Las Vegas

Most dynamic, entertaining, exciting — choose any superlative, and you’ll describe Las Vegas. What other city, during the past 20 years, has replicated half the world’s top attractions? Where else can you pass by Luxor and New York City, eat brioche in a Parisian sidewalk café, walk through St. Mark’s Square in Venice — all within a distance of less than a mile? How can you find another place where six different Cirque du Soleil productions awe audiences with their artistry and athleticism? It’s a two-faced town. One face beguiles with make-up and make-believe; the other reflects a metropolis of one million people, with memorable museums, ...

Most dynamic, entertaining, exciting — choose any superlative, and you’ll describe Las Vegas. What other city, during the past 20 years, has replicated half the world’s top attractions? Where else can you pass by Luxor and New York City, eat brioche in a Parisian sidewalk café, walk through St. Mark’s Square in Venice — all within a distance of less than a mile? How can you find another place where six different Cirque du Soleil productions awe audiences with their artistry and athleticism? It’s a two-faced town. One face beguiles with make-up and make-believe; the other reflects a metropolis of one million people, with memorable museums, art galleries and outdoor pleasures. After dark, The Strip — America’s only nighttime National Scenic Byway — dazzles. By day, Red Rock Canyon escarpment creates its own magic as it rises into a faultless blue sky. Downtown, Glitter Gulch beckons with its vendors, street entertainers and canopy of more than 12 million lights, but away from the glitz, Clark County Museum, the Springs Preserve, Chinatown Plaza, world-class golf courses and Shakespeare at the Henderson Pavilion shine with their own subdued luster. Putting the two faces together guarantees your best bet for a great time.

About the Expert

Connie Emerson is the author of more than a dozen books, including The Cheapskate's Guide to Branson, Missouri and Eyewitness Top Ten Travel Guide – Las Vegas.