Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
LAS VEGAS
It's three in the morning in a smoky casino when you spot an Elvis lookalike sauntering by
arm in arm with a glittering showgirl just as a bride in a short white dress shrieks 'Black-
jack!'
Vegas, baby: It's the only place in the world you can see ancient hieroglyphics, the Eiffel
Tower, the Brooklyn Bridge and the canals of Venice in a few short hours. Sure, they're all
reproductions, but in a desert metropolis that has transformed itself into one of the most lav-
ish getaway destinations on the planet, nothing is executed halfway - not even the illusions.
Las Vegas is the ultimate escape. Time is irrelevant here. There are no clocks, just never-
ending buffets and ever-flowing drinks. This city has been constantly reinventing herself
since the days of the Rat Pack. Today its pull is all-inclusive: Hollywood bigwigs gyrate at
A-list ultralounges, while college kids seek cheap debauchery and grandparents whoop it up
at the hot, hot penny slots.
Welcome to the dream factory.
Sights
Four miles long, the Strip (Las Vegas Blvd) is the center of all the action. The Stratosphere
caps the north end of the Strip and Mandalay Bay the south end. Don't be fooled: a walk to
what looks like a nearby casino usually takes longer than expected.
Downtown is home to the city's oldest hotels and casinos: expect a retro feel, cheaper
drinks and lower table limits. Its main drag is the fun-loving Fremont Street Experience
( GOOGLE MAP ; www.vegasexperience.com ; Fremont St, btwn Main St & Las Vegas Blvd; hourly
dusk-midnight; Deuce, SDX) , a five-block covered pedestrian mall featuring a zip line and a
trippy light show hourly after dark.
Major tourist areas are safe. Las Vegas Blvd between downtown and the Strip gets
shabby, as does much of downtown off Fremont St.
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