Las Vegas – just hearing the name conjures up images for most people, and who hasn’t heard of this city? Casinos, neon lights, world-class shows, endless possibilities – a city that never sleeps where nothing is too outlandish. These are the aspects that Las Vegas is known for.
Here’s a brief overview of some things to do and see in Las Vegas.
The Strip – Las Vegas Boulevard
The Strip is the main street of Las Vegas, stretching about 7 kilometers, and it’s the heart of the city lined with giant, spectacular casinos glowing with neon lights. The bustling crowds include tourists and various street performers from musicians to mascots and performance artists. Limousines, sports cars, and luxury vehicles blend with taxis and other traffic. At first glance, you get the promise that this city has everything.
The casinos here are not just gaming halls; they are true entertainment centers. In most casinos, the gaming area is just a small part of the whole, as they also feature shopping centers, restaurants, amusement parks, theaters, and event centers hosting renowned artists, magicians, or even UFC fights.
We booked a hotel right along The Strip to have everything within walking distance from our accommodation. The hotel was Hilton Vacation Club Polo Towers Las Vegas, and it was a great choice. The room had a small kitchen and a balcony, and its location was excellent near the Bellagio hotel. Overall, the hotel was clean and tidy, and being casino-free, it was peaceful. The hotel had a swimming pool and a roof terrace with barbecue areas, which were free to use. From here you could see the lights of the city in the evening.
We recommend taking a stroll around The Strip area. Remember, you can freely walk into any casino resort! Just explore, and you’ll find amazing spots!
Attractions and Activities in Las Vegas
There’s no shortage of things to see and do in Vegas, and rest assured, boredom won’t have a chance. Here are a few highlights in random order that we did and recommend experiencing on your trip to Las Vegas.
High Roller Observation Wheel
The High Roller Observation Wheel in Las Vegas is 168 meters tall, offering stunning views over the rooftops of the casino city. We visited at night when the city views are at their best with the city illuminated by colorful lights. You can enjoy the views in peace during the half-hour ride. The Observation Wheel is located at The LINQ casino, which also features a pleasant promenade with many shops and restaurants. They even have a zipline here, which would have been fun too!
Tickets for the High Roller Observation Wheel in the evening cost $35 per adult. During the daytime, tickets are slightly cheaper at $25 per adult.
Bellagio Fountain
One of the most famous attractions in Las Vegas is the Fountains of Bellagio, a large fountain display in front of the Bellagio hotel that is an absolute must-see in Las Vegas. This attraction consists of a musical fountain show, with up to a thousand fountains in a 300-meter-wide pool, shooting water jets as high as 140 meters against the backdrop of the elegant Bellagio hotel. You can imagine how spectacular this show is!
Bellagio hotel & casino is centrally located on The Strip, making it easy to reach. The fountain show runs every half hour during the day and every 15 minutes in the evening until midnight, so there’s no need for a strict schedule – just drop by whenever with a short wait. We watched the show both during the day and at night, and both are highly recommended. The attraction is free, and although the show runs almost constantly, there’s always a large crowd. So, it’s a good idea to arrive a bit early to secure a good viewing spot.
Criss Angel Mindfreak Show
Since Las Vegas is known as the hub of world-class entertainment, we had to see a show. After exploring various options, we settled on the Criss Angel Mindfreak Show, which turned out to be an excellent choice.
Criss Angel is a world-famous illusionist and magician, and many probably know him from his own TV series, which has even aired in Finland. It says something about his skills that he has his theater in Las Vegas, the Criss Angel Theater.
The show, lasting just under two hours, is filled with unique illusions and magic tricks that will leave your head spinning. In Las Vegas, seeing a show is a must, and we highly recommend this one. It’s an absolute must-go!
Tickets for the Criss Angel Mindfreak Show were about $90 per person and can easily be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com.
The Big Apple Coaster
In Las Vegas, several casinos have different amusement rides, and while you can’t experience them all, we chose the Big Apple Coaster at New York-New York Casino.
As you might guess, New York-New York Casino is themed around New York, and the roller coaster twists around Manhattan, passing the Statue of Liberty and skyscrapers. The ride is quite thrilling, with plenty of height differences and speeds reaching over 100 km/h, all while riding in NYC’s Yellow Cabs.
If we were to critique the ride itself, it was quite bumpy and not as smooth as newer roller coasters, but this didn’t detract from the fun, and the experience was definitely enjoyable.
Around the World in a Day or Two
In Las Vegas, you can practically tour the world’s most popular landmarks in a day or two. Each casino is built around its own theme, so in one day, you can see the Eiffel Tower, Venetian canals, Egyptian pyramids, the Statue of Liberty, and Roman ruins. The casinos are stunning complexes with incredible attention to detail, both inside and out. So, allocate plenty of time just for wandering around and marveling at everything.
For more detailed information about different casinos, you can read our post about Las Vegas Casinos ➛
