2000 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 800/99-TOWER; www.stratospherehotel.com), you can see clear to the next county, while the Strip-side rooms at Four Seasons, 3960 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-5000; www.fourseasons.com), give you the entire Las Vegas Boulevard panorama from the southernmost end. Higher-up floors at the Las Vegas Hilton, 3000 Paradise Rd., at Riviera Blvd. (tel. 888/732-7117; www.lvhilton.com), show you that same panorama from a different perspective.

The Best Nightlife Vacation

Best Production Show: It's a total deadlock tie between Cirque du Soleil's KÀ and O. The latter is more "traditional" -- if you can call a human circus that uses a giant tank of water as a stage "traditional" -- in that it has only a loose semblance of narrative, whereas KÀ actually has a plot. Both are dazzling and, given the extremely high production values, feel worth the extremely high ticket price. (tel. 877/880-0880 for KÀ, and tel. 888/488-7111 for O.)

Best Old-Time Vegas Production: You know: big, huge stage sets, pointless production numbers, showgirls, nipples on parade, Bob Mackie headdresses. Ah, Jubilee!; this world would be dreary without you (tel. 800/237-7469).

Best Smart Show: This town isn't good enough for either Blue Man Group (tel. 877/883-6423) or Penn & Teller (tel] 888/746-7784).

Best Local Hang: They don't keep the same late hours as they once did, but you will still find performer friends and other in-the-know types gathering at Jazzed Cafe & Vinoteca, 8615 W. Sahara (tel. 702/233-2859), eating Kirk's authentic Italian fare and comparing notes on the artist's life in Vegas. The more hard-core types (including, on certain nights, Blue Men sans makeup, doing weird percussion things) will be gathering way after hours at the Double Down Saloon, 4640 Paradise Rd. (tel. 702/791-5775).

Best Ultra-Lounge: That's just Vegas-speak for "fancy-pants hotel bar," but most of them are pretty nice, if trying too hard to be all-that. Still, we like the vibe at Tabú, at MGM Grand (tel. 702/891-7183).

Best Reason to Wait in Line: We never think there is a good enough reason, but ghostbar, in the Palms (tel. 702/938-2666), is a fantastic hotel bar, especially because of its outstanding view, perched high above the Strip. Meanwhile, there's a good reason Rain Nightclub, 4321 W. Flamingo Rd. (tel. 702/940-7246), keeps packing them in -- it's plus ne ultra for dance clubs. But the style of Body English (tel. 702/693-4000), in the Hard Rock Hotel, is terribly appealing to us as well.

Best Burlesque: Tough call, given the competition, but Ivan Kane's Forty Deuce (tel. 702/632-9442), in Mandalay Bay, was the first establishment (back in Los Angeles) to cash in on the return of the high-class hoochie girl, and still does it the best here.

Best Strip Clubs: You know you want to know. It's a tie between Sapphire Gentleman's Club, 3025 S. Industrial (tel. 702/796-0000), because of its size (so big, it goes right past intimidating to nonthreatening), and Treasures, 2801 Westwood Dr. (tel. 702/257-3030), because we think all strip joints should insist on production numbers with stage effects and look like old-fashioned English brothels.

What's New

Gee, what isn't new in Las Vegas? That they want to take your money and will do so by any means necessary. Cynical? Hardly. That is, after all, why this town was built, and don't, for a minute, think anything else.

Otherwise, everything is new in Las Vegas. This town is afflicted with terminal restlessness and must keep finding new ways of attracting visitors who can then be relieved of their money. Heck, by the time we've finished writing this, everything we've written, everything in the whole town, will be outdated, changed, or somehow different.

Perhaps we exaggerate. But really, only a little. Hotels are routinely renovating, upgrading, redecorating their rooms, and changing their themes (because everyone knows that a Spanish theme will bring in more tourist dollars than a Mardi Gras theme -- that is, until they decide it's been long enough with the Spanish theme and then switch to an Asian one), and that's only if they aren't blowing up the hotel and starting over from scratch. New restaurants with celebrity chefs and big prices open, and longtime stalwarts with comfort food for the ages close. Shows that have been touted with enormous billboards and bigger budgets close in the blink of an eye. Please remember this and think kindly of us if anything in this book is inaccurate. Because that's why.

So, as we write this, what's new? Or even, what's going to be new?

Everything Old is New Again

May 15, 2005, was the 100th anniversary of Las Vegas. (We aren't sure exactly how they calculated it, but it has something to do with the moment land leases were signed.) A Vegas-style blowout (and we mean that in terms of both size and absurdity) never quite materialized, though there were parades and fireworks, and the city brought back Helldorado, the Wild West-themed day that was observed for 60 years but dropped some time ago. Various 100-year-themed exhibits are still on display; check www.lasvegas2005.org for details.

The monorail finally launched in July 2004, months after its original opening date, only to close minutes later when a piece fell off, only to reopen, only to close, only to reopen, only to . . . well, you get the idea. When it works, it works swell -- who doesn't love a monorail? -- but the fees are ridiculous -- $5 each time you get on. Though it is a much nicer (and cooler) way of traveling up and down the Strip, one that could relieve the horrible traffic problems to some extent, the monorail is simply not yet popular enough to make a difference. If it doesn't get enough patronage, local government will take it over. For now, any extensions to Downtown are on hold.

Planning Your Trip

"What happens here, stays here." (If only that applied to damage done to our hips and liver!) If you didn't know that the Disneyfication of Vegas was dead and gone, this new city motto, which pretty much encourages visitors to go forth and sin freely, should confirm it. Vegas has reclaimed its adult roots with glee, and that whole Britney minute-marriage was just the kind of publicity the motto needed. The point is, this is not a city that is "great for families," as people still apparently think. It's a city loaded with topless revues, nekkid shows, bars, and other glorious adult pursuits. A good number of the attractions intended for children are long gone, replaced by costly spas and even costlier restaurants. Go ahead, get married to a stranger if you must, but do think twice about dragging Junior along with you to Sin City.

With the economy in flux, continuing concerns about security during travel, and all sorts of world-shaking events occurring, tourism for Vegas is up and down and up and down, and what you are going to face is unpredictable. Conventions are still coming to town -- not as huge, perhaps, as in the past, but enough to make hotel bookings impossible during their staging. The rest of the time, you might well find a bargain, especially if that time lands Sunday through Thursday. Or you might find that all the hotels are handling their losses by charging up the wazoo for a room even during a slow period. We can't quite figure it out.

Accommodations

All kinds of thrilling news here. The most obvious to you will be that new gleaming resort toward the north end of the Strip, the one that has put Steve Wynn's name literally at the top of the town. That's right, his new resort hotel, Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (at Sands Dr.), Las Vegas, NV 89109 (tel. 888/320-9966 or 702/770-7100; fax 702/770-1571; www.wynnlasvegas.com), is the tallest regular building in the city (the Stratosphere is taller, but that's a needle, so it's sort of cheating). The $2.7 billion state-of-the-art hotel gives the city another 4,000 rooms, plus high-end shopping, celebrity chef-run restaurants, a new 18-hole golf course (not sure what was wrong with the old Desert Inn one it replaced, but what do we know?), a Ferrari dealership, a couple of popular shows, and much, much more. That this was a big deal was apparent when Vanity Fair did a spread on the hotel's opening. The reviews were mixed, mostly along the lines of: "Though it certainly is swell, we aren't sure what makes it all that different from Bellagio," and "Did it really need to cost that much?"

This being Vegas, "top this" is the mantra, and some take that literally. Wynn himself already has plans for Encore, another billion-dollar-plus addition with 2,000 more rooms, more casinos, more restaurants, more everything. But that's not until 2008, at the earliest. Meanwhile, right next door, at The Venetian, there is a very big hole in the ground that, by late 2007, will hold up its new tower, Palazzo, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas, NV 89109 (tel. 888/2-VENICE or 702/414-1000; www.venetian.com), which will, in turn, contain another 3,000 rooms and will be 53 stories tall. That's two stories taller, you see, than Wynn, which is, as we said, right next door.

Bigger is, of course, better, and taller better still, and so Donald Trump has decided he can't possibly be outdone in such matters, and therefore his Trump International, two towers of hotel rooms and condos, will be 60-something stories when they open in late 2007 and 2008. The town giggles delightedly over all this display of architectural macho.

Less obvious to the naked eye, Mandalay Resorts agreed to a $4.8-billion takeover by MGM Mirage in 2005. The MGM MIRAGE-Mandalay Group now owns more than half the hotel rooms on the Strip. That's great news for shareholders but lousy news for visitors, who will find even fewer bargains on Strip rooms as competition dries up -- especially now that Harrah's and Caesars have also joined forces, leaving pretty much all the hotels on the Strip in about two sets of corporate hands. The new giant started off with a bang, with the destruction of the old Boardwalk Hotel, to be replaced by 2010 with the most ambitious project yet in a town full of 'em: Project CityCenter. Get this: It will contain, if it all comes to fruition, not just a 4,000-room megaresort and casino and all that goes with it (shops, restaurants, clubs), but also two 400-room boutique hotels (one being a part of the ultraluxe Mandarin Oriental chain), plus a couple thousand condo units and even more shopping, clubs, and restaurants separate from those belonging to the hotel complex.

Rivaling that project for its sheer size and scope will be Echelon Place, the $4-billion-plus development that is replacing the Stardust on the north end of the Strip. When it opens in 2010, it will have more than 5,300 rooms in four distinct properties -- Echelon Resort (a mega-casino style place) and three boutique hotels with high-cache names: Mondrian, Delano, and Shangri-La (a high-end Asian hotelier) -- plus the typical casino, meeting, shopping, restaurant, entertainment, and other facilities one would expect in a place that costs this much money.

Other big projects on the decks include the nearly $2-billion Cosmopolitan, which will include a Hyatt-branded and -run hotel and a big casino next to Bellagio when it is complete in late 2008; the W Hotel and Residences going up just east of the Strip on Harmon Avenue; and Las Ramblas, a $3-billion hotel, casino, and residential project with no less than George Clooney as one of the primary backers. For complete details on the lodging scene in Las Vegas, see chapter 4.

Dining

The most significant additions to the dining scene are Joël Robuchon at the Mansion and L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon, two highly regarded -- and even higher priced -- establishments from the master French chef, at the MGM Grand. Recipients of superlative reviews from even the hardest-core, big-city newspaper food critics, their presence signifies Vegas's full entry into Serious Dining City. You need a small bank loan to eat at the former, and a good win at a slot certainly would help fund the latter, but for any foodies worth their fancy imported sea salt, it's worth it. Both are in the MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S., tel. 702/891-7925.

Meanwhile, Steve Wynn, who really knows how to woo a chef, has fought against the one big problem with celebrity chef dining in Vegas -- something Robuchon's places are not entirely innocent of -- the lack of said famous-name chef in the kitchen. His Wynn Las Vegas brags that every chef is always in the kitchen (or, at least, usually in the city) at their given restaurant. Given that this includes newly James Beard-nominated (for Best New Restaurant 2006) Paul Bartolotta, this is a point of pride we highly support. Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare is located at 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S., in the Wynn Las Vegas (tel. 888/320-7110 or 702/770-9966; www.wynnlasvegas.com).

Casino Gambling

There is a big change quietly happening all over town -- and actually, the key word here is quiet. Like us, perhaps you thrill to that distinct sound of coins dropping, clinkclinkclinkclinkclink, as you cash out on your slot (or poker) machine. That sound will always be with us, but very soon, it's going to be just a programmed audio track because all the major casinos (and maybe all of them, period) are changing their machines over to a cashless system, wherein the payouts will come in the form of printed slips you take to exchange at the cages. And most slots and other machines won't even take coins at all. Gone are the days when you could dump that pocket full of loose change in a slot as you passed by. Meanwhile, many casinos, especially the ones belonging to "resort hotels," are easing up on the noise factor; there is considerably less "bingbingdingdingdingdingding" going on in the casinos, which is fine in terms of noise pollution. But still, gambling will never be the same again.

Even more revolutions are on the way. By the time you read this, casinos should be handing out portable devices that will allow you to take the gambling experience out of the casino and in to any other public area of the building, like the pool, some restaurants, bars, and lounges, and more. Boy, as if the city didn't enable gambling problems as it is. The exact details on how these things will work are still a bit of a mystery, but the state has approved the technology, so it's coming whether we like it or not.

Another big one hitting casino floors in the near future is the concept of server-based gaming. Currently, each slot machine has its own computer, but in the future, they will be "shells" run by one server computer hidden, we like to imagine, in a bunker somewhere in each casino, guarded by dogs and guys with sub-machine guns. Fantasy aside, the end result for you will be the ability to "download" any video-based slot or video poker to any console, eliminating the need to hunt for your "favorite" machine. This is already being tested in certain markets around the country, so expect to see it in Vegas soon.

Shopping

The Esplanade at Wynn Las Vegas is another high-end shopping dream, with all sorts of famous-maker labels, from Dior to Chanel, Gaultier to Blahnik, Vuitton to de la Renta, and more. The Forum Shops in Caesars have undergone yet another huge expansion, this one with a three-story glass entrance right near the Strip. While The Esplanade is pretty much like the shopping area at Bellagio, this new area is unlike any other one in Vegas, with all kinds of natural light pouring into an overblown, suitably Caesars affair (expect many large and gaudy statues, fountains, and more assaults on good taste -- we adore it). Shops include Vosages chocolates, Juicy Couture, Kiehl's cosmetics, Brooks Brothers, Harry Winston, and more.

Meanwhile, thanks in part to the sale of the Aladdin to Planet Hollywood, our favorite Middle Eastern-souk-themed Desert Passage shopping mall has also been sold, to a company that plans a total makeover to a new "Miracle Mile" theme. Shouldn't someone tell them that L.A.'s own Miracle Mile long ago lost its luster? Can't this city leave anything alone? Wait, don't answer that. For more on shopping, head to chapter 8.

Las Vegas After Dark

Céline Dion's show continues to be a hit, and when she's got days off, Elton John has brought his own combination production show and concert act to Caesars. Unlike Miss Dion's, Mr. John's show has received critical raves for its construction and use of multimedia, and has been renewed through 2008. Elton's example has inspired other musical luminaries; Barry Manilow is pleasing his fanilows with his residency at the Hilton, while Stevie Nicks is sometimes filling in gaps between Elton and Céline at Caesars. And finally, Toni Braxton just signed a deal for a year's run at the Flamingo.

Just as there can't be enough hotel rooms in Vegas, there can't be enough Cirque, and so MGM Grand got one of its own. We rolled our eyes, but KÀ (in the MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; tel. 877/880-0880) is not only terrific, but it also completely sold us on the idea that, yes, Vegas does need more Cirque shows. Consequently, we look forward to their Beatles-themed extravaganza Love, opening sometime in 2006 at The Mirage, in the old Siegfried & Roy theater, which is already receiving strong reports from preview performances. While it's true that even a skeptical critic can be moved by a certain quartet of mop tops' classic catalogue, it also seems that the collaboration between Sir George Martin and Cirque has that spark of originality and imagination we've hoped for. At The Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 800/963-9637 or 702/792-7777).

A slightly revamped Blue Man Group has moved to The Venetian (3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; tel. 877/833-6423). In its place at the Luxor (3900 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; tel. 800/557-7428 or 702/262-4400) is a terrific production of the Tony-winning musical Hairspray, even luring back the original Edna, Harvey Fierstein, for a brief opening run. Alas, brief is the operative word; despite decent reviews and a happy audience, the production closed within just a few months. Perhaps Vegas doesn't deserve legitimate theater, given the failure of the Tony-winning Avenue Q, which opened and closed at the Wynn before we could even get a proper review in. That won't stop The Venetian from trying perennial fave Phantom of the Opera, which opened in mid-2006 (at The Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; tel. 888/641-7469) or Paris Las Vegas, which had to give up on British import We Will Rock You, from bringing in Broadway powerhouse The Producers (at Paris Las Vegas, 3665 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; tel. 888/266-5687). And Wynn is trying again, by mounting an exclusive production of Tony-winning, Monty Python-saluting Spamalot! sometime during 2007 (in Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; tel. 888/320-7110).

Rumors

Vegas just loves gossiping about big plans and changes. None of this is confirmable -- we can't even get most hotels to confirm their rates -- and much of it may have changed by the time you read this anyway, but this gives you an idea of the dreams this city dreams.

The hottest gossip centers around the plans that Harrah's Entertainment is cooking up for the east side of the Strip, with its almost contiguous set of properties, including Harrah's, Imperial Palace, Flamingo, Bally's, and Paris. They've already announced that Imperial Palace will close in spring of 2007 but are being very tight-lipped about what will replace it, with rumors indicating that everything from Harrah's to Bally's will be ripped down and replaced with city-within-a-city massive developments like MGM Mirage is building down the street.

Several other Strip hotels continue to be the subject of speculation. The Tropicana has new owners who plan to do something with it, but who knows what and when; forgive us for throwing our hands in the air, but the Trop's future has been so up and down over the past few years, we've given up trying to figure out what's happening to it. We figure it will be obvious if the thing gets knocked down. The Riviera's new owners insist they aren't going to tear it down and start over, but people have a tendency to change their minds quickly in this town, so don't be surprised to see a padlock on the front door when you walk by. Ditto aging classics like The Frontier and Sahara, both rumored to be in the paths of wrecking balls.

Meanwhile, there are also entertainment rumors, with the most recurring featuring everyone from Cher to Bette Midler in some kind of Céline-style residency.

Planning a Trip for vacation

Before any trip, you need to do a bit of planning. In the pages that follow, you'll find everything you need to know to handle the practical details of planning your trip in advance: airlines and area airports, a calendar of events, a list of major conventions you may want to avoid, resources for those with special needs, and more.

For international visitors, the pervasiveness of American culture around the world may make you feel that you know the United States pretty well, but leaving your own country still requires an additional degree of planning. This chapter will help prepare you for the most common issues you may encounter in Las Vegas.

If you want to see the most popular shows, it's a good idea to call ahead and order tickets well in advance to avoid disappointment. Ditto if you want to dine in one of the city's top restaurants.

Las Vegas Advisor

Professional gambler and longtime Las Vegas resident Anthony Curtis, author of Bargain City: Booking, Betting, and Beating the New Las Vegas, knows all the angles for stretching your hotel, restaurant, and, most importantly, gaming dollar. His 12-page monthly newsletter, the Las Vegas Advisor, is chock-full of insider tips on how to maximize your odds on every game, which slot tournaments to enter, casino promotions that represent money-making opportunities for the bettor, where to obtain the best Fun Books (coupon books full of freebies and discounts), which hotel offers a 12-ounce margarita for 99¢ or a steak dinner for $3, what the best buffet and show values in town are, and much, much more.

Subscribers get more than $3,400 worth of coupons for discounts on rooms, meals, show tickets, and car rentals, along with free slot plays, two-for-one bets, and other perks. A subscription is $50 a year, a single issue $5. To subscribe, call tel. 800/244-2224 or send a check to Las Vegas Advisor, 3687 S. Procyon St., Las Vegas, NV 89103. You can also go to www.lasvegasadvisor.com and get the full membership or a special online membership that features everything except the mailed newsletters and reference guide for $37 per year.

Surfing for Hotels

Because Las Vegas hotels operate at greater than 90% occupancy (compared to about 60% in the rest of the country), it is harder to find competitive pricing or serious discounts online -- or anywhere, for that matter. The major resorts don't need to do deep discounting since they are usually full (or close to it). These days, the best deals seem to be found on the websites for the individual hotels, many of which offer "lowest rate" guarantees.

Visitor Information

For advance information, call or write the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, 3150 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89109 (tel. 877/VISIT-LV or 702/892-0711; www.visitlasvegas.com). They can send you a comprehensive packet containing brochures, a map, a show guide, an events calendar, and an attractions list; help you find a hotel that meets your specifications (and even make reservations); and tell you if a major convention is scheduled during the time you would like to visit Las Vegas. Or stop by when you're in town. They're open daily from 8am to 5pm.

Another excellent information source is the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, 3720 Howard Hughes Pkwy., #100, Las Vegas, NV 89109 (tel. 702/735-1616; www.lvchamber.com). Ask them to send you their Visitor Guide, which contains extensive information about accommodations, attractions, excursions, children's activities, and more. They can answer all your Vegas questions. They're open Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm.

For information on all of Nevada, including Las Vegas, contact the Nevada Commission on Tourism (tel. 800/638-2328; www.travelnevada.com). They'll send you a comprehensive information packet on Nevada.

There's also lots of great info on the Web.

When to Go

Most of a Las Vegas vacation is usually spent indoors, so you can have a good time here year-round. The most pleasant seasons in this area are spring and fall, especially if you want to experience the great outdoors.

Weekdays are slightly less crowded than weekends. Holidays are always a mob scene and come accompanied by high hotel prices. Hotel prices also skyrocket when big conventions and special events are taking place. The slowest times of year are June and July, the week before Christmas, and the week after New Year's.

If a major convention is to be held during your trip, you might want to change your date. Check for convention dates by contacting the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (tel. 877/VISIT-LV or 702/892-7575; www.visitlasvegas.com) as convention schedules often change.

The Weather

First of all, Vegas isn't always hot, but when it is, it's really hot. One thing you'll hear again and again is that even though Las Vegas gets very hot, the dry desert heat is not unbearable. This is true. (We know this because we spent a couple days there in 104°F weather and lived to say, "It wasn't all that bad, not really.") Still, the humidity averages a low 22%, and even on very hot days, there's apt to be a breeze. Also, except on the hottest summer days, there's relief at night, when temperatures often drop by as much as 20°F.

But this is the desert, and it's not hot all year round. It can get quite cold, especially in the winter, when at night it can drop to 30°F (-1°C) and lower. Although rare, it does snow occasionally in Las Vegas. (The winter of 1998-99 dropped nearly 2 inches of snow on the Strip. There's nothing quite like the sight of Luxor's Sphinx covered in snow.) The breeze can also become a cold, biting, strong wind of up to 40 mph and more. And so there are entire portions of the year when you won't be using that hotel pool at all (even if you want to because most of the hotels close huge chunks of those fabulous pool areas for "the season," which can be as long as from Labor Day to Memorial Day). If you aren't traveling in the height of summer, bring a jacket. Also, remember sunscreen and a hat -- even if it's not all that hot, you can burn very easily and very fast.

Calendar of Events

You may be surprised that Las Vegas does not offer as many annual events as most other tourist cities. The reason is Las Vegas's very raison d'être: the gaming industry. This town wants its visitors spending their money in the casinos, not at Renaissance fairs and parades.

When in town, check the local paper and contact the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (tel. 877/VISIT-LV or 702/892-7575; www.visitlasvegas.com) or the Chamber of Commerce (tel. 702/735-1616; www.lvchamber.com) to find out about other events scheduled during your visit.

March

NASCAR/Winston Cup. The Las Vegas Motor Speedway, 7000 Las Vegas Blvd. N. (tel. 800/644-4444; www.lvms.com), has become one of the premier facilities in the country, attracting races and racers of all stripes and colors. The biggest of the year are the Sam's Town 300 and the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 held in early March.

April

Takefuji Classic. This 3-day LPGA event is played at the Las Vegas Country Club for a purse over $1 million. For more information, call tel. 702/898-4653.

June

CineVegas Film Festival. This annual event, usually held in early June, is growing in popularity and prestige, with film debuts from both independent and major studios, plus lots of celebrities hanging around for the big parties. Call tel. 702/992-7979 or visit www.cinevegas.com.

World Series of Poker. When Harrah's Entertainment bought the legendary Binion's Horseshoe in Downtown Vegas out of bankruptcy, it quickly turned around and sold the hotel but kept the hosting rights to this famed event and moved its location and place on the calendar. Now held at The Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino (3700 W. Flamingo Rd.; tel. 800/PLAY-RIO) in June, July, and August, the event features high-stakes gamblers and showbiz personalities competing for six-figure purses. There are daily events with entry stakes ranging from $125 to $5,000. To enter the World Championship Event (purse: $1 million), players must pony up $10,000. It costs nothing to crowd around the tables and watch the action, but if you want to avoid the throngs, you can catch a lot of it on TV. For more information, visit www.worldseriesofpoker.com.

September

Oktoberfest. This boisterous autumn holiday is celebrated from mid-September through the end of October at the Mount Charleston Resort (tel. 800/955-1314 or 702/872-5408; www.mtcharlestonlodge.com), about a 35-minute drive northwest of Las Vegas, with music, folk dancers, sing-alongs around a fire, special decorations, and Bavarian cookouts.

October

Frys.com Open. This televised 4-day PGA Tour event is played at TPC Summerlin and TPC at The Canyons. For details, call tel. 702/242-3000.

November

The Comedy Festival. This festival, launched in 2005, was such a hit that they have turned it into an annual event and expanded it to 5 days. Some of the world's top comics and comedy troupes perform, and the event also includes workshops, film festivals, and more. It's held in mid-November, and the primary host hotel is Caesars Palace. For details, call tel. 800/634-6661 or go to www.thecomedyfestival.com.

December

National Finals Rodeo. This is the Super Bowl of rodeos, attended by about 200,000 people each year and offering nearly $5 million in prize money. Male rodeo stars compete in calf roping, steer wrestling, bull riding, team roping, saddle bronco riding, and bareback riding. And women compete in barrel racing. An all-around "Cowboy of the Year" is chosen. In connection with this event, hotels book country stars into their showrooms, and a cowboy shopping spree -- the NFR Cowboy Christmas Gift Show, a trade show for Western gear -- is held at Cashman Field. The NFR runs for 10 days during the first 2 weeks of December at the 17,000-seat Thomas and Mack Center of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). Order tickets as far in advance as possible (tel. 702/895-3900). For more information, see www.nfrexperience.com.

Las Vegas Bowl Week. A championship football event in mid-December pits the winners of the Mid-American Conference against the winners of the Big West Conference. The action takes place at the 32,000-seat Sam Boyd Stadium. Call tel. 702/895-3900 or visit www.lvbowl.com for ticket information.

Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Football Championship. This collegiate championship event takes place the first week in December in Sam Boyd Stadium. Call tel. 702/731-5595 for ticket information. Ticket prices start around $20 and go up over $100 for the best seats.

New Year's Eve. This is a biggie (reserve your hotel room early). Downtown, on the Fremont Street Experience, there's a big block party with two dramatic countdowns to midnight (the first is at 9pm, midnight on the East Coast). The Strip is usually closed to street traffic, and hundreds of thousands of people pack the area for the festivities. Of course, there are fireworks.

New Year's Eve in Las Vegas

Over the past couple years, more and more people have been choosing Las Vegas as their party destination for New Year's Eve. While not quite a rival, in terms of sheer numbers, for New York City's Times Square, Nevada still offers a viable alternative site for ringing in the New Year.

From experience, we can tell you that a lot of people come here on December 31. We mean a lot of people. Traffic is a nightmare, parking (at least legally) is next to impossible, and there is not 1 square inch of the place that isn't occupied by a human being. Las Vegas doesn't really need a reason to throw a party, but when an event like this comes along, they do it up right. It doesn't make a bit of difference to the many gamblers who remain perched at tables and in front of machines, barely looking up long enough to mumble "Happynewyear" at the key moment.

A major portion of the Strip is closed down, sending the masses and their substantial quantities of alcohol into the street. Each year's celebration is a little different but usually includes a streetside performance by a major celebrity, confetti, the obligatory countdown, and fireworks.

For New Year's 2001, the city launched a massive fireworks extravaganza called "America's Party." It involved blasting pyrotechnics from the roofs of 10 different hotels in succession up the Strip, with a grand finale at midnight that rivaled the worldwide millennium celebrations the year before. The event was considered such a success that the city has made it an annual event.

Getting There

By Plane

Given the shambles the airline industry is in, writing this section makes us wince. Just be aware that the future of many of the following airlines was in varying degrees of doubt as we went to press.

The following airlines have regularly scheduled flights into Las Vegas (some of these are regional carriers, so they may not all fly from your point of origin): AeroMexico (tel. 800/237-6639; www.aeromexico.com); Air Canada (tel. 800/776-3000; www.aircanada.ca); Alaska Airlines (tel. 800/426-0333; www.alaskaair.com); Allegiant Air (tel. 702/505-8888; www.allegiantair.com); Aloha Air (tel. 800/367-5250; www.alohaairlines.com); American/American Eagle (tel. 800/433-7300; www.aa.com); American Trans Air (tel. 800/435-9282; www.ata.com); Continental (tel. 800/525-0280; www.continental.com); Delta/Skywest (tel. 800/221-1212; www.delta.com); Frontier Airlines (tel. 800/432-1359; www.flyfrontier.com); Harmony Airways (tel. 866/248-6789; www.hmyairways.com); Hawaiian Airlines (tel. 800/367-5320; www.hawaiianair.com); Japan Airlines (tel. 800/525-3663; www.jal.co.jp/en); JetBlue (tel. 800/538-2583; www.jetblue.com); Mexicana Airlines (tel. 800/531-7921; www.mexicana.com); Midwest Airlines (tel. 800/452-2022; www.midwestairlines.com); Northwest Airlines (tel. 800/225-2525; www.nwa.com); Philippine Airlines (tel. 800/435-9725; www.philippineairlines.com); Southwest Airlines (tel. 800/435-9792; www.southwest.com); Spirit Airlines (tel. 800/772-7117; www.spiritair.com); Ted Airlines (tel. 800/225-5833; www.flyted.com); United Air Lines (tel. 800/241-6522; www.united.com); US Airways (tel. 800/428-4322; www.usairways.com); and Virgin Atlantic Airways (tel. 800/862-8621; www.virgin-atlantic.com).

We've always enjoyed Southwest's relaxed attitude, and their service leaves few complaints. However, they mostly feature first-come, first-served seating, so if you want to avoid that, you can't go wrong with United -- assuming, of course, that they are still in business when you read this.

Then again, now might be the time to talk about the spiffy new leather seat/DirecTV wonder that is JetBlue (tel. 800/JET-BLUE or 800/538-2583; www.jetblue.com). First-time passengers usually turn into longtime converts. Currently, they fly to Las Vegas from Long Beach and Burbank, California; Boston; Washington, D.C.; and New York City -- and often for very low prices.

With the federalization of airport security, security procedures at U.S. airports are more stable and consistent than ever before. Bring a current, government-issued photo ID such as a driver's license or passport, and if you've got an e-ticket, print out the official confirmation page; you'll need to show your confirmation at the security checkpoint and your ID at the ticket counter or the gate. (Children under 18 do not need photo IDs for domestic flights, but the adults checking in with them do.)

Security lines are getting shorter than they were a couple years ago, but some doozies remain. We've heard reports of security checks and gridlocks causing delays of up to 4 and 5 hours, with plenty of missed flights as a result. If it's a busy convention or holiday weekend, you might want to plan accordingly. Better a long wait at the airport than a missed flight. If you have trouble standing for long periods of time, tell an airline employee; the airline will provide a wheelchair. Speed up security by not wearing metal objects such as big belt buckles or clanky earrings. If you've got metallic body parts, a note from your doctor can prevent a long chat with the security screeners. Keep in mind that only ticketed passengers are allowed past security, except for folks escorting passengers with disabilities, or unaccompanied children.

Federalization has stabilized what you can carry on and what you can't. The general rule is that sharp things are out, nail clippers are okay, and food and beverages must be passed through the X-ray machine -- but that security screeners can't make you drink from your coffee cup. Bring food in your carry-on rather than checking it, as explosive-detection machines used on checked luggage have been known to mistake food (especially chocolate, for some reason) for bombs. Travelers in the U.S. are allowed one carry-on bag, plus a "personal item" such as a purse, briefcase, or laptop bag. Carry-on hoarders can stuff all sorts of things into a laptop bag; as long as it has a laptop in it, it's still considered a personal item. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has issued a list of restricted items; check its website (www.tsa.gov/public/index.jsp) for details.

In 2003, the TSA phased out gate check-in at all U.S. airports. Passengers with e-tickets and without checked bags can still beat the ticket-counter lines by using electronic kiosks or even online check-in from home. Ask your airline which alternatives are available, and if you're using a kiosk, bring the credit card you used to book the ticket. If you're checking bags, you will still be able to use most airlines' kiosks; again, call your airline for up-to-date information. Curbside check-in is also a good way to avoid lines, although a few airlines still ban curbside check-in entirely; call before you go.

At press time, the TSA is also recommending that you not lock your checked luggage so screeners can search it by hand if necessary. The agency says to use plastic "zip ties" instead, which can be bought at hardware stores and can be easily cut off.

By Car

The main highway connecting Las Vegas with the rest of the country is I-15; it links Montana, Idaho, and Utah with Southern California. The drive from Los Angeles is quite popular and, thanks to the narrow two-lane highway, can get very crowded on Friday and Sunday afternoons with hopeful weekend gamblers making their way to and from Las Vegas. An expansion project is widening most of that stretch of road to three lanes in each direction, but until that project is complete, expect construction delays and often dangerous road conditions. (By the way, as soon as you cross the state line, there are three casinos ready to handle your immediate gambling needs, with two more about 20 min. up the road, 30 miles before you get to Las Vegas.)

From the east, take I-70 or I-80 west to Kingman, Arizona, and then U.S. 93 north to downtown Las Vegas (Fremont St.). From the south, take I-10 west to Phoenix and then U.S. 93 north to Las Vegas. From San Francisco, take I-80 east to Reno and then U.S. 95 south to Las Vegas.

Vegas is 286 miles from Phoenix, 759 miles from Denver, 421 miles from Salt Lake City, 269 miles from Los Angeles, and 586 miles from San Francisco.

By Train

Amtrak (tel. 800/USA-RAIL; www.amtrak.com) does not currently offer direct rail service, although plans have been in the works to restore the rails between Los Angeles and Las Vegas for years. At press time, Amtrak wouldn't confirm a date, but various reports have indicated that eventually they will restore service using the Talgo. This European-designed "Casino Train" will complete the trip from Los Angeles in about 5 1/2 hours, with a wholesale seat price of $99 round-trip. We've been hearing these reports for so long now, they just make us roll our eyes, but if and when this ever happens, you will have to fight us for a seat.

In the meantime, you can take the train to Los Angeles or Barstow, and Amtrak will get you to Las Vegas by bus.

Money Saving Packages

Package tours are simply a way to buy the airfare, accommodations, and other elements of a trip (such as car rentals, airport transfers, and sometimes even activities) at the same time and often at discounted prices.

One good source of package deals is the airlines themselves. Most major airlines offer air/land packages, including American Airlines Vacations (tel. 800/321-2121; www.aavacations.com), Delta Vacations (tel. 800/221-6666; www.deltavacations.com), Continental Airlines Vacations (tel. 800/301-3800; www.covacations.com), and United Vacations (tel. 888/854-3899; www.unitedvacations.com). Several big online travel agencies -- Expedia (www.expedia.com), Travelocity (www.travelocity.com), Orbitz (www.orbitz.com), Site59.com (www.site59.com), and lastminute.com (www.lastminute.com) -- also do a brisk business in packages.

Just to give you an example, at press time, Southwest Airlines (tel. 800/435-9792; www.southwest.com) was offering round-trip airfare from Los Angeles with 2 nights at several different hotels; per person based on double occupancy, for Bellagio it was $269, and for the Golden Nugget, $149 (before taxes and fees), although these prices vary dramatically depending on when you are traveling.

Travel packages are also listed in the travel section of local Sunday newspapers. Or check ads in national travel magazines such as Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel Magazine, Travel & Leisure, National Geographic Traveler, and Condé Nast Traveler.

Entry Requirements & Customs

Passports

For information on how to get a passport, go to "Passports" under "Fast Facts" -- the websites listed there provide downloadable passport applications as well as the current fees for processing passport applications. For an up-to-date, country-by-country listing of passport requirements around the world, go to the "Foreign Entry Requirement" Web page of the U.S. State Department, at http://travel.state.gov.

Visas

The U.S. State Department has a Visa Waiver Program that allows citizens of the following countries (at press time) to enter the United States without a visa for stays of up to 90 days: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Citizens of these nations need only a valid passport and a round-trip air or cruise ticket upon arrival. If they first enter the United States, they may also visit Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, and/or the Caribbean islands and return to the United States without a visa. Further information is available from any U.S. embassy or consulate. Canadian citizens may enter the United States without visas; they need only proof of residence.

Citizens of all other countries must have (1) a valid passport that expires at least 6 months later than the scheduled end of their visit to the United States and (2) a tourist visa, which may be obtained without charge from any U.S. consulate.

Medical Requirements

Unless you're arriving from an area known to be suffering from an epidemic (particularly cholera or yellow fever), inoculations or vaccinations are not required for entry into the United States. If you have a medical condition that requires syringe-administered medications, carry a valid signed prescription from your physician -- the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) no longer allows airline passengers to pack syringes in their carry-on baggage without documented proof of medical need. If you have a disease that requires treatment with narcotics, you should also carry documented proof with you -- smuggling narcotics aboard a plane is a serious offense that carries severe penalties in the U.S.

For HIV-positive visitors, requirements for entering the United States are somewhat vague and change frequently. For up-to-the-minute information, contact AIDSinfo (tel. 800/448-0440 or 301/519-6616 outside the U.S.; www.aidsinfo.nih.gov) or the Gay Men's Health Crisis (tel. 212/367-1000; www.gmhc.org).

Customs

What You Can Bring Into Las Vegas

Every visitor 21 years of age or older may bring in, free of duty, the following: (1) 1 liter of wine or hard liquor; (2) 200 cigarettes, 100 cigars (but not from Cuba), or 3 pounds of smoking tobacco; and (3) $100 worth of gifts. These exemptions are offered to travelers who spend at least 72 hours in the United States and who have not claimed them within the preceding 6 months. It is forbidden to bring into the country foodstuffs (particularly fruit, cooked meats, and canned goods) and plants (vegetables, seeds, tropical plants, and the like). Foreign tourists may carry in or out up to $10,000 in currency with no formalities; larger sums must be declared to U.S. Customs on entering or leaving. For details regarding U.S. Customs and Border Protection, consult a U.S. embassy or consulate, or U.S. Customs (tel. 202/927-1770; www.customs.ustreas.gov).

What You Can Take Home from Las Vegas

Canadian Citizens -- For a clear summary of Canadian rules, write for the booklet I Declare, issued by the Canada Border Services Agency (tel. 800/461-9999 in Canada, or 204/983-3500; www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca).

U.K. Citizens -- For information, contact HM Revenue & Customs at tel. 0845/010-9000 (from outside the U.K., 020/8929-0152), or see www.hmce.gov.uk.

Australian Citizens -- A helpful brochure available from Australian consulates or Customs offices is Know Before You Go. For more information, call the Australian Customs Service at tel. 1300/363-263, or log on to www.customs.gov.au.

New Zealand Citizens -- Most questions are answered in a free pamphlet available at New Zealand consulates and Customs offices: New Zealand Customs Guide for Travellers, Notice no. 4. For more information, contact New Zealand Customs Service, The Customhouse, 17-21 Whitmore St., Box 2218, Wellington (tel. 04/473-6099 or 0800/428-786; www.customs.govt.nz).

Money

Because Las Vegas is a town built on the concept of separating you from your money, it should come as no surprise that gaining access to money is very easy -- sometimes too easy. There are ATMs conveniently located about every 4 feet (okay, an exaggeration, but not by a lot), and check-cashing, credit-card-advance systems, and traveler's-check services are omnipresent. So getting to your money isn't a problem. Keeping it may be.

Las Vegas has grown progressively expensive in the recent past, with the concept of a cheap Sin City vacation a distant memory. Average room rates are over $200 a night, those formerly cheap buffets have been replaced by $20-a-person lavish spreads, and top show tickets easily surpass $100 a head.

And then of, course, there are the casinos, a money-losing proposition for the traveler if there ever was one.

ATMs

Nationwide, the easiest and best way to get cash away from home is from an ATM (automated teller machine), sometimes referred to as a "cash machine," or "cashpoint." The Cirrus (tel. 800/424-7787; www.mastercard.com) and PLUS (tel. 800/843-7587; www.visa.com) networks span the country; you can find them even in remote regions. Look at the back of your card to see which network you're on, then call or check online for ATM locations at your destination. Be sure you know your personal identification number (PIN) and daily withdrawal limit before you depart. Note: Remember that many banks impose a fee every time you use a card at another bank's ATM, and that fee can be higher for international transactions (up to $5 or more) than for domestic ones (which typically run $2-$3 in Las Vegas). In addition, the bank from which you withdraw cash may charge its own fee. To compare banks' ATM fees within the U.S., see www.bankrate.com. For international withdrawal fees, ask your bank.

Credit Cards & Debit Cards

Credit cards are the most widely used form of payment in the United States: Visa (Barclaycard in Britain), MasterCard (EuroCard in Europe, Access in Britain, Chargex in Canada), American Express, Diners Club, and Discover. They also provide a convenient record of all your expenses, and they generally offer relatively good exchange rates. You can withdraw cash advances from your credit cards at banks or ATMs, provided that you know your PIN.

Visitors from outside the U.S. should inquire whether their bank assesses a 1% to 3% fee on charges incurred abroad.

It's highly recommended that you travel with at least one major credit card. You must have one to rent a car, and hotels and airlines usually require a credit card imprint as a deposit against expenses.

ATM cards with major credit card backing, known as debit cards, are now a commonly acceptable form of payment in most stores and restaurants. Debit cards draw money directly from your checking account. Some stores enable you to receive "cash back" on your debit-card purchases as well. The same is true at most U.S. post offices.

Easy Money

You'll avoid lines at airport ATMs by exchanging at least some money -- just enough to cover airport incidentals and transportation to your hotel -- before you leave home. When you change money, ask for some small bills or loose change. Petty cash will come in handy for tipping and public transportation. Consider keeping the change separate from your larger bills so that it's readily accessible and you'll be less of a target for theft.

Traveler's Checks

Traveler's checks are widely accepted in the U.S., including Las Vegas, but foreign visitors should make sure that they're denominated in U.S. dollars.

You can buy traveler's checks at most banks. Most are offered in denominations of $20, $50, $100, $500, and sometimes $1,000. Generally, you'll pay a service charge ranging from 1% to 4%.

The most popular traveler's checks are offered by American Express (tel. 800/807-6233; tel. 800/221-7282 for cardholders -- this number offers service in several languages and exempts gold and platinum cardholders from the 1% fee); Visa (tel. 800/732-1322) -- AAA members can obtain Visa checks for a $9.95 fee (for checks up to $1,500) at most AAA offices or by calling tel. 866/339-3378; and MasterCard (tel. 800/223-9920).

If you carry traveler's checks, keep a record of their serial numbers separate from your checks in the event that they are stolen or lost. You'll get a refund faster if you know the numbers.

Tips for Senior Travelers

One of the benefits of age is that travel often costs less. Mention the fact that you're a senior when you make travel reservations. Although the major U.S. airlines have canceled their senior discount and coupon book programs, many hotels still offer discounts for seniors. In most cities, people over the age of 60 qualify for reduced admission to theaters, museums, and other attractions, as well as discounted fares on public transportation.

Members of AARP (formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons), 601 E St. NW, Washington, DC 20049 (tel. 888/687-2277; www.aarp.org), get discounts on hotels, airfares, and car rentals. AARP offers members a wide range of benefits, including AARP: The Magazine and a monthly newsletter. Anyone over 50 can join.

The U.S. National Park Service offers a Golden Age Passport that gives seniors 62 years and older lifetime entrance to all properties administered by the National Park Service -- national parks, monuments, historic sites, recreation areas, and national wildlife refuges -- for a one-time processing fee of $10. The passport can be purchased in person at any NPS facility that charges an entrance fee. Besides free entry, a Golden Age Passport also offers a 50% discount on federal-use fees charged for such facilities as camping, swimming, parking, boat launching, and tours. For more information, go to www.nps.gov/fees_passes.htm or call tel. 888/467-2757.

Many reliable agencies and organizations target the 50-plus market. Elderhostel (tel. 877/426-8056; www.elderhostel.org) arranges study programs for those age 55 and over. ElderTreks (tel. 800/741-7956; www.eldertreks.com) offers small-group tours to off-the-beaten-path or adventure-travel locations, restricted to travelers 50 and older. INTRAV (tel. 800/456-8100; www.intrav.com) is a high-end tour operator that caters to the mature, discerning traveler (not specifically seniors), with trips around the world that include guided safaris, polar expeditions, private-jet adventures, and small-boat cruises down jungle rivers.

Recommended publications offering travel resources and discounts for seniors include the quarterly magazine Travel 50 & Beyond (www.travel50andbeyond.com); Travel Unlimited: Uncommon Adventures for the Mature Traveler (Avalon), by Alison Gardner; 101 Tips for Mature Travelers, available from Grand Circle Travel (tel. 800/221-2610 or 617/350-7500; www.gct.com); and Unbelievably Good Deals and Great Adventures That You Absolutely Can't Get Unless You're Over 50 (McGraw-Hill), by Joann Rattner Heilman.

Tips for Travelers with Pets

Las Vegas is not a very pet-friendly town, at least not for visitors. The Four Seasons is the only hotel on the Strip that allows pets, and because it's one of the most expensive hotels in town, you may find it more economical to leave Fluffy or Fido with a sitter.

With the exceptions of helper-animals for persons with disabilities and Chihuahuas owned by Paris Hilton (which can apparently go anywhere they darned well please), pets are also not allowed in most public places, like casinos and restaurants.

But if you can't bear the thought of leaving Snookums at home, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (tel. 877/VISIT-LV or 702/892-0711; www.visitlasvegas.com) can provide you with a list of pet-friendly lodgings away from the Strip, or you can check out the following websites: petswelcome.com (www.petswelcome.com), PetTravel.com (www.pettravel.com), and Travel Pets (www.travelpets.com).

Tips for Gay and Lesbian Travelers

For such a licentious, permissive town, Las Vegas has its conservative side and is not the most gay-friendly city. This will not manifest itself in any signs of outrage toward open displays of gay affection, but it does mean that the local gay community is largely confined to the bar scene. This may be changing, with local gay pride parades and other activities gathering steam each year, including the first-ever nighttime parade through Downtown, with the mayor in attendance, in 2001.

The International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) (tel. 800/448-8550 or 954/776-2626; www.iglta.org), a trade association for the gay and lesbian travel industry, offers an online directory of gay- and lesbian-friendly travel businesses; go to their website and click on "Members."

Many agencies offer tours and travel itineraries specifically for gay and lesbian travelers. Among them are Above and Beyond Tours (tel. 800/397-2681; www.abovebeyondtours.com); Now, Voyager (tel. 800/255-6951; www.nowvoyager.com); and Olivia Cruises & Resorts (tel. 800/631-6277; www.olivia.com).

Gay.com Travel (tel. 800/929-2268 or 415/644-8044; www.gay.com/travel or www.outandabout.com) is an excellent online successor to the popular Out & About print magazine. It provides regularly updated information about gay-owned, gay-oriented, and gay-friendly lodging, dining, sightseeing, nightlife, and shopping establishments in every important destination worldwide.

The following travel guides are available at many bookstores, or you can order them from any online bookseller: Spartacus International Gay Guide (Bruno Gmünder Verlag; www.spartacusworld.com/gayguide) and Odysseus: The International Gay Travel Planner (Odysseus Enterprises Ltd.); and the Damron guides (www.damron.com), with separate, annual books for gay men and lesbians.

Tips for Travelers with Disabilities

Most disabilities shouldn't stop anyone from traveling in the U.S. There are more options and resources out there than ever before.

On the one hand, Las Vegas is fairly well equipped for travelers with disabilities, with virtually every hotel having accessible rooms, ramps, and other requirements. On the other hand, the distance between hotels (particularly on the Strip) makes a vehicle of some sort virtually mandatory for most people with disabilities, and it may be extremely strenuous and time-consuming to get from place to place (even within a single hotel, because of the crowds). Even if you don't intend to gamble, you still may have to go through the casino, and casinos can be quite difficult to maneuver in, particularly for a guest in a wheelchair. Casinos are usually crowded, and the machines and tables are often laid out close together, with chairs, people, and such blocking easy access. You should also consider that it is often a long trek through larger hotels between the entrance and the room elevators (or, for that matter, anywhere in the hotel), and then add a crowded casino to the equation.

The Golden Access Passport gives visually impaired or permanently disabled persons (regardless of age) free lifetime entrance to all properties administered by the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Tennessee Valley Authority. This may include national parks, monuments, historic sites, recreation areas, and national wildlife refuges.

Many travel agencies offer customized tours and itineraries for travelers with disabilities. Among them are Flying Wheels Travel (tel. 507/451-5005; www.flyingwheelstravel.com); Access-Able Travel Source (tel. 303/232-2979; www.access-able.com); and Accessible Journeys (tel. 800/846-4537 or 610/521-0339; www.disabilitytravel.com). Avis Rent a Car has an "Avis Access" program that offers such services as a dedicated 24-hour toll-free number (tel. 888/879-4273) for customers with special travel needs; special car features such as swivel seats, spinner knobs, and hand controls; and accessible bus service.

Organizations that offer assistance to disabled travelers include MossRehab (www.mossresourcenet.org); the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) (tel. 800/232-5463; www.afb.org); and SATH (Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality) (tel. 212/447-7284; www.sath.org). AirAmbulanceCard.com is now partnered with SATH and allows you to preselect top-notch hospitals in case of an emergency.

Also check out the quarterly magazine Emerging Horizons (www.emerginghorizons.com) and Open World magazine, published by SATH.

Tips on Accommodations

Landing the Best Room

Somebody has to get the best room in the house. It might as well be you. You can start by joining the hotel's frequent-guest program, which may make you eligible for upgrades. A hotel-branded credit card usually gives its owner "silver" or "gold" status in frequent-guest programs for free. In the case of Las Vegas, joining a casino hotel's players club may net you upgrade privileges. Always ask about a corner room. They're often larger and quieter, with more windows and light, and they often cost the same as other rooms. When you make your reservation, ask if the hotel is renovating; if it is, request a room away from the construction. Ask about nonsmoking rooms, rooms with views, rooms with twin, queen-, or king-size beds. If you're a light sleeper, request a quiet room away from vending machines, elevators, restaurants, bars, and discos. Ask for one of the rooms that have been most recently renovated or redecorated.

If you aren't happy with your room when you arrive, say so. If another room is available, most lodgings will be willing to accommodate you. And while it may seem hopelessly outdated, the fact is that tipping a desk clerk in Las Vegas -- if you can do it with a straight face -- can still sometimes produce results.

In Las Vegas, asking the following questions is also useful before you book a room:

What's the view like? Cost-conscious travelers may be willing to pay less for a back room facing the parking lot, especially if they don't plan to spend much time in their room. A room on a higher floor with a view of the Strip can cost up to $20 a night extra at some hotels. (Paris Las Vegas, for example, charges more for rooms that overlook the Bellagio fountains.)

How far is the room from the main entrance, the casino, and other amenities? We know one exercise fanatic who didn't mind skipping her workouts in Vegas because her room was almost a mile away (or felt like it), one-way, from the hotel's entrance. Most of the world's largest hotels are in Las Vegas, so make sure your room is close to the action if you don't want to hoof it too often.

Health & Safety

Staying Healthy

By and large, Las Vegas is like most other major American cities in that the water is relatively clean, the air is relatively clear, and illness-bearing insects and animals are rare. However, in a city with this many people coming and going from all over the world, there are a couple of specific concerns worth noting.

Over the past few years, there have been a few outbreaks of norovirus at Las Vegas hotels. This virus, most commonly associated with cruise ships, is rarely serious but can turn your vacation into a very unpleasant experience of intestinal illness. Because it is spread by contact, you can protect yourself by washing your hands often, especially after touching all of those slot machines.

Food preparation guidelines in Las Vegas are among the strictest in the world, but when you're dealing with the sheer volume that this city is, you're bound to run into trouble every now and then. All restaurants are required by law to display a health certificate and letter grade (A, B, or C) that indicates how well they did on their last inspection. An A grade doesn't mean you will never get food poisoning, but it does mean they do a better-than-average job in the kitchen.

General Availability of Health Care -- Contact the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (IAMAT) (tel. 716/754-4883 or, in Canada, 416/652-0137; www.iamat.org) for tips on travel and health concerns in the countries you're visiting and for lists of local, English-speaking doctors. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (tel. 800/311-3435; www.cdc.gov) provides up-to-date information on health hazards by region or country and offers tips on food safety. The website www.tripprep.com, sponsored by a consortium of travel medicine practitioners, also offers helpful advice on traveling abroad. You can find listings of reliable clinics overseas at the International Society of Travel Medicine site, www.istm.org.

Avoiding "Economy-Class Syndrome" -- Deep vein thrombosis, known in the world of flying as "economy-class syndrome," is a blood clot that develops in a deep vein. It's a potentially deadly condition that can be caused by sitting in cramped conditions -- such as an airplane cabin -- for too long. During a flight, get up, walk around, and stretch your legs every 60 to 90 minutes to keep your blood flowing. Other preventive measures include frequent flexing of the legs while sitting, drinking lots of water, and avoiding alcohol and sleeping pills. If you have a history of deep vein thrombosis, heart disease, or another condition that puts you at high risk, ask your physician about the best course for you. Symptoms of deep vein thrombosis include leg pain or swelling, as well as shortness of breath.

What to Do if You Get Sick Away From Home -- We list hospitals, urgent care centers, and emergency numbers under "Fast Facts: Las Vegas" in chapter 3. For physician referrals, call Desert Springs Hospital (tel. 702/388-4888) Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm and Saturday from 9am to 3pm, except holidays, or 24 hours a day online at www.desertspringshospital.net.

If you suffer from a chronic illness, consult your doctor before departure. Pack prescription medications in your carry-on luggage, and carry them in their original containers, with pharmacy labels -- otherwise, they won't make it through airport security. Visitors from outside the U.S. should carry generic names of prescription drugs. For U.S. travelers, most reliable health-care plans provide coverage if you get sick away from home. Foreign visitors may have to pay all medical costs upfront and be reimbursed later. See "Medical Insurance," earlier in this chapter.

Staying Safe

CSI, one of the nation's top-rated TV shows, may turn up new corpses each week, but the crime rate in real-life Vegas isn't higher than in any other major metropolis of its size.

With all that cash floating around town, pickpockets and thieves are predictably active, so keep an eye on your belongings and store valuables in your in-room safe or a hotel safety-deposit box. And don't flash your cash; it might attract the wrong kind of attention, and your big bucks will go bye-bye.

Tips for Women Travelers

Las Vegas, thanks to the crowds, is as safe as any other big city for a woman traveling alone. A woman on her own should, of course, take the usual precautions and should be wary of hustlers and drunken businessmen who may mistake her for a "working girl." (Alas, million-dollar proposals a la Robert Redford are a rarity.) Many of the big hotels (all MGM MIRAGE hotels, for example) have security guards stationed at the elevators at night to prevent anyone other than guests from going up to the room floors. Ask when you make your reservation. If you're anxious, ask a security guard to escort you to your room. Always double-lock your door and deadbolt it to prevent intruders from entering.

Check out the award-winning website Journeywoman (www.journeywoman.com), a "real life" women's travel-information network, where you can sign up for a free e-mail newsletter and get advice on everything from etiquette and dress to safety; or the travel guide Safety and Security for Women Who Travel by Sheila Swan and Peter Laufer (Travelers' Tales, Inc.), which offers commonsense tips on safe travel.

Insurance

The cost of travel insurance varies, depending on the cost and length of the trip, your age and health, and the type of trip you're taking, but expect to pay between 5% and 8% of the vacation itself. You can get estimates from various providers through InsureMyTrip.com. Enter your trip cost and dates, your age, and other information, for prices from more than a dozen companies.

Trip-Cancellation Insurance

Trip-cancellation insurance will help retrieve your money if you have to back out of a trip or depart early, or if your travel supplier goes bankrupt. Permissible reasons for trip cancellation can range from sickness to natural disasters to the State Department declaring a destination unsafe for travel.

For more information, contact one of the following recommended insurers: Access America (tel. 866/807-3982; www.accessamerica.com); Travel Guard International (tel. 800/826-4919; www.travelguard.com); Travel Insured International (tel. 800/243-3174; www.travelinsured.com); or Travelex Insurance Services (tel. 888/457-4602; www.travelex-insurance.com).

Medical Insurance

Although it's not required for travelers, health insurance is highly recommended. Most health insurance policies cover you if you get sick away from home -- but verify that you're covered before you depart, particularly if you're insured by an HMO.

International visitors should note that unlike many European countries, the United States does not usually offer free or low-cost medical care to its citizens or visitors. Doctors and hospitals are expensive, and in most cases require advance payment or proof of coverage before they render their services. Good policies cover the costs of an accident, repatriation, or death. Packages such as Europ Assistance's "Worldwide Healthcare Plan" are sold by European automobile clubs and travel agencies at attractive rates. Worldwide Assistance Services, Inc. (tel. 800/777-8710; www.worldwideassistance.com) is the agent for Europ Assistance in the U.S.

Though lack of health insurance may prevent you from being admitted to a hospital in nonemergencies, don't worry about being left on a street corner to die: The American way is to fix you now and bill the living daylights out of you later.

Insurance for British Travelers -- Most big travel agents offer their own insurance and are likely to try to sell you their package when you book a holiday. Think before you sign. Britain's Consumers' Association recommends that you insist on seeing the policy and reading the fine print before buying travel insurance. The Association of British Insurers (tel. 020/7600-3333; www.abi.org.uk) gives advice by phone and publishes Holiday Insurance, a free guide to policy provisions and prices. You might also shop around for better deals: Try Columbus Direct (tel. 0870/033-9988; www.columbusdirect.net).

Insurance for Canadian Travelers -- Canadians should check with their provincial health plan offices or call Health Canada (tel. 866/225-0709; www.hc-sc.gc.ca) to find out the extent of their coverage and what documentation and receipts they must take home in case they are treated in the United States.

Lost-Luggage Insurance

On flights within the U.S., checked baggage is covered up to $2,500 per ticketed passenger. On flights outside the U.S. (and on U.S. portions of international trips), baggage coverage is limited to approximately $9.07 per pound, up to approximately $635 per checked bag. If you plan to check items more valuable than what's covered by the standard liability, see if your homeowner's policy covers your valuables, get baggage insurance as part of your comprehensive travel-insurance package, or buy Travel Guard's "BagTrak" product; call tel. 800/826-4919 or visit www.travelguard.com.

If your luggage is lost, immediately file a lost-luggage claim at the airport, detailing the luggage contents. Most airlines require that you report delayed, damaged, or lost baggage within 4 hours of arrival. The airlines are required to deliver luggage, once found, directly to your house or destination free of charge.

Tips for Families

Family travel can be immensely rewarding, giving you new ways of seeing the world through smaller pairs of eyes. That said, Vegas is hardly an ideal place to bring the kids. For one thing, they're not allowed in casinos at all. Because most hotels are laid out so that you frequently have to walk through their casinos, you can see how this becomes a headache. Some casino hotels will not allow the children of nonguests on the premises after 6pm -- and this policy is seriously enforced.

Note also that the Las Vegas Strip is often peppered with people distributing fliers and other information about decidedly adult entertainment options in the city. Sex is everywhere. Just walking down the Strip might give your kids an eyeful of items that you might prefer they avoid. (They don't call it Sin City for nothing!)

On top of everything else, there is a curfew law in Vegas: Kids younger than 18 are not permitted on the Strip without a parent after 9pm on weekends and holidays. In the rest of the county, minors can't be out without parents after 10pm on school nights and midnight on the weekends.

Although still an option at most smaller chain hotels and motels, the major casino-hotels on the Strip offer no discount for children staying in your room, so you may have to pay an additional fee (anywhere from $10-$40 per person per night) to have them bunk with you. You'll definitely want to book a place with a pool. Some hotels also have enormous video arcades and other diversions.

Recommended family travel websites include Family Travel Forum (www.familytravelforum.com), a comprehensive site that offers customized trip planning; Family Travel Network (www.familytravelnetwork.com), an award-winning site that offers travel features, deals, and tips; Travelwithyourkids.com (www.travelwithyourkids.com), a comprehensive site offering sound advice for long-distance and international travel with children; and familytravelfiles.com (www.thefamilytravelfiles.com), which offers an online magazine and a directory of off-the-beaten-path tours and tour operators for families.

Getting to Know Las Vegas

Located in the southernmost precincts of a wide, pancake-flat valley, Las Vegas is the biggest city in the state of Nevada. Treeless mountains form a scenic backdrop to hotels awash in neon glitter. Although it is one of the fastest-growing cities in America, for tourism purposes, the city is quite compact.

Fast Facts

American Express -- There is an Amex Travel office located at The Fashion Show Mall, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas, NV 89109 (tel. 702/739-8474).

Area Code -- The area code for Las Vegas is 702.

Automobile Organizations -- Auto clubs supply maps, suggested routes, guidebooks, accident and bail-bond insurance, and emergency road service. The American Automobile Association (AAA) is the major auto club in the United States. If you belong to an auto club in your home country, inquire about AAA reciprocity before you leave. You may be able to join AAA even if you're not a member of a reciprocal club; to inquire, call AAA (tel. 800/222-4357; www.aaa.com). AAA is actually an organization of regional auto clubs, so look under "AAA Automobile Club" in the White Pages of the telephone directory to find a local number or try AAA's nationwide emergency road service telephone number (tel. 800/AAA-HELP).

Babysitters -- Contact Around the Clock Child Care (tel. 800/798-6768 or 702/365-1040). In business since 1987, this reputable company clears its sitters with the health department, the sheriff, and the FBI and carefully screens references. Charges are $75 for 4 hours for one or two children, $15 for each additional hour, with surcharges for additional children and on holidays. Sitters are on call 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, and they will come to your hotel. Call at least 3 hours in advance.

Banks -- Banks are generally open from 9 or 10am to 5 and sometimes 6pm, and most have Saturday hours. ATMs are plentiful all around town. When the banks are closed, note that most casino cashiers will cash personal checks and can exchange foreign currency.

Business Hours -- Casinos and most bars are open 24 hours a day, nightclubs are usually only open late at night into the early morning hours, and restaurant and attraction hours vary.

Conventions -- Las Vegas is one of America's top convention destinations. Much of the action takes place at the Las Vegas Convention Center, 3150 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89109 (tel. 702/892-7575), which is the largest single-level convention center in the world. Its 3.2 million square feet include 144 meeting rooms. The Las Vegas Convention Center is currently being enhanced, with a goal of serving an astonishing 43 million visitors by 2009. And this immense facility is augmented by the Cashman Field Center, 850 Las Vegas Blvd. N., Las Vegas, NV 89101 (tel. 702/386-7100). Under the same auspices, Cashman provides another 100,000 square feet of exhibit space. Additionally, there are massive convention facilities at many of the big hotels, including the MGM Grand, The Mirage, Mandalay Bay, The Venetian, and more.

Currency -- The most common bills are the $1 (a "buck"), $5, $10, and $20 denominations. There are also $2 bills (seldom encountered), $50 bills, and $100 bills (the last two are usually not welcome as payment for small purchases). Coins come in seven denominations: 1¢ (1 cent, or a penny); 5¢ (5 cents, or a nickel); 10¢ (10 cents, or a dime); 25¢ (25 cents, or a quarter); 50¢ (50 cents, or a half-dollar); the gold-colored Sacagawea coin, worth $1; and the rare silver dollar.

Doctors & Dentists -- Hotels usually have lists of doctors and dentists, should you need one. In addition, they are listed in the Yellow Pages.

For dentist referrals, you can also call the Southern Nevada Dental Society (tel. 702/733-8700; www.sndsonline.org) weekdays from 9am to noon and 1 to 5pm; when the office is closed, a recording will tell you whom to call for emergency service.

For physician referrals, call the Desert Springs Hospital (tel. 702/388-4888; www.desertspringshospital.net). Hours are Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm and Saturday from 9am to 3pm.

Drinking Laws -- The legal age for purchase and consumption of alcoholic beverages is 21; proof of age is required and often requested at bars, nightclubs, and restaurants, so it's always a good idea to carry ID when you go out.

Beer, wine, and liquor are all sold in all kinds of stores pretty much around the clock; trust us, you won't have a hard time finding a drink in this town.

Do not carry open containers of alcohol in a car or any public area that isn't zoned for alcohol consumption. The Strip and Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas are the only areas in town where you can have open containers on public sidewalks; otherwise, the police can fine you on the spot. And nothing will ruin your trip faster than getting a citation for DUI ("driving under the influence"), so don't even think about driving while intoxicated.

Electricity -- Like Canada, the United States uses 110 to 120 volts AC (60 cycles), compared to 220 to 240 volts AC (50 cycles) in most of Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Downward converters that change 220-240 volts to 110-120 volts are difficult to find in the United States, so bring one with you if you need one.

Embassies & Consulates -- All embassies are located in the nation's capital, Washington, D.C. Some consulates are located in major U.S. cities, and most nations have missions to the United Nations in New York City. If your country isn't listed below, call for directory information in Washington, D.C. (tel. 202/555-1212) or log on to www.embassy.org/embassies.

The embassy of Australia is at 1601 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036 (tel. 202/797-3000; www.austemb.org). There are consulates in New York, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

The embassy of Canada is at 501 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001 (tel. 202/682-1740; www.canadianembassy.org). Other Canadian consulates are in Buffalo (New York), Detroit, Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle.

The embassy of Ireland is at 2234 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202/462-3939; www.irelandemb.org). Irish consulates are in Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and other cities. See website for complete listing.

The embassy of New Zealand is at 37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202/328-4800; www.nzemb.org). New Zealand consulates are in Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and Seattle.

The embassy of the United Kingdom is at 3100 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202/588-7800; www.britainusa.com). Other British consulates are in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle.

Emergencies -- Dial tel. 911 to contact the police or fire department or to call an ambulance.

Gambling Laws -- You must be 21 years of age to enter, much less gamble in, any casino. If you look young, carry your identification with you as you may be asked to prove your age. Most casinos are open 24 hours a day.

Gasoline (Petrol) -- At press time, in the U.S., the cost of gasoline (also known as gas, but never petrol), is considerably higher than it used to be. Las Vegas prices typically fall near the nationwide average (higher than some areas but lower than others) and are around $2.90 per gallon as of this writing. Taxes are already included in the advertised price per gallon. One U.S. gallon equals 3.8 liters or 0.85 imperial gallons. Fill-up locations are known as gas stations or service stations.

Highway Conditions -- For recorded information, call tel. 702/486-3116. You can also tune in 970 AM for traffic news or 1610 AM for highway reports.

Holidays -- Banks, government offices, post offices, and many stores, restaurants, and museums are closed on the following legal national holidays: January 1 (New Year's Day), the third Monday in January (Martin Luther King, Jr., Day), the third Monday in February (Presidents' Day), the last Monday in May (Memorial Day), July 4th (Independence Day), the first Monday in September (Labor Day), the second Monday in October (Columbus Day), November 11 (Veterans' Day/Armistice Day), the fourth Thursday in November (Thanksgiving Day), and December 25 (Christmas). The Tuesday after the first Monday in November is Election Day, a federal government holiday in presidential-election years (held every 4 years, and next in 2008).

Hospitals -- Emergency services are available 24 hours a day at University Medical Center, 1800 W. Charleston Blvd., at Shadow Lane (tel. 702/383-2000; www.umc-cares.org); the emergency-room entrance is on the corner of Hastings and Rose streets. Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, 3186 Maryland Pkwy., between Desert Inn Road and Sahara Avenue (tel. 702/731-8080; www.sunrisehospital.com), also has a 24-hour emergency room.

For more minor problems, try the Harmon Medical Urgent Care Center, the closest to the Strip, with doctors and X-ray machines; it's located at 105 E. Harmon at Koval, near the MGM Grand (tel. 702/796-1116; www.harmonmedicalcenter.com). It's open 24 hours, and there is a pharmacy on site.

Hot Lines -- Emergency hot lines include the Rape Crisis Center (tel. 702/366-1640), Suicide Prevention (tel. 702/731-2990), and Poison Emergencies (tel. 800/446-6179).

Legal Aid -- If you are "pulled over" for a minor infraction (such as speeding), never attempt to pay the fine directly to a police officer; this could be construed as attempted bribery, a much more serious crime. Pay fines by mail or directly into the hands of the clerk of the court. If you are accused of a more serious offense, say and do nothing before consulting a lawyer. In the U.S., the burden is on the state to prove a person's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and everyone has the right to remain silent, whether he or she is suspected of a crime or actually arrested. Once arrested, a person can make one telephone call to a party of his or her choice. International visitors should call their embassy or consulate.

Lost & Found -- Be sure to tell all your credit-card companies the minute you discover your wallet has been lost or stolen and file a report at the nearest police precinct. Your credit-card company or insurer may require a police report number or record of the loss. Most credit-card companies have an emergency toll-free number to call if your card is lost or stolen; they may be able to wire you a cash advance immediately or deliver an emergency credit card in a day or two. Visa's U.S. emergency number is tel. 800/847-2911 or 410/581-9994. American Express cardholders and traveler's-check holders should call tel. 800/221-7282. MasterCard holders should call tel. 800/307-7309 or 636/722-7111. For other credit cards, call the toll-free number directory, at tel. 800/555-1212.

If you need emergency cash over the weekend when all banks and American Express offices are closed, you can have money wired to you via Western Union (tel. 800/325-6000; www.westernunion.com).

Mail -- At press time, domestic postage rates are 24¢ for a postcard and 39¢ for a letter. For international mail, a first-class letter of up to 1 ounce costs 84¢ (63¢ to Canada and Mexico); a first-class postcard costs 75¢ (55¢ to Canada and Mexico); and a preprinted postal aerogramme costs 75¢. For more information, go to www.usps.com and click on "Calculate Postage."

If you aren't sure what your address will be in the United States, mail can be sent to you, in your name, c/o General Delivery at the main post office of the city or region where you expect to be. (Call tel. 800/275-8777 for information on the nearest post office.) The addressee must pick up mail in person and must produce proof of identity (driver's license, passport, and so on). Most post offices will hold your mail for up to 1 month and are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm and Saturday from 9am to 3pm.

Always include zip codes when mailing items in the U.S. If you don't know the zip code, visit www.usps.com/zip4.

Newspapers & Periodicals -- There are two Las Vegas dailies: the Las Vegas Review Journal and the Las Vegas Sun. The Review Journal's Friday edition has a helpful "Weekend" section with a comprehensive guide to shows and buffets. There are two free alternative papers, with club listings and many unbiased restaurant and bar reviews. Both City Life and Las Vegas Weekly are published weekly. And at every hotel desk, you'll find dozens of free local magazines, such as Vegas Visitor, What's On in Las Vegas, Showbiz Weekly, and Where to Go in Las Vegas, that are chock-full of helpful information -- although probably of the sort that comes from paid advertising.

Parking -- Free valet parking is one of the great pleasures of Las Vegas and well worth the $1 or $2 tip (given when the car is returned) to save walking a city block from the far reaches of a hotel parking lot, particularly when the temperature is over 100°F (38°C). Another summer plus: The valet will turn on your air-conditioning so that you don't have to get into an oven on wheels.

Passports -- For residents of Australia: You can pick up an application from your local post office or any branch of Passports Australia, but you must schedule an interview at the passport office to present your application materials. Call the Australian Passport Information Service at tel. 131-232 or visit the government website, at www.passports.gov.au.

For residents of Canada: Passport applications are available at travel agencies throughout Canada or from the central Passport Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G3 (tel. 800/567-6868; www.ppt.gc.ca). Note: Canadian children who travel must have their own passports. However, if you hold a valid Canadian passport issued before December 11, 2001, that bears the name of your child, the passport remains valid for you and your child until the passport expires.

For residents of Ireland: You can apply for a 10-year passport at the Passport Office, Setanta Centre, Molesworth St., Dublin 2 (tel. 01/671-1633; www.irlgov.ie/iveagh). Those under age 18 and over 65 must apply for a €12 3-year passport. You can also apply at 1A South Mall, Cork (tel. 021/272-525) or at most main post offices.

For residents of New Zealand: You can pick up a passport application at any New Zealand Passports Office (tel. 0800/225-050; www.passports.govt.nz).

For residents of the United Kingdom: To pick up an application for a standard 10-year passport (5-yr. passport for children under 16), visit your nearest passport office, major post office, or travel agency or contact the United Kingdom Passport Service (tel. 0870/521-0410; www.ukpa.gov.uk).

Pharmacies -- There's a 24-hour Walgreen's (which also has a 1-hr. photo) at 3763 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 702/739-9638) almost directly across from the Monte Carlo. Sav-On is a large 24-hour drugstore and pharmacy close to the Strip at 1360 E. Flamingo Rd., at Maryland Parkway (tel. 702/731-5373 for the pharmacy, 702/737-0595 for general merchandise). White Cross Drugs, 1700 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 702/382-1733), open daily 7am to 1am, will make pharmacy deliveries to your hotel during the day.

Police -- For non-emergencies, call tel. 702/795-3111. For emergencies, call tel. 911.

Post Office -- The most convenient post office is immediately behind the Stardust Hotel at 3100 Industrial Rd., between Sahara Avenue and Spring Mountain Road (tel. 800/297-5543). It's open Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm. You can also mail letters and packages at your hotel, and there's a full-service U.S. Post Office in the Forum Shops in Caesars Palace.

Safety -- In Las Vegas, vast amounts of money are always on display, and criminals find many easy marks. Don't be one of them. At gaming tables and slot machines, men should keep wallets well concealed and out of the reach of pickpockets, and women should keep handbags in plain sight (on laps). If you win a big jackpot, ask the pit boss or slot attendant to cut you a check rather than give you cash -- the cash may look nice, but flashing it can attract the wrong kind of attention. Outside casinos, popular spots for pickpockets and thieves are restaurants and outdoor shows, such as the volcano at The Mirage or the fountains at Bellagio. Stay alert. Unless your hotel room has an in-room safe, check your valuables in a safe-deposit box at the front desk.

Taxes -- Sales tax is 7%. The Clark County hotel room tax is 9%, and in Henderson it's 10%. The United States has no value-added tax (VAT) or other indirect tax at the national level. Every state, county, and city may levy its own local tax on all purchases, including hotel and restaurant checks and airline tickets. These taxes do not appear on price tags.

Telephone, Telegraph, Fax & Internet -- Generally, hotel surcharges on long-distance and local calls are astronomical, so you're better off using your cellphone or a public pay telephone. Many convenience groceries and packaging services sell prepaid calling cards in denominations up to $50; for international visitors these can be the least expensive way to call home. Many public phones at airports now accept American Express, MasterCard, and Visa credit cards. Local calls made from public pay phones in most locales cost either 25¢ or 35¢. Pay phones do not accept pennies, and few will take anything larger than a quarter.

Most long-distance and international calls can be dialed directly from any phone. For calls within the United States and to Canada, dial 1 followed by the area code and the seven-digit number. For other international calls, dial 011 followed by the country code, city code, and the number you are calling. Calls to area codes 800, 888, 877, and 866 are toll-free. However, calls to area codes 700 and 900 (chat lines, bulletin boards, "dating" services, and so on) can be very expensive -- usually a charge of 95¢ to $3 or more per minute, and they sometimes have minimum charges that can run as high as $15 or more.

For reversed-charge or collect calls, and for person-to-person calls, dial the number 0 then the area code and number; an operator will come on the line, and you should specify whether you are calling collect, person-to-person, or both. If your operator-assisted call is international, ask for the overseas operator. For local directory assistance ("information"), dial tel. 411; for long-distance information, dial 1, then the appropriate area code and 555-1212. Telegraph and telex services are provided primarily by Western Union. You can telegraph money, or have it telegraphed to you, very quickly over the Western Union system, but this service can cost as much as 15% to 20% of the amount sent.

Most hotels have fax machines available for guest use (be sure to ask about the charge to use one). Many hotel rooms are even wired for guests' fax machines. A less expensive way to send and receive faxes may be at stores such as The UPS Store (check the Yellow Pages).

Every major hotel has some kind of Internet access, either Web TV or some kind of high-speed Internet access, usually for a fee. A few places have free Wi-Fi.

Time Zone -- Las Vegas is in the Pacific time zone, 3 hours behind the East Coast, 2 hours behind the Midwest.

The continental United States is divided into four time zones: Eastern standard time (EST), Central standard time (CST), Mountain standard time (MST), and Pacific standard time (PST). Alaska and Hawaii have their own zones. For example, when it's 9am in Las Vegas (PST), it's 7am in Honolulu (HST),10am in Denver (MST), 11am in Chicago (CST), noon in New York City (EST), 5pm in London (GMT), and 2am the next day in Sydney.

Daylight saving time takes effect at 2am the second Sunday in March until 2am the first Sunday in November, except in Arizona, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Daylight saving time moves the clock 1 hour ahead of standard time.

Tipping -- Tips are a very important part of certain workers' income, and gratuities are the standard way of showing appreciation for services provided. (Tipping is certainly not compulsory if the service is poor!) In hotels, tip bellhops at least $1 per bag ($2-$3 if you have a lot of luggage) and tip the chamber staff $1 to $2 per day (more if you've left a disaster area for him or her to clean up). Tip the doorman or concierge only if he or she has provided you with some specific service (for example, calling a cab for you or obtaining difficult-to-get theater tickets). Tip the valet-parking attendant $1 every time you get your car.

In restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, tip service staff 15% to 20% of the check, tip bartenders 10% to 15%, tip checkroom attendants $1 per garment, and tip valet-parking attendants $1 per vehicle.

It is customary, but not mandatory, to tip dealers and casino personnel for dealing that terrific blackjack hand or for hand-paying a big slot machine win. How much depends on how generous you are feeling and how big you won.

As for other service personnel, tip cab drivers 15% of the fare; tip skycaps at airports at least $1 per bag ($2-$3 if you have a lot of luggage); and tip hairdressers and barbers 15% to 20%.

Toilets -- You won't find public toilets or "restrooms" on the streets in most U.S. cities, but restrooms are usually available in hotel lobbies, bars, restaurants, museums, department stores, railway and bus stations, and service stations. Large hotels and fast-food restaurants are often the best bet for clean facilities. If possible, avoid the toilets at parks and beaches, which tend to be dirty; some may be unsafe. Restaurants and bars in heavily visited areas may reserve their restrooms for patrons.

Useful Phone Numbers -- Some useful numbers for travelers, especially those from outside the U.S., are U.S. Dept. of State Travel Advisory (tel. 202/647-5225, staffed 24 hrs.); U.S. Passport Agency (tel. 202/647-0518); U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention International Traveler's Hotline (tel. 404/332-4559).

Veterinarian -- If Fido or Fluffy gets sick while traveling, go to the West Flamingo Animal Hospital, 5445 W. Flamingo Rd., near Decatur Boulevard (tel. 702/876-2111; www.westflamingo.vetsuite.com). They're open 24 hours; they take Discover, MasterCard, and Visa; and they have an ATM.

Visas -- For information about U.S. visas, go to http://travel.state.gov and click on "Visas." Or contact one of the following:

Australian citizens can obtain up-to-date visa information from the U.S. Embassy Canberra, Moonah Place, Yarralumla, ACT 2600 (tel. 02/6214-5600) or by checking the U.S. Diplomatic Mission's website, at http://usembassy-australia.state.gov/consular.

British subjects can obtain up-to-date visa information by calling the U.S. Embassy Visa Information Line (tel. 0891/200-290) or by visiting the "Visas to the U.S." section of the American Embassy London's website, at www.usembassy.org.uk.

Irish citizens can obtain up-to-date visa information through the Embassy of the USA Dublin, 42 Elgin Rd., Dublin 4, Ireland (tel. 353/1-668-8777) or by checking the "Consular Services" section of the website http://dublin.usembassy.gov.

Citizens of New Zealand can obtain up-to-date visa information by contacting the U.S. Embassy New Zealand, 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington (tel. 644/472-2068), or get the information directly from the "For New Zealanders" section of the website http://usembassy.org.nz.

Weddings -- Las Vegas is one of the easiest places in the world to tie the knot. There's no blood test or waiting period, the ceremony and license are inexpensive, chapels are open around the clock, and your honeymoon destination is right at hand. More than 101,000 marriages are performed here each year. Get a license Downtown at the Clark County Marriage License Bureau, 201 Clark Ave. (tel. 702/455-4415), which is open daily from 8am to midnight. The cost of a marriage license is $55; the cost of the ceremony varies, depending on where you go to have it done.

Arriving & Departing

Las Vegas is served by McCarran International Airport, 5757 Wayne Newton Blvd. (tel. 702/261-5211, TTY 702/261-3111; www.mccarran.com), just a few minutes' drive from the southern end of the Strip, where the bulk of casinos and hotels are concentrated. This big, modern airport -- with a relatively new $500-million expansion -- is rather unique in that it includes several casino areas with more than 1,000 slot machines. Although these are reputed to offer lower paybacks than hotel casinos (the airport has a captive audience and doesn't need to lure repeat customers), it's hard to resist throwing in a few quarters while waiting for the luggage to arrive. We actually know someone who hit a $250 jackpot there on his way out of town, thereby recouping most of his gambling losses at the last possible moment.

Getting to your hotel from the airport is a cinch. Bell Trans (tel. 800/274-7433 or 702/739-7990; www.bell-trans.com) runs 20-passenger minibuses daily between the airport and all major Las Vegas hotels and motels (7:45am-midnight). Several other companies run similar ventures -- just stand outside on the curb, and one will be flagged down for you. Buses from the airport leave about every 10 minutes. When you want to check out of your hotel and head back to the airport, call at least 2 hours in advance to be safe (though often you can just flag down one of the buses outside any major hotel). The cost is $5 per person each way to Strip- and Convention Center-area hotels, $6.50 to Downtown or other Off-Strip properties (anyplace north of the Sahara Hotel and west of I-15). Other similarly priced shuttles run 24 hours and can be found in the same place.

Even less expensive are Citizens Area Transit (CAT) buses (tel. 702/CAT-RIDE; www.rtcsouthernnevada.com/cat). The no. 108 bus departs from the airport and takes you to the Stratosphere, where you can transfer to the no. 301, which stops close to most Strip- and Convention Center-area hotels. The no. 109 bus goes from the airport to the Downtown Transportation Center (at Casino Center Blvd. and Stewart Ave.). The fares for buses on Strip routes are $2 for adults, 60¢ for seniors and children 6 to 17, and free for children under 6. Note: You might have a long walk from the bus stop to the hotel entrance, even if the bus stop is right in front of your hotel. Vans are able to get right up to the entrance, so choose a van if you're lugging lots of baggage.

All the major car-rental companies are represented in Las Vegas.

Getting Around

It shouldn't be too hard to navigate your way around. But remember, between huge hotel acreage, increased and very slow traffic, and lots and lots of people trying to explore like you, getting around takes a lot longer than you might think. Heck, it can take 15 to 20 minutes to get from your room to another part of your hotel! Always allow for plenty of time to get from point A to point B.

By Car

If you plan to confine yourself to one part of the Strip (or one cruise down to it) or to Downtown, your feet will suffice. Otherwise, we highly recommend that visitors rent a car. The Strip is too spread out for walking (and Las Vegas is often too hot or too cold to make strolls pleasant), Downtown is too far away for a cheap cab ride, and public transportation is often ineffective in getting you where you want to go. Plus, return visits call for exploration in more remote parts of the city, and a car brings freedom, especially if you want to do any side trips at your own pace.

You should note that places with addresses some 60 blocks east or west of the Strip are actually less than a 10-minute drive -- provided there is no traffic.

Having advocated renting a car, we should warn you that traffic is getting worse, and it's harder and harder to get around town with any certain swiftness. A general rule of thumb is to avoid driving on the Strip whenever you can, and avoid driving at all during peak rush hours (8-9:30am and 4:30-6pm), especially if you have to make a show curtain.

Parking is usually a pleasure because all casino hotels offer free valet service. That means that for a mere $1 to $2 tip, you can park right at the door, though the valet usually fills up on busy nights. In those cases, you can use the gigantic self-parking lots that all hotels have.

Chopper Tom's Traffic Tips -- "Chopper" Tom Hawley has watched Las Vegas grow since he was a little kid, catching lizards in the desert back in the '60s. A self-described "traffic geek," Tom reports from the helicopter and from the studio most mornings and afternoons in Las Vegas on KVBC-TV/Channel 3. For further information on the following projects, tips, and much more, stop by Channel 3's website, at www.kvbc.com, and click "Traffic."

Monorail Mania: After decades of abandoned plans and false starts, a commuter monorail serving the Strip is finally a reality! This 4-mile system is a larger, faster, and more modern version of the Disney hand-me-down that used to run between the MGM and Bally's. The Las Vegas Monorail now has seven stations sprinkled from the MGM to the Sahara, with a one-way fare running $5 per person. (Discounts are available for multiple trips.) You may have heard about the less-than-glorious opening months of the system, but we're happy to report that as of this writing, things seem to be in fine working order. The bad news is that the monorail has probably scuttled planned extensions to Downtown and the airport at least for now.

People Movers Galore: Las Vegas has a greater variety of independent people-mover systems than any other city in the world, and they're a great way to get around without having to get into your car. In addition to the people movers at McCarran Airport, a variety of trains will take you from hotel to hotel. The Doppelmayr Cable Liner Shuttle whisks you from the Tropicana walkways to the Excalibur, Luxor, and Mandalay Bay hotels. Smaller shuttles operate between The Mirage and TI at the Mirage and between the Circus Circus Big Top and East Tower.

Spaghetti Bowl: The "Spaghetti Bowl" is what locals call the mess where I-15 intersects U.S. 95. The whole thing was reconstructed in 2000, but some studies indicate that it's already carrying more traffic than it was designed for, so don't expect a congestion-free ride.

U.S. 95 Widening: The west leg of U.S. 95 was designed in the early '70s, when growth at the turn of the 21st century was expected to be about one-third of what it actually turned out to be. A massive widening project is under way, with a projected 2007 completion. For now, this stretch of U.S. 95 (called the Oran K. Gragson Expwy., after a former Las Vegas mayor) is bulging at the seams. During rush hours, surface streets like Charleston and Lake Mead boulevards are your best alternate routes.

Keep Your Feet off the Streets: Local engineers have been trying to improve traffic on the Strip by separating the cars from the pedestrians. The first overhead pedestrian walkways opened at Tropicana Avenue in 1995; similar bridges were completed at Flamingo Avenue by 2000. A new set of bridges connects the hotels and shopping mall at Spring Mountain.

Do D.I. Direct: Most visitors seem to get a lot of mileage out of the Strip and I-15. But if you're checking out the local scene, you can bypass both of those, using Desert Inn Road, which, after a recent addition, is now one of the longest streets running from one side of the valley to the other. Plus, the 2-mile "Superarterial" section between Valley View and Paradise zips you nonstop over the interstate and under the Strip.

Grin and Bear It: Yes, there are ways to avoid traffic jams on the Strip. But at least these traffic jams are entertaining! If you have the time and patience, go ahead and take a ride along the Strip from Hacienda to Sahara. The 4-mile drive might take an hour, but while you're grinding along, you'll see a Sphinx, an active volcano, a water ballet, and some uniquely Vegas architecture.

Rat Pack Back Doors: The year 2004 saw the opening of Frank Sinatra Drive, a bypass road that runs parallel to the Strip from Russell Road north to Industrial. It's a great way to avoid the traffic jams and sneak in the back of hotels like Mandalay Bay, Luxor, Monte Carlo, and Bellagio. On the other side of I-15, a bunch of high-end condo developers talked the city into rechristening a big portion of Industrial Road as Dean Martin Drive. It's still called Industrial from near Downtown to Twain, and it lets you in the back entrances to Circus Circus, TI at the Mirage, and others. It's a terrific bypass to the Strip and I-15 congestion.

Beltway Bypass: Started in December 2003, a 53-mile beltway (I-215) will eventually wrap around the valley, allowing for easy access to the outskirts and to bypass the city. The "ultimate facility" of six-lane, limited-access divided highway won't be complete for another decade, but the southern section is a full freeway, and a few dozen more miles of interim roads are now open as frontage roads and four-lane highways.

Catch the CAT: Some locals complain about Citizens Area Transit (CAT) bus service in certain neighborhoods. But the Strip routes are frequent and well serviced, running 'round the clock from the South Strip Transfer Terminal to the Downtown Transportation Center in the north. The 301 runs every 10 minutes during busy hours, and there's also a limited-stop express bus (no. 302) every 15 minutes. Other routes go for $1.25, but the 301 and 302 are the CAT's gravy trains and cost $2. Exact change, please.

Renting a Car -- National companies with outlets in Las Vegas include Alamo (tel. 877/227-8367; www.goalamo.com), Avis (tel. 800/230-4898; www.avis.com), Budget (tel. 800/527-0700; www.budget.com), Dollar (tel. 800/800-3665; www.dollar.com), Enterprise (tel. 800/736-8227; www.enterprise.com), Hertz (tel. 800/654-3131; www.hertz.com), National (tel. 800/227-7368; www.nationalcar.com), Payless (tel. 800/729-5377; www.paylesscarrental.com), and Thrifty (tel. 800/847-4389; www.thrifty.com).

Car rental rates vary even more than airline fares. The price you pay depends on the size of the car, where and when you pick it up and drop it off, the length of the rental period, where and how far you drive it, whether you purchase insurance, and a host of other factors. A few key questions could save you hundreds of dollars:

Are weekend rates lower than weekday rates? Ask if the rate is the same for pickup Friday morning, for instance, as it is for Thursday night.

Is a weekly rate cheaper than the daily rate? Even if you need the car for only 4 days, it may be cheaper to keep it for 5.

Does the agency assess a drop-off charge if you don't return the car to the same location where you picked it up? Is it cheaper to pick up the car at the airport than at a Downtown location?

Are special promotional rates available? If you see an advertised price in your local newspaper, be sure to ask for that specific rate; otherwise, you may be charged the standard cost. Terms change constantly, and reservations agents are notorious for not mentioning available discounts unless you ask.

Are discounts available for members of AARP, AAA, frequent-flier programs, or trade unions? If you belong to any of these organizations, you may be entitled to discounts of up to 30%.

How much tax will be added to the rental bill? Local tax? State use tax?

What is the cost of adding an additional driver's name to the contract?

How many free miles are included in the price? Free mileage is often negotiable, depending on the length of the rental.

* How much does the rental company charge to refill your gas tank if you return with the tank less than full? Though most rental companies claim these prices are "competitive," fuel is almost always cheaper in town. Try to allow enough time to refuel the car yourself before returning it.

Some companies offer "refueling packages," in which you pay for an entire tank of gas up front. The price is usually fairly competitive with local gas prices, but you don't get credit for any gas remaining in the tank.

Many available packages include airfare, accommodations, and a rental car with unlimited mileage. Compare these prices with the cost of booking airline tickets and renting a car separately to see if such offers are good deals.

Internet resources can make comparison-shopping easier.

Note: Foreign driver's licenses are usually recognized in the U.S., but you should get an international one if your home license is not in English.

Demystifying Renter's Insurance -- Before you drive off in a rental car, be sure you're insured. Hasty assumptions about your personal auto insurance or a rental agency's additional coverage could end up costing you tens of thousands of dollars -- even if you are involved in an accident that was clearly the fault of another driver.

If you already hold a private auto insurance policy in the United States, you are most likely covered for loss of or damage to a rental car and liability in case of injury to any other party involved in an accident. Be sure to find out whether you are covered in the area you are visiting, whether your policy extends to all persons who will be driving the rental car, how much liability is covered in case an outside party is injured in an accident, and whether the type of vehicle you are renting is included under your contract. (Rental trucks, sport utility vehicles, and luxury vehicles may not be covered.)

Most major credit cards provide some degree of coverage as well -- provided they were used to pay for the rental. Terms vary widely, however, so be sure to call your credit-card company directly before you rent. If you don't have a private auto insurance policy, the credit card you use to rent a car may provide primary coverage if you decline the rental agency's insurance. This means that the credit-card company will cover damage or theft of a rental car for the full cost of the vehicle. If you do have a private auto insurance policy, your credit card may provide secondary coverage -- which basically covers your deductible. Credit cards do not cover liability or the cost of injury to an outside party and/or damage to an outside party's vehicle. If you do not hold an insurance policy, you may want to seriously consider purchasing additional liability insurance from your rental company. Be sure to check the terms, however: Some rental agencies cover liability only if the renter is not at fault; even then, the rental company's obligation varies from state to state. Bear in mind that each credit-card company has its own peculiarities; call your own credit-card company for details before relying on a card for coverage.

The basic insurance coverage offered by most car rental companies, known as the Loss/Damage Waiver (LDW) or Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), can cost as much as $20 per day. The former should cover everything, including the loss of income to the rental agency, should you get in an accident (normally not covered by your own insurance policy): It usually covers the full value of the vehicle, with no deductible, if an outside party causes an accident or other damage to the rental car. You will probably be covered in case of theft as well. Liability coverage varies, but the minimum is usually at least $15,000. If you are at fault in an accident, you will be covered for the full replacement value of the car -- but not for liability. In Nevada, you can buy additional liability coverage for such cases. Most rental companies require a police report in order to process any claims you file, but your private insurer will not be notified of the accident. Check your own policies and credit cards before you shell out money on this extra insurance because you may already be covered.

Driving Safety -- Because driving on the outskirts of Las Vegas -- for example, coming from California -- involves desert driving, you must take certain precautions. It's a good idea to check your tires, water, and oil before leaving. Take at least 5 gallons of water in a clean container that can be used for either drinking or the radiator. Pay attention to road signs that suggest when to turn off your car's air conditioner. And don't push your luck with gas -- it may be 35 miles or more between stations. If your car overheats, do not remove the radiator cap until the engine has cooled, and then remove it very slowly. Add water to within an inch of the top of the radiator.

By Taxi

Since cabs line up in front of all major hotels, an easy way to get around town is by taxi. Cabs charge $3.20 at the meter drop and 25¢ for each additional 1/8 mile, plus an additional $1.20 fee for being picked up at the airport and time-based penalties if you get stuck in a traffic-jam. A taxi from the airport to the Strip will run you $12 to $20, from the airport to Downtown $15 to $20, and between the Strip and Downtown about $10 to $15. You can often save money by sharing a cab with someone going to the same destination (up to five people can ride for the same fare). All this implies that you have gotten a driver who is honest; many cabbies take you the long way around, which sometimes means the shortest physical distance between two points -- right down the Strip -- but longest time on the clock and, thus, meter. Either way, you could end up paying a fare that . . . let's just say a new pair of shoes would have been a much more fun way to spend that jackpot. Your only recourse is to write down the cab number and call the company and complain. They may not respond, but you can try.

If you just can't find a taxi to hail and want to call one, try the following companies: Desert Cab Company (tel. 702/386-9102), Whittlesea Blue Cab (tel. 702/384-6111), or Yellow/Checker Cab/Star Company (tel. 702/873-2000).

By Monorail

The first leg of a high-tech monorail opened in 2004, offering riders their first and best shot of getting from one end of the Strip to the other with a minimum of frustration and expense. The 4-mile route runs from the MGM Grand at the southern end of the Strip to the Sahara at the northern end, with stops at Paris/Bally's, The Flamingo, Harrah's, the Las Vegas Convention Center, and the Las Vegas Hilton along the way. Note that some of the actual physical stops are not as geographically close to their namesakes, so there can be an unexpected -- and sometimes time-consuming -- additional walk from the monorail stop to wherever you intended to go. Factor in this time accordingly.

These trains can accommodate more than 200 passengers (standing and sitting) and make the end-to-end run in about 15 minutes. They operate Monday through Thursday from 7am until 2am and Friday through Sunday from 7am until 3am. Fares are $5 (!!!) for a one-way ride (whether you ride from one end to the other or just to the next station); discounts are available for round-trips and multiride/multiday passes.

Despite a very rocky start that involved a 4-month shutdown while they worked out some kinks like wheels and drive shafts falling off the trains, things seem to be running smoothly now. But don't be looking for previously announced extensions to the airport or Downtown anytime soon.

By Public Transportation

The no. 301 bus operated by CAT (tel. 702/CAT-RIDE; www.rtcsouthernnevada.com/cat) plies a route between the Downtown Transportation Center (at Casino Center Blvd. and Stewart Ave.) and a few miles beyond the southern end of the Strip. The fare is $2 for adults, 60¢ for seniors 62 and older and children 6 to 17, and free for those under 6. A low $5 buys an all-day pass. CAT buses run 24 hours a day and are wheelchair-accessible. Exact change is required.

The big news (and we do mean big) is a Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) service launched in late 2005 called The Deuce (tel. 702/CAT-RIDE; www.rtcsouthernnevada.com/deuce), a fleet of modern double-decker buses that run the length of the Strip and should be operating expanded routes to Downtown, McCarran Airport, and the Paradise Road/Convention Center area by the time you read this. A one-way ride is $2 for adults, $1 for seniors 62 and older and children 6 to 17, and free for those under 6. For a remarkably low $5, you get an all-day pass that lets you get on and off as many times as you like and also lets you ride all the other RTC buses all day. They even provide recorded color commentary as you sit in the mind-numbing traffic-jams that plug up the Strip most of the time. Exact change is required.

Or you can hop aboard a classic streetcar replica run by Las Vegas Strip Trolley (tel. 702/382-1404; www.striptrolley.com). These old-fashioned, dark-green vehicles have interior oak paneling and are comfortably air-conditioned. Like the buses, they run northward from Hacienda Avenue, stopping at all major hotels en route to the Sahara, and then loop back from the Las Vegas Hilton. They do not, however, go to the Stratosphere Casino Hotel & Tower or Downtown. Trolleys run about every 15 minutes daily between 9:30am and 1:30am. The fare is $2 for a single one-way ride or $5 (free for children under age 5) for an all-day pass, and exact change is required.

There are also a number of free transportation services, courtesy of the casinos. A free monorail connects Mandalay Bay with Luxor and Excalibur, and a free tram shuttles between The Mirage and TI at the Mirage. Given how far apart even neighboring hotels can be, thanks to their size, and how they seem even farther apart on really hot (and cold and windy) days, these are blessed additions.

Visitor Information

All major Las Vegas hotels provide comprehensive tourist information at their reception and/or sightseeing and show desks.

Other good information sources are the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, 3150 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89109 (tel. 877/VISIT-LV or 702/892-7575; www.visitlasvegas.com), open daily from 8am to 5pm; the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, 3720 Howard Hughes Pkwy., #100, Las Vegas, NV 89109 (tel. 702/735-1616; www.lvchamber.com), open Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm; and, for information on all of Nevada, including Las Vegas, the Nevada Commission on Tourism (tel. 800/638-2328; www.travelnevada.com), open 24 hours.

City Layout

There are two main areas of Las Vegas: the Strip and Downtown. For many people, that's all there is to Las Vegas. But there is actually more to the town than that: Although maybe not as glitzy and glamorous as the Strip and Downtown -- okay, definitely not -- Paradise Road and east Las Vegas are home to quite a bit of casino action, Maryland Parkway boasts mainstream and alternative-culture shopping, and there are different restaurant options all over the city. Confining yourself to the Strip and Downtown is fine for the first-time visitor, but repeat customers (and you will be) should get out there and explore. Las Vegas Boulevard South (the Strip) is the starting point for addresses; any street crossing it starts with 1 East and 1 West at its intersection with the Strip (and goes up from there).

The Strip

The Strip is probably the most famous 4-mile stretch of highway in the nation. Officially called Las Vegas Boulevard South, it contains most of the top hotels in town and offers almost all the major showroom entertainment. First-time visitors will, and probably should, spend the bulk of their time on the Strip. If mobility is a problem, we suggest basing yourself in a South or Mid-Strip location.

For the purposes of organizing this book, we've divided the Strip into three sections. The South Strip can be roughly defined as the portion of the Strip south of Harmon Avenue, including the MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, the Monte Carlo, New York-New York, Luxor, and many more hotels and casinos.

Mid-Strip is a long stretch of the street between Harmon Avenue and Spring Mountain Road, including Bellagio, Caesars, The Mirage and TI at the Mirage (formerly Treasure Island), Bally's, Paris Las Vegas, The Flamingo Las Vegas, and Harrah's, among other hotels and casinos.

The North Strip stretches north from Spring Mountain Road all the way to the Stratosphere Casino Hotel & Tower and includes Wynn Las Vegas, Stardust, Sahara, The Riviera, and Circus Circus, to name a few of the accommodations and attractions.

East of the Strip/Convention Center

This area has grown up around the Las Vegas Convention Center. Las Vegas is one of the nation's top convention cities, attracting around 3 million conventioneers each year. The major hotel in this section is the Las Vegas Hilton, but in recent years, Marriott has built Residence Inn and Courtyard properties here, and the Hard Rock Hotel is a major draw. You'll find many excellent smaller hotels and motels southward, along Paradise Road. All these hotels offer proximity to the Strip.

Between the Strip and Downtown

The area between the Strip and Downtown is a seedy stretch dotted with tacky wedding chapels, bail-bond operations, pawnshops, and cheap motels. However, the area known as the Gateway District (roughly north and south of Charleston Blvd. to the west of Las Vegas Blvd. S.) is slowly gaining a name for itself as an artists' colony. Studios, small cafes, and other signs of life continue to spring up.

Downtown

Also known as "Glitter Gulch" (narrower streets make the neon seem brighter), Downtown Las Vegas, which is centered on Fremont Street between Main and 9th streets, was the first section of the city to develop hotels and casinos. With the exception of the Golden Nugget, which looks like it belongs in Monte Carlo, this area has traditionally been more casual than the Strip. But with the advent of the Fremont Street Experience, Downtown has experienced a revitalization. The area is clean, the crowds are low-key and friendly, and the light show overhead is as ostentatious as anything on the Strip. Don't overlook this area. Las Vegas Boulevard runs all the way into Fremont Street Downtown.

Hotels

If there's one thing Vegas has, it's hotels. Big hotels. And lots of them. You'll find 9 of the 10 largest hotels in the United States -- 8 of the top 10 in the world -- right here. And you'll find a whole lot of rooms: 140,000 rooms, give or take, as of this writing. Every 5 minutes, or so it seems, someone is putting up a new giant hotel or adding another 1,000 rooms to an existing one. So finding a place to stay in Vegas should be the least of your worries.

Or should it?

When a convention, a fight, or some other big event is happening -- and these things are always happening -- darn near all of those 140,000 rooms are going to be sold out. (Over the course of a regular year -- one not affected by the Sept 11, 2001, terrorist attacks -- the occupancy rate for hotel rooms in Las Vegas runs at about 90%.) A last-minute Vegas vacation can turn into a housing nightmare. If possible, plan in advance so that you can have your choice: Ancient Egypt or Ancient Rome? New York or New Orleans? Strip or Downtown? Luxury or economy? Vegas has all that and way too much more.

The bottom line is that with a few, mostly subtle differences, a hotel room is a hotel room is a hotel room. After you factor in location, price, and whether you have a pirate-loving kid, there isn't that much difference between rooms, except for perhaps size and the quality of their surprisingly similar furnishings.

Hotel prices in Vegas are anything but fixed, so you will notice wild price ranges. The same room can routinely go for anywhere from $60 to $250, depending on demand, and even that range is negotiable if it's a slow time. So use our price categories with a grain of salt, and don't rule out a hotel just because it's listed as "Very Expensive" -- on any given day, you might get a great deal on a room in a pricey hotel. Just look online or call and ask.

Yes, if you pay more, you'll probably (but not certainly) get a "nicer" establishment and clientele to match (perhaps not so many loud drunks in the elevators). On the other hand, if a convention is in town, the drunks will be there no matter how upscale the hotel -- they'll just be wearing business suits and/or funny hats. And frankly, the big hotels, no matter how fine, have mass-produced rooms; at 3,000 rooms or more, they are the equivalent of '60s tract housing. Consequently, even in the nicest hotels, you can (and probably will) encounter plumbing noises, overhear conversations from other rooms, or be woken by the maids as they knock on the doors next to yours that don't have the DO NOT DISTURB sign up.

Coming Attractions

Part of the reason that we patiently tell people they haven't really been to Vegas, even if they have, is because if they haven't been by in the last, oh, week -- okay, let's say 2 or 3 years -- they might find several surprises awaiting them on the Strip. And if it's been more than a decade, well, forget it. All the classic old hotels are either gone (Sands, Hacienda) or renovated virtually beyond recognition (Caesars, The Flamingo). In their place rise bigger and better and trendier resort hotels, changing the landscape and altering the welcome that Vegas visitors receive.

The new era of Vegas hotels was ushered in by The Mirage, and since then, everyone has been trying to up the ante. The year 1997 began with the opening of New York-New York, which set yet another level of stupendous excess that remained unmatched for, oh, at least 18 months.

The fall of 1998 saw the official beginning of the new era of Vegas luxury resorts (many with themes), with the opening of the opulent Bellagio, followed by Mandalay Bay and Four Seasons. And then these took a backseat (sort of) to The Venetian, which combines the jaw-dropping detail and extravagance of New York-New York (complete with canals and gondolas) with the luxury of Bellagio. Could anything top it? Possibly -- hot on its heels was Paris, themed as you can imagine, and just a few months later, the new and improved Aladdin, with its desert-fantasy decor.

The first half of this decade was less about new stuff and more about old stuff getting bigger and/or better. Sure, Caesars opened its Roman Coliseum replica, built just to house Céline Dion's new show, but other than that, no grand new hotels or major expansions arrived, unless you count (and we sure do) the arrival of a true luxury resort, the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas, over in nearby Henderson. One old hotel, The Maxim, was reborn as a business-swank Westin, complete with their trademark "Heavenly Beds." The rest of the action was all about expansions: The Venetian added 1,000 rooms, a new pool, a fancy restaurant, and more in the new Venezia Tower; Mandalay Bay added more than 1,000 rooms and other goodies in a facility they call THEhotel; Bellagio joined the fray with more than 900 new rooms and a swank new spa in a new tower; and Caesars Palace added a new 700-room tower to its empire.

The year 2005 kicked off what will be an unprecedented wave of development, with the arrival of Wynn Las Vegas, the latest hotel concept from Steve Wynn, the man behind Mirage Corp., at a mere cost of $2.7 billion. In 2006, we saw the addition of two new joints, South Coast and Red Rock Resort, designed to lure tourists away from the busy Strip, and two top-to-bottom overhauls, with the creaky old San Remo going pneumatic as the Hooters Casino Hotel (no, really) and the relatively new Aladdin getting an extreme makeover to become Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino (no, really, again).

But that won't be the end of it, not hardly. In 2007, we'll see the debut of yet another expansion to The Venetian, a 3,000-room resort and casino called Palazzo, seeking to continue the parent hotel's Italian aesthetic, and an inaugural foray for The Donald in Vegas with Trump International, the first of two 1,200-unit condo/hotel towers going up behind the Frontier. Things will really ratchet up in 2008, with the birth of Wynn's second baby, Encore, a $1.7-billion, 2,000-room hotel and casino, complete with its own indoor pool with a retractable roof. That's also the year four brand names will enter the Vegas market for the first time: the new W Hotel and Residences, just off the Strip; The Conrad Majestic, a 400-room hotel/condo project going in just north of Wynn Las Vegas; a new Loew's at Lake Las Vegas; and a Hyatt hotel as part of the $1.8-billion casino and entertainment complex Cosmopolitan, now under construction just south of Bellagio, which will also include condos. Speaking of condos . . . that seems to be the property development trend right now, so if you haven't been to Vegas in a while, and you wonder what that, and that over there, and also that, really big tall tower is, it's more than likely a condo building.

But the biggest of the big new developments will come at the end of this decade, with the 2010 arrivals of Project CityCenter, a $7-billion (yes, you read that right) complex of hotels, condos, casinos, shopping, and entertainment spread across 66 acres just north of Monte Carlo, and Echelon Place, a 63-acre multihotel development that will replace The Stardust.

Other plans are in various stages of development: replacing The Frontier with a jazz-themed Montreaux resort (complete with giant Ferris wheel, although what that has to do with jazz is anyone's guess) and tearing down or completely renovating The Imperial Palace (closing in 2007), the Tropicana, The Riviera, and possibly Bally's. Of course, another economic downturn of even the slightest size could prevent all of it. Stay tuned.

Reservations Services

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority runs a room-reservations hot line (tel. 877/VISIT-LV or 702/892-0711; www.visitlasvegas.com) that can be helpful. They can apprise you of room availability, quote rates, contact a hotel for you, and tell you when major conventions will be in town.

Who Kept the Kids Out?

Some hotels -- notably Bellagio, which started the practice, and Wynn Las Vegas -- ban children who are not staying on-site from stepping foot on the hotel premises and ban strollers even if you are staying there. Child-free adults love the bans, but families who travel to Vegas (can we say yet again that this is not a family destination?) may be seriously inconvenienced by it. The policy doesn't appear to be uniformly enforced (hotels don't want to offend parents who have plenty of dough to gamble, after all), but we've seen families and teenagers get turned away from a hotel because they couldn't produce a room key. If you're traveling with your kids, or want to be free of someone else's, your best bet is to call your chosen hotel and ask what its policy is.

Best for Conventioneers/Business Travelers: The Las Vegas Hilton (3000 Paradise Rd.; tel. 888/732-7117; www.lvhilton.com), adjacent to the Las Vegas Convention Center and the setting for many conventions, offers extensive facilities that include a full business center. And now it's a stop on the monorail, making access to the Strip easier than ever.

Best Luxury Resorts: The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas (1610 Lake Las Vegas Pkwy., Henderson; tel. 800/241-3333; www.ritzcarlton.com), perched on the edge (and over part of) Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, wins the prize for its combination of setting (gorgeous, peaceful) and experience (such service!). But you might want something that's actually in town, and for that, you must go to the Four Seasons (3960 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; tel. 877/632-5000; www.fourseasons.com), because experience running luxury resorts around the world makes them the only true claimant to the throne within Vegas.

Best Resort for the Indecisive: Green Valley Ranch Resort, 2300 Paseo Verde Pkwy. (at I-215), Henderson (tel. 866/782-9487; www.greenvalleyranchresort.com), somehow manages to combine the comfort of a Ritz-Carlton with the style of boutique chains such as the W, and makes it all work. Sleep in one of the most comfortable beds in town or lounge by one of our favorite pools.

Best Archetypically Las Vegas Hotel: To be honest, these days there aren't any. Las Vegas hotels are one and all doing such massive face-lifts that the archetype is mostly a memory. Still, despite some major changes, Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/427-7243; www.caesars.com), will probably continue to embody the excess, the romance (oh, yes) and, well, downright silliness that used to characterize Vegas -- and to a certain extent still does.

Best Non-Vegas Vegas Hotel: Mandalay Bay's THEhotel, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-7800; www.thehotelatmandalaybay.com), is as elegant and sophisticated as any lodging in Manhattan. All accommodations are true suites, complete with flat-screen TVs and deep soaking tubs. Since it's a separate tower, you are far away from the clash and clang of Vegas -- at least in spirit. In reality, it's just a medium walk down a long hallway. Quite possibly our favorite hotel in the city.

Best Swimming Pools: Hands down, the acres of water park fun at Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-7000; www.mandalaybay.com) -- wave pool, lazy river, beach, regular swimming pools . . . no wonder they check IDs carefully to make sure only official guests enter. Everyone wants to swim and splash here. If you can't, you won't be disappointed by the amorphously shaped pools with water fountains and slides, plus a rather festive atmosphere, at The Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 800/627-6667; www.mirage.com). But if you've ever longed to swim at Hearst Castle, Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/987-6667; www.bellagio.com), with six swimming pools in a neoclassical Italian garden setting (and a more hushed, chic ambience), is for you. Then again, the pool at Green Valley Ranch Resort, 2300 Paseo Verde Pkwy. (at I-215), Henderson (tel. 866/782-9487; www.greenvalleyranchresort.com), with its foliage, beach, and everything else, may have them both beat. But its distant location (in Henderson) takes it out of the running. But only just.

Best Spas/Health Clubs: We only wish our own gym were as handsomely equipped as the one at the Canyon Ranch Spa in The Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/2-VENICE; www.venetian.com), which also has a number of other high-priced amenities on which you can blow your blackjack winnings. We are also partial to the full complement of machines at the health club at Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/987-6667; www.bellagio.com), probably the best-equipped club of all. Attentive attendants, a well-stocked locker room, and comfortable lounges in which to rest up after your workout are other pluses.

Best Hotel Dining: Foodies can't miss the chance to eat French food from the hands of a true master, at Joël Robuchon at the Mansion (tel. 702/891-7925), in the MGM Grand. If, of course, you don't mind taking out a small bank loan to fund that gastronomic venture. Otherwise, you can work up a good case of gout trying all the haute-cuisine options at Bellagio, which has restaurants by Todd English (Olives; tel. 702/693-7223) and Julian Serrano (Picasso; tel. 702/693-7223). The hotel has seven James Beard Award-winning chefs on staff. Wynn Las Vegas has brought in a number of name-brand chefs, including Alex Strada (Alex; tel. 888/320-7110) and Paul Bartolotta (Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare; tel. 888/320-7110). The Venetian isn't too far behind, with restaurants from Emeril Lagasse (Delmonico Steakhouse; tel. 702/414-3737), and Joachim Splichal (Pinot Brasserie; tel. 702/414-8888), plus a branch of the noted Lutèce (tel. 702/414-2220). In The Venetian is a version of Thomas Keller's bistro Bouchon (tel. 702/414-6200).

Best for 20-Somethings to Baby Boomers: Palms Casino Resort, 4321 W. Flamingo Rd. (tel. 866/942-7777; www.palms.com), is the single most happening hotel for the hip and hip-hop sets. The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 4455 Paradise Rd. (tel. 800/473-ROCK; www.hardrockhotel.com), bills itself as the world's "first rock 'n' roll hotel and casino" and "Vegas for a new generation." (Note: At press time, The Hard Rock was actively being shopped to new owners who may make substantial changes, including a new name and theme.)

Best Interior: For totally different reasons, it's a tie between New York-New York Hotel & Casino, 3790 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 800/693-6763; www.nynyhotelcasino.com), The Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 800/627-6667; www.mirage.com), and The Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/2-VENICE; www.venetian.com). The Mirage's tropical rainforest and massive coral-reef aquarium behind the registration desk may not provide as much relaxation as a Club Med vacation, but they're a welcome change from the hubbub that is usual for Vegas. Speaking of hubbub, New York-New York has cornered the market on it, but its jaw-dropping interior, with its extraordinary attention to detail (re-creating virtually every significant characteristic of New York City), makes this a tough act to beat. The Venetian's authentic re-creation of Venice, however, might top it.

Best for Families: The classic choice is Circus Circus Hotel & Casino, 2880 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/434-9175; www.circuscircus.com), with ongoing circus acts, a vast video-game arcade, a carnival midway, and a full amusement park. Less aged, and less hectic, Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-7000; www.mandalaybay.com), is a more modern choice, right for families because you can gain access to both the guest rooms and the pool area (itself fun for kids, with a beach, a wave pool, and a lazy river) without trotting through the casino. Those of you with bigger budgets might want to try the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas, 1610 Lake Las Vegas Pkwy., Henderson (tel. 800/241-3333; www.ritzcarlton.com), because not only is it well out of range of Sin City's temptations, but it also offers a variety of healthy and fun activities (from hikes to fly-fishing to stargazing).

Best Rooms off the Strip: Again, we love the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas, 1610 Lake Las Vegas Pkwy., Henderson (tel. 800/241-3333; www.ritzcarlton.com), with its perfect decor, spacious interior, and gorgeous bathrooms, but you'll probably want something closer to town.

Best Rooms on the Strip: We need to break this down. If one is talking actual suites, then THEhotel, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-7800; www.thehotelatmandalaybay.com), wins the day, with its one-bedroom could-be-a-great-apartment-in-Manhattan sophisticated wonders. Best "suites" (because no matter how the hotel bills them, these accommodations are really just one big room) are clearly the 700-square-foot extravaganzas at The Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/2-VENICE; www.venetian.com), with separate sitting and bedroom areas, full of all sorts of special details. Best "room" goes to the Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/320-9966; www.wynnlasvegas.com), where the rooms are quite big, the bathrooms not far behind, the beds are plush, the TVs (plural!) are flat-screen, and the tubs are deep. The standard rooms at Bally's Las Vegas, 3645 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 800/634-3434; www.ballyslv.com), are the best bet in the medium price range; certainly nothing daring but well-appointed and comfortable.

Best Rooms Downtown: Downtown, the rooms at the Golden Nugget, 129 E. Fremont St. (tel. 800/846-5336; www.goldennugget.com), are getting some much-needed love that should return them to the top of the heap, but don't forget about the lovely Main Street Station, 200 N. Main St. (tel. 800/465-0711; www.mainstreetcasino.com), with lots to offer both in the rooms and beyond. It has done a terrific job of renovating an older space, boasts solidly good restaurants, and has surprisingly nice rooms for an inexpensive price.

Best Bathrooms: This honor goes to THEhotel, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-7800; www.thehotelatmandalaybay.com), where each good-size marble bathroom features a large glass shower, a separate water closet, a flat-screen TV, and a soaking tub so deep the water comes up to your chin. It's a wonder anyone ever leaves to go to the casino, either. But not far behind is Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/320-9966; www.wynnlasvegas.com), which offers a similar layout, including that plasma TV and the deep, long tub, plus lemongrass-scented amenities and silky robes to cradle you afterward.

Best Non-Casino Hotel: Four Seasons, 3960 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-5000; www.fourseasons.com), used to win this category, but now it's a tie with THEhotel, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-7800; www.thehotelatmandalaybay.com). It can't be a coincidence that both are found around Mandalay Bay. Once you've experienced the Four Seasons's quiet good taste, superior service and pampering, and the serenity of their non-casino property, or the sophistication and elegance of THEhotel, it's hard to go back to traditional Vegas hotels. But best of all, should you want the best of both worlds, you need only pass through one door to have access to Mandalay Bay and all its traditional Vegas hotel accouterments, including that missing casino. Coming in a close second is the Venezia, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 888/2-VENICE; www.venetian.com) at The Venetian; same idea as THEhotel (a separate yet equal entity, the non-casino part of the casino hotel), though we prefer the decor and gestalt of THEhotel.

Best Casinos: Our favorite places to gamble are anywhere we might win. But we also like the casinos in The Mirage (lively, beautiful, and not overwhelming), New York-New York (because of the aforementioned attention to detail -- it almost makes losing fun), and Main Street Station, because it's about the most smoke-free casino in town and because it's pretty.

Best Views: From the high-floor rooms at the Stratosphere Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, 2000 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 800/99-TOWER; www.stratospherehotel.com), you can see clear to the next county, while the Strip-side rooms at Four Seasons, 3960 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-5000; www.fourseasons.com), give you the entire Las Vegas Boulevard panorama from the southernmost end. Higher-up floors at the Las Vegas Hilton, 3000 Paradise Rd., at Riviera Blvd. (tel. 888/732-7117; www.lvhilton.com), show you that same panorama from a different perspective.

Cheap Alternatives

Locals' Hotels

No, not hotels where locals stay -- they have that already, after all -- but so-called because it's here that locals themselves often come to eat and gamble. Why? Because these places are cheap. The way Vegas used to be. See, an increasing frustration for the Vegas visitor, still under the impression that Vegas is a vacation bargain, is hotel prices, particularly those on the Strip, most of which have long left "bargain" behind. Where once rooms went for a couple of sawbucks, now rates on weekends frequently break the $200-a-night barrier. The solution is simple; give up that Strip location, and suddenly, you have a host of budget-minded options, completely satisfying casino-hotels that may not have the luxury appointments of the big Strip palaces but also don't come with the luxury price tags.

Topping the list of these so-called locals' hotels are those managed by the Station Casinos chain. These folks are the kings of the neighborhood joints, snapping up worn properties and turning them into nice and gratifyingly cheap accommodations. All of the following hotels are admittedly located away from the main tourist areas, but if you have a car at your disposal, you can save yourself a great deal of money by being flexible with your location. None of them is more than 20 minutes from the Strip, and several offer free shuttles to other sister properties. Most of these properties offer a variety of family-friendly entertainment -- bowling alleys, multiscreen movie theaters, and more.

On the southeast side of town there are three Station Casinos properties. Sunset Station, 1301 W. Sunset Rd., Henderson (tel. 888/786-7389; www.sunsetstation.com), is the newest and probably the nicest. Rooms are simple but have all of the amenities you are likely to need, such as irons and ironing boards, high-speed Internet access (for a fee), pay-per-view movies, room service, and so on. Sure, the bathrooms may not be bigger than an apartment, and the beds may not be as plush, but if all you need is a nice room for a moderate amount of money, this is a fine option. On-site you'll find more than a dozen restaurants, including a Hooters, a bowling alley, movie theaters, bars, lounges, a nightclub, an outdoor amphitheater with regular concerts, and a huge casino with much lower gaming limits than the Strip ($5 blackjack tables abound!). Prices at Sunset Station are usually well below $100 a night during the week (we've seen them as low as $60) and usually not too much above $100 on the weekends.

Just down the street a bit is Fiesta Henderson, 777 W. Lake Mead Dr., Henderson (tel. 800/388-8334 or 702/558-7000; www.fiestacasino.com), a Mexican jungle-themed hotel and casino that has equally basic yet comfortable lodgings, plus plenty of gaming options, a decent and dirt-cheap buffet, other restaurants, bars, movie theaters, and more. Things are even cheaper here, with rooms going for as low as $30 a night during the week. You'll also find Boulder Station, 4111 Boulder Hwy. (tel. 800/683-7777 or 702/432-7777; www.boulderstation.com), a little closer to the Strip, with more than 300 guest rooms, a 75,000-square-foot casino, movie theaters, a day-care facility, a big video-game arcade, restaurants and bars, and a concert venue called The Railhead. Rates at Boulder Station usually run in the $75-to-$125-a-night range, but rooms can be had for as little as $49 per night.

A couple of other properties in this area are worth knowing about, even though they aren't managed by the Station Casinos chain. Sam's Town Hotel & Gambling Hall is listed separately in this chapter, and nearby is Arizona Charlie's Boulder, 4575 Boulder Hwy. (tel. 800/632-4040 or 702/951-5900; www.arizonacharlies.com), a sister hotel to the Stratosphere, with 300 minisuite-style rooms, a 37,000-square-foot casino, an on-site laundry facility, several restaurants, and a casino lounge. This place is also very inexpensive, with weekday rooms as low as $30 and weekends often as low as $50.

On the north and west sides of town are three more Station properties. Texas Station, 2101 Texas Star Lane (tel. 800/654-8888 or 702/631-1000; www.texasstation.com), has a 91,000-square-foot casino, 200 rooms, movie theaters, a bowling alley, concert venues, bars, and a number of very fine restaurants, including the recommended and justly popular Austins Steakhouse. You can often get rooms for as low as $40 a night here. Right across the street is Fiesta Rancho, 2400 N. Rancho Rd. (tel. 888/899-7770 or 702/631-7000; www.fiestacasino.com), another Station hotel similar in concept and execution to its sister property mentioned above, only with more adobe and less jungle. In addition to the 100 rooms, they have a big casino and a regulation-size ice-skating rink, complete with equipment rentals and lessons. Prices go as low as $40 a night. Continue north on Rancho Road, and you'll run into Santa Fe Station, 4949 N. Rancho Rd. (tel. 866/767-7771; http://santafe.stationcasinos.com), a place that used to be a really dingy affair until Station Casinos got hold of it. They redid the place from top to bottom, including an unexpectedly spiffy casino, upgraded rooms with stylish furnishings and all the amenities you could reasonably want or need, lots of restaurants and bars, a revamped bowling alley, and an addition that includes movie theaters, a showroom, a video-game arcade, a kids' day-care center, and more. All this for rates as low as $35 a night and rarely over $100, even during the busiest times.

Also on the north side of town is The Cannery, 2121 E. Craig Rd. (tel. 866/999-4899; www.cannerycasinos.com), a '40s patriotic World War II-themed hotel and casino with a couple hundred fine and very inexpensive rooms (usually well under $100 a night), a fun casino, a terrific buffet and a few other restaurants, a really cool indoor/outdoor events center that hosts regular concerts and festivals, movie theaters, and more. Keep all this up, and the Strip might start experiencing some serious competition.

Inexpensive Hotel Alternatives

If you're determined to come to Vegas during a particularly busy season and you find yourself shut out of the prominent hotels, here's a list of moderate to very inexpensive alternatives.

On or Near the Strip

Budget Suites of America, 4205 W. Tropicana Ave.; tel. 702/889-1700

Budget Suites of America, 3655 W. Tropicana Ave.; tel. 702/739-1000

Travelodge, 3735 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; tel. 800/578-7878

Paradise Road & Vicinity

AmeriSuites, 4250 Paradise Rd.; tel. 800/833-1516

Candlewood Suites, 4034 Paradise Rd; tel. 800/226-3539

Downtown & Vicinity

Econo Lodge, 1150 S. Las Vegas Blvd.; tel. 800/553-2666

East Las Vegas & Vicinity

Motel 6 Boulder Highway, 4125 Boulder Hwy.; tel. 800/466-8356

Super 8 Motel, 5288 Boulder Hwy.; tel. 800/825-0880

West Las Vegas & Vicinity

Motel 6, 5085 Dean Martin Dr. (South Las Vegas); tel. 800/466-8356

Family-Friendly Hotels

We've said it before, and we'll say it again: Vegas is simply not a good place to bring your kids. Most of the major hotels are backing away from being perceived as places for families, and few of them offer babysitting services, let alone more exciting children's activities. But if you want to make it a family trip, here are our recommendations, based, if not on an overall kid-friendly attitude, at least on elements that make it appealing for families.

In addition to the suggestions below, you might consider choosing a non-casino hotel, particularly a reliable chain, and a place with kitchenettes.

Circus Circus Hotel & Casino -- Centrally located on the Strip, this is our first choice if you're traveling with the kids. The hotel's mezzanine level offers ongoing circus acts daily from 11am to midnight, dozens of carnival games, and an arcade with more than 300 video and pinball games. And behind the hotel is a full amusement park.

Excalibur -- Now owned by MGM MIRAGE, Excalibur features a whole floor of midway games, a large video-game arcade, free shows for kids (puppets, jugglers, and magicians), and more. It also has child-oriented eateries and shows. It also now has a heavily promoted male-stripper show, though, so it's not perfect.

Four Seasons -- For free goodies, service, and general child pampering, the costly Four Seasons is probably worth the dough (your kids will be spoiled!).

Luxor Las Vegas -- Another newly acquired MGM MIRAGE property. Kids will enjoy the Games of the Gods Arcade, an 18,000-square-foot video-game arcade that showcases Sega's latest game technologies. Another big attraction here is the IMAX Ridefilm, a high-tech adventure/thrill ride that uses motion simulators and IMAX film.

Mandalay Bay -- Mandalay Bay certainly looks grown-up, but it has a number of factors that make it family friendly: good-sized rooms, to start, which you do not have to cross a casino to access; a variety of restaurants; a family-appropriate show; a big ol' shark attraction; and, best of all, the swimming area -- wave pool, sandy beach, lazy river, lots of other pools -- fun in the Vegas sun!

MGM Grand -- While decidedly no longer targeted toward families -- their high-profile nudie show La Femme should be your tip-off -- MGM Grand still has family appeal (or at least, families continue to frequent it), thanks to an excellent swimming pool area, a decent arcade, and other goodies.

New York-New York -- Overstimulating and hectic, for sure, but between the roller coaster and the Coney Island-style midway, not to mention just looking around, this has many options for children (though going almost anywhere requires walking through the casino).

Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas -- Like the Four Seasons, it's costly, but with so many recreational activities and the Lake Las Vegas setting (well out of the way of the path of Sin City -- although parents can make nighttime getaways, thanks to the hotel's babysitting services), it offers a lot over the regular Vegas resorts.

Stratosphere Las Vegas Hotel & Casino -- For families looking for reasonably priced digs, this is a good choice. Plus, it's not in the middle of the Strip action, so you and your kids can avoid that, it's (thus far) not moving in the "adult entertainment" direction, and it has thrill rides at the top.

Three Questions to Ask Before You Book a Room

Where Should I Stay?

Your two main choices for location are the Strip and Downtown. The Strip, home to many of the most dazzling hotels and casinos in Vegas, is undeniably the winner, especially for first-timers, if only because of the sheer, overwhelming force of its "Vegas-ness." On the other hand, it is crowded, confining, and strangely claustrophobic. We say "strangely claustrophobic" because the hotels only look close together: In reality, they are situated on large properties, and it's a long (and often very hot or very cold) walk from one place to the next.

Contrast that with Downtown, which is nowhere near as striking but is more easily navigated on foot. Within 5 minutes, you can reach more than a dozen different casinos. The Fremont Street upgrade and the Neonopolis entertainment-and-shopping complex have turned a rapidly declining area into a very pleasant place to be, and the crowds reflect that: They seem nicer and more relaxed, and a calmer atmosphere pervades. Hotels certainly aren't state-of-the-art down there, but the rooms at many are not just clean and acceptable but rather pleasant. The establishments' smaller sizes often mean friendlier, faster service than at the big 'uns uptown, and you often can't beat the rates. Since it's only a 5-minute ride by car between Downtown and Strip hotels (the Convention Center is more or less in between), there's no such thing as a bad location if you have access to a car.

For those of you without a car and who don't want to spend the $10 to $15 on a cab ride between Downtown and the Strip: While the bus ride between Downtown and the Strip is short in distance, it can be long in time if you get stuck in traffic. You should also be aware that the buses become quite crowded once they reach the Strip and may bypass a bus stop if no one signals to get out and the driver does not wish to take on more passengers. Without a car, your ease of movement between different areas of town is limited.

Frankly, for first-timers, there probably isn't any point to staying anywhere but the Strip -- you're going to spend most (if not all) of your time there anyway. For future visits, however, we'd strongly advise you to consider Downtown.

But the Strip vs. Downtown location isn't the end of the debate; there is also the issue of where to stay on the Strip. Staying on the South Strip end means an easy trip (sometimes in the air-conditioned comfort of covered walkways or monorail) to Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand, New York-New York, Tropicana, Luxor, and Excalibur -- all virtually on one corner. Mid-Strip has Caesars, The Mirage, Bellagio, TI at the Mirage (formerly Treasure Island), Paris, The Venetian, Bally's, The Flamingo, Harrah's, and so forth. The North Strip gets you Wynn Las Vegas, The Riviera, Sahara, Stardust, and Circus Circus, though with a bit more of a walk between them. For this reason, if mobility is a problem and you want to see more than just your own hotel casino, the South and Mid-Strip locations are probably the best bets.

A couple words of warning: Make sure they don't try to book you into a hotel you've never heard of. Try to stick with the hotels listed in this book. Always get your information in writing and then make some phone calls just to confirm that you really have the reservations that they say they've made for you.

What am I Looking for in a Hotel?

If gambling is not your priority, what are you doing in Vegas? Just kidding. But not 100% kidding. Vegas's new identity as a luxury, and very adult, resort destination means there are several hotels that promise to offer you all sorts of alternatives to gambling -- lush pool areas, fabulous spas, incredible restaurants, lavish shopping. But if you look closely, much of this is Vegas bait and switch; the pools are often chilly (and often partially closed during nonsummer months), and it will be years before there is more foliage than concrete in these newly landscaped environments. The spas cost extra (sometimes a whole lot extra), the best restaurants are rarely cheap, and the stores are often the kinds of places where average mortals can't even afford the oxygen. So what does that leave you with? Why, that's right -- gambling.

The other problem with these self-proclaimed luxury hotels is their size. True luxury hotels do not have 3,000 rooms -- they have a couple of hundred, at best, because you simply can't provide first-class service and Egyptian-cotton sheets in mass quantity. But while Wynn, Bellagio, The Venetian, and, to a lesser extent, Mandalay Bay have done their best to offer sterling service and to make their rooms more attractive and luxurious than those at other Vegas hotels, there's only so much that any place that big can do. Don't get us wrong -- these places are absolutely several steps up in quality from other large hotels, and compared to them, even the better older hotels really look shabby. But they are still sprawling, frequently noisy complexes.

Having said that, there is a new trend in Vegas; many of the big hotels have put up new towers or additions that function as virtually separate hotels. This began with the Four Seasons, which occupies the top floors of Mandalay Bay and has its own separate entrance. Mandalay Bay has added the sterling THEhotel, while The Venetian and Bellagio have separate towers. Each has its own check-in area and functions like a separate hotel entity. You gain some quiet (there are no casinos in these venues); in the case of THEhotel, considerable style; and, overall, at least the illusion of better service (and probably some reality of it, too, since there are fewer rooms under the special monikers). Classier grown-ups, or well-heeled families, should make these new additions first on their list.

Sadly, it's relatively easy for both you and us to make a mistake about a hotel; either of us may experience a particular room or two in a 1,000-plus-room hotel and from there conclude that a place is nicer than it is or more of a dump than it is. Maintenance, even in the best of hotels, can sometimes be running a bit behind, so if there is something wrong with your room, don't hesitate to ask for another. Of course, if it's one of those busy weekends, there may not be another room to be had, but at least this way you've registered a complaint, perhaps letting a busy hotel know that a certain room needs attention. And who knows? If you are gracious and persistent enough, you may be rewarded with a deal for some future stay.

If you want a true luxury-resort hotel, there are only two options: On the Strip it's the Four Seasons, and off, way off, in nearby Henderson, it's the Ritz-Carlton. Both offer, in addition to that same service and level of comfort only found at a smaller hotel, those extra goodies that pile on the hidden charges at other hotels -- health club, poolside cabanas, and so on -- as part of the total package, meaning that their slightly higher prices may be more of a bargain than you'd think. Actually, there's now a third option: The new Red Rock resort is attracting well-heeled and high profile tabloid types, who, presumably, know luxury. However, Red Rock charges for all the extras you get as a regular part of your stay at the Four Seasons and the Ritz.

Still, if you want peace and quiet and don't land in the tax bracket that Four Seasons/Ritz caters to, there are other, less high-profile, hotels without casinos. (And there is also the option of staying in either the casino-free new Venetian addition or THEhotel at Mandalay Bay, both of which charge higher prices than their home base but might be running affordable specials.) Make certain the hotel has a pool, however, especially if you need some recreation. There is nothing as boring as a non-casino, non-pool Vegas hotel -- particularly if you have kids.

Casino hotels, by the way, are not always a nice place for children. It used to be that the casino was a separate section in the hotel, and children were not allowed inside (we have fond memories of standing just outside the casino line, watching our dads put quarters in a slot machine "for us"). But in almost all the new hotels, you have to walk through the casino to get anywhere -- the lobby, the restaurants, the outside world. This makes sense from the hotel's point of view; it gives you many opportunities to stop and drop $1 or $10 into a slot. But this often long, crowded trek gets wearying for adults -- and it's far worse for kids. The rule is that kids can walk through the casinos, but they can't stop, even to gawk for a second at someone hitting a jackpot nearby. The casino officials who will immediately hustle the child away are just doing their job, but, boy, it's annoying.

So, take this (and what a hotel offers that kids might like) into consideration when booking a room. Again, please note that those gorgeous hotel pools are often cold (and again, sometimes closed altogether) and not very deep. They look like places you would want to linger, but often (from a kid's point of view) they are not. Plus, the pools close early. Hotels want you inside gambling, not outside swimming.

Ultimately, though, if it's a busy time, you'll have to nab any room you can, especially if you get a price you like. How much time are you going to spend in the room, anyway?

What Will I Have to Pay?

The rack rate is the maximum rate that a hotel charges for a room. It's the rate you'd get if you walked in off the street and asked for a room for the night. Hardly anybody pays these prices, however, especially in Vegas, where prices fluctuate wildly with demand and there are many ways around rack rates. Here are some tips for landing a low rate:

Don't be afraid to bargain. Get in the habit of asking for a lower price than the first one quoted. Always ask politely whether a less expensive room is available than the first one mentioned, or whether any special rates apply to you. If you belong to the players' clubs at the hotel casino, you may be able to secure a better deal on a hotel room there. Of course, you will also be expected to spend a certain amount of time, and money, gambling there. See below for more details on players' clubs.

Rely on a qualified professional. Certain hotels give travel agents discounts in exchange for steering business their way, so if you're shy about bargaining, an agent may be better equipped to negotiate discounts for you.

Dial direct. When booking a room in a chain hotel (Courtyard by Marriott, for example), call the hotel's local line, as well as the toll-free number, and see where you get the best deal. A hotel makes nothing on a room that stays empty. The clerk who runs the place is more likely to know about vacancies and will often grant deep discounts in order to fill up.

Remember the law of supply and demand. Las Vegas hotels are most crowded and therefore most expensive on weekends. So the best deals are offered midweek, when prices can drop dramatically. If possible, go then. You can also call the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (tel. 877/VISIT-LV) to find out if an important convention is scheduled at the time of your planned visit; if so, you might want to change your date. Some of the most popular conventions are listed under "When to Go" in chapter 2. Remember also that planning your vacation just a week before or after official peak season can mean big savings.

Look into group or long-stay discounts. If you come as part of a large group, you should be able to negotiate a bargain, since the hotel can then guarantee occupancy in a number of rooms. Likewise, when you're planning a long stay in town (usually from 5 days to a week), you'll usually qualify for a discount.

Avoid excess phone charges. We can't stress this enough. Virtually every hotel in Vegas charges like crazy for phone calls. At best, it will be $1 for a local call, and sky-high prices for long distance (a 7-min. call to California recently set us back $35). At worst, it's all that plus an additional charge -- as much as 30¢ a minute -- for all local calls lasting more than 30 minutes. This is particularly onerous if you are using a laptop with a dial-up Internet connection and stay online for any length of time.

Beware of hidden extras. Almost all the major hotels (Four Seasons is one notable exception) charge extra for things that are always free in other destinations, like health-club privileges. Expect to pay anywhere from $15 to $30 to use almost any hotel spa/health club. (We've noted these charges in the listings that follow so that you won't be taken by surprise.)

Watch for coupons and advertised discounts. Scan ads in your local Sunday travel section, an excellent source for up-to-the-minute hotel deals. The Fun Book, available from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority , offers some discounts on lodging.

Consider a suite. If you are traveling with your family or another couple, you can pack more people into a suite (which usually comes with a sofa bed) and thereby reduce your per-person rate. Remember that some places charge for extra guests and some don't.

Investigate reservations services. These outfits usually work as consolidators, buying up or reserving rooms in bulk and then dealing them out to customers at a profit. Most of them offer online reservations services as well.

As far as prices go, keep in mind that our price categories are rough guidelines, at best. If you see a hotel that appeals to you, even if it seems out of your price range, give them a call anyway. They might be having a special, a slow week, or some kind of promotion, or they may just like the sound of your voice (we have no other explanation for it). You could end up with a hotel in the "expensive" category offering you a room for $35 a night. It's a toll-free call, so it's worth a try.

Consider also, even if you think from the outset that this is your one and only trip to Vegas, joining a hotel's players' club -- or possibly every hotel's players' club. This costs you nothing, and players/members often get nifty offers in the mail for heavily discounted, and occasionally even free, rooms (plus meals, shows, and so on). Players' clubs reward you with freebies and discounts when you play in their casinos, regardless of whether you win. Even as one luxury hotel was firmly insisting their prices would never, ever fall below about $149 per night, players' club members were receiving invitations to stay for $89. How much you have to play to get these deals varies, but if you are going to gamble anyway, why not make it work more to your advantage? You can sign up online, which will get you e-mail-only offers. You can do this on almost every hotel's website, and it's worth it, though it does mean scheduling you Vegas vacation to take advantage of the times the offers are valid.

We've classified all our hotel recommendations based on the average rack rate that you can expect to be quoted for a double room on an average night (not when the Consumer Electronics Show is in town, and not on New Year's Eve). Expect to pay a little less than this if you stay only Sunday to Thursday, and a little more than this if you stay Friday and Saturday.

Of course, you can expect significant savings if you book a money-saving package deal. And on any given night when business is slow, you might be able to stay at a "very expensive" hotel for a "moderate" price.

Restaurants

Among the images that come to mind when people think of Las Vegas are food bargains so good the food is practically free. They think of the buffets -- all a small country can eat -- for only $3.99!

All that is true, but frankly, eating in Las Vegas is no longer something you don't have to worry about budgeting for. The buffets are certainly there -- no good hotel would be without one -- as are the cheap meal deals, but you get what you pay for. Some of the cheaper buffets, and even some of the more moderately priced ones, are mediocre at best, ghastly and inedible at worst. And we don't even want to think about those 69¢ beef stew specials.

However, there is some good news on the Vegas food scene. Virtually overnight, there was an explosion of new restaurants, most the creations of the so-called "celebrity chef" phenomenon. For this, we can thank those new luxury-resort hotels, whose management realized that food today is a major indulgence and obsession and thus a significant part of the vacation experience. All of a sudden, Vegas can hold its head up alongside other big cities as a legitimate foodie destination.

Look at this partial list: Celebrity chefs Wolfgang Puck and Emeril Lagasse have half a dozen restaurants in town between them; multi-Michelin-starred chef Joël Robuchon opened two restaurants in the MGM Grand; deservedly famed chef Julian Serrano reigns at Bellagio's Picasso; Thomas Keller, the brains behind Napa Valley's French Laundry -- considered by many to be the best restaurant in the United States -- has a branch of his Bouchon bistro; legendary chef Alain Ducasse is behind Mix at THEhotel; and branches of L.A., New York, San Francisco, and Boston high-profile names such as Pinot Brasserie, Le Cirque, Aqua, Aureole, Olives, Lutèce, Border Grill, Nobu, and others have all rolled into town. Not only are there more, but the 2006 James Beard Awards featured several Vegas nominees; unthinkable less than a decade ago.

Unfortunately, this boom has affected only the very highest end of the price category. In other words, boy, can you eat well, as long as you have a trust fund. Even as dedicated foodies, we can't in good conscience tell you to eat only at places that will require taking out a small bank loan -- except we just don't really have any other options. For the moment, with a few exceptions, it's hard to eat extremely well in Vegas (especially on the Strip) for a down-to-earth price. The buffets remain, certainly, but they're not the bargains they once were; the midprice-range food is, by and large, pretty forgettable; and the really low-end food found in the hotels -- well, we try not to think of it as anything but fuel. Of course, this may not bother you as much as it bothers us.

If you get off the Strip, however, you can find some cheaper, more interesting alternatives, which we have listed below. If you're staying on the Strip and you don't have the mobility of a car, your food options will be severely limited. Getting outside those enormous hotel resorts is a major proposition (and don't think that's not on purpose), which is why visitors often settle for what the hotel has to offer -- long lines and diminished quality. Walking to another hotel -- on the Strip, yet another major investment of time -- means probably encountering much of the same thing. But not always. Once, when faced with dismal breakfast choices, we went from The Mirage over to Caesars, landing in their Forum Shops, where the Stage Deli stood, largely empty and with considerably better munchie options.

Our Best Las Vegas Restaurant Advice

Getting In -- There are tricks to surviving dining in Vegas. If you can, make reservations in advance, particularly for the better restaurants (you might get to town, planning to check out some of the better spots, only to find that they are totally booked throughout your stay). Eat during off-hours when you can. Know that noon to, say, 1:30 or 2pm is going to be prime time for lunch, and 5:30 to 8:30pm (and just after the early shows get out) for dinner. Speaking of time, give yourself plenty of it, particularly if you have to catch a show. We once tried to grab a quick bite in The Riviera before running up to La Cage. The only choice was the food court, where long lines in front of all the stands (fast-food chains only) left us with about 5 minutes to gobble something decidedly unhealthful.

Staying Healthy -- Unhealthy is the watchword here; if you don't care about your heart or your waistline, you will do just fine in Vegas. (And really, what says "vacation" more than cream sauce?) But slowly, salads are making their way onto the menus, and some more health-conscious restaurants are opening. You just have to look for them. And we certainly don't mean to take away any enjoyment of those extravagant buffets; heck, that's a major part of the fun of Vegas! Excess is the other watchword here, and what better symbol is there than mounds of shrimp and unlimited prime rib?

Saving Money -- So you want to sample the creations of a celebrity chef, but you took a beating at the craps table? Check our listings to see which of the high-profile restaurants are open for lunch. Sure, sometimes the more interesting and exotic items are found at dinner, but the midday meal is usually no slouch and can be as much as two-thirds cheaper.

Or skip that highfalutin' stuff altogether. The late-night specials -- a complete steak meal for just a couple dollars -- are also an important part of a good, decadent Vegas experience (and a huge boon for insomniacs). And having complained about how prices are going up, we'll also tell you that you can still eat cheaply and decently (particularly if you are looking upon food only as fuel) all over town. The locals repeatedly say that they almost never cook because in Vegas it is always cheaper to eat out. To locate budget fare, check local newspapers (especially Fri editions) and free magazines (such as Showbiz and What's On in Las Vegas), which are given away at hotel reception desks (sometimes these sources also yield money-saving coupons).

About Price Categories -- The restaurants in this chapter are arranged first by location, then by the following price categories (based on the average cost of a dinner entree): Very Expensive, more than $25; Expensive, $15 to $25; Moderate, $15 to $20; Inexpensive, under $15 (sometimes well under). In expensive and very expensive restaurants, expect to spend no less than twice the price of the average entree for your entire meal, with a tip; you can usually get by on a bit less in moderate and inexpensive restaurants. Buffets and Sunday brunches are gathered in a separate section at the end of this chapter.

A Final Word -- As welcome as the influx of designer chefs is -- and, good lord, is it welcome -- you can't help but notice that the majority are simply re-creating their best work (and sometimes not even that) from elsewhere rather than producing something new. So the Vegas food scene remains, like its architecture, a copy of something from somewhere else. And as happy as we are to encourage you to throw money at these guys, please don't forget the mom-and-pop places, which struggle not to disappear into the maw of the big hotel machines and which produce what comes the closest to true local quality. If you can, get in a car and check out some of the options listed below that are a bit off the beaten track. Show Vegas you aren't content -- you want a meal you can brag about and afford, now!

A Dining Room, or Two, with a View

As we keep noting, the Strip at night is a dazzling sight, which is why hotel rooms with Strip views come at such a premium. Regardless of whether you were able to get the proverbial room with a view, consider dining at either the chic Eiffel Tower Restaurant, in Paris Las Vegas, 3655 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 702/948-6937; daily 11am-3pm and 5:30-10:45pm), located on the 11th floor of said Mid-Strip hotel, or the Stratosphere's Top of the World, in Stratosphere Hotel & Casino, 2000 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 702/380-7711; www.topoftheworldlv.com; daily 11am-3pm, Sun-Thurs 5:30-10:30pm, Fri-Sat 5:30-11pm), which is almost at the top of the North Strip's Stratosphere Tower, the tallest structure west of the Mississippi. Both offer fantastic views. The latter even revolves 360 degrees, while the former also looks down on the Bellagio fountains. Both, however, also match sky-high views with sky-high prices, and, unfortunately, neither has food worth the price. Go for a special night out, or see if you can get away with just ordering appetizers and dessert (which are both superior to the entrees, anyway). You can also just have a drink at their respective bars, though each is set back far enough from the windows that drinkers have less-optimal views than diners.

Great Meal Deals

We've already alluded to the rock-bottom budget meals and graveyard specials available at casino hotel restaurants. Quality not assured and Pepto-Bismol not provided. As prices and deals can change without notice, we don't want to list examples, but finding a full prime-rib dinner for around $5 is not rare (pun definitely intended).

Your best bet is to keep your eyes open as you travel through town, as hotels tend to advertise their specials on their marquees. Or you can go to www.vegas.com and click "Dining" and then "Dining Bargains," though the tips and prices may be similarly somewhat out-of-date. Following are three examples of current options for late-night munchies: Ellis Island offers a $4.95 10-ounce steak (plus potato and other sides), and $7.99 gets you a Porterhouse steak at Arizona Charlie's Boulder. Mr. Lucky's 24/7 at the Hard Rock Hotel is a particularly good diner, with particularly good people-watching. And then ask your server about the $8.95 steak, three barbequed shrimp, and sides; it's not on the menu, so you have to know about it.

Deli Delights

It's East Coast vs. West Coast in the battle of the famous delis, here in sister properties The Mirage and TI at The Mirage. The former has brought in New York's beloved Carnegie Deli (tel. 702/791-7310), home of the towering sandwich, so large no mere mortal can clamp his or her jaws around it. The latter is home to the first offshoot of Los Angeles's Canter's Deli (tel. 702/894-7111), where many a musician has whiled away many an hour, staring moodily into a bowl of matzo-ball soup. Whole families have been rent apart by stating preferences for one style over the other, so we will just say this: As much as we admit that NYC is right to claim it has superior bagels -- there, we said it -- and the Carnegie definitely has better hours, it smells just like the one we spent too much time in while growing up to ever swing our allegiance. Ah, just go do some pastrami taste-testing yourselves, youse. Carnegie Deli in The Mirage, daily 7am to 2am. Canter's in TI at The Mirage, Monday to Friday 11am to 11pm, Saturday to Sunday 9am to midnight.

Best Dining Bets

A number of celebrity chefs are cooking in Vegas, awakening us to the opinion that Vegas's rep for lackluster restaurants is no longer deserved.

Best Restaurant to Blow Your Money On: You could lighten your wallet at the craps table -- and why not? -- or you could spend that same amount, and take a lot longer doing so, exalting in the culinary work being done at Joël Robuchon at the Mansion (tel. 702/891-7925), in the MGM Grand, where you will have a once-in-a-lifetime meal. Somewhat less in the stratosphere, but still plenty costly, are Alex Strada's (tel. 702/770-9966) and Paul Bartolotta's (tel. 702/770-9966) eponymous places in Wynn Las Vegas, and Hubert Keller's Fleur de Lys (tel. 702/632-7200) at Mandalay Place. Meals come dear at all four places, but each is turning out works of edible art, from four different inspired sources of creation. To us, this is what Vegas indulgence is all about, and the memories make us much happier than our losses at the table.

Best All Around: Given our druthers, we are hard-pressed to choose between Alizé (tel. 702/951-7000), at the top of the Palms, where nearly flawless dishes often compete with the sparkling view for sheer delight, and Rosemary's Restaurant, 8125 W. Sahara (tel. 702/869-2251), a 20-minute drive off the Strip and worth twice as much effort, for some Southern-influenced cooking. Each of these may well put the work of those many high-profile chefs, so prominently featured all over town, to shame. Speaking of high-profile chefs, we have just sworn allegiance to Thomas Keller's Bouchon (tel. 702/414-6200), in Venezia at The Venetian. Keller may be the best chef in America, and while this is simply his take on classic bistro food, you should never underestimate the joys of simple food precisely prepared. We also never ever turn down a chance to eat what Julian Serrano is making over at Picasso (tel. 702/693-7223), at Bellagio.

Best Inexpensive Meal: Capriotti's, 324 W. Sahara Ave. (tel. 702/474-0229), serves beautiful, fresh, monster submarine sandwiches. They roast their own beef and turkey on the premises and assemble it (or cold cuts, or even vegetables) into delicious well-stuffed submarine sandwiches, ranging in size from 9 to 20 inches, and most of them under $10. We never leave town without one . . . or two.

Best Buffet: On the Strip, it's Le Village Buffet (in Paris Las Vegas, tel. 888/266-5687), where the stations break from standard form by adhering to regional French food specialties (from places such as Provence, Alsace, and Burgundy) and the results are much better than average. Though not cheap, this is a reasonable substitute for an even more costly fancy meal. If you want a little more traditional buffet -- as in, one not devoted to one particular cuisine -- Wynn Las Vegas (in Wynn Las Vegas, tel. 702/770-3340) is terrific all the way, even through the usual buffet weakness, dessert. The Palms Fantasy Market Buffet (in The Palms, tel. 702/942-7777) offers the best of the more budget-oriented options, with an array of Middle Eastern goodies and some eccentric additions to the ubiquitous carving stations. Downtown, the Main Street Station Garden Court (in Main Street Station, tel. 702/387-1896), has an incredible buffet: all live-action stations (where the food is made in front of you, sometimes to order); wood-fired brick-oven pizzas; fresh, lovely salsas and guacamole in the Mexican section; and better-than-average desserts.

Best Sunday Champagne Brunch: Head for Bally's, at Mid-Strip, where the lavish Sterling Sunday Brunch (tel. 702/967-7999) features tables dressed with linen and silver. The buffet itself has everything from caviar and lobster to sushi and sashimi, plus fancy entrees that include the likes of roast duckling with black-currant and blueberry sauce.

Best Group Budget Meal Deal: Capriotti's, 324 W. Sahara Ave. (tel. 702/474-0229), again -- a large sandwich can feed two with leftovers, for about $5 each. Or split a bowl of soup at the Grand Wok (tel. 702/891-7777), in the MGM Grand. This pan-Asian restaurant offers a variety of soups in such generous portions that four people can make a decent meal out of one serving.

Best Bistro: We ate nearly the entire menu at Bouchon (tel. 702/414-6200), from Thomas Keller, in The Venetian, and didn't find a misstep, just what you might expect from one of the most critically lauded chefs in the country. But don't overlook Mon Ami Gabi (tel. 702/944-4224), in Paris Las Vegas. Offering lovely, reasonably priced bistro fare (steak and pommes frites, onion soup), it's also a charming spot.

Best Restaurant/Nightclub Interiors: The designers ran amok in the restaurants of Mandalay Bay. At Aureole (tel. 877/632-1766), a four-story wine tower requires that a pretty young thing be hauled up in a harness to fetch your chosen vintage. The post-Communist party decor at Red Square (tel. 702/632-7407) is topped only by the fire-and-water walls at neighboring rumjungle (tel. 702/632-7408). And then there is the futuristic fantasy of Mix (tel. 877/632-1766), on top of THEhotel, where stunning views of the Strip compete with a giant beaded curtain made of hand-blown glass balls, to say nothing of silver pods in lieu of booths.

Best Spot for a Romantic Dinner: Alizé (tel. 702/951-7000), at the top of the Palms, has windows on three sides of the dining room, with no other buildings around for many blocks. You get an unobstructed view of all of Vegas, the desert, and the mountains from every part of the restaurant. Aren't you in the mood already?

Best Spot for a Celebration: Let's face it, no one parties like the Red Party, so head to Red Square (tel. 702/632-7407) in Mandalay Bay, where you can have caviar and vodka in the ultimate capitalist revenge.

Best Free Show at Dinner: Daniel Boulud Brasserie (tel. 702/770-9966), at Wynn Las Vegas, provides front-and-center seating of the strange yet compelling Lake of Dreams show. And then there is the vista offered by the restaurants in Bellagio -- Picasso (tel. 702/693-7223), Le Cirque (tel. 877/234-6358), Olives (tel. 702/693-7223), and Circo (tel. 702/693-8150) -- which are grouped to take advantage of the view of the dancing water fountains. See chapter 5 for reviews of all the Bellagio restaurants.

Best Wine List: It's a competitive market in Vegas for such a title, and with sommeliers switching around, it's hard to guarantee that any wine list will retain its quality. Still, you can't go wrong at Mandalay Bay's Aureole (tel. 877/632-1766), which has the largest collection of Austrian wines outside of that country, among other surprises.

Best Beer List: Rosemary's Restaurant, 8125 W. Sahara (tel. 702/869-2251), offers "beer pairings" suggestions with most of its menu options, and includes some curious and fun brands, including fruity Belgian numbers.

Best Views: Mix (tel. 877/632-1766), on top of THEhotel, and Alizé (tel. 702/951-7000), at the top of the Palms, win with their floor-to-ceiling window views, but there is something to be said for seeing all of Vegas from the revolving Top of the World (tel. 702/380-7711), 106 stories off the ground in the Stratosphere Casino Hotel & Tower.

Best Eclectic: Many celebrity-chef or other high-profile restaurants in Vegas are disappointments because said chef isn't in the kitchen. But Charlie Palmer's Aureole (tel. 877/632-1766), in Mandalay Bay, hits all the right gourmet notes with its clever, sophisticated cuisine.

Best Italian: You won't find anything more authentic outside of Italy than at Bartolotta Ristorante di Mare (tel. 888/320-7110), at Wynn Las Vegas. Given that the chef has his fish flown in daily from the Mediterranean, this also wins "best seafood." For Tuscan cuisine at slightly less dear prices, Circo (tel. 702/693-8150), in Bellagio, is terrific.

Best Deli: Wars are fought over less, so all you New Yorkers can square off between Stage Deli (tel. 702/893-4045), in Caesars, and Carnegie Deli (tel. 702/791-7310), in The Mirage. Los Angeles residents will fight for the branch of their beloved Canter's Deli (tel. 702/894-7111), in TI at The Mirage. The rest of us will find our mouths too packed with pastrami to weigh in.

Best New Orleans Cuisine: Emeril's Delmonico Steakhouse (tel. 702/631-1000), in The Venetian, brings the celebrity chef's "Bam!" cuisine to the other side of the Mississippi, and we are glad, while we are perhaps even gladder that Commander's Palace (tel. 702/892-8272) has an outlet in Planet Hollywood.

Best Red Meat: Lawry's The Prime Rib, 4043 Howard Hughes Pkwy. (tel. 702/893-2223), has such good prime rib, it's hard to imagine ever having any better. If you want cuts other than prime rib, Charlie Palmer (tel. 702/632-5120), in the Four Seasons, has some of the best steaks in town, though the more budget-conscious might want to either split the enormous cuts or try the justly popular Austins Steakhouse (tel. 702/631-1033), in Texas Station, 2101 Texas Star Lane.

Buffets

Lavish, low-priced buffets are a Las Vegas tradition, designed to lure you to the gaming tables and to make you feel that you got such a bargain for your meal that you can afford to drop more money. They're gimmicks, and we love them. Something about filling up on too much prime rib and shrimp just says "Vegas" to us.

Unfortunately, like so much else that was Vegas tradition, the buffets are evolving. The higher-end ones no longer put out heaping mounds o' stuff, which is probably for the best in terms of waste but is a departure from decadence that we are loathe to see go. And prices have been steadily creeping upward; the higher-end buffets are no longer a true bargain because it's unlikely you can (or should) eat enough to make you feel like you really got away with something. With the more expensive buffets, some of which have pretty good food, consider it this way: You would pay much more, per person, at one of the fancier restaurants in town, and you could order just one, potentially disappointing, item. Consider the higher-end recommended buffet as an alternative to a nice meal at a traditional restaurant. More variety per person means more options, less likelihood for disappointment. (Hate what you picked? Dump your plate and start all over.) Not nearly as atmospheric as a proper restaurant, but how else can you combine good barbecue with excellent Chinese and a cupcake or 10?

There is a lot of variety within the buffet genre. Some are just perfunctory steam-table displays and salad bars that are heavy on the iceberg lettuce, while others are unbelievably opulent spreads with caviar and free-flowing champagne. Some are quite beautifully presented as well. Some of the food is awful, some of it is decent, and some of it is memorable.

No trip to Las Vegas is complete without trying one or two buffets. Of the dozens, the most noteworthy are described below. Bear in mind that, appearance and layout aside, almost all buffets have some things in common. Unless otherwise noted, every one listed below will have a carving station, a salad bar (quality differs), and hot main courses and side dishes. We will try to point out only the more notable and original elements at the various buffets.

Note: Buffets are extremely popular, and reservations are usually not taken (we've indicated when they are, and in all those cases, they are highly recommended). Arrive early (before opening) or late to avoid a long line, especially on weekends.

Family Friendly Restaurants

Buffets -- Cheap meals for the whole family. The kids can choose what they like, and there are sometimes make-your-own sundae machines. Section 8 of this chapter reviews all the buffets and notes which ones have reduced prices for kids.

Cypress Street Marketplace -- Caesars Palace's food court (stylish enough to offer real plates and cloth napkins) offers a range of food (from very good hot dogs to wrap sandwiches to Vietnamese noodles) wide enough to ensure that bottomless-pit teenagers, picky grade-schoolers, and health-conscious parents will all find something that appeals, at affordable prices.

Fellini's -- With a menu that admittedly veers towards Italian-American rather than authentic food from the motherland, this is all the more appropriate for families, who probably want a good red sauce pasta dish and some solid pizza rather than anything more elaborate.

Hard Rock Cafe -- Kids adore this restaurant, which throbs with excitement and is filled with rock memorabilia.

Monte Carlo Pub & Brewery -- Despite the "pub" part of the name, this noisy place in the Monte Carlo hotel has many TVs to distract short-attention kids and brooding teenagers, all of whom will like the barbecue, pizza, and chicken fingers. Parents will be pleased with the low prices.

Pink Pony -- This bubble-gum-pink, circus-motif 24-hour coffee shop at Circus Circus will appeal to kids. Mom and Dad can linger while the kids race upstairs to watch circus acts and play carnival games.

Rainforest Café -- This is like eating in the Jungle Book ride at Disneyland. Animals howl, thunder wails, everywhere there is something to marvel at. There is a decent kids' menu, and they might even learn a little bit about ecology and the environment.

Sherwood Forest Café -- Kids love to climb on the lavender dragons fronting this 24-hour coffee shop at Excalibur, and they can also enjoy numerous child-oriented activities while you're on the premises.

Toto's -- This Mexican restaurant that features enormous portions served family style is a casual place favored by locals.

Sweets

Plenty of opportunities exist in Vegas for satisfying your sweet tooth, but for the discriminating, here are six spots that you may have to make a detour for.

Jean-Philippe Patisserie (in Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; tel. 702/693-8788) makes us swoon, not just because it has the world's largest chocolate fountain (20 ft. high! Though only 11 ft. are on view, and they won't let us drink from it. Darn.), but perhaps, more to the point, it's the home of World Pastry Champion Jean-Philippe Maury. (Yes, you can win gold medals for pastries.) Each visit causes us to spin around distractedly, trying to take in all the choices, both visually and gastronomically. From perfect gourmet chocolates to ice cream (diet-conscious folks will be relieved to learn the sorbets are excellent) to the eponymous pastries (each a little work of art), we hit greed overload. For us, this is true Vegas decadence -- if only "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" applied to calories. Our current favorites include a witty-looking version of lemon meringue pie that was proclaimed by one aficionado of same her favorite ever, to a chocolate hazelnut bomb with so many layers of interest we couldn't quite keep track, to brioches filled with either dulce de leche or Nutella. They also serve some solidly good sandwiches, which often need heating, which can be a problem if the ingredients are better cold (prosciutto, for example), and some adequate savory crepes. Open Sunday through Thursday 7am to 11pm, Friday and Saturday 7am to midnight.

The Chocolate Swan (Mandalay Place, 3930 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; tel. 702/632-9366; www.chocolateswan.com) is here because a Mandalay Bay executive fell in love with the owners' work back at their original Midwestern shop and convinced them to close and reopen in Vegas. Patronize them so they know their decision was a good one; you will know it is as soon as you try one of their entirely-from-scratch-and-fresh products. Gorgeous, elaborate baked goods, carefully created candies, and too much more to list. Have a slice of cake and homemade hot chocolate, and take back a few pastries and other sweets for a late-night orgy in your room. Prices aren't cheap (particularly for slices of cake), but that seems to be the way of gourmet sweets shops. Open Sunday through Thursday 10am to 11pm, Friday and Saturday 10am until midnight.

Most of the doughnut places around town are of the chain variety -- fine if you have a yen on the spot, but in reality, you might as well be eating frosted foam rubber. If you're a connoisseur with a car or happen to be checking out the restaurants in the Chinatown area on Spring Mountain Road, go to Ronald's Doughnuts, 4600 Spring Mountain Rd., at Decatur (tel. 702/873-1032). Hours are Monday to Saturday from 4am to 5pm, Sunday from 4am to 2pm. Some have called these doughnuts celestial. You decide.

Do a comparison taste test with Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, just a few more minutes down the road at 7015 W. Spring Mountain Rd., at Rainbow Boulevard (tel. 702/222-2320). There are more convenient but more crowded (and higher-priced) Krispy Kreme locations in TI at The Mirage, Excalibur, and The Venetian, but only the latter two make the doughnuts on the premises. Krispy Kreme prompts rabid devotion in its fans -- like us, who, on our first visit, ate two of their famous glazed before we even cleared the drive-through. If you've wondered what all the fuss is about, be sure to go when the HOT DOUGHNUTS sign flashes from 5 to 11am and 5 to 11pm. Dine-in 5am to 11pm; drive-through Sunday through Thursday 5am to 11pm, Friday and Saturday 5am to 1am.

Another favorite is Freed's Bakery, 4780 S. Eastern Ave., at Tropicana Boulevard (tel. 702/456-7762, www.freedsbakery.com), open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 6:30pm and Sunday from 9am to 3pm. If you've got a serious sugar craving, this is worth the 15-minute drive from the Strip. Despite the minimalist setting, it's like walking into Grandma's kitchen (provided you had an old-fashioned granny who felt pastries should not be fancy but should definitely be gooey, chocolaty, and buttery). The chocolate coffeecake is especially good. They also have fresh bread, napoleons, strawberry cheesecake, cream puffs, sweet rolls, Danishes, and doughnuts, many of which are made with surprisingly fresh ingredients. Some may find the goodies too heavy and rich, but for those of us with a powerful sweet tooth, this place hits the spot.

Hot Vegas days call for cool desserts, and frozen custard (softer than regular ice cream, but harder than soft serve) is a fine way to go. Head for Luv-It Frozen Custard, 505 E. Oakey (tel. 702/384-6452; www.luvitfrozencustard.com), open Tuesday to Thursday from 1 to 10pm, Friday and Saturday from 1 to 11pm. Since it has less fat and sugar than premium ice cream, you can even fool yourself into thinking this is somewhat healthful (hah!). Made every few hours using fresh cream and eggs, Luv-It Frozen Custard has basic flavors available for cup or cone, but more exotic ones (maple walnut, apple spice, and more) in tubs.

Theme Restaurants

It shouldn't be too surprising to learn that a town devoted to themes (what hotel worth its salt doesn't have one, at this point?) has one of virtually every theme restaurant there is. Almost all have prominent celebrity co-owners and tons of "memorabilia" on the walls, which in virtually every case means throwaway items from blockbuster movies, or some article of clothing a celeb wore once (if that) on stage or on the playing field. Almost all have virtually identical menus and have gift shops full of logo items.

This sounds cynical, and it is -- but not without reason. Theme restaurants are for the most part noisy, cluttered, overpriced places that are strictly tourist traps, and, though some have their devotees, if you eat at one of these places, you've eaten at them all. We don't want to be total killjoys. Fans should have a good time checking out the stuff on the walls of the appropriate restaurant. And while the food won't be the most memorable ever, it probably won't be bad (and will be moderately priced). But that's not really what you go for.

The House of Blues, in Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 702/632-7607; www.hob.com; Mon-Thurs 7:30am-midnight, Fri-Sat 7:30am-1am), is, for our money, food- and theme-wise, the best of the theme restaurants. The food is really pretty good (if a little more costly than it ought to be in a theme restaurant), and the mock Delta/New Orleans look works well, even if it is unavoidably commercial. You can dine here without committing to seeing whatever band is playing, as the dining room is separate from the club (note, though, that HOB gets very good bookings from nationally known acts). The gospel brunch might also be worth checking out (the food is good, though there's too much of it), but be warned: It's served inside the actual club, which can be unbelievably loud, so bring earplugs (we left with splitting headaches).

Presumably filling the hole left by the demise of the All Star Café, so that you sports fans won't feel left out in the theme restaurant race, ESPN, in New York-New York, 3790 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 702/933-3776; www.espnzone.com; Sun-Thurs 11am-midnight, Fri-Sat 11am-1am), is a gigantic facility featuring rather wacky and entertaining sports memorabilia (such as Evel Knievel set up as the old "Operation" game, displaying his many broken bones), plus additions such as a rock-climbing wall/machine. It's pretty fun, actually, and the food, in a couch-potato-junk-food-junkie way, is not bad either, especially when you're sitting in one of the La-Z-Boy recliners, ordering delights such as three Krispy Kreme doughnuts topped with ice cream, whipped cream, and syrup, and watching sports.

There are those who rave about the warm Tollhouse-cookie pie at the Harley-Davidson Cafe, 3725 Las Vegas Blvd. S., at Harmon Avenue (tel. 702/740-4555; www.harley-davidsoncafe.com; Sun-Thurs 11am-11pm, Fri-Sat 11am-midnight).

The Hard Rock Cafe, 4475 Paradise Rd., at Harmon Avenue (tel. 702/733-8400; www.hardrockcafe.com; Sun-Thurs 11am-midnight, Fri-Sat 11am-2am), has decent burgers. The serious hipster quotient at the adjacent hotel means that the people-watching opportunities are best here.

Visually, the Rainforest Café, in MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 702/891-8580; www.rainforestcafe.com; Sun-Thurs 8am-11pm, Fri-Sat 8am-midnight), with its jungle interior, complete with sound effects and animatronic animals, is the best of the bunch.

Parrot Heads like to party it up at Margaritaville, singer Jimmy Buffet's tropical-themed cafe/bar/club, at The Flamingo ("Parrot Heads" is how his fans refer to themselves). The menu runs a range from Mexican to something sort of Caribbean-themed to basic American, and it's not all that bad, considering. Partaking in lots of fruity tropical drinks doesn't hurt, either. In The Flamingo, 3555 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 702/733-3302; www.margaritavillelasvegas.com; Sun-Thurs 11am-2am, Fri-Sat 11am-3am).

Quick Bites

Food courts are a dime a dozen in Vegas, but the one in New York-New York, 3790 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 702/740-6969), deserves a mention for two reasons: It's the nicest setting for this sort of thing on the Strip, sitting in the Greenwich Village section of New York-New York, which means scaled replica tenement buildings, steam rising from the manhole covers, and more than a little (faux, naturally) greenery, a nice change from unrelentingly shrill plastic mall decor. The selections are the usual, with one exception listed below (Jody Maroni's Sausage Kingdom), but it's a better-than-average food court, with Chinese food and pizza (as befitting an ode to NYC), and excellent if expensive (for this situation) double-decker burgers, plus Schraft's ice cream.

The Monte Carlo, 3770 Las Vegas Blvd. S., between Flamingo Road and Tropicana Avenue (tel. 702/730-7777), has some surprisingly good options, too. Sure, there's the always-reliable McDonald's, and for sweets there is Häagen-Dazs, but they also have a branch of Nathan's Hot Dogs, New York's finest. The Golden Bagel offers another New York staple, big and tasty enough to satisfy even picky natives. Sbarro offers enticing pizza slices. If you want a good, cheap meal on the Strip and want to avoid some of those dubious night-owl specials, come here. It's open daily from 6am to 3am.

And if you head farther down the Strip, to the Grande Canal Shoppes at The Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 702/414-1000), you can find another decent food court, with a Panda Express, a good pizza place (despite the confusing name of LA Italian Kitchen), a burrito stand, a juice joint, and, best of all, a Krispy Kreme, where they are actually making the doughnuts on the premises. Plus, it's right by the canals of this faux Venice, one of our favorite places in Vegas.

Attractions

You aren't going to lack for things to do in Las Vegas. More than likely, you've come here for the gambling, which should keep you pretty busy (we say that with some understatement). But you can't sit at a slot machine forever. (Or maybe you can.) In any event, it shouldn't be too hard to find ways to fill your time between poker hands.

Just walking on the Strip and gazing at the gaudy, garish, absurd wonder of it all can occupy quite a lot of time. This is the number-one activity we recommend in Vegas; at night, it is a mind-boggling sight. And, of course, there are shows and plenty of other nighttime entertainment. But if you need something else to do beyond resting up at your hotel's pool, or if you are trying to amuse yourself while the rest of your party gambles away, this chapter will guide you. Having said that, Vegas is going in such an "adult" entertainment direction that many attractions, particularly those with kid appeal, have closed lately, and though new, equally expensive options may come along to take their place, the emphasis right now seems to be on mature fun -- drinking, gambling, and the like -- and spas to help you recover from the effects of same. Put it that way, and it doesn't sound all that bad.

Don't forget to check out the free hotel attractions, such as Bellagio's water-fountain ballet, The Mirage's volcano and white-tiger exhibit, and the masquerade show at the Rio. Oh, yeah, and the utter piece of hooey that replaced the pirate show at TI at the Mirage. (The pirates now battle scantily clad women. Except it's even worse than that.) You can probably give that a miss.

You could also consider using a spa at a major hotel; they seem too pricey (as high as $30 a day) to fill in for your daily gym visit if you are just going to use a few machines, but spending a couple of hours working out, sweating out Vegas toxins in the steam room, and generally pampering yourself will leave you feeling relaxed, refreshed, and ready to go all night again.

There are also plenty of out-of-town sightseeing options, like Hoover Dam (a major tourist destination), Red Rock Canyon, and nexus-of-all-conspiracy-theories Area 51, along with excursions to the Grand Canyon.

Mayor Oscar B. Goodman's Top 10 Places to Recapture Old Las Vegas

1. The proposed "Mob" Museum in the old U.S. Courthouse and Post Office (300 E. Stewart Ave.)

2. The "Bugsy" Suite at the Flamingo Hotel & Casino

3. Bob Taylor's Ranch House at 6250 Rio Vista (where the old-timers went)

4. Fellini's Restaurant at 5555 W. Charleston (ambience of yore)

5. Piero's Italian Cuisine at 355 Convention Center Dr. (characters eating pasta)

6. 200 feet at bottom of Lake Mead

7. 6 feet in desert near the state line

8. Howard Hughes's bungalow behind Channel 8

9. The WELCOME TO LAS VEGAS sign south of the Strip

10. The Huntridge Theater at 1208 E. Charleston

Oscar B. Goodman is the Mayor of Las Vegas through 2007.

Nearby Attractions

About 6 miles from the Strip in the town of Henderson are two factories that offer free tours (there used to be more, but they recently closed), and if that's your kind of thing, well, you won't be entirely alone. It's best to see them on a weekday, when they're fully operative.

To get to Henderson, drive east on Tropicana Avenue, make a right on Mountain Vista, then go 2 miles to Sunset Way; turn left into Green Valley Business Park. You will soon see Ethel M Chocolates, a good place to begin. Use the map in this section to find your way to the other facility.

Especially for Kids

Like much of the rest of the world, you may be under the impression that Las Vegas has evolved from an adults-only fantasyland into a vacation destination suitable for the entire family. The only explanation for this myth is that Las Vegas was referred to as "Disneyland for adults" by so many and for so long that the town became momentarily confused and decided it actually was Disneyland. Some of the gargantuan hotels then spent small fortunes on redecorating in an attempt to lure families, with vast quantities of junk food and a lot of hype. They now vehemently deny that any such notion ever crossed their collective minds, and, no, they don't know how that roller coaster got into the parking lot.

To put things simply, Las Vegas makes money -- lots and lots of money -- by promoting gambling, drinking, and sex. These are all fine pursuits if you happen to be an adult, but if you haven't reached the magical age of 21, you really don't count in this town. In any case, the casinos and even the Strip itself are simply too stimulating, noisy, and smoky for young kids.

Older progeny may have a tolerance for crowds and the incessant pinging of the slot machines, but they will be thoroughly annoyed with you when casino security chastises them if they so much as stop to tie their shoelaces anywhere near the gaming tables. Since you can't get from your hotel room to the parking lot without ambling through a casino, you can't reasonably expect a teenager to be in a good mood once you stagger outside. And those amusement parks and video halls that haven't yet been purged are very expensive places to park your kids for an afternoon or evening, assuming they are old enough to be left unsupervised.

Nevertheless, you may have a perfectly legitimate reason for bringing your children to Las Vegas (like Grandma was busy, or you were just stopping off on your way from somewhere else), so here are some places to take the children both on and off the Strip.

Circus Circus has ongoing circus acts throughout the day, a vast video-game-and-pinball arcade, and dozens of carnival games on its mezzanine level. Behind the hotel is The Adventuredome, detailed below.

Excalibur also offers video, carnival, and thrill cinemas.

At Caesars Palace, animated talking statues in The Forum Shops are also a kick.

Star Trek: The Experience and Borg Invasion 4-D deserve to draw families to the Las Vegas Hilton, but it may be a bit much for younger children.

The erupting volcano might divert them, as the Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at The Mirage surely will, and the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay is worth a look. Ditto the various attractions at Luxor Las Vegas (the IMAX Theater and IMAX Ridefilm, and King Tut's Museum), and Cyber Speedway and Speed: The Ride at the Sahara.

Children 10 and up will love the many options for play (from high-tech to low-tech, from video wonders to actual physical activity) offered at GameWorks, as will their parents.

Of moderate interest to youngsters is the Ethel M Chocolates factory tour in Henderson, not for the educational value but for the sweets at the end. More educational is the Marjorie Barrick Museum at UNLV, but only the reptile exhibit will really interest kids. The Clark County Heritage Museum is also a dear little throwback, and uncynical kids may enjoy wandering through the old buildings and checking out some of the dioramas.

Appropriate shows for kids include Tournament of Kings at Excalibur, Lance Burton at the Monte Carlo, Mac King at Harrah's, and Cirque du Soleil's Mystère at TI at the Mirage. As a general rule, early shows are less racy than late-night shows. All these productions are reviewed in detail in chapter 9, where you'll also find a few more suggestions for kid-friendly shows.

Beyond the city limits is Bonnie Springs Ranch/Old Nevada, with trail and stagecoach rides, a petting zoo, old-fashioned melodramas, stunt shootouts, a Nevada-themed wax museum, crafts demonstrations, and more. Lake Mead has great recreational facilities for family vacations. Finally, organized tours to the Grand Canyon and other interesting sights in southern Nevada and neighboring states can be fun family activities. Check with your hotel sightseeing desk. Kids should also be entertained by the personalized tours offered by Creative Adventures (tel. 702/893-2051; www.creativeadventuresltd.net).

Free

Vegas used to be the land of freebies -- or at least, stuff so cheap it seemed free. Those days are an increasingly dim memory, but many hotels still offer free attractions designed to lure you, the unsuspecting visitor, into their casinos, where you might well then drop far more than the cost of a day ticket to Disney World. Do not give them the satisfaction. Or do. Whatever. It's your money. Meanwhile, here's a handy list of the best of the free bait, er, sights:

Bellagio Conservatory (in Bellagio). A totally preposterous idea, a larger-than-life greenhouse atrium, filled with seasonal living foliage in riotous colors and styles, changed every 6 weeks or so. From Easter to Chinese New Year, events are celebrated with carefully designed splashes of flowers, plants, and remarkable decorations -- it's an incredible amount of labor for absolutely no immediate financial payoff. No wonder it's one of the most popular sights in Vegas. Open 24 hours.

Bellagio Fountains (outside Bellagio). Giant spouts of water shoot up and down and sideways, and dance their little aquatic hearts out, to pieces carefully choreographed to tunes ranging from show to Chopin. We tell people about this, they roll their eyes when they think we aren't looking, then they go see it for themselves . . . and end up staying for several numbers. Daily every half-hour, starting early afternoon, then every 15 minutes 7pm to midnight. Closed when it's windy.

The Forum Shops Fountain Shows (in The Forum Shops at Caesars). The first of the free shows, and easily the stupidest. We love it, in theory at least, as giant "marble" Greco-Roman statues come to creaky animatronic life and deliver a largely unintelligible speech, mostly exhorting the crowds to eat, drink, and get so merry they will think nothing of dropping a bundle on the slots. Not quite so bad it's good, but one day they are going to wise up and make the thing more high tech, and a little something special will be lost. Daily every hour, starting at 10am.

Masquerade Show in the Sky (in the Rio). Think those Skyway buckets from Disneyland turned into carnival-themed floats, and you've got the basic idea of this overhead parade. Mardi Gras-by-way-of-Rio costumed extras toss beads to the cheering crowd, which probably isn't noticing how creepy cool the floating floats really are. Daily 3, 4, 5, 6:30, 7:30, 8:30, and 9:30pm.

Mirage Volcano (outside The Mirage). The first curbside free attraction, and one of the reasons Wynn made it so you can't see his new mountain and lake show from the street -- because that doesn't bring guests into the property. This had paled in comparison to things like dancing fountains and pirates, but a 2006 makeover amped up the fire, lights, sound, and effects to a much more entertaining level. Maybe not as cool as pirates but still pretty cool. Still wish it had some more awesome-looking lava, though. Every 15 minutes after dark until midnight.

Mirage White Tigers (in The Mirage). Not to be confused with the Secret Garden of Siegfried & Roy, this is one, sometimes two, white tigers on display in a distressingly small glassed-in enclosure. Don't worry; the big cats rarely spend more than an hour or 2 on duty before they get to go to bigger, better places. So just enjoy a free glimpse and hope it's a cool day, and the cats might be doing something more interesting than snoozing. Open 24 hours, but cats may not be on display when you go.

Sirens of TI (outside TI at the Mirage). We gave it the star because it has such high production values, but man, it hurt us to do even that. See, this used to be a fun, hokey stunt show, where pirates attacked a British sailing vessel. Lusty men swashed and buckled, cannons exploded, ships sank, the pirates always won. But Vegas is -- repeat after us, please -- not for families anymore, and to prove it, the British were removed (first India, now this) and now the pirates are lured by singing and dancing lingerie-clad lovelies more suited to the Victoria's Secret catalog than Homer. Stuff happens, but no one really cares; either you like the nekkid chicks, or you are so horrified by the whole spectacle because it's so appallingly bad that plot twists don't matter much. Parents, be warned: Between the gals and their undies, and the 24-foot stark-raving-naked female figurehead on the ship right by the Strip entrance to TI at the Mirage, you may be in for an interesting conversation with your children. Daily at 7, 8:30, 10, and 11:30pm, weather permitting.

Wynn Conservatory (in Wynn Las Vegas). Yes, remarkably like the one at Bellagio, only we have to admit this one is better placed, situated just inside the door, and laid out so that one can stroll through it on one's way to other parts of the hotel, as opposed to the tucked-in-a-corner Bellagio version. The floral displays change regularly, though they may reflect the striking floral mosaics on the floor below. We do hope it won't get as wacky as its Bellagio counterpart and will stick to the merely festive. Open 24 hours.

Wynn Lake of Dreams (in Wynn Las Vegas). This is the most peculiar of the "free" shows in several ways: It's not easily defined (not dancing fountains, not a parade in the sky), and it's not easily seen. The 150-foot-tall mountain, complete with mature trees saved from the old Desert Inn golf course, plus several waterfalls, cannot be seen in its entirety from anywhere other than hotel rooms facing west. The show itself can be watched only if you are dining in the Daniel Boulud Brasserie or SW Steakhouse, the Parasol or Chanel bars, or a small viewing platform set above those venues on the casino level. Nab a coveted spot there or else pay double (or more) digits to dine or drink while waiting for the shows. Should you bother? Maybe. Basically, twice an hour, the lake lights up with pretty colors, cued to tunes ranging from classical to Louis Armstrong for "interludes." At the top of the hour are bigger extravaganzas of weird hologram erotic-psychedelic images projected on the wall waterfall, while shapes and puppets pop out for even more wacky action, with some rather adult imagery at times. Not worth an overpriced drink unless you can nurse it all night, but the restaurants are good enough to try, so the shows are a bonus. Note that if you can't get a table outside, you do have to go there to see the shows properly. Shows are every 20 minutes, from 7pm to midnight.

Getting Married

Getting hitched is one of the most popular things to do in Las Vegas. Just ask Britney. As she rather infamously revealed, it's very easy to get married here. Too easy. See that total stranger/"childhood friend" standing next to you? Grab him or her and head down to the Clark County Marriage License Bureau, 201 Clark Avenue (tel. 702/455-4415; daily 8am-midnight), to get your license. Find a wedding chapel (not hard, as there are about 50 of them in town; they line the north end of the Strip, and most hotels have them) and tie the knot. Just like that. No blood test, no waiting period -- heck, not even an awkward dating period. Though a potentially very awkward time explaining it afterward to your mother, your manager, and the press.

Even if you have actually known your intended for some time, Las Vegas is a great place to get married. The ease is the primary attraction, but there are a number of other appealing reasons. You can have any kind of wedding you want, from a big, traditional production number to a small, intimate affair; from a spur-of-the-moment "just-the-happy-couple-in-blue-jeans" kind of thing to an "Elvis-in-a-pink-Cadillac-at-a-drive-through-window" kind of thing. (Oh, yes. More on that later.) The wedding chapels take care of everything; usually they'll even provide a limo to take you to the license bureau and back. Most offer all the accessories, from rings to flowers to a videotaped record of the event.

We personally know several very happy couples who opted for the Vegas route. Motivations differed, with the ease factor heading the list (though the Vegas-ness of the whole thing came in a close second), but one and all reported having great fun. Really, is there a more romantic way to start off your life together than in gales of laughter?

In any event, the more than 100,000 couples who yearly take advantage of all this can't be wrong. If you want to follow in the footsteps of Elvis and Priscilla (at the first incarnation of the Aladdin Hotel), Michael Jordan, Joan Collins, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, Dennis Rodman and Carmen Electra, and, of course, Britney and What's-His-Name, you'll want to peruse the following list of the most notable wedding chapels on or near the Strip. There are many more in town, and almost all the major hotels offer chapels as well; though the latter are cleaner and less tacky than some of the Strip chapels, they do tend to be without any personality at all. (One exception might be the chapel at the Excalibur Hotel, where you can dress in medieval costumes, and the lovely chapel at Bellagio, which has personal wedding coordinators and a high level of customer service, holding only 8-10 weddings a day -- seems like a lot, but it's nothing compared to the volume on the Strip.)

With regard to decor, there isn't a radical difference between the major places (hence, no star ratings here), though some are decidedly spiffier and less sad than others. Attitude certainly makes a difference with several and varies radically, depending on who's working at any given time. Given how important your wedding is -- or should be -- we encourage you to give yourself time to comparison-shop and spurn anyone who doesn't seem eager enough for your business. (Passing note: Standing outside a wedding chapel for a couple of hours makes for interesting people-watching, as you see brides in full white gowns accompanied by a whole retinue, pregnant brides in ordinary dresses, or happy couples wearing sweats, all ready to march down that aisle.)

You can also call Las Vegas Weddings (tel. 800/488-MATE; www.lasvegasweddings.com), which offers one-stop shopping for wedding services. They'll find a chapel or outdoor garden that suits your taste (not to mention such only-in-Vegas venues as the former mansions of Elvis Presley and Liberace); book you into a hotel for the honeymoon; arrange the ceremony; and provide flowers, a photographer (and/or videographer), a wedding cake, a limo, car rental, music, champagne, balloons, and a garter for the bride. Basically, they can arrange anything you like. Theme weddings are a specialty. They even have a New Age minister on call who can perform a Native American ceremony. And yes, you can get married by an Elvis impersonator. Las Vegas Weddings can also arrange your honeymoon stay, complete with sightseeing tours, show tickets, and meals.

Weddings can be very inexpensive in Vegas: A license is about $55, and a basic service not much more. Even a full-blown shebang package -- photos, music, some flowers, video, cake, and other doodads -- will run only about $500 total. We haven't quoted any prices here, as the ultimate cost depends entirely on how much you want to spend. Go cheap, and the whole thing will set you back maybe $100, including the license (maybe even somewhat less); go elaborate, and the price is still reasonable by today's wedding-price standards. Be sure to remember that there are often hidden charges, such as expected gratuities for the minister (about $25 should do; no real need to tip anyone else), and so forth. If you're penny-pinching, you'll want to keep those in mind.

Be aware that Valentine's Day is a very popular day to get married in Vegas. Some of the chapels perform as many as 80 services on February 14.

But remember, you also don't have to plan ahead. Just show up, get your paperwork, close your eyes, and pick a chapel. And above all, have fun. Good luck and best wishes to you both.

Note: When we describe the following chapels and say "flowers," don't think fresh (unless it's part of a description of services provided); the permanent decorations are artificial, of varying levels of quality, though usually well dusted.

An Elvis Impersonator's Top 10 Reasons to Get Married in Las Vegas

Jesse Garon has appeared in numerous Las Vegas productions as "Young Elvis." He arrives at any special event in a 1955 pink, neon-lit Cadillac, and does weddings, receptions, birthdays, conventions, grand openings, and so on. For all your Elvis impersonator needs, call tel. 877/ELVIS-35 or visit his website, at www.elvis-vegas.com.

1. It's the only place in the world where Elvis will marry you, at a drive-up window, in a pink Cadillac -- 24 hours a day.

2. Chances are, you'll never forget your anniversary.

3. Where else can you treat all your guests to a wedding buffet for only 99¢ a head?

4. Four words: One helluva bachelor party.

5. On wedding night, show spouse that new "watch me disappear" act you learned from Siegfried & Roy.

6. Show your parents who's boss -- have your wedding your way.

7. Wedding bells ring for you everywhere you go. They just sound like slot machines.

8. You can throw dice instead of rice.

9. Easy to lie about age on the marriage certificate -- just like Joan Collins did!

10. With all the money you save, it's dice clocks for everyone!

Nightlife

You will not lack for things to do at night in Vegas. This is a town that truly comes alive only after dark. Don't believe us? Just look at the difference between the Strip during the day, when it's kind of dingy and nothing special, and at night, when the lights hit and the place glows in all its glory. Night is when it's happening in this 24-hour town. In fact, most bars and clubs don't even get going until close to midnight. That's because it's only around then that all the restaurant workers and people connected with the shows get off the clock and can go out and play themselves. It's extraordinary. Just sit down in a bar at 11pm; it's empty. You might well conclude it's dead. Return in 2 hours, and you'll find it completely full and jumping.

But you also won't lack for things to do before 11pm. There are shows all over town, ranging from traditional magic shows to cutting-edge acts such as Mystère. The showgirls remain, topless and otherwise. Las Vegas revues are what happened to vaudeville, by the way: Chorus girls do their thing in between jugglers, comics, magicians, singers, and specialty acts of dubious category. Even the topless shows are tame; all that changes is that the already scantily clad showgirls are even more so.

Every hotel has at least one lounge, usually offering live music. But the days of fabulous Vegas lounge entertainment, when the lounge acts were sometimes of better quality than the headliners (and headliners like Sinatra would join the lounge acts on stage between their own sets), are gone. Most of what remains is homogeneous and bland, and serves best as a brief respite or background noise. On the other hand, finding the most awful lounge act in town can be a rewarding pursuit of its own.

Vegas still does attract some dazzling headliner entertainment in its showrooms and arenas. Madonna's 2006 shows commanded the top prices on her tour; Bruce Springsteen played his first Vegas show ever in 2000; Bette Midler did an HBO special from the MGM Grand in early 1997 (and her Millennium show at Mandalay Bay); U2 started their PopMart tour at UNLV's stadium; the Rolling Stones played both the MGM Grand and the Hard Rock Hotel's The Joint; Pavarotti inaugurated Mandalay Bay's Arena, and Bob Dylan did the same for the House of Blues; Cher opened up The Venetian with a rare live performance, and Sting got a reported $1 million to open Red Rock Resort with a 60-minute set. The Red Hot Chili Peppers gave a free concert to celebrate the city's centennial. It is still a badge of honor for comedians to play Vegas, and there is almost always someone of marquee value playing one showroom or the other.

Admission to shows runs the gamut, from about $20 for Mac King (comedy magic show at Harrah's) to $200 and more for top headliners or Céline Dion. Prices occasionally include two drinks or, in rare instances, dinner.

To find out who'll be performing during your stay and for up-to-date listings of shows (prices change, shows close), you can call the various hotels, using their toll-free numbers. Or call the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (tel. 877/VISIT-LV or 702/892-0711; www.visitlasvegas.com) and ask them to send you a free copy of Showguide or What's On in Las Vegas (one or both of which will probably be in your hotel room). You can also check out what's playing at www.visitlasvegas.com. It's best to plan well ahead if you have your heart set on seeing one of the most popular shows or catching a major headliner.

The hotel entertainment options described in this chapter include information on ticket prices, what's included in that price (drinks, dinner, taxes, and/or gratuities), showroom policies (whether it's preassigned or maitre d' seating, and smoking policies), and how to make reservations. Whenever possible, reserve in advance, especially on weekends and holidays. If the showroom has maitre d' seating (as opposed to preassigned seats), you may want to tip him to upgrade your seat. A tip of $15 to $20 per couple will usually do the trick at a major show, less at a small showroom. An alternative to tipping the maitre d' is to wait until the captain shows you to your seat. Perhaps it will be adequate, in which case you've saved some money. If not, you can offer the captain a tip for a better seat. If you do plan to tip, have the money ready; maitres d' and captains tend to get annoyed if you fumble around for it. They have other people to seat. You can also tip with casino chips (from the hotel casino where the show is taking place only) in lieu of cash. Whatever you tip, the proper etiquette is to do it rather subtly -- a kind of palm-to-palm action. There's really no reason for this, since everyone knows what's going on, but being blatant is in poor taste. Arrive early at maitre d' shows to get the best choice of seats.

If you buy tickets for an assigned-seat show in person, you can look over a seating chart. Avoid sitting right up by the stage, if possible, especially for big-production shows. Dance numbers are better viewed from the middle of the theater. With headliners, you might like to sit up close.

Note: All of these caveats and instructions aside, most casino-hotel showrooms offer good visibility from just about every seat in the house.

If you prefer alternative or real rock music, your choices used to be limited, but that's all changing. More rock bands are coming to town, attracted to the House of Blues and the Hard Rock Hotel's The Joint, so that means you can actually see folks like Marilyn Manson and Beck in Vegas. But otherwise, the alternative club scene in town is no great shakes. Check out the listings below for bars and coffeehouses, several of which offer live alternative or blues music. If you want to know what's playing during your stay, consult the local free alternative papers: the Las Vegas Weekly, formerly Scope magazine (biweekly, with great club and bar descriptions in their listings), and City Life (weekly, with no descriptions but comprehensive listings of what's playing where all over town). Both can be picked up at restaurants, bars, record and music stores, and hip retail stores. Or you can call Las Vegas Weekly directly; act nice, and they just might give you a tip on the spot. If you're looking for good alt-culture tips, try asking the cool staff at the Buffalo Exchange vintage clothing store (tel. 702/791-3960); they have their fingers right on the pulse of the underground.

Be aware that there is a curfew law in Vegas: Anyone under 18 is forbidden from being on the Strip without a parent after 9pm on weekends and holidays. In the rest of the county, minors cannot be out without parents after 10pm on school nights, and midnight on weekends.

Lounge Lizard Supreme

All those faux-hipster artists doing woeful lounge-act characters in Hollywood and New York only wish they could be Mr. Cook E. Jarr, whose sincerity and obvious drive to entertain puts mere performance artists to shame. With George Hamilton's tan, Cher's first shag haircut (it's certainly not his factory-original coif), and a bottomless, borderless catalog of rock, pop, soul, swing, and standard favorites, he's more Vegas than Wayne Newton.

Cook has a cult following of blue-collar casino denizens and the youthful cocktail set, who listen enraptured as he plays human jukebox, complete with karaoke-style backing recordings, terrible jokes, an array of disco-era lights, and (his favorite) a smoke machine. He's actually a solid, throaty singer, with a gift for vocal mimicry as he moves from Ben E. King to Bee Gees to Tony Bennett turf. And his tribute the night Sinatra died -- a version of "My Way" in which he voiced, alternately, Sammy, Dino, and Elvis welcoming Ol' Blue Eyes to Heaven -- was priceless.

He moves around a lot, but you can often catch him on Friday and Saturday nights, late, at Harrah's Carnaval Court Lounge, at 3475 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 702/369-5222). Don't miss him! (And if he has left there by the time you read this, try to track him down.)

Vegas on the Upswing

Vegas: Everything old is new again, and again. Whereas once it was the thing to do -- to have a regular Vegas act, back in the Frankie and the Rat Pack days, and then again in the Elvis days -- so it went that such acts became cornball and cheese. Then you couldn't get a performer with any critical or commercial legitimacy to touch the place with a 10-foot roll of quarters. And now? Miss Céline Dion has made it safe again, and here comes Elton John, filling Dion's spot on some of her off nights with his The Red Piano show. It's a gorgeously mounted production, featuring Elton and his lacquered piano, plus artistic video installations and other touches that have earned the show critical raves. Too bad he does it only a few weeks a year. Oh, and that the prices make even Dion's look cheap. Call tel. 888/4ELTONJ (435-8665) for tickets, which run $110 to $275 plus Ticketmaster surcharge (no charge for box office walk-ups). Less technical pizzazz, but no less showmanship (not to mention more frequent dates and lower ticket prices) comes from Barry Manilow: Music & Passion, who, bless him, knows just who he is and how to use it. In the Las Vegas Hilton, 3000 Paradise Rd., tel. 800/222-5361. Tickets are $85 to $145, and shows are Wednesday to Friday at 9pm and Saturday at 7:30 and 10pm.

We really wish these guys, in making Vegas safe again for legit performers, also made it safe again for those on budgets. Oh, well, there's always Wayne Newton! Meanwhile, look for more performers to follow suit.

Dance Clubs

In addition to the options listed in this guide, country-music fans might want to wander on in to Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill, Harrah's, 3475 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 702/369-5084), not for the grill part -- the food is definitely on the overpriced and unexceptional side -- but for the bar portion of the program, with live entertainment Wednesday through Sunday from 9pm to 2am.

Note: As far as a dress code is concerned, you are going to go further with more obviously expensive clothes, but you may not have the budget or fashion sense for that (and who travels with really good clothes, anyway?). When in doubt, all black should do it, and showing skin helps. Otherwise, just dress as nicely as you can. But do avoid sports team-affiliated jerseys and baseball hats, baggy pants, and other things that might fall under the heading "gangsta-wear" because that's one sure way of not getting past the velvet rope.

Gay & Lesbian Clubs

Hip and happening Vegas locals know that some of the best scenes and dance action can be found in the city's gay bars. And no, they don't ask for sexuality ID at the door. All are welcome at any of the following establishments -- as long as you don't have a problem with the people inside, they aren't going to have a problem with you. For women, this can be a fun way to dance and not get hassled by overeager Lotharios. (Lesbians, by the way, are just as welcome at any of the gay bars.)

If you want to know what's going on in gay Las Vegas during your visit, pick up a copy of the Las Vegas Bugle, a free gay-oriented newspaper that's available at any of the places described below. Or call them at tel. 702/369-6260. Or pick up a copy of Q Vegas, which is also available at any of the places described below. You can also call tel. 702/650-0636 or check out the online edition at www.qvegas.com. Gay nightlife listings can also be found on the Web at www.gaylasvegas.com or www.gayvegas.com.

Coffeehouses

It could be a sign of how stagnant local Vegas culture is that there aren't very many coffeehouses in town. There may be others open by the time you read this, and if you are looking for a break from the usual Vegas glitter, it would be worth dropping by one to see what passes for local alt-culture. They should offer live music and/or poetry readings; check the listings in Las Vegas Weekly and City Life for details (or just call the place in question).

Strip Clubs

No, we don't mean entertainment establishments on Las Vegas Boulevard South. We mean the other kind of "strip." Yes, people come to town for the gambling and the wedding chapels, but the lure of Vegas doesn't stop there. Though prostitution is not legal within the city, the sex industry is an active and obvious force in town. Every other cab carries a placard for a strip club, and a walk down the Strip at night will have dozens of men thrusting fliers at you for clubs, escort services, phone-sex lines, and more. And some of you are going to want to check it out.

And why not? An essential part of the Vegas allure is decadence, and naked flesh would certainly qualify, as does the thrill of trying something new and daring. Of course, by and large, the nicer bars aren't particularly daring, and if you go to more than one in an evening, the thrill wears off, and the breasts don't look quite so bare.

In the finest of Vegas traditions, the "something for everyone" mentality extends to strip clubs. Here is a guide to the most prominent and heavily advertised; there are plenty more, of increasing seediness, out there. You don't have to look too hard. The most crowded and zoolike times are after midnight, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. Should you want a "meaningful" experience, you might wish to avoid the rush and choose an off-hour for a visit.

Two Strippers Offer Nine Strip-Bar Etiquette Tips

Brittany and Kitty each have several years' experience working in strip bars, so they know what they're talking about. And they both really are sweet girls, honest.

1. Bathe.

2. Don't lie and say you never go in these places.

3. Don't take off your wedding ring. We can still see the mark it leaves.

4. Don't ask if we take credit cards. Bring cash!

5. Don't fall asleep. Just because we are open 24 hours, we aren't a hotel.

6. Don't wear wool pants. They scratch.

7. Don't ask for our phone numbers.

8. Don't lick us. We're not Popsicles.

9. Don't forget: We aren't dumb strippers. We are a lot smarter than you think.

Headliner Showrooms

Vegas entertainment made its name with its showrooms, though its glory days are somewhat behind it, gone with the Rat Pack themselves. For a long time, Vegas headliners were something of a joke; only those on the downhill side of fame were thought to play here. But with all the new performance spaces -- and high fees -- offered by the new hotels, Vegas suddenly has some respect again, especially, on (of all things) the rock scene. Both the Hard Rock Hotel's The Joint and the House of Blues are attracting very current and very popular acts who find it hip, rather than humiliating, to play Sin City. However, the classic Vegas showroom itself does seem headed the way of the dinosaurs; many of the hotels have shuttered theirs. As for the remainder, one is pretty much like the other, with the exception of the Hard Rock and HOB (hence their detailed descriptions), and in any case, audiences go based on the performer rather than the space itself. Check with your hotel, or those free magazines in your room, to see who is in town when you are.

Other major headliner showrooms in Vegas include the following:

Center for the Performing Arts -- In the Planet Hollywood Hotel & Casino, 3667 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/333-WISH [333-9474] or 702/785-5555)

Las Vegas Hilton Showroom -- In the Las Vegas Hilton, 3000 Paradise Rd. (tel. 800/222-5361 or 702/732-5755)

Mandalay Bay Events Center -- In Mandalay Bay, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 877/632-7400 or 702/632-7580)

MGM Grand Garden Events Arena -- In the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 800/929-1111 or 702/891-7777)

MGM Grand Hollywood Theatre -- In the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 800/929-1111 or 702/891-7777)

Orleans Showroom -- In the Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave. (tel. 800/ORLEANS)

Headliner Stadiums

Two arenas are worth a special mention since they often feature major entertainers. Sam Boyd Stadium, the outdoor stadium at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), has been host to such major acts as Paul McCartney, U2, the Eagles, and Metallica. Thomas and Mack Center, the university's indoor arena, has a more comprehensive concert schedule, including such names as Van Halen and Michael Bolton, as well as such shows as Disney on Ice and the Ringling Bros. Circus. Both are located on the UNLV campus at Boulder Highway and Russell Road (tel. 702/895-3900). Ticketmaster (tel. 702/474-4000) handles ticketing for both arenas.

Major Production Shows

It used to be that a show was an essential part of the Vegas experience. Back in those days, a show was pretty simple: A bunch of scantily (and we mean scantily) clad showgirls paraded around while a comedian engaged in some raunchy patter. The showgirls are still here and still scantily clad (though not as often topless; guess cable TV has taken some of that thrill away), but the productions around them have gotten impossibly elaborate. And they have to be because they have to compete with a free dancing water fountains show held several times nightly right on the Strip. Not to mention a volcano, a Mardi Gras parade in the sky, lounge acts galore, and the occasional imploding building. All free.

The big resort hotels, in keeping with their general over-the-top tendencies, are pouring mountains of money into high-spectacle extravaganzas, luring big-name acts into decades-long residencies and surrounding them with special effects that would put some Hollywood movies to shame. Which is not to say the results are Broadway quality -- they're big, cheesy fun. Still, with the exception of the astonishing work done by the Cirque du Soleil productions, most of what passes for a "show" in Vegas is just a flashier revue, with a predictable lineup of production number/magic act/production number/acrobatics/production number.

Unfortunately, along with big budgets and big goals come big-ticket prices. Sure, you can still take the whole family of four to a show for under $100, but you're not going to get the same production values that you'd get by splurging on a Cirque du Soleil show. Which is not to say you always get what you pay for: There are some reasonably priced shows that are considerably better values than their more expensive counterparts.

Note: Although every effort has been made to keep up with the volatile Las Vegas show scene, keep in mind that the following reviews may not be indicative of the actual show you'll see, but the basic concept and idea will be the same. What's more, the show itself may have closed, so it's a good idea to always call the venue and check.

Our Favorites

Our vote for best show? It's a toss-up between KÀ at the MGM Grand, O at Bellagio, and Mystère at TI at the Mirage, all by Cirque du Soleil. Each has to be seen to be believed -- and even then you may not believe it, but you won't be forgetting the experience anytime soon. The most intelligent show is put on by Penn & Teller, and we are grateful. The best magic show, and one of the most reasonably priced productions (and thus the overall best value for the money), is Lance Burton at Monte Carlo. The best classic Vegas topless revue is Jubilee! at Bally's. The best we aren't sure what the heck to call it, but you should really try to see it is Blue Man Group, at their new home at The Venetian.

The following section describes the major production shows currently playing in Las Vegas, arranged alphabetically by the title of the production. But first, here's a handy list arranged by hotel:

Bally's: Jubilee! (Las Vegas-style revue)

Bellagio: Cirque du Soleil's O (unique circus-meets-performance-art theatrical experience)

Caesars Palace: Céline Dion (music and variety) and Elton John: The Red Piano (music)

Excalibur: Tournament of Kings (medieval-themed revue)

The Flamingo Las Vegas: The Second City (improvisational comedy)

Harrah's: Mac King (comedy and magic)

The Las Vegas Hilton: Barry Manilow: Music & Passion (he writes the songs)

Mandalay Bay: Mamma Mia! (musical featuring songs by ABBA; it was a great hit in London and on Broadway)

The Mirage: Cirque du Soleil's Love (featuring the music of The Beatles); Danny Gans (impressions)

MGM Grand: Cirque du Soleil's KÀ (astounding martial arts and acrobatics); La Femme (adults-only topless dancers)

Monte Carlo: Lance Burton: Master Magician (magic show and revue)

New York-New York: Cirque du Soleil's Zumanity (adults-only provocative revue)

Paris Las Vegas: The Producers (Tony Award-winning play)

Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino: Penn & Teller (illusions) and Ronn Lucas (ventriloquism)

The Riviera: La Cage (female impersonators), Crazy Girls (sexy Las Vegas-style revue), and Splash (topless revue)

Stratosphere Hotel & Casino: American Superstars (an impression-filled production show) and Viva Las Vegas (Vegas-style variety show)

TI at The Mirage: Cirque du Soleil's Mystère (unique circus performance)

Tropicana: Folies Bergère (Las Vegas-style revue) and Dirk Arthur (magic)

The Venetian: Blue Man Group (hilarious performance art) and Phantom of the Opera (Andrew Lloyd Webber's most popular musical)

Wynn Las Vegas: Le Rêve (water-themed production show)

The Major Production Shows

This category covers all the major Las Vegas production shows and a few of the minor ones as well. In addition to the following, we recommend Rita Rudner's stand-up comedy at Harrah's and Louie Anderson's comic stylings at Excalibur, but we urge you to stay away from the musical family the Scintas at the Sahara -- a fossilized Vegas act full of near-parody-level lounge singing and jokes at the expense of every ethnicity, handicap, and sexual orientation out there.

There is also a new trend of major headliners doing semipermanent but irregular stints in the big showrooms. If you are in town when Elton John is performing The Red Piano on Céline's off days at Caesars Palace, you owe it to yourself to see it (even if the top $275 ticket prices are way over on the ridiculous side -- it's such a good show that it's worth saving up for). Similarly, Reba McEntire is doing a bunch of shows at the Las Vegas Hilton when Barry Manilow isn't there. There are rumors of everyone from Cher to Bette Midler setting up similar deals in the future.

Meanwhile, there is at least one big show coming to town in 2007 that we couldn't get any details about by deadline time (for some reason, this is a remarkably closed-mouth-town, even the publicists; seriously, guys, Bugsy is long gone, and squealers aren't punished as sharply anymore): Spamalot, the Tony Award-winning musical based on the Monty Python comedy troupe's The Holy Grail is replacing Avenue Q (which ran briefly in 2005-2006) at Wynn Las Vegas.

Note: Shows can close without warning, even ones that have been running just shy of forever, so please call first. Note also that some ticket prices may not include tax or drinks, so you might also check for those potential hidden costs.

HOT TIP!

Tickets2Nite (tel. 888/TIX2NITE) is a service that puts any unsold seats for that evening on sale, starting at 2pm, for -- get this! -- half price. Hot diggity! Of course, there are some drawbacks. It's downright unlikely that really ultra super-duper shows are ever going to have unsold seats (because the hotel will just sell them to the always-waiting-and-happy-to-pay-full-price standby line), but you'd be shocked at the range otherwise, from basic crap to stuff that we would recommend even at full price (they aren't allowed to say on the record which shows' tickets often come up for sale). Alas, the very nature of the service means you can't plan; you have to stand in line and take your chances starting at about noon (we advise getting in line even earlier than that). So if you have your heart set on ambiguously gendered contortionists, don't rely on Tickets2Nite, but, if like a good gambler, you like taking chances, head for 3785 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (in the giant Coke bottle at the Showcase Mall).

Family-Friendly Shows

Appropriate shows for kids include the following:

Cirque du Soleil's Mystère at TI at The Mirage

Lance Burton: Master Magician at the Monte Carlo

Mac King at Harrah's

Mamma Mia! at Mandalay Bay

Tournament of Kings at Excalibur

Afternoon Delight?

By now, it will not have escaped your attention that most of the nighttime shows in Vegas, at least the ones of any quality, cost a lot. Except for the ones that cost a whole heck of a lot. And that we tend to prefer the latter. "Isn't there any cheap entertainment in this town?" you may have begun to wonder, and trust us, even if we are awfully liberal with the contents of your wallets, we feel your pain.

So, barring the possibility that you might be the kind of gambler we wish to be, the sort who gets comped free tickets to expensive shows (that you could probably afford anyway, in typical Vegas irony), there are some alternatives. Several Vegas hotels offer afternoon shows, at much more reasonable prices -- that, of course, being a relative term. Here are a couple of the better offerings. Ronn Lucas (in the Rio, 3700 W. Flamingo Rd.; tel. 888/746-7784; www.riolasvegas.com; Sat-Thurs 3pm; $30 plus tax, includes drink and program) seems like a throwback to corny vaudeville days -- after all, he's a ventriloquist. But his puppets are maladjusted (why not?), with bite and wit, and he is fearless in the manner of Penn & Teller; he gleefully deconstructs his art form, confident that after he shows you how it all works, he can still bamboozle you. Watch if you don't suddenly start thinking of those puppets as real characters, even though you know exactly how it all works. He's clever, funny, and weird. And if the price seems too high (even with drink and souvenir program as part of the package), look for discount coupons in the free magazines in your hotel room.

Dirk Arthur (Tropicana Las Vegas, 3801 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; tel. 800/829-9034; www.tropicanalv.com; Sat-Thurs 2 and 4pm; $30-$40 per couple) is an entertaining magician, though one wonders why he merits his own afternoon show but not his own nighttime show, or a part of one of the big nighttime production revues (as he once did).

Viva Las Vegas (in the Stratosphere Casino Hotel & Tower, 2000 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; tel. 800/99-TOWER or 702/380-7777; www.stratospherehotel.com; Mon-Sat 2 and 4pm; $17, including tax), an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink Vegas variety show, is good only if you really need an hour's respite from the slots in the afternoon.

Note: Discount coupons for the afternoon shows are often found in those free magazines in hotel rooms. Sometimes the discount gets you in free, with just the price of a drink.

Bars

Consider hanging out, as the locals quickly began doing, at Aureole, Red Square, and the House of Blues, all in Mandalay Bay. There's a separate bar at Aureole, facing the wine tower, where your wish for wine sends comely lasses flying up four stories, courtesy of Peter Pan-style harnesses, to fetch your desired bottle. At Red Square, keep your drink nicely chilled all night long on the ice bar, created by water that's freshly poured and frozen daily. Or hang out and feel the blues at the small bottle-cap-bedecked bar in the corner of the House of Blues restaurant, which gets quite lively with off-duty locals after midnight.

You might also check out the incredible nighttime view at the bar atop the Stratosphere Casino Hotel & Tower -- nothing beats it.

There's also the Viva Las Vegas Lounge at the Hard Rock Hotel, which every rock-connected person in Vegas will eventually pass through.

And the Petrossian Bar in Bellagio offers class along with its cocktails (to say nothing of caviar and other delicacies) -- but come for the cocktails, as those in the know claim it's not only the best bar in Vegas for such matters but also maybe the best bar in the West.

Coolest House in Town?

Ice House Lounge, 650 S Main St. (tel. 702/315-2570), a $5-million, two-story, 12,800-square-foot restaurant, bar, and gaming facility, is the latest sign of Downtown's upswing. The Art Deco-inspired building evokes images of South Beach rather than a Downtown dive, with an interior accented by retrospective photos of Old Vegas and '60s-style furniture. Both of the Ice House's two lounges sport frozen bar tops made of solid ice to keep drinks cold. Down a drink, grab a bite, and then play video poker or watch sports.

Shopping

Shopping in Vegas -- Nirvana or an endless Sisyphean repetition of every mall you've ever been to? Depends on your viewpoint. If you are looking for quaint, clever, unique stores, this isn't the town for you (with a few notable exceptions, most of which will require you to drive some blocks off the Strip). But if you are looking for general shop-till-you-drop fun, this is your kind of town. In addition to some extensive (and recently revamped) malls, many hotels have comprehensive, and sometimes highly themed, shopping arcades. The most notable of the arcades are in Caesars Palace, Planet Hollywood, and The Venetian.

In addition to exploring the malls, outlets, and shops listed in this guide, you might consider driving Maryland Parkway, which runs parallel to the Strip on the east and has just about one of everything: Target, Toys "R" Us, several major department stores, Tower Records, major drugstores (in case you forgot your shampoo and don't want to spend $8 on a new bottle in your hotel's sundry shop), some alternative-culture stores (tattoo parlors and hip clothing stores), and so forth. It goes on for blocks.

Factory Outlets

Las Vegas has a big factory-outlet center just a few miles past the southern end of the Strip . If you don't have a car, you can take a no. 301 CAT bus from anywhere on the Strip and change at Vacation Village to a no. 303. You can see from the review below that it doesn't do much for us, which is why we usually head to Primm to drop more money than we do at the tables (Williams-Sonoma outlet, how we love you).

Souvenirs

The Arts Factory Complex, 103 E. Charleston Blvd. (tel. 702/382-3886), has a gift shop full of pink flamingos and Vegas-specific items. There should be something here for every camp fancy.

If you prefer your souvenirs to be less deliberately ironic, head over to the Bonanza Gift and Souvenir Shop, 2460 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 702/384-0005). It's the self-proclaimed "World's Largest Gift Shop," and it certainly is big. T-shirts, Native American "handicrafts," all kinds of playing cards, both new and used (casinos have to change decks frequently, so this is where used packs go), dice, things covered in rhinestones, snowglobes -- in short, something for everyone, provided "everyone" has a certain sensibility. We looked, and we felt the tackiest item available was the pair of earrings made out of poker chips. The coolest? Some inexpensive, old-fashioned-style dice.

For reverent camp, encrusted with sequins, take a peek at the Liberace Museum gift store, 1775 E. Tropicana Ave. (tel. 702/798-5595). Encourage them to get even more out there (don't you think they should add Liberace mouse pads and screen savers?).

If you like your souvenirs with more style (spoilsports), Cirque de Soleil's O has a gift shop in Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S. (tel. 702/693-7444), with Cirque-specific articles, but also fanciful pottery, masks, and other curiosities.

Antiques

Antiques in Vegas? You mean really old slot machines, or the people playing the really old slot machines?

Actually, Vegas has quite a few antiques stores -- nearly two dozen -- of consistent quality and price, nearly all located within a few blocks of each other. We have one friend, someone who takes interior design very seriously, who comes straight to Vegas for most of her best finds (you should see her antique chandelier collection!).

To get to this antiquing mecca, start in the middle of the 1600 block of East Charleston Boulevard and keep driving east. The little stores, nearly all in old houses dating from the '30s, line each side of the street. Or you can stop in at Silver Horse Antiques, 1651 E. Charleston Blvd. (tel. 702/385-2700), and pick up a map to almost all of the locations, with phone numbers and hours of operation.

Hotel Shopping Arcades

Just about every Las Vegas hotel offers some shopping opportunities. The following have the most extensive arcades. The physical spaces of these shopping arcades are always open, but individual stores keep unpredictable hours.

Note: The Forum Shops at Caesars, the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian, and the Desert Passage at Planet Hollywood -- as much sightseeing attractions as shopping arcades -- are in the must-see category.

Bally's -- Bally's Avenue Shoppes consist of around 20 emporia offering, you know, stuff (kitschy card-shop knickknacks and the like). In addition, there are several gift shops, art galleries, and a pool-wear shop. There are blackjack and slot tournaments right in the mall, as well as a race and sports book. You can dispatch the kids to a video arcade here while you shop (or gamble). A recent addition of a walkway to neighbor Paris Las Vegas features more stores and restaurants.

Bellagio -- The Via Bellagio collection of stores isn't as big as some of the other megahotel shopping arcades, but here it's definitely quality over quantity. It's a veritable roll call of glossy magazine ads: Armani, Prada, Chanel, Tiffany, Hermès, Fred Leighton, Gucci, Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent. That's about it. You need anything else? Well, yes -- money. If you can afford this stuff, good for you, you lucky dog. (Actually, we've discovered affordable, good-taste items in every store here, from Tiffany's $30 silver key chains to $100 Prada business-card holders.) A nice touch is a parking lot by the far entrance to Via Bellagio, so you need not navigate the great distance from Bellagio's main parking structure; instead, you can simply pop in and pick up a little something.

Caesar's Palace -- Since 1978, Caesars has had an impressive arcade of shops called the Appian Way, highlighted by an immense white Carrara-marble replica of Michelangelo's David standing more than 18 feet high. All in all, a respectable grouping of hotel shops. But in the hotel's tradition of constantly surpassing itself, in 1992 Caesars inaugurated the fabulous Forum Shops, an independently operated 375,000-square-foot Rodeo-Drive-meets-the-Roman-Empire affair complete with a 48-foot triumphal arch entranceway, a painted Mediterranean sky that changes as the day progresses from rosy-tinted dawn to twinkling evening stars, acres of marble, lofty Corinthian columns with gold capitals, and a welcoming goddess of fortune under a central dome. The architecture and sculpture span a period from 300 B.C. to A.D. 1700, so you've got all your ancient Italian cityscape clichés. Then there is the Festival Fountain, where some seemingly immovable "marble" animatronic statues of Bacchus (slightly in his cups), a lyre-playing Apollo, Plutus, and Venus come to life for a 7-minute revel with dancing waters and high-tech laser-light effects. The shows take place every hour on the hour. The whole thing is pretty incredible, but also very Vegas -- particularly the Bacchus show, which is truly frightening and bizarre. Even if you don't like shopping, it's worth the stroll just to giggle.

In 1998 The Forum Shops added an extension. The centerpiece is a giant Roman Hall, featuring a 50,000-gallon circular aquarium and another fountain that also comes to life with a show involving fire (don't stand too close -- it gets really hot), dancing waters, and animatronic figures, as the mythical continent of Atlantis rises and falls every hour. The production values are much higher than those of the Bacchus extravaganza, but this "performance" takes itself more seriously, so the giggle factor remains. A 2004 expansion upped an already high ante. The three-story addition tacked on a new Strip entryway complete with a deliriously audacious circular escalator and another 175,000 square feet of retail space. The multistoried extension tries to permanently move past "kitsch" and into "classy rich person's shopping experience" -- though any sort of movement, literal or metaphoric, is tricky, what with all the giant marbled pillars, statues and fountains, plus an atrium that actually admits sunlight.

So with all the gawking opportunities, it may be easy to forget that there are actually stores here where you can shop and buy things. Tenants are mostly of the exclusive variety, although there are a few more Average Joe kind of stores (yes, of course there's a Gap). Some examples: Louis Vuitton, Bernini, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix (sweetie darling), A/X Armani Exchange, bebe, Gucci, Ann Taylor, Gianni Versace, Harry Winston jewelers, Brooks Brothers, Juicy Couture, Taryn Rose, a branch of the famed barbershop to the Royal Family Truefitt and Hill, a Playboy store, Kiehl's cosmetics (worth a trip just for that), MAC, and especially Vosages Haut Chocolate -- makeup and sweets, that sounds like shopping heaven to us!

The majority of the Caesars Palace shops are open Sunday to Thursday from 10am to 11pm, Friday and Saturday from 10am to midnight.

Circus Circus -- There are about dozen shops between the casino and the Adventuredome, offering a wide selection of gifts and sundries, logo items, toys and games, jewelry, liquor, resort apparel for the entire family, T-shirts, homemade fudge/candy/soft ice cream, and, fittingly, clown dolls and puppets. Adjacent to the Adventuredome, there's a shopping arcade (with the usual souvenir stores and such) themed as a European village, with cobblestone walkways, fake woods, and so forth, decorated with replicas of vintage circus posters.

Excalibur -- For the most part, the shops of The Realm reflect the hotel's medieval theme. Dragon's Lair, for example, features items ranging from pewter swords and shields to full suits of armor, and Merlin's Mystic Shop carries crystals, luck charms, and gargoyles. Other shops carry more conventional wares -- gifts, candy, jewelry, women's clothing, and Excalibur logo items. And most importantly, they have a branch of that medieval staple -- Krispy Kreme Doughnuts!

The Flamingo Las Vegas -- The Crystal Court shopping promenade here accommodates men's and women's clothing/accessories stores, gift shops, and a variety of other emporia selling jewelry, beachwear, Southwestern crafts, fresh-baked goods, logo items, children's gifts, toys, and games.

Harrah's -- Harrah's has a small outdoor shopping promenade called Carnaval Court. Among the store highlights is a Ghirardelli chocolate store, a branch of the famous San Francisco-based chocolate company. This store is remarkably like a smaller version of the one in San Francisco (alas, without the vats of liquid chocolate being mixed up), and in addition to candy, you can get a variety of delicious sundaes and other ice-cream treats. Other stores include the Carnaval Market and Wine and Spirits shops, perfect for creating your own outdoor picnic feast.

Luxor -- The Giza Galleria is a 20,000-square-foot shopping arcade with eight full shops. Most of the stores emphasize clothing. Adjacent is the Cairo Bazaar, a trinket shop.

MGM Grand -- The hotel's Star Lane Shops include more than a dozen mostly pedestrian emporia lining the corridors en route from the monorail entrance. And it's here that you can still find the semibanished figures from the hotel's original Wizard of Oz diorama. Studio Walk is another shopping area adjacent to the main casino, featuring some upscale boutiques and several restaurants.

Monte Carlo -- A cobblestone arcade of retail shops, the Street of Dreams, includes several upscale clothing, timepiece, eyewear, and gift boutiques, plus a Lance Burton magic shop.

Planet Hollywood -- To our dismay, our favorite hotel-related shopping area is currently undergoing a $50-million total redo. It was inevitable, given the change of ownership and detailing of the one-time Aladdin, but that doesn't mean we have to be happy about it. The one time Desert Passage, all Middle Eastern souk themed, is getting made over with some vague, but "Miracle Mile" theme meant to invoke every high-end shopping district in any major metropolis. (Note to designers; L.A.'s own Miracle Mile lost its luster years ago; way to be on top of the trends.) Think "Madison Avenue" style, whatever that means, and a new front entrance designed to look like Times Square. Just exactly as if there isn't something like that over at New York-New York, but whatever. There should be many of the same stores, plus some new ones (including an Urban Outfitters, and a branch of L.A.'s late, lamented Trader Vic's restaurant), not to mention all kinds of loud big screens and other electronic gizmos because that's the way Vegas is these days. Interior changes will continue throughout 2007. For information, see www.desertpassage.com.

The shops are open Sunday to Thursday 10am to 11pm, Friday and Saturday 10am to midnight.

Rio -- The 60,000-square-foot Masquerade Village is a nicely executed shopping arcade at Rio. It's done as a European village, and is two stories tall, featuring a wide variety of shops, mostly selling clothes, jewelry, and gifts. One notable outlet is Nawlins, which includes "authentic" voodoo items, Mardi Gras masks, and so forth.

The Riviera -- The Riviera has a fairly extensive shopping arcade comprising art galleries, jewelers, shops specializing in women's shoes and handbags, clothing for the entire family, furs, gifts, logo items, toys, phones and electronic gadgets, and chocolates.

Stratosphere -- The internationally themed (though in a high-school production kind of way, compared to what's over at Planet Hollywood and The Venetian) second-floor Tower Shops promenade, housing more than 40 stores, is entered via an escalator from the casino. Some shops are in "Paris," along the Rue Lafayette and Avenue de l'Opéra (there are replicas of the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe in this section). Others occupy Hong Kong and New York City streetscapes.

TI at the Mirage -- TI's shopping promenade is nowhere near as interesting since they took out all the pirate-themed bits. Emporia here include the TI Store (your basic hotel gift/sundry shop, also offering much pirate-themed merchandise) plus the Sirens of TI themed lingerie shop. Cirque du Soleil and Mystère logo wares are also sold in a shop near the ticket office in the hotel.

The Venetian -- After you've shopped Ancient Rome at Caesars, come to The Grand Canal Shoppes and see if shopping in Renaissance- (more or less) era Venice is any different. Certainly the production values stay high; this is a re-created Italian village, complete with a painted, cloud-studded blue sky overhead, and a canal right down the center on which gondoliers float and sing. Pay them ($15), and you can take a lazy float down and back, serenaded by your boatman (actors hired especially for this purpose and with accents perfect enough to fool Roberto Benigni). As you pass by, under and over bridges, flower girls will serenade you and courtesans will flirt with you, and you may have an encounter with a famous Venetian or two, as Marco Polo discusses his travels and Casanova exerts his famous charm. The stroll (or float) ends at a miniature (though not by all that much) version of St. Mark's Square, the central landmark of Venice. Here, you'll find opera singers, strolling musicians, glass blowers, and other bustling marketplace activity. It's all most ambitious and beats the heck out of animatronic statues.

The Shoppes are accessible directly from outside (so you don't have to navigate miles of casino and other clutter), via a grand staircase whose ceiling features more of those impressive hand-painted art re-creations. It's quite smashing. The Venetian's Palazzo hotel addition, due to open in late 2007, will eventually adjoin the Shoppes at the far end of St. Mark's Square.

Oh, the shops themselves? The usual high- and medium-end brand names: Jimmy Choo, Mikimoto, Movado, Davidoff, Kenneth Cole, Ann Taylor, BCBG, bebe, Banana Republic, Rockport, and more, plus Venetian glass and paper shops. Madame Tussaud's Celebrity Encounter is also located here, and so is the Canyon Ranch Spa Club. The shops are open Sunday to Thursday 10am to 11pm, Friday and Saturday 10am to midnight.

Wynn Las Vegas -- The Esplanade is along the same rarified lines of the Bellagio shopping area, in that it's a Euro-style-esque (love those Vegas qualifiers!) shopping street lined with pricey places with famous names -- Chanel, Cartier, Dior, Judith Leiber, Jean Paul Gaultier, Manolo Blahnik, Oscar de la Renta (his only store outside of NYC), La Flirt (a sort of mini-Sephora), Chocolat (excellent pastries and gourmet chocolates), and Jo Malone. We prefer it some to the one at Bellagio because it seems like it has just enough shops (like La Flirt) that nearly reach an average person's budget.

Side Trips

Though Vegas is designed to make you forget that there is an outside world, it might do you and your pocketbook some good to reacquaint yourself with the non-Vegas realm. Actually, if you're spending more than 3 days in Vegas, this may become a necessity; 2 days with kids, and it absolutely will.

Plus, there is such a startling contrast between the artificial wonders of Sin City and the natural wonders that, in some cases, lie just a few miles away. Few places are as developed and modern as Vegas; few places are as untouched as some of the canyons, desert, and mountains that surround it. The electrical and design marvel that is the Strip couldn't exist without the extraordinary structural feat that is Hoover Dam. Need some fresh air? There are plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation, all in a landscape like no other.

The excursions covered in this section, with the exception of the Area 51 trip mentioned here, will take you from 20 to 60 miles out of town. Every one of them offers a memorable travel experience.

Grand Canyon Tours

Generally, tourists visiting Las Vegas don't drive 300 miles to Arizona to see the Grand Canyon, but dozens of sightseeing tours depart from the city daily. In addition to the Gray Line tours, a major operator, Scenic Airlines (tel. 800/634-6801 or 702/638-3300; www.scenic.com), runs several tours, including its most popular: a deluxe, full-day guided air-ground tour for $279 per person ($249 for children 2-11); the price includes a bus excursion through the national park, a flight over the canyon, and lunch. All scenic tours include flightseeing. The company also offers both full-day and overnight tours with hiking.

Scenic Airlines also offers tours to other points of interest and national parks, including Bryce Canyon and Monument Valley. Ask for details when you call.

A Close Encounter with Area 51

150 miles N of Las Vegas

Want to feel like an extra on the X-Files? Just want to get an idea of the kind of spots the government picks when it needs a place in which to do secret things? Take the drive from Vegas out to the "E. T. Highway," where folks were spotting aliens years before it became fashionable. This is about a 150-mile trip one-way, so it's probably not something to do on a whim, but even for non-alien buffs, it can be a long, strange -- and oddly illuminating -- trip indeed.

What to See & Do

Area 51 is a secret military facility, containing a large air base that the government will not discuss. The site was selected in the mid-1950s for the testing of the U2 spy plane and is supposedly the current testing ground for "black budget" aircraft before their public acknowledgment. (Oh, heck, who are they trying to kid? Of course that's where they are testing high-tech gadgets.) But its real fame comes with the stories of aliens, whose bodies and ships were supposedly taken there when they "crashed" at Roswell.

Mind you, the only thing alien you are guaranteed to see is the landscape. Only fans of desert topography will find the scenery attractive. It's a desolate area, but that's part of the inexplicable charm. There is absolutely a weird vibe in the air; something is going on out here. And one thing's for sure: If you need a place for covert, or at least private, activities, you couldn't find a better location for it. Alien bodies? Shoot, you could hide an entire alien fleet.

But don't come looking for monuments, historical markers, or good shopping -- with a few exceptions, there's a whole lot of nothing out there. You'd think the tourist possibilities would have led to more development, but even in Vegas, despite the presence of plenty of alien merchandise in the gift shops and an entire Area 51-themed shopping area at the airport expansion, there is not as much awareness as you might think. One waitress, when asked if she'd been there, responded, "Not since they remodeled."

All we know for sure is that you turn down one of the most well-maintained dirt roads you will ever encounter, drive a few miles, and come upon a fence with a sign that warns you against going any farther in the utmost of strict terms (though the language has been toned down from "use of deadly force authorized" to threats of fines and jail time). Along the way down that road, notice how there is absolutely no wildlife other than grasshoppers, that the Joshua trees suddenly turn to an enormous size and monstrous shape, and that the few cattle grazing around don't seem like any cattle you've seen before. Then notice those blasted-out craters in the earth, with the core sample holes in the center. When you realize you are looking at nuclear test sites, the desolation and mutations suddenly make sense. Wave hi at the guys in the military vehicles who are making damn sure you don't go through that gate, and hightail it out of there.

The other hot spot is the "town" of Rachel (www.rachel-nevada.com), really just a collection of trailer homes. Here's where you'll find the Little A'Le'Inn (tel. 866/ET-HWY51; www.littlealeinn.com) diner and gift shop ("Earthlings Welcome") -- where a very funny X-Files episode was filmed -- and, in theory, chat with fellow E. T. spotters, who often gather at night to search the skies. The owners don't play along as much as one would like, though they do feel they were "called there for a special purpose," but their gift shop makes up for it with fine humorous souvenirs (we liked the alien-head-shaped guitar pick). Plus, they serve up satisfying diner food.

You can also drop in at the Area 51 Research Center (just look for the big yellow trailer), which was opened after its founder (Glenn Campbell, who is largely responsible for Area 51's recent cultural icon status, and who wrote the definitive book Area 51 Viewer's Guide) got kicked out of the Little A'Le'Inn. Their headquarters is now in Las Vegas, and their store may only be opening during spring and summer, so call before you visit. It stocks all manner of Area 51 logo items and a number of related books.

There is no place to stay out here, so unless you want to camp (which could be fun; aliens usually show up at night), plan this as a lengthy day trip. Be sure to fill your tank before you head out, as there are few opportunities to do so once you leave Vegas. If you'll be doing this drive in the heat of the summer, bring water, for your car and yourself. Along the way, keep your eyes peeled for little green men (or weather balloons, jackrabbits, tumbleweeds, broken-down cars . . . ), and should you spot one, don't forget to write us all about it.

By the way, word is starting to spread of a really mysterious secret base even farther out in the desert. Just mention Area 58, and watch people go nuts.

Getting There

Take I-15 north to U.S. 93 North (paying close attention -- it's an easy exit to miss; if you do, you can take NV 168 at Moapa west back to U.S. 93), and then get off at the E. T. Highway, a 98-mile stretch of NV 375. The town of Rachel is approximately 43 miles away; the "black mailbox" (it's now white) road, which leads you to Area 51, actually comes first, about 17 miles down the highway. (We strongly suggest going to Rachel first, to get your bearings, chat with knowledgeable locals and other alien-spotters, and pick up some literature, including a good local map.) Turn left and keep driving; any of the dirt roads that lead off of it will get you to the Area 51 fence and gates. Veer right at the fork in the road (not the ranch turnoff, which you come to first) if you want to go to the most commonly talked about entrance, the one at Groom Lake (though you can't see the lake from where you are forced to stop).

For More Information

For more information, call the Nevada Commission on Tourism (tel. 800/NEVADA-8; www.travelnevada.com) and ask them to send you their Pioneer Territory brochure and a list of E. T. Highway services (gas stations, chambers of commerce, restaurants, and more). On the Internet, check out www.ufomind.com (this is a huge site maintained by the Area 51 Research folks that contains countless links and all sorts of information) and www.ufo-hyway.com.

Bonnie Springs Ranch/Old Nevada

About 24 miles W of Las Vegas, 5 miles past Red Rock Canyon

Bonnie Springs Ranch/Old Nevada is a kind of Wild West theme park with accommodations and a restaurant. If you're traveling with kids, a day or overnight trip to Bonnie Springs is recommended, but it is surprisingly appealing for adults, too. It could even be a romantic getaway, as it offers horseback riding, gorgeous mountain vistas, proximity to Red Rock Canyon, and temperatures 5° to 10° cooler than on the Strip.

For additional information, you can call Bonnie Springs Ranch/Old Nevada at tel. 702/875-4191 or visit them on the Web at www.bonniesprings.com.

If you're driving, a trip to Bonnie Springs Ranch can be combined easily with a day trip to Red Rock Canyon; it is about 5 miles farther on. But you can also stay overnight.

Jeep tours to and from Las Vegas are available through Action Tours. Call tel. 888/288-5200 or 702/566-7400 (www.actiontours.com) for details.

What to See & Do in Old Nevada

Old Nevada (tel. 702/875-4191; www.bonniesprings.com) is a re-creation of an 1880s frontier town, built on the site of a very old ranch. As tourist sights go, this is a good one; it's a bit cheesy, but knowingly, perhaps even deliberately, so. It's terrific for kids up to about the age of 12 or so (before teenage cynicism kicks in) but not all that bad for adults fondly remembering similar places from their own childhoods. Many go expecting a tourist trap, only to come away saying that it really was rather cute and charming.

Certainly, Old Nevada looks authentic, with rustic buildings entirely made of weathered wood. And the setting, right in front of beautiful mountains with layered red rock, couldn't be more perfect for a western. You can wander the town (it's only about a block long), taking peeps into well-replicated places of business, such as a blacksmith shop, a working mill, a saloon, and an old-fashioned general store (cum gift shop) and museum that has a potpourri of items from the Old West and Old Las Vegas: antique gaming tables and slot machines, typewriters, and a great display of old shoes, including lace-up boots. There is also a rather lame wax museum; the less said about it, the better.

Country music is played in the saloon during the day, except when stage melodramas take place (at frequent intervals between 11:30am and 5pm). These are entirely tongue-in-cheek -- the actors are goofy and know it, and the plot is hokey and fully intended to be that way. Somehow, it just heightens the fun factor. It's interactive with the audience, which, in response to cue cards held up by the players, boos and hisses the mustache-twirling villain, sobs in sympathy with the distressed heroine, and laughs, cheers, and applauds. It's hugely silly and hugely fun, provided you all play along. Kids love it, though younger ones might be scared by the occasional gunshot.

Following each melodrama, a Western drama is presented outside the saloon, involving a bank robbery, a shootout, and the trial of the bad guy. A judge, a prosecuting attorney, and a defense attorney are chosen from the audience, the remainder of whom act as the jury. The action always culminates in a hanging. None of this is a particularly polished act, but the dialogue is quite funny, and the whole thing is performed with enthusiasm and affection.

Throughout the area, cowboys continually interact with visiting kids, who, on the weekends, are given badges so that they can join a posse hunting for bad guys. There are also ongoing stunt shootouts (maybe not at the level found at, say, Universal Studios) in this wild frontier town, and some rather unsavory characters occasionally languish in the town jail.

In the Old Nevada Photograph Shoppe you can have a tintype picture taken in 1890s Wild West costume (they have a fairly large selection) with a 120-year-old camera. There are replicas of a turn-of-the-20th-century church and stamp mill; the latter, which has original 1902 machinery, was used for crushing rocks to separate gold and silver from the earth. You can tour the remains of the old Comstock lode silver mine, though there isn't much to see there. You can also shop for a variety of "Western" souvenirs (though to us, that's when the tourist-trap part kicks in). Eateries in Old Nevada are discussed below. There's plenty of parking; on weekends and holidays a free shuttle train takes visitors from the parking lot to the entrance.

Admission to Old Nevada is charged by vehicle -- $10per car, for up to six people in the car. The park is open daily from 10:30am to 5pm November to April, and until 6pm the rest of the year.

What to See & Do at Bonnie Springs Ranch

There are several things to do here free of charge, and it's right next door to Old Nevada. It's quite a pretty place, in a funky, Western kind of way, and in season, there are tons of flowers everywhere, including honeysuckle and roses. The main attraction is the small zoo on the premises. Now, when we say "zoo," unfortunately we mean that in addition to a petting zoo with the usual suspects (deer, sheep, goats, and rabbits) and some unusual animals (potbelly pigs and snooty, beautiful llamas) to caress and feed, there is also a mazelike enclosure of a series of wire-mesh pens that contain a variety of livestock, some of which should not be penned up (though they are well taken care of), including wolves and bobcats. Still, it's more than diverting for kids.

Less politically and ecologically distressing is the aviary, which houses peacocks, Polish chickens, peachface and blackmask lovebirds, finches, parakeets, ravens, ducks, pheasants, and geese. Keep your eyes peeled for the peacocks roaming free; with luck, they will spread their tails for a photo op. With greater luck, some of the angelic, rare white peacocks will do the same. It may be worth dropping by just in the hopes of spotting one in full fan-tailed glory.

Riding stables offer guided hour-long trail rides into the mountain area on a continuous basis throughout the day (9am-3:15pm spring-fall, until 5:45pm in summer). Children must be at least 6 years old to participate. Cost is $35 per person. For more information, call tel. 702/875-4191.

Where to Stay & Dine

In Old Nevada, the Miner's Restaurant is a snack bar located in quite a large room that looks great thanks to Western-motif accessories. Inexpensive fare is served (sandwiches, decent burgers, pizza, and hot dogs), along with fresh-baked desserts. There are tables out on the porch. In summer you can also get beer and soft drinks in a similarly old-fashioned Beer Parlor.

Hoover Dam & Lake Mead

30 miles SE of Las Vegas

This is one of the most popular excursions from Las Vegas. Hoover Dam is visited by 2,000 to 3,000 people daily. Why should you join them? Because Hoover Dam is an engineering and architectural marvel, and it changed the Southwest forever. Without it, you wouldn't even be going to Vegas. Kids may be bored, unless they like machinery or just plain big things, but expose them to it anyway, for their own good. (Buy them ice cream and a Hoover Dam snow globe as a bribe.) Obviously, if you are staying at Lake Mead, it's a must.

The tour itself is a bit cursory, but you do get up close and personal with the dam. Wear comfortable shoes; the tour involves quite a bit of walking. Try to take the tour in the morning to beat the desert heat and the really big crowds. You can have lunch out in Boulder City, and then perhaps drive back through the Valley of Fire State Park (a landscape of wind and water-hewn formations of red sandstone; described later in this chapter), which is about 60 magnificently scenic miles from Lake Mead (purchase gas before you start!). Or you can spend the afternoon on Lake Mead-centered pursuits such as hiking, boating, even scuba diving in season, or perhaps a rafting trip down the Colorado River.

Getting There -- Drive east on Flamingo Road or Tropicana Avenue to U.S. 515 South, which automatically turns into I-93 South and takes you right to the dam. This will involve a rather dramatic drive as you go through Boulder City and come over a rise, and Lake Mead suddenly appears spread out before you. It's a beautiful sight. At about this point, the road narrows down to two lanes, and traffic can slow considerably. On normal busy tourist days, this drive would take about an hour. But because the bridge bypass won't be completed until late 2007 at the earliest, thanks to new security measures that call for most trucks and many other vehicles to be stopped and searched, during peak hours, the drive is taking longer than ever. Plan accordingly.

Go past the turnoff to Lake Mead. As you near the dam, you'll see a five-story parking structure tucked into the canyon wall on your left. Park here ($5 charge) and take the elevators or stairs to the walkway leading to the new visitor center.

If you would rather go on an organized tour, check out Gray Line (tel. 800/634-6579; www.grayline.com), which offers a Hoover Dam package that includes a buffet lunch and a side trip to the Ethel M Chocolate factory. When you're in Las Vegas, look for discount coupons in the numerous free publications available at hotels. The 7 1/2-hour Deluxe Hoover Dam Tour departs daily at 7:30am; the price is $49, and admission to the dam's Discovery Tour is an additional $11.

The Hoover Dam

There would be no Las Vegas as we know it without the Hoover Dam. Certainly, the neon and glitz that we know and love would not exist. In fact, the growth of the entire Southwest can be tied directly to the electricity created by the dam.

Until the Hoover Dam was built, much of the southwestern United States was plagued by two natural problems: parched, sandy terrain that lacked irrigation for most of the year and extensive flooding in spring and early summer, when the mighty Colorado River, fed by melting snow from its source in the Rocky Mountains, overflowed its banks and destroyed crops, lives, and property. On the positive side, raging unchecked over eons, the river's turbulent, rushing waters carved the Grand Canyon.

In 1928, prodded by the seven states through which the river runs during the course of its 1,400-mile journey to the Gulf of California, Congress authorized construction of a dam at Boulder Canyon (later moved to Black Canyon). The Senate's declaration of intention stated, "A mighty river, now a source of destruction, is to be curbed and put to work in the interests of society." Construction began in 1931. Because of its vast scope and the unprecedented problems posed in its realization, the project generated significant advances in many areas of machinery production, engineering, and construction. An army of more than 5,200 laborers was assembled, and work proceeded 24 hours a day. Completed in 1936, 2 years ahead of schedule and $15 million under budget (it is, no doubt, a Wonder of the Modern Fiscal World), the dam stopped the annual floods and conserved water for irrigation, industrial, and domestic use. Equally important, it became one of the world's major electrical-generating plants, providing low-cost, pollution-free hydroelectric power to a score of surrounding communities. Hoover Dam's $165-million cost has been repaid with interest by the sale of inexpensive power to a number of California cities and the states of Arizona and Nevada. The dam is a government project that paid for itself -- a feat almost as awe inspiring as its engineering.

The dam itself is a massive curved wall, 660 feet thick at the bottom, tapering to 45 feet where the road crosses it at the top. It towers 726 feet above bedrock (about the height of a 60-story skyscraper) and acts as a plug between the canyon walls to hold back up to 9.2 trillion gallons of water in Lake Mead, the reservoir created by its construction. Four concrete intake towers on the lake side drop the water down about 600 feet to drive turbines and create power, after which the water spills out into the river and continues south.

All the architecture is on a grand scale, and the design has beautiful Art Deco elements, unusual in an engineering project. Note, for instance, the monumental 30-foot bronze sculpture, Winged Figures of the Republic, flanking a 142-foot flagpole at the Nevada entrance. According to its creator, Oskar Hansen, the sculpture symbolizes "the immutable calm of intellectual resolution, and the enormous power of trained physical strength, equally enthroned in placid triumph of scientific achievement."

The dam has become a major sightseeing attraction, along with Lake Mead, America's largest artificial reservoir and a major Nevada recreation area.

Seven miles northwest of the dam on U.S. 93, you'll pass through Boulder City, which was built to house managerial and construction workers. Sweltering summer heat (many days it is 125°F/52°C) ruled out a campsite by the dam. The higher elevation of Boulder City offered lower temperatures. The city emerged within a single year, turning a desert wasteland into a community of 6,000. By 1934, it was Nevada's third-largest town.

Touring the Dam -- The very nice Hoover Dam Visitor Center, a vast three-level circular concrete structure with a rooftop overlook, opened in 1995. You'll enter the Reception Lobby (bags were not allowed inside after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, but ask about current security measures, as they may have changed), where you can buy tickets; peruse informational exhibits, photographs, and memorabilia; and view three 12-minute video presentations about the importance of water to life, the events leading up to the construction of Hoover Dam, and the construction itself, as well as the many benefits it confers. Exhibits on the Plaza Level include interactive displays on the environment, habitation, and development of the Southwest, the people who built the dam, and related topics.

Yet another floor up, galleries on the Overlook Level demonstrate, via sculpted bronze panels, the benefits of Hoover Dam and Lake Mead to the states of Arizona, Nevada, and California. The Overlook Level additionally provides an unobstructed view of Lake Mead, the dam, the power plant, the Colorado River, and Black Canyon. (There are multiple photo opportunities throughout this trip.)

You can visit an exhibit center across the street where a 10-minute presentation in a small theater focuses on a topographical map of the 1,400-mile Colorado River. It also has a cafeteria. Notice, by the way, how the restrooms in the exhibition center have only electric dryers and no paper towels? A tribute?

The center closes at 6pm, and 5:15pm is the last admission time. Admission is $11 for adults, $9 for seniors and military personnel and their dependents, $6 for children 7 to 16, and free for children under 7. There is no need to call ahead to reserve a place, but for more information, call tel. 866/730-9097 or 702/494-2517.

At this writing, because of post-September 11 security measures, tours of the dam are highly restricted. It's no longer the quite nifty, and lengthy, experience it once was because access is so limited. Currently, visitors go to the center, see a movie, and, best of all, get to walk on top of the dam, using a self-guided tour aided by the occasional information kiosk or guide/docent planted at intervals along the way. Guests are allowed to descend some 500 feet into the dam to view the massive generators, but it is not as thrilling as the former "hard hat" tours. Obviously, this current setup could at any moment be decreased, or further tightened, though the latter is sadly more likely than the former.

Some fun facts you might hear along the way: It took 6 1/2 years to fill the lake. Though 96 workers were killed during the construction, contrary to popular myth, none were accidentally buried as the concrete was poured (it was poured only at a level of 8 in. at a time). Look for a monument outside dedicated to the workers who were killed -- "they died to make the desert bloom" -- along with a tombstone for their doggy mascot who was also killed, albeit after the dam was completed. Compare their wages of 50¢ an hour to those of their Depression-era peers, who made 5¢ to 30¢.

For more information on the dam, and sometimes discount coupons, visit www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam.

Lake Mead National Recreation Area

Under the auspices of the National Park Service, 1.5-million-acre Lake Mead National Recreation Area was created in 1936 around Lake Mead (the reservoir lake that is the result of the construction of Hoover Dam) and later Lake Mohave to the south (formed by the construction of Davis Dam). Before the lakes emerged, this desert region was brutally hot, dry, and rugged -- unfit for human habitation. Today, it's one of the nation's most popular playgrounds, attracting about 9 million visitors annually. The two lakes comprise 291 square miles. At an elevation of 1,221 feet, Lake Mead itself extends some 110 miles upstream toward the Grand Canyon. Its 550-mile shoreline, backed by spectacular cliff and canyon scenery, forms a perfect setting for a wide variety of watersports and desert hiking.

The Alan Bible Visitor Center, 4 miles northeast of Boulder City on U.S. 93 at NV 166 (tel. 702/293-8990), can provide information on all area activities and services. You can pick up trail maps and brochures here, view informative films, and find out about scenic drives, accommodations, ranger-guided hikes, naturalist programs and lectures, bird-watching, canoeing, camping, lakeside RV parks, and picnic facilities. The center also sells books and videotapes about the area. It's open daily from 8:30am to 4:30pm except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.

For information on accommodations, boat rentals, and fishing, call Seven Crown Resorts (tel. 800/752-9669 or 702/293-3484; www.sevencrown.com). You can also find Lake Mead info on the Web at www.nps.gov/lame.

The entry fee for the area is $5 per vehicle, which covers all passengers, or $3 per person if you're walking or biking in.

Outdoor Activities -- This is a lovely area for scenic drives amid the dramatic desert landscape. One popular route follows the Lakeshore and Northshore Scenic drives along the edge of Lake Mead. From these roads there are panoramic views of the blue lake, set against a backdrop of the browns, blacks, reds, and grays that make up the desert mountains. Northshore Scenic Drive also leads through areas of brilliant red boulders and rock formations, and you'll find a picnic area along the way.

Boating & Fishing -- A store at Lake Mead Resort and Marina, under the auspices of Seven Crown Resorts (tel. 800/752-9669 or 702/293-3484; www.sevencrown.com), rents fishing boats, ski boats, personal watercraft, and patio boats. It also carries groceries, clothing, marine supplies, sporting goods, water-skiing gear, fishing equipment, and bait and tackle. Nonresidents can get a fishing license here ($69 for a year or $18 for 1-day plus $7 for each additional day; discounts for children under 15 are available; additional fees apply for special fishing classifications). The staff is knowledgeable and can apprise you of good fishing spots. Largemouth bass, striped bass, channel catfish, crappie, and bluegill are found in Lake Mead; rainbow trout, largemouth bass, and striped bass in Lake Mohave. You can also arrange here to rent a fully equipped houseboat at Echo Bay, 40 miles north.

Other convenient Lake Mead marinas offering similar rentals and equipment are Las Vegas Boat Harbor (tel. 702/565-9111 or 702/293-1191; www.lasvegasbaymarina.com), which is even closer to Las Vegas, and Callville Bay Resort & Marina (tel. 800/255-5561 or 702/565-8958; www.callvillebay.com), which is the least crowded of the five on the Nevada Shore.

Camping -- Lake Mead's shoreline is dotted with campsites, all of them equipped with running water, picnic tables, and grills. Available on a first-come, first-served basis, they are administered by the National Park Service (tel. 702/293-8990; www.nps.gov). There's a charge of $10 per night at each campsite.

Canoeing -- The Alan Bible Visitor Center can provide a list of outfitters that rent canoes for trips on the Colorado River. There's one catch, however: A canoeing permit ($10 per person) is required in advance for certain areas near the dam and is available from the Bureau of Reclamation (Attn.: Canoe Launch Permits), Box 60400, Boulder City, NV 89006-0400 (tel. 702/293-8204; www.usbr.gov/lc). You can apply for and receive the permit on the same day that you plan to canoe.

Hiking -- The best season for hiking is November to March (it's too hot the rest of the year). Some ranger-guided hikes are offered via the Alan Bible Visitor Center , which also stocks detailed trail maps. Three trails, ranging in length from 0.75 mile to 6 miles, originate at the visitor center. The 6-mile trail goes past remains of the railroad built for the dam project. Be sure to take all necessary desert-hiking precautions.

Lake Cruises -- A delightful way to enjoy Lake Mead is on a cruise aboard the Lake Mead Cruises boat Desert Princess (tel. 702/293-6180; www.lakemeadcruises.com), a Mississippi-style paddle-wheeler. Cruises depart year-round from a terminal near Lake Mead Resort. It's a relaxing, scenic trip (enjoyed from an open promenade deck or one of two fully enclosed, climate-controlled decks) through Black Canyon and past colorful rock formations known as the "Arizona Paint Pots" en route to Hoover Dam, which is lit at night. Options include narrated midday cruises ($22 adults, $10 children), cocktail/dinner cruises ($46 adults, $25 children), sunset dinner/dance cruises with live music ($58 adults, children not permitted), and Sunday Brunch cruises ($37 adults, $18 children). Dinner is served in a pleasant, windowed, air-conditioned dining room. There's a full onboard bar. Call for departure times.

Scuba Diving -- October to April, there's good visibility, lessened in summer months when algae flourishes. A list of good dive locations, authorized instructors, and nearby dive shops is available at the Alan Bible Visitor Center . There's an designated underwater-diving area near Lake Mead Marina.

Boulder City

You might want to consider poking around Boulder City on your way back to Vegas. Literally the company town for those building Hoover Dam, it was created by the wives who came with their husbands and turned a temporary site into a real community, since aided by the recreational attractions and attendant businesses of Lake Mead. It doesn't look like much as you first approach it, but once you are in the heart, you'll discover that it's quite charming. There are some antiques and curio shops, and a number of family-style restaurants and burger and Mexican joints, including Toto's, a reasonably priced Mexican restaurant at 806 Buchanan Blvd. (tel. 702/293-1744); it's in the Von's shopping center. Or you could try the Happy Days Diner, 512 Nevada Hwy. (tel. 702/293-4637), which is right on the road to and from the dam. A '50s diner in looks and menu, it has the usual burgers, shakes, and fries, plus complete breakfasts, and is quite inexpensive ($3 for a turkey burger on a recent visit), friendly, and a good place to take the kids.

Where to Stay -- There are a number of little hotels in Boulder City.

Red Rock Canyon

19 miles W of Las Vegas

If you need a break from the casinos of Vegas, with their windowless, claustrophobic, noisy interiors, Red Rock Canyon is balm for your overstimulated soul. Less than 20 miles away -- but a world apart -- this is a magnificent unspoiled vista that should cleanse and refresh you (and if you must, a morning visit should leave you enough time for an afternoon's gambling). You can drive the panoramic 13-mile Scenic Drive (daily 7am-dusk) or explore it in more depth on foot, making it perfect for both athletes and armchair types. There are many interesting sights and trail heads along the drive itself. The National Conservation Area (www.nv.blm.gov/redrockcanyon) offers hiking trails and internationally acclaimed rock-climbing opportunities. Especially notable is 7,068-foot Mount Wilson, the highest sandstone peak among the bluffs; for information on climbing, contact the Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center at tel. 702/363-1921. There are picnic areas along the drive and in nearby Spring Mountain Ranch State Park (http://parks.nv.gov/smr.htm), 5 miles south, which also offers plays in an outdoor theater during the summer. Since Bonnie Springs Ranch is just a few miles away, it makes a great base for exploring Red Rock Canyon.

Getting There

Just drive west on Charleston Boulevard, which becomes NV 159. As soon as you leave the city, the red rocks will begin to loom around you. The visitor center will appear on your right.

You can also go on an organized tour. Gray Line (tel. 800/634-6579; www.grayline.com), among other companies, runs bus tours to Red Rock Canyon. Inquire at your hotel tour desk.

Finally, you can go by bike. Not very far out of town (at Rainbow Blvd.), Charleston Boulevard is flanked by a bike path that continues for about 11 miles to the visitor center/scenic drive. The path is hilly but not difficult if you're in reasonable shape. However, exploring Red Rock Canyon by bike should be attempted only by exceptionally fit and experienced bikers.

Just off NV 159, you'll see the Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center (tel. 702/515-5350; www.nv.blm.gov/redrockcanyon), which marks the actual entrance to the park. There, you can pick up information on trails and view history exhibits about the canyon. The center is open daily from 8:30am to 4:30pm. A visit to Red Rock Canyon can be combined with a visit to Bonnie Springs Ranch.

About Red Rock Canyon

The geological history of these ancient stones goes back some 600 million years. Over eons, the forces of nature have formed Red Rock's sandstone monoliths into arches, natural bridges, and massive sculptures painted in a stunning palette of gray-white limestone and dolomite, black mineral deposits, and oxidized minerals in earth-toned sienna hues ranging from pink to crimson and burgundy. Orange and green lichens add further contrast, as do spring-fed areas of lush foliage. And formations like Calico Hill are brilliantly white where groundwater has leached out oxidized iron. Cliffs cut by deep canyons tower 2,000 feet above the valley floor.

During most of its history, Red Rock Canyon was below a warm, shallow sea. Massive fault action and volcanic eruptions caused this seabed to begin rising some 225 million years ago. As the waters receded, sea creatures died, and the calcium in their bodies combined with sea minerals to form limestone cliffs studded with ancient fossils. Some 45 million years later, the region was buried beneath thousands of feet of windblown sand. The landscape was as arid as the Sahara. As time progressed, iron oxide and calcium carbonate infiltrated the sand, consolidating it into cross-bedded rock.

Shallow streams began carving the Red Rock landscape, and logs that washed down from ancient highland forests fossilized, their molecules gradually replaced by quartz and other minerals. These petrified stone logs, which the Paiute Indians believed were weapons of the wolf god Shinarav, can be viewed in the Chinle Formation at the base of the Red Rock Cliffs. About 100 million years ago, massive fault action began dramatically shifting the rock landscape here, forming spectacular limestone and sandstone cliffs and rugged canyons punctuated by waterfalls, shallow streams, and serene oasis pools. Especially notable is the Keystone Thrust Fault, dating back about 65 million years, when two of the earth's crustal plates collided, forcing older limestone and dolomite plates from the ancient seas over younger red and white sandstones. Over the years, water and wind have been ever-creative sculptors, continuing to redefine this strikingly beautiful landscape.

Red Rock's valley is home to more than 45 species of mammals, about 100 species of birds, 30 reptiles and amphibians, and an abundance of plant life. Ascending the slopes from the valley, you'll see cactus and creosote bushes, aromatic purple sage, yellow-flowering blackbrush, yucca and Joshua trees, and, at higher elevations, clusters of forest-green pinyon, juniper, and ponderosa pines. In spring, the desert blooms with extraordinary wildflowers.

Archaeological studies of Red Rock have turned up pottery fragments, stone tools, pictographs (rock drawings), and petroglyphs (rock etchings), along with other ancient artifacts. They show that humans have been in this region since about 3000 B.C. (some experts say as early as 10,000 B.C.). You can still see remains of early inhabitants on hiking expeditions in the park. (As for habitation of Red Rock, the same ancient Puebloan-to-Paiute-to-white-settlers progression related in the Valley of Fire section above occurred here.)

In the latter part of the 19th century, Red Rock was a mining site and later a sandstone quarry that provided materials for many buildings in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and early Las Vegas. By the end of World War II, as Las Vegas developed, many people became aware of the importance of preserving the canyon. In 1967, the secretary of the interior designated 62,000 acres as Red Rock Canyon Recreation Lands under the auspices of the Bureau of Land Management, and later legislation banned all development except hiking trails and limited recreational facilities. In 1990, Red Rock Canyon became a National Conservation Area, further elevating its protected status. Its current acreage is 197,000.

What to See & Do

Begin with a stop at the Visitor Center; not only is there a $5 per-vehicle fee to pay, but you also can pick up a variety of helpful literature: history, guides, hiking trail maps, and lists of local flora and fauna. You can also view exhibits that tell the history of the canyon and depict its plant and animal life. You'll see a fascinating video here about Nevada's thousands of wild horses and burros, protected by an act of Congress since 1971. Furthermore, you can obtain permits for hiking and backpacking. Call ahead to find out about ranger-guided tours as well as informative guided hikes offered by groups like the Sierra Club and the Audubon Society. And if you're traveling with children, ask about the free Junior Ranger Discovery Book filled with fun family activities. Books and videotapes are for sale here, including a guidebook identifying more than 100 top-rated climbing sites.

The easiest thing to do is to drive the 13-mile scenic loop. It really is a loop, and it only goes one way, so once you start, you are committed to driving the whole thing. You can stop the car to admire a number of fabulous views and sights along the way, or have a picnic, or take a walk or hike. As you drive, observe how dramatically the milky-white limestone alternates with iron-rich red rocks. Farther along, the mountains become solid limestone, with canyons running between them, which lead to an evergreen forest -- a surprising sight in the desert.

If you're up to it, however, we can't stress enough that the way to really see the canyon is by hiking. Every trail is incredible -- glance over your options and decide what you might be looking for. You can begin from the visitor center or drive into the loop, park your car, and start from points therein. Hiking trails range from a 0.7-mile-loop stroll to a waterfall (its flow varying seasonally) at Lost Creek to much longer and more strenuous treks. Actually, all the hikes involve a certain amount of effort, as you have to scramble over rocks on even the shortest hikes. Unfit or undexterous people should beware. Be sure to wear good shoes, as the rocks can be slippery. You must have a map; you won't get lost forever (there usually are other hikers around to help you out, eventually), but you can still get lost. It is often tough to find a landmark, and once deep into the rocks, everything looks the same, even with the map. Consequently, give yourself extra time for each hike (at least an additional hour), regardless of its billed length, to allow for the lack of paths, getting disoriented, and simply to slow down and admire the scenery.

A popular 2-mile round-trip hike leads to Pine Creek Canyon and the creek-side ruins of a historic home site surrounded by ponderosa pine trees. Our hiking trail of choice is the Calico Basin, which is accessed along the loop. After an hour walk up the rocks (which is not that well marked), you end up at an oasis surrounded by sheer walls of limestone (which makes the oasis itself inaccessible, alas). In the summer, flowers and deciduous trees grow out of the walls.

As you hike, keep your eyes peeled for lizards, the occasional desert tortoise, herds of bighorn sheep, birds, and other critters. But the rocks themselves are the most fun, with many minicaves to explore and rock formations to climb on. (Relive childhood with a politically incorrect game of Cowboys and Indians!) On trails along Calico Hills and the escarpment, look for "Indian marbles," a local name for small, rounded sandstone rocks that have eroded off larger sandstone formations. Petroglyphs are also tucked away in various locales.

Biking is another option; riding a bicycle would be a tremendous way to travel the loop. There are also terrific off-road mountain-biking trails, with levels from amateur to expert.

After you tour the canyon, drive over to Bonnie Springs Ranch (details in the next section) for lunch or dinner. See chapter 6 for further details on biking and climbing.

The opening of the gleaming new luxury Red Rock Resort, 10973 W. Charleston Rd. (tel. 866/767-7773), gives day-trippers a new, highly desirable refueling point on a trip to the canyon. It's a gorgeous new facility, already a place for celeb-spotting. There's a casino, if you are getting the jitters, and a set of movie theaters if you realize it's really, really hot and you don't want to take a hike after all but are too ashamed to come back without having done something. Best of all, the food court contains a Capriotti's, the economical submarine sandwich shop we have already suggested as a source for picnic munchies, and among the restaurants is a branch of the highly lauded Salt Lick BBQ. It doesn't quite measure up to the platonic perfection of the original in Austin, Texas, but it's here, and so are you.

Valley of Fire State Park

60 miles NE of Las Vegas

Most people visualize the desert as a vast expanse of undulating sands punctuated by the occasional cactus or palm-fringed oasis. But the desert of America's Southwest bears little relation to this Lawrence of Arabia image. Stretching for hundreds of miles around Las Vegas in every direction is a seemingly lifeless tundra of vivid reddish earth, shaped by time, climate, and subterranean upheavals into majestic canyons, cliffs, and ridges.

The 36,000-acre Valley of Fire State Park typifies the mountainous red Mojave Desert. It derives its name from the brilliant sandstone formations that were created 150 million years ago by a great shifting of sand and that continue to be shaped by the geologic processes of wind and water erosion. These are rock formations like you'll never see anywhere else. There is nothing green, just fiery flaming red rocks, swirling unrelieved as far as the eye can see. No wonder various sci-fi movies have used this place as a stand-in for another planet -- it has a most otherworldly look. The whole place is very mysterious, loaded with petroglyphs, and totally inhospitable. It's not hard to believe that for the Indians it was a sacred place, where men came as a test of their manhood. It is a natural wonder that must be seen to be appreciated.

Although it's hard to imagine in the sweltering Nevada heat, for billions of years, these rocks were under hundreds of feet of ocean. This ocean floor began to rise some 200 million years ago, and the waters became more and more shallow. Eventually, the sea made a complete retreat, leaving a muddy terrain traversed by ever-diminishing streams. A great sandy desert covered much of the southwestern part of the American continent until about 140 million years ago. Over eons, winds, massive fault action, and water erosion sculpted fantastic formations of sand and limestone. Oxidation of iron in the sands and mud -- and the effect of groundwater leaching the oxidized iron -- turned the rocks the many hues of red, pink, russet, lavender, and white that can be seen today. Logs of ancient forests washed down from faraway highlands and became petrified fossils, which can be seen along two interpretive trails.

Human beings occupied the region, a wetter and cooler one, as far back as 4,000 years ago. They didn't live in the Valley of Fire, but during the Gypsum period (2000 B.C.-300 B.C.) men hunted bighorn sheep (a source of food, clothing, blankets, and hut coverings) here with notched sticks called atlatls that are depicted in the park's petroglyphs. Women and children caught rabbits, tortoises, and other small game. In the next phase, from 300 B.C. to A.D. 700, the climate became warmer and drier. Bows and arrows replaced atlatls, and the hunters and gatherers discovered farming. The ancestral Puebloan people began cultivating corn, squash, and beans, and communities began replacing small nomadic family groups. These ancient people wove watertight baskets, mats, hunting nets, and clothing. Around A.D. 300, they learned how to make sun-dried ceramic pottery. Other tribes, notably the Paiute, migrated to the area. By A.D. 1150, they had become the dominant group. Unlike the ancestral Puebloans, they were still nomadic and used the Valley of Fire region seasonally. These were the inhabitants whom white settlers found when they entered the area in the early to mid-1800s. The newcomers diverted river and spring waters to irrigate their farmlands, destroying the nature-based Paiute way of life. About 300 descendants of those Paiute tribespeople still live on the Moapa Indian Reservation (about 20 miles northwest) that was established along the Muddy River in 1872.

Getting There

From Las Vegas, take I-15 north to exit 75 (Valley of Fire turnoff). However, the more scenic route is to take I-15 north, then travel Lake Mead Boulevard east to Northshore Road (NV 167) and proceed north to the Valley of Fire exit. The first route takes about an hour, the second 1 1/2 hours.

There is a $5-per-vehicle admission charge to the park, regardless of how many people you cram inside.

Plan on spending a minimum of an hour in the park, though you can spend a great deal more time. It can get very hot in there (there is nothing to relieve the sun beating down on all that red and reflecting off it) and there is no water, so be certain to bring a liter, maybe two, per person in the summer. Without a guide, you must stay on paved roads, but don't worry if they end; you can always turn around and come back to the main road again. You can see a great deal from the car, and there are also hiking trails.

Numerous sightseeing tours go to the Valley of Fire. Gray Line (tel. 800/634-6579; www.grayline.com) offers tours, although at press time none to Valley of Fire, but that could change by the time you read this. Inquire at your hotel tour desk. Char Cruze of Creative Adventures also offers a fantastic tour.

The Valley of Fire can also be visited in conjunction with Lake Mead. From Lake Mead Lodge, take NV 166 (Lakeshore Rd.) north, make a right turn on NV 167 (Northshore Rd.), turn left on NV 169 (Moapa Valley Blvd.) West -- a spectacularly scenic drive -- and follow the signs. Valley of Fire is about 65 miles from Hoover Dam.

What to See & Do

There are no food concessions or gas stations in the park; however, you can obtain meals or gas on NV 167 or in nearby Overton (15 miles northwest on NV 169). Overton is a fertile valley town replete with trees, agricultural crops, horses, and herds of cattle -- quite a change in scenery. On your way in or out of the teeming metropolis, do stop off at Inside Scoop, 395 S. Moapa Valley Blvd. (tel. 702/397-2055), open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 8pm and Sunday from 11am to 7pm. It's a sweet, old-fashioned ice-cream parlor run by extremely friendly people, with a proper menu that, in addition to classic sandwiches and the like, features some surprising options -- a vegetarian sandwich and a fish salad with crab and shrimp, for example. Everything is quite tasty and fresh. They also do box lunches, perfect for picnicking inside the park. We strongly recommend coming by here on your way in for a box lunch, and then coming by afterward for a much-needed cooling ice cream.

At the southern edge of town is the Lost City Museum, 721 S. Moapa Valley Blvd. (tel. 702/397-2193), a sweet little museum, very nicely done, commemorating an ancient ancestral Puebloan village that was discovered in the region in 1924. Artifacts dating back 12,000 years are on display, as are clay jars, dried corn and beans, arrowheads, seashell necklaces, and willow baskets from the ancient Pueblo culture that inhabited this region between A.D. 300 and 1150. Other exhibits document the Mormon farmers who settled the valley in the 1860s. A large collection of local rocks -- petrified wood, fern fossils, iron pyrite, green copper, and red iron oxide, along with manganese blown bottles turned purple by the ultraviolet rays of the sun -- are also displayed here. The museum is surrounded by reconstructed wattle-and-daub pueblos. Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for seniors over 65, free for children under 18. It's open daily from 8:30am to 4:30pm. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.

Information headquarters for Valley of Fire is the Visitor Center on NV 169, 6 miles west of Northshore Road (tel. 702/397-2088). It's open daily 8:30am to 4:30pm and is worth a quick stop for information and a bit of history before entering the park. Exhibits on the premises explain the origin and geologic history of the park's colorful sandstone formations, describe the ancient peoples who carved their rock art on canyon walls, and identify the plants and wildlife you're likely to see. Postcards, books, slides, and films are for sale here, and you can pick up hiking maps and brochures. Rangers can answer your park-related questions. For Web information on the park, see http://parks.nv.gov/vf.htm.

There are hiking trails, shaded picnic sites, and two campgrounds in the park. Most sites are equipped with tables, grills, water, and restrooms. A $12-per-vehicle, per-night camping fee is charged for use of the campground; if you're not camping, it costs $5 per vehicle to enter the park.

Some of the notable formations in the park have been named for the shapes they vaguely resemble -- a duck, an elephant, seven sisters, domes, beehives, and so on. Mouse's Tank is a natural basin that collects rainwater, so named for a fugitive Paiute called Mouse who hid there in the late 1890s. And Native American petroglyphs etched into the rock walls and boulders -- some dating from as long as 3,000 years ago -- can be observed on self-guided trails. Petroglyphs at Atlatl Rock and Petroglyph Canyon are both easily accessible. In summer, when temperatures are usually over 100°F (38°C), you may have to settle for driving through the park in an air-conditioned car.

Organized Tours

Just about every hotel in town has a tour desk offering a seemingly infinite number of sightseeing opportunities in and around Las Vegas. You're sure to find a tour company that will take you where you want to go.

Gray Line (tel. 800/634-6579; www.grayline.com) offers a rather comprehensive roster, including the following:

A pair of 5-to 6-hour city tours (1 day, 1 night), with various itineraries, including visits to Ethel M Chocolates, the Liberace Museum, and the Fremont Street Experience

Half-day excursions to Hoover Dam and Red Rock Canyon

A half-day tour to Lake Mead and Hoover Dam

Several full-day Grand Canyon excursions

Call for details or inquire at your hotel's tour desk, where you'll also find free magazines with coupons for discounts on these tours.

Unique Desert Tours by Creative Adventures

A totally different type of tour is offered by Char Cruze of Creative Adventures (tel. 702/893-2051; www.creativeadventuresltd.net). Char, a charming fourth-generation Las Vegan (she was at the opening of The Flamingo), spent her childhood riding horseback through the mesquite and cottonwoods of the Mojave Desert, discovering magical places you'd never find on your own or on a commercial tour. Char is a lecturer and storyteller as well as a tour guide. She has extensively studied southern Nevada's geology and desert wildlife, its regional history, and its Native American cultures. Her personalized tours, enhanced by fascinating stories about everything from miners to mobsters, visit haunted mines, sacred Paiute grounds, ghost towns, canyons, and ancient petroglyphs. She also has many things to entertain and educate children, and she carries a tote bag full of visual aids, like a board covered in labeled rocks to better illustrate a lecture on local geology. Char has certain structured tours, but she loves to do individual tours tailored to the group. This is absolutely worth the money -- you are definitely going to get something different than you would on a conventional tour, while Char herself is most accommodating, thoughtful, knowledgeable, and prompt. Char rents transport according to the size of the group and can handle clients with physical disabilities.

Each tour is customized based on your interests so pricing varies dramatically, but figure at least $150 for the basics (which are much more than basic), with costs going up from there. It's a good idea to make arrangements with Char prior to leaving home.

Active Pursuits

You need not be a slot-hypnotized slug when you come to Vegas. The city and surrounding areas offer plenty of opportunities for active sports. In addition to many highly rated golf courses, just about every hotel has a large swimming pool and health club, and tennis courts abound. All types of watersports are offered at Lake Mead National Recreation Area; there's rafting on the Colorado, horseback riding at Mount Charleston and Bonnie Springs, great hiking in the canyons, and much, much more. Do plan to get out of those smoke-filled casinos and into the fresh air once in a while. It's good for your health and your finances.

Note: When choosing a hotel, check out its recreational facilities.

Golf

In addition to the listings in this guide, there are dozens of local courses, including some very challenging ones that have hosted PGA tournaments. Note: Greens fees vary radically depending on time of day and year. Also, call for opening and closing times, as these change frequently.

Note also that the Rio All-Suite Hotel has an affiliated golf course. Also, Wynn Las Vegas has a state-of-the-art course, but we aren't including it for two reasons; as of this writing, it is for guests only -- and they mean it. If anyone in your party is not also staying at the hotel, they can't play. And the greens fees? A mere $500 a person. Call when you get to town to see if they've come to their senses.

Hiking

Except in summer, when temperatures can reach 120°F (49°C) in the shade, the Las Vegas area is great for hiking. The best hiking season is November to March. Great locales include the incredibly scenic Red Rock Canyon and Valley of Fire State Park.

Hiking in the desert is exceptionally rewarding, but it can be dangerous. Here are some safety tips:

1. Don't hike alone.

2. Carry plenty of water and drink it often. Don't assume that spring water is safe to drink. A gallon of water per person per day is recommended for hikers.

3. Be alert for signs of heat exhaustion (headache, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, and cool, damp, pale, or red skin).

4. Gauge your fitness accurately. Desert hiking may involve rough or steep terrain. Don't take on more than you can handle.

5. Check weather forecasts before starting out. Thunderstorms can turn into raging flash floods, which are extremely hazardous to hikers.

6. Dress properly. Wear sturdy walking shoes for rock scrambling, long pants (to protect yourself from rocks and cacti), a hat, sunscreen, and sunglasses.

7. Carry a small first-aid kit.

8. Be careful when climbing on sandstone, which can be surprisingly soft and crumbly.

9. Don't feed or play with animals, such as the wild burros in Red Rock Canyon. (It's actually illegal to approach them.)

10. Be alert for snakes and insects. Though they're rarely encountered, you'll want to look into a crevice before putting your hand into it.

11. Visit park or other information offices before you start out, and acquaint yourself with rules and regulations and any possible hazards. It's also a good idea to tell the staff where you're going, when you'll return, how many are in your party, and so on. Some park offices offer hiker-registration programs.

12. Follow the hiker's rule of thumb: Take only photographs and leave only footprints.

Rock Climbing

Red Rock Canyon, just 19 miles west of Las Vegas, is one of the world's most popular rock-climbing areas. In addition to awe-inspiring natural beauty, it offers everything from boulders to big walls. If you'd like to join the bighorn sheep, Red Rock has more than 1,000 routes to inaugurate beginners and challenge accomplished climbers. Experienced climbers can contact the visitor center (tel. 702/515-5350; www.redrockcanyon.blm.gov) for information.

Bowling

Gold Coast Hotel, 4000 W. Flamingo Rd. (at Valley View; tel. 702/367-7111), has a 72-lane bowling center open daily 24 hours.

The Orleans, 4500 W. Tropicana Ave. (tel. 702/365-7111), has 70 lanes, a pro shop, lockers, meeting rooms, and more. Open daily 24 hours.

Out on the east side of town, you'll find 56 lanes at Sam's Town, 5111 Boulder Hwy. (tel. 702/456-7777), plus a snack shop, cocktail lounge, video arcade, day-care center, pro shop, and more. Open daily 24 hours.

In 2005, Sunset Station, 1301 W. Sunset Rd., in Henderson (tel. 702/547-7777) added a high-tech 72-lane facility called Strike Zone. It's got all the latest automated scoring gizmos, giant video screens, a full bar, a snack shop, a pro shop, a video arcade, and more.

Up north at Santa Fe Station, 4949 N. Rancho Rd. (tel. 702/658-4900), you'll find a newly remodeled (as of 2005) 60-lane alley with the most modern scoring equipment, all new furnishings, a fun and funky bar, a small cafe, and much more.

Just down the road is sister hotel Texas Station, 2101 Texas Star Lane (tel. 702/631-8128), with a 60-lane alley, video arcade, billiards, snack bar and lounge, and more. Open 24 hours.

Suncoast, 9090 Alta Dr., in Summerlin (tel. 702/636-7111), offers 64 lanes divided by a unique center aisle. The high-tech center with touch-screen scoring has become a regular stop on the Pro Bowlers tours. Open daily 24 hours.

South Coast, 9777 Las Vegas Blvd. (tel. 702/796-7400), opened in 2006 and features a 64-lane facility with a similar divided layout to its sister at Suncoast. It has all the latest gee-whiz scoring and automation plus the usual facilities. Open 24 hours.

Tennis

Tennis used to be a popular pastime in Vegas, but these days, buffs only have a couple of choices at hotels in town that have tennis courts.

Bally's (tel. 702/739-4111) has eight night-lit hard courts. Fees per hour start at $10 for guests and $15 for nonguests. Facilities include a pro shop. Hours vary seasonally. Reservations are advised.

The Flamingo Las Vegas (tel. 702/733-3444) has four outdoor hard courts (all lit for night play) and a pro shop. It's open to the public daily from 7am to 7pm. Rates are $12 per hour for guests, $20 per hour for nonguests. Lessons are available. Reservations are required.

Monte Carlo Resort & Casino (tel. 702/730-7777) has three night-lit courts available to the public for $15 per hour.

In addition to hotels, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), Harmon Avenue just east of Swenson Street (tel. 702/895-0844), has a dozen courts (all lit for night play) that are open weekdays from 6am to 9:45pm, weekends 8am to 9pm. Rates are $5 per person per day.

Spectator Sports

Las Vegas isn't known for its sports teams. Except for minor-league baseball and hockey, the only consistent spectator sports are those at UNLV. For the pros, if watching Triple A ball (in this case, a Los Angeles Dodgers farm team) in potentially triple-degree heat sounds like fun, the charmingly named and even-better merchandized Las Vegas 51s (as in Area 51, as in alien-themed gear!). This triple A ball team's schedule and ticket info are available at www.lv51.com, or call tel. 702/386-7200. Ice hockey might be a better climate choice; get info for the Las Vegas Wranglers at www.lasvegaswranglers.com or tel. 702/471-7825.

The Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a main venue for car racing that draws major events to Las Vegas.

Because the city has several top-notch sporting arenas, important annual events take place in Las Vegas. The LPGA Tour's Takefuji Classic is held each April, and the PGA Tour's Frys.com Open takes place in Las Vegas each October. The National Finals Rodeo is held in UNLV's Thomas and Mack Center each December. From time to time, you'll find NBA exhibition games, professional ice-skating competitions, or gymnastics exhibitions. Then there are the only-in-Vegas spectaculars, such as Evel Knievel's ill-fated attempt to jump the fountains in front of Caesars.

Finally, Las Vegas is well known as a major location for boxing matches. These are held in several Strip hotels, most often at Caesars or the MGM Grand, but sometimes at The Mirage. Tickets are hard to come by and quite expensive.

Tickets to sporting events at hotels are available either through Ticketmaster (tel. 702/893-3000; www.ticketmaster.com) or through the hotels themselves (why pay Ticketmaster's exorbitant service charges if you don't have to?).

Major Sports Venues in Hotels

Caesars Palace (tel. 800/634-6698 or 702/731-7110) has a long tradition of hosting sporting events, from Evel Knievel's attempted motorcycle jump over its fountains in 1967 to Gran Prix auto races. Mary Lou Retton has tumbled in gymnastic events at Caesars, and Olympians Brian Boitano and Katarina Witt have taken to the ice, as has Wayne Gretzky. And well over 100 world-championship boxing contests have taken place here since the hotel opened. In the spirit of ancient Rome, Caesars awards riches and honors to the "gladiators" who compete in its arenas.

The MGM Grand's Garden Events Arena (tel. 800/929-1111 or 702/891-7777) is a major venue for professional boxing matches, rodeos, tennis, ice-skating shows, World Figure Skating Championships, and more.

Mandalay Bay (tel. 877/632-7400) has been hosting a number of boxing matches in its 12,000-seat Events Center.

Gambling

What? You didn't come to Las Vegas for the Liberace Museum? We are shocked. Shocked.

Yes, there are gambling opportunities in Vegas. We've noticed this. You will, too. The tip-off will be the slot machines in the airport as soon as you step off the plane. Or the slot machines in the convenience stores as soon as you drive across the state line. Let's not kid ourselves: Gambling is what Vegas is about. The bright lights, the shows, the showgirls, the food -- it's all there just to lure you in and make you open your wallet. (The free drinks certainly help ease the latter as well.)

You can disappoint them if you want, but what would be the point? This is Las Vegas. You don't have to be a high roller. You would not believe how much fun you can have with a nickel slot machine. You won't get rich, but neither will most of those guys playing the $5 slots, either.

Of course, that's not going to stop anyone from trying. Almost everyone plays in Vegas with the hopes of winning The Big One. That only a few ever do win doesn't stop them from trying again and again and again. That's how the casinos make their money, by the way.

It's not that the odds are stacked so incredibly high in their favor -- though the odds are in their favor, and don't ever think otherwise. Rather, it's that if there is one constant in this world, it's human greed. Look around in any casino, and you'll see countless souls who, having doubled their winnings, are now trying to quadruple them, and are losing it all and then trying to recoup their initial bankroll and losing still more in the process.

We don't mean to dissuade you from gambling. Just be sure to look at it as recreation and entertainment, not as an investment or a moneymaking opportunity. Spend only as much as you can afford to lose. It doesn't matter if that's $10 or $100,000. You can have just as good a time with either. (Though if you can afford to lose $100,000, we would like to meet you.)

Remember also that there is no system that's sure to help you win. We all have our own systems and our own ideas. Reading books and listening to others at the tables will help you pick up some tips, but if there were a surefire way to win, the casinos would have taken care of it (and we will leave you to imagine just what that might entail). Try to have the courage to walk away when your bankroll is up, not down. Remember, your children's college fund is just that, and not a gambling-budget supplement.

The first part of this chapter is a contribution from James Randi, a master magician, who looks at the four major fallacies people bring with them to the gaming tables in Las Vegas; it's fascinating, and we thank him for this contribution.

The second part tells you the basics of betting. Knowing how to play the games not only improves your odds but also makes playing more enjoyable. In addition to the instructions here, you'll find dozens of books on how to gamble at all casino hotel gift shops, and many casinos offer free gaming lessons.

The third part of this chapter describes all the major casinos in town. Remember that gambling is supposed to be entertainment. Picking a gaming table where the other players are laughing, slapping each other on the back, and generally enjoying themselves tends to make for considerably more fun than a table where everyone is sitting around in stony silence, morosely staring at their cards. Unless you really need to concentrate, pick a table where all seem to be enjoying themselves, and you will, too, even if you don't win. Maybe.

The Casinos

Casino choice is a personal thing. Some like to find their lucky place and stick with it, while others love to take advantage of the nearly endless choices that Las Vegas offers. Everyone should casino-hop at least once to marvel (or get dizzy) at the decor/spectacle and the sheer excess of it all. But beyond decoration, there isn't too much difference between the different venues. You've got your slot machines, your gaming tables, and your big chandeliers.

Virtually all casinos make sure they have no clocks or windows -- they do not want you to interrupt your losing streak by realizing how much time has passed. Of course, we've all heard the legend that Las Vegas casinos pump in fresh oxygen to keep the players from getting tired and wanting to pack it in. The veracity of this is hard to confirm, but we can only hope it's true, especially when we think of that time we looked up after a long stretch of gambling and discovered it was Thursday.

Don't be a snob, and don't be overly dazzled by the fancy casinos. Sometimes you can have a better time at one of the older places Downtown, where stakes are lower, pretensions are nonexistent, and the clientele is often friendlier. Frankly, real gamblers -- and by that we don't necessarily mean high rollers, but those who play to win, regardless of the amount of said win -- head straight for Downtown (and most often, straight for Binion's) for these precise reasons, caring not a whit about glitz and glamour. Even if you don't take your gambling as seriously as that, you may well want to follow their example. After all, it's getting harder and harder to find cheap tables (where you can play a hand of blackjack, for example, for less than $10) on the Strip -- so take your hard-earned money to where you can lose it more slowly!

We would also call your attention to less glamorous, less readily accessible casinos, such as local favorites Sunset Station, Texas Station, the Cannery, Fiesta Rancho, Fiesta Henderson, and Fiesta Santa Fe, where payoffs are often higher than on the Strip, and the limits are lower.

You can expect to find in every casino the usual and expected assortment of games -- slot machines, of course, video poker, blackjack, table poker (making a big comeback after years of decline), a race and sports book, a keno lounge, a poker room, baccarat, minibaccarat, Caribbean Stud, Let It Ride, craps, roulette, Pai Gow, and more, more, more. If you want a particular game, and it's not one of the most obvious, you might want to call before heading over to a particular casino, just to make sure.

What follows is a description of most of the major casinos in Vegas, including their level of claustrophobia, whether they have a giant slot machine (even if it's a sucker's bet -- and we're not sure about that -- we love them), and a completely arbitrary assessment based on whether we won there.

A Breath of Fresh Air

Las Vegas is one of the few cities in America that welcomes smokers with open arms. Smoking doesn't just exist in the casino hotels, it runs rampant. (Would you like some air with your smoke?) Which is why we were pleasantly shocked when Bellagio's poker room and The Mirage's keno lounge and poker room went completely smoke-free. It seems the hotels are doing their darnedest to attract those most rabid of antismokers -- Californians. (Right across the border, California is one of Sin City's biggest markets.)

The Games

As you walk through the labyrinthine twists and turns of a casino floor, your attention will likely be dragged to the various games and, your interest piqued, your fingers may begin to twitch in anticipation of hitting it big. Before you put your money on the line, it's imperative to know the rules of the game you want to play. Most casinos offer free gambling lessons at scheduled times on weekdays. This provides a risk-free environment for you to learn the games that tickle your fancy. Some casinos follow their lessons with low-stakes game play, enabling you to put your newfound knowledge to the test at small risk. During those instructional sessions, and even when playing on your own, dealers in most casinos will be more than happy to answer any questions you might have. Remember, the casino doesn't need to trick you into losing your money . . . the odds are already in their favor across the board; that's why it's called gambling. Another rule of thumb: Take a few minutes to watch a game being played in order to familiarize yourself with the motions and lingo. Then go back and reread this section -- things will make a lot more sense at that point. Good luck!

Players' Clubs

If you play slots or video poker, or, indeed, just gamble quite a bit, or even just gamble, it definitely pays to join a players' club. These so-called clubs are designed to attract and keep customers in a given casino by providing incentives: meals, shows, discounts on rooms, gifts, tournament invitations, discounts at hotel shops, VIP treatment, and (more and more) cash rebates. Join a players' club (it doesn't cost a cent to sign up), and soon you, too, will be getting those great hotel-rate offers -- $20-a-night rooms, affordable rooms at the luxury resorts, even free rooms. (This is one way to beat the high hotel rates.) Of course, your rewards are often greater if you play just in one casino, but your mobility is limited.

When you join a players' club (inquire at the casino desk), you're given something that looks like a credit card, which you must insert into an ATM-like device whenever you play. Yes, many casinos even have them for the tables as well as the machines. (Don't forget to retrieve your card when you leave the machine, as we sometimes do -- though that may work in your favor if someone comes along and plays the machine without removing it.) The device tracks your play and computes bonus points.

Which players' club should you join? Actually, you should join one at any casino where you play because even the act of joining usually entitles you to some benefits. It's convenient to concentrate play where you're staying; if you play a great deal, a casino-hotel's players' club benefits may be a factor in your accommodations choice. Consider, though, particularly if you aren't a high roller, the players' clubs Downtown. You get more bang for your buck because you don't have to spend as much to start raking in the goodies.

Another advantage is to join a players' club that covers many hotels under the same corporate umbrella. Harrah's Entertainment operates the Total Rewards club, which is good at any of their casinos in Vegas (Harrah's, Rio, Caesars Palace, Flamingo, Paris Las Vegas, and Bally's) or elsewhere around the world. The same goes for casinos in the MGM MIRAGE stable (The Mirage, Bellagio, MGM Grand, TI at the Mirage, Mandalay Bay, Luxor, Circus Circus, and Excalibur; www.playersclub.com), the locals' favorite Station Casinos (Palace, Sunset, Texas, and more), and the Carl Icahn properties, which include Arizona Charlie's and the Stratosphere Casino Hotel & Tower.

Choosing the best club(s) for you can be a complex business. To get into it in depth, see www.lasvegasadvisor.com. Also visit the sites for the individual casinos, many of which allow you to join their clubs online. Try it, and you might find yourself receiving discounts and freebies before you even set foot in Vegas.

Baccarat

The ancient game of baccarat, or chemin de fer, is played with eight decks of cards. Firm rules apply, and there is no skill involved other than deciding whether to bet on the bank or the player. No, really -- that's all you have to do. The dealer does all the other work. You can essentially stop reading here. Oh, all right, carry on.

Any beginner can play, but check the betting minimum before you sit down, as baccarat tends to be a high-stakes game. The cards are shuffled by the croupier and then placed in a box called the "shoe." Players may wager on "bank" or "player" at any time. Two cards are dealt from the shoe and given to the player who has the largest wager against the bank, and two cards are dealt to the croupier, acting as banker. If the rules call for a third card, the player or banker, or both, must take the third card. In the event of a tie, the hand is dealt over. Note: The guidelines that determine whether a third card must be drawn (by the player or banker) are provided at the baccarat table upon request.

The object of the game is to come as close as possible to the number 9. To score the hands, the cards of each hand are totaled and the last digit is used. All cards have face value. For example: 10 plus 5 equals 15 (score is 5); 10 plus 4 plus 9 equals 23 (score is 3); 4 plus 3 plus 3 equals 10 (score is 0); and 4 plus 3 plus 2 equals 9 (score is 9). The closest hand to 9 wins.

Each player has a chance to deal the cards. The shoe passes to the player on the right each time the bank loses. If the player wishes, he or she may pass the shoe at any time.

Note: When you bet on the bank and the bank wins, you are charged a 5% commission. This must be paid at the start of a new game or when you leave the table.

Size Counts . . . Sort Of

For those who desire a more informal environment in which to play baccarat, casinos offer minibaccarat, played on a normal-size table no larger than a blackjack table. There is no substantive difference between baccarat and its little brother. It's simply a matter of size and speed -- the size of your bankroll and the speed with which you may build it (or lose it). Table stakes in minibaccarat tend to be lower, and the hands proceed at a much faster pace.

Big Six

Big Six provides pleasant recreation and involves no study or effort. The wheel has 56 positions on it, 54 of them marked by bills from $1 to $20. The other two spots are jokers, and each pays 40 to 1 if the wheel stops in that position. All other stops pay at face value. Those marked with $20 bills pay 20 to 1, the $5 bills pay 5 to 1, and so forth. The idea behind the game is to predict (or just blindly guess) what spot the wheel will stop at and place a bet accordingly.

Blackjack

In this popular game, the dealer starts the game by dealing each player two cards. In some casinos, they're dealt to the player face up, in others face down, but the dealer always gets one card up and one card down. Everybody plays against the dealer. The object is to get a total that is higher than that of the dealer without exceeding 21. All face cards count as 10; all other number cards, except aces, are counted at their face value. An ace may be counted as 1 or 11, whichever you choose it to be.

Starting at his or her left, the dealer gives additional cards to the players who wish to draw (be "hit") or none to a player who wishes to "stand" or "hold." If your count is nearer to 21 than the dealer's, you win. If it's under the dealer's, you lose. Ties are a push and nobody wins. After all the players are satisfied with their counts, the dealer exposes his or her face down card. If his or her two cards total 16 or less, the dealer must hit until reaching 17 or over. If the dealer's total exceeds 21, he or she must pay all the players whose hands have not gone "bust." It is important to note here that the blackjack dealer has no choice as to whether he or she should stay or draw. A dealer's decisions are predetermined and known to all the players at the table.

If you're a novice or just rusty, do yourself a favor and buy one of the small laminated cards available in shops all over town that illustrate proper play for every possible hand in blackjack. Even longtime players have been known to pull them out every now and then, and they can save you from making costly errors.

How to Play

Here are eight "rules" for blackjack:

1. Place the number of chips that you want to bet on the betting space on your table.

2. Look at the first two cards the dealer starts you with. If you wish to "stand," then wave your hand over your cards, palm down (watch your fellow players), indicating that you don't wish any additional cards. If you elect to draw an additional card, you tell the dealer to "hit" you by tapping the table with a finger (watch your fellow players).

3. If your count goes over 21, you are "bust" and lose, even if the dealer also goes "bust" afterward.

4. If you make 21 in your first two cards (any picture card or 10 with an ace), you've got blackjack. You will be paid 1 1/2 times your bet, provided that the dealer does not have blackjack, too, in which case it's a "push," and nobody wins.

5. If you find a "pair" in your first two cards (say, two 8s or two aces), you may "split" the pair into two hands and treat each card as the first card dealt in two separate hands. You will need to place an additional bet, equal to your original bet, on the table. The dealer will then deal you a new second card to the first split card and play commences as described above. This will be done for the second split card as well. Note: When you split aces, you will receive only one additional card per ace and must "stand."

6. After seeing your two starting cards, you have the option to "double down." You place an amount equal to your original bet on the table and you receive only one more card. Doubling down is a strategy to capitalize on a potentially strong hand against the dealer's weaker hand. Tip: You may double down for less than your original bet, but never for more.

7. Anytime the dealer deals himself or herself an ace for the "up" card, you may insure your hand against the possibility that the hole card is a 10 or face card, which would give him or her an automatic blackjack. To insure, you place an amount up to one-half of your bet on the "insurance" line. If the dealer does have a blackjack, you get paid 2 to 1 on the insurance money while losing your original bet: You break even. If the dealer does not have a blackjack, he or she takes your insurance money and play continues in the normal fashion.

8. Remember: The dealer must stand on 17 or more and must hit a hand of 16 or less.

Look, but Don't Touch!

1. Never touch your cards (or anyone else's), unless it's specifically stated at the table that you may. While you'll receive only a verbal slap on the wrist if you violate this rule, you really don't want to get one.

2. Players must use hand signals to indicate their wishes to the dealer. All verbal directions by players will be politely ignored by the dealer, who will remind players to use hand signals. The reason for this is the "eye in the sky," the casino's security system, which focuses an "eye" on every table and must record players' decisions to avoid accusations of misconduct or collusion.

Professional Tips

Advice of the experts in playing blackjack is as follows:

1. Do not ask for an extra card if you have a count of 17 or higher, ever.

2. Do not ask for an extra card when you have a total of 12 or more if the dealer has a 2 through 6 showing in his or her "up" card.

3. Ask for an extra card or more when you have a count of 12 through 16 in your hand if the dealer's "up" card is a 7, 8, 9, 10, or ace.

There's a lot more to blackjack strategy than the above, of course. So consider this merely as the bare bones of the game. Blackjack is played with a single deck or with multiple decks; if you're looking for a single-deck game, your best bet is to head to a Downtown casino.

A final tip: Avoid insurance bets; they're sucker bait!

Poker

Poker is the game of the Old West. There's at least one sequence in every Western where the hero faces off against the villain over a poker hand. In Las Vegas, poker is just about the biggest thing going, thanks to the prevalence and popularity of celebrity poker TV shows, poker tours, books, magazines, and who knows what all else. Just about every casino now has a poker room, and it's just a matter of time before the others catch up.

There are lots of variations on the basic game, but one of the most popular is Hold 'Em. Two cards are dealt, face down, to the players. After a betting round, five community cards (everyone can use them) are dealt face up on the table. Players make the best five-card hand, using their own cards and the "board" (the community cards), and the best hand wins. The house dealer takes care of the shuffling and the dealing, and moves a marker around the table to alternate the start of the deal. The house rakes 1% to 5% (depending on the casino) from each pot. Most casinos also provide tables for playing Seven-Card Stud, Omaha High, and Omaha Hi-Lo. A few even have Seven-Card Stud Hi-Lo split. To learn how these variations are played, either read a book or take lessons.

Warning: If you don't know how to play poker, don't attempt to learn at a table. Card sharks are not a rare species in Vegas; they will gladly feast on fresh meat (you!). Find a casino that provides free gaming lessons and learn, to paraphrase Kenny Rogers, when to hold 'em, and when to fold 'em.

Pai Gow

Pai Gow is a variation on poker that has become popular. The game is played with a traditional deck plus one joker. The joker is a wildcard that can be used as an ace or to complete a straight, a flush, a straight flush, or a royal flush. Each player is dealt seven cards to arrange into two hands: a two-card hand and a five-card hand. As in standard poker, the highest two-card hand is two aces, and the highest five-card hand is a royal flush. The five-card hand must be higher than the two-card hand (if the two-card hand is a pair of sixes, for example, the five-card hand must be a pair of sevens or better). Any player's hand that is set incorrectly is an automatic loser. The object of the game is for both of the players' hands to rank higher than both of the banker's hands. Should one hand rank exactly the same as the banker's hand, this is a tie (called a "copy"), and the banker wins all tie hands. If the player wins one hand but loses the other, this is a "push," and no money changes hands. The house dealer or any player may be the banker. The bank is offered to each player, and each player may accept or pass. Winning hands are paid even money, less a 5% commission.

Caribbean Stud

Caribbean Stud is yet another variation of poker that is gaining in popularity. Players put in a single ante bet and are dealt five cards, face down, from a single deck; they play solely against the dealer, who receives five cards, one of them face up. Players are then given the option of folding or calling, by making an additional bet that is double their original ante. After all player bets have been made, the dealer's cards are revealed. If the dealer doesn't qualify with at least an ace/king combination, players are paid even money on their ante, and their call bets are returned. If the dealer does qualify, each player's hand is compared to the dealer's. On winning hands, players receive even money on their ante bets, and call bets are paid out on a scale according to the value of their hands. The scale ranges from even money for a pair, to 100 to 1 on a royal flush, although there is usually a cap on the maximum payoff, which varies from casino to casino.

An additional feature of Caribbean Stud is the inclusion of a progressive jackpot. For an additional side bet of $1, a player may qualify for a payoff from a progressive jackpot. The jackpot bet pays off only on a flush or better, but you can win on this bet even if the dealer ends up with a better hand than you do. Dream all you want of getting that royal flush and taking home the jackpot, but the odds of it happening are astronomical, so don't be so quick to turn in your resignation letter. Most veteran gamblers will tell you this is a bad bet (from a strict mathematical standpoint, it is), but considering that Caribbean Stud already has a house advantage that is even larger than the one in roulette, if you're going to play, you might as well toss in the buck and pray.

Let it Ride

Let It Ride is another popular game that involves poker hands. You place three bets at the outset and are dealt three cards. The dealer is dealt two cards that act as community cards (you're not playing against the dealer). Once you've seen your cards, you can choose to pull the first of your three bets back or "let it ride." The object of this game is to get a pair of 10s or better by combining your cards with the community cards. If you're holding a pair of 10s or better in your first three cards (called a "no-brainer"), you want to let your bets ride the whole way through. Once you've decided whether or not to let your first bet ride, the dealer exposes one of his or her two cards. Once again, you must make a decision to take back your middle bet or keep on going. Then the dealer exposes the last of his or her cards; your third bet must stay. The dealer then turns over the hands of the players and determines whether you've won. Winning bets are paid on a scale, ranging from even money for a single pair up to 1,000 to 1 for a royal flush. These payouts are for each bet you have in play. Similarly to Caribbean Stud, Let It Ride has a bonus that you can win for high hands if you cough up an additional dollar per hand, but be advised that the house advantage on that $1 is obscene. But hey, that's why it's called gambling.

3-Card Poker

3-Card Poker is rapidly gaining popularity, and now you'll find at least one table in most major Vegas casinos. It's actually more difficult to explain than to play. For this reason, we recommend watching a table for awhile. You should grasp it pretty quickly.

Basically, players are dealt three cards with no draw and have to make the best poker hand out of those three cards. Possible combinations include a straight flush (three sequential cards of the same suit), three of a kind (three queens, for example), a straight (three sequential cards of any suit), a flush (three cards of the same suit), and a pair (two queens, for example). Even if you don't have one of the favored combinations, you can still win if you have cards higher than the dealer's.

On the table are three betting areas -- Ante, Play, and Pair Plus. There are actually two games in one on a 3-Card Poker table -- "Pair Plus" and "Ante and Play." You can play only the Pair Plus or only the Ante or both. You place your chips in the areas you want to bet in.

In Pair Plus, you are betting only on your hand, not competing against anyone else at the table or the dealer. If you get a pair or better, depending on your hand, the payoff can be pretty fab -- straight flush: 40 to 1, three of a kind: 30 to 1, straight: 6 to 1, flush: 3 to 1, pair: 1 to 1.

In Ante and Play, you are betting that your hand will be better than the dealer's but are not competing against anyone else at the table. You place an Ante bet, view your cards, and then, if you decide you like your hand, you place a bet in the Play area equal to your Ante bet. If you get lousy cards and don't want to go forward, you can fold, losing only your Ante bet and your Pair Plus bet, if you made one. Once all bets are made, the dealer's hand is revealed -- he or she must have at least a single queen for the bet to count; if not, your Ante and Play bets are returned. If you beat the dealer's hand, you get a 1 to 1 payoff, but there is a bonus for a particularly good winning hand: straight flush: 5 to 1, three of a kind: 4 to 1, straight: 1 to 1.

Your three cards are dealt. If you play only Pair Plus, it doesn't matter what the dealer has -- you get paid if you have a pair or better. If you don't, you lose your bet. If you play the Ante bet, you must then either fold and lose the Ante bet or match the Ante bet by placing the same amount on the Play area. The dealer's hand is revealed, and payouts happen accordingly. Each hand consists of one fresh 52-card deck.

Meanwhile, as if all this weren't enough, new variations on table games keep popping up. The latest is Crazy 4 Poker -- similar to 3-Card Poker, only with five cards dealt, no draw, make your best 4-card poker hand out of it.

Keno

Originating in China, this is one of the oldest games of chance. Legend has it that funds acquired from the game were used to finance construction of the Great Wall of China.

Chinese railroad construction workers first introduced keno into the United States in the 1800s. Easy to play, and offering a chance to sit down and converse between bets, it is one of the most popular games in town -- despite the fact that the house percentage is greater than that of any other casino game!

To play, you must first obtain a keno form, available at the counter in the keno lounge and in most Las Vegas coffee shops. In the latter, you'll usually find blank keno forms and thick black crayons on your table. Fill yours out, and a miniskirted keno runner will come and collect it. After the game is over, she'll return with your winning or losing ticket. If you've won, it's customary to offer a tip, depending on your winnings.

For those of you with state lotteries, this game will appear very familiar. You can select from 1 to 15 numbers (out of a total of 80), and if all of your numbers come up, you win. Depending on how many numbers you've selected, you can win smaller amounts if less than all of your numbers have come up. For example, if you bet a "3 spot" (selecting a total of three numbers) and two come up, you'll win something but not as much as if all three had shown up. A one-number mark is known as a 1-spot, a two-number selection is a 2-spot, and so on. After you have selected the number of spots you wish to play, write the amount you want to wager on the ticket, in the right-hand corner where indicated. The more you bet, the more you can win if your numbers come up. Before the game starts, you have to give the completed form to a keno runner, or hand it in at the keno lounge desk, and pay for your bet. You'll get back a duplicate form with the number of the game you're playing on it. Then the game begins. As numbers appear on the keno board, compare them to the numbers you've marked on your ticket. After 20 numbers have appeared on the board, the game is over, and if you've won, turn in your ticket to collect your winnings.

The more numbers on the board matching the numbers on your ticket, the more you win (in some cases, you get paid if none of your numbers come up). If you want to keep playing the same numbers over and over, you can replay a ticket by handing in your duplicate to the keno runner; you don't have to keep rewriting it.

In addition to the straight bets described above, you can split your ticket, betting various amounts on two or more groups of numbers. It does get a little complex, as combination-betting options are almost infinite. Helpful casino personnel in the keno lounge can assist you with combination betting.

Video Poker

Rapidly gaining on slots in popularity, video poker works the same way as regular poker, except you play against the machine. You are dealt a hand, you pick which cards to keep and which to discard, and then you get your new hand. And, it is hoped, you collect your winnings. This is somewhat more of a challenge and more active than slots because you have some control (or at least the illusion of control) over your fate, and it's easier than playing actual poker with a table full of folks who probably take it very seriously.

There are a number of varieties of this machine, including Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, and so forth. Be sure to study your machine before you sit down. (The best returns are offered on the Bonus Poker machines; the payback for a pair of jacks or better is two times your bet, and three times for three of a kind.) The Holy Grail of video-poker machines is the 9/6 (it pays nine coins for a full house, six coins for a flush), but you'll need to pray a lot before you find one in town. Some machines offer double down: After you have won, you get a chance to draw cards against the machine, with the higher card the winner. If you win, your money is doubled, and you are offered a chance to go again. Your money can increase nicely during this time, and you can also lose it all very quickly, which is most annoying.

Technology is catching up with video poker, too. Now they even have touch screens, which offer a variety of different poker games, blackjack, and video slots -- just touch your screen and choose your poison.

Roulette

Roulette is an extremely easy game to play, and it's really quite colorful and exciting to watch. The wheel spins, and the little ball bounces around, finally dropping into one of the slots, numbered 1 to 36, plus 0 and 00. You can place bets "Inside" the table and "Outside" the table. Inside bets are bets placed on a particular number or a set of numbers. Outside bets are those placed in the boxes surrounding the number table. If you bet on a specific number and it comes up, you are paid 35 to 1 on your bet. Bear in mind, however, that the odds of a particular number coming up are actually 38 to 1 (don't forget the 0 and 00!), so the house has an advantage the moment you place an Inside bet. The methods of placing single-number bets, column bets, and others are fairly obvious. The dealer will be happy to show you how to make many interesting betting combinations, such as betting on six numbers at once. Each player is given different-colored chips so that it's easy to follow the numbers you've bet on.

The Four Most Pervasive Myths About Gambling

by James Randi

James Randi is a world-class magician (the Amazing Randi), now involved in examining supernatural, paranormal, and occult claims. He is the author of 11 books on these subjects and is the president of the James Randi Educational Foundation in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The JREF offers a prize of $1 million to any person who can produce a demonstration of any paranormal activity. His website is www.randi.org, where details of the offer can be found.

Most of us know little, if anything, about statistics. It's a never-never land we can live without, something for those guys in white coats and thick glasses to mumble over. And because we don't bother to learn the basics of this rather interesting field of study, we sometimes find ourselves unable to deal with the realities that the gambling process produces.

I often present my audiences with a puzzle. Suppose that a mathematician, a gambler, and a magician are walking together on Broadway and come upon a small cluster of people who are observing a chap standing at a small table set up on the sidewalk. They are told that this fellow has just tossed a quarter into the air and allowed it to fall onto the table, nine times. And that has produced nine "tails" in a row. Now the crowd is being asked to bet on what the next toss of the coin will bring. The question: How will each of these three observers place their bets?

The mathematician will reason that each toss of the coin is independent of the last toss, so the chances are still exactly 50/50 for heads or tails. He'll say that either bet is okay and that it doesn't make any difference which decision is made.

The gambler will go one of two ways; either he'll reason that there's a "run" taking place here -- and that a bet on another tail will be the better choice -- or he'll opine that it's time for the head to come up, and he'll put his wager on that likelihood.

The magician? He has the best chance of winning because he knows that there is only 1 chance in 512 that a coin will come up tails nine times in a row -- unless there's something wrong with that coin! He'll bet tails, and he'll win!

The reasoning of the mathematician is quite correct, that of the gambler is quite wrong (in either one of his scenarios), but just as long as that isn't a double-tailed coin. The point of view taken by the magician is highly specialized, but human nature being what it is, that view is probably the correct one.

In professional gambling centers such as Las Vegas, great care is taken to ensure that there are no two-tailed quarters or other purposeful anomalies that enable cheating to take place. The casinos make their percentages on the built-in mathematical advantage, which is clearly stated and available to any who ask, and though that is a very tiny "edge," it's enough to pay for the razzle-dazzle that lures in the customers. It's volume that supports the business. The scrutiny that is applied to each and every procedure in Vegas is evident everywhere.

So, Fallacy Number One is: Cheating of some sort is necessary for an operation to prosper. It isn't.

Fallacy Number Two: Some people just have "hunches" and "visions" that enable them to win at the slots and tables. Sorry folks, it just ain't so. The science of parapsychology, which has studied such claims for many decades now, has never come up with evidence that any form of clairvoyance ("clear-seeing," the supposed ability to know hidden data, such as the next card to come up in a deal or the next face on the dice) or telepathy ("mind reading") actually exists. It's remarkably easy for us to imagine that we have a hot streak going, or that the cards are falling our way, but the inexorable laws of chance prevail and always will.

Fallacy Number Three: There are folks who can give us systems for winning. Now, judicious bet placing is possible, and there are mathematical methods of minimizing losses, it's true. But the investment and base capital needed to follow through with these methods makes them a rather poor investment. The return percentage can be earned much more easily by almost any other form of endeavor, at less risk and less expenditure of boring hours following complicated charts and equations. The best observation we can make on the "systems" is: Why would the inventors of the "systems" sell something that they themselves could use to get rich, which is what they say you can do with it? Think about that!

Of course, the simplest of all the systems is bet doubling. It sounds great in theory, but an hour spent tossing coins in your hotel room, or at the gaming tables, will convince you that theory and practice are quite different matters. Bet doubling, as applied to heads or tails (on a fair coin!), consists of placing a unit bet on the first coin toss, then pocketing the proceeds if you win but doubling your bet on the next toss if you lose. If you get a lose, lose, win sequence, that means you will have lost three units (one plus two) and won four. You're up one unit. You start again. If you get a lose, lose, lose, win sequence, you've put out 15 units and brought in 16. Again, you're up only one unit. And no matter how long your sequences go, you'll always be up only one unit at the end of a sequence. It requires you to make that "unit" somewhat sizable if you want to have any significant winnings at all, and that may mean going bankrupt by simply running out of capital before a sequence ends -- and if you hang on, you'll have been able to end up only one unit ahead, in any case. Not a good investment at all.

Fallacy Number Four: Studying the results of the roulette wheels will provide the bettor with useful data. We're peculiar animals, in that we constantly search for meaning in all sets of observations. That's how subjects of Rorschach tests find weird faces, figures, and creatures in inkblots that are actually random patterns with single symmetry. Similarly, any sets of roulette results are, essentially, random numbers; there are no patterns to be found there that can give indications of probable future spins of the wheels. Bearing in mind that those wheels are carefully monitored to detect any biases or defects, we should conclude that finding clues in past performances is futile.

I recall that when I worked in Wiesbaden, Germany, just after World War II, I stuck around late one night after closing at the "Spielbank" and watched as an elderly gentleman removed all the rotors of the 12 wheels they had in operation, wrote out the numbers 1 to 12 on separate scraps of paper, and reassembled the wheels according to the random order in which he drew each slip of paper from a bowl. He was ensuring that any inconsistencies in the wheels would be essentially nullified. Yet, as he told me, the front desk at the casino continued to sell booklets setting out the results of each of the wheels because patrons insisted on having them and persisted in believing that there just had to be a pattern there, if only it could be found.

We're only human. We can't escape certain defects in our thinking mechanism, but we can resist reacting to them. When we see Penn & Teller or Lance Burton doing their wonders, we smile smugly and assure ourselves that those miracles are only illusions. But if we haven't solved those illusions, and we haven't, how can we assume that we aren't being fooled by our own self-created delusions? Let's get a grip on reality and enjoy Las Vegas for what it really is: a grand illusion, a fairyland, a let's-pretend project, but not one in which the laws of nature are suspended or can be ignored.

Enjoy!

Slots

You put the coin in the slot and pull the handle. What, you thought there was a trick to this?

Actually, there is a bit more to it. But first, some background. Old-timers will tell you slots were invented to give wives something to do while their husbands gambled. Slots used to be stuck at the edges of the casino and could be counted on one hand, maybe two. But now they are the casino. The casinos make more from slots than from craps, blackjack, and roulette combined. There are more than 140,000 slot machines (not including video poker) in the county. Some of these are at the airport, steps from you as you deplane. It's just a matter of time before the planes flying into Vegas feature slots that pop up as soon as you cross the state line.

But in order to keep up with the increasing competition, the plain old machine, where reels just spin, has become nearly obsolete. Now they are all computerized and have added buttons to push so you can avoid getting carpal tunnel syndrome from yanking the handle all night. (But the handles are still there on many of them.) Many don't even have reels anymore but are entirely video screens, which offer a number of little bonus extras that have nothing to do with actual play. The idea is still simple: Get three (sometimes four) cherries (clowns, sevens, dinosaurs, whatever) in a row, and you win something. Each machine has its own combination. Some will pay you something with just one symbol showing; on most, the more combinations there are, the more opportunities for loot. Some will even pay if you get three blanks. Study each machine to learn what it does. Note: The payback goes up considerably if you bet the limit (from 2 to as many as 45 coins).

Progressive slots are groups of linked machines (sometimes spread over several casinos) where the jackpot gets bigger every few moments (just as lottery jackpots build up). Bigger and better games keep showing up; for example, there's Anchor Gaming's much-imitated Wheel of Gold, wherein if you get the right symbol, you get to spin a roulette wheel, which guarantees you a win of a serious number of coins. Totem Pole is the Godzilla of slot machines, a behemoth that allows you to spin up to three reels at once (provided you put in the limit).

Other gimmick machines include the popular Wheel of Fortune machines, slots that have a gorilla attempting to climb the Empire State Building, heading up as you win, and machines with themes like Elvis or the Three Stooges. And, of course, there are always those giant slot machines, gimmicky devices found in almost every casino. They may not win as often as regular slots (though there is no definite word on it one way or the other), but not only are they just plain fun to spin, they also often turn into audience-participation gambling, as watchers gather to cheer you on to victory.

Nickel slots, which for a long time had been overlooked, relegated to a lonely spot somewhere by a back wall because they were not as profitable for the casinos as quarter and dollar slots, are making a comeback. Many machines now offer a 45-nickel maximum (meaning a larger bet on those machines than on the five-quarter-maximum slots), and gamblers have been flocking to them. As a result, more cash is pocketed by the casino (which keeps a higher percentage of cash off of nickel slots than it does off of quarter slots), which is happy to accommodate this trend by offering up more and more nickel slots. (See how this all works? Are you paying attention?) Ultratightwads will be pleased by the increased presence of the humble penny slot, but few, if any, allow for only a penny bet -- in fact, the maximum bet is $3!

The biggest trend in Las Vegas, though, is the use of cashless machines. When gambling with these machines, players insert their money, they play, and when they cash out, they get -- instead of the comforting sound of coins cascading out into the tray -- a little paper ticket with their total winnings on it. (Those of us who find the sound of the coins pouring out a comfort are only slightly pleased to learn that the same noise plays, as a computer-generated audio effect, when the ticket is disgorged.) Hand in your ticket at a cashier's window (or use the omnipresent ATM-style redemption machines), and you get your winnings. It's not nearly as viscerally satisfying, but it is the wave of the future; most of the casinos are already entirely cashless, and the rest are on their way. Why take this cheap thrill from us? Because it saves gambling time (instead of waiting for the flow of coins to stop, you can grab your ticket and pop it into another machine) and maintenance time (keeping the machines stocked with coins), and the casinos no longer need worry about having enough quarters on hand. We are not pleased about this. Note: As a result of cashless machine trend, the casinos are much quieter, as many of the formerly chatty machines have been largely silenced, and that famous Vegas clang-clang is somewhat dimmed.

Are there surefire ways to win on a slot machine? No. But you can lose more slowly. The slot machines use minicomputers known as random number generators (RNGs) to determine the winning combinations on a machine; depending on how many numbers have been programmed into the RNG, some machines are "looser" than others. A bank of empty slots probably (but not certainly) means the machines are tight. Go find a line where lots of people are sitting around with trays full of money. (Of course, yours will be the one that doesn't hit.) A good rule of thumb is that if your slot doesn't hit something in four or five pulls, leave it and go find another. It's not as though you won't have some choice in the matter. Also, each casino has a bank of slots that they advertise as more loose or with a bigger payback. Try these. It's what they want you to do, but what the heck.

Note: Many slot machines no longer accept coins at all for bets. For these new machines, bets have to start with bills accepted into special slots. This will make all but extinct the famous change carts that used to roam the floors, helping people get rolls of quarters and the like.

The World Series, Las Vegas Style

Binion's was internationally known as the home of the World Series of Poker. "Nick the Greek" Dondolos first approached Benny Binion in 1949 with the idea for a high-stakes poker marathon between top players. Binion agreed, with the stipulation that the game be open to public viewing. The competition, between Dondolos and the legendary Johnny Moss, lasted 5 months, with breaks only for sleep. Moss ultimately won about $2 million. As Dondolos lost his last pot, he rose from his chair, bowed politely, and said, "Mr. Moss, I have to let you go."

In 1970, Binion decided to re-create the battle of poker giants, which evolved into the annual World Series of Poker. Johnny Moss won the first year and went on to snag the championship again in 1971 and 1974. Thomas "Amarillo Slim" Preston won the event in 1972 and popularized it on the talk-show circuit. In 2002, there were more than 7,595 entrants from over 22 countries, each ponying up the $10,000 entrance fee, and total winnings were in excess of $19 million (the tournament was also televised on ESPN). During one memorable year, the participants included actors Matt Damon and Edward Norton, fresh from Rounders, a movie in which they played a couple of card sharks. They decided to try out their newly acquired moves against the pros, who were unhappy that these kids were barging in on their action and so, rumor has it, offered a separate, large bounty to whatever player took them out. Both actors got knocked out on the first day but took it with good grace and apparently had a blast. Matt's buddy Ben Affleck, an experienced player, tried in 2003 -- the line on him to win (he didn't) was 400:1. Note: In 2005, the World Series of Poker moved to the Rio under the auspices of Harrah's Entertainment, which bought the rights to the event in 2004.

Sports Books

Most of the larger hotels in Las Vegas have sports-book operations, which look a lot like commodities-futures trading boards. In some, almost as large as theaters, you can sit comfortably, occasionally in recliners and sometimes with your own video screen, and watch ball games, fights, and, at some casinos, horse races on huge TV screens. To add to your enjoyment, there's usually a deli/bar nearby that serves sandwiches, hot dogs, soft drinks, and beer. As a matter of fact, some of the best sandwiches in Las Vegas are served next to the sports books. Sports books take bets on virtually every sport (and not just who'll win, but what the final score will be, who'll be first to hit a home run, who'll be MVP, who'll wear red shoes, you name it). They are best during important playoff games or big horse races, when everyone in the place is watching the same event -- shrieking, shouting, and moaning, sometimes in unison. Joining in with a cheap bet (so you feel like you, too, have a personal stake in the matter) makes for bargain entertainment.

Craps

The most exciting casino action is usually found at the craps tables. Betting is frenetic, play fast-paced, and groups quickly bond while yelling and screaming in response to the action.

The Possible Bets

The craps table is divided into marked areas (Pass, Come, Field, Big 6, Big 8, and so on), where you place your chips to bet. The following are a few simple directions.

Pass Line -- A "Pass Line" bet pays even money. If the first roll of the dice adds up to 7 or 11, you win your bet; if the first roll adds up to 2, 3, or 12, you lose your bet. If any other number comes up, it's your "point." If you roll your point again, you win, but if a 7 comes up again before your point is rolled, you lose.

Don't Pass Line -- Betting on the "Don't Pass" is the opposite of betting on the "Pass Line." This time, you lose if a 7 or an 11 is thrown on the first roll, and you win if a 2 or a 3 is thrown on the first roll.

If the first roll is 12, however, it's a "push" (standoff), and nobody wins. If none of these numbers is thrown and you have a point instead, in order to win, a 7 will have to be thrown before the point comes up again. A "Don't Pass" bet also pays even money.

Come -- Betting on "Come" is the same as betting on the Pass Line, but you must bet after the first roll or on any following roll. Again, you'll win on 7 or 11 and lose on 2, 3, or 12. Any other number is your point, and you win if your point comes up again before a 7.

Don't Come -- This is the opposite of a Come bet. Again, you wait until after the first roll to bet. A 7 or an 11 means you lose; a 2 or a 3 means you win; 12 is a push, and nobody wins. You win if 7 comes up before the point. (The point, you'll recall, was the first number rolled if it was none of the above.)

Field -- This is a bet for one roll only. The "Field" consists of seven numbers: 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, and 12. If any of these numbers is thrown on the next roll, you win even money, except on 2 and 12, which pay 2 to 1 (at some casinos 3 to 1).

Big 6 and 8 -- A "Big 6 and 8" bet pays even money. You win if either a 6 or an 8 is rolled before a 7. Mathematically, this is a sucker's bet.

Any 7 -- An "Any 7" bet pays the winner 5 for 1. If a 7 is thrown on the first roll after you bet, you win.

"Hard Way" Bets -- In the middle of a craps table are pictures of several possible dice combinations together with the odds the casino will pay you if you bet and win on any of those combinations being thrown. For example, if double 3s or 4s are rolled and you had bet on them, you will be paid 7 to 1. If double 2s or 5s are rolled and you had bet on them, you will be paid 9 to 1. If either a 7 is rolled or the number you bet on was rolled any way other than the "Hard Way," then the bet is lost. In-the-know gamblers tend to avoid "Hard Way" bets as an easy way to lose their money.

Any Craps -- Here you're lucky if the dice "crap out" -- if they show 2, 3, or 12 on the first roll after you bet. If this happens, the bank pays 7 to 1. Any other number is a loser.

Place Bets -- You can make a "Place Bet" on any of the following numbers: 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, or 10. You're betting that the number you choose will be thrown before a 7 is thrown. If you win, the payoff is as follows: 4 or 10 pays at the rate of 9 to 5, 5 or 9 pays at the rate of 7 to 5, 6 or 8 pays at the rate of 7 to 6. "Place Bets" can be removed at any time before a roll.

Dealer Tips

Lou has been a part of the gaming industry for 40 years, the first 20 of which he spent as a dealer in Las Vegas.

"My favorite places were The Flamingo, the Sands, and the Desert Inn. That's when the corporations weren't there. That's when the other folks were in. The mob guys -- I never knew it, but that's what they were. I was just a kid. Bugsy had just gotten killed when I went to work at The Flamingo. The Sands was my very first favorite. That was the hotel of all hotels. They had the very best management team. They took care of their help. Their benefits were better than any union. It was the place.

"Years ago, you had great entertainment. You could go to a lounge and catch better acts than in the showroom. Major stars were in the lounges, or they would come in and sit in with the acts after the showroom closed. Don Rickles: Sinatra would get up with him once in a while. Sinatra gave me my first $100 tip. He was playing blackjack. Then he said, 'Do you want to play it or keep it?' I wanted to be polite, so I said, 'Bet it.' And he lost. In those days when the stars would appear on stage, between shows they would come out into the casinos. Sinatra and Sammy would deal. They would blow money, but the casinos didn't care. It was a fun, fun place.

"The casinos were run the way they were supposed to be run -- for the customer, not so corporate-minded. In those days, you could go to Vegas, get your room very reasonable, your food was practically free, your shows were practically free, you would spend $500 in the casino, but you would come back and be happy because gaming was a form of entertainment. When they ran the casinos, you would have a ball, come home, and be happy. They were very happy if the restaurants and shows lost money -- you still lost that $500. Now it would cost you $100 to stay at a hotel, and food is much more expensive, and to get a ticket to one of these shows is ridiculous. Now you gamble only $150 and you aren't as happy when you come home because you don't feel like you've been treated to anything. It all goes into the same pocket -- what difference does it make? It gives the customer the same hours and more fun. They don't understand that. It's not the same industry as when they ran it. And it shows."

Lou the Dealer's Gaming Tips

If you are a craps shooter, just look around at the tables where they have the most chips. Find the guy with the most chips, and do what he does. Follow him along.

For blackjack, everybody will tell you in all your books to try to play single and double decks. I don't agree with that, and I never will. The average player goes in to enjoy himself and to win a few dollars. So he is not a professional card counter. Play a shoe. If that shoe is going bad and you catch a run, you will make a lot more money than with a single deck.

Look at gaming as a form of entertainment. Look at that $100 that you might have spent on dinner or a club, where we laughed and had a few drinks and had a good time. Think of it that way.

If you double your money, quit. Not quit gambling, but quit that table. Go have a sandwich or watch a show. And then come back. The odds aren't that tremendously in favor of the casinos. How they make their money is through greed; gamblers doubling their money then trying to quadruple it and losing it all, and more.

Try to survive. Don't try to win the hotel. Just try to win a few dollars. Then stop and enjoy it.