No city on my travel list has as many epithets and comparisons as Las Vegas. It is the pearl of the desert, the city of sin, and the oasis of pleasure. All because the gambling capital of the USA is very diverse: Las Vegas is a whole world in miniature. Here you will take pictures with Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, Egyptian pyramid. You will also have a journey through time and space. Also, you can either secure your future forever or make a major mistake in your life.
The city of the bold and the gambling, the passionate and the emotional. Head to the Vegas that never sleeps. You'll be looking for cheap tickets to get there on the shoulders of a reliable ticket aggregator. Or you can book a U.S. tour from the professionals.
Las Vegas: What's interesting about the city
If only by the fact that the gambling capital of the world is just over a hundred years old. The city was founded in the middle of the Mojave Desert only in 1905. For some time, its role was reduced to a transfer point from the east of the country to the west.
As adventurers visited Vegas, so did the activities there. The authorities allowed violent shows, the construction of gambling houses, and gave considerable relaxation of moral standards. Thanks to which Nevada began to be perceived as a "state of great opportunities". Curiously enough, the argument for the casino overreach was the most innocent one: they said that more schools could be built with gambling revenues.
As a result, the Las Vegas gambling industry became a rattling cocktail of debauchery, innovation, crime and social responsibility. Mafia families ruled many casinos in the middle of the 20th century, where free morals reigned. But they and Hollywood shaped mass culture. And the "dirty money" was used to grow a pristine white city in the desert.
That's what Las Vegas is. A city of angels and demons, where not only human passions, vices, but also the best qualities come together.
Where to stay in Las Vegas?
Las Vegas is not only a city of casinos, but also a city of hotels. It would not be an oversimplification to say that sleeping places are located under almost every palm tree. And their choice is solely a question of your budget and the impressions you want to take away with you.
Almost all establishments in the city are resorts. That is, complexes of hotels, entertainment, spa services, and restaurants. They have everything for recreation for every taste: the hotel will take care of your child's leisure time, and you can play roulette not far from the place where you take a shower.
On the plus side, compared to traditional hotels in the States, the level of hotels in Vegas is much higher. But the price is also more expensive, you have to pay resort fees. You can choose one of the chain hotels that we've written about we've written about. Or stay in a favorite gambling complex. In chain hotels prices start from $100 per night. For comparison, a night at Bellagio will cost at least $300.
What to see. Las Vegas casinos
Las Vegas, first of all, is a city of casinos. But you should not perceive traveling through it as a transition from one hall to another with endless rows of "one-armed bandits". Entertainment here is elevated to a real cult. And every detail is designed to delight and attract the visitor. Therefore, the casinos of Las Vegas are real palaces, taking their view of the ancient Egypt, then in the era of Caesar, then in the Middle Ages.
Let's take a trip back in time with you. First, let's take a look at the most notable gambling houses.
Bellagio
The most publicized, the most recognizable, the most chic. By and large, the very, very best Las Vegas gaming and hotel complex. But in those "most" the "most Hollywood" plays a leading role. You saw the Bellagio heist in Ocean's 11. In "Bachelor Party in Las Vegas," the collective amnesia happened there, too. How can you not walk through a place so near and dear to you?
You don't even have to go inside for the main attraction of the complex. The legendary Bellagio musical fountains precede the entrance to the main building, throwing out jets of water as high as a 20-story building. The fountains consist of 1,175 jets and 4,500 lights and put on a show every half hour. It's no wonder Tripadvisor consistently puts them on its list of top attractions nationwide.
Inside the Bellagio is a botanical garden and a fine arts gallery. The botanical garden features seasonal displays. They are prepared for each season of the year and special for Chinese New Year. Designers also delight visitors with expositions for key U.S. holidays, such as Halloween and Thanksgiving.
Finally, Bellagio is known for its ultra-expensive shows. For example, the Cirque du Soleil show was held on an artificial lake and cost the creators $10 million, becoming the most expensive in the history of Las Vegas.
Luxor
And now we're going to go very near: to Egypt. Another iconic entertainment venue is on its way: Luxor. The 30-storey black pyramid is hard to confuse with anything else. Next to the main building, the oriental theme continues with two ziggurat towers and, of course, the Sphinx.
Perhaps Luxor is most notable not even for its appearance, but for the beam of light shining from its top. It is the most powerful beam of light on the planet. It is provided by 39 xenon lamps of 7,000 watts each. According to some estimates, Luxor's beam can even be seen from Earth's orbit.
Caesars Palace
Remembering Cleopatra, let's move to the home of her main lover, Julius Caesar. Yes, Vegas has Roman architecture, too. "Caesars Palace" serves not only to please the eyes of tourists, but also to please the owner's wallet. After all, it is one of the ten largest hotels in the world.
The scope of the creators is not only in this. In 2003, they built the Colosseum, an ancient Roman-style theater with 4,300 seats. Celine Dion, Elton John and Cirque du Soleil have performed on its stage. So it's worth paying attention to the playbills on the on of the venue.
Paris Las Vegas
Paris or Las Vegas... No dissonance! Not instead of, but together - combine selfies with the Louvre and a trip to one of the most famous casinos in the world.
Paris Las Vegas is known, first of all, for its amazing replicas of the best Parisian views. The Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Alexander III Bridge (located right in the building!), the Grand Opera House and the Musée d'Orsay.
The engineers at Half-Paris took a responsible approach to their work. These are not some fake copies. Original drawings and similar materials were used in their construction. The Eiffel Tower alone is worth a lot. It rises 160 meters, half the height of its Parisian sister. Prefer the original to the copy? Then read our quick guide on Paris.
Stratosphere Las Vegas
You can tickle your nerves without even going to the gaming table. The 350-meter Las Vegas Stratosphere Tower, the highest observation deck in the United States, is an easy task.
In addition to the casino and hotel complex, you will find several high-rise rides inside. Among them is the Big Shot, the second tallest attraction in the world. Jumping on chairs along the spire 300 meters from the ground will definitely make your visit to Vegas memorable.
If that's too much for you, you can ride Insanity, a giant claw that hangs its victims from a great height and spins them over the abyss. Or take a SkyJump bungee jump. Can't imagine a trip without rides? Then you'll love our description Disneylands.
What to watch. Outside the casino
Las Vegas is not just about casinos. The city created for pleasure also offers quieter entertainment. You can walk under a huge neon dome, visit a couple of museums and appreciate a popular wedding venue.
Fremont Street Experience
Fremont Street represents one of the key streets of Las Vegas, around which the gambling business developed in the old days. Here you can catch postcard views of Vegas, including a photo of one of the most famous cowboys of the Wild West - "Vic from Vegas". Very progressive, though - Vic is now made of neon.
Neon saved this street from oblivion. When the flow of tourists here began to dry up, in the mid-1990s LG came up with an original proposal. The innovators decided to create a huge video screen in the form of an arched passageway. Now every passerby has access to 460 meters of walk under the neon roof (Fremont Street Experience). The endless video sequence is provided by 12.5 million displays and 50 million LEDs. If you're a fan or aficionado of neon shows, you're sure to love it on the other side of the US: New York's Broadway. We wrote about it in in a separate publication.
Chapel of Flowers
Is there a place for something holy in this city of sin? Absolutely! In the midst of the temples to Fortune, i.e. casinos, there is one really religious place with the romantic name "Chapel of Flowers".
It's not to say that people go there to wash away their sins. The goal is much more pragmatic: to connect their future with their soul mate. The Chapel of Flowers is one of the most popular places for weddings.
The entourage matches it. Few hearts won't melt at the sight of one of the four ceremony rooms, which include the rustic Glass Gardens, the celebrity-popular Victorian Chapel, the Magnolia Chapel with marble mosaic floors, and the La Chapella Chapel.
Let not be confused by the external modesty, you should definitely go inside to appreciate the spirit of romance. However, this does not prevent the church from being technologically advanced. Marriages can even be conducted via the internet. Reservations for weddings starting at $299. In search of other countries for wedding ceremonies? We've compiled the best options for you.
Madame Tussauds
Along with Madame Tussaud's in Hollywood, the Las Vegas institution best reveals American show business. Many exhibition halls are dedicated to modern-day celebrities, by no means rare guests in Vegas.
Fans of the Marvel universe will be especially pleased to visit this place. In addition to wax figures, a unique 4D-exposition is prepared for them. 4D exhibit. Its visit together with the main ticket will cost $40.
High Roller Ferris wheel
Caesars Palace Casino owns the tallest Ferris wheel in North America, the High Roller. From the 170-meter height you can enjoy the lights of the neon city during a 30-minute ride. To make the experience vivid in every sense, it is better to choose evening time for the ride.
Tickets for the Ferris wheel start at $25 during the day and $35 at night. For children under 12, the price is $10 and $19 respectively. You can additionally order the Happy Half Hour service and take a ride in a "bar booth". The pleasure of contemplation will be supplemented by gastronomic temptations.
Dig This Park
Childhood dreams are much more naive and down-to-earth: many of us did not see ourselves at the gaming table in the casino, but enjoyed building houses, digging trenches and driving a bulldozer. Dig This park will help you return to your childhood, even for a few hours.
At the park, you can get behind the wheel of construction equipment and close your childhood gestalt of finally digging a trench not in your imagination, but in Nevada soil. Experienced instructors will teach you how to operate backhoes and loaders and make sure you follow safety procedures. Kids can be taken, too. The most attractive most attractive service is called the Aggression Session. On it you can try on the role of a bad guy from an American action movie and turn a car or two into a pile of metal. The outburst of emotions is not cheap. Tickets start at $749.
Already ready to embark on the most gambling journey to Las Vegas? Go for the dream! But don't forget to apply your U.S. visa. However, this matter can be entrusted to the experts, and in the meantime, you yourself are busy packing your suitcases.
