The Entertainment Capital of the World offers just about everything: the world’s largest hotels; the brightest stars in show business; shops and restaurants that rival any on earth. It’s true, too, that the lights are brighter in Las Vegas. Yet you don’t have to go far from the glamour and glitter to find the natural beauty of lakes and the desert as well.
- The Strip
- Hoover Dam
- Glitter Gulch
- Bellagio
- The Grand Canyon
- The Venetian
- Wynn Las Vegas
- Red Rock Canyon
- The Forum Shops at Caesars
- CityCenter
1. The Strip
Nowhere are the glitz and glitter of Las Vegas, or its ambivalence, so apparent as along the Strip. This 4-mile (6-km) long thoroughfare (actually a section of Las Vegas Boulevard) is the entertainment capital of the world and home to many of the largest hotels and casinos on the planet. The extravaganza of both its adult entertainment and family favorites makes Las Vegas a city of superlatives. The Strip is a master of reinvention, selling itself on seemingly contradictory values: hedonism one decade, family fun the next.
2. Hoover Dam
Before the Hoover Dam was built in the early 2000s, the mighty Colorado River often flooded acres of farmland in Southern California and Mexico. A series of studies to tame the raging river led to the Boulder Canyon Project Act of 1928 and subsequent dam construction. This concrete colossus - a masterpiece of engineering - is not only used for flood control and power generation, but is also a huge tourist attraction, with nearly a million visitors a year.
3. Glitter Gulch
In the 1980s and early 1990s, as the Strip became more glamorous, downtown—including a section along Fremont Street known as Glitter Gulch—continued to decline. Both the father of the city and the casino owner agree that something needs to be done to reverse the process and take action to ensure it does. The resulting efforts have rejuvenated the area. Development continues with the opening of new restaurants and cocktail bars, offering visitors a wider range of entertainment options.
4. Bellagio
From flower arrangements in hallways to bathtub fixtures, Bellagio, built in 1998, is the epitome of perfection. The goal of Steve Wynn, who originally conceived of this magnificent monument to leisure, was to create a hotel that “that would exemplify absolute quality while emphasizing romance and elegance – romance in the literary sense, a place of ideal beauty and comfort; the world everyone hopes for, as it might be if everything were just right.” Most people agree that Wynn achieved his goal.
5. The Grand Canyon
"Amazing" and "humbling" are the words most commonly used to describe the Grand Canyon experience. Measuring 443 kilometers long, 16 kilometers wide and 1.6 kilometers deep, the canyon is one of the most impressive sights in the world. The canyon includes a range of desert and mountain habitats due to the large height difference between the base and the rim. The South Rim is easier to reach by road than the North Rim and is a five-hour drive from Las Vegas.
6. The Venetian
A few months after Bellagio opened, Sheldon Adelson was ready to unveil The Venetian. Everyone held their breath. Who can rebuild Venice? Of course not: Adelson emulates the most romantic Italian city enough to capture the flavor without sacrificing Las Vegas flair. Since opening, The Venetian has announced some additional attractions - a live performance theatre, a nightclub and other restaurants. Venice? Not really. But exciting - of course!
7. Wynn Las Vegas
Built on the site of the legendary Desert Inn (once owned by Howard Hughes), this massive resort is designed to attract the best high rollers and the biggest. From lavish mansions to Ferrari-Maserati showroom cars, luxury reigns supreme. Wynn's sister hotel, Encore, is a luxurious addition to the resort, with its own restaurants, suites, shopping and entertainment options. The topography of the artificial hill and lake is also spectacular.
8. Red Rock Canyon
About 225 million years ago, the entire Red Rock Canyon was covered by an inland sea. The cliffs, rock formations and caves formed after the sea evaporated and the wind and rain began to shape the land. This remarkable desert area is located 10 miles west of Las Vegas. A nature reserve since 1990, it is protected from the tar and grass of urban sprawl. The 13-mile scenic route that branches off Highway 159 provides a good overview, but the best way to explore this part of the Mojave Desert is on foot.
9. The Forum Shops at Caesars
"So many shops, so little time," complained most first-time visitors to Forum Shops. Opals from Australia, endangered species stores, haute couture and art galleries - there are over 160 stores in all. The complex's public areas are open 24 hours a day, so savvy travelers can wander the alleys early in the morning, looking for window shops and taking a close look at the Forum's fountains and buildings.
10. CityCenter
Las Vegas' greatest creation is the CityCenter, a "city within a city" designed to bring everything together in one place. The 67-acre complex is located in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip and features six different hotels - Aria Resort, Crystal Retail and Entertainment District, Harmon Hotel, Mandarin Oriental, Vdara Hotel and Veer Towers gated community. The area also includes a casino, luxury spas and several art galleries, all within walking distance. At a cost of $8.6 billion, CityCenter is the most expensive privately funded project in the United States.
