Vegas is about living it big, bring back the style from its heyday  and create a stir by wearing tuxedos to Caesars Palace – putting the slack-jawed baseball watching yokels in the shade. Brushing up on the games is no harm either, so watch Casino Games 101 on Google for a quick rundown on how to play like Bond.

CASINOS

One of the great benefits of clubs is the free drink and food – just be aware there’s no such thing as a free lunch and you’ll be gambling with a belly full of rum and snacks until the sun comes up.

Golden Gate Casino – For a casino that harks back to the origins of Vegas – the Wild West, try the Golden Gate. 1 Fremont St, (702) 385-1906 www.goldengatecasino.com

O’Shea’s Casino – The luck of the Irish, supposedly like a 24/7 frat party – red cups anyone? Actually, no they have beer bong tables here. It’s tacky on the outside but tacky and fun on the inside. 3555 Las Vegas Blvd, 702-697-2711 http://www.caesars.com/osheas

MGM Grand Casino – Amazing! The MGM Grand offers everything, all forms of entertainment, food and gambling as well as a pick of 5,034 rooms. The casino is huge and there’s also numerous clubs under its one roof. If you were extremely wealthy or lucky for that matter you could spend the rest of your life here, you’d probably go crazy – but you could. 3799, Las Vegas Boulevard South 702) 891-1111 www.mgmgrand.com

Double Down Saloon – Since as way back as 1992, a long time in instant gratification terms, the Double Down Inn has been offering the alternative anti-Vegas. It’s shabby chic in a town of razzle dazzle. Home of the bacon martini and a drink called ass juice – they also offer puke insurance. 4640 Paradise Road (702) 791-5775 www.doubledowninn.com

Caesars Palace – Opulent, lavish, luxurious, sumptuous, plush, splendid, spectacular, tasteless grandeur on a scale only Americans can achieve. Caesars is a must-go. If you feel like you’re in need of some culture, check out the original iconic sports photographs, they have the famous shot of boxer Muhammad Ali’s standing over a sprawled out Sonny Liston in their gallery. 3570 Las Vegas Boulevard South, (866) 227-593 www.caesarspalace.com

DECENT PLACES TO GET A BEER

Just a note – Vegas clubs are a bit pretentious, so slacks and a collar are the order of the day. Always remember that you’ll look classier after 10 shots and four lap dances in your new M&S slacks and shirt.

Rain at the Palms – Called rain as they use water at every opportunity. Great atmosphere and a nightclub on a grand scale, like everything in Vegas. Palms Hotel 4321 W. Flamingo Rd. (702) 492-3960

Hard Rock Club – Rehab – All day party by the pool, MTV spring break. Beer, girls, macho charisma and all that malarkey but definitely worth the experience. For drinking during the day, this is the place. 4475 Paradise Rd, Las Vegas, Nevada - (702) 733-7625 www.hardrockhotel.com

Tao – This nightclub is at the Venetian. They do package deals for stags with a drink allowance if you’re interested. 3377 Las Vegas Boulevard South (702) 388-8588 www.taolasvegas.com

Revolution – A nightclub based on the Beatles’ Love album. A psychedelic experience would have been all too much for Hunter S.Thompson. 3400 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas - (702) 233-3865 www.mirage.com

Rum in the Jungle – More discerning than the name suggests. This bar caters for the rum connoisseur while still managing to maintain commendable showiness with its art décor which includes fire walls, waterfall walls, volcanic mountains of rum and go-go dancers – who perform above the huge bar area. 3950 Las Vegas Boulevard South, (in the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino) 702 632 740 www.worldsbestbars.com/…vegas/rum-jungle-las-vegas.htm

STRIP CLUBS

Though amazing, Vegas strip clubs are not the extremely liberal places the movies suggest. So you’ll be expected to adhere to the hands-off policy. And don’t try and solicit or you’ll find yourself breaking rocks in the Nevada sun. Strip clubs in Vegas are ten a penny but here are some of the best:

Can-Can Room – One of the top strip clubs in Vegas and the oldest supposedly. This is the American strip club experience, check out the aversion towards mediocrity upon entry – glitter everywhere. 3155 Industrial Rd 702 737 6846 www.cancanroom.com

Larry Flynt’s Hustler Club – Well since the film The People vs. Larry Flynt you’ve always wanted to come here, right? Well, see what makes the old boy tick. It has drinks offers and all you’d expect. 6007 Dean Martin Dr. (702) 795-3131 www.hustlerclub.com

Library Gentlemen’s Club – This club is the most popular with stag parties in Vegas. Plenty of deals before 10pm. 3785 Boulder Highway (702) 641-6800 http://www.librarygentlemensclub.com

DECENT RESTAURANTS

Charlie Palmer – Eating steak is an American right and Vegas has plenty of decent grills, Charlie Palmers is one such place to get a hot beef injection, um, sorry about that. 3960 Las Vegas Blvd  702-632-5120 www.charliepalmersteaklv.com

Delmonico Steak House – For all things beef, try Delmonico. It’s an award-winning beef cooking powerhouse – ultra awesome. 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South 702 414 3737 http://www.emerils.com/restaurant/5/Delmonico-Steakhouse/

Voodoo Cafe – If eating good food at 50 stories up overlooking Vegas is your thing, and whose thing isn’t it? Then Voodoo Cafe is a good place to start. 3700 West Flamingo Road (702) 777-7800 http://www.riolasvegas.com/casinos/rio/restaurants-dining/voodoo-steak-detail.html

Nu Sanctuary Lounge – Food cooked in liquid nitrogen. Could there be anything manlier or more suitable for a group of men to eat? 6605 South Las Vegas Blvd (702) 527-7851 http://www.nulounge.com/

Carnegie Deli – For a pastrami and cheese sandwich that you won’t be able to finish and that will leave you full all weekend for less than $20 (approx), try the Carnegie Deli. Mirage Hotel 3400 South Las Vegas Boulevard (702) 791-711 http://www.mirage.com/restaurants/carnegie-delicatessen.aspx

THINGS TO DO

When you’re all gambled, drank and strip-clubbed out (which can take years in some cases) there are an array of other activities to try in Las Vegas

Dune Buggies – Drive through the desert on a dune buggy, if you’ve ever went karting, it’s ten times better. 3 hours is $150 approx. http://www.alllasvegastours.com/off-road-adventure-tours/dune-buggy-tours/sbc-3264?pref=02&aid=ltg1374&gclid=CPem_ZigiqgCFchO4QoduxRiCw

Sky Diving – Not for the faint hearted, but an amazing experience. Jump from 3 miles up and experience a rush like no other. $200 approx www.skydivelasvegas.com

TRAVEL

Rent a car – why not rent a Mustang and travel in style. Also means you can access the Grand Canyon and other sites easily. http://www.vipnvegas.com/las_vegas_exotic_car_rental.html

Limo trips – from the airport to the hotel cost about $50. www.presidentiallimolv.com

Las Vegas Monorail. This basic rail system provides service along the portion of Las Vegas Boulevard known as the Strip. Trains run from 7:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m. Monday-Thursday and until 3:00 a.m. Friday-Sunday. Stations are located at MGM Grand, Bally’s, Flamingo, Harrah’s, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas Hiltonand Sahara. Trains arrive about every five to ten minutes. Pricing options include single fares for $5.00, day passes for $15.00 and three day (72 hour) passes for $40.

Bus Service – The RTC bus system provides service along the Strip as well as to Downtown and the surrounding areas of Las Vegas. Two routes currently run along the Strip. The first, called the Deuce, service is offered 24 hours a day and operates between every 12 to 30 minutes, depending on the time of day. Stops are located near virtually every resort on the Strip.

The second route that runs along the Strip is the Strip & Downtown Express, which offers services between the Las Vegas Premium Outlets and the South Strip Transfer Terminal via Fremont Street, the Strip and the Las Vegas Outlet Center.

Fare for the Deuce and Strip & Downtown Express is $5 for a two-hour pass and $7 for a 24-hour pass.  Fare for the Westcliff Airport Express is $2 one way.  For additional information on public transit fares visit the RTC Fare Information Page.

For the most up-to-date information on the public transit system in Las Vegas, visit rtcsnv.com.

Shuttle Services

Finally, several resorts provide regular shuttle service along the Strip, free to all riders. The most extensive is the purple bus that leaves the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino hourly between 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., stopping at various other Strip resorts.

Taxis are always readily available at the taxi stands in front of all of the major Strip resorts.

Complementary Trams – there are also several complimentary trams available, mainly on the western side of the Strip. These trams typically connect properties under common ownership (e.g. MGM Mirage).

ESSENTIAL TRIVIA

Year first casino was licensed 1931
Current number of licensed gambling places in Las Vegas 1701
Approximate number of Las Vegas city residents 500,000
Approximate number of Clark County residents 1,500,000
Number of slot machines in the city 197,144
Annual visitors to Las Vegas, in millions 36.7
Percentage of visitors from Southern California 25
Percentage of visitors who say they come to Vegas mainly to gamble 5
Percent of visitors who end up gambling during their stay 87
Hours per day average visitor spends gambling 3.9
Annual state gaming revenue, in billions of dollars 9
Percent of Nevada’s general fund fed by gaming-tax revenue 43
Average gambling budget per trip, in dollars 559
Number of people moving to Las Vegas annually 60,000
Average monthly apartment rent, in dollars 631.22
Average price for an acre of land in the Valley, in thousands of dollars 161
Price for a prime acre of land on the Strip, in millions of dollars 11
Number of hotel rooms 124,270