Las Vegas Holidays

Most visits to Las Vegas are confined to the Strip and downtown, so it is not necessary to hire a car as both are easily navigable by foot and there are several forms of transport that can be used. Local buses run the length of the Strip and into downtown and operate 24 hours a day with a flat fare including transfers. The old-fashioned Las Vegas Strip Trolley also runs the length of the Strip from 8.30am to midnight and the Downtown Trolley circles between the Stratosphere and downtown at the same time. A state-of-the-art monorail runs above the streets, operating (depending on the day) from 7.00am to 3.00am between the Sahara Hotel and the MGM Grand. Taxis are plentiful and can be found lined up outside every hotel and casino and at taxi stands. Cars are the most practical way to explore outside Las Vegas, although there are bus tours offered to Hoover Dam.

There's a reason they say 'what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas'. With bars, clubs, strip clubs, casinos and world-class international shows running for years at a time, it's little wonder that Las Vegas has earned itself fame, and often infamy, as one of the world's party capitals.

The world-famous Strip is bland and dingy-looking during the day, but the minute the sun sets this desert oasis springs to life with neon illuminating just about every inch of the sidewalk. The real problem when heading out for a night on The Strip is choosing where to begin.

The current trend regarding shows is towards headline comedy or music acts and large-scale Broadway productions, all of which can be seen at the main hotels throughout the town. World-famous magicians like David Copperfield and Criss Angel, singers like Celine Dion, Bette Midler and Cher, and renowned acts like the Cirque du Soleil and Blue Man Group all call Las Vegas home.

Hotels in Las Vegas offering great entertainment include the Bellagio, the Venetian, Caesar's Palace, Mandalay Bay, Treasure Island and the MGM Grand. Las Vegas casinos are also the best place to go for nightclubs and bars, with famous clubs throwing celebrity-hosted parties nearly every weekend.

Las Vegas just might be the mall shopping capital of the world: there are more than 20 mega malls competing for your dollar, each uniquely themed, and each offering prices that retailers in other cities struggle to compete with. So if you are burdened with your gambling winnings here are some shopping venue highlights to help lighten your load:

Town Square Las Vegas is a mega-mall with a difference: most of the stores are outside so you can enjoy a pedestrian-friendly village atmosphere while exploring a comprehensive range of stores. Town Square also offers an eclectic range of restaurants, a newly built day-spa, and a wonderful interactive children's park.

Caesars Palace is home to the hugely popular Forum Shops, with more than 700,000 square feet (220,000 sq/m) of retail space, while the Fashion Show Mall at 3200 Las Vegas Boulevard is still worth a visit for its incredible bargains more than 30 years after its founding. The recently revamped Boulevard Mall, offering more than 170 stores, is also a good option.

If you like your mall shopping with a healthy dose of kitsch then don't miss The Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian. This indoor shopping area is built as an authentic reproduction of Venice's Grand Canal (and yes, there are gondolas) with a replica of Piazza San Marco as the extravagant centrepiece.

The Strip is known for designer boutiques and haute couture, and all the big names are represented here. Away from The Strip and the opulent malls you can find more individual stores selling Las Vegas collectables (old gambling chips are highly prized), esoteric books and kooky clothing. Two markets are really worth a look: Broadacres Swap Meet offers a huge variety of retailers and the Fantastic Indoor Swapmeet is equally well-equipped.

Sales tax is built into the price of goods. Because states set their own sales tax the US government has no system for refunding you as a non-US visitor.

When you visit Las Vegas you quickly realise that the city itself is the biggest attraction. You can simply walk The Strip and bask in the fluorescent lights, soak up the sounds of laughter, traffic hooting, pinging slot machines, and absorb the incredible energy of this improbably fascinating city in the desert. A century ago there was nothing much here - since then, Las Vegas has bloomed into one of the world's fastest-growing cities.

The key sites are naturally the extravagant casinos that line The Strip, all competing to attract passers-by with lavish displays and performances. Check out the MGM-themed Mirage, the Egyptian fantasy of the Luxor, and the opulence of the Bellagio. Most people come to Vegas to gamble and party (or perhaps to get married in one of the famous chapels), but the city is also an entertainment hub, offering theme parks, incredible swimming pools, giant shopping malls, and much more, which will easily occupy the whole family. Music fans should head for the Liberace museum and the many grand shows, while automobile nuts won't want to miss the world-class Imperial Palace Automobile Collection.

If exploring on foot, do so at night when the lights make their biggest impact and the temperature is cooler. During the day make the most of the city buses which run the length of The Strip.

At first, Las Vegas may seem brash and sleazy - no place to take kids on holiday - but this fun and fantasy-filled city is described as the world's largest theme park and in this sense, it massively appeals to kids. The city has been making an effort to attract families and it certainly has much to lure them with. Set in the middle of the vast Mojave Desert, this vibrant holiday destination offers everything from wildlife viewing to theme parks and shopping malls. Naturally, there are many places in Vegas which are not suitable for children, but a concerted effort has been made to accommodate families, with family-friendly resorts springing up in and around the city.

Kids on holiday in Las Vegas will immediately be impressed by the re-created New York and Paris skylines, seen from The Strip, and revel in the adventurous notion of exploring the canals of Venice or the Egyptian pyramids. And all the pretty Las Vegas lights, so many lights everywhere! An 8.00pm bedtime will be a tough call...

In an attempt to lure gamblers to the casinos to squander all their cash, Las Vegas accommodation and restaurants are surprisingly affordable - a real benefit for families on holiday. The pursuit of pleasure by both parents and children alike is possible year-round; the summers in Las Vegas are extremely hot, but everything is air-conditioned.

There was a time when Las Vegas' restaurants were known more for quantity than cuisine. This was due to the legendary casino buffets which offered mountains of food for modest prices on the well-calculated assumption that diners would hit the tables or slots machines to work off their meal, and would stay longer in the casinos if lavishly well-fed.

Today, however, Las Vegas has a large selection of world-class eateries, with Italian trattoria, classic French fine-dining and luxury steakhouses especially well represented. Some of the country's top chefs are now based in Las Vegas and exciting new restaurants open weekly. In addition, Vegas is home to several world-class sommeliers. Eating out has definitely become one of the many entertainment options in Vegas, with restaurants competing for attention and many novelty eateries.

All this increased activity and greater competition will mean that Vegas offers decent value for money compared to other large cities. The net result is that the former capital of the 99-cent shrimp cocktail is now regarded as a global cuisine capital. When it comes to eating at least, the odds are really in your favour. Don't panic though, the enormous buffets are still available!