Fashion Show Mall photo credit:  K.Costin Photography via photopin cc

There are a lot of ways to spend money in Las Vegas. With all the world-class restaurants, gambling and hotels, many people forget that Las Vegas is also one of the premiere shopping destinations in America. Featuring some of the most luxurious shops in the world, Las Vegas malls are unlike any shopping center you’ve ever seen. Here are a few of the shopping malls that are great getaways from the insanity of the casinos.

Fashion Show Mall

The Entrance to Fashion Show Mall   photo credit: bewarenerd via photopin cc

Located across from the Wynn Las Vegas, this mall features over 250 stores and is one of the largest enclosed malls in the world. With a pop-up stage for impromptu fashion shows, (hence the name of the mall) as well as fine dining restaurants, this is far more than just a typical shopping mall. Featured stores include department store anchors: Bloomingdale’s Home, Dillard’s, Macy’s and Nordstrom.

The Forum Shops at Caesars

The Forum Shops at Caesars   photo credit: Miss Shari via photopin cc

Holding the distinction as the highest grossing mall in America, the Forum Shops located inside of Caesars Palace offers unparallelled luxurious shopping. With over 160 high end stores, and 11 fine dining restaurants, the Forum Shops are a great place to spot movie stars and celebrities. Featured stores include: Coach, Versace, Gucci and Dior.

Las Vegas Premium Outlets

Las Vegas Premium Outlets   photo credit: prayitno via photopin cc

For those looking to shop, but don’t want to break the bank, the Las Vegas Premium Outlets are the place to go. Featuring 150 outlet stores, this outdoor mall is the best spot in Vegas to get incredible bargains on high end brands. Located just minutes from the Strip, the Las Vegas Premium Outlets offer the best discount shopping in Las Vegas. Featured stores include: Burberry, Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabbana and True Religion.

All of these malls are just a 20 minute drive from the Sienna Suites, which feature the best deals on Las Vegas weekly rentals.

Las Vegas likes to advertise that it is an “anything goes” kind of town. And while it is true that there are plenty of wild experiences to be had, it is important to remember there are some things you just don’t do.  In general, Las Vegas is like any other city in America and expects its laws to be respected and common sense to be shown. It seems many, however, see the city as some special case for inappropriate behavior. If you want to avoid a casino blacklist or looking like a fool, follow some simple advice.

Don’t Stiff the Cocktail Waitress

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This would seem to go without saying but many seem to feel that they need all their cash for gambling. And the enticement of free drinks while you play only reinforces this idea. The drinks may be free but the waitresses still mostly work for tips. If you want them to keep bringing you more free booze you had better make it worth their while. Pace your betting and give a little back the waitress.

Don’t Flash Your Cash

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It is unfortunate, but not everyone at the casino is there to have a good time. Some are looking for opportunities to steal from the unaware. Tourists that like to play Big-Shot and show off their cash are inviting attention they may not want or expect. Don’t put your wallet in you back pocket and don’t keep your cash all in one place in a massive, showy roll.

Don’t Drink Too Much

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This is a big one and following this advice will make every other Don’t on this list much easier to avoid. You are here to have a good time, and Vegas offers some unique freedoms. Booze is often free and you are allowed open alcohol containers on the Strip. You are NOT allowed to be grossly drunk in public. Law enforcement has little tolerance for drunken behavior and you make yourself a target for crime when you become too intoxicated.

Don’t Harass Costumed Street Performers

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The Strip has many colorful characters and some of them make a living dressed as comic book heroes by offering photo opportunities to tourists. While they technically only work for tips, they have high expectations that a tip is coming. If that is something you are not willing to pay a few bucks for, it is an experience you can easily skip. In addition, they are there to be harassed. If you think they look silly, just ignore them.

Don’t Trash Your Hotel Room

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Everyone wants to take home some wild memories of their trip to Vegas, but you wise to remember that The Hangover is just a movie. Hotels take their property very seriously and you are expected to treat your stay just as if you were vacationing anywhere else. You will have to pay for any damages and you could be banned if you forget to show restraint and respect.

Don’t Bring Your Kids To the Casino Floor

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A couple decades ago Las Vegas thought to transform itself into a family vacation zone. That experiment didn’t last long and today it is again geared toward adult entertainment. Many of the big casinos offer child sitting services but they are expensive and kids will get bored quickly. If you bring your kids don’t let them loose unattended on the casino floor. Think ahead and include some non-casino bound daytime activities for them.

Las Vegas wants you to have a good time, but remember to treat the city and the people like you would in your own home town.

What behavior do you think goes too far even for Las Vegas? Comment if you have seen tourists make fools of themselves on their Las Vegas vacation.

Planning a visit?  Check out the best rates for 2-bedroom suites in Las Vegas.

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Las Vegas isn’t just for sports betting, it is one of the premier cities to watch live sporting events. While the city may not have a profession NFL or NBA sports team franchise but it is huge sports town, nevertheless. For sheer variety and spectacle it holds its own against any big sports market in the country. In many cases, Las Vegas remains the host city to some of the best sporting events happening today.

Sam Boyd Stadium

Not just a stadium for UNLV Rebels football, Sam Boyd Stadium is home of the National Finals Rodeo event each December. Sports fans can also catch USA Sevens Rugby games, Supercross competitions, The Macco Bowl and even monster truck shows at this grand facility. It is truly one of the best places to catch a sporting event in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway

NASCAR racing at its best can be found at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Recent events have included the Speedway Children’s Charities NASCAR Champion’s Week and the Color Me Rad 5k. 2013 NASCAR racing kicks off in March.

MMA Fighting Events

Las Vegas is the capital of cage fighting and there are many arenas to take in the excitement of Mixed Martial Arts competition. Multiple cage fighting events are held annually and provides top notch excitement for sports enthusiasts.

Ever been blow away by a sports event in Las Vegas? Comment on your favorite sporting competition and where you saw it.

Planning a trip to check out one of these great events? Choose a hotel near Sam Boyd to cut out driving times!

Expect to see a lot of Playboy Bunnies (both real and pretend) during Halloween in Sin City

1. Haunted houses

Las Vegas boasts some of the most frightening haunted attractions, like Asylum and Hotel Fear. Asylum is part of the Freemont Street Experience, while Hotel Fear is a few streets away. Tickets and info can be found on the official website.

2. 5K Run

If you’ve been practicing your running technique, there’s no better time to run! You can join many races while wearing your costume.

3. Ghost tours

If you’re in for a true thrill, a ghost tour may send your hair standing on end as you explore places said to be fused with the spirits of the dead. There are sure to be plenty of ghosts roaming about during this time of year.

4. Fright Dome

Located within the Circus Circus Hotel, Adventure Dome is an amusement park that transforms into Fright Dome during October. Of course there will also be plenty of “walking dead” roaming the Dome as well, so make sure to keep an eye out for them.

5. The Goretorium

Eli Roth’s Goretorium opened earlier this month, ad you can be one of the first to experience this year-round haunted house. The Goretorium boasts nightly horror plays that just might creep their way into your dreams later.

If you’re going to be in Sin City this Halloween, why not stay at Siena Suites, a popular choice for 2-bedroom suites in Las Vegas! Call to make a reservation today.

1. Dell H. Robinson Middle School
Many of the students at this school have reported seeing an old man walk the halls. He’s always dressed like a janitor, but his hands are covered in blood.

2. Flamingo Hotel & Casino

The Flamingo – Photo by Lomo-Cam

As one of Bugsy Seigel’s main hang outs, it’s no wonder he continues to haunt the Flamingo. Guests who lounge at the pool during the night often see an apparition of the famous mobster.

3. The Luxor Hotel & Casino

Luxor Ghost – Photo by banoootah_qtr

Because of its unique, pyramid shape, The Luxor was the most complicated hotel to build on the strip. It was so complicated that two construction workers died during construction and are said to haunt some of the hotel rooms.

4. Carluccio’s Tivoli Gardens
The spirit of Liberace is said to have taken up residence here. Unexplained power surges, electrical outages and overall mayhem continue to occur.

5. Red Foxx’s Home

Redd Foxx – Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Red Foxx, known for his role on Sanford and Sons, still lingers in his home in Las Vegas. Doors open and close, files go missing and lights turn on and off on their own. Currently, the house is owned by a real estate company, who leaves the lights on all day for Red.

If you’re planning a haunted trip, don’t forget to book your extended stay hotel in Las Vegas. Call Siena Suites at 702-648-2100 for help.

1. The Hangover (2009)

Photo from Wikipedia

This raunchy comedy about a bachelor party gone awry features Mike Tyson, a missing baby and a tiger inside of a hotel suite. Scenes from the movies were shot inside the lobby of Caesars Palace, the casino floor of the Bellagio and the Little White Wedding Chapel.

2. Honey, I Blew Up the Kid (1992)

Photo from Wikipedia

The sequel to the popular film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, flips the script by showing a  giant kid who terrorizes Las Vegas. Featuring locations like the defunct Wet ‘n Wild water park and the Mirage Hotel and Casino, this movie is known for a famous scene where a giant child roams Fremont Street, wrecking havoc and scaring onlookers.

3. Swingers (1996)

Photo from Wikipedia

Prominently featuring the Fremont Hotel and Casino, Swingers is a comedy about unemployed actors who frequent Las Vegas. Cementing the terms “money” and “Vegas, baby!” into tourist terminology, this movie also features scenes shot at the former Stardust Hotel and Casino.

4. Con Air (1997)

Photo from Wikipedia

A movie about transporting criminals by plane showcases one of the most iconic scenes in Las Vegas movie history. After the prisoners take control, they attempt to land the plane, but instead crash it into the Fender Stratocaster sign of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. The Sands Hotel is also seen in the movie.

5. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)

Photo from Wikipedia

Hunter S. Thompson’s vision of Sin City is the ultimate Las Vegas freak-out movie. Filmed at the Riviera and the Stardust, Fear and Loathing is a true “trip” to Las Vegas, with its characters taking every kind of drug imaginable. Exterior shots were filmed at Red Rock Canyon, just outside of Las Vegas.

6. Rain Man (1988)

Photo from Wikipedia

One of the most memorable scenes in this Oscar-winning drama takes place on the casino floor of Caesars Palace. Dustin Hoffman plays an autistic man who has a knack for counting cards, which he uses to his advantage at the blackjack tables.

7. Vegas Vacation (1997)

Photo from Wikipedia

The Griswold family takes its hilarious antics to Las Vegas in this comedy about a family trip gone wrong in the Entertainment Capitol of the World. With scenes shot at the Mirage, the MGM Grand, the Sands and Wayne Newton’s Shenandoah home, Chevy Chase and company visit a lot of famous landmarks during their stay in Las Vegas.

8. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)

Photo from Wikipedia

Mike Meyers stars in the ultimate spoof of James Bond films. With scenes shot inside the Riviera, the Stardust and the Imperial Palace, Austin Powers’ bad teeth and hairy stomach made this film one of the funniest movies of the 1990′s.

Las Vegas makes for great scenes on camera, and these movies use them to great effect.

For more information on 2 bedroom suites in Las Vegas, contact Siena Suites at (702) 648-2100.

Tyler Wogalter is writer from Las Vegas who currently studies journalism at UNLV.

With Jim Fassel as their coach, the Locos are two-time UFL champions seeking their third title in four years. Quarterback Chase Clement and running back DeDe Dorsey make the Locos once again a favorite for the UFL championship this season.

The William Hambrecht Trophy – Photo by S C Hargis

Beat the game day and Halloween traffic by staying at a hotel near Sam Boyd, such as the Siena Suites. For more information, contact (702) 648-2100.

These guys are no joke. This year, the Monster Energy Cup will be led by Champoin Ryan Villopoto, and the line-up includes superstars like Ryan Dungey, Chad Reed and Kevin Windham. The track this year is completely new and extremely demanding. Riders won’t be expecting any of the curves and turns this year!

Motorcross Racing – Photo by Blackpit Shooting

And the best part? You can avoid traffic, and just walk back to your hotel room from the race if you stay at a hotel near Sam Boyd, like Siena Suites!

The Renaissance festival has become a time honored American tradition. Festival goers love to take a walk through an emulated medieval period. Some festivals are short term events held in fairgrounds or other large outdoor public venues while others are permanent installations like theme parks. Most Ren-Fests tend to include a wide array of costumed entertainers, musical and theatrical acts and shows, handcrafted arts and trinkets for sale, and a cornucopia of festival foods.

The lure of the Ren-Fest can be attributed to the slew of reenactments and performers that bring the festival to life. While reenactments are certainly not exclusive to the United States, the Renaissance festival remains undoubtedly American. The Rennaisance festival has become a perfect amalgam of amusement park entertainment, historical representation, and shopping mall charm, while European style historical reenactments act more like a living history style museum of events, places, and people. Renaissance fair guests in the United States have come to expect a certain degree of food, entertainment and libation options when they attend festivals. This years Las Vegas Rennaissance Festival will give festival attendees exactly what they’re looking for, plus a little extra! Don’t miss this years Age of Chivalry festival from October 5th – 7th and book your 2 bedroom suite right near the action!

Home of the UNLV Rebels

Formerly known as Las Vegas Stadium, this event center hosts a wide variety of entertainment.  Popular events include Disney on Ice and Monster Energy Supercross finals.

The perfect place for family entertainment.

Siena Suites, extended stay hotel, is conveniently located 1.3 miles from Sam Boyd stadium. Call (702) 648-2100 to make a reservation today.