There are two main areas of Las Vegas: the
Strip
and Downtown. For many people,
that's all there is to Las Vegas. But there is actually more to
the town than that: Although maybe not as glitzy and glamorous
as the Strip and Downtown--okay, definitely not--Paradise Road
and east Las Vegas are home to quite a bit of casino action,
Maryland Parkway boasts mainstream and alternative culture
shopping, and there are different restaurant choices all over
the city. Confining yourself to the Strip and Downtown is fine
for the first-time visitor, but repeat customers (and you will
be) should get out there and explore. Las Vegas Boulevard South
(the Strip) is the starting point for addresses; any street
crossing it will start with 1 East and 1 West (and go up from
there) at its intersection with the Strip.The Strip--The
Strip is probably the most famous 4-mile stretch of highway in
the nation. Officially called Las Vegas Boulevard South, it
contains most of the top hotels in town and offers almost all of
the major showroom entertainment. First-time visitors will, and
probably should, spend the bulk of their time on the Strip. If
mobility is a problem, we suggest basing yourself in a South or
Mid-Strip location.
For the purposes of organizing this
book, we've divided the Strip into three
sections. The South Strip can be
roughly defined as the portion of the
Strip south of Harmon Avenue, including
the MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, the Monte
Carlo, New York-New York, Luxor, and
many more hotels and casinos.
Mid-Strip is a long stretch of
the street between Harmon Avenue and
Spring Mountain Road, including
Bellagio, Caesars, The Mirage and
Treasure Island, Bally's, Paris-Las
Vegas, The Flamingo Las Vegas, and
Harrah's, among other hotels and
casinos.
The North Strip stretches
north from Spring Mountain Road all the
way to the Stratosphere Casino Hotel &
Tower and includes Stardust, Sahara, The
Riviera, and Circus Circus, to name a
few of the accommodations and
attractions.
East of the Strip/Convention
Center--This area has grown up
around the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Las Vegas is one of the nation's top
convention cities, attracting more than
2.9 million conventioneers each year.
The major hotel in this section is the
Las Vegas Hilton, but in recent years,
Marriott has built Residence Inn and
Courtyard properties here, and the Hard
Rock Hotel has opened. You'll find many
excellent smaller hotels and motels
southward along Paradise Road. All of
these hotels offer close proximity to
the Strip.
Between the Strip & Downtown--The
area between the Strip and Downtown is a
seedy stretch dotted with tacky wedding
chapels, bail-bond operations,
pawnshops, and cheap motels.
However, the area known as the
Gateway District (roughly north and
south of Charleston Blvd. to the west of
Las Vegas Blvd. S.) is slowly but surely
gaining a name for itself as an actual
artists' colony. Studios, small cafes,
and other signs of life are springing
up, and we hope this movement will last.
Downtown--Also known as
"Glitter Gulch" (narrower streets
make the neon seem brighter), downtown
Las Vegas, which is centered on Fremont
Street between Main and 9th streets, was
the first section of the city to develop
hotels and casinos. With the exception
of the Golden Nugget, which looks like
it belongs in Monte Carlo, this area has
traditionally been more casual than the
Strip. But with the advent of the
Fremont Street Experience, Downtown
has experienced a revitalization. The
area is clean, the crowds are low-key
and friendly, and the light show
overhead is as ostentatious as anything
on the Strip. Don't overlook this area.
Las Vegas Boulevard runs all the way
into Fremont Street Downtown.
