About Town: Las Vegas

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As if Las Vegas weren't exciting enough on its own, the annual Sin City TOUR stop has a superstar host -- Justin Timberlake. Ladies love him. Guys are jealous of him. And yes, the man knows how to swing a golf club.

If you're making the trip out West to one of the coolest tournaments of the year, here's the lowdown on making the most of your stay.

Mobley/PGA TOUR

Stratosphere butter

SOMETHING TO SNACK ON

Vegas has restaurants-a-plenty. If you need a kick start, here are some tried-and-trues of mine.

• Rum Jungle: Inside the Mandalay Bay, Rum Jungle serves up Brazilian-, Caribbean- and Cuban-style food before transforming post-meal into a hot lounge. It's the place to be in Vegas.
• Top of the World: Located atop the Stratosphere on the strip, this rotating restaurant gives you a stunning view of Sin City and serves up steaks and seafood so naughtily nice they should definitely stay in Vegas. Plus the butter for the rolls is in the shape of the tower. Cool, no?
• Salt Lick: OK, I have only tried this in Texas, but it's the same company, so I am willing to say go ahead and get you some barbecue in Vegas. It's like nowhere else (well, except Texas).
• TAO: In Vegas, you can go to New York, so why not be able to go to one of New York's biggest restaurants, too? Asian dining at its finest, TAO couldn't be trendier.

SOMETHING TO TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT

Yes, yes, what you do in Vegas is supposed to stay in Vegas, but here are some g-rated ideas for things to do that you can share with your friends.

Mobley/PGA TOUR

Hoover Dam

• A Vegas show: You can take your pick really, but Cirque du Soleil is always a popular choice; why not see what all the fuss is about?
• Hang out poolside: The weather should be in the 80s all week, which isn't Vegas scorching, but it's plenty warm to relax by one of Sin City's world-famous lagoons.
• Try your luck: You can't come to Vegas and not have a little turn in the casinos. Check out all the big ones: Bellagio, Caesar's Palace, The Venetian, MGM Grand, New York New York ... the list goes on.
• Hit the shops: The Vegas strip has world-class shopping if you have the wallet for it, kind of like diving with sharks if you have the stomach for it.

STICKING AROUND?

So you made the trek out to the middle of the desert and aren't ready to go home yet? If so, check out these regional time wasters ...

• Grand Canyon helicopter tour: By car, the big hole in the ground is a good five hours away, but it'll take you much less time to get there by chopper, and the view is undeniably better, too.
• Hoover Dam: Without a doubt, this is the best dam tour you'll ever go on, and if you go, yes, that joke will get old, very quickly. But it's really something to see -- as long as you don't pull a Clark Griswold.