Are you one of those uninformed people who think there’s nothing to do in Las Vegas other than gambling? Well hold onto your dice and let go of that slot machine, you’re about to be WOWED! There are tons of things to do in Vegas, and it’s not just an adult’s town any more! (At the end of this article there are a few FUN things in Las Vegas for the children, or even the BIG KID in you! Make sure to check them out.). Be sure to have in mind “what kind of time” you want to have in Vegas on your future trip. There’s so many things to do in Las Vegas, both in and out of the casinos. You may find yourself bouncing from one extreme to another if you’re not careful! That may actually appeal to some Vegas tourists, but most travelers need a little more predictability in their vacation and trip plans. Personally, I like a little extreme AND a little predictability. I guess that’s how I ended up moving to Las Vegas, then turning around two years later and moving back to Los Angeles. In both cases the move was extreme, yet predictable. Now that I’m back in Los Angeles, I miss the many exciting activities that were literally right outside my front door! .

For a long time (more time than I care to admit), I’ve resided nowhere but in sunny California. California with its palm trees, beaches and usually, sunny days. Why on earth would anyone move? Probably because of the smog, traffic and rude ass people! Not that I have any more affection for Nevada’s traffic, and rude ass people, but at least I didn’t get the smog to go along with it. In fact, one of the things I truly loved about living in Nevada was the air quality. I’m not sure if it was really that great, or if next to the air quality in L.A., anything seemed better. Whatever the case, for whatever reason, I breathed a little better during the two years I resided in Vegas.  I had a chance to ride my bike regularly, whenever I wasn’t passed out under the fan AND air conditioner. (I’m kidding – kind of. I actually found it easier than I thought to adjust to the 100 + summer heat)

I was like the multitudes of visitors who only see cards, dice and slot machines when they think of Las Vegas. These things adequately represent most tourist’s ideal of what Vegas is. When I relocated back to L.A, whenever I went on a job interview, I had to start making a point of saying, “I just moved from Nevada”, not “I just moved from LAS VEGAS.” At first I’d say Las Vegas, but I'd always get a knowing look that made me feel like I had been ditching school and just got busted!. Other times, people would even look puzzled if I say I lived in Nevada, like they had never heard of the state. Once their brain finally makes the connection between Nevada and Vegas it's, "Nevada? (pause) Oh yeah, Nevada!” Then they’ll say, “Ohhhhh.” (And again with the knowing smile!).  I don't think they believe people actually reside there and have real lives.  So, just in case anyone’s thinking of moving to Vegas, FYI - people actually live an everyday, normal existence there.  Well, as normal as can be expected for a place the rest of the world knows as “Sin City”..

Almost all of the hotels on the Las Vegas strip, as well as the downtown and surrounding areas, have casinos or gambling halls. They are located either inside of the establishments, or they adjoin the hotels. While thousands of slot machines and a host of other type of gambling activities can be found in Vegas, there are also a number of other fun things to do in Vegas.

There are water parks, dirt bike riding, concerts and a variety of music and nightlife events. Practically every Las Vegas casino has a theme or something special going on that is unique to their particular hotel. For those seeking something a little more exciting, there are roller coaster rides, helicopter rides, skydiving and bungee jumping, to start with (or in some cases, to end with!).

These things are just what the thrill seeking tourist ordered, but are obviously not for everyone. Your more typical, “manly man” (their self-appointed title) will happily pass on the aforementioned activities. Instead, this particular Vegas vacationer will throw in some football, basketball, and a lot of T & A (and not necessarily in that order). This will probably be the extent of his Vegas trip. In fact, if this EXTREME sportsman can get all three activities on cable in the hotel room, he may not even leave the building for his whole trip!

Of course, with all of the above fun stuff to do, comes lots of alcohol, good food to eat, plenty to drink, a gang of booze, and oh yeah, did I mention lots alcohol? There are two things you can do in Vegas for little of nothing, and that is eat, and get good and liquored up! They especially want you to keep drinking! (But try to keep it to a minimum if you have the kids with you.)

When it comes to shopping, both the Vegas locals, as well as the tourists, know the meaning of "shop til you drop!"   You won't believe the shopping you can do in this place!  I’m sure there are those of you who are probably thinking, “We haven’t been living under a rock. We know all about the great shopping and outlet stores to be found throughout Las Vegas! We go to Nevada specifically for the shopping!” Okay, it’s true, a lot of tourist traveling to the west already know they can pick up some really great bargains at the Las Vegas malls and outlets. Many of the outlets, like the Burlington coat factory, boast of as much as 75% of a discount. The World Market Center, located near downtown Vegas, has tourists traveling from all around.  Visitors will vacation in Vegas in order to take advantage of name brand purchases at discounted rates! You can always find great buffets, cheap hotels and free or discounted shows and activities, but the shopping is to die for!

Practically every hotel has some kind of discount coupon book that they make available to PAYING guests. If you have children vacationing with you, families can end up saving a good deal of money with the casino coupon books. The offers are aimed at saving on family activities and events, to make for an enjoyable stay in Las Vegas.

If you plan on visiting Las Vegas anytime soon, but you’re interested in some NON-GAMBLING FUN – then stay home (Just kidding!) Here are some cool places and things you can check out while visiting Las Vegas.

TIP:

It’s important to keep in mind, many of the non-gambling related activities in Las Vegas are still located inside the casinos. Much of the city's annual revenue that Las Vegas hotels and casinos take in can be attributed to the gambling halls. If you’re traveling to Las Vegas, you won’t be able to avoid the casinos, slot machines, and overall gambling atmosphere. The hotel and casino owners make sure practically everything (worth seeing) takes place in the casinos. They know if tourists get out of the heat and come into the busy and bustling air conditioned casinos, it’s just a matter of time before they start gambling. The strategy seems to work too, even on those who don’t consider themselves gamblers. With that point in mind:

• Figure out exactly where you want to go on your planned trip to Vegas and make sure you actually visit where you planned.
• Allocate a certain amount of funds for the activities you want to participate in, and stick to your resolve to spend no more than you budgeted!
• Try to only gamble when you PLAN to gamble. That way you don’t have to carry excess cash on you that you don’t want to spend at the time.

When it comes to interesting and Fun stuff, here are some things the whole family can choose from when planning your next trip to viva Las Vegas. .

* Take the kids to the famous Circus Circus, where they have everything you can imagine, to keep them busy and fully entertained. They even have an amusement park and roller coaster inside the hotel!

* Everyone knows to come to Vegas and take a trip over to the Grand Canyon, but did you know that a train was available for you and the kids to ride???

* Visit or stay at the Mandaley Bay hotel and casino and you will be able to share a day at the Shark Reef Aquarium. Kids will love the 14 exhibits displayed in 1.6 million gallons of water. They house as many as 15 different species of shark.

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