About the Casino Resorts of Las Vegas

There are still plenty of the older style Las Vegas hotels, but today the tourist trade is dominated by the casino resorts and this is particularly true all along the Las Vegas Strip. The casino resorts are different than the hotel casinos in that they are designed to provide their visitors with enough entertainment options that hopefully they will end up spending most – or all – or their time and money within the casino resort as opposed to going elsewhere. In order to accomplish this, the casino resorts offer not only an excellent hotel and casino, but also a whole array of entertainments like live shows and concerts, as well as restaurants, shops, bars, and nightclubs.

The Core of the Resort: The Hotel & Casino

Very few of the casino resorts offer basic, generic hotel rooms; instead almost all of their rooms are designed and outfitted as luxury rooms though they are priced at normal hotel prices. The general idea is that is the guests think of themselves as enjoying a luxurious experience, they are more likely to treat themselves to an expensive dinner in one of the restaurants or spend a lot of time in the casino pretending to be high-rollers. Therefore, you can expect even the most basic rooms at many of the casino resorts to be comparable to usual luxury rooms found at other places, but for less money.

All of the casinos operated by the casino resorts are enormous enterprises offering pretty much everything that legally can be offered in Las Vegas. These casinos represent completely world class gambling that is as good as any found anywhere in the world and vastly superior to most. Further, since Las Vegas is one of the world primary gambling destinations, the casinos frequently host international tournaments and competitions so it is not uncommon to find serious professional gamblers in these casinos. The casinos also attract the rich and famous and are one of the few places in the United States where you may find a famous personality sitting next to you at the poker table.

Other Options

One of the key ways that the casino resorts attract people is by offering a wide range of live entertainment. The live entertainment usually falls within two categories: regular shows and special events. The regular shows are ones that the casino resort put on weekly or monthly and frequently involve full stage productions of movies or plays. However there are also many other kinds of regular shows like musical acts, magician/illusionist shows, cabarets and comedy shows. The special events tend to be ad hoc events, like bringing in some world class musical performer, a famous fashion show, or a prize fight.

All of the major casino resorts also have plenty of other offerings as well. Most have a number of high end retail stores, which while expensive frequently offer products that you can not find easily elsewhere. All of the casino resorts also take pride in their array of restaurants – which usually numbers between ten and twenty for each casino resort – that cater to any taste, from world class fine dining to fast food. Of course the casino resorts want to keep their guests around in the evenings as well, so they all offer a number of different bars and night clubs, all designed to accommodate different tastes and styles.

Viva Las Vegas

Las Vegas, Nevada is a city with a reputation…. You’ve probably heard it called “Sin City”. You hear mottos like… “What ever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas…”

So is it a good place for tourists? It all depends on what you want, but there’s something for almost everyone.

Downtown is where it began, and the fun continues. There are historic hotels and casinos under sleek new lights. They all glow with neon at night, and street performers come out to entertain the crowds before they dive in to the casinos. Though historic, it still rivals the Strip….

The Strip is where the mind-boggling new hotels are. It pulses with light at night. A volcano erupts, pirates fight, fountains dance. Thousands of people wander up and down the strip looking at the displays in a free-flowing, fluid party… and that’s only from the outside. Once you enter one of the casinos, you’ve entered a whole new world.

What about Vegas shows, and events, and nightlife? It’s true that Las Vegas is all about the gambling, but there is so much more. Many people go to Vegas for the shows. And the shows run quite a gamut…. from classic showgirls and magicians, to legendary singers and performers, to Cirque du Soleil shows (six of them at the moment!). There are Broadway plays, big name rock concerts, and classic car shows.

This city in the desert used to be known for its all-you-can-eat buffets and cheap coffee shop breakfasts that were meant to lure and keep gamblers happy. Those are still around, but now celebrity chefs have opened restaurants in many of the hotels and casinos, making Las Vegas a culinary hotspot.

Shopping? You want shopping? You can find anything you want. Clocks that look like dice? Sure. Playing cards and T-shirts? Without a doubt, “traditional” souvenirs are available, but so is haute couture from top designers and the most prestigious jewelry and watches. Vegas is all about indulgence, whatever your budget.

You will never be bored. Not a gambler? There really is an endless array of attractions and activities. Even at the casinos. Shark Reef is a great aquarium. You can ride a roller coaster high in the sky. Watch circus acts or singing cowgirls. Visit a fine art gallery.

Golf is always an option. The city claims more than 60 golf courses… something for every skill level and budget.

You can probably see a new bride and groom almost any day in Vegas. It has become a wedding destination…. whether it is a formal affair, a theme wedding, or one of the drive-thru chapels that Vegas is known for. All the happy couple has to do is show up…. Getting a license is quick and easy, and the chapels have everything you need…. rings, flowers, wedding gowns and tuxes. Weddings take place almost around the clock.

And gambling… can’t forget that. Any way, any time you want to gamble in Vegas, you can. From slot machines to all games of chance. The casinos even offer gaming lessons for those who want to know the rules before they try their luck.

So no matter what you want to do in Las Vegas… Whether you want what happens there to stay there or not, you’ll find something to do that will fit your style and budget.

Grand Canyon Skywalk

The South Rim is the most developed area and where most of the tourists have traditionally gone.  The South Rim is open all year, though some facilities may be closed in winter.

The North Rim is your second choice.  It has fewer visitors and is closed to visitors in the winter.

The Grand Canyon Skywalk is located at the third point of access to the canyon… Grand Canyon West.  This is quite far from the other entrances.  The land here belongs to the Hualapai Nation Indian Tribe.  When we first saw pictures of the proposed bridge on the internet, we thought it was a hoax, but it is real.  It has been built, and it is operating.

This well publicized glass-bottomed bridge sweeps out 70 feet (20 meters) over the canyon in a horseshoe shape…. It’s suspended about 4,000 feet (1,220 meters) above the Colorado River.  If you think you might want to visit the Grand Canyon Skywalk for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to walk over the edge of the Grand Canyon, you will have to plan for this because it is so far from the South Rim.

Grand Canyon West and the Skywalk are actually closer to Las Vegas than to the South Rim.  It’s 242 miles (390 km) from the South Rim Visitor’s Center, so it’s too far for a quick visit from there.  It’s only 120 (190 km) miles from Las Vegas.  You can get day tours to the Grand Canyon Skywalk from a number of tour operators out of Las Vegas.

If you plan to drive yourself, you will need a high-clearance SUV or a 4-wheel drive vehicle because the last 18 miles (29 km) to the Skywalk are on unpaved and bumpy road.  It takes about 2 1/2 hours to drive there from Las Vegas.

You might be able to make it in a small car, but it is pretty rough.  If you are renting a car, we wouldn’t advise taking that sedan on this road.  It is not suitable for Recreational Vehicles (RVs) either.  If you are driving a small car or an RV, there is a “Park and Ride” shuttle service available at the Welcome Center.  There is about a $10 (7.5 Euros) fee for this shuttle.

To experience the Skywalk, you must purchase a visitation permit and a package of activities from the Hualapai.  The Skywalk fee is in addition to one of the packages, so the minimum cost to visit is about $70 (52 Euros).

They only allow 120 people on the Skywalk at any one time.  Access is first come, first served unless you have a reservation.  You will be provided with shoe covers which keep your shoes from scratching the glass… and also help keep you from slipping.

One thing you should know besides the high price of the tours is that no personal cameras are allowed on the bridge… in case you drop your camera and damage the glass.  Womens purses are also checked into lockers.

So if you want to walk OVER the Grand Canyon… visit the Grand Canyon Skywalk.  Just know what to expect and be prepared.

Nevada, A Traveler’s Paradise!

If you’re the type of person who wants to have an exciting and unique vacation, then the state of Nevada is the ideal place for you. It offers a lot of entertaining, educational and fascinating side trips that the whole family can enjoy. No matter when you choose to take a trip to Nevada, you will always find all sorts of fun things to do.

Nevada is well known as the “Silver State” because of the abundant deposits of silver that are being mined there. It also called as the “Sagebrush State” due to its rich sources of wild sages.
Truly a state blessed with rugged landscapes, natural resources and with beauty incomparable.

But what really makes Nevada unique is that the state is famous for its casinos and hotels, legalized brothels, easy marriage ceremonies and fast divorce proceedings, truly, a state beyond compare.

Visiting the gambling Mecca

With so many places to visit in Nevada, the ideal starting point of many vacationers is the luxurious city of Las Vegas. It is considered as the gambling capital of the United States, if not the whole world. There’s no other place in the world that resembles the way Las Vegas is. It has a reputation for entertainment and excitement that draws a lot of tourist all year round.

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