Because Las Vegas is a lot more than just showgirls and buffets.

According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, 39.4 million people visited Sin City in 2006. That’s a lot of shrimp cocktails. But Vegas is more than just gambling, grubbing, and gawking. With the right guide and a little courage, you can piece together the ultimate Vegas trip. And don’t worry about sleeping. They’re called red-eye flights for a reason.

Best Underwater Erotica:The underwater ballet that is O at the Bellagio will make the hair on your neck stand up.

Best Broadway Show: Not every broadway show succeeds in Vegas. But look for Spamalot at the Wynn to reverse that trend.

Best Aquarium: The Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay offers an immense walk-through aquarium with a wide variety of underwater life.

Best Burger: The In-N-Out Burger just off the strip is the real burger king. There’s plenty to choose from on the strip, but this four-item menu is tops.

Best Late-Night Sushi: Social House opens this August atop Tangerine at Treasure Island and will beautifully combine sake, sushi, and socializing.

Best Strip Club: Nobody questions the suprem-acy of Spearmint Rhino when it comes to all things that jiggle.

Best Old School: With the classic days of Rat Pack Vegas but a distant memory, go to the Stardust to recapture the good old days. With entertainment courtesy of Don Rickles, you’ll swear it’s 1965.

Best Wine and Cheese: The wine and cheese scene is slowly gaining traction in Vegas. You won’t find it done any better than Ondu at the Mirage.

Best Swimming Companion: Try the 2.5 million-gallon Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage, where you can spend the day training the bottlenose babies for $500.

Best Sake Shibuya: at the MGM Grand offers one of the country’s largest sake menus, so say “sayonara” to your short-term memory.

Best Car Dealership: The Penske-Wynn Ferrari/Maserati dealership at the Wynn will give you something to drool about other than the showgirls.

Best Place to Save Your Soul with a Slice of Cantaloupe Gospel music and pancakes? The Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues atMandalay Bay somehow makes it work.

Best New Show: Cirque du Soleil and the Beatles? Say no more. Look for Love at the Mirage.

Best Test-Drive: Cruise into the Drive Automotive Performance Park, featuring off-road and performance courses and everything from Hummers to Cadillacs.

Best Medieval Recreation: Eat with your hands and cheer for your favorite knight at Tournament of Kings at the Excalibur.

Best Shave: Make an appointment at least a week in advance at the Art of Shaving in Mandalay Place, where you’ll get the full buff and shine.

Best Pigs in a Blanket: It’s not the Vegas dish of choice, but you’ll find none better than at Stack at the Mirage.

Best Place for a Cigar: Inevitably, you’ll need a good smoke. Fortunately, there’s Casa Fuente inside the Forum Shops at Caesar’s.

Best Night to Go Out: Ask the locals and they’ll tell you. Sunday is the night to get your shwerve on. Try Light at theBellagio.

Best Steak: On cuts and reputation alone, it’s Prime at theBellagio. The view, decor, and dishes can’t be beat.

Best Mechanical Bull: Hey, we’ve all been there. Try Gilley’s Saloon at New Frontier.

Best Place to Meet Brits: We can’t quite explain it, but there’s a British invasion taking place at the Luxor. Who knew?

Best Piano Bar: The piano bar is staging a comeback, and it’s most apparent at Dueling Pianos in the Bar at Times Square atNew York New York.

Best New Property: People are finally venturing off the strip, where the Red Rock Resort is a desert pearl.

Best Ginger Ale: It’s known for its international cuisine, but Sensi at theBellagio offers fantastic homemade ginger ale.

Best Shoe Shine
Forget the spit shine. Just look downstairs at Caesar’s Palace and ask for Robert.

Best Tattoo Parlor: Once you’ve stumbled out of Club Rain, get inked at Hart and Huntington Tattoo Company at the Palms.

Best Hottest Waitresses: Tabu at MGM Grand, where every job applicant requires a modeling portfolio.

Best Meal: We’re fond of Alex at the Wynn and L’Atelier at MGM Grand, but there’s plenty more where that came from.

Best Escalators: Forum Shops at Caesar’s. Two words: spiral escalator.

Best View While You Drink: Mix at Mandalay Bay offers a stunning panoramic view of the strip with good food and drink.

Best View While You Drink A LOT: With a fantastic terrace that drops you right in the center of the strip, PURE at Caesar’s is the place to party.

Best Tuna Sandwich: It’s messy, but try Witchcraft at MGM Grand.

Best Weekend to Visit: Costume + party = good times. Come stay on Halloween weekend.

Best Shrimp Cocktail: “Delicious” and “99-cent shrimp cocktail” in the same sentence? Only at the Golden Gate.

Best Club: It’s got to be Tao at the Venetian. Where else can you find a 20-foot Buddha and girls lounging in bathtubs?

Best Late-Night Hangover Cure
Mr. Lucky at the Hard Rock. This 24/7 café will make the morning a lot less painful.

Best Mid Day Hangover Cure: When you wake up and you’re hurting, the Recovery Massage at the MGM Grand Spa will set you straight.

Best Cocktail Waitresses: For drinks with a pretty smile, look no further than the Hard Rock and the Bellagio.

Best Rooms: You won’t spend much time there, but the rooms at the Wynn and The Hotel at Mandalay Bay reign supreme.

Best Video Arcade: Gameworks offers games and even a climbing wall right on the strip.

Best Showgirls: It may be a dying profession in Vegas, but you’ll always find the best showgirls at Bally’s.

Best Late-Night Pickup Basketball Games: Best way to settle an argument? A game of one on one at the Hardcourt Suite at the Palms.

Best Luxury Stay: Few can afford it, but the Mansion at MGM Grand is Vegas’s most luxurious pad.

Best Vodka Locker: It’s freezing inside the locker in Red Square atMandalay Bay, but the selection and space is premium.

Best Golf Course: Since opening in 2000, Cascata has been hailed as among the world’s finest. Look out for the waterfall.

Best Men’s Specialty Store: If you’re looking for a little retail therapy, d.fine at theBellagio is second to none.

Best Mini Golf: Obstacle Art. With beautifully designed holes, you won’t find a cheesy putt-putt windmill anywhere here.

Best Dive Bar: If only there were more places like the Double Down Saloon. Try the Ass Juice (yes, it’s a drink).

Best Sugar High: Located in Henderson, the Ethel M Chocolate Factory provides an instant sugar coma.

Best Guilty Pleasure: Liberace Museum. Come on, you know you’re curious.

Best Liquid Brunch With a tasty morning drinks menu, Zuri at MGM Grand fights fire with fire.

Best Educational Experience: Celebrating the origins of the cocktail, the Museum of the American Cocktail shows that learning can be fun.

Best Free Show: Immortalized in the final scene of Ocean’s 11 (the Clooney version), the Fountains at theBellagio never disappoint.

Best Roller Coaster: For thrills and a killer strip-side view, the $12.50 ride on Manhattan Express at New York New York proves more fun than even the wildest New York City cab ride.

Best Burlesque: Part nightclub, part strip club, all fun. Ivan Kane’s Forty Deuce at Mandalay Bay features beautiful dancers and a great band.

Best Place to Rock: Bands love to perform in Vegas and the Hard RockJoint at the Hard Rock is the place to rock out.

Best Bowling: The 5,000-square-foot penthouse at the Hard Rock. Hey, you never know when you’ll want to bowl a few frames.