Must See Attractions on the Las Vegas Strip

Casinos, Hotels, Stratosphere Tower Thrill Rides & Cirque du Soleil

Aug 30, 2009

Since the day "Bugsy" Siegel arrived in town and opened his Flamingo casino, the Las Vegas Strip has been busy claiming its rightful title of "Sin City".

Although it has made great strides to become less seedy and more kid-friendly, at its heart, Las Vegas remains a gambler’s oasis, a party town built on gambling and glamour.

Casinos and hotels dominate the landscape along Las Vegas Boulevard, better known as ‘The Strip’.

MGM Grand, Mirage, Bellagio, The Palazzo and the rest of the dozens of casinos all located on The Strip offer unique and wonderful ways to make or lose a fortune.

The Las Vegas Strip Casinos and Hotels

It’s nearly impossible to take two steps in this city without stumbling over a black jack table, slot machine or roulette wheel, all aiming to please the senses while making visitors distant acquaintances with their cash.

Each casino has a hotel theme to stand out from the rest. Treasure Island holds a free nightly outdoor show, Sirens of Treasure Island, and Bellagio dazzles visitors with its choreographed dancing water fountains, not to mention its indoor garden and blown glass ceiling.

The Egyptian-themed onyx pyramid at Luxor showcases Bodies – The Exhibition, and shopping goes unparalleled at the Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace, to name but a few.

For thrills and chills outside the numbing air-conditioned casinos, try some of Las Vegas’ amusement park-style rides. Zip to the top of the Stratosphere Tower, the tallest building in Las Vegas. At over 980 feet above The Strip, three blood curdling rides, appropriately called Big Shot, Insanity and X-Scream, hurl the courageous and the crazy into the air above the tower.

The view from the top amazes even those unwilling to risk their life in the Big Shot - enjoy the sights sipping a Starbuck’s coffee in complete security from the enclosed observation deck.

New York New York’s food court eateries make a perfect pit stop for lunch with plenty of choices. Mimicking the midtown atmosphere of Manhattan, dozens of restaurants serve everything from fast food to high-end eating. After lunch try a gut-churning ride on the Manhattan Rollercoaster snaking around New York, New York, if the Stratosphere seems too much to handle.

For the same price as a ride on the rollercoaster, sample a $12 gelato at the Forum Shops in Caesar’s Palace or enjoy a "patisserie" in Paris along the Boulevard across the street, then relax in a gondola ride down the Grand Canal at the Venetian.

At night, dress-up and go out for an evening of luxury at the Wynn Las Vegas – a classic example of Las Vegas opulence. Stay after dark and experience Le Reve, a brilliant show staged on a million-gallon pool.

From the Rat Pack to Celine Dion, Las Vegas has welcomed all the greats. Cirque du Soleil, the unique Canadian circus famous for merging acrobatics, music, art and theatrics has a stronghold on The Strip with numerous shows unique to the city.

Nightly Cirque du Soleil performances include the mind-bending stage production of Ka at MGM Grand, the sex-based cabaret of Zumanity at New York, New Yorkand a homage to The Beatles, Love, at Mirage. Leaving Las Vegas without seeing at least one show would probably be the biggest sin of all.

Other attractions on The Strip include the Wildlife Habitat at Flamingo Las Vegas, the auto collections at Harrah’s, Speed-The Ride at Sahara and of course a ride on the Las Vegas Monorail.

Whatever the draw to Las Vegas – gaming, nightlife or the live performances and shows - there’s no reason to look any further than The Strip.

The copyright of the article Must See Attractions on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada Travel is owned by James W. Coates. Permission to republish Must See Attractions on the Las Vegas Strip in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.