Las Vegas Vacations.

Las Vegas, Nevada, has come a long way from the old "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" atmosphere of debauchery and excess.  Now struggling due to the exasperated economy, Las Vegas has many great deals for families and singles alike.  From Texas Hold 'Em poker tournaments to nickel slots, from the iconic Wayne Newton to the Cirque Du Soleil, the Blue Man Group to the always fashionable show girl revues, Las Vegas has something for every taste.

Some say the best part about a Las Vegas vacation is that what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.  But the variety of games, rides and attractions, shows and concerts, souvenir shops and instant wedding chapels, and of course the legal prostitution avaible not too far from Vegas in rural Nevada are all major reasons for many people's visits to the Gambling Mecca of North America.

Staying away from the seedier parts of Las Vegas is advised for the visitor who may be a bit naive, as the crime in Las Vegas is a sore spot in the city's profile.  A statistic which should be expected from a city built on taking people's money away from them while making them believe that they are having a great time.  If you can manage to limit your gambling, or just play with a portion of your winnings (most winners end up spending their winnings;  trying to win even more, they lose it all), then you can have a great time at a reasonable cost.

Choosing the best part of a Las Vegas vacation depends wholly on the visitor's morals, financial status and likes and dislikes.  From the 4-D special F/X theater at Circus Circus, where a live circus act used to be performed high above the gamblers (any distraction to a gambler is a good distraction for the casino's coffers), to The Stratosphere's Insanity - The Ride, from The Lion King Exhibit to Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, no matter what your taste in entertainment, you can find it in Las Vegas at some point in the year.  What more could you ask for from one small city in the Desert, so close to the Hoover Dam and Lake Havasu.

Look for major attractions at Las Vegas websites, and book long in advance for special shows and rock concerts.  Most major shows are sold out the day tickets go on sale.  Of course, if you ask for a bundle, that being a room and tickets to the show, your chances of scoring tickets to your dream show will be much greater.

For the thrill seekers, there is The Shark Reef, Zip Lining, Bungee Jumping, helicopter rides around the city, to The Hoover Dam or The Grand Canyon, water parks with exhilarating rides and slides, and hotels that cater to the whims of everybody.  And, of course, you can also gamble in Las Vegas, in case you weren't aware of that.

From blackjack to most variations of poker, roulette to craps, Pai Gow Poker (Chinese), Baccarat, and slot mahines.  Everywhere you look, there are slot machines;  in hotel lobbies, by the washrooms, crowding the ATMs, and even out on the sidewalks, the one-armed bandits are the kings of the Vegas gambling strip.  With one pull of the handle capable of making you a multi-millionaire, or at least a few hundred dollars richer, the slot machines are not exactly the smart gamblers game of choice.

However, when playing the slot machines, if you do not go overboard, you can have a lot of fun with a few rolls of nickels or quarters.  Traveling to Las Vegas for a holiday can be a wonderful experience, and for the drinking-age crowd, one that now rivals Walt Disney World.