LAS VEGAS, NV

Las Vegas Events and Attractions >>

They say nowadays “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas.”

You do, indeed, must stay in Las Vegas.

Known by many as the Entertainment Capital of the World, Las Vegas offers visitors everything under the sun. Everything:

• Fantastic entertainment
• Gorgeous showgirls
• Gambling
• Incredible cuisine from cultures from all over the world
• Lodging from the inexpensive and serviceable to the over-the-top in gaudy and expense
• Pools and more pools
• Golf and more Golf
• Hoover Dam (just 35 miles south of downtown and considered to be the “Eighth Wonder of the World”)

And did we say gorgeous showgirls? What about gambling?

Las Vegas (which is Spanish for The Meadows), got its start in 1905 and became a city in 1911. It was little more than stop in the desert between California and parts east until the 1930s and 40s when air conditioning became more prevalent and the first casino was built in 1941.

Las Vegas is located in the It gets HOT in Las Vegas (and we don’t mean just at the gaming tables). Temperatures in the summer can climb to 100 degrees-plus. The city receives little more than 4.5 inches of rain a year.

But it’s a fun town. And not just for gamblers.

Some ideas for first-time visitors (and anyone who visits a second, third, fourth, or even fifth time):

Get a close up – but not too close – look at lions. MGM is known for its lion logo and so it’s only natural (natural for Las Vegas) that the MGM Grand Hotel provide visitors the opportunity to see a lion habitat. Yes, live lions. The MGM Grand Lion Habitat allows you to see these magnificent felines for free.

Watch the Fountains of Bellagio do their thing every 15 minutes at night and every hour on weekend afternoons. The Bellagio casino also offers a gorgeous indoor flower garden, a fine art gallery (now is your chance to see a real works of art by such masters as Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein). Bring your appetite, too. The Bellagio has one of the best buffets on the Las Vegas “Strip.”

Ever see a volcano erupt? Well, you can see one from the safety of the sidewalk outside the Mirage when the “volcano” there “erupts” with a light show set to music. There’s also a dolphin habitat in the hotel.

Ready to get married? How would you like to have your nuptials presided over by none other than Elvis himself? You can get hitched by The King (well, a mighty fine impersonator) in the kitschy wedding of your dreams at one of the many wedding chapels (24-hour service available!) for which Las Vegas is known.

If you’re visiting Las Vegas during the holiday season, you really should extend your stay for New Year’s Eve. With the glitz and glam that is Las Vegas (did we mention those gorgeous showgirls?) you may not find a more exciting place in which ring in the new year than Las Vegas.