Product Description

Las Vegas can be classy or tacky, cheesy or a bit sleazy, and it's always entertaining. Get ready to cruise the hot spots, test your luck at the casinos, shop the upscale boutiques, take in the spectacular shows, hit the swinging dance clubs, or escape from the glitz and neon and take in natural wonders on refreshing day trips. This guide gives you insider info on where to go and what to do, with great advice on how to:

• Find the best casinos and play the most popular games
• Stroll the strip, where you can watch a volcano explode, see the ancient Pyramids, and explore New York, Paris, Rome, and Venice
• Dine on delicacies prepared by celebrity chefs such as Joel Robuchon at the Mansion (in the MGM Grand) or Emeril Lagasse at Table 10 (in the Palazzo), load up at buffets like Paris, Le Village Buffet (in the Paris Hotel), or split a sub at Capriotti's
• Take in spectacular entertainment from Cirque de Soleil, Blue Man Group, Penn & Teller, and many more
• Enjoy performances by big-name stars like Celine Dion or catch the classic topless Vegas revue, Jubilee!
• See shows like the magnificent Bellagio Water Fountains, hang out with dolphins at Mirage's Dolphin Habitat, or tour the inimitable Liberace Museum

Like every For Dummies travel guide, Las Vegas For Dummies, Fifth Edition includes:

• Down-to-earth trip-planning advice
• What you shouldn't miss — and what you can skip
• The best hotels and restaurants for every budget
• Lots of detailed maps

You'll even find a time-saving "Quick Concierge" section with key phone numbers, addresses, and handy how-to's for getting around so you won’t miss a minute of the Vegas action!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #74508 in Books
• Published on: 2008-11-17
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780470402955
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From the Back Cover

Fun in Las Vegas is a sure bet!

Stroll by the Eiffel Tower, meander down the canals of Venice, gaze at an Egyptian pyramid, or cross the Brooklyn Bridge. Take in a show, experience the Strip, hit the casinos, enjoy fine cuisine, power shop, or even explore nearby natural wonders. Whether you want exciting action or relaxing luxury, with this friendly guide you've hit the jackpot.

Open the book and find:

• Down-to-earthtrip-planning advice

• What you shouldn't miss —and what you can skip

• The best hotels and restaurants for every budget

• Lots of detailed maps

About the Author
Mary Herczog lives in Los Angeles and works in the film industry when she’s not writing Las Vegas For Dummies, Los Angeles & Disneyland® For Dummies, Frommer’s New Orleans, and one-half of California For Dummies — you can never have too much of a good thing, something she learned in Vegas (although she still doesn’t know how to play craps).

Customer Reviews

I normally love Dummies books - this one is just not up to par
Dummies books in general are nicely laid out, with easy to read text, informative highlights, and simple symbols to keep you in check. That all being said, this just isn't my favorite travel book about Vegas. The Dummies style works great for figuring out how your software works, but it doesn't seem to key in properly to what Las Vegas is all about.

I think the main issue here is that the Dummies book tries to cover a number of different topics in a very shallow manner. Let's start at the beginning. It dedicates the first two chapters on how to get to Vegas. It lists things like "surf the web" to find cheap airline rates. I really didn't need a book to tell me that. It tells you to bring a cell phone. Really, if I get a book on Vegas, I want to know what to do and see in Vegas, and where to stay. The rest of this intro stuff is just fluff.

OK, so we get to the actual "arrival" part of the book. Once again you have a ton of fluff about "look on the web to find hotel prices" and "avoiding hidden costs". They could almost have a cookie cutter travel book at this point, with no actual content about the city you are visiting. When we finally get to the actual hotel descriptions, there is a brief paragraph (or maybe 2) on each one. I would really have liked some sort of easy to use table listing them all and their features, rather than having to scan the paragraphs hoping they mentioned the items I was interested in.

The restaurant area is the same way, a paragraph on each, no real organization to help you out on making your choices. But don't blink - quickly you are into "gambling tips and tricks". Really, if I wanted to learn how to gamble, there are ample books on the topic. I need to know the details in Vegas to choose where to stay and eat, and I still really haven't gotten enough of that information.

You get some information on shows and nightclubs, but then you get lists of top 10 things that aren't in Vegas any more. This might be historically informative, and I might not have minded its inclusion if otherwise the book was chock-full of specific, useful information. But given how much of the rest of the book was already generic, it sort of rubbed that in my face. So now I know even more about things that aren't around any more :)

I do love Dummies books. I own many of them and think they're great. For some reason, the Vegas Dummies book is the worst book in my Vegas collection. I guess it just goes to show that no one system can fit every need.

A good place to start your research
This is the second for Dummies book on travel I have purchased. I did not find it as helpful as the first book (on Hawaii), but it has some great basic information to start your research on if this is your first time to Las Vegas. The rest of my research was on the internet- mostly looking at pictures to get a feel of what I would like to see in person. You can narrow down quite a bit of your searching by reading this easy to read first half of this book, which is devoted to accomodations and attractions. It quickly gives you a summary of all you need to know.

The book was particurlarly helpful in summarizing what all the casinos on the strip offer to do besides gamble- shows, museums, etc. and there are a lot to sort through, and several are free! My family accused me of being to Las Vegas before because I had such a clear idea of where to go and what to see attraction-wise in what seems a chaotic city of entertainment, something this book is invaluable for.

Also helpful were tips on which casinos were connected to what if you want to beat the heat or not walk as far. This book needs to get updated though in that respect. The other half of the book gives tips and instructions on gambling for those going to do less looking and more gambling.

Vegas Baby, Vegas!
I had already been to Las Vegas before looking through this book. But it's filled with great info and a very fun way of looking at it. I have had really good luck with all the "Dummie" books I've read. Having already been there I can tell you that the info the author gives is top notch and right on the button!