by Patrick Sills

Created on: March 20, 2009

Las Vegas can be thought of as a gigantic, neon-laden oasis in the southern Nevada desert. From space, the lights of the city are the brightest on Earth. The city is known as the entertainment capital of the world. Millions of visitors travel to Las Vegas to partake of gambling casinos, shows from world-famous celebrities, and shopping. In addition, the city has a very inviting climate for those who wish to escape the long winters of the northern United States. By March, it is not uncommon to see temperatures in the 70-80 degree range. Las Vegas is also one of the nation's fastest-growing cities in terms of population. As of 2008, the metropolitan area has grown to nearly two million residents. I'm a writer, but I'm also quite the traveler, and the purpose of this article is to provide a bit of information to readers uninitiated in the Vegas experience.

First and foremost, I would not recommend driving here. The top hotels are located on an approximate five-mile stretch of road known as "The Strip." The main street is Las Vegas Boulevard. This is where the overwhelming majority of visitors stay. There are less-expensive hotels outside of this area, but they are usually dumpier and located in less-than-desirable neighborhoods. The congestion, caused by vehicle traffic that can easily rival that of New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles; along with the sheer numbers of pedestrians who walk everywhere, makes driving a nerve-wracking ordeal. It is far easier to fly in and take a cab from the airport. If you are in reasonably good physical condition, walking along the Strip should present no problems. Many of the hotels and casinos have interior walkways that connect everything, but if you still don't feel like walking or paying for taxi rides once you've arrived, there are monorails available for about $13-15 per day.

Unless you find fasting appealing, bring plenty of money for food, for it will cost you dearly. The cheap "all-you-can-eat" buffets many have boasted about are either a thing of the past or an urban myth. While there are indeed a multitude of buffets to choose from, they are anything but cheap. A typical meal for my wife, daughter, and I ran around $50.00 a pop. Oh, and another thing: be prepared to stand in line for long periods of time. We all know what it's like to go out to Red Lobster on a Friday or Saturday night and be told there's a 45-minute wait to be seated, right? In Las Vegas, double or triple that. Even the simplest of food items such as a

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