discover las vegas - lonely...

IContents

Discover

Experience the best of Las Vegas

Las Vegas

This edition written and researched by

Sara Benson

01-welcome-to-dc-lav2.indd 101-welcome-to-dc-lav2.indd 1 8/08/2014 3:08:39 PM8/08/2014 3:08:39 PM

This is Las Vegas .......................6

Highlights Map ..................................8

Las Vegas’ Top 15 Highlights .......10

Top Days in Las Vegas .................... 24

Month by Month ........ 32

What’s New ................. 34

Get Inspired ............... 35

Need to Know ........... 36

LuxorLuxor ........................ ........................7171Luxor’s Best ................72Map ................................73Sights.............................74Eating.............................74Drinking & Nightlife ......75Entertainment ..............75

New York–New York–New YorkNew York ................. .................7777New York–New York’s Best .........78Map ................................79Sights............................ 80Eating............................. 81Drinking & Nightlife ..... 82Entertainment ............. 83Shopping ...................... 83

Spas & Activities ......... 83

The StripThe Strip .................. ..................3939Highlights ..................... 40Walking Tour ................ 42LINQ ............................. 44Sights............................ 46Map ............................... 48Eating............................. 51Circus Circus .............. 54Drinking & Nightlife .....55Flamingo ..................... 56Entertainment ..............57Stratosphere .............. 58Shopping .......................59Tours ..............................59

Mandalay BayMandalay Bay ......... ......... 6161Mandalay Bay’s Best .............................. 62Map ............................... 63Sights............................ 64Eating............................ 64Drinking & Nightlife ......67Entertainment ............. 68Shopping ...................... 69Spas & Activities ......... 69

ContentsContentsPlan Your TripPlan Your Trip Discover Las VegasDiscover Las Vegas


MGM GrandMGM Grand ........... ...........8585MGM Grand’s Best .............................. 86Map ................................87Sights............................ 88Eating............................ 89Drinking & Nightlife ..... 90Entertainment .............. 91Spas & Activities .......... 91

CityCenter & CityCenter & CosmopolitanCosmopolitan ......... .........9393Highlights ..................... 94Cosmopolitan’s Best .............................. 96Map ................................97Sights............................ 98Eating............................ 98Aria’s Best ................. 101Drinking & Nightlife ....102Entertainment ............102Shopping .....................103Spas & Activities ........103

Planet Planet HollywoodHollywood ............. .............105105Planet Hollywood’s Best .... 106Map .............................. 107Sights...........................108Eating...........................108Drinking & Nightlife .... 110Entertainment ............. 111Shopping ...................... 111Spas & Activities ......... 111

Paris Las VegasParis Las Vegas .... .... 113113Paris Las Vegas’ Best .............................114Map .............................. 115Sights........................... 116Eating........................... 116Drinking & Nightlife .... 118Entertainment ............ 118Shopping ..................... 119Spas & Activities ........ 119

BellagioBellagio ................... ...................121121Bellagio’s Best ..........122Map ..............................123Sights...........................124Eating...........................125Drinking & Nightlife .... 127Entertainment ............128Shopping .....................129Spas & Activities ........129

Caesars PalaceCaesars Palace ...... ...... 131131Caesars Palace’s Best ............................ 132Map ..............................133Sights...........................134Eating...........................134Drinking & Nightlife ....136Entertainment ............136Shopping ..................... 137Spas & Activities ........ 137

Discover Las Vegas


ContentsContents

Venetian & Venetian & PalazzoPalazzo ................... ...................155155Maps ............................156Sights...........................158Venetian & Palazzo’s Best .......... 159Eating...........................160Drinking & Nightlife ....162Entertainment ............163Shopping .....................163Spas & Activities ........164

Wynn & EncoreWynn & Encore ... ...167167Wynn & Encore’s Best ........... 168Map ..............................169Sights........................... 170Eating........................... 170Drinking & Nightlife .... 174Entertainment ............ 175Shopping ..................... 175Spas & Activities ........ 175

Downtown & Downtown & Fremont StreetFremont Street ..... ..... 177177Highlights .................... 178Walking Tour ...............180Mob Museum .............182Sights...........................184Map ..............................186Eating........................... 187Drinking & Nightlife ....189Golden Nugget’s Best ........................... 190Entertainment ............192Shopping .....................193

East of the East of the StripStrip ......................... .........................197197National Atomic Testing Museum........198Sights..........................200Eating..........................200Highlights ....................201Map ............................. 202Drinking & Nightlife ... 202Entertainment ........... 203Shopping .................... 203Hard Rock’s Best .....204Spas & Activities ....... 205

MirageMirage .................... ....................139139Mirage’s Best ...........140Map ...............................141Sights...........................142Eating...........................143Drinking & Nightlife ....144Entertainment ............145Shopping .....................145

Spas & Activities ........145

Treasure IslandTreasure Island ..... .....147147Treasure Island’s Best ............................ 148Map ..............................149Sights...........................150Eating...........................150Drinking & Nightlife .....151Entertainment ............152Shopping .....................153Spas & Activities ........153

Discover Las VegasDiscover Las Vegas


Las Vegas Today .......................... 232History ........................ 234Family Travel .............. 239Dining in Las Vegas .................... 241Drinking & Entertainment ........... 244Shopping .................... 250Gambling .................... 252Sports & Activities .................... 256

Sleeping ..................... 260Transport ................... 270Directory .................... 273

Behind the Scenes ....................... 278

Index .......................... 279

How to Use this Book ........... 287

Our Writer .................288

West of the West of the StripStrip ......................... .........................207207Springs Preserve .....208Sights...........................210Eating...........................210Map .............................. 211Highlights ....................214Drinking & Nightlife ....214Entertainment ............214Palms’ Best ................215Rio’s Best ...................216Spas & Activities ........ 217

Day Trips 219Day Trips 219Red Rock Canyon .......................220

Hoover Dam, Lake Mead & Boulder City ..............................221

Grand Canyon National Park ..........225

Survival GuideSurvival GuideIn FocusIn FocusDiscover Las Vegas


It’s three in the morning when you spot an Elvis look-alike sauntering by arm-in-arm with a glittering showgirl. A bride in a miniskirted white dress shrieks ‘Blackjack!’ as a stoic blue-haired granny feeds nickels into a slot machine while tossing back a gin and tonic. It’s a surreal, Technicolor-tinged fantasy straight out of the movies – and there’s only one place you could be.

Vegas, baby: it’s the ultimate escape. This is the only place you can spend the night partying in ancient Rome, wake up in Egypt and brunch under the Eiffel Tower, watch an erupting volcano at sunset and get married in a pink Cadillac at midnight. Double down with the high rollers, browse couture or tacky souvenirs, sip a neon 3ft-high margarita or a frozen vodka martini from a bar made of ice – it’s all here for the taking.

Time is irrelevant in Sin City. There are no clocks inside casinos, just never-ending buffets, ever-flowing drinks and adrenaline-fueled gaming tables. Almost any desire can be instantly gratified, because the luxe casino resorts stand ready to cater to your every whim 24/7. Emptying your wallet never felt so damn good.

The landscape is a constantly shifting paradox, a volatile cocktail of dueling forces: sophistication and smut, risk and reward, boom and bust. And that’s all part of its charm. Head downtown to explore Vegas’ nostalgic beginnings and its cultural renaissance of indie shops and cocktail bars where local culture thrives, then detour off the Strip to find intriguing museums that inves-tigate Vegas’ gangster, atomic-fueled past.

So, America’s dirty little secret or dream factory? Vegas is both – and remains a bastion of hangover-inducing weekends for people from all walks of life. You can reinvent yourself a hundred times over, or hide out with your lover in a hotel room for days. It doesn’t matter if you play the penny slots or drop a bankroll every night – you’ll leave town convinced you’ve had the time of your life.

Emptying your wallet

never felt so damn

good

This is Las Vegas This is Las Vegas

Showgirl outside Golden Gate (p185)MARK READ/LONELY PLANET ©


11

11

11

1

#›

THE

STRI

P

DO

WN

TOW

N

18B

ARTS

DIS

TRIC

T

FREM

ON

T EA

STEN

TERT

AIN

MEN

TD

ISTR

ICT

Cas

hman

Fiel

d

Golf

Course

Las

Veg

asN

atio

nal

Gol

f Clu

b

Wyn

n C

ount

ryC

lub

W S

ahar

a Av

e

W C

harl

esto

n B

lvd

Las Vegas Blvd S (The Strip)

Martin Luther King Blvd

Tonopah Hwy

E Sa

hara

Ave

E C

harl

esto

n B

lvd

E D

eser

t Inn

Rd

Alta

Dr

Main St

W F

lam

ingo

Rd

S Mojave RdE

Bon

anza

Rd

Bruce St

Main St

E O

akey

Blv

d

S Valley View Blvd

San

ds A

ve

E Fl

amin

go R

dCasino Center Blvd

W O

akey

Blv

dS Maryland Pkwy

Paradise Rd

Las

Vega

s Ex

pwy

Las

Vega

s Ex

pwy

W B

onan

za R

d

N Eastern Ave


E Fr

emon

t St

S Rancho Dr

S Jones Blvd

S Decatur Blvd

E V

egas

Val

ley

Dr

P ecos-M

cLeod Int

S Eastern Ave

W S

prin

g M

ount

ain

Rd

W D

eser

t Inn

Rd

Des

ert I

nn Rd

Sup

er-A

rter

ial

N Pecos Rd

Str

atos

pher

e

Bel

lagi

o

Mira

ge

Spr

ings

Pres

erve

Fash

ion

Sho

w

Chi

nato

wn

Plaz

aW

ynn

Enco

re

Bal

ly's

Cae

sars

Pala

ceFl

amin

go

Las

Veg

asC

onve

ntio

nC

ente

r

Riv

iera

Com

mer

cial

Cen

ter

Ven

etia

nH

arra

h's

Pala

zzo

Circ

usC

ircus

Trea

sure

Isla

nd

Las

Veg

asPr

emiu

m O

utle

tsN

orth

LVH

SLS

Rio

Gol

dC

oast

Palm

sPa

ris L

as V

egas

Qua

d

# •14# •12

# •13G

reyh

ound

Bus

Sta

tion

# •15

# •8

# •7 # •11

# •3# •2

# •9

# •5

# •6

VUÓ95

[Ù95[Ù93

Y Z ×515

VUÓ15

Uni

vers

ityof

Nevad

aCos

mop

olita

nPlan

etHard

Gol

Cour

Co

LLLLLaaaassss

VVVVVVeeeeggggaaaa

ssssEEEExxxxx

pppppwwwwwyyyyy

wÓVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Las

Las V

egas

Vega

s

02-map-dc-lav2.indd 802-map-dc-lav2.indd 8 8/08/2014 12:53:23 PM8/08/2014 12:53:23 PM

McC

arran

Inte

rnat

iona

lA

irport

Bal

i Hai

Golf C

lub

Uni

vers

ity of N

evad

a,La

s V

egas

(UN

LV)

W T

ropi

cana

Ave

E Tr

opic

ana

Ave

Swenson St

S Maryland Pkwy

Sun

set R

d

Rus

sell

Rd


S Pecos Rd

S Jones Blvd

W Rus

sell Rd

Paradise Rd

MG

MG

rand

Cos

mop

olita

n

Thom

as &

Mac

k Stadium

Trop

ican

aEx

calib

ur

Man

dalay

Bay

Orle

ans

Luxo

r

Plan

etHol

lywoo

d

Mon

te Car

lo

Hard

Roc

k

New

Yor

k N

ew Yor

k

Aria

# •1

# •4

#–

# •10

VUÓ15

Cart

o: A

dd g

raph

ic te

xt w

ith h

ighl

ight

s.

To b

e re

plac

ed in

Inde

sign

.

#e0

1.8

km0

1mile

s

Cart

o: A

dd g

raph

ic te

xt w

ith h

ighl

ight

s.

To b

e re

plac

ed in

Inde

sign

.

�1�1 C

ruis

ing

the

Str

ip

(p39

)

22 C

irque

du

Sol

eil

�3�3 C

eleb

rity

che

fs

�4�4 F

abul

ous

pool

s

55 P

oker

at B

inio

n’s

(p18

5)

�6�6 F

rem

ont E

ast

Ente

rtai

nmen

t D

istr

ict (

p189

)

�7�7 V

inta

ge V

egas

at

Circ

us C

ircus

(p54

)

�8�8 F

ashi

on S

how

(p59

)

�9�9 S

trat

osph

ere

(p58

)

�a�a W

elco

me

to F

abul

ous

Las

Vega

s S

ign

(p46

)

�b�b C

lubb

ing

at W

ynn

& E

ncor

e (p

174)

�c�c Q

ua B

aths

& S

pa,

Cae

sars

Pal

ace

(p13

7)

�d�d S

prin

gs P

rese

rve

(p20

8)

�e�e N

atio

nal A

tom

ic T

estin

g M

useu

m (p

198)

�f�f F

rem

ont S

tree

t Ex

peri

ence

(p18

5)

02-map-dc-lav2.indd 902-map-dc-lav2.indd 9 8/08/2014 12:53:28 PM8/08/2014 12:53:28 PM

Las Vegas’ Las Vegas’Top HighlightsTop Highlights

03-top-experiences-dc-lav2.indd 1003-top-experiences-dc-lav2.indd 10 8/08/2014 12:55:20 PM8/08/2014 12:55:20 PM

Cruising the Strip (p Cruising the Strip (p3939) Rolling into Vegas is a classic experience – play it right and you’ll feel like you’re moving through a movie set. If you’re behind the wheel as a Sin City first-timer, arrive after dark. As you approach the city, pull over and admire the neon glow from afar. Then exit off the interstate and cruise the length of Las Vegas Blvd (aka the Strip), taking in the Luxor’s glowing beacon, the soaring Eiffel Tower, the Bellagio’s dancing fountains and the Mirage’s exploding volcano.

SY

LVA

IN S

ON

NE

T/GE

TT

Y IM

AG

ES

©

03-top-experiences-dc-lav2.indd 1103-top-experiences-dc-lav2.indd 11 8/08/2014 12:55:23 PM8/08/2014 12:55:23 PM

�1�1 Hoover Dam (p221) Get an early start from Las Vegas to visit this landmark New Deal project on the Colorado River, completed by thousands of workers in 1936. A memorial nearby pays tribute to the many lives lost while construction was underway.

LAS VEGAS I HOOVER DAM�K From the Strip, it’s about a 45-minute drive. Take I-15 south to I-215 east. Continue to I-515/US 93 & 95, then follow US 93 east of Boulder City. Walk to the dam visitor center from the parking garage ($10).

�2�2 Visitor Center (p221) Beginning inside the visitor center, guided tours give you a chance to ride an elevator more than 50 stories down to see the dam’s gigantic power generators. It’ll cost you to take the one-hour tour, but engineers and history buffs won’t want to miss it.

VISITOR CENTER I MIKE O’CALLAGHAN–PAT TILLMAN MEMORIAL BRIDGE�K Drive to the free parking lot designated for bridge access, then make the short but steep climb up to the bridge’s pedestrian walkway.

�3�3 Mike O’Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge (p222) Drink in stunning views of the Hoover Dam from this soaring bridge dedicated to Mike

O’Callaghan, a former Nevada mayor, and Pat Tillman, a US football star killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan in 2004. Hold on to the railing when it’s windy – this isn’t for anyone with a fear of heights.

MIKE O’CALLAGHAN–PAT TILLMAN MEMORIAL BRIDGE I LAKE MEAD�K Backtrack around 4 miles west on US 93, turning right onto Lakeshore Rd, which enters Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

�4�4 Lake Mead National Recreation Area (p223) Hiking, birding and water sports such as swimming, fishing, boating, kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding abound at this outdoor playground. It’s most popular with locals who need to get away from it all, especially on weekends.

LAKE MEAD I BOULDER CITY�K Get back on US 93 and head west into Boulder City. Turn left on Nevada Way and left again onto Arizona St.

�5�5 Hoover Dam Museum & Boulder City (p222) This small but interesting museum is located at the Boulder Dam Hotel, where Franklin D Roosevelt and Howard Hughes once slept. After viewing the interactive historical exhibits, stroll around downtown Boulder City, a refreshingly casino-free town that sprang up in the early 1930s to house workers building the dam.

Hoover Dam (p221)JENNIFER SHARP/GETTY IMAGES © 3131TOP DAYS IN LAS VEGAS

04-top-days-dc-lav2.indd 3104-top-days-dc-lav2.indd 31 8/08/2014 12:56:56 PM8/08/2014 12:56:56 PM

discover las vegas - lonely...

Documents