Vegas is like nothing else on Earth. And Las Vegas Boulevard, known more commonly as the Strip, is like nothing else in the city.
To call the Strip iconic probably plays it down. The Statue of Liberty is iconic. So is the Palace of Westminster. The Strip is extra. 100-percent, 24-carat extra.
Subtle isn’t in Las Vegas’ dictionary. | Photo: Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
Bright lights, slot machines as far as the eye can see, slushies with a higher alcohol content than neat vodka; that’s what you see when you think of Vegas. Neverland on acid.
Yet the City of Lights is just a single, glorious destination in Nevada and it’d be a crime not to venture out and see the state. Vegas is the perfect base from which to explore and, given the number of direct flights from the UK, the most accessible too. But first things first…
High roller
Every hotel, restaurant and casino worth its salt is situated in and around the Strip. There’s one for every budget, from the Bellagio if you’re blowing the bank (or you win big on a table while you’re there) to the gargantuan Caesar’s, to the more reasonably priced Flamingo, coming complete with a flock of flamingos in its garden. And nearly every hotel has a casino.
The rules of everyday life are suspended on the floor of the house.
Servers will bring you a steady flow of free drinks and snacks (all you need do is tip), gamblers will huddle around machines and tables, smoking freely, and natural light is very hard to find, making it easy to forget the world outside.
Las Vegas is a city of wonders – and surprises wait after every corner. | Photo: Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
These are the tricks the hotels use to you keep you gaming and spending. In fact, there are no minibars in Vegas hotel rooms – why drink in your room when you can be drinking by the blackjack table?
Don’t worry about extending your overdraft quite yet. There are tables with a $5 minimum bet, and plenty of slot machines where you can play with loose change.
If, like me, you don’t gamble at all, it’s still worth spending a bit of time on the gaming floors as there’s no better place to people-watch. The whole spectrum of American society can be found there, and you’ll easily find someone to chat to. (Bob and Maggie from San Diego, if you’re reading, hi!)
The world on one road
The Strip itself is very walkable, and walk you should. Where else can you see the Egyptian pyramids, the Eiffel Tower and the Rialto Bridge (spanning a canal populated by actual gondolas) on the same stroll?
Travel around the world while staying in one city, what’s not to love? | Photo: Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
The city is breathtaking in its ostentation and you need to be on foot to really appreciate it. Otherwise, get all the views at once at Vegas’ version of the London Eye, the High Roller. Not to be outdone by the Brits, the Vegas wheel is 30m taller and sits at the heart of the strip, showcasing some absolutely cracking views.
We hopped aboard after dark, when the city’s lit up like a Christmas tree (you must be able to see it from space), and when you can really get a sense of just how big the city actually is.
