Las Vegas Strip Must-See Attractions

As 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 one day 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 May, 2010.

This article is limited to must-see attractions on the Las Vegas Strip and downtown

areas. My original Las Vegas Attractions article included both must-see and nice-to-see attractions but it got too long. So I stripped out the nice-to-see stuff as this article will be the most helpful to you.

The new CityCenter was (mostly) opened on December 16th, 2009. I spent some time there a few months later, touring much of the complex and took several pictures - a few of which you will see below. This is a must see attraction since, according to the Las Vegas "experts", it represents the new Las Vegas. Judge for yourself if CityCenter, the new look of Las Vegas is more appealing than the more familiar hotel/casinos on the strip. Let me just say I haven't changed my #1 pick of Las Vegas attractions to see.

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. And tell anyone you know that may be planning a trip to Las Vegas about this site.

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 (also known as 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.

The Las Vegas Strip is about four miles long from the Stratosphere on the north end to Mandalay Bay on the south. Driving and parking can be a hassle. So your best bet is to limit these to a few locations and do most of your site-seeing on foot (wear comfortable shoes!). With some free trams along the way plus above-street walkways (with escalators or elevators), this is not as bad as it sounds. Other transportation options include the Las Vegas Monorail, Deuce and Strip Trolley (you will find information on these elsewhere on this site). To make it easier for you, I have divided the Las Vegas Strip into an upper section and a lower section.

Upper Las Vegas Strip Attractions

If you are not staying on or near the upper strip and have a car, there is a nice 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. My suggested tour of the Upper Strip takes you down the west side of the street to the Bellagio. You will then cross the street and go back up the other side until you reach MGM or the Tropicana.

Luxor

This 30-story pyramid has been one of the best themed hotel/casinos (Egyptian of course) and one of my favorite. Recent upgrades to the Luxor's atrium (or lobby if you prefer) have replaced some of Egyptian decor with non-themed "glitz" which is unfortunate. 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 (and take pictures of the 10 story sphinx). If you happen to be in the general 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. Just 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 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 is open for business on the Las Vegas Strip. 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 (click on either picture for a larger view). 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:

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, with its emerald green glass and 45-foot bronze lion, is HUGE. It takes a while to walk from the front entrance to the registration area in the back. 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. The must-see attraction I recommend for your first-day tour is in the front - the Lion Habitat. This popular attraction allows you to see one or more lions "up close and personal" with its glass walls and see-through tunnel. Don't miss it. Also, the Rainforest Cafe (also near the front) 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 and see more wonderful must-see attractions.

Lower Las Vegas Strip Attractions

Your 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 Palace

The glory that was Rome is on display in this casino/hotel Caesars Forum Shops

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 reported to be 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 Golden Nugget (on South 1st Street).

Downtown Las Vegas Attractions

You may hear some people say "don't bother going downtown Las Vegas - there is nothing down there to see". That is NOT true. There are some must-see attractions and more nice-to-see ones. My favorite places downtown are the Golden Nugget and the Las Vegas Club but I've been to most all of them - Binions, Fitzgeralds, Fremont, Lady Luck, Plaza, Main Street Station (a great micro-brewery on-site), Four Queens, California, Golden Gate, etc. You will notice the downtown casinos have a different personality from those on The Strip.

Golden Nugget

This well known downtown hotel/casino has a must-see attraction that a surprising number of people know nothing about. The largest gold nugget on public display in the world, 875 troy ounces (approx. 61 lbs., 11 ozs.), is in a glass case just off from the lobby. The Hand of Faith nugget was found in 1980 in Australia and sold to the Golden Nugget in 1982. It can be a little tricky to find and if you have trouble, ask an employee. I think it is well worth seeing.

Golden Nugget Shark Tank

The Golden Nugget renovated their pool area ($30 million) a little while back which includes "the Tank". This attraction is a 200,000-gallon shark tank set up so you can be swimming close to the sharks.

How close? This unretouched photo shows Kevin, Jessica and my grandson Charlie Jack just inches away from one. He loved it! You can also take the plunge thru the shark tank via the three-story waterslide. Worth a look if you are downtown seeing other sites.

Fremont Street Experience

The sound-and-light show on Fremont Street is one you FremontStreetShows

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 Golden Nugget's north doors you are on Fremont Street and the show is right there.

Nine other casinos front Fremont Street in the four-block stretch and they all turn out their outside lights as the show starts. This is one of the best free attractions Las Vegas has to offer.

Please NOTE you will see some real characters on Fremont Street. Like any place where large crowds gather, not all are there to watch the show. Use a little caution and you will be all right.

Well there you have it. My list of recommended must-see Las Vegas Strip Attractions for you to see on your first day (okay, a long day).

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