Las Vegas Casinos That Attract Interest

Las Vegas Nevada

The glitz, the excess and the gambling of Las Vegas makes the city an unlikely stop for a family vacation. However, families that do take the plunge into this desert oasis are pleasantly surprised that there are so many things for minors to do here, from Cirque du Soleil performances and free shows, to just perusing the Vegas hotels and casinos. While people under 21 won't be able to touch a slot machine, they can go shopping, play in arcades, check out the tigers at the Mirage or the sharks at Mandalay Bay, ride a gondola at The Venetian, watch Lance Burton the magician at the Monte Carlo, ride the thrilling roof top Stratosphere attraction, or visit the nearby Hoover Dam and Red Rock Canyon for natural wonders. With the exception of The Bellagio, all other hotel-casinos are open to tours for people of all ages.

You'll notice the palatial Bellagio on Las Vegas Boulevard by its magnificent music-themed fountain "water-ballet" amid the Romanesque 8-acre lake that sits before the behemoth Italian structure. Here you'll find thirteen restaurants serving California, Japanese and Mediterranean cuisine, as well as Cirque du Soleil performances, the Petrossian Bar and The Bank nightclub. You'll marvel at The Conservatory, which is arguably one of the most awe-inspiring views on the Las Vegas Strip, with its greenhouse natural lighting, brilliant towering plants, giant butterfly sculptures, vivid flower arrangements, hundred-year-old fountain and blown-glass ceiling sculpture; you'll feel like you're in "Honey I Shrunk The Kids."

The rooms are cosmopolitan and bathed in sage and dark wood with plush furnishings. The health club is newly redone as well, with natural lighting, personal attendants holding iced towels and drinks and excellent plunge pools at the spa. Swimmers list The Bellagio as one of their favorite on the strip with its neoclassical Roman garden and Grand Patio featuring godly pillars and domes. Shopping amenities boast pure swankiness: Tiffany, Armani, Gucci and Prada, to name a few. The casino itself features high-limit slots, semi-secluded roulette, blackjack, craps and baccarat, and a great 7 card stud area, as well as being the host to the Texas hold' em, World Poker Tour.

The Venetian is the most intricately detailed theme casino in Las Vegas. The 4,027 rooms are spacious and some of the most handsome in town, with sunken living rooms, marble baths, LCD plasma screen televisions, wireless internet, remote-controlled Roman shades, glass showers, deep soaking tubs, crown moldings, thick half-canopies draped over the beds, natural-colored stately furniture, traditional Venetian art and backlit onyx walls. Indoor canals with gondoliers add a romantic touch in this Italian-themed Vegas hotel that rivals Disney theme-park decor. Many guests enjoy the ability to navigate around the resort without being forced through the casino area, as is the case with many of The Venetian's neighbors. The shopping is particularly impressive here with alligator shoes, $2,000 watches and a recreation of St. Mark's Square with glass blowers, minstrels and actors. You can also find a branch of the Guggenheim Museum here! While the pools are nothing to write home about, the spa (with nutritionists, physical therapists, massage chairs and acupuncturists) and the gym (with aerobics, yoga, dance, pilates and rock climbing) make up for it.

If you have kids, then you'll definitely want to check out Mandalay Bay, which is the only resort in Las Vegas to have sharks in an exotic tropical habitat! The shark reef is, in fact, one of the most amazing sights to see in Las Vegas Nevada. Adults also love that this is the second-largest casino (next to MGM Grand). The actual Vegas hotel rooms are devoid of gaudy themes and instead offer chic chocolate, purple and gray color schemes, modern furniture and clean lines. The Rum Jungle with its all-you-can-eat multi-course Brazilian buffet is particularly impressive, as world-beat drumming and cozy fires and water decorate the background of this world-class restaurant. House of Blues offers southern cuisine and rock concerts, while the main showroom entertains with Broadway musicals like "Mama Mia." The pool area is much like a water park with a lazy river, wave pool and water slide. The casino tables cater to high rollers and celebrities, although 5 cent and 25 cent slots still remain.