The Strip In Las Vegas - Simply Amazing and Something for Everyone
Written: Mar 05 '08 (Updated May 01 '08)
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Pros: Amazing hotels and casinos, Sights, Attractions, Neon, Always something new, Ever changing
Cons: Crowded, Can be a bit off-putting for some, Full of vices
The Bottom Line: The Las Vegas Strip is an amazing place that has something new and different around each corner and is home to some of the most amazing hotels and casinos anywhere
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| jps246's Full Review: The Strip |
The Strip in Las Vegas is a one of a kind destination. From the Mandalay Bay resort at its southern end to Treasure Island, the Wynn and beyond in the north, The Strip is glitzy, glamorous, amazing, bright, loud, crowded, intimate and just about everything else in between.
Las Vegas is truly home to a collection of amazing, unique, and sometimes simply surprising destinations and nothing showcases this better then The Strip along Las Vegas Boulevard.
How do I find The Strip?
Well, it’s really not too hard to find The Strip when you are in Las Vegas. Just look for a pyramid…the Eiffel tower and all the other towering hotels and casinos.
The Strip is Las Vegas Boulevard starting from the Mandalay Bay Resort in the south (just north of the Las Vegas McCarran Airport) to Treasure Island and The Wynn casinos in the north. Las Vegas Boulevard continues north from here, heading through a line of older casinos before passing Circus-Circus even further north and finally The Stratosphere. This portion of the boulevard could be considered The Strip too, but most people focus their attention on the portion between Mandalay Bay and The Wynn.
It’s really not hard to get to The Strip either. Public parking is available at any of the casinos along the way and there are several exits off of Interstate 15 that provide almost direct access to Las Vegas Boulevard.
Where do I start?
I guess that mostly depends on where you end up being when you start exploring The Strip. Las Vegas Boulevard is easily accessible from any of the hotels and casinos along The Strip. All you have to do is walk out to the street and start making your way along the sidewalk. That’s when you start experiencing The Strip.
Once you’re out there you can take in the massive hotels and casinos that line The Strip. You can see the Eiffel tower, a giant pyramid and even the Roman coliseum. Perhaps you want to see fountains dance to music or watch a pirate battle. No, how about a volcanic eruption or a dragon rising from the castle’s moat? There’s a little bit of everything along The Strip and all you have to do is start walking and exploring.
Some Helpful Hints
If you are really setting out to explore The Strip, make sure you are wearing comfortable walking shoes. You can end up walking several miles when you are traveling along The Strip between just walking up and down Las Vegas Boulevard and then in and out of the various hotels and casinos along the way. You might even want to bring some moleskin or medical tape in your pocket or bag as I’ve seen several people end up getting blisters.
On weekends and during the busier times of the year The Strip can be very crowded, especially near the free shows in front of the various hotels. It can be difficult for people who don’t like crowds.
It gets hot in Las Vegas in the summer (duh!). Expect temperatures well above 100 degrees during the summer months. Even in the spring and the fall it can be quite warm. In the wintertime it doesn’t get bitterly cold, but it can be below freezing. It can be quite windy in Las Vegas any time of the year too.
Drink lots of water. Between the heat, the low humidity and all the walking you are doing, it’s very easy to get dehydrated if you don’t keep your water intake up.
The Strip is home to a number of folks whose job is to hand out cards for female escorts. These cards show off the women in all their glory. These folks will hand these cards to almost anyone, so if you don’t want to get them make sure you don’t even make eye contact with the people. If you have children, make sure they’re on the side of you away from these people, as they’ll hand them out to them too.
While others may ignore the “walk” signs on the traffic lights at intersections along Las Vegas Boulevard, it’s best to follow them. Traffic in Las Vegas doesn’t really slow down for pedestrians and in my many visits to Las Vegas I’ve seen plenty of near misses between cabs and pedestrians and even saw one person get hit.
What’s there to see?
You’ll probably spend at least a couple of days when you fully explore The Strip. Each hotel and casino is an adventure in of itself and with all the shows and sights on The Strip, it can take multiple trips to Las Vegas before you really see everything.
As for a general guide to what you can see, I’ll start in the south and work my way north. I’ll break it up by hotel and casino or general area as you work your way north.
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
The Mandalay Bay Resort marks the southern end of The Strip. Beyond this point the large hotels and casinos stop and Las Vegas Boulevard continues to the south. Mandalay Bay doesn’t offer much along Las Vegas Boulevard besides access to the hotel and the casino. Mandalay Bay offers two different hotels, the main Mandalay Bay Resort and then THEhotel at Mandalay Bay, which is a more upscale hotel within the resort. Besides the hotels and the casino, Mandalay Bay is also home to the Shark Reef, which gives you a chance to explore the life of sharks and other animals and plants that make their home in the water.
The Mandalay Place Shops connect Mandalay Bay to the Luxor Hotel and Casino, which is the next hotel and casino to the north on The Strip.
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino
THEhotel at Mandalay Bay
Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay
Luxor Hotel and Casino
The next hotel you’ll come to is home to the iconic black pyramid that is in almost any picture of Las Vegas. From the top of the Luxor pyramid, an intense beam of white light shoots towards the sky at night. The Luxor is also home to King Tut Museum, a 3-D ride and plenty of Egyptian motifs. Along The Strip though there’s not much to see besides the imposing pyramid and the sphinx that sits in front of it.
You don’t need to go out on to The Strip to travel north either, several moving sidewalks transport you inside from the Luxor to the Excalibur Hotel and Casino.
King Tut Museum
Pyramid Cafe
Excalibur
Medieval knights, Kings and Queens can all find a home at Excalibur. This is where the outside adventure also beings on The Strip. The Excalibur’s moat is home to a dragon that rises up throughout the night. Inside the Excalibur you’ll find plenty of medieval themed stores and restaurants. There’s also an extensive arcade for those too young to gamble.
Excalibur Hotel and Casino
The Tropicana, MGM Grand and New York-New York
The intersection of Tropicana Avenue with Las Vegas Boulevard is the first major intersection of The Strip. It’s home to the Excalibur, the Tropicana, the MGM Grand and New York – New York at its four corners. Pedestrian bridges are also available here, which makes it easier to cross both Tropicana and Las Vegas Boulevard. The Tropicana is the oldest of the four casinos and doesn’t offer much in terms of outdoor attractions along The Strip. MGM Grand’s large lion greets people entering the casino where you can find the MGM Lion Habitat along with tons of restaurants and shows. New York – New York is home to an incredible roller coaster in addition to a 9-11 fireman’s memorial and the Brooklyn Bridge along The Strip.
New York - New York Hotel & Casino
MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
MGM Studio Cafe
The Monte Carlo
On the western side of Las Vegas Boulevard the next hotel after NY-NY is The Monte Carlo Hotel and Casino. On the eastern side of the boulevard are a number of shops and restaurants to the north of MGM Grand. This includes the Grand Canyon Experience shops which is probably the best place to get inexpensive souvenirs. There’s also the M&M store and the Coca-Cola Store along with a small food court and a place to purchase discounted show tickets. Further north on the eastern side is a movie theater and some shops (there’s a McDonalds in one of the small malls and it’s a great place to get bottled water for $1). North of the Monte Carlo on the western side of the street the MGM City Center development is currently being built. It will eventually be home to a city within a city with six different hotels and condominium buildings, casinos, restaurants and more.
Monte Carlo Hotel & Casino
Planet Hollywood, the Bellagio and Paris Las Vegas
Beyond the slightly barren portion of the Strip where the City Center construction is taking place, you’ll come to the Planet Hollywood (formerly the Aladdin) Hotel and Casino on the eastern side of the Strip and slightly more northward, the Bellagio on the western side. Planet Hollywood isn’t that exciting from The Strip, except for its massive size and its impressively large video display. You can enter the Planet Hollywood Shops or go directly into the casino.
The Bellagio on the other hand is home to the first of the amazing free shows along The Strip. In front of the Bellagio is a large pool and in that pool are some amazing fountains that dance to the music that is played every half an hour to 15 minutes depending on the time of day. This show cannot be missed if you are visiting The Strip. It’s simply amazing. The best time to see them is at night when they are lit, but a daytime show isn’t that much less impressive. The Bellagio itself is host to a large casino, shows, restaurants and the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art which hosts various shows throughout the year.
Right across from the Bellagio is another of The Strip’s wonders – the Eiffel Tower! It’s not quite as tall as the original, but the Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas is a scale replica of the original tower in Paris. During good weather you can ride to the top for a spectacular view of Las Vegas and any time of the evening you can dine in the restaurant in the tower. Paris Las Vegas itself is like a little piece of Paris with French restaurants and shopping opportunities in addition to the gambling you’ll find in all the other casinos.
Bally’s Hotel and Casino is just north of Paris and offers a large casino and several restaurants but doesn’t have the impact from The Strip that Paris or the Bellagio have.
The Fountains of Bellagio
Caesar’s Palace, The Flamingo, Imperial Palace and Harrah’s
Crossing Flamingo Road you come to Caesar’s Palace on the western side of The Strip while the Flamingo, the Imperial Palace and Harrah’s are on the eastern side. From The Strip there’s not much to see on eastern side, but on the western side you can walk in front of Caesar’s where you’ll see a scale replica of the coliseum (that’s where Celine used to sing) and you can look at the pools and fountains in front of the hotel. Caesar’s is home to several attractions including a fountain show inside where it seems as if the statues come to life and Caesar himself makes his way through the casino. There are also the Forum Shops which are home to some of the best shopping in Las Vegas.
While the Flamingo is home to Toni Braxton’s show, these three casinos (The Flamingo, Imperial Palace and Harrah’s) are all pretty forgettable places. Imperial Palace is set back from The Strip and while all three have pleasant enough casinos and properties, there’s nothing overly special about them. Harrah’s does host a Las Vegas Tram stop should you wish to ride the tram, which runs between MGM Grand in the South to the Sahara in the north.
The Mirage
Adjacent to Caesar’s in the north is The Mirage. This is a large casino that is home to Las Vegas’ only active volcano! Each night the volcano erupts in its fiery glory. It’s a site to behold and if you’re close by, you can even feel the heat emanating from it. The Mirage is home to the Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden where you can see their famous White Tigers and the Dolphin Habitat where you can see how dolphins live and play. Add in a bunch of great restaurants and a enjoyable casino and The Mirage is one place you don’t really want to miss. Don’t forget to get desert or a sandwich at the Carnegie Deli – you won’t be disappointed.
The Mirage
Treasure Island (TI)
Just north of The Mirage (and connected via a tram) is Treasure Island or TI. Here you can catch a battle between a band of pirates and some sea sirens. There’s singing, dancing, a naval battle and explosions all right on The Strip. The show occurs every night depending on the weather and is another can’t miss show on The Strip. Inside Treasure Island are shops, restaurants and a casino. It’s also home to Las Vegas’ first Cirque Du Soleil show, Mystere. I cannot recommend that show enough – if you see no other show in Las Vegas – go and see Mystere!
Treasure Island
The Sirens of TI
Francesco's Restaurant
The Venetian
Across from Treasure Island is the Venetian where you will find a little piece of Venice right in Las Vegas. The outside from the Strip is impressive and as you make your way to the Venetian, it feels like you’re walking through a little piece of Venice. Once inside, its even more amazing with incredible recreations of Venice inside including the canals of Venice. You can even get in a gondola and take a ride along the canals. There are also plenty of shopping and dining opportunities here. Just north of the Venetian and connected the Venetian is the new Palazzo. This is the Venetian’s new upscale casino and hotel.
The Wynn
Talk about luxury and the finer things in life. Everything about the Wynn says the highlife from the shops to the restaurants to just the overall design of the hotel. Even if you’re not staying here, it’s well worth the visit as its an incredible place. Even the outside along The Strip is stunning, as they have built a small mountain where water tumbles down with lush vegetation all along the front of the casino.
To the North
I generally consider this the end of “The Strip” on Las Vegas Boulevard. However as development continues (they’re currently working on more), the Strip will continue northward along Las Vegas Boulevard. For the adventurous and strong legged, you can continue walking northward to Circus-Circus and eventually the Stratosphere.
Immediately to the North of The Wynn and Treasure Island is the Las Vegas Fashion Mall. This mall has a ton of shops and is a great place to go shopping in Las Vegas. There are also several restaurants.
Beyond that there are a number of smaller casinos, shops and restaurants as you make your way north to Circus-Circus. The character of the Strip slowly changes too and you lose the more comfortable feeling you have to the south. This portion of The Strip, especially past Circus-Circus is less and less of a place you really want to be walking along, especially later at night, though its far from being a really unsafe place. It’s just not the same as it would be down by MGM Grand or Treasure Island at 3 in the morning.
Circus Circus
Distances
Between the Stratosphere in the North and Mandalay Bay in the south it’s a distance of about three and a half miles. It’s about half that distance between Mandalay Bay and Treasure Island. The miles can add up fast so that’s why it’s wise to either plan ahead with comfortable shoes or make use of taxis between the various casinos.
Off-Strip Entertainment?
Looking to explore beyond The Strip? There are a number of attractions surrounding Las Vegas that are less than an hour’s drive from The Strip. The closest attractions include Red Rock Canyon just outside the City limits to the west and Hoover Dam and Lake Mead to the southeast (and east). A bit further away (about 45 minutes) and to the north is the Valley of Fire.
Red Rock Canyon
Hoover Dam and Lake Mead
Valley of Fire
If you’re up for driving a bit further, there are a number of National Parks within a three to four hour drive from Las Vegas. Death Valley National Park is about a 3 hour drive, as is Zion National Park. Either the North Rim or the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park is about a four and a half hour drive. Bryce Canyon is also about 4 hours or so from Las Vegas. In addition to the National Parks, there are a number of other state and federal parks located in those areas.
Death Valley National Park
Zion National Park
Final Thoughts
I love Las Vegas and I love The Strip along Las Vegas Boulevard. Even though I have my favorite hotels and places to gamble, The Strip never ceases to amaze me. With every visit I make sure to walk the Strip at least once. Every time I stop and watch the Bellagio Fountains and I’m still amazed at the Mirage’s volcano and the pirate battle at Treasure Island.
You won’t be disappointed with The Strip. It’s an amazing place that has something new and different around each corner and is home to some of the most amazing hotels and casinos anywhere.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Time to Travel Here: Anytime
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