Las Vegas, Nevada is called the city of lights because it is busy 24 hours a day seven days a week all year long! It is an adult playground for every type of entertainment from comedy shows to gambling, and some of the finest restaurants in the world. You can?t possibly do everything you want in one trip to Vegas, so choose a few of these must-see attractions and events on your next visit to Las Vegas.

? Gambling
The number one reason people flock to Las Vegas from around the world is to gamble. The Las Vegas Strip is lined with some of the most luxurious hotels and casinos in the world. Every type of slot machine and table game is played in Las Vegas so bring some extra cash and let it ride!

? Freemont Street Experience
The world?s largest laser, light, and sound show, the Freemont Street Experience is a canopy that stretches over four blocks of Freemont Street in ?Old Las Vegas?. This light show is set to music and runs every hour from 8pm to midnight. It?s really something you have to see when you go to Vegas.

? Stratosphere Thrill Ride
The Stratosphere is a casino hotel in Las Vegas that looks like a needle. On the top of the building is a roller coaster that dangles its passengers 900 feet above the Strip. What a rush!

? Venetian Gondola Ride
The Venetian Hotel and Casino is now the largest hotel in the world. It was modeled after the city of Venice with every detail emulating the famous city?s art, architecture and customs. A canal was built through the Venetian that also trails outside. Take a gondola ride and your gondolier will sing traditional Italian songs. You?ll feel just like you were in Venice! And, don?t forget to kiss under the bridge.

? Bellagio Fountains
Outside the Bellagio Hotel and Casino is the Bellagio Fountains, the best free show in Vegas. 1200 water spouts are choreographed to music. Each show is about 3 minutes long and is run every 15 minutes until midnight. Get a spot along the rail at night to watch the colored lights, water and music work together to create a mesmerizing show!

? Mirage Volcano
In front of the Mirage Hotel and Casino is a huge man-made volcano that erupts every 15 minutes until midnight. The lava spews 100 feet over the Strip and is quite an exciting show.

? Hoover Dam
Right outside of Las Vegas is the Hoover Dam, an incredible dam that stands a mile over the canyon below. Make sure you take the tour so you can be taken inside the dam to see how it works and crawl inside the caves below. It?s more impressive than you might think!

Food in Las Vegas
While Las Vegas is most famous for its gambling, its fabulous food is a close second. Many celebrity chefs like Wolfgang Puck and Emeril Lagasse have restaurants in Vegas, so you can certainly find the best of the best there, but the locals will tell you that the best values in Vegas dining are in the buffets. Here are some superb buffets that you must try.

? Rio?s Village Seafood Buffet
If you?ve ever been to an overpriced seafood restaurant where you?ve paid outrageous amounts of money for a lobster or crab legs, you?ll appreciate the Village Seafood Buffet at the Rio Hotel and Casino. Get unlimited lobster tails, shrimp, Alaskan king crab legs, mussels, clams, oysters, sushi, and every type of fish you can think of. And, of course they also offer the traditional seafood sides and a selection of chicken and ribs as well.

? Bellagio?s Breakfast Buffet
The Bellagio has world class dining for every meal, but their breakfast buffet offers foods from around the world and prepares them perfectly. This is one of the more formal breakfast buffets in Las Vegas, and the food lives up to the atmosphere. You will pay a little more for Bellagio, but it is well worth it!

? The Cheesecake Factory
Located inside Caesar?s Palace, the Cheesecake Factory is not just for cheesecake. They also offer great sandwiches and lunch items, but most of us are interested in dessert. If you are a fan of cheesecake, this is the place for you.

Getting around Las Vegas is easy, but can be expensive. Here are some tips for getting around the city.

? Walking
Most people who come to Vegas want to stay on the Strip, so you can walk it. But beware; things may appear closer than they are. With all the lights, it?s easy to see your final destination, but it could take you 30 minutes to walk there. So bring comfortable shoes if you plan to walk. Remember, no matter how you get from one casino to the next, they are enormous and you can easily get lost inside, so it will feel like a trek just to walk around the casinos.

? Monorail
The monorail runs parallel with the Strip and takes you to many of the popular hotels and casinos along the Strip. Unfortunately they take you to the back of the casinos and you?ll have to walk quite a ways to get to the front gambling area or to the arenas to see a show. So while the monorail is inexpensive, you should plan to walk as well.

? Taxi
Taxis in Las Vegas are everywhere! So you can easily find one, but chances are you will have to wait in a taxi line to get one. They will not stop for you on the street. You must go to a hotel to pick one up. And, you?ll have to tip the taxi line attendant, as well as the taxi driver, plus pay the fare. So it adds up quickly.

? Limo/Town Car
Don?t be scared off by a limo in Las Vegas. They are not as expensive as you might think. This is the best way to get around in Las Vegas and it?s a secret kept by frequent visitors to Las Vegas. Most people don?t take them because they think they are overpriced, but at about $40/hour you can easily spend less on a town car limo than on your average taxi, and you never have to wait.

Las Vegas is an exciting, energetic town full of high rollers, great food, and some of the world?s best entertainment. It is like Disneyworld for adults so enjoy your trip and act like a kid again! A recommended last minute hotel in Las Vegas can be found at Emerald Suites located on the main strip.