Thanks to CSI, I've always considered Last Vegas to be a city with plenty of drunk hooligans on the streets. Not the type of place for a family holiday. I'm glad I was wrong. During summer, Las Vegas is flooded with families, children and old folks enjoying their holiday break. Yes Vegas is ALL about gambling, but there's plenty of other things to do as well...
Getting there... Budget airlines like US Airways fly very frequently from LA to Vegas. You can even get flights bundled with hotel stays from their website too. During summer, hotel prices are very competitive and there are so many hotels there to choose from! If possible, catch an early morning flight to save time. Upon arrival at Vegas' McCarran Airport, you can play at the slot machines while waiting for your luggage :).
Weather... Summer in Vegas is HOT HOT HOT! As it's surrounded by the desert, outdoor temperatures can shoot up to 45 degrees C! Within 5 seconds of walking outside, I could feel a headache coming. But the Ang Mohs seem to be having fun in the sun while my sister and I zoomed straight for a building to hide from the heat. The sun can be up till 8pm at night. And the air is very VERY dry too. So drink lots of water to prevent heatstroke and dehydration. But the good thing about summer is that the sun is up by 5am! So be up bright and early...
Accomodation... The Las Vegas Strip is a 6.4km long straight road lined up with hotels and casinos.
There's so much to see and do in Vegas that you could be out till late night. With such weather, you won't want to get sick walking outdoors under the sun. And you won't want to be walking outside at night with strange and drunk people that come out at night. Therefore it's best to stay in a decent hotel near the middle of the strip. Buy an all-day monorail unlimited ride pass for USD 9. I stayed in Sheraton's Planet Hollywood for USD 100 a night which is just right opposite the Bellagio Fountains and within walking distance to most of the main attractions.
Star Trek : The Experience... This is strictly for fans. Located in Las Vegas Hilton (accessible via monorail), I was surprised to be lining up for tickets with other fans, and I didn't feel like a weirdo at all! Plenty of Star Trek memorabilia to see and buy. The Borg Invasion 4D have actors dressed up as Borgs walking around as you move through a "futuristic research centre" invaded by alien beings. It was pretty cool and yet a musing too as you know it's all fake! Admission tickets are around USD 40 per person, but if you're a fan (like me), you would definitely splurge on this!
Madame Tussauds Wax Museum... This famous wax museum is located in The Venetian Resort along The Strip. For USD 24 per person, it's not cheap! But if you're not planning on going to London to see the original museum, you might as well check this one out. Walk amongst the very realistic looking American icons and pose as much as you want with Arnie, Jolie and Tiger. What I liked best was you can touch the wax figurines and hug it for a photo moment.
The Venetian... This is one hotel that you MUST visit. The interiors were built to mimic Venice, complete with canals, gondola rides and a very realistic fake sky painted on the ceiling. Actors dressed in costumes would perform opera or pantomimes to entertain the tourists. All the buildings, paintings and sculptures were constructed with so much detail. Very amazing!
Bellagio Fountains... This spectacular musical fountain starts performing from 3pm till 12 midnight daily. Watch it dance at night to different music and lighting every 15 minutes. Watch it from the ground and then watch it again from Paris' Eiffel Tower opposite. And it's free!
Eiffel Tower... Vegas is a very bling bling city. That's why it looks best at night, when all the neon lights are turned on. Another must-see is the magnificent bird eye's view of the city from Paris Las Vegas' Eiffel Tower at night. Watch the Bellagio Fountains from above ground. The view is really awesome!
Other things to do... Walk into all the main hotels along the Strip such as the Caesars Palace and The Mirage. These are all famous Vegas icons seen on TV and in the movies. Each hotel has its own theme. Caesars Palace have huge Roman statues all over the hotel. Allocate some time to watch concerts or performances. Each hotel seem to hosting at least one. I wanted to catch Jubilee, an on stage showgirls performance but unfortunately I didn't have time. But these shows don't come cheap. It costs a whopping USD 80 per person!! *Gulp!
In conclusion... Vegas is a city with plenty to see and plenty to do. It's like Genting, but many many times bigger and a lot well maintained. And it's very easy to get around too. Gambling is the main money making business but there's still plenty to do for those who are not interested in gambling. During summer, it's still safe for people to be out till midnight as the main Strip area is still flooded with tourists. But of course, don't be wandering alone in any lonely spots. Mexican men line up along the streets at night distributing pamphlets advertising for prostitutes. Ignore them and just get back to your hotel room before all the tourists disappear.
But don't go to Vegas just for Vegas alone. It's also a city that's nearest to another very famous American landmark. I'll leave that for my next blog post :)
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