Las Vegas is variously described as the 'sin city', 'the city that never sleeps' or 'the gamblers' paradise'. It is however, most famous for it's 'quickie marriages' which have bestowed marital status to many a Hollywood star – overnight. Whatever it is that drives you to take a trip to Las Vegas for the first time, a quick appraisal of the five points below could save you much of the time and agony over what to see and most importantly, the money you'd spend unnecessarily, if not forewarned. As they say, forewarned is forearmed, so here goes.

The early bird catches the worm – literally, in this case! It is advisable to plan early and book the tickets for your journey and make hotel reservations well in advance. Tickets can be booked three days to three weeks in advance and often many airlines offer special fares if tickets are booked early. Hotel reservations, too, are best made early on, to avail of early booking discounts and avoid last minute rush and exorbitant rates.

It pays to be well-shod. The most important item in your suitcase should be a pair of very good, comfortable, running shoes. While it may seem very glamorous to strut down the streets in those high heels, the concrete or stone surfaces you'd encounter in most places you visit are not exactly studio ramps and ill-fitting shoes could dampen your spirits and enthusiasm, faster than you could say 'Las Vegas'. Exploring the hotels and their many attractions would be a pleasure in snug shoes.

Be at the scene of the action! Most of the attractions in Las Vegas are on and around the Las Vegas strip, so staying in a hotel in this area will mean easy access to all the happening sites and places. Some of the hotels on the strip are Bellagio, MGM Grande, Mirage, Alladin, Flamingo, New York New York, Treasure Island etc. The attractions here include the fountains of the Bellagio, the lion habitat at the MGM Grande, the white tigers at the Mirage and the pirate show at the Treasure Island. Thus, staying in a hotel on the Las Vegas strip would ensure that you don't run up extra expenses on transport to see those places and you could very well visit the pirates, lions or tigers for breakfast, lunch or dinner as it were.

Live it up, through your stomach. If you're going to Las Vegas, you'd do well to leave your Atkins diet safely behind at home. Las Vegas is a gastronome's delight and offers some of the world's best restaurants and buffets. The buffet at the Bellagio and the Spice-Market Buffet at the Aladdin are absolute must-tries. There is a wide choice in the buffets to suit the tastes of all the members of your family and the rates are quite reasonable so it suits all pockets. So while in Las Vegas – GORGE!

Have fun – cheap! You don't have to go bankrupt to have fun in Las Vegas. It is a city that offers entertainment, both to those looking to blow up millions for thrills and also to those who'd rather enjoy the more sedate and affordable attractions. In fact, many of the shows you could enjoy with your family are free. Some of these shows are the Fountain display in front of the Bellagio, the pirate show at Treasure Island, Rain Storm at the Dessert Passage, circus acts at Circus Circus and human statues at the Venetian. Besides these, you could catch the lions in their natural surroundings at the MGM Grande or the white tigers at the Mirage. Different hotels also offer displays on selected themes, from time to time, which add to all the attractions.