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     The Las Vegas monorail is an easy way to travel north and south on the Las Vegas Strip, but there's plenty to see along the way. Grab a day pass and check out some of the fun at every stop!

     At the MGM Grand, solve a case at CSI: The Experience and hop off at Bally's Las Vegas to take the Jubilee Walking Tour, where you'll get a glimpse of what it takes to bring the $50 million stage spectacular to life. Be sure to walk next door and to check out the Eiffel Tower Experience.

     Next up is Flamingo Las Vegas, where you can visit the Wildlife Habitat and grab a bite at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville. At Harrah's Las Vegas, shop at Carnaval Court and cruise next door to see vintage cars at the Imperial Palace Auto Collections.

    Embark at the Las Vegas Convention Center stop and you're right next to Vegas Indoor Skydiving, America's first vertical wind tunnel. Continue to the Las Vegas Hotel & Casino and enjoy exhibition-style Japanese cuisine at the world's largest Benihana. Finally, at the Sahara Avenue monorail stop, it's a block walk to the Stratosphere Tower observation deck and its panoramic view of the city, and the Stratosphere Tower Thrill Rides.

     There's something to do from end to end, so grab a monorail day pass and enjoy Vegas one stop at a time!

Note: This is the fifth in a series of blogs leading up to the Miss USA 2011 competition on June 19 at Planet Hollywood. In this entry, we're highlighting contestants from the East Coast.

MISS DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA USA: HEATHER DANELLE SWANN

Q: Who's your favorite Vegas icon?
A: Elvis! I want to take a picture with an Elvis impersonator.

Q: If you had to pick five things to pack in your suitcase for a trip to Vegas, what would they be?
A: Money, a Redbull or some type of energy drink, the cutest cocktail dresses in my closet, the cutest set of comfortable heels and a camera to document the time of my life!. 

Q: If you could live at any Las Vegas resort, which one would you choose?
A: Trump International Hotel Las Vegas!

MISS CONNECTICUT USA: REGINA TURNER

Q: What are you most excited about seeing and doing in Las Vegas?
A: Seeing the dolphins at Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at The Mirage!

Q: If you had only one night in Vegas, which nightclub would you choose?
A: Bank at the Bellagio. 

Q: What's the best pool in Vegas?
A: I hear that the pools at the MGM Grand are exquisite.

MISS MAINE USA: ASHLEY-LYNN MARBLE

Q: What is the first thing you want to do when you get off the plane in Vegas?
A: Cruise down the Las Vegas Strip in a convertible.

Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Las Vegas?
A: Sage (at ARIA Resort) because of its fresh farm-to-table ingredients. 

Q: If you could live at any Las Vegas resort, which one would you choose?
A: I have heard that the M Resort is amazing!

MISS MARYLAND USA: ALLYN ROSE

Q: What are you most excited about seeing and doing in Las Vegas?
A: I am most excited about competing in the Miss USA pageant! I will also be extremely excited to see the legendary "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign!

Q: Who's your favorite Vegas icon?
A: My favorite Vegas icons are Penn and Teller! Their shows are amazing! 

Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Las Vegas?
A: Sushi is my favorite food, so I would love to visit Shibuya and I hear Alize is amazing.

MISS MASSACHUSETTS USA: ALIDA D'ANGONA

Q: Where do you love to shop in Las Vegas?
A: I'd love to go to Le Boulevard at Paris Las Vegas!

Q: If you had only one night in Vegas, which nightclub would you choose?
A: As a DJ, I would love to go to the nightclub that has my icon DJ Tiesto rocking the dance floors. 

Q: Who would be your dream date for a night out in Vegas?
A: Girls' night out with Ellen DeGeneres. She's hilarious and is the only person who could make Vegas better!

MISS NEW HAMPSHIRE USA: LACYJANE FOLGER

Q: Who would be your dream date for a night out in Vegas?
A: Donald Trump, of course!

Q: What restaurants are you most excited to try in Vegas?
A: I have never been to Vegas before, but anyone that knows me knows that I am a steak and potatoes girl. My friends who have been to Vegas recommend I go to Craftsteak! 

Q: What are your must-see shows in Vegas?
A: Miss USA, of course, David Copperfield and The Ultimate Variety Show.

MISS NEW JERSEY USA: JULIANNA WHITE

Q: If you had only one night in Vegas, which nightclub would you choose?
A: I would go to Surrender at Encore. It seems like the perfect place to visit for a night of dancing!

Q: What is the most unique experience you've had in Las Vegas?
A: The most unique experience I had in Vegas was when I solved a crime at MGM Grand's CSI: The Experience. It was so fun to be a part of what I see in the television series! 

Q: What is the best advice you can give to a first-timer in Las Vegas?
A: The best advice I could give to someone visiting Vegas is just have fun -- go everywhere you can and make sure you go to all of the amazing clubs! Also, don't forget Band-Aids for your feet after all of the sightseeing and dancing!

MISS NEW YORK USA: AMBER MARIE COLLINS

Q: What's the best pool in Vegas?
A: Rehab at the Hard Rock because it has great cabana service.

Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Vegas?
A: Tao Asian Bistro because I love the giant fortune cookie dessert. 

Q: If you could live at any Las Vegas resort, which one would you choose?
A: Definitely New York-New York so I could get a taste of home while I was in Vegas!

MISS RHODE ISLAND USA: KATE MCCAUGHEY

Q: Who's your favorite Vegas icon?
A: Currently, my favorite Vegas icon is Holly Madison, star of Peepshow at Planet Hollywood. She seems so kind and has an incredibly outgoing personality, perfect for Vegas!

Q: Who would be your dream dates for a night out in Vegas?
A: My dream dates for a night out in Vegas would be my best friends. I love girls' nights out, but if Zach Efron or Justin Timberlake happen to be there, I wouldn't hate that either! 

Q: What's the one thing in Vegas you can't miss?
A: I can't miss seeing Paris Las Vegas because I have been to the city of Paris and can't wait to see the Eiffel Tower replica and relive some amazing memories.

MISS VERMONT USA: LAUREN CARTER

Q: What might you wear in Vegas that you wouldn't wear back home?
A: Six-inch high heels and a swimsuit ... together! Nobody does that in Vermont.

Q: What restaurants are you most excited to try in Las Vegas?
A: I haven't been, but I would love to go to Margaritaville (at Flamingo Las Vegas). I'm a huge Jimmy Buffett fan! 

Q: If you could live at any Las Vegas resort, which one would you choose?
A: Mandalay Bay. An amazing gym, pool and spa -- what more could I ask for?

All Miss USA contestants surveyed are over 21 years of age.
Images courtesy of Miss Universe Organization

During wintertime in Las Vegas, it may be mildly cold outside but there are plenty of indoor activities that will keep you warm. From museums to winding waterways to faux crime scenes, hotels in Vegas offer some of the world's most unique opportunities.

Venice is just down the street when you visit the Venetian Hotel Resort. With a stunning replica of Piazza San Marco and winding streets of shopping dining, you'll feel as though you are actually in the city of bridges! Cool off with a relaxing Gondola ride through a maze of waterway canals and be serenaded by your Gondolier!

Temperatures are dropping so find out why your body gets cold when you check out the new human exhibit at Luxor. "Bodies... The Exhibition" showcases real full-bodies and organs. It's an attraction not for the faint of heart! Here you'll see bi-sections of real preserved human bodies - from the skeleton to the circulatory system - and parts that are rarely seen outside of an anatomy lab or a morgue.  It's all here and in living color! No pun intended.

"CSI: Las Vegas" gave the world a TV-size glimpse into the world of forensic science but now you can experience first hand what it takes to 'crack the case.' The MGM Grand Hotel is the new home of CSI: The Experience, an interactive exhibit where you can immerse yourself in a real crime scene. This interactive exhibit is designed as a challenge to solve a crime mystery and immerses visitors in various scientific disciplines through the exciting and entertaining world of crime scene investigation. Case solved!

Up and down the Strip, you'll find an amazing collection of indoor activities to keep you entertained. Even up in the air. Be sure to stop by for a free afternoon show at the Rio Hotel's "Show In The Sky" featuring great music and dance numbers all day long. And there is a spectacular parade - hanging from the ceiling!

The ultimate theme park in Vegas has everything you could expect including rollercoasters, whirly-gigs, zippy-doodles, and water log flumes! Yep, all of these great amusement rides are kept cool under the super-duper Circus Circus Adventure Dome. It's an indoor spectacle of over-the-top thrill rides!

Check out Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay, Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood, or the covered promenade of Fremont Street Experience in Downtown Las Vegas. Book your trip with a great special offer and get to Vegas Right Now!