Las Vegas For Dummies (Dummies Travel) [Paperback]

Mary Herczog (Author)

Book Description

Series: Dummies Travel | Publication Date: January 3, 2007

Las Vegas is the fifth most-popular destination in the world and there are lots of reasons. It’s, by turns, classy, tacky, cheesy and sleazy, but it’s always entertaining.  Get ready to cruise the hot spots, test your luck at the casinos, shop the upscale boutiques, take in the spectacular shows, hit the swinging dance clubs, or escape from the glitz and neon and take in natural wonders on refreshing day trips. This guide gives you insider info on what-to-do and great advice on how-to:

• Play the most popular games and find the best casinos
• Stroll the strip where you can watch a volcano explode, see the ancient Pyramids, and explore New York, Venice, Rome, or Paris
• Dine on delicacies prepared by celebrity chefs such as Joel Robuchon at the Mansion (in the MGM Grand), load up at buffets like Paris, Le Village Buffet (in the Paris Hotel), or split a submarine sandwich Capriotti’s
• Take in spectacular entertainment such as Cirque de Soleil’s O, Blue Man Group, Penn & Teller, and magician Lance Burton
• Enjoy performances by big-name stars like Celine Dion or catch the classic topless Vegas revue, Jubilee! 
• Enjoy shows like the magnificent Bellagio Water Fountains, hang out with dolphins at Mirage’s Dolphin Habitat, or tour the inimitable Liberace Museum

Like every For Dummies travel guide, Las Vegas For Dummies, 4th Edition  helps you make the most of your vacation. It includes:

• Down-to-earth trip-planning advice
• Info on the best ships for every budget
• Tips on sightseeing at ports of call
• Handy Post-it Flags to mark your favorite pages

Whether you want to experience the ultimate chic or the ultimate sleaze, take your chances in a high-stakes poker game or test your luck at the quarter slots, enjoy all the entertainment and attractions or get pampered at luxurious resort hotels, hobnob with “in crowd” or go to out-of-the way places, with this friendly guide, fun in Las Vegas is a sure bet.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

For fun in Las Vegas, you've hit the jackpot

Stroll by the Eiffel Tower, meander down the canals of Venice, or cross the Brooklyn Bridge. Take in a show, experience the Strip, hit the casinos, power shop, or even explore nearby natural wonders. Whether you want exciting action or relaxing luxury, with this friendly guide, it's a sure bet.

Discover

• Down-to-earth trip-planning advice
• What you shouldn't miss —and what you can skip
• The best hotels andrestaurants for every budget
• Handy Post-it® Flags to mark your favorite pages

About the Author

Mary Herczog lives in Los Angeles and works in the film industry when she is not writing Las Vegas For Dummies, Los Angeles & Disneyland For Dummies, Frommer's New Orleans, and one-half of California For Dummies—you can never have too much of a good thing, something she learned in Vegas (although she still doesn't know how to play craps).

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 4 edition (January 3, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470104449
• ISBN-13: 978-0470104446
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,576,232 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars I normally love Dummies books - this one is just not up to par, September 14, 2005

By 

Lisa Shea "medieval swordfighting enthusiast" - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Las Vegas For Dummies (Dummies Travel) (Paperback)

Dummies books in general are nicely laid out, with easy to read text, informative highlights, and simple symbols to keep you in check. That all being said, this just isn't my favorite travel book about Vegas. The Dummies style works great for figuring out how your software works, but it doesn't seem to key in properly to what Las Vegas is all about.

I think the main issue here is that the Dummies book tries to cover a number of different topics in a very shallow manner. Let's start at the beginning. It dedicates the first two chapters on how to get to Vegas. It lists things like "surf the web" to find cheap airline rates. I really didn't need a book to tell me that. It tells you to bring a cell phone. Really, if I get a book on Vegas, I want to know what to do and see in Vegas, and where to stay. The rest of this intro stuff is just fluff.

OK, so we get to the actual "arrival" part of the book. Once again you have a ton of fluff about "look on the web to find hotel prices" and "avoiding hidden costs". They could almost have a cookie cutter travel book at this point, with no actual content about the city you are visiting. When we finally get to the actual hotel descriptions, there is a brief paragraph (or maybe 2) on each one. I would really have liked some sort of easy to use table listing them all and their features, rather than having to scan the paragraphs hoping they mentioned the items I was interested in.

The restaurant area is the same way, a paragraph on each, no real organization to help you out on making your choices. But don't blink - quickly you are into "gambling tips and tricks". Really, if I wanted to learn how to gamble, there are ample books on the topic. I need to know the details in Vegas to choose where to stay and eat, and I still really haven't gotten enough of that information.

You get some information on shows and nightclubs, but then you get lists of top 10 things that aren't in Vegas any more. This might be historically informative, and I might not have minded its inclusion if otherwise the book was chock-full of specific, useful information. But given how much of the rest of the book was already generic, it sort of rubbed that in my face. So now I know even more about things that aren't around any more :)

I do love Dummies books. I own many of them and think they're great. For some reason, the Vegas Dummies book is the worst book in my Vegas collection. I guess it just goes to show that no one system can fit every need.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A good place to start your research, January 4, 2003

By 

pech "food lover, mystery lover" (Chicago, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Las Vegas for Dummies (Paperback)

This is the second for Dummies book on travel I have purchased. I did not find it as helpful as the first book (on Hawaii), but it has some great basic information to start your research on if this is your first time to Las Vegas. The rest of my research was on the internet- mostly looking at pictures to get a feel of what I would like to see in person. You can narrow down quite a bit of your searching by reading this easy to read first half of this book, which is devoted to accomodations and attractions. It quickly gives you a summary of all you need to know.

The book was particurlarly helpful in summarizing what all the casinos on the strip offer to do besides gamble- shows, museums, etc. and there are a lot to sort through, and several are free! My family accused me of being to Las Vegas before because I had such a clear idea of where to go and what to see attraction-wise in what seems a chaotic city of entertainment, something this book is invaluable for.

Also helpful were tips on which casinos were connected to what if you want to beat the heat or not walk as far. This book needs to get updated though in that respect. The other half of the book gives tips and instructions on gambling for those going to do less looking and more gambling.

11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vegas Baby, Vegas!, January 7, 2001

By 

"mokie74" (Stoneham MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Las Vegas for Dummies (Paperback)

I had already been to Las Vegas before looking through this book. But it's filled with great info and a very fun way of looking at it. I have had really good luck with all the "Dummie" books I've read. Having already been there I can tell you that the info the author gives is top notch and right on the button!