Las Vegas

Nowhere is the live-and-let live ethos more pronounced than in Nevada's glowing southern pleasure center, Las Vegas. The ambition and audacity of this improbable desert destination seem to know no limits. Vegas is obsessed with continually outdoing itself, and by now has either imported or re-created almost every imaginable amenity and attraction from around the globe: Artificial waves wash against real sand beaches; miniature replicas of Parisian, ancient Egyptian and New York architecture stand next to pirate battle re-enactments and ersatz volcanoes. The mega-casinos that fund this dream world are massive and luxurious. The Bellagio, a 3,930-room Italianate casino-hotel, overlooks a theatrical eight-acre lake punctuated by fountains synchronized to lights and music. The hotel's Gallery of Fine Art regularly presents first-rate exhibitions, and its Picasso restaurant surrounds diners with a selection of the Spanish modernist's original works. While gambling remains the quick pulse of the Las Vegas experience, the city brims with life beyond the blackjack tables and slot machines -- shopping, dining, entertainment and recreation options are plentiful.