Rough guide. Las Vegas Direction

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Contents Ideas

 The Colosseum

Surrounded by classical statuary and

fountains, the Colosseum makes a great

centerpiece for Caesars’ loving (if somewhat

addled) reconstruction of ancient Rome.

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 New York–New York

The most fully realized of all the themed

casinos slaps the Big Apple down in the

heart of the Big Cheese.

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 Monte Carlo

It makes perfect sense for one of Las

Vegas’s more reﬁ ned and sedate casinos to

evoke the look and feel of the Old World’s

best-known gambling city.

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 Luxor Pyramid

Is it too late to mention that there aren’t in

fact any pyramids in Luxor, Egypt? But then,

it’s the rare pyramid with a casino inside.

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Kids’ Las Vegas

Even though Las

Vegas no longer

claims to rival

Orlando as a kid-

friendly destination,

it still offers plenty

for children to

see and enjoy.

The over-the-top

architecture of the

Strip appeals to the

child in everyone,

but there are also

lots of speciﬁ c attractions

to help while away an

hour or two when the pool

has begun to pall. Older

children will also like the

thrill rides on p.34.

 The Adventuredome

A fully-ﬂ edged theme park, with plenty for

younger kids, too, under a dome at the back

of the generally child-friendly Circus Circus

hotel.

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 Shark Reef

A surprisingly well-stocked aquarium at

Mandalay Bay, abounding in the most

colorful and/or ferocious species on the

planet.

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 Secret Garden and Dolphin

Habitat

Siegfried and Roy don’t perform anymore

at the Mirage, but you can still see their

famed white lions and tigers, and also watch

dolphins perform.

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 Madame

Tussaud’s

Pose, preen, and play with

all your favorite stars at

this Venetian outpost of

the international waxworks

chain.

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STRIP

 Excalibur

Of course this fantasy fairy-tale castle

conceals a casino, but it also holds count-

less treasures for kids, including a large play

arcade downstairs.

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 GameWorks

This state-of-the-art video arcade has

all the latest games, plus a climbing wall

and other attractions. There’s also pool

tables and a bar for any chaperoning

adults.

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Free Las Vegas

Most things that

look free in Las

Vegas really aren’t.

You can certainly

get free drinks (and

occasionally a free

room) in casinos,

but only as long as

you keep gambling.

However, you can

also see and do

a whole lot in the

city without spending a

cent – in fact many of the

free attractions laid on by

casinos to lure in passers-

by are more exciting than

the expensive options

inside.

 The Fountains

Spectacular sound-and-light water ballets play

upon Bellagio’s replica of Italy’s Lake Como

every evening – the perfect place to see water

fountains “dance” to classical favorites.

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 The Fremont Street

Experience

And it really is an experience; where else on

earth would they roof over an entire street

downtown to play videos of multicolored

snakes and aliens on the ceiling?

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 The Volcano

Back in 1989, Mirage owner Steve Wynn built

this volcano, to entice pedestrians off the

Strip and into his casino at night; and they’re

still lining up to admire its regular blasts.

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 The Strip at night

Ablaze at night with neon and giant LED

screens (and crowded by gawking pedes-

trians), Las Vegas’s famous Strip is a true

wonder of the world.

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 Sirens of TI

Treasure Island’s pirates have long gone,

replaced on the Strip-front “moat” by these

singing, writhing, scantily-clad lovelies.

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 The Midway

The heart of Circus Circus is a throwback to

the old days, with circus acts performing in

the central arena, surrounded by old-fash-

ioned carnival sideshows.

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Thrill rides

Forever eager

to attract thrill-

seeking visitors,

and always quick

to embrace the

latest technology,

Las Vegas casinos

make a natural

home for roller

coasters and high-tech

virtual-reality rides.

Nobody wants to keep

gamblers away from the

tables for too long, so

the rides tend to be short

and sharp, but they’re

undeniably exciting.

 X Scream

Seated on a lurching bench at the top of

the Stratosphere a thousand feet above the

Strip, the fear here is deﬁ nitely real rather

than virtual.

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 Manhattan Express

In New York–New York’s popular ride, tiny

yellow Manhattan taxi cabs speed out into the

open air and loop the loop above the Strip.

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 Speed Ride

Short, sweet, and heart-pumping, a quick-

ﬁ re roller-coaster race out onto the Strip and

back into the Sahara.

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 In Search of the Obelisk

A sequence of virtual-reality rides through

ancient Egypt: your chance to play Indiana

Jones at the Luxor.

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 Star Trek

Experience

Though you’re satisfyingly

shaken and jolted to within

an inch of your life, the real

fun here is taking part in an

actual Star Trek adventure.

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THE STRIP

 Canyon Blaster

Circus Circus’s corkscrew

ride is hands down the

city’s best roller coaster.

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STRIP

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Gambling

Though analysts

insists that

gambling (or

“gaming,” as it

prefers to be

known) is on the

decline in Las

Vegas, that’s only

relative. Ninety percent of

visitors to the city gamble

an average of $500 each;

it’s just that these days

they also spend more on

other things. Gambling

remains the backdrop to

everything that goes on,

and the siren call of the

slot machines provides a

constant soundtrack in the

casinos.

 Craps

For fast and furious action, this quick-ﬁ re

dice game is unbeatable – though utterly

inscrutable to novices.

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 Roulette

The deﬁ nitive casino game, where every spin

of the wheel promises an instant fortune.

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 Race and Sports Books

Whenever and wherever there’s a big

sports event going on, the atmosphere in

these high-tech betting parlors is positively

electric.

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 Slots

“Real” gamblers may scoff at slot machines,

but simply drop a coin in as you check out,

and an instant jackpot just might pay for

your whole vacation.

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 Blackjack

The one card game that everyone still seems

to know is a special favorite of gamblers

with the brainpower to play by the “system.”

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 Poker

The city hasn’t completely changed: hustlers

and hicks still congregate in Vegas casinos

for mammoth poker sessions, especially

downtown.

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Classic Las Vegas

Las Vegas is hardly

sentimental about

its past. As soon

as the revenue or

foot trafﬁ c at any

casino or attraction

starts to dwindle,

it’s liable to be torn

down and replaced

with something

bigger and better.

Here and there,

though – especially

downtown – you’ll

come across reminders

of Las Vegas as it used to

be, in the old days when

the stars shone larger than

life and the Mob lurked

around every corner.

 Liberace Museum

Your chance to get a glimpse inside the

great man’s boudoir – as fascinating as it is

mind-blowingly kitschy.

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