There was a time when "Las Vegas" was synonymous with "wasteful"--and with just cause. Built in the desert and celebrating all things excess, the Vegas of yesteryear did not seem to care about sustainability in the slightest.

Well, I'm here to report that those days are officially coming to an end. This past weekend I took a green getaway to Sin City and was delightfully surprised by how easy it was, thanks to a growing number of innovations and eco-friendly hotels.

"I never realized it before," says Matt, watching the Statue of Liberty drift out of sight, "but I've always wanted to go on a cruise."

And really, that's the meat of it. You've got a rum punch sweating on the balcony, a blissfully open itinerary, and zero pressure to do anything except enjoy yourself--an easy task when you're on a ship as well-equipped as the Norwegian Epic.

Just look at this thing!

I'm still paying off sleep debt from my Las Vegas vacation. Between the electric-tinged twilight of the casinos and the uncertain daylight of Nevada's winter, I found myself waking at a different hour every day. Lucky for me, it didn't matter if I was up at 8am or 8pm. Vegas was true to its 24-hour nature. I could always find breakfast.

Breakfast in Las Vegas is a fantastic affair. You get lavish buffets, roadside diners, gourmet sit-downs--every option imaginable stuffed into a few sparkling miles of Strip. There's zero excuse for a cigarette and espresso breakfast. Not that you'd want an excuse.

I have a friend who says that when he gets married, he wants a pirate-themed wedding, where instead of marching down the aisle, the bride and groom walk a plank (note: he’s yet to find a bride taker). If he can find it anywhere, he can find it in Vegas, where wacky weddings are a whimsical nod to what’s otherwise a rather stuffy institution.

In 2007, Clark County received over 108,000 marriage applications. That number was expected to rise in 2008, and although weddings are a year-round business in Las Vegas, the month of March kicks off the “I do” high season in which Elvis and a whole host of other characters are ready and willing to officiate your Nevada nuptials.

I’m back from Las Vegas and am proud to say that I only lost $5. My Vegas experiences have varied widely, from the time my friends won big at the craps table and sprung for a hot tub suite, to the time I went with my parents to see Siegfried and Roy, to the time I was attending all-day work meetings. Through all these visits, though, one thing remains constant: this is a city that always outdoes itself, over and over again.

*Photo courtesy of Byron Lobos.

This weekend, I’m heading to Vegas. Sin City, baby. Neon lights and desert sights. It’s been a few years since I went last and I’m looking forward to seeing what’s changed. One thing that I know is different is that the Stardust Hotel is no longer. One of the Vegas originals, it was imploded earlier this week, leaving only Stardust memories.