Our last stop on our trip from the United States was in Las Vegas. Also called the “Fun Capital of the World“, “The City That Never Sleeps“, “Sin City” or “The Kitsch Capital“, Las Vegas offers tourists a whole world in one place.
Pictures and movies don’t really capture the atmosphere of the city, and only by visiting Vegas can you truly understand its glitz. 42 million tourists visit Vegas annually , mainly gambling enthusiasts.
Located in the middle of the Mojave Desert, Las Vegas is the 28th most populous city in America and the largest in the state of Nevada.
As in the case of New York, for Las Vegas I bought a city pass: 3 Days Go City® Las Vegas Pass. The three days include admission to museums, guided tours, hop-on hop-off bus ride and you can choose one of the premium attractions: helicopter ride, Grand Canyon day trip, Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon trip , trip to Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks, Legends in Concert or SkyJump at The STRAT (jumping with an elastic rope from the 108th floor of  The STRAT Hotel). Prices start at $109/person/2 days.
The center of entertainment is on the Las Vegas Strip. The Strip is a section of Las Vegas Boulevard South full of light, glitz and unlimited partying, where the biggest hotel resorts and restaurants are found. Here are 15 of the 25 largest hotels in the world by number of rooms. These include The Venetian Resort, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, Luxor, Wynn and Encore.
We’ve walked the boulevard a few times and it’s the ideal place to feel the full Vegas atmosphere. You can walk across the boulevard, but although some hotels seem close, the distance between them is quite long and you will need a bus or taxi. Vegas is beautiful during the day, but at night you will truly understand why it is also called the “City of Lights“.
We wish we had more days to visit all the hotels on The Strip, but we managed to check off a few and made a little summary. You can enter all the hotels, either visit them or play the games of chance, without anyone asking you anything.
Bellagio Hotel and Casino. You can’t come to Vegas without seeing the famous Fountains of Bellagio show. It is best to see the show in the evening, when the fountains are accompanied by lights. Each show is unique, so no matter how many times you see the fountains, they will always impress you. You can see the exact program by clicking here.
The hotel is famous for its elegance and for the Cirque du Soleil shows. “O” by Cirque du Soleil includes acrobatics, dances and water gymnastics. The story is about a boy taken on a fascinating journey through a mysterious aquatic world. “O” by Cirque du Soleil has its permanent “domicile” at Bellagio since October 1998.
Another attraction of the hotel is the Conservatory & Botanical Gardens – a botanical garden that you can walk through for free. Each year they have five seasonal themes: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter and Chinese New Year. Each season, the horticulture and engineering teams transform the botanical garden into an explosion of color.
Bellagio also holds a world record: it houses the world’s largest glass sculpture. The more than 2,000 colorful hand-blown glass flowers that hang in the hotel’s reception area were created by world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly. The name of the sculpture translates as “Flowers of Como” and represents the multitude of flower colors and beauty of the Como area of ​​Italy.
National Atomic Testing Museum. In 1951, nuclear weapons testing began at the Nevada Test Site (105 km from Las Vegas). Las Vegas was called “Atomic City” at the time. Residents and visitors could witness the tests (being exposed to radiation), and from 1963 nuclear tests were required to be moved underground.
Inside the museum you can see short films and more than 12,000 unique artifacts from the nation’s atomic testing program, as well as pieces of the Berlin Wall and the World Trade Center. If you want to learn what impact these tests had in Las Vegas, why nuclear weapons were used, and why Nevada was a “perfect” place to test them, visit the Atomic Testing Museum. The price of a ticket is $22/person (free entry with GO City).
Luxor Hotel & Casino is the second largest hotel in Vegas and one of the most famous hotels in the world due to its unique Egyptian themed design. The main building is represented by a huge pyramid (the third tallest pyramid in the world (107 m), after two of the pyramids of Giza) guarded by the copy of the Sphinx of Egypt (which is almost twice the size of the original) and numerous statues Egyptian.
Every night, a ray of light starts from the top of the pyramid and penetrates the sky. It is the world’s strongest man-made beam of light and is visible to air travelers passing over Las Vegas.
The interior of the hotel is as impressive as the interior, with Egyptian statues and murals. Here you can take part in some of the biggest shows, including “America’s Got Talent” or “Blue Man Group Show“.
Also inside is Titanic The Artifact Exposition. Learn details about the tragedy of the world’s most famous ocean liner, the Titanic. The exhibition is one of the most visited, with over 250 authentic artifacts recovered from the Titanic wreck site , as well as replicas of some of the ship’s most famous rooms. The price of a ticket is $32/person.
The Fremont Street is actually the center of Las Vegas and not The Strip as many people imagine. The biggest attraction is the huge video screen that spans four blocks between Fremont Street and Main Street. Here you can shop, walk or take part in free concerts, shows and performances.
The Mirage is a 3,044-room resort built with a Polynesian theme. I didn’t go inside the hotel, but I witnessed the volcano show.
The artificial volcano is the main attraction of the hotel and erupts every day to the rhythm of the music (sometimes, due to technical problems or weather, the shows can be cancelled).
From the last news I read, I understood that The Mirage will be acquired by the Hard Rock company, which will leave its mark on the hotel. The company plans to build a new guitar-shaped tower, and two of the Mirage‘s best-known attractions , the artificial volcano and the Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, could disappear.
MGM Grand is the second largest hotel in the world by number of rooms, with more than 6,800 rooms. The complex has numerous shops and nightclubs, five outdoor swimming pools, 19 restaurants, a convention center and the largest casino in Las Vegas.
The hotel hosts one of the most beloved shows, KÀ by Cirque Du Soleil. The show features the epic story of twins who embark on a journey to fulfill their shared destiny. The price of a ticket starts from $69/person.
For fans of The Hunger Games , The Hunger Games: The Exhibition recently opened at the MGM Grand. An immersive experience based on a successful film franchise.
You’ll be able to see original props and explore masterfully recreated sets that feel like you’re stepping right into the movie. The price of a ticket is $30/person, free with GO City.
New York New York Hotel & Casino . As the name indicates, the theme of the hotel is represented by the city of New York. Perfect copies of the most famous New York attractions surround the hotel: the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, the Statue of Liberty or the Brooklyn Bridge.
You can walk the cobbled streets of old New York, dine at one of the pubs or go to a Spa.
For adrenaline junkies there is The Big Apple Coaster & Arcade – a roller coaster that takes you around Manhattan at a speed of 108 km/h. The price of a ticket starts at $19/person, free with GO City.
Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino encompasses all the Parisian atmosphere in one hotel complex. Here you can find replicas of famous tourist attractions in Paris: the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the facade of the Opera House and the Louvre Museum.
The interior is equally fascinating and beautifully decorated, so that you feel as if you are walking through the romantic streets of Paris.
Do not hesitate to climb the Eiffel Tower. The view is impressive. We went up at night and managed to see the show of the Bellagio Fountains and the volcano at The Mirage. The price of a ticket is $24.50/person, free with GO City.
Treasure Island Hotel & Casino has a design inspired by the world of Robinson Crusoe, with ships and pirates. A wide range of authentic props and costumes from the Marvel Avengers films are on display inside the hotel. You can see Captain America‘s uniform and shield or Black Widow‘s uniform and weapons. Ticket price $34/person.
The Venetian Resort is across from Treasure Island. The complex embodies the spirit and excitement of Venice through Renaissance architecture, gorgeous ceiling paintings or gondola rides on the canals.
The interior of the hotel is furrowed by the narrow streets, and the ceiling imitates the sky of a clear day in Venice. If you haven’t visited Venice, you have the chance to see the faithful copies of St. Mark’s Square, the famous Rialto Bridge or the Campanile Tower.
The famous Madame Tussauds wax museum is also located here. We also saw the Madame Tussauds museum in Vienna, but because we were still in the hotel and had the entrance included in the city pass, we also visited it.Â
In addition to realistic representations of some of the most famous characters and celebrities, you can take part in a 4D experience with Marvel superheroes. The price of a ticket starts from $37/person.Â
Flamingo Hotel & Casino. The hotel’s architectural theme is reminiscent of the Art Deco style of Miami and South Beach. The Flamingo was the third hotel to open on The Strip and remains the oldest complex here still in operation today.
One of the hotel’s most beloved attractions is the Flamingo Wildlife Habitat. You can escape the hustle and bustle of the city for a few minutes to wander the peaceful and relaxing gardens with waterfalls, exotic birds, turtles and fish. Entry is free.
Caesars Palace Hotel and Casino is a real museum dedicated to the Roman Empire. The complex has 6 towers: Roman, Augustus, Centurion, Forum, Octavius ​​and Palace.
Inside, in addition to the special architecture with Roman columns and statues, there are 7 swimming pools, over 160 luxury shops, one of the largest night clubs (Omnia Nightclub), beauty salons and casinos, of course.
The comedy The Hangover was filmed here and concerts by famous artists such as Adele, Usher, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey or Elton John take place.
The STRAT Hotel, Casino & Skypod is located at the entrance to Downtown. It is the tallest observation tower in the United States (350 meters) and the tallest building in Vegas.
At the top there are two observation decks that offer a 360-degree panorama of Vegas, and fans of extreme sports can try one of the 4 highest attractions: Insanity, X-Scream, BIG Shot or Sky Jump. To go up to the SkyPod observation platform you need to pay a ticket of $20/person (free with Go City).
Circus Circus. As the name suggests, the hotel is built with a circus theme. In addition to the casino, inside there is a stage where circus shows with acrobats, jugglers, shops with objects from the circus world, clowns and various games take place.
Circus Circus is home to America ‘s third-largest indoor theme park, the Adventuredome, and the world’s largest permanent circus. The free shows last about 15-20 minutes.
Excalibur Hotel & Casino has the theme of a medieval castle. Named after the mythical sword of King Arthur, Excalibur was when it opened (in 1990) the largest hotel in the world, with over 4000 rooms.
Inside are medieval themed murals, armor and pieces of furniture.
Mandalay Bay is a 43-story luxury resort and casino. The hotel is known for its enormous aquarium that has over 2000 animals, including 12 types of sharks (Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay). Tickets start at $29/person.
The 167 meter high High Roller Ferris Wheel is the second tallest observation wheel in the world. A full rotation takes about 30 minutes, and from the top you get a 360-degree view of Las Vegas, as well as the mountains and desert that surround the city.
During the ride, you’ll be able to watch a video highlighting Las Vegas landmarks you’ll see along the way, while also giving visitors a little history. The price of an Adult ticket is $23.50/person during the day and $34.75/person in the evening, free with a GO City pass until 4 p.m.
The “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign is located at the southern end of The Strip and is one of the most photographed attractions in the United States. If you are coming to Las Vegas for the first time, you must take a picture here, although maybe it seemed like a cliché. You can get there by bus, and if you are driving, there is a small free parking lot right in front of the sign.
The GO City Pass included a Hop-On Hop-Off Big Bus ride. The ticket was valid for a whole day and you could get on or off the bus at any time. Each double-decker bus tour has a live guide to provide an informative and entertaining overview. Buses run every 20-30 minutes, so you won’t have to wait too long.
Real Bodies at Bally’s is a permanent exhibit that takes human anatomy to another level. Inside are 20 human bodies and over 200 preserved organs. It is a complex presentation of the human body and how it is all connected – organ to organ, system to system, from the beginnings of life to the intervention of modern medicine and even death. The preservation process for each of the bodies and specimens on display is complex and can take up to a year, depending on the size of the organ or body.
The Hollywood Car Museum features more than 100 cars that made Hollywood history. It’s a collection of some of the most famous and expensive cars ever made that have appeared in movies or TV shows, including five vehicles from various James Bond movies, the Batmobile or vehicles from the Fast and Furious series. Photography is allowed inside, but only for personal purposes. The price of a ticket is $30/person, free with GO City.
Among the premium attractions offered by the GO City Pass, we chose the helicopter ride. We enjoyed a 10-minute walk above The Strip. Taking off from the Las Vegas Boulevard terminal, we were walked along the South Strip to downtown and then back. The price of a ticket is $149/person.
(Las Vegas – August 2021)
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