Las Vegas
Introduction
Around a century ago what had been a trading post began to develop into a large town around a railway junction in the Nevada desert.
As this town grew I wonder if the founding fathers would have envisaged their town growing into a city. A city attracting almost 40 million visitors each year.
The English translation of this town s name is The Meadows, which seems ironic as meadows are conspicuous by their absence. The city is, of course, better known by its Spanish name – LAS VEGAS.
Mention Las Vegas and most will immediately think of casinos and gambling and it’s certainly true that the gambling halls dominate the city, although gambling is not the be all and end all and you could have a great time in Vegas without gambling a single dollar.Having said that Las Vegas is a vibrant, in your face, type of place and if you are looking for a quiet romantic break for two then, maybe, Las Vegas is not for you.
Las Vegas is a dynamic city in more ways than one. I’ve been visiting the city for over 30 years and it has changed beyond recognition in that time. Arguably, especially when considered in relation to the parlous economic climate, it become too big for its own good and many hotels are coming under pressure and there have been some failures.
In the late 70’s the focus was still on the Downtown area with only a couple of hotels along “The Strip”, nowadays The Strip is where it’s at and the Downtown area has a dated feel but it doesn’t mean it should be ignored.
Getting There
Most visitors fly into Las Vegas and approaching McCarron Airport at night gives spectacular views of the city, especially if approaching from the north and you’re on the left hand side of the plane. Arriving during the day and approaching from the east, you should get spectacular views of Lake Mede and maybe even the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon.
The airport is situated at the southern end of the strip.
It may be worth checking with your hotel to see if they offer a transfer service from the airport.
For a direct transfer a taxi is the obvious option. Taxis are regulated and metered so you shouldn’t get ripped off. Not all taxis accept credit cards so check with the driver first if you plan to pay by card.
You driver may ask if you prefer to go the longer route, don’t be put off by this. Traffic along the strip can move very slowly due to congestion and if you are staying at the centre or top of the strip you may be better off taking the longer, congestion avoiding, route which will be an awful lot quicker and potentially cheaper.
Provided you are not carrying too much luggage then the public bus is an option. However buses only depart from Terminal One.
Another popular option, especially if you are planning to stay in the area for more than a couple of days, is to hire a car. All the major car hire companies, plus many local ones, have offices at the airport. Car hire is relatively inexpensive and it gives you the chance to get out and explore the wider area. All the big hotels have large multi-story car parks and most offer free parking.
If coming to Las Vegas by road the chances are you will arrive via Interstate 15 which runs from California in the south and Utah in the north.
Whether you approach from the Interstate or one of the “quieter” routes one thing is for sure, Las Vegas will appear as if a mirage in the middle of the desert.
When To Go
Las Vegas is an all year round attraction, however there are times it is best avoided by the tourist.
As well as being a tourist city Las Vegas is also a major convention centre and with some of the bigger conventions the city fills up and prices go through the roof.One of the biggest conventions is the Consumer Electronics show, held in early January each year. The convention attracts 155,000 delegates, not to mention their families and hangers on.
Almost as big is the Automotive Show held in November.
If you are visiting just for a few days you will generally find hotels are cheaper midweek, as the weekend brings in a large number of Americans looking for a weekend away.
Whilst all the buildings have air conditioning and most are linked, you will have to venture outside occasionally. People forget Las Vegas is in the middle of a desert and it is hot, very hot. In the summer it can be oppressively hot outside.
From June to August daytime temperatures are in the high 30’s low 40’s Celsius. In the winter the temperature can be low with November to February temperatures in the high teens and at night they can drop below freezing – it has been known to hit -13C, although they rarely dip below -1C.
Attractions
Well, where does one start?
Of course there is the gambling and there is the opportunity to gamble almost anywhere in the city. Indeed if you fly in to McCarron Airport you will be greeted by rows of slot machines as you step off your plane.
So take it as read you will be able to gamble to your heart’s content 24 hours a day and as long as your bank balance allows.
Remember the casinos will do all they can to part you from your money. There are no windows in the casinos and no clocks so it is easy to lose track of time. Feeling tired after a long day, don’t worry they pump extra oxygen through the air conditioning to help keep you awake. Plus whilst you are gambling scantily clad ladies will serve you free drinks, well not quite free as it is customary to give them a tip.
As well as the ubiquitous one armed bandits there are the table games like roulette, black-jack, craps and poker. If you don’t know how to play a particular game, don’t worry the casinos will give you free lessons. These are usually in the mornings when the casinos are at their quietest.
So if you don’t gamble will you be bored in Las Vegas? Absolutely not, you can have a great time without spending a cent gambling.
First of all there are the large casinos, which have plenty of other attractions to keep you amused.
Starting from the bottom of the strip here are some of the other non-gambling attractions.
Mandalay Bay
This is a 44 story, 3,309 room hotel. Its main attraction is the Shark Reef Aquarium, the third largest in North America featuring two walk through aquariums.
Mandalay Beach is an 11 acre site with three heated pools, a wave pool and a lazy river. There is also a separate pool which allows topless bathing and this has an over 21 age requirement.
LuxorOne of the iconic hotels in Las Vegas, the 30 story pyramid houses 4,400 rooms as well as the casino. In addition there are two 22 story towers.
The hotel features “Bodies ….. The Exhibition” a sometimes controversial exhibition, demonstrating human biology but using dead bodies.
Less controversial is King Tut's Tomb exhibition.
Excalibur
The theme of this resort is Camelot and it used to be one of the family oriented casinos. However since 2006 it has been moving away from this theme.
There is a show here for the ladies in the shape of Thunder From Down Under, an all-male strip show. Also in the hotel is Tournament Of Kings, a mediaeval jousting tournament, where a banquet is served, which you are expected to eat with your fingers.
On the subject of dining, the hotel also features Dick’s Last Resort, a restaurant where the serving staff deliberately act obnoxiously towards the diners.
MGM Grand
The third largest hotel in the world and the largest in North America, the MGM has 6,852 rooms.
There is a lion enclosure inside the casino, with up to half a dozen lions on display each day. A see through tunnel goes through the enclosure and occasionally the lions will be asleep on top of the tunnel so you are effectively walking under sleeping lions.
One of the main attractions here is Cirque de Soleil.
The hotel often stages major boxing matches.
New York New York
A recreation of Manhattan, complete with Empire State Building and Statue of Liberty.
The feature of this hotel is a roller coaster which runs outside the building, through the New York Skyline and goes indoors through the casino.
ParisIf you like Paris you will feel at home here at a resort which features a half size Eiffel Tower, a two-thirds size Arc De Triomphe, a replica of the Le Fountaine des Mars, not forgetting a Montgolfier Balloon sign.
It had originally been planned to build a full size Eiffel Tower but the proximity of the hotel to the airport meant it was not possible for safety reasons. There is a very good restaurant in the tower.
It's a good mid-range hotel in Vegas and one I have stayed in often.
Bellagio
One of the stars of Las Vegas, The Bellagio is a 3,950 room luxury hotel.
However its most popular attraction sits outside the front of the building. Walking past during a quiet period you could be forgiven for thinking a plain lake sits outside the building.
It is not any plain lake though. Every thirty minutes during the afternoon and early evening and every 15 minutes between 20:00 and midnight a spectacular fountain show takes place in the lake. The music changes for each show and each one is a spectacular display, especially the after dark shows where a light show is also included.
Other attractions include the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. The Conservatory houses seasonal displays, the most spectacular being the Halloween and Christmas exhibitions.
The Art Gallery has a permanent collection and also hosts visiting exhibitions from some of the top galleries from around the world.
Three of the restaurants in the hotel hold Michelin Stars.
The hotel also features a Cirque de Soleil show.
Caesars Palace
Another of the signature resorts, Caesars Palace is one of the more renowned casinos.
It’s most famous attractions are the big name concerts and major sporting events, especially boxing which it hosts throughout the year.
FlamingoOne of the older casinos in Vegas the main, non-gambling, attraction are the gardens and display of birds including, of course, flamingos.
Venetian
If you want to see the Rialto Bridge or visit St Mark’s Square this is the place for you.
Inside, they even have their own Grand Canal where you can take a gondola ride and be serenaded by your own Gondolier.
The theatre ofted hosts Broadway shows.
Treasure Island
If you want to watch hunky bare chested pirates fighting over buxom wenches then the “Sirens Cove” show is for you.
Free to watch the show is staged several times each evening and you feel as if you are in the midst of a pirate battle.
The hotel also hosted the original Cirque du Soleil show in Vegas and although other hotels stage versions of the show. The show is still going strong an most critics say it is still the best one.
Circus Circus
Probably the only hotel aimed at families.
As the name suggests there is very much a circus theme. There are circus acts on display throughout the day and the hotel also includes the Adventuredome Theme Park.
Stratosphere
The tallest structure in Las Vegas, the tallest observation tower in the United States and the 9th tallest freestanding building in the US.
The view from the top of the tower is stunning day and, especially, night.
There are two observation decks as well as the Top Of The World revolving restaurant. A leisurely meal in the restaurant will give you one revolution and one of the best dining viewing experiences anywhere.
For thrill seekers there are some white knuckle rides at the top of the tower, one of which hangs over the side and spins at 40mph.
Another involves jumping from the top attached to a high speed descent wire.
Other Attractions
Fremont Street
This is the “original” Vegas and the area that featured in all the iconic shots of Las Vegas before attention turned to The Strip.Home to The Golden Nugget, Binion’s Horseshoe, Fremont Hotel, The Golden Gate and The Mint, the area is also home to the famous neon cowboy Vegas Vic.
The big attraction is the amazing light show. Before each free show all the casinos in Fremont Street turn their outside lights off and the canopy above the road becomes a sea of light. With 12.5 million LED lights the light and music show will take your breath away.
There are several different shows each day and the shows begin at dusk.
Shopping
If shopping is your forte then you will be in seventh heaven. Most of the casinos have shopping malls and most attract the big name designer stores.
Most of the major US department stores also have outlets in Las Vegas.
If your pocket does not stretch to high end shopping then there are plenty of discount malls as well.
If you have a sweet tooth the M&M Store is well worth a visit.
Further Afield
There is more to see than attractions of Las Vegas itself.
The most popular place to visit from Las Vegas is the Grand Canyon. From bus tours costing from around $100 - $150 (a 12-15 hour day though) to helicopter flights which will actually take you into the canyon from $300. A flight in a more conventional aircraft will be from around $175.A better way to see the canyon is to hire a car and spend a couple of days out there. An excursion will give you an idea of how awesome the canyon is but a couple of days will give you the opportunity to see a sunrise and sunset, both of which are spectacular.
Tours of Hoover Dam are available from around $50.
Red Rock Canyon is only 15 miles away from Vegas and is well worth a visit. Attracting over a million visitors it offers some stunning scenery.
It is a National Conservation Area and the canyon is served by a 13 mile long, one-way, loop road. There are several side roads with trails to explore. There is also a western ghost town to explore as well as a visitor centre.
Organised tours are available but it is better to hire a car and explore the parts you want to at your own pace.
Remember the canyon is in the desert so wear headgear, watch the sun and take plenty of water.
The Valley of Fire State Park is 50 miles north-east of Las Vegas and it is known for its red sandstone formations which look like flames when they catch the sun, hence the name. Temperatures can reach 49 degrees (120F) in the summer so the park is best visited in spring or autumn. Tours are available from around $90 but hiring a car would be cheaper, especially if more of you, and will give you greater freedom.
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