Las Vegas The Luxury City
By Joel Noah, Mon Dec 26th

Though a bit heavy on the neon, Las Vegas is a true feast forthe eyes. The skyline is amazing, with all of the sparklinglights and massive shapes competing for attention. Every hotelis striving to top the next one with its own unique theme,majestic entrances, rollicking casinos, delectable restaurants,and impressive entertainment. It can be said that Las Vegas doesnot have a boring bone in its body.

The marketing angle of the Las Vegas tourism board has gone fromits old nickname, " Sin City," to being touted as afamily-friendly destination in the 1990's and back to AdultsOnly with its new tagline, "What happens here, stays here." Cityadvertisers want to attract people from all over the world totheir own adult playground, complete with endless gambling,alcohol, food, and entertainment. It is billed as a kind ofmagical place that will cater to every need and fulfill everyfantasy.

The hotels in Las Vegas are truly incredible to behold. They payhomage to other unique cities, like New York, Venice, and Paris,by recreating smaller versions of these cities. New York, NewYork hotel reconstructs the lively streets of Gotham. TheVenetian hotel has a huge indoor canal complete with gondolasand gondoliers. The Paris hotel experience comes complete with areplica of the Eiffel Tower. There are tributes to other themesas well, including ancient Rome (Caesar's Palace), Hollywood(MGM Grand), pirates ( Treasure Island), Arabian nights(Aladdin) and many more. Two of the nicest hotels with casinosin Las Vegas, the Bellagio and the Wynn Las Vegas Hotel, don'thave specific themes besides that of opulence and luxury.

From the Rat Pack of the mid-20 th century to Celine Dion today,Vegas entertainment has always been a huge draw. Magicians, suchas Penn and Teller, and Siegfried and Roy, entertain crowds withtheir amazing optical

illusions. Comedians like Danny Gans andCarrot Top perform often in Las Vegas and are quite popular withtheir use of extravagant props and sight gags. Veteran Vegasentertainers, like Tony Orlando and Wayne Newton, still commandpacked houses night after night with their well-loved repertoireof musical favorites.

Shopping and eating are two more favorite past times in LasVegas. Caesar's Palace offers a world-class mall featuring apainted blue sky with clouds adorning the ceiling. The Venetianalso has first class shopping with many designer brands. Most ofthe other hotels showcase several great shops inside theirlobbies and host many more on their premises. When hungerstrikes, there is no shortage of fabulous food. Las Vegas is nolonger a place of $3.99 all-you-can-eat-buffets. World-renownedchefs Wolfgang Puck (Spago) and Emeril Lagasse have severalexcellent eateries in town and many of the prominent hotelsboast other award-winning restaurants.

Of course, the most popular reason for visiting Las Vegas is forthe gambling casinos. From the nickel slot machines to the roomsof tables reserved for those starting bets over $1000, there isa venue for every budget. Games such as craps, blackjack, andbaccarat draw millions of people a year to try their hand at thetables, accompanied by attractive cocktail waitresses handingout free drinks aplenty. There are some success stories, butmany more sob stories, when people arrive home from their jauntsto Las Vegas after playing against the casinos. Amateur gamblerswho visit Las Vegas report that it is best to decide how muchmoney to play with before starting, and stick with that limit.After all, Las Vegas is a fun destination for vacationing andconventions, and it has a lot to offer visitors when theypractice some moderation in the gambling arena.

About the author:Get more useful information and resources about Las Vegas at: http://www.lasvegasx.info