This is the second part and continues the article Las Vegas: Gambling or Not? Las Vegas Part 1: Gambling on the Strip and in Downtown, Las Vegas Downtown and Shows which can be found here.
Hotels in Las Vegas
Besides gambling, hotels are the main attraction in Las Vegas. I want to describe some of them here.
Stratosphere Tower
In fact, Stratosphere Tower already belongs to Downtown Las Vegas. To me, it’s always the end of the Strip. It has several rides, some of them on crazy heights. Starting point for this is the observation tower. When we were there, all the ride were closed because of strong winds. Stratosphere Tower offers a great view of the Strip and its many lights. There is a restaurant and a bar. We only had a drink and enjoyed the view.
Stratosphere Tower is a bit difficult to reach because it’s located off the main Strip hotels. When it’s hot in Las Vegas, I’d rather go here by cab or bus, walking is too far.
The Venetian
The name already tells it: this hotel is an artificial version of Venice. You can find the famous Rialto Bridge and its waterstreet here. You can take a gondola ride through the channels under and artificial sky. Colours, clouds and state of that artificial sky changes every now and then.
Shops, restaurants and casinos are everywhere. There is also a famous show: Rock of Ages. We did that show and were totally thrilled.
The Mirage/Treasure Island
The Mirage had the Siegfried and Roy show for many years. Their white tigers can still be seen there. Treasure Island also belongs to the Mirage complex. Its theme is pirates. Between these two hotels, there is an artificial volcano that explodes regularly. Right next to it is a pirate ship with the Treasure Island pirate show. Both is for free and can be seen from the street.
Paris
This hotel has rebuilt Paris. Its theme is France and you can go up the Eiffel Tower. From the top it you have a great view of the Bellagio fountains. I’d definitely recommend doing that.
Bellagio
Definitely the most well-known hotel in Las Vegas, very fancy and high-class. It has the water fountains in front of it. The show is every 15 minutes. The fountains dance to light and music. Its music changes regularly, even within a day. You get to see different performances. The hotel is also known for its art exhibits. It was featured prominently in Ocean’s Eleven with George Clooney and Brad Pitt.
New York, New York
New York New York has another big ride. It’s aesthetics are quite nice, all the New York rebuilds looks quite casual. Las Vegas tends to be a big cheesy in general. But the atmosphere in this hotel is more laid-back.
Circus Circus
This is the place to be for kids. If you visit with your family, go here. Circus Circus has a fair and a circus.
Caesar’s Palace
The forum shops in Las Vegas are the main attraction. Its theme “Caesar” can be found anywhere. Everything is in gold, many dressed actors walk around and there is also a Caesar and Cleopatra performance.
All the Las Vegas hotels are a never ending source of entertainment. They can easily keep you busy all day long.
Eating at Buffets in Las Vegas
Visiting Las Vegas is incomplete without going to one of the big buffets. A very popular one is in Caesar’s palace. It’s expensive, though (50 dollar) but the buffet itself is pure luxury. Downtown has some cheaper offers. The Flamingo Hotel has a very good breakfast buffet with windows to the Flamingo Garden.
These are just a few examples. One thing you can definitely always do in Las Vegas is eat! Check the hotels website or ads in town to see who offers good buffets.
Sometimes these buffets can be very crowded. At the main times, you might need to wait in a line to get a table. Best option is to eat early (5 – 7 pm), not much later than that. Our German dinner time counts as early to most Americans. 6 pm is a good choice to beat the crowds. 8 pm is too late; the buffets are usually busy at that time. We only ate twice a day, breakfast and an early buffet dinner. Like this, we were hungry enough to enjoy these buffets.
This article continues in Part 3: