My husband would just love to visit Las Vegas but all the glitz and gambling does not appeal to me! Is there anything there for me? I think I will have to go there ( as I got my first choice holiday this year!) but would really appreciate some other ideas. We will combine LV with another destination but not sure which yet. Thanks in advance for any help you can give!

I never go for the same reason Maggie, seems like disney for adults. YUCK. No desire what so ever to see Las Vegas.

Maggie, you can't avoid the "glitz" at all in Vegas but you can definitely enjoy yourself without gambling, if you want. I visited a few years ago and had a blast, without spending more than a couple of minutes a day in the casino (just walking thru it to get to the elevators!) If your husband wants to gamble, let him and tell him you'll meet him at the end of the day for dinner. You can do any of the following: take a tour of the Grand Canyon. There are small air outfits in LV who have charter flights to the GC, you can spend the day there and visit an Indian Reservaqtion. Or, take a jeep tour of the desert - Red Rock Canyon, or and old-fashioned Wild West Town outside of Las vegas, whose name escapes me. Take a bus trip to Hoover Dam and Lake Mead (gorgeous!!) You can hang out by the pool at your hotel, go shopping at the countless malls in town, and see Cirque du Soleil at night ("O" and "Mystere"). Just accept that you'll be surrounded by flash and dazzle, and seek the many other activities available out there. There are many Vegas websites which explain all the non-casino fun you can have. It IS possible! Have fun.

From a fellow-Brit (who just happens to live in the US)BR>
My personal opinion - I think you can enjoy a couple of days in Vegas even if you don't like glitz and gambling - just simply to marvel at it. Watch the Bellagio fountains, stroll along the Venetian's canal etc - it's such a spectacle.

But LV is also accessible to some fantastic national parks etc. We rented a car there and travelled (in this order) to Bryce Canyon, the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, and Zion Canyon, before returning to Vegas via the Hoover Dam. It was a great trip. Have a look at the National Park Service website (www.nps.gov). I know many people combine Las Vegas with the Grand Canyon's South Rim and I believe that's a great trip too. (Note that it is a considerable driving distance between the North and South Rims. Also note that you have to book way ahead to actually stay in the National Parks, the lodges fill up really early. If you leave it too late there's quite acceptable accommodation outside).

Maggie, just go along with him, you will find something to like in LV. Just strolling the shopping areas and having a nice lunch is fine in the day. At night there are alot of shows to see and great restaurants. Just get a positive mind set and try to see the irony in it and have some fun.

Nan
we will probably end up in LV and I'm sure that I will enjoy it, especially after the great advice here. I knew about the Grand Canyon but had no idea there was so much else to do! I must start to do some serious research!
Sarah
I would rather not go but at least now I can make the best of it.
Sue and Elfie
You've been a great help. Thanks!

Actually friends who went from east coast for long weekend told me they were pleasantly surprised. I just wanted you to know I had similar thoughts.

Sarah
and I appreciate it! Sorry if it didn't sound like that in my last post!

MAggie, as an original East coaster, now Californian, I hate Las Vegas and can't wait to leave everytime I find myself there. It depends on whether you can be OK with the shows, but the noise and glitz of the casinos really puts me off. Far better to visit Phoenix, Sedona, the Grand Canyon or California, for while we're a bit wacky here, we aren't as plastic as Las Vegas. There are many who love it, but if you start out with doubts, I'm afraid you'll really end up being unhappy. Could you convince husband to at least share the time? He too might end up disliking Las Vegas and then what? Suggestions: San Diego, San Francisco, Central coast of California, Sedona, Phoenix etc.

Been to Las Vegas several times. While it's fun to "party" there, after less than two days, I'm usually screaming to get away from it.

However, I really don't think there's anyplace truly like it (whatever "it" may be). If you're seeing it for the first time, it's a lot to take in. Sensory overload. Just sit back and be entertained...

I second the suggestion to see "O". What those people do defy logic in my book. I stood in the cancellation line for 3 hours, and it was worth it. (I had the time to spare to wait, because I was sick of everything else in Vegas! )

And...people watching is absolutely fantastic in Vegas. Some of it kind of pathetic, but still fascinating....

Maggie, give the website a look. It's dedicated to Las Vegas.
Yes, there's lots about gambling and shows, but there's other things to click on as well:

www.lvol.com

Commercialism spelled backwards (or any way) spells Las Vegas.

Some other places near Las Vegas that weren't mentioned is Valley of Fire State Park and Oatman on Route 66 just a little south of Kingman. It's fun driving the old route 66

http://www.route66usa.com/arizona.html

Here's a good website on Southern Utah travels.

http://www.so-utah.com/contents.html

Utahtea

Absolutely the best choice of restaurants that you will find anywhere (except lacking in Vegetarian), great people watching, terrific shopping and window-shopping. I know lots of non-gamblers who enjoy Las VEgas. And many who've been just once and say they'll never go back, but are still glad that they saw the "wonder in the desert" once in their lifetime.

Combine it with a trip to Los Angeles/Pacific Coast. Fly into Vegas and out of L.A. or San Fran on the return.

thanks to everyone for the suggestions and the web sites! Funnily enough, I think I might even start to look forward to it!!

las vegas is a blast and so different from anything i've ever seen. as mentioned, you only have to be in the casino's to get to elevators if that's your choice. i could stay at the bellagio fountains for an hour watching the "shows" (free and differnt music every show). go see the laser light show down on freemont street. good cheap eats down there. the "valley" and "red rock" are suppose to be really nice (very hot in the summer though) and lake mead is cool. i wouldn't recommend staying more then three nights. even for those of us who love it, that's enough time. if you like to lay by pools (depending upon when you are going) make sure you get advice on the best hotels for that so you can enjoy that time while your hubby is winning you lots of money!!!

In combination with Las Vegas, a trip to San Fransisco would be nice or else leave Vegas and drive to Palm Springs for a few nights and then onto San Diego which is a great city.

Maggie -- I personally never had any desire to go to Las Vegas and recently stopped there for one night on a driving tour of many of our western national parks, simply because it was a convenient location to stop between the parks I was visiting and because hotel rates there are so inexpensive. I had heard a lot about the Cirque de Soleil shows "O" and "Mystere" on this board and treated myself to a ticket to Mystere. Well -- as expected, I did not care for Las Vegas, but I LOVED "Mystere" and highly recommend it. I can honestly say that the only reason I would ever return to Las Vegas would be to see "O." Otherwise, one night was enough for me. By the way, tickets to "O" and "Mystere" are expensive, but since I don't gamble and got such a great rate on the hotel, I could justify it -- and it was definitely worth the price.

If you are interested in spectacular scenery then I strongly suggest you visit at least one of our National Parks while you're here. I drove from Las Vegas to Yosemite in about 8 hours and it was incredible. The Grand Canyon is also amazing and closer to Las Vegas. Zion and Bryce Canyon are wonderful too, and Zion is only 2 hours or so from LV.

Maggie - you don't mention what time of year you are going, but do check www.weather.co.uk for info on the average temperatures by month. Summertime is very HOT! Over 100 F degrees. While the hotels are air conditioned, of course, the heat can interfer with outdoor enjoyment and with the touring of places like the Grand Canyon.

I very much dislike Las Vegas and won't return but did satisfy my curiosity last with a two day visit finally last year. I don't find it glitzy as all. I find it quite tacky and the cigarette smoke is overwhelming.

But, I would definitely recommend your rent a car a visity Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park and, if you have the time, travel around to the south rim of the Grand Canyon. This scenary is spectacular and so different from Great Britain, I think it will make for a great experience....Just hope you aren't going in August.

My husband and I went to Vegas earlier this month because my sister was getting married there. Honestly, I NEVER intended to go to Las Vegas because I thought it wouldn't appeal to me: I'm not much of a gambler, I don't like crowds, and I am not a big spender.

Boy, was I WRONG!

We had SO much fun! Vegas IS like disney for adults! We ate very well, I learned how to play (and win) blackjack, we saw George Carlin and another comedy show, and we just walked through and admired the strip hotels. I got a massage, which was great. And our hotel room at the Monte Carlo was very nice. We'll certainly go back, and as soon as possible!

My advice:
1. Keep an open mind. If you are dead-set that you are going to HATE Vegas, you will hate it.
2. Have fun! Stay up late! Drink too many free drinks! Eat dessert! And why? Because you CAN! It's VEGAS and you're on VACATION!