The name Las Vegas in Spanish oddly translates to The Meadows in English and was named in the early 19th century by a trader who had stopped there for water on the old Spanish trail to New Mexico. Situated in the heart of the Mojave Desert, it might seem an odd place to build a mega city and gambling metropolis but somebody had the vision to do so and it remains the world’s premier destination to either make or lose a fortune. Aside from the many opportunities on offer to relieve you of your hard earned cash in the casinos, there are other options on offer to you and the town offers many tours in and around the area that will keep you out of the gambling dens for at least one day.
If you want to get out of the main city for the day then the best tours in Las Vegas to take has to be a visit to the Grand Canyon. This awesome natural wonder of the world has to be seen to be believed. The huge gorge cut by the mighty Colorado River over millennia covers an area larger than the state of Rhode Island and reaches 6000ft deep and 18 miles wide in some parts. Probably the best way to take in its awesomeness is to see it from the air and a number of operators offer helicopter adventures with lunch at the bottom of the canyon thrown in as well. Alternatively, for around a hundred bucks you can take a three day trip around the National Park area and take in the Hoover Dam as well.
When you are walking or driving around the city, you might be forgiven for forgetting that you are actually in Las Vegas and not Paris or Egypt. With its scale replicas of the Sphinx and the Great Pyramids of Giza, the Luxor hotel sits proudly amongst its neighbors. The half size scale model of the Eiffel Tower at the Paris Hotel and Casino is worth a visit and just like the original has a viewing deck from which to look out from over downtown Vegas. An indoor alternative might be the Venetian where you can take a leisurely ride on a gondola through Little Venice. If you want to stay in the city then there are a number of options open to you with either an escorted walking tour or basically do it on your own.
Whichever you decide to do, there is more to Las Vegas than Casinos.