LAS VEGAS STRIP – 6.8 KILOMETERS OF PURE PLEASURE
Larger and more splendid casinos and themed hotels sprang up on Las Vegas Boulevard, the Strip. Show, musical and Broadway entertainment vie for the favor of the guests and advertise with the big names of the show business. Every larger hotel is a city of its own.
According to Acronymmonster, the largest hotel on the Strip, the MGM Grand, has 5,500 rooms and suites. The old and the new world merge in the illusionistic facades of the theme hotels. In the evening the 6.8 kilometer long strip shines in the neon light of the advertisements and turns night into day. The approximately 3 km between Sahara and Tropicana Ave. You can easily walk (or use the bus, trolley or monorail), from the Stratosphere Tower, which is just outside the center of the strip, to the Luxor pyramid it is about 4 km. You will find the most extravagant architecture on earth in a small space and the most remarkable shows.
Las Vegas Boulevard is designated as a Scenic Byway (All American Road), i.e. a side street that is well worth seeing. It is the only scenic byway in the USA that only unfolds its special charm at dusk. Travel tip: A visit to the Strip on New Year’s Eve is particularly impressive. Around 65,000 lights are burned down during the New Year’s fireworks. The hotel complexes Excalibur, MGM Grand, Monte Carlo, Bally`s, Flamingo, Venetian, TI, Stardust, Circus Circus and Stratosphere are particularly involved.
In the description we follow the strip from south to north: An interactive map of the strip (click on the respective casino for more information) is available in English lasvegasmaps.com.
Mandalay Bay
- Official website: mandalaybay.com
- 3950 Las Vegas Blvd.
Only opened in March 1999, it has 40 floors at the southern end of the Strip. At sunset the gilded windows shine like a lighthouse. Mandalay is a city in Myanmar (formerly Burma) and following the namesake, the gardens and paths are decorated with Asian motifs (pagodas, dragons). In the middle of the main hall there is an aquarium with tropical fish. The independent Four Seasons Hotel occupies 424 rooms on the 35th to 39th floors. This is one of the few game-free zones in Las Vegas.
Attractions
- Treasures of Mandalay Bay
A small museum shows coins from the early days of Nevada (daily 9.30 a.m. to 11 p.m., $ 7), only for connoisseurs.
- House of Blues Art Display
A folklore collection of African-American and Southern-inspired art from the Delta regions.
- Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay
It shows around 2,000 dangerous and unusual residents of the tropical waters, including 13 species of shark. A hammerhead shark with a size of 6 feet was newly acquired in 2003. Shark Reef is the first closed aquarium system on earth that can feature a large hammerhead shark. The asking price is very high for what is offered.
Entertainment
- House of Blues
with live performances by well-known artists. Depending on the level of awareness, the entrance fees vary.
- Mamma Mia
The currently most successful musical in the world by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus takes place six days a week in a theater with 1,700 seats.
Buffets
- Bay side buffet
- Daily 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Luxor
- Official website: luxor.com
- 3900 Las Vegas Blvd.
- Tel. 262-4000, 800-288-1000
The presentation is Egyptian, the entrance area is formed by a large sphinx, at night a laser beam from the top of the pyramid illuminates the sky (400 km to see). The hotel rooms (over 4,400) are located in a pyramid-shaped building made of black, mirrored glass, which is said to be 23 meters higher than the Cheops pyramid, and in two “towers” (the rooms in the tower are larger and more modern). The entrance hall is made of luxurious marble and is one of the largest on earth.
