How to Spend the Weekend in Las Vegas

Headed for a weekend in Sin City? Many of the world's largest hotel, casino and resort properties are located on the infamous Las Vegas Strip, offering a variety of things to see and do at all hours of the day and night!

Instructions

1. Head to the Fremont Street Experience, where you can visit the Golden Nugget casino and get a reminder of what "old school" Vegas was like. Be sure to check out Viva Vision, the free nightly show that is projected on the LED screen above the pedestrian mall. It showcases 12 million lights and 550,000 watts of concert-quality sound pumped to speakers throughout the venue.

2. Know where to find other such free entertainment right on the Strip itself. The Treasure Island Battleship Show is shown every 90 minutes outside the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino from 4pm til 11pm, and offers swashbuckling pirate action, Vegas-style. Experience the Bellagio fountains, a daily light and sound show that is synchronized to the fountains outside the front of the Bellagio Hotel, or witness the volcano eruption nightly from 6pm to 11:30m at the Mirage.

3. Check out what various hotels and casinos have to offer besides just gambling opportunities. You can experience Italy by riding through the Grand Canal in an authentic Venetian gondola, or visit the Imperial Palace Auto Collections, which is home to one of the world's largest and finest collection of specialty and antique cars. If big thrills are up your alley, ride the roller coaster that runs through and around the New York New York hotel, or head to the Stratosphere hotel to experience Big Shot, a ride that will launch you 160 feet straight up at 45 mph--and drop you straight down again! You can also head over to the Paris Las Vegas to get a picturesque view atop the Eiffel Tower replica.

4. Know where you can find the best nightlife in the form of nightclubs and bar lounges. Three of the most popular (that are often the hardest to get into) on the Strip are LAX at the Luxor, Pure at Caesars Palace, and Tao at the Venetian. These are well-publicized and often draw the most celebrities. Some other favorites among visitors include Studio 54 at MGM, Bank at the Bellagio, Tryst at the Wynn, Body English at Hard Rock Cafe, and Rain at the Palms. For smaller spots with more of a lounge feel, check into the Ghostbar at the Palms, the boutique nightclub Lush at the Wynn, Revolution Lounge at the Mirage and Christian Audigier at Treasure Island. Please consider a few of the tips below as ways to make your nightlife experience more enjoyable.

5. When you arrive at your hotel room (if stayed right on the Strip), check the guide in your room that includes a list of all the restaurants in all the casinos, including their price range and what type of fare they serve. Whether you're looking for a traditional Vegas-style buffet that is so popular amongst all the casinos or celebrity chef restaurant such as Emeril's or Wolfgang Puck's, you'll be sure to find whatever cuisine you're looking for!

Tips & Warnings

• Please note that if you're interested in the roof decks or outdoor portions of any of the night clubs, make sure to check online or with your hotel concierge as to when they are open to the public (as they are closed in the off season). When walking up and down the Strip, you can sometimes meet promoters on the streets or in the casinos who work off commission and get paid a certain amount for how many bodies they bring into a club on any given night. They can add those in your party to their guest list and text you frequently to see if you are coming, give you instructions as to what time to show up, who to speak to when you arrive or where to meet them if they are walking you in. If they follow through, often you can skip the entrance line and be escorted right into a club, exempt from the cover charge. Reserving a table with bottle service is a guaranteed way to get to the front of the line at locations such as Pure and Tao, and you will be guaranteed a place to sit; but please note that it can cost thousands of dollars for this type of table service, determined by how many bottles you purchase.