And to <BR>susan, there is a hell of a lot of difference between watching your child on a ride at WDW and meeting them at the gate and letting them alone in a store at a mall. I for one do not even let my 10 year old get an aisle ahead of me when shopping. As for walking to school? Not alone my dear, not alone.

Dear "anon": <BR>Technically you are correct. Eating at Spago and wearing Hugo Boss clothing does not change one's personality or give them 'class' (which, by the way, Patrick did not imply). <BR>But, those who eat at nicer restaurants and wear nicer clothing more often possess what most would define as 'class' than those who wear cheap clothing and eat exclusively at cheaper restaurants. No, not certainties, not guarantees. Just correlations. <BR>Stop nitpicking just to try to 'fight' with Patrick, whose points were not particularly controversial.

To the person who asked..."Where else can you visit Paris, Egypt, etc.....and still have $ left over...etc." All I can say is obviously you have never been to any of those places. I have been to most and shame on you for comparing any of those magnificent countries and cities to Vegas! Now you want tacky? Visit Atlantic City, N.J. Atlantic City is tacky!!

While I love San Francisco as a whole, Fisherman's Wharf IS quite tacky. Hands down, though, has got to be the Wisconsin Dells - biggest waste of a weekend and $300 my husband and I ever spent.

Ramz We just got back from Vegas and how right you are. We will never go back. Worst trip we ever had.

My local mall has a Hugo Boss and FAO Schwartz. What's the big deal? If it didn't, I could drive 10 minutes and find a store. Y'all must live in the boonies. <BR> <BR>Anyway, Vegas is something everyone should see at least once.

The tackiest place has got to be Lundy's lane Niagara Falls Ont.

Las Vegas is, like any place you visit, whatever you want it to be. If you want tacky, you'll get tacky. But, you could also eat in some wonderful restaurants, see Broadway quality theater, shop forever (either pay $$$$ in the malls or visit the outlets just outside of town). You could learn a bit by taking a side trip to Hoover Dam or the Grand Canyon. You could even enjoy some art at the Bellagio. Just the Dale Chihouly (sp?) glass ceiling could keep you busy for 1/2 hour. Don't leave out the marine biology lesson at the Mandalay Bay's new Shark Reef or one of the many Discovery Channel's IMAX films at the Luxor. Then kick back and listen to some terrific music at the House of Blues. The best part is you can do all of this in your white tennis shoes, plaid shorts & an ' I'm with Stupid' t-shirt. Just lighten up, have some fun, and get with the program. Does everything have to be taken so seriously?

<BR> <BR>I believe ramz started a thread with comments about Las Vegas being "tacky" more so in a way of - as ramz said - people shoving triple-x rated materials in your face and trying to get you to buy timeshares. <BR> <BR>For some reason, quite a few posters wanted to discuss parenting skills, do a little name calling, and other topics. At least some did respond with their ideas of places they considered tacky. <BR> <BR>My suggestion to ramz is to perhaps start a new topic, maybe Tacky2, and posters might even try to stick to the subject. <BR> <BR>

Tacky as Tacky can be.

Maybe I missed it, but what about those who will never have the money [or may fear flying] to see the real Paris, Venice, etc. Isn't it wonderful that they can see a pretty good approximation of these places in our own country? We're lucky enough to have seen the real thing [go without new cars etc.] and we still have fun in L&gt;V&gt;

Rather see the real thing.

Of course Vegas is tacky ! Any gambling to be had comes second to that wonderful tackiness ! <BR> <BR>Why else would you go there ?

There are really tacky parts of Vegas, and there are parts that are much more like themed shopping malls. Quite a bit of imagination going on there in New York New York, and the Aladdin. I'd love to be the artist that got the job painting all those cloud ceilings! I think the Women's lounge/restroom in the Paris was quite extraordinary with those exquisitely hand painted sinks and gold mirrors. Now, if you are looking for SUPER-TACKY, the definitive spot would have to be "South of the Border" on Route 95. There is simply NO COMPARISON anywhere in the US.

Tackiest? How 'bout just plain gross? Hedonism in Negril, Jamaica. Im ashamed I ever went there.

For every high-roller that goes to Vegas, there's 5 fat, rubes with Hawaiian shirts and wicker hats on. By the way, know what they do in Branson and Gatlinburg on Halloween? pump-kin...

Different strokes for different folks!! <BR> <BR>Thank goodness everyone does not love Vegas or it would be too crowded for the rest of us when we go. I was there with my daughter six months ago and we did not have even one person try to sell us a time share or shove XXX in our face. I had a great time watching her on her first visit and we saw some wonderful shows, ate some great food and wondered through all those *tacky* hotels and loved every minute of it. And, yes, we played a lot of machines and tables just for fun. I would think if you have a prudish personality you would know before you go that Vegas might not be the place for you. And for the poster who mentioned Hedonism, did you not research the place before you went? I have never been there, but I know exactly what kind of place it is. And if I were to go there, it would be because I was in that kind of mood. Sometimes after having to be so prim, proper, staunch and upright in our jobs, it is nice to go someplace where we don't know anybody and just let our hair down. Maybe Vegas does not work for you, but you need to find someplace that does. I think everyone could use a little fantasy every once in and while.

About Branson. Its kind of like vegas in a very conservative, retirement center, retro flash sort of way. I'm pretty sure there is no Hugo Boss store or Fao Schwartz there. I'm sure there are plenty of church groups and assisted living centers out there who do not think Branson is tacky at all. By the way, after months of reading posts on Fodors, I only just began posting myself and its so much fun!

Aloha shirts are fine in context; i.e., here. <BR> <BR>We prefer small prints. I favor cotton for my husband, in a small batik print. There's a lot of art to Aloha shirts, and they beat their stuffy office counterpart on the mainland anyday. <BR>Here, aloha shirts are common office attire. And they are NEVER in polyester. <BR> <BR>I don't know where the rubes in LV get theirs, most likely from their nearest Wal-Mart. Those "Hawaiian shirts" that you see in LV are not the real thing. Sorry. Unless they happened to get them from the very worst outlet at the International Marketplace. <BR> <BR>I agree that the overweight phenomenon in LV is unlike anything I have seen anywhere else, and just might define tacky. <BR> <BR>So, can we just keep that issue separate from Aloha shirts (i.e., men's office attire in Hawaii)? <BR>

Las Vegas is THE most American of cities. it encompasses more sex-greed- and gorging on cheap steak and lobster than anywhere else in the union. Congratulatins Silver State of Nevada and keep UP the good work. We luv ya!