Las Vegas Strip Must-See AttractionsAs a frequent visitor to Las Vegas, I am amazed when friends and acquaintances return from a first trip to this interesting city having missed seeing much of the "good stuff". My goal in writing this article is to provide you with my views on what Las Vegas Strip highlights to see first. If you are in town only a few days and take in most of these attractions (most are free), you will have made a decent sight-seeing trip to tell your friends and family about. Last update February, 2012.This article is limited to must-see attractions on the Las Vegas Strip and downtown Las Vegas. You can use this article as a guide and add other attractions you want to see as your time permits. I recommend you bookmark this site and stop back from time to time to see what may have been added. What I recommend as a Las Vegas first-day strategy: Spend most of the day visiting "must see" sites (mentioned below) on Las Vegas Boulevard (the "Strip"), go downtown in the evening to see the sites plus take in the sound-and-light show on Fremont Street. Top off your day by driving down the Strip to see the lights at night.
My suggested tour of the Upper Strip takes you down the west side of the street to the Bellagio. You can then cross the street and go back up the other side until you reach MGM or the Tropicana (depending on where you are parked).. Upper Las Vegas Strip AttractionsIf you are not staying on or near the upper strip and have a car, there is an open-air parking lot between the Tropicana and Hooters Casino Hotel (the old San Remo). Otherwise, MGM Grand has an indoor ramp. You can start your tour wherever you want but for the first of your must-see attractions I recommend you start at Luxor. You can walk or take the free tram which runs between the Excalibur and Mandalay Bay. (One tram stops at the Luxor, and one doesn't). Watch for the tram signs. If you are traveling by taxi, get dropped off at the Luxor front door.Luxor This 30-story pyramid has been one of the best themed hotel/casinos (Egyptian of
course) and one of my favorite. Upgrades to the Luxor's atrium (or
lobby if you prefer) have replaced some of Egyptian decor with non-themed "glitz" However, there is enough
left throughout the casino to enjoy. Take time to stroll if you enjoy classic Egyptian statues and monuments.
If the weather is nice, you can do a quick tour of the Luxor's outside
grounds with 10 story sphinx. If you are in the area at night, you will see a powerful light beam atop the
Luxor that can reportedly be seen by aircraft 250 miles away. >>>>>Next - tram or walk (inside or outside)
to:
Excalibur The Excalibur is well known for its
castle-like appearance and medieval theme. If you are bringing the family on your trip, consider the
Excalibur family-friendly. The rooms are nothing fancy but they are
reasonably priced, and the second level Food Court is easy on your wallet. Take a quick stroll through but
don't spend too much time here. There are better attractions to come. SHHH: Here's a little secret. The Krispy Kreme on 2nd floor has FREE
(unadvertised) WI-FI. Sit at a nearby table and you and your wireless-enabled laptop can access the net. Be
careful, it's an unsecure network. >>>> Next - take the
overhead (outside) walkway to:New York-New York The outside of New York-New York is spectacular. You can
even ride on the Manhatten Express Roller Coaster if you dare. I consider the outside a must-see and the
inside a nice-to-see (unless you are really into the New York City theme. Then both are a must-see). If you
are doing okay on time, I suggest you take a short walk through New York-New York to see what they did to
achieve a New York theme. Ready for a New York style snack? Grab a quick Nathan's Coney Island hot dog or
two.>>>>> Next - walk outside and across the street-level Brooklyn Bridge to: CityCenter  The highly anticipated
CityCenter has been open for
business on the Las Vegas Strip for a few years. You can't miss this 67 acre, 18 million square foot "complex"
which is located between the Bellagio on the north and Monte Carlo on the south. The
picture on the left is actually a scale model of the entire complex as displayed in the lobby of the
Mirage. The picture on the
right is one walkway from the strip toward CityCenter's Aria Resort and Casino with the Veer Towers on the
right. If you like lots of aluminum and glass, you will like CityCenter . If you like lots of high-end
shops and restaurants, you will like CityCenter. There is much to see. Just
don't spend all of your time here. Other attractions await you. >>>>> Next - walk back out to the strip
and next door to:Cosmopolitan The "new"
Cosmopolitan opened on 12/15/2010 and is nestled (more like
sandwiched) between CityCenter and Bellagio. Over 5 years in the making, the Cosmopolitan is worth stopping in to see. Unlike the long walks to get to the
entrances of its two neighbors, the entrance to this latest, greatest hotel/casino is close to Las Vegas Blvd.
I found the Cosmopolitan to be quite elegant and it was interesting to take a short tour and grab a bite to
eat at a deli on 2nd floor. >>>>> Next - walk back out to the strip
and next door to:Bellagio The "crown jewel" of the strip. With its Italian theme, eight-acre lake
and water show, this is my #1 pick of places to see in Las Vegas. When you enter this hotel casino, check out
the unique ceiling decoration in the lobby. Walk straight in from the lobby and you will see The Conservatory,
a seasonal flower garden. Take the time to see this. It is an absolute treat even if you aren't into flowers
and greenery. The Fountains at Bellagio water show takes place in the
Lake Bellagio out front and is truely a "gift" to the Las Vegas visitor. There are a total of 1,214 fountains
in the "show" and, as of this writing, there are 28 different shows. So you may want to take in more than one.
The Bellagio is classy and elegant and I am not, but I have never felt
out-of-place spending time here. >>>>>Next - take
the overhead (outside) walkway across the street to:Paris Las Vegas I rate this a must-see because of its enjoyable replicas of Paris landmarks, most
notably the 540 foot tall Eiffel Tower (with wonderful views from its observation deck). You can see three of
the Eiffel Tower's legs from inside the casino which adds a nice "touch". Don't miss the Streets of Paris
walkway (toward the back) with its shops and restaurants. The walkway eventually leads into Bally's, but you don't have to go that far. This walkway is interesting but narrow
and can be hard to get through when busy. >>>>>Next -
walk (OR save time and take the Monorail from Bally's) to
MGM Grand.MGM Grand The MGM Grand has decided to close the
Lion Habitat effective 01/31/2012. This was the must-see attraction I had been recommending for the last
several years. With its closing, you may want to skip this stop unless you have some extra time. MGM
Grand still is an interesting place to visit but, in my humble opinion, there are no must-see sites here.
The MGM Grand has changed significantly since it first opened. Gone
are the lion's paws which you could walk thru from the street to enter the casino. The Wizard of OZ themed
display by the entrance has disappeared also. There is a Rainforest Cafe (near the front) which has a gift
shop that you might enjoy browsing in. If you have more than a day in town, you can always stop back and see
the MGM Grand's lobby and shopping areas.By now you have seen some great must-see attractions and maybe got some great photos too. It's time to travel down The Strip for more must-see attractions. Lower Las Vegas Strip AttractionsYour next recommended must-see attractions are in the mid to lower (north) end of The Strip. If you are not staying in one of these hotel/casinos and have a car, you can park in a nice, free ramp behind TI (Treasure Island). Most of the attractions mentioned below are within walking distance. If you are staying at a hotel/casino in this area, start your morning tour in this area first and move to the upper strip attractions after you have finished. I am assuming you are not staying in this area and are either parking in TI's ramp or having the taxi drop you off at the Mirage front door. Mirage The Mirage is a must-see stop. As
you enter this Polynesian-themed hotel/casino through the front door, go to the right and see what's in back
of the registration desk. It is worth seeing and one many people seem to miss on their trip. There is also a
nearby tropical rain forest which you may find of interest. The Mirage
is host to two "habitats" - the White Tiger Habitat and the Dolphin Habitat. Gone are the days when you could
see the White Tigers for free. To see the Dolphins and White Tigers will now cost you $15.00 (adult
admission). Follow the signs inside to see them. Since opening in 1989, the Mirage has been known for its famous 54 foot volcano that erupted every 15 minutes
from dusk until midnight. The volcano underwent a renovation and was reopened in December of 2008. Here is the
new Mirage volcano (I liked the old one better).>>>>>Next- walk outside (street level) to: Caesars PalaceThe glory that was Rome is on display in this casino/hotel which has been around since 1966. Caesars
takes up a large amount of real estate on The Strip - it is HUGE. You will not have time to see all there is
to see on this first-day trip. My recommendation to have you enter Caesars from the Mirage side (as opposed
to the Bellagio side) takes you to my must-see attraction for you -
The Forum Shops. You can stroll through this ancient Roman marketplace
setting and enjoy the sights of nearly 100 interesting shops. There are also two shows in this area - the
"Rise and Fall of Atlantis" and a moving Roman "statues" at Festival Fountain. If you can catch one of these
shows without waiting, take it in. Otherwise take it in another time. As you leave this shopping area and walk
through the casino, look for the replica of Michelangelo's David. This casino can be a little confusing to get
through so you may miss it and have to come back another time.>>>>>Next -
cross the street (outside) to:Venetian The beautiful Venetian is home to a
number of attractions - the Grand Canal with its gondolas, Madame Tussauds, the Guggenheim Hermitage Museum,
The Grand Canal Shoppes. I hope you are staying more than one day as you will want to come back and tour the
quarter-mile Grand Canal (inside) with its shops, street performers and Venetian Living Statues. For your first pass I recommend you take in the outside
Grand Canal (and the gondolas and singing gondeliers) from the arched bridge. Then step inside the
Venetian, look up and feast your eyes on the beautiful ceiling
paintings. The Venetian has added the beautiful Palazzo next door but this may have to wait for another time.
>>>>>Next Stop is the Wynn.Wynn Your last must-see stop on The Strip, Wynn, was opened in spring of 2005 at a cost of $2.7billion. Built on the site of
the old Desert Inn (1950-2000) no expense was spared in the
construction of the 50 story Wynn and it shows. From the Esplanade
with its high-end shops (Dior, Cartier, Chanel, etc.) to the lobby to the on-site Ferrari/Maserati dealership.
It can be a little over-whelming. Highlights for me are the bright colors, flowers and plants, waterfalls and
the Parasol Down Lounge. The latest Wynn property, Encore, opened for
business in late December of 2008. With 2,034 rooms and a $2.3 billion price tag, it is just as impressive as
Wynn.Next stop - downtown Las Vegas. From Wynn to downtown Las Vegas is approximately four miles. You can either take The Deuce, Las Vegas Trolley, a taxi (about $20) or drive. Don't even think of walking any part of the area between the end of The Strip (Stratosphere) and downtown. If you have a car there is a nice, handy parking ramp across the street from the Nugget (on South 1st Street). Downtown Las Vegas Attractions
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long from the 
won't want to miss. The Fremont Street Experience is a four-block,
pedestrian-only section of downtown that opened in 1995. In addition to its famous sound-and-light shows there
are other forms of live entertainment for you to enjoy. The sound-and-light shows, usually about four of them
a night, start at dusk and go until midnight. They do not last too long but are pretty awesome. If you take in
one, you'll want to see the others as they are all different. If you walk out any of the 
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