TravelViva Las Vegas

Las Vegas Boulevard - AKA 'The Strip'

America's number one casino, resort.

Las Vegas isn't just a destination for those of us feeling Lucky, with 39 Million people visiting every year, it's a holiday resort in it's own right. There are over 135,000 hotel rooms in Vegas and with the average hotel room rate just 120 dollars - you don't have to be lucky to afford the trip.

Only 5% of visitors say they come to Vegas mainly to gamble but with over 200,000 slot machines in the city spread across 1700 licensed gambling venues, it's not surprising that most people succumb to the excitement found just outside their hotel room door.

The first licensed casino appeared in 1931, since then the city has grown rapidly, to accommodate not just tourists but the 3750 conventions held every year in the city. Most of the big resorts are situated on the Strip - Las Vegas Boulevard, in fact 17 of the 20 biggest hotels in the USA are to be found in Las Vegas.

Magnificent resort hotels glow green and gold lit by the 15000 miles of neon. Volcanoes erupt. Fountains soar. A Pirate ship sinks twice an hour. People in the thousands walk up, down and over the Strip.

Gaming Revenue is more than $2Billion a month in Las Vegas and with so much competition between casino resorts, hotels give away over $3m in freebies every day just to attract your business. From free show tickets to cheap (or even free) buffets, it pays to shop around for entertainment. And talking of shopping...

Las Vegas is now one of the world's top shopping destinations. If you get lucky at the tables there are superb malls up and down the strip. I can personally recommend the Forum at Caesar's palace as well as the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian hotel. Also worth a trip is Fashion Show Las Vegas, a 250 store mall opposite the Wynn Hotel.

When it comes to picking a hotel, the choice is almost endless, but if you want to do Vegas in Style, any of the big Resort Hotels on the strip will ensure you a royal welcome. My favourites include The Bellagio, Caesar's Palace, The Venetian, The MGM Grand and my personal favourite The Wynn - at the top end the rooms are not cheap, but the standard of accommodation and hospitality is remarkable.

Feeling Lucky? Give Las Vegas a spin !