Where else can you see the Eifel tower and the Statue of Liberty on one street, watch a pirate ship sink outside a hotel, or see a volcano erupting outside another one?

This review will be ideal for anyone thinking of going to Las Vegas and wondering what they should try and fit in while they are there. There are a million and one things to do, so hopefully this will give you an idea of what you definately want to see while you are in this fantastic city.

Some other hotels, like Circus Circus, the Riviera, the Sahara and the Stratosphere also offer cheaper deals, but these are at one end of the strip, (the furthest end from McCarran airport) meaning a long walk or a monorail journey to get to where all the main action is. Although these other hotels are definitly worth a look, especially the stratosphere, I think the Imperial Palace wins hands down on price and location.

Food in Las Vegas is fabulous. Of course, the famous 'Golden M'' is ever present, and we did smaple one Big Mac! Every restaurant we ate in was value for money, even the posh ones in Caeser's Palace, and the food was fabulous, served in huge portions. One restaurant I would recommend for a big blow out is the EPNS sports bar in the New York New York hotel (which is definitly worth a visit, there is a replica New York Street running through the hotel). The portions here are huge and the bar is a must for any sports fan. You sit in little booths facing a wall of tvs showing every sport imaginable. But don't worry, the little booths come with their own tvs which you can switch over to Friends if you are not a sports fan.
Another thing to look for are the all-you-can-eat buffets. They are usually pretty cheap, and you can go back as much as you like to fill your plate. We tended to have one for breakfast, and often found we were so full we didn't need lunch.
There are far too many eateries to go into but each hotel ususally has something to tickle everyone's tastebuds.

* GRAND CANYON TRIP: A must. I think it cost us about $150 each. We were picked up from our hotel and driven to McCarren airport. Then we met our helicopter pilot, had some photos taken and climbed aboard. We were flown the 40-odd minutes to the Grand Canyon, flying over Celine Dion's home and the Hoover Dam. The Canyon is truly breathtaking. We landed at the bottom where we had a walk around and were then treated to a champagne lunch. On the flight back we flew down the strip. A fantastic experience and one you shouldn't miss.

THE MIRAGE: Home to magicians Seigfried and Roy, famed for their work with wild animals including tigers and elephants. As you enter the Mirage you are met by a white tiger inside a huge enclosure. The Mirage features Seigfried and Roy''s secret garden, which is defintley worth a look. Here you can see white leopards and tigers. It was also home to the pair's much-loved elephant Gilda, who sadly died a few years ago. The most spectacular thing about the Mirage is its erupting volcano outside. Visible from the pavement outside, the volcano 'erupts' every 15-30 minutes, shooting 'lava' into the sky and setting the river surrounding the volcano alight. A fantastic display.

THE VENETIAN: A stunning hotel, based on Venice and complete with a canal which flows outside the hotel and inside too, through a replica of St Marks Square. And on the cana sail beautiful golden gondalas just waiting for you to climb aboard. Inside is peaceful and tranquil. If you are there at about 10am, as we were (I was gazing longingly though the window at some Jimmy Choo shoes) you will see the gondaliers marching through the 'streets' singing their morning song on their way to work. The Venetian also houses Madame Tussauds, but if you have been to the one in London I wouldn't bother with here.

MANDALAY BAY: Didn't get to this hotel sadly. Some of you may know it is where the fight in the new Rocky film was set. This hotel apparantly had its own man-made beach and surf-able sea. Defintley worth a look!

STRATOSPHERE: If you don't get chance to visit the Canyon, which is criminal if you have gone over from the UK as you are literally just a stones throw from one of the greatest natural sights you will ever see, then you simply have to go to the top of 1,500ft Stratosphere tower.
The view from the top is simply mindblowing. You have a fantastic, panoramic view of Las Vegas and the Freemont Experience, into some of the outer suburbs and down the Strip. You do have to pay for the privilege of riding the superfast life, which takes just 30 seconds to get to the top, but it is well worth it. You can either take in the view from inside, or venture out onto the deck. And for the really brave ones, there are the fairground rides. These look truly awesome, but remember you have to pay for these at the bottom of the tower, so you don't actually get to see what you are letting yourself in for beforehand! These rides are scary! One is shaped like a claw, which hangs and spins you over the edge of the tower, one shoots down the tower, looking like it is about to throw you over the edge, and another one throws you high in the sky, on a huge pole sticking out of the top of the tower. They are not for the faint hearted, nor for those who have just eaten their breakfast!