The Nevada Zoological and Botanical Park is a great way to spend a day. While this is by no means the world's largest zoo, it is a great place to take your kids and visit the wildlife (well, the animal kind!). Some of the animals you might see include chimpanzees (usually a hit with the little ones), emus, ostriches, wallabies, and flamingos. You can also choose to take a full or half day eco tour of the desert. These tours give you a great insight into the desert, while providing a rich educational experience, disguised as fun, for your children.

What would a visit to the Venetian Hotel and Casino be without a gondola ride? For an authentic gondola experience you only need to travel as far as the Venetian Hotel and Casino. You will float under bridges as your gondolier serenades you with the sounds of Venice. You can choose an indoor ride or an outdoor gondola ride (when the weather permits). The outdoor rides are slightly cheaper, and more preferable when the weather is a little on the chilly side.

The indoor rides, of course, can be taken in any season and give some fantastic photo shots due to the authenticity of the surroundings. When you first venture from the indoor area, the shops, canals and beautiful sunny blue sky are breathtaking, and you have to look really closely at the sky to realize that you are still inside!

Children and families are very welcome, but if you are traveling with your partner you can opt for a 2 passenger gondola for an added fee; what could be more romantic? Reservations must be made in person, and can only be made on the same day that you wish to take your gondola ride. Bookings open at 9 am for the indoor ride, and 10 am for the outdoor ride.

If you're into a round of golf with Tiger, sailing the seven seas with Captain Jack Sparrow, marrying George Clooney, becoming a playboy bunny, or singing with The King, you will see some of Hollywood's brightest living memories at Madame Tussauds, also located at the Venetian. An exhibition not to be missed - a guarantee of fun for all the family and a massive boost to your photo album.

The casinos on the whole recognize the huge advantage of catering to families, and have pioneered many family oriented activities in the hope of encouraging more guests to come back to the city. Pretty obvious that if you can cater to families, you can open up a huge treasure trove of possibilities in being able to attract visitors.

This is, of course, merely the tip of the iceberg. There is so much to do and see in Vegas, and while still catering to the partakers of adult sauciness and gambling, her direction is changing to envelop a more diverse visitor base.

Las Vegas is using her hypnotic charms and allures to cast her net wider and wider, and judging by the explosive visitor numbers and her ever changing human kaleidoscope, those charms are a massive hit with all who visit. Its pretty ironic, really. I thought the term addictive came from the gambling, but I find for me personally, it is Las Vegas herself that is addictive.