Take a helicopter ride to the bottom of the Grand Canyon: A 40-minute ride in a six-seater chopper, complete with Ride of the Valkyries on headphones if you want, drops you nearly 4,000ft on to the Canyon floor for a picnic. Swim in the Colorado river and admire the fantastic view before swooping upwards and back to Vegas. Expensive but worth it. You can't do it anywhere else. Price is $307, including hotel pick-up, from Heli USA (702 736 8787). They run other tours, including rafting.
Go cycling in the Red Rock Canyon: Bike hire and a truck-ride out to the Red Rock loop-trail for a 15-mile cycle back into Las Vegas. (If you want to cheat, they will drop you off at the high point so you can freewheel most of the way.) It's real desert with joshua trees, huge yucca plants, cacti and not much else. Price is $55, including hotel pick-up for a 7am start. Off-road trips are organised, too. Escape the City Streets (702 596 2953).
Go to a Vegas show: The hottest ticket in town is for Cirque du Soleil's O at Bellagio (702 796 9999) - an extraordinary and stunning event involving a cast of 75 performing in, on and above a huge swimming pool. Tickets are $100 and $90. Cirque du Soleil also has a show, Mystere, on at Treasure Island casino (702 796 9999). As for all shows book in advance because once you are there it is usually too late. Check out lasvegas24hours.com, the official visitors website.
Stay in the only hotel on the strip that is not a casino: The Four Seasons (702 632 5000) is as smart as it gets, especially around the pool where they offer cucumbers for your eyes and spray you with Evian water. Immaculate service and door opening. Rooms from $200 a night for two. There are dozens of other hotels.
Go shopping: Belz Factory Outlet World for cheap bargains, 7400 Las Vegas Blvd South. Smarter malls include Boulevard Mall, 3528 Maryland Parkway at Desert Inn, Fashion Show Mall 3200 Las Vegas Blvd Sth, Forum Shops at Caesar's and Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian.
Go golfing: Over 30 courses to choose from. Details in Where Las Vegas magazine
Gamble: If you must.
