Las Vegas holidays

As a city that’s surrounded by land, Las Vegas doesn’t have any real beaches to call its own. The nearest is in Los Angeles, which is nearly a four-hour drive away. But, since it’s in the middle of the Mojave Desert, there’s plenty of sand to go around. A couple of the hotels have made good use of it, moulding it into their own manmade beaches, and accessorising them with the likes of wave pools, lazy rivers and towering palm trees.

The Mandalay Bay Hotel is where you’ll find as close to a beach as you can get in Las Vegas. Here, nearly 3,000 tons of sand brush up against a wave pool that’s big enough for surfing. There’s no race for the sunbeds, either. You can hire out your own private cabana or bungalow, fitted out with lounge chairs and love seats, an MP3 docking station, and a fridge stocked with drinks.

The manmade Voodoo Beach is tucked within the grounds of the Rio Hotel, and non-hotel guests are welcome to use it for a fee. It lays claim to a sandy beach zone and three wiggly-edged pools, each with a whirlpool bath on the side. You can set up camp for the day on one of the poolside loungers, or in your own personal cabana. Waterside massages are up for grabs, as well.

Labelling itself as the world’s largest gift shop, Bonanza lines up 36,000 square feet’s worth of Las Vegas memorabilia at knock-down prices. With that much space to play with, there’s every type of souvenir you can imagine – from mugs, key rings and t-shirts to handbags, American footballs and magnets.

The Las Vegas South Premium Outlets centre is one of the city’s top-rated places for outlet shopping. Here, you’ll find 145 stores covering a whole range of goods, including everything from Michael Kors to Claire’s Accessories, Levi’s jeans, and Skechers trainers. There are plenty of cafés and restaurants dotted around, too, giving you every reason to make a day of it. You’ll find it just south of the strip, five minutes’ drive from the Welcome to ‘fabulous’ Las Vegas sign.

At the Crystals shopping mall, there’s no such thing as popping to the shops. Spread over 500,000 square feet, it’s more like visiting a small town. Here is where you’ll find some of Las Vegas’ largest designer boutiques. The two-storey Louis Vuitton store is the biggest in the United States. There’s also a 10,000-square-foot Tiffany & Co, along with Versace, Gucci, Dior and Cartier – to name a few. Shopping aside, the mall is full of surprises. Have your camera ready for the colour-changing fountains, the ‘flower carpet’ and the tree house.

No trip to Las Vegas is complete without seeing the Bellagio Fountains work their magic. Watch water from over a thousand jets dance and change colour to the music during this carefully-choreographed performance. The water can shoot as high as a 24 storeys and it all takes place at the centre of a lake the size of eight football fields in front of the Bellagio Hotel. Timings-wise, the shows are on every 15 minutes, from 8pm until midnight, so there are plenty of opportunities to catch one. And best of all, it’s free.

As the entertainment capital of the world, there are hundreds of options for nights out in Las Vegas. But one of the most iconic things to do is to go to a pool party – because where better to rave in the sizzling hot desert than in the water? Wet Republic at MGM Grand is one of the best. The likes of Tiesto and Afrojack take to the decks as hundreds of bikini-clad partygoers dance in and around the water, and sip Champagne cocktails while lounging on daybeds.

There’s nothing like a steak dinner to complement your stay in Las Vegas. A staple of the Nevada foodie scene, a steak goes a long way here – bigger is better when it comes to meal size in most of the Strip’s restaurants. Wagyu beef is a popular choice, and is well paired with red wine, fries, and crispy onion rings.

You’ll find shrimp cocktail on most starter menus in Las Vegas. This seafood dish was a classic party food in the sixties, and it’s as popular today as it was 60 years ago. There are lots of variations, but the original pairs shrimp with layers of salad and Marie Rose sauce, all served in a fancy glass.

Casinos and cocktails go hand-in-hand in Sin City, and you won’t have to go far to find yourself perusing a menu of inventive tipples. Try a cable car, made with spiced rum, orange and lemon juice, or a fiery Scotchman – a mix of whisky and pear syrup. Frozen margheritas are always popular, as are shots of tequila and Jägermeister.

Head to Las Vegas’ Chinatown and you’ll find everything from big splashy restaurants to family-run joints – and most have Asian cuisine at the heart of their menus. Taste-test your way around dishes like Japanese udon noodles, Korean barbecued meats, and savoury banh mi sandwiches from Vietnam.

This creamy pudding is a popular one around Las Vegas. It’s made with a thin pie crust, filled with lots of ripe sliced bananas all stacked in a rich custard. It’s then drizzled with caramel sauce and sprinkled with shaved chocolate – perfect if you’ve got a sweet tooth.