Top Vacation Destination

Las Vegas invariably recalls to mind huge casinos, great shows, exotic nightlife … Las Vegas means ‘the lowlands’ in Spanish. If the city could talk, it would relate an interesting history. For a long time – over centuries, in fact – the place was submerged in marshes. The waters receded to give rise to a harsh desert. What we now know as Las Vegas was an oasis and was discovered by Rafael Riviera, a young scout who belonged to the party of Antonio Armijo, a trader from Mexico. It became a popular railroad town in the 1900s. Once gambling became legal in 1931, Las Vegas earned its reputation as the world’s gambling capital with the opening of Bugsy Siegel’s Flamingo Hotel.

To be sure, the present tourist will find no dearth of things to do – or sights to see – in Las Vegas. Some of the amusements available are pretty quaint too. For instance, in the Mermaid Restaurant & Lounge of the rather homey Silverton Hotel, you come across this aquarium which is part of the hotel’s casino. The aquarium hosts no less than 5,000 species of exotic fish. Being in (what was once billed as) Sin City you might be in the mood for something more obviously unlawful. In which case you should view the Bonnie and Clyde exhibits at the rotunda that connects the Fashion Outlet of Las Vegas with the Primm Valley Resort & Casino. You will get to see the Ford car in which they were ambushed while trying to make a getaway; also on display is the shirt in which Clyde died and the belt and necklace he made in prison.

Then there are such wonderful sights to see. Who hasn’t heard of the Grand Canyon? There are a great many airport shuttles and motor tours available. You will get to view the awesome image of the Great Thunderbird as well as the bottom of the canyon. You should also visit the historical Hoover Dam, one of the largest dams in the world which is also billed as among the technical wonders of the world. Other places worth visiting include the Valley of Fire to the north of Las Vegas. This is where you get truly astonishing views of sacred Indian art and exquisite sandstone structures of the Aztecs. By all means, go exploring the desert but with the aid of an experienced guide.
If you wish to simply tour the city, there’s still a lot to do with little time to do it in. You could, for instance, view a rotating exhibition of about 300 classic cars, racers, muscle cars etc at the Imperial Palace. Among the specials is a 1929 Duesenberg owned once by Howard Hughes.

For art lovers the Bellagio Hotel provides a viewing of the world’s most exotic masterpieces including some of Picasso’s original art works. And while in Las Vegas, how can you possibly miss out on the city’s night life? Some of the best-known night clubs are pretty skittishly named like Blush, Poetry, Rumjungle, and Moon and Playboy, just to name a few. So let your hair down and let go!