Top Attractions

Top Attractions

Spectacular Spectaculars

Will it be strange, cavorting Blue Men, or a sophisticated Cirque du Soleil acrobatic extravaganza? An afternoon comedy show, or Broadway light (90-minute cut-downs of the original New York theater productions)? A classic feather revue, or nouveau burlesque? Maybe you're just in the mood for a plain-old lounge show. Vegas has all the over-the-top razzle-dazzle you could ever hope for.

Gut-busting Buffets

Buffets in Las Vegas -- those tributes to extravagance and excess -- are an event in and of themselves. There are still plenty of cheapies-but-goodies around, especially if you're willing to cast farther afield and explore some of the local casinos. But now that the city's become renowned as a gourmet food place, those ubiquitous buffets have followed suit. Loosen those belts, and get ready to pig out.

Rolling the Dice

Never mind those buffets, swimming pools, spas, traffic jams, dancing girls (and boys, and water), wedding chapels, circus acts, and cavorting sea life. It's Vegas, baby, and you're here to gamble.

The Corner of Flamingo Road & the Strip

Casino-hopping is the best all-around way to explore this colorful, fanciful city, and the junction of Flamingo and Las Vegas Boulevard puts you right in the center of the action. Within a short walk are the Bellagio, with its dramatic fountains, gardens, and art museum; Paris, with its half-scale replica of the Eiffel Tower; and the Roman-theme Caesars Palace. It's an easy walk north to reach some of the Strip's other must-sees, including the Venetian and Wynn Las Vegas.

Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden & Dolphin Habitat

Of the handful of intriguing up-close animal encounters in Vegas, this lushly landscaped enclosure displays creatures you'll see in few places on the planet, from snow leopards to white tigers. Watching the bottle-nosed dolphins cavort about 2.5-million gallons of water is great fun, too.

The Stratosphere Thrill Rides

If you're an adrenaline fiend, you can't miss the incredibly scary (and fun) rides perched atop the 112-floor Stratosphere Tower. The Big Shot fires you 160 feet up the Stratosphere needle, and both the X Scream and Insanity dangle you over the edge of the Stratosphere tower. These aren't for the faint of heart.

The Studio Walk at MGM Grand

In a city that continues to dazzle foodies with its dozens of celebrity-helmed restaurants, this indoor promenade at MGM Grand has become arguably America's most impressive "Restaurant Row." Bring your appetite (and your charge cards) and eat your heart out at such culinary shrines as Joël Robuchon, Nobhill, Emeril's, Diego, and Shibuya -- to name but a few.

Forum Shops at Caesars

Opened in 1992, this chichi shopping and dining mall modeled after a Roman streetscape forever changed the retail and culinary scene in Vegas. In addition to stellar restaurants like BOA Prime Grill and Spago, this snazzy space contains dozens of fine stores, including Gucci, Fendi, Dolce & Gabbana, and Bulgari.

Legendary Nightlife

Skyhigh bars. Burlesque. Wild dance clubs. Sophisticated lounges. Strip clubs. Beefy man shows. You can't go to Vegas and not at least check out the spectacle. So pick your scene, grab a martini, and join the 24-hour party.

Over-the-Top Pools

The tanning booth is now a ubiquitous feature in the any-town strip mall, but it still can't compare with the old-fashioned poolside sun-soak -- especially if that soak is in Las Vegas, land of toned bodies, cocktails, cabanas, swaying palms, man-made beaches, and swim-up blackjack.

Hoover Dam

If you have time for just one trip outside of town, make it to this spectacular structure created during the 1930s -- it's considered one of the seven wonders of the industrial world. Rising 726 feet above the Colorado River, the dam affords tremendous views, and tours into its interior are available. You can combine a trip here with a tour of the nearby body of water that the dam created, Lake Mead.