Bridget Gleeson - Lonely Planet Discover Las Vegas

Welcome to Las Vegas

Its three in the morning when you spot an Elvis look-alike sauntering by arm-in-arm with a glittering showgirl. A bride in a long white dress shrieks blackjack! as a stoic blue-haired granny feeds nickels into a slot machine while throwing back a gin and tonic. Its a surreal, Technicolor-tinged fantasy straight out of the movies theres only one place you could be.

Vegas, baby: its the ultimate escape. Its the only place you can spend the night partying in ancient Rome, wake up in Paris and brunch under the Eiffel Tower, watch an erupting volcano at sunset and get married in a pink Cadillac at midnight. Double down with the high rollers, browse couture or tacky souvenirs, sip a neon 3ft-high margarita or a frozen vodka martini set on a bar made of ice its all here for the taking.

Time is irrelevant in Sin City. There are no clocks inside casinos, just never-ending buffets, ever-flowing drinks and adrenaline-fueled gaming tables. Almost any desire can be gratified instantly, since the USAs fastest-growing metropolis and its luxe mega-resorts stand ready to cater to your every whim 24/7. Emptying your wallet never felt so damn good.

The landscape is a constantly shifting paradox. Its a volatile cocktail of dueling forces: sophistication and smut, risk and reward, boom and bust. Thats all part of its charm. Head downtown to explore Vegas nostalgic beginnings and its cultural renaissance of vintage shops and cocktail bars where local culture thrives, then detour off the Strip to find intriguing museums celebrating Vegas neon, atomic-fueled past.

Americas dirty little secret or dream factory? Vegas is both and remains a bastion of hangover-inducing weekends for people from all walks of life. You can reinvent yourself a hundred times over or hide out with your lover in a hotel room for days. It doesnt matter if you play the penny slots or drop a bankroll every night youll probably leave town convinced youve had the time of your life.

Fremont Street Experience ()
WALTER BIBIKOW/JAI/CORBIS

Las Vegas Top Experiences

Cruising the Strip ()

Rolling into Vegas is a classic experience play it right and youll feel like youre cruising through a movie set. If youre behind the wheel as a Sin City first-timer, arrive after dark. As you approach the city, pull over and admire the neon glow from afar. Then exit off the interstate and cruise the length of Las Vegas Blvd (aka the Strip), taking in the glowing beacon of the Luxor, the Marilyn Monroe impersonators and the soaring Eiffel Tower.

BRIDGET GLEESON

Cirque du Soleils O ( )

Cirque du Soleil is made for Las Vegas, where spectacle is the name of the game, and the aquatic O at Bellagio is the hottest ticket in town. Whimsical costumes, high-flying aerial acrobatics, high dives and incredibly artful synchronized swimming create an electrifying, often heart-pounding, atmosphere. If youre not ready to splash out for a pair of tickets, opt for the slightly more affordable avant-garde circus antics at the otherworldly Mystre ( ).

Bellagio (designers: DeRuyter Butler and Atlandia Design)
LEE FOSTER

Mini-Colosseum and Roman statuary. ( )

A pyramid and giant sphinx. ( )

Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty. ( )

Two words: Eiffel Tower. ( )

Grand canals and a towering campanile. ( )

Shopping at Fashion Show ( )

The striking facade of this fashionistas favorite is an eye-catcher from far away, it looks like a UFO has landed on Las Vegas Blvd. Inside, the shopping centers offerings are fairly standard, but with a Sin City twist. British import Topshop, for example, carries a Vegas-specific accessories collection, just in case youd like to hit the casinos with an English-style fascinator in the form of a red sequined queen of hearts.