Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
605
Stratosphere Thrill Rides
Kids
Atop the 1,149-foot Stratosphere Tower are
three marvelous thrill rides. The
Big Shot
is a breathtaking free-fall ride that thrusts you
160 feet in the air along a 228-foot spire at the top of the tower, and then plummets back
down again. Amping up the terror factor is
X-Scream,
a giant teeter-totter-style device
that propels you in an open car off the side of the 100-story tower and lets you dangle
there weightlessly before returning you to relative safety. And now they have the aptly
named
Insanity,
a spinning whirly-gig of a contraption that straps you into a seat and
twirls you around 1,000 feet or so above terra firma. Insanity is right.
Note:
The rides are
shut down in inclement weather and high winds.
Atop Stratosphere Las Vegas, 2000 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
&
702/380-7777.
Admission: Big Shot $13;
X-Scream $12; Insanity $12; plus fee to ascend Tower: $14 for adults; $10 for locals, seniors, and hotel
guests; $8 children. Multiride and all-day packages also available for varying costs. Sun-Thurs 10am-
1am; Fri-Sat 10am-2am. Hours vary seasonally. Minimum height requirement for Big Shot is 48 in.;
minimum height requirement for X-Scream and Insanity are 52 in.
WHERE TO ROLL THE DICE
What? You didn't come to Las Vegas for the Liberace Museum? We are shocked.
Shocked.
Yes, there are gambling opportunities in Vegas. Let's not kid ourselves; gambling is
what Vegas is about. You should casino-hop at least once to marvel (or get dizzy) at the
decor/spectacle and the sheer excess of it all. Beyond decoration, there isn't too much
difference. All the casinos have slot and video poker machines and offer games such as
blackjack, roulette, craps, poker, Pai Gow, keno, and baccarat. If you're a novice, many
casinos offer free gambling lessons that include low stakes games, so you won't lose much
while you learn.
Some notable places to gamble include the
MGM Grand,
the largest casino (you will
get lost);
New York-New York,
where the change carts look like yellow cabs; the light
and airy
Mandalay Bay;
the tasteful
Venetian;
the
Las Vegas Hilton,
where the space-
themed casino has light beam-activated slots;
Harrah's,
where the “party pits” offer the
most fun in town;
Paris Las Vegas,
where you'll find a kitschy Disneyesque atmosphere;
and
Binion's,
where all serious gamblers head, thanks to low minimum bets and single-
deck blackjack.
Downtown, stakes are lower, pretensions are nonexistent, and the clientele are often
friendlier. You don't have to be a high roller. You would not believe how much fun you
can have with a nickel slot machine. You won't get rich, but neither will most of those
guys playing the $5 slots.
18
5
LAS VEGAS AFTER DARK
THE SHOWS
You won't go wrong seeing one of
Cirque du Soleil
's productions—they're among the
best in town.
O,
at the Bellagio (
&
888/488-7111
), is a breathtaking mix of artistry and
acrobatics over a 1.5-million-gallon pool;
Mystère,
at TI at the Mirage (
&
800/288-
7206
), is a sophisticated and surreal circus extravaganza.
Folies Bergère,
at the Tropicana,
is the longest-running production show in town and has recently undergone a “sexier
than ever” face-lift. The
Blue Men Group
at the Venetian is performance art for the
masses, but don't let that prevent you from going and laughing your head off (
&
702/
