Las Vegas

There's also a Rainforest Cafe inside the MGM Grand Resort & Casino. In fact, this was the first Rainforest I ever visited and remains one of my favorites, if not my favorite. Why? While I don't enjoy Rainforest Cafe inside shopping malls, there's an interesting juxtaposition about a place so fun and family-friendly inside a casino.

And if you're missing Alfredo's that was located in the Italy Pavilion inside World Showcase at Epcot until closing recently, it is relocating to Las Vegas in late 2008. Start planning a trip to Las Vegas and your Italian culinary wishes may come true.

While you're at Planet Hollywood, take a walk through Miracle Mile Shops for more themed restaurants and shopping. A Disney fan would definitely enjoy a tropical drink at Trader Vic's or Hawaiian Tropic Zone--you may want to try lunch to retain the G-rating. You'll soon hear the Enchanted Tiki Room song playing in your head.

And if you enjoy dining at one of the top-tier restaurants at Disneyland or Walt Disney World, then you can't go wrong in Las Vegas. The top celebrity chefs in the world have restaurants in Las Vegas: Emeril Largesse, Wolfgang Puck, Bobby Flay, and Mario Batali are just four of those well-known celebrity chefs.

But before you plan where to eat, you may be wondering where to stay. The Mirage introduced themed resorts to Las Vegas when it opened in 1989. Since then numerous themed hotels have sprung up on the Las Vegas Strip.

If you're a fan of all things tropical, then the Mirage is a great place to start. The Siegfried & Roy tigers may no longer be hanging out just off the lobby, but there is still an aquarium behind the reservation desk, white tigers and dolphins at the Secret Garden & Dolphin Habitat (located beyond the lagoon-style pool with water slide and waterfall), a lush indoor tropical garden that transports you to Hawaii, and an outdoor volcano that erupts nightly.

If the Knights of the Round Table, complete with Tournament of Kings dinner show, are more to your liking, you may want to stay at Excalibur. At the Luxor, 'though it has toned down its Egyptian theme in the main casino areas, you still can't escape the fact that it's a giant pyramid located in the desert. Egyptian hieroglyphs are still present throughout, especially on the mezzanine level where several Disney-type attractions, such as an IMAX theatre and a Star-Tours type ride, are located.

Circus Circus is known for its circus theming and free circus acts, along with carnival games on the Midway, and roller coaster and other theme-park rides in the Adventuredome. If you're a fan of driving your RV to Ft. Wilderness, you can also park your RV at the Circus Circus RV Park and enjoy a direct shuttle to the casino.

Speaking of theme parks, the theme park at the MGM Grand may be gone, but you can still find a roller coaster at New York/New York Hotel Casino and other thrill rides located over a thousand feet in the air on top of the Stratosphere. If you love monorails, don't forget to seek out the Las Vegas Monorail--you can purchase a day pass for a special online rate of $9. The monorail connects you to many hotels on the Strip. And while you're riding the monorail, you may want to stop off at the Las Vegas Hilton for the Star Trek Experience--especially if you're a Star Trek fan.

For a spectacular light show and a blast into the past right where Las Vegas got its neon start, you must see the Fremont Street Experience. You'll have to drive or cab downtown, but it's worth the trip.