Your Las Vegas Vacation

By Chris Linch

What do you think of when you imagine Las Vegas? The city conjures up different images for different people. Some people know Las Vegas better as Sin City, picturing debauchery, drinking and gambling all night long. Others consider a trip to Las Vegas the perfect family vacation. Tourism in Las Vegas hit an all-time high in the late 60s and early 70s, when it was marketed as the ultimate playground for aduts.

In those days, the city of Las Vegas was packed with a busy nightlife that included 24-hour bars, prominent stage performances and, of course, its infamous and ritzy casinos. In those days, visitors could start the night off with tickets to a great performance before spending the rest of the night gambling. In the wee hours of the morning, they might grab breakfast and a martini before finally hitting the sack for just a couple hours of shut-eye before starting all over.

In the beginning of the 90s, the trip to Las Vegas began to transform into an entirely different type of vacation. Its casinos started drawing in family vacationers in order to compete with kid-friendly attractions at New York New York and the family-oriented MGM Grand.

Owners of casinos began to see that they were able to cater to an entirely new group of people families, who had their own money to spend, while retaining their old customers, the 24-7 gamblers and high-stakes players. Consequently, there started to be more child-centric performances, restaurants and things to do. Lots of casinos also began creating playgrounds and child areas so parents could continue to buy drinks and gamble.

Now the typical vacation to Las Vegas is caught somewhere between a child and an adult's wonderland. It's not unusual to see amusement park rides swarming over the heads of slot machines and card tables. Now that prostitution is legal in Vegas, you will even see advertisements on cabs for topless shows and fliers all over the place for escort services, right next to the latest commercial for Sponge Bob Square Pants.

The aura of the adult playground still permeates, despite the strip's re-branding as a family vacation spot. The city flows with money and champagne, as it remains host to the greatest number of fine restaurants and dance clubs to be found in any place in the U.S.A. - 29868

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