Formerly a neon wasteland, Las Vegas now boasts some of the most outrageous architecture in the United States. Sure, most of it is built around lavish casinos, but few buildings are more daring than, say, the Luxor hotel which needed special elevators, known as Inclinators, to run along it's diagonal sides. Second only to to the Burj al Arab Hotel In Dubai, The Luxor boasts the highest (30 stories) atrium in North America. And Las Vegas architecture ain't subtle- from reproductions of famous landmarks such as a half scale Eiffel Tower on the Strip at Paris Resort to the canals of The Venetian Hotel. These are original, and challenging buildings that must be appreciated in terms of their immense size and cost, such as one of the latest additions to the Strip, the Wynn. Many of the hotels are miniature wonders, with massive pools, staff, security, and VIP areas not to mention several with malls and a dozen or more restaurants all crammed under one "roof".

Check out the Stratosphere, the tallest building in Las Vegas, and home to a fairly daring set of amusement rides that suspend you hundreds of feet in the air with nothing below you. The view is simply incredible.

Maybe the New York, New York is more your style, with Manhattan cleverly scaled down. Stroll through the East Village or snack on a world famous Nathan's hotdog. Better yet, take a wild ride The Manhattan Express Rollercoaster.

There is also the gaudy Excalibur, a tacky re-creation of Medieval England complete with dinner theatre and Edwardian Village-type shopping arcade.

Then there's the gorgeous, well-furnished Bellagio with it's famous fountains, Dale Chihouly glass sculpture at the front desk, Royal Conservatory and, of course, the home to Cirque de Soliel's "O" the most stunning two hour production you'll ever see.

If you're in the mood to show off that well toned bod that you've been working on all winter, then you'll wanna hit the beach... at Mandalay Bay where you'll find 2.2 acres of pools including a Lazy River as well as a real wave pool. Don't forget to check out the 40 million dollar exhibit Shark Reef with some of the rarest sea creatures in the world on display.

Shop-a-holics won't want to miss The Forum Shops at Caesar's Pallace. After a $330 million face lift it's now the most staggeringly gorgeous place to shop in the world complete with corkscrew escalators and lavish fountain shows. With record-breaking sales reaching a whopping billion dollars last year, it's also the most successful mall in history.

Finally, don't forget to spend an evening at Fremont; it's Old School Vegas and shouldn't be missed. The largest TV screen in the world hovers overhead with a spectacular audio-visual show every hour in the evening as adults shop & play the night away.

In short, even if you lose a few games of blackjack- the architecture of Vegas can be worth it.