No bucket list of U.S. cities is complete without Sin City. Its infamous strip of colorfully themed hotels that double as casino mega malls are, depending on your point of view, either an iconic row of breathtaking splendor or the ultimate symbol of Western excess.

Trade shows are a great way to make friends AND soak up the sights. From left: NMX attendees Brian Jarvis, Jen Lee Reeves, Tinu Abayomi-Paul and Mona Holmes.

But there’s a reason The Hangover was set in Las Vegas, and even the most disciplined among us can fall prey to its temptations in a state where gambling and prostitution are both legal and aggressively solicited. Want to see Vegas without flattening your pocketbook or your self-respect? Try seeing it during a convention or trade show. Here are four reasons why:

1) You can make money, not just spend money. While attending the New Media Expo 2013 at the Rio Hotel this past week, I networked, attended seminars, and came away with a list of potential clients for my consulting business. Perks included free hotel Wi-Fi, a few meals and endless swag. Had I gone to Vegas simply to party, the ROI would be nonexistent. Best practice: Set your sights on an industry conference, do your homework and put together a list of business opportunities. Or better yet, ask if your company will sponsor your trip.

2) You won’t have time to get hung over. It never ceased to surprise me how many bleary-eyed folks sit at the blackjack tables first thing in the a.m., a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Don’t be one of those people. Casinos are designed to keep you there for as long a stretch as possible, from the liberal open-container policies that lead to cup-holders in the bathroom stalls to the omission of clocks anywhere on the premises to help you lose track of time. A structured event will force you to reel yourself in, get more sleep and avoid daytime drinking. The more sober you are, the better decisions you’ll make.

A birds-eye view of the Hoover Dam is well worth the 30-minute drive from the Strip.

3) You can carpool off the Strip. At some point during a Las Vegas adventure of three days or more, you need to get fresh air before a casino hotel becomes your worldview. If you meet people, suggest chipping in to rent a car and see the Hoover Dam or Red Rock Canyon, both within 30 minutes of the city. At the very least, get off the strip and take a gander at the colorful signs of the Neon Museum or learn about the regional impact of organized crime at the Mob Museum. You’ll be glad you did.

4) It’s easier to explain back home. Telling your family and friends that you’re vacationing in Vegas purely for Vegas’ sake may evoke a smirk or a frown. At the risk of a gross generalization, I lumped most tourists in two categories: those that wear Fanny packs, and those that aspire to be characters from Jersey Shore. Navigating Las Vegas with a scannable name tag around your neck is a more dignified route. Though do remove the name tag whenever you step outside your conference, or dignified will turn into dweeb.

Vegas may be proof of all that’s possible, but it’s also proof that having all that’s possible in one city can be overwhelming. No one is saying you need to behave like a saint. But planning your trip around a conference or convention will help keep you from behaving like a sinner.

Las Vegas hosted 60 of the 250 largest trade shows in 2010, according to the Trade Show News Network. For a list of upcoming conferences in 2013, click here.