Its massive walls enclose over 4,000 suites and a 120,000 square foot casino. But the hotel offers much more than mere size as its claim to fame.

Not two years after it opened, an art museum was added - the Guggenheim Hermitage, featuring pieces from Impressionist masters. Less than a year later another stellar collection was unveiled - Art Through the Ages: Masterpieces of Painting from Titian to Picasso.

Not satisfied, the ever inventive hoteliers added yet a third two years later, containing pieces from Renoir, Gauguin, Matisse and many others. Between the three, visitors have access to works that rival those found in any of the great museums in New York or elsewhere.

But for those who like a more lively form of entertainment, The Venetian has many from which to choose. The quirky ensemble the Blue Man Group performs there in the Blue Man Theatre. Displaying some of the most astounding physical feats seen anywhere, the show has to be seen to be believed. And even then you'll wonder.

The Phantom of the Opera musical gave birth to a variant that is performed at The Venetian, an extravaganza that those who enjoyed the original will be sure to want to see.

Along with the entertainment there is shopping, dining, gambling and a dozen other things to see and do. You can visit the food court in the Grand Canal Shoppes and find some genuine cuisine from Venice. Or hit the 10,000 square-foot Tao Nightclub and find out what dancing is all about. The next day you can have lunch at the Aquanox where the seafood rivals that of the famed Emeril.

You don't have to go all the way to London to see Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum, either. There's one inside the hotel that is nearly its equal. Chock full of celebrity figures that are as life-like as the real thing, it will amuse visitors young and old.

Then relax at the five-acre Pool Deck where you can enjoy any of three pools or spend time in the hot tub. Sited above the fourth level of the Venetian Tower, you'll have a great view while you soak away your cares. Then dry off and take a gondola ride along the canals and experience Venice in Las Vegas.

Owned by MGM Mirage, this Hawaiian-themed, 3,000 room hotel is as much an entertainment complex as a place to stay. Over 40 years ago it was known as Castaways. But it's as up-to-the-minute fresh as any place in Vegas now.

Inside the front entrance is a lush tropical rainforest housed under a 100-foot high dome, with 60-foot palm trees providing 'shade'. Not far away are the lagoons where visitors can swim or walk among palm trees. With two pools and a series of cliffs where water streams down into grottos, it's a man-made paradise. Step along and step up to the Paradise Cafe or the Dolphin Bar and sip a cool drink on a hot Vegas day.

If you're feeling especially hot, or want to get that way, try the Bare pool area. A clothing-free environment, you can lounge away and observe the local beauty while sipping a drink from the bar. You'll enjoy the sunshine au naturel as the dolphins swim only a few feet away.

Connected to it is a Siegfried & Roy-sponsored animal attraction: the Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat. The area is a carefully reconstructed tropical paradise. Here, a dozen species fly, crawl or swim continuously. The 2.5 million gallon pool is home to several Atlantic bottleneck dolphins in a sandy-bottomed artificial coral reef system. With four connected pools, they enjoy plenty of variety and so will the visitor.

For a closer look at sea life, visit the Aquarium - a 20,000 gallon seawater enclosure that houses puffer fish, tangs and other interesting creatures. There are over 60 species represented among the 1,000 animals and all are easily visible within the 53-foot long, six-foot wide by 8-foot high, 4-inch thick acrylic walls.

Until a few years ago the hotel was the home of the Siegfried & Roy white tiger-themed show. But Roy was attacked by one of the animals and the show closed down. Fortunately, the tigers are still around in the White Tiger Habitat.

Visible daily, these rare beauties are on display 24 hours per day, 7 days per week in a carefully controlled environment. With a pool, fountains and simulated mountain terrain for the tigers to enjoy, it's a treat for them as well as the viewer.

Outside is the Mirage volcano - an artificial Vesuvius that erupts periodically throughout the evening. At the top of each hour from 7 p.m. to midnight, flames shoot high into the night sky, spraying smoke and fire a hundred feet up.

Backed by design expertise that helped create the Bellagio Fountains, it's a not-to-miss attraction. Over 50 feet high, situated on three water-covered acres, it's been amazing viewers for almost 20 years. It even smells interesting. To mask the scent of the gas used to power the volcano, the structure emits Piña Colada vapor.

Come smell the breeze at The Mirage.

Originally housed in what is now the Bally's Las Vegas, that site was sold in 1986 and construction begun on something bigger, better, bolder. Those three words are easily associated with MGM and they fit well as a description of the current MGM Grand.

Completed in 1993 and located on the Strip -  a 4 mi boulevard filled with the largest casino, hotel and resort properties in the world - this 30-floor hotel covers almost 7 acres and houses over 5,000 rooms. In addition, the site offers a 380,000 square foot convention center, the CBS Television City in Las Vegas and one of the largest casino's in town. At over 170,000 square feet you'll find more games there than anywhere else.

While you're in the casino you can step not far away and enter the Lion Habitat. Behind glass walls you can observe at close range a half-dozen lions lounging on a faux savanna. They change regularly and find a permanent home at the owner's ranch about a dozen miles outside Vegas.

Admission is free and you can snap a (non-flash) photo with the lions in the background, then walk on over to the gift shop and buy something to support them. A portion of the proceeds goes to preserve these magnificent creatures.

Las Vegas, and the MGM Grand in particular, has become about much more than just gambling over the past 20 years. Always featuring spectacular entertainment, the whole city has evolved into a family-friendly source of amusement. The MGM Grand carries that theme to its pinnacle.

There's the elegant La Femme production that celebrates the 'artistry of the nude', with 13-ballet trained dancers. The show is in the tradition of the Crazy Horse in Paris and is equally tasteful.

Or, do your own dancing at the MGM recreation of the famed New York Studio 54. Undoubtedly tamer than the original, in which cocaine in the bathrooms was on continual display, it offers plenty of opportunity for getting a 'high' in a drug-free way.

Cirque du Soleil offers their dazzling hire wire show KA at the MGM. Combining world-class acrobatics with epic-scale theater, KA tells the tale of Imperial Twins on a journey to fulfill their destinies. Asian-themed, so far as you can pin down a Cirque du Soleil performance to any one source, it offers an array of martial arts moves elegantly combined with the troup's world-renowned acrobatics.

The hotel itself is a form of high-wire entertainment for guests. Besides the over 4,000 regular rooms, there are 751 suites. But it doesn't stop there. The Skylofts are 51 luxury rooms within the hotel that offer butlers, catering and every form of pampering imaginable. But there is the small matter of the fee - between $800 to $6,000 per night - to contend with. Better bring some lion-sized plastic.

Vegas still has many of the old-time icons to offer like the Sahara. But many new ones have sprouted up in just the past decade. Even those as old as 40 years have seen major renovations in the past few years, to compete and to keep that youthful spirit ever fresh.

MGM Grand

Come to Hollywood. The granddaddy of modern Vegas, the casino complex is built to resemble a huge movie set, sort of like James Bond on steroids. Even with the 16,000 seat auditorium and dozens of restaurants, there's still plenty of room for gaming. Whether you're an old-timer who still wants to play keno or you're a young stud or studette with an itch for high stakes poker, you won't walk away disappointed. Empty-pocketed, maybe.

Paris Las Vegas

For the real James Bond feel to your gaming fun, check out one of the newer kids in town. With re-creations of the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and the Louvre, the place is easy to spot. But save your eagle eye to spot that ace that just went to your left. Also be sure to save some money after all the Baccarat to spend on a lady at Le Cabaret where the Euro bands entertain.

Luxor

After Paris, only Egypt will look exotic. The Luxor is a 360ft/110m high glass pyramid that shines in the desert sun like a mirage. Get yourself worked up for some hot action with the dice as you face off with the fez.

With an Olympic-sized pool to cool off in after a hot night's gambling, you'll find it has every kind of game imaginable. Apart from the thousands of slot machines, hundreds of poker tables, roulette wheels and the like, there's a virtual gaming room. Unreal.

Mandalay Bay

From ancient Egypt, travel to the tropics and enjoy some of the jazz featured at Mandalay Bay. Between Broadway shows in the 12,000 seat theater, you can enjoy some fine roulette. Be sure to bet on black, since you want to avoid being in the red after a few hours at house odds. When you're done you can drown your sorrows or celebrate your winnings with a cool drink at the bar near the sandy beach.

Caesars Palace

Caesars remains the Las Vegas king. Around for decades, it still offers some of the hottest tables, the coolest dealers and the sexiest waitresses in town. Get ready to roll the dice amid the splendor of the Imperial Roman decor, then relax in the spa and gloat. Go to Cleopatra's later for some dancing or enjoy a show in the Omnimax Theater.
 
Whether you like Texas Hold 'Em or European-style roulette, or just want to punch a dollar into a slot and watch the wheels spin, the casinos in Vegas have something for you. Be nice to the dealers, though. The hotels still hire large, serious looking gentlemen as managers to keep everyone polite.

Sponsored in large part by the Smithsonian, and run by the Nevada Test Site Historical Foundation, it offers displays and videos documenting the almost 50-year history of nuclear weapons testing in Nevada.

Though the major original site for atomic bomb tests during WWII was near Alamogordo, New Mexico, by the time the hydrogen bomb came along testing had shifted to Nevada.

For more than four decades, local residents of Las Vegas and visitors to the casinos could actually feel the earth shake and then see the mushroom clouds centered in the Nevada desert test sites not too many miles away. Gamblers would head under the tables as the chandeliers swayed. Later, testing moved underground where the fallout was contained. But the man-made earthquakes were just as strong, if not more so.

As of 1992, in part due to an agreement among the major powers to end live testing, the smoke cleared and the ground became quiet. But the history of all those tests has been preserved at The Atomic Testing Museum.

Visitors can read about the growing power of H-bombs as they progressed from January, 1951 to the final test in September 1992. Along the way, the bombs got smaller and the explosions bigger. There are numerous displays, videos and even a few interactive devices. Guests can actually manipulate the same type of arms that were used to handle radioactive material behind a protective lead-glass cage.

The Ground Zero Theater gives an in-depth presentation of the efforts used to build the U.S. arsenal. In this simulated concrete bunker with red lights and wooden benches with decor to match the real thing you'll get a glimpse into the world of the bomb makers and their products. Despite their destructive power, most people will be fascinated with the blossoming mushroom clouds produced by the gigantic explosions.

There are dozens of photographs, including one depicting one of the earliest American nuclear tests: the Bikini Atoll, 1954. One second the small island was there, the next it was vaporized.

Along with the historical and scientific displays there are collections of related memorabilia of the day, called the 'Atom Bomb and Pop Culture'. You'll see cereal boxes offering an Atomic Bomb ring, the once-popular 'Atomic Cocktail' and other items from a time when the science behind the bomb was praised not feared.

While you're there, you can pick up an Albert Einstein T-shirt. Though he didn't work on the project, nor did research on atomic physics, his letter to Franklin D. Roosevelt helped encourage the U.S. to initiate the research during WWII.

Housed inside the Frank H. Rogers Science and Technology Building, the museum was first opened in March 2005. It also employs knowledgeable staff, some of whom actually worked at the test site, who can answer visitors questions. Come get a view from those who witnessed the events first hand.

A 10 minutes fireworks video, taken on 2006/2007 New Year Eve, at London Eye, with Big Ben in the background.

The Tower, as it's known locally, is 1,149 feet high. At the top is the famed revolving restaurant and entrances to the rides.

With both indoor and outdoor observation decks, the 100-story structure also offers a lounge, restaurants and, of course, a spectacular view. The windows come down to the floor at an angle so it's possible to look straight down and see what's below - nothing but air.

In 30 seconds the double-decker elevator will rush to the top at 1,800 feet per minute or three floors a second. Naturally, you'll want to travel down a little more slowly.

Apart from the observation deck itself there are several thrill rides that are enormously popular. The Big Shot, X-Scream and Insanity are all aptly named. Any one of them is enough to exhaust your adrenalin long before you start gambling. But then, gambling that you'll stay on is what these rides are all about.

The Big Shot is almost 1,100 feet high and qualifies as the highest thrill ride in the world. The Insanity is less high (900ft), but by spinning riders at 40 miles per hour, it earns its name anyway. X-Scream is a 'mere' 866 feet, but by dropping riders over the edge it too is aptly named.

For those who prefer to get married with a view, there's The Chapel in the Clouds. A large number of people every year still come to Vegas to get married and this choice is definitely better than the standard cheesy chapel off The Strip.

But there are other forms of entertainment as well. The vampire-themed adult revue 'The Bite' could only have been conceived and executed in Las Vegas where the unusual is the norm. Then there's the American Superstars show where the celebrity look-alikes get a chance at stardom while you laugh.

The hotel is located at the northern tip of the casino group on The Strip and is the only one actually located in the City of Las Vegas proper. The others are technically in the suburb of Paradise. With 2,444 rooms and an 80,000 square foot casino it's by no means the largest, but it might very well be the most unusual.

Completed in 1996 it didn't do box-office business at first, but its location eventually proved to be an advantage. It's centrally located between The Strip and downtown, which is convenient for those who want to see it all, including Fremont Street. The rooms are inexpensive but adequate, and few go to Vegas to sleep anyway. On the other hand, there are plenty of games in the casino where you can spend a lot more money, so never fear. Save that for the rides.

The Star Trek Experience inside the Las Vegas Hilton is one of the more unusual 'rides' a visitor can take anywhere, even taking Disneyland into account. While Disneyland offers many a thrilling ride these days, few actually involve live actors that interact with the 'traveler' during the ride. This is performance art at its best.

Before the actors appear, visitors have a chance to visit the museum housing a ton of Star Trek memorabilia, both new and from the actual shows. You'll see costumes, weapons, communicators and a host of Borg, Klingons and Ferengi. Then enter the hallway leading to one of two rides.

The Experience offers two shows - the 'Klingon Encounter' and the 'Borg Invasion 4-D'.

Klingon Encounter

Enter the ride for the 'Klingon Encounter' and find yourself 'accidentally' beamed aboard the Starship Enterprise, along with about 25 others, just as it's about to be attacked by Klingons. Your atoms will be safely disassembled and reconstructed to end on the transporter pad inside the ship.

Move to the bridge and enter the world of the flagship of the fleet. You'll quickly discover that Captain Picard has gone missing. Watch as the crew search desperately for their leader, while they try to protect their new guests. You'll get close up views of all the advanced technology of a 25th century spaceship like the communication station, the tactical-weapons display and the famed captain's chair.

Board the shuttlecraft to escape the doomed ship just in time. Unfortunately, the Klingons will be on your tail in no time and you can't outrun them. Not to worry, the Enterprise will rescue you in the nick of time.

Borg Invasion 4-D

Taking an alternate path through space-time, you may be warped onto the ship USS Voyager as the Borg are about to attack. Here you'll be trapped behind a visual display where you'll see the Borg Queen taunt you that 'it is futile to resist'. You'll be assimilated and become her slave. Not a bad fate, some would argue.

But never fear. Admiral Katheryn Janeway will come to your rescue just in time. Through her courage and quick thinking, she'll make sure that you retain your identity, 'as long as the human spirit exists'.

You'll experience the famed turbolift, but watch out for that 'accidental' free-fall drop that happens when the ship suffers a blow from a quantum torpedo. Don't worry, the engineer will have the lights back on long before the warp core is breached.

Still, there are those pesky Borg drones above you on the catwalk to be dealt with. But before you can say 'assimilate' a phaser rifle takes one out and you're safe… for the moment. Regrettably, your protector has been snatched by the other drones, who have adapted their protective shields to ward off further attacks.

But you escape at the last second into the vessel that will transport you safely back to your own time and place. As you dock, you get one last thrill as your chair rocks and prods you. The ride home is a little bumpy.

Freed from the confines of the escape ship, you enter the Deep Space Nine Promenade where you can visit Quark's Bar. Take the opportunity to have a green drink and enjoy the ambiance. It's been a tiring trip through a trillion miles, five centuries ahead and back. Relax. You're safe now.

Today, the Las Vegas visitor will find more choices than any amount of plastic could cover. The shops offer everything from run-of-the-mill clothing to fine chocolate to exotic cars, all done Vegas-style, of course.

Forum Shops, Caesars Palace

Several of the hotel/casinos have become shopping meccas as well. One of the largest is the 175,000 square foot, tri-level complex at Caesars. The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace are located at 3500 S. Las Vegas Blvd ('The Strip') and provide over 100 shops to choose from.

Versace, the famed clothing designer, sells clothing but has added a Home Collection shop full of rugs, dishware and other items for your own royal abode. The equally famed jewelry design company, Harry Winston, has a shop at The Forums. Between the pair, your plastic is sure to get dented, but save some for The Cheesecake Factory. After all that shopping you deserve dessert.

Mandalay Place

The 100,000 square foot shopping area at Mandalay Place may not be the town's largest, but it is second to none. There are over 40 shops that offer everything from golf accessories to doggie spa products.

The latter, Lush Puppy, is a dog's best friend. Stuffed full of beds, sweaters and dog toys, your best friend can even get a fortune cookie made just for him or her.

After you've eased your conscience by spoiling Rex, spoil yourself at 55 Degrees Wine & Design. An array of tablet PCs allow even the most technophobic to easily select from a huge selection of fine vintages. Sally up to the wine bar and try out a few.

Improve your knowledge of wine, or any number of subjects, by visiting The Reading Room. This bookstore has a selection of books not generally found in any other retail store. You can pick up a tome on Ancient Greek oenology or brush up on the latest information available on glass-blowing techniques in British Columbia.

Located at Mandalay Bay, 3950 S. Las Vegas Blvd, be sure to stop into the Chocolate Swan and indulge. Then slip over to Giorgio Caffé & Ristorante. Life is uncertain, eat dessert first.

Grand Canal Shoppes, The Venetian

The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian is another themed shopping area with a wide variety of choices. Movado watch company offers fine timepieces not far from the elegant clothing at Ann Taylor's.

As the street performers entertain you, walk along the canal and listen the gentle sloshing of the gondolas transporting visitors along a half-mile journey. Take a ride yourself, then step off and do some window shopping.

Enjoy the simulated St. Mark's Square while you peruse the Venetian glass figurines, such as the exquisite hand-blown dolphins from Ripa de Monti. Go next door to Il Prato and pick out a delightful costume mask for the next royal ball. Select some fine stationary to make out invitations and get a personalized wax seal so the guests will know immediately from whom it came.

Speaking of wax, be sure to check out the Madame Tussaud's while you're there.

Desert Passage, Aladdin

For sheer size and number of stores, try the Desert Passage complex at the Aladdin. With 475,000 square feet of retail space, and over 130 stores, you're bound to find something to please.

While you're there, check out the full-sized freighter anchored next to a North African dock. Casablanca never looked so intriguing. Stick around for dinner and go to the excellent New Orleans restaurant, Commander's Palace. Crawfish to crawl for.

Las Vegas has a dozen other shopping centers and hundreds of independent shops scattered over Fremont Street, The Strip and elsewhere. You'll have to come several times just to pick your favorites. Take that afternoon plane and zoom in for a fun weekend where the shopping is no gamble.

With 1.2 million visitors per year it's hardly an unknown option. But seeing this magnificent group of sandstone cliffs and canyons isn't the sort of thing that immediately comes to mind when you picture a Vegas vacation. But it should. They're amazing.

Full of wildlife and flora of the area, Rangers will give you a guided hike at no charge. Bring your best hiking boots and see desert tortoises and big horn sheep against the beautiful background scenery. Then hike over to the 3,000 foot high cliffs and be astounded.

You'll get a view of petrified sand dunes, cascading waterfalls that flow into the canyons and wide stretches of the Mojave Desert, one of the world's hottest in summer. Above the expanse you may be lucky enough to catch sight of one of the many Red-Tailed hawks that circle the area looking for prey.

Some of the peaks reach 8,000 feet above sea level, making them more than a mile in the air from your feet. There are enormous bands of red and white rock, with ravines running through much of the area. Joshua Trees dot the landscape.

There are several areas of interest to the visitor.

Calico Hills is a popular spot for climbers and features short trails and several views of the canyon with Las Vegas visible in the south. Hikers can pick out many of the distinctively-shaped casinos from there.

Lost Creek Canyon is the largest gash through the cliffs and has a 20-mile dirt track that winds its way through the multi-colored hills, as it crosses into the desert town of Pahrump. This one is best reserved for the truly hardy.

Spring Canyon provides a few of a 30-foot waterfall. Dry during the summer for most of its length, there is a section where it flows year round. At any time of the year, though, the view is extraordinary.

Since it is the desert, be prepared with appropriate clothing for the time of day and year. Deserts are cool at night and can be scorching during the day. Bring a small backpack to store unused clothing and supplies. Pack plenty of water or, even better, a mineral laden low-sugar drink.

Be sure to hit the correct spot, though. Nevada has three similarly named areas, including the Red Rock State Park. Just follow Charleston Boulevard, which crosses The Strip (Las Vegas Boulevard) a few blocks beyond Stratosphere Tower. The Tower is 1,149 feet high - you can't miss it. Bend to the left as it becomes Blue Diamond Road/Highway 159.