This article is not really about which of the go-zillions of hotels to stay at but rather what part of the city.
And the answer to the question in the title?
It depends on what you’re looking for.
There are really two different areas of Vegas, assuming you’re coming there for the gambling and other entertainment. If you’re coming for some other reason, then I don’t know nothing about nothing, since I’ve only been there for the fun.
First there is the Strip, a four and a half mile long section of Las Vegas Boulevard which is (I didn’t know this) according to Wikipedia located mostly outside the city limits of Las Vegas in the unincorporated town of Paradise. It is generally accepted that the Strip, proper, starts at the Stratosphere on the north end and ends at Mandalay Bay on the south.
Along this stretch of highway are located some of the most fabulous (and largest) hotels and casinos on earth. If you like glitter and crowds, then you will have no problem find a place on the Strip for you.
The most famous hotels/casinos include laceName w:st="on">MandalaylaceName> laceType w:st="on">BaylaceType>, Luxor, Mirage, MGM, Paris, the Bellagio, the Venetian, Treasure Island, the Wynn, Bally’s, Aladdin, Circus Circus, and Caesar’s Palace. This list is by no means all inclusive and I have left several of the major resorts out, not because they are not nice, but because it would be impossible to list all of the establishments in Vegas without running out of room.
The Strip is well known for its night life and trendy spots and celebrity spottings are common place. As I mentioned in my article on potato vodka, one of the bars is Red Square located in Mandalay Bay. Although the clientele is a little too trendy for my tastes if you are a vodka drinker I highly recommend visiting as their selection is absolutely incredible.
The entertainment on the strip is also incredible with top notch acts of all kinds in town on a regular basis, as well as the regulars such as Elton John, Celine Dion (ugh), the Blue Man Group and too many others to list.
The restaurants on the Strip are also incredible and, again, too numerous to mention here although I will recommend the buffet at the Bellagio. Although pricey for a buffet, it is an experience to say the least.
For an all around Vegas experience the Strip is great, with a great selection of everything under the sun. However, be aware that nothing is close to anything else. For instance, the Bellagio is right across the street from Paris, but the walk there is incredibly long. The size of these places makes it appear they are much closer than they really are.
When I visit Vegas to gamble, as opposed to the times I am forced to take my wife along by guilt, necessity, or threats, I prefer to stay and gamble Downtown.
The heart of Vegas was originally Fremont Street, which has since been closed off and turned into a pedestrian mall complete with a zillion dollar light show (the Fremont Street Experience) playing on the underside of the canopy.
Contrary to the Strip, everything Downtown is close. It is easy to wander in and out of a variety of casinos and, in a good evening, gamble in them all.
The casinos are not as new and shiny as those on the Strip, and in some cases “seedy” would be an accurate description, but the odds are better and the minimum bets required are lower.
There are some good restaurants downtown, but nothing to compare with the ones on the Strip. I had one of the best Chinese meals in my life at the Horseshoe, prior to it being taken over by Harrah’s. However, the Strip is always just a cab ride away if you desire something a little fancier.
The hotels Downtown are also considerably less refined than those on the Strip. The Golden Nugget is probably the best, although adequate and clean rooms can be found at the Plaza and the Horseshoe. Indeed, most of the hotels fronting on Fremont Street are adequate and clean.
Unfortunately, one of the icons of Las Vegas, Binion’s Horseshoe Casino, has been sold to the Harrah’s Corporation. To date there have been a few changes in the casino, but you can still feel “old” Vegas if you spend a few hours there. The World Series of Poker started here and Benny Binion was famous for allowing the amount of your first bet to set your limit. Even though the table card may read a $1000 maximum bet, if you walked to the table with a million dollars in a briefcase, as is reported to have happened, Benny would take the bet. It is unknown, but unlikely, that Harrah’s will follow the same tradition.
I’ll be adding more details later but to sum this article up, if you’re going to gamble, stay downtown and catch a cab to the strip when necessary. If you’re going for the night life, stay on the Strip and live it up!
