Entertainment

Eating

With so many 'celebrity chefs', the food stakes are high and it's hard to avoid being sucked into an overhyped eating gamble. Hard-core punters numbly head for a fast food fix but those who come to live out a high-life fantasy expect a gourmet meal in an opulent setting - which Vegas will provide.

Nights Out

All of Vegas is a big show - a low-plot production utterly upstaged by song and dance numbers. You can catch a stage show at midnight, hip hop around a dance floor or settle in for old-fashioned laughs at stand-up comedy in the wee hours.

Shopping

In Las Vegas consumption is as conspicuous as dancing fountains in the desert. Haute purveyors cater to the cashed-up, but there are a few high-roller items not likely to be sold anytime soon, like Ginger Rogers' marquis diamond engagement ring and the world's largest carved emerald, both of which you'll find here.

Activities

If you can tear yourself away from the gaming tables, you'll find that the city is surrounded by a rough and rugged desert landscape that is ideal for a range of outdoor activities. The steep, jagged red rock valleys and canyons around Las Vegas are superb hiking and camping territory.

watersports

For boating and water-skiing, smear on the sunscreen, slither into your wetsuit and head over to Lake Mead, about 50km (30mi) east of Las Vegas. You can even scuba dive here. The lake's 800km (500mi) of shoreline offers plenty of sunbathing spots.

hiking

Great for hiking, Red Rock Canyon, about 30km (20 mi) west of the city, has multicoloured sandstone scenery. Toiyabe National Forest, further west, features the 3700m (12000ft) Charleston Peak and trails that wind through pine forests and desert scrub. Camping is allowed.

downhill

Skiers can thrill to the downhill at the Lee Canyon Ski Area on Charleston Peak in the Toiyabe National Forest, about 130km (80mi) northwest of Las Vegas.

There are dozens of golf courses in Las Vegas Valley, most within 16km (10mi) of the Strip. Unless you can hustle together 30000.00 up front plus 350.00 a month for membership of a private club, you'll be playing at a public course. Reserve your tee-off time a week in advance.

10-pin bowling

Bowling is very big in Las Vegas, and most bowling centres are in hotel-casinos where you can work on your glide and release far into the small hours of the morning. Occasionally a venue can suffer an 'attack of the bowling league', so call ahead to avoid any unpleasant surprises.

Sleeping

With nearly 130,000 guestrooms, there's no shortage of places to stay in the Vegas Valley. Your options range from filthy wham-bam-thank-you-ma'ams east of Downtown to exquisite glamour penthouse suites overlooking The Strip, with hot-and-cold running everything.