Las Vegas is known as "Sin City" and as the place of endless gambling and burlesque shows. You can, however, have a fun-filled weekend in Las Vegas without compromising your belief system or your integrity. Las Vegas is full of accommodation options, entertainment and sights to see that are far from being sinful.

Accommodations

Many times in Las Vegas, you cannot separate the casino from the hotel. Some of the hotels with casinos are, however, also family friendly. Excalibur, with its King Arthur theme, is one of the family hotels right on the Strip. If you do not feel comfortable with supporting the gambling industry, you can also stay in one of the several non-gambling hotels outside the Strip. Artisan Hotel, Renaissance Las Vegas Hotel and the Platinum Hotel are gambling-free accommodation options only few minutes away from the Strip, the attractions and entertainment.

Entertainment

Even though gambling is the most sought-after entertainment in Las Vegas, you have many other options to spend your time if you do not want to lose your money or you feel uncomfortable in casinos. Cirque du Soleil is one the hottest shows in Las Vegas, and you can choose from four different shows featured in four different hotels. "KA" in MGM Grand tells the story of imperial twins on their journey to fulfill their destinies. "Mystere" in Treasure Island is a traditional Cirque du Soleil show with skillful acrobats, impressive costumes and humor for the entire family. "Love at the Mirage" is a new Cirque du Soleil show featuring Beatles tunes and more dancing than other Cirque du Soleil shows. Beatles fans should not miss it. "O" at the Bellagio has the acrobats using a large water tank. In addition to Cirque du Soleil, Las Vegas has production shows such as the Blue Man Group and several Broadway shows, tribute shows to numerous musicians including Elvis and the Beatles and magic shows including Penn and Teller. Reserve your seats as early as possible and use the official hotel web sites.

Sightseeing

Outside of gambling and shows, Las Vegas is also full of interesting things to see and experience. Many of the famous hotels have several sights you should not miss. Bellagio is the home of the famous fountains that perform with music every 15 minutes outside the hotel. In addition, the Bellagio also has a magnificent flower garden and art gallery. MGM Grand has a free lion habitat, and you can admire several of the lions during the day closer than in many zoos. The volcano in front of the Mirage erupts almost every hour in the evening displaying a magnificent light show. The Mirage also has wonderful dolphin habitat in its aquarium. At Mandalay Bay, you can walk through a transparent tunnel with sharks, sea turtles and fish swimming around you on all sides. Many of the big hotels also offer spa treatments, shopping and amazing pools for tanning and swimming. Las Vegas also has numerous malls, where you can shop until you drop.

About the Author

Eija Rissanen is a freelance journalist living in Hawaii. She has a journalism and environmental studies degree from Hawaii Pacific University. Her articles have been published in Kalamalama, the student newspaper of Hawaii Pacific University, and some other environmental and travel publications and Web sites in Europe and the United States.

SHARE