When most people think of Las Vegas, they think of casinos and hotels galore. While that is all true, there is beauty and architecture and you can experience many cultures in simply minutes. Between iconic world structures formed into hotels and the ever-famous strip malls, Las Vegas has a ton to offer beyond the casino.

The many hotels  each have something unique to offer; between famous statues, the renowned casinos, and the never-ending stream of shops in the private malls, some things look too good to be true. Many hotels on the world-known Las Vegas Boulevard(Also known as “The Strip”) carry world famous structures that have their own Las Vegas spin on them. From the Eiffel Tower to the Pyramids of Giza, and even the fairy tale castle of Camelot, everywhere you look there is something else to see and do.

Starting on the south end of the strip, you see the Mandalay Bay complex. Personally, that’s where I stayed when I went to Las Vegas and I would recommend staying there. If you go through the mall, you can enter the Luxor Hotel. This is the Pyramid of Giza and the Sphinx area. In the Luxor Hotel, you can see the Sphinx and the Egyptian architecture, as well as a tram to the Excalibur Hotel. The Excalibur hotel is based on the legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, set in Camelot. That’s why the outside of the hotel looks like a castle, and the inside has a medieval vibe to it.

Keep heading north and you will hit the next big  hotel, New York, New York. Some big hits of this hotel are the roller coaster at the Big Apple Coaster & Arcade.  There are skyscrapers, Lady Liberty, and even the Empire State Building. They really catch the essence of NYC here. Also in this area is the hotel of MGM Grand. While it isn’t themed like a world monument, it still is a monumental hotel. Next to and across the street from New York, New York is the Hershey’s, M&M, and Coca Cola stores. Go inside and experience the wonder of being surrounded by these treats and sodas. Everything from samples, to cafes, to some merchandise, these stores are every kids(and adults) dream. 

Farther down the strip, you hit the hotels of the Cosmopolitan, the Bellagio, and Paris Las Vegas. These hotels are popular for many reasons, and a big attraction in the Paris Las Vegas is, you guessed it, the Eiffel Tower. Now, while it isn’t built to scale, it was cut down so that the planes flying into Vegas wouldn’t be hit by this structure. Instead, they made it half the size of the regular structure, yet it is still an impressive site to see.

Here you come to a crossroads. You can either continue on the strip, or turn onto Flamingo Road. Turning onto Flamingo Road would take you to the hotels of The Palms, Gold Coast, and the Rio. These hotels aren’t based off of a location as much as the other hotels I’ve talked about, but seeing these hotels is something that should be on your bucket list if it isn’t there already.

Heading back to the Strip, right after Paris Las Vegas you hit a huge hotel on the Strip; that’s right, Caesars Palace. Not only is the hotel shaped like an ancient Roman palace, but they replicate the Forum style with modern day shops, such as Gucchi, Versace, and many more designer stores. Also in the Forum Shops at Caesars, is the restaurant called Trevi. This restaurant is based on the Trevi Fountain in Rome, and with the fake sky and breeze, you feel like you are now in Rome eating right outside the Trevi Fountain.

After Caesar’s Palace, you reach the midway point in the Strip(Yes, halfway). You hit the Mirage Hotel and Treasure Island Hotel. These are famous hotels and casinos that are overshadowed by the hotels that are nearby, the Venetian Caesars Palace. Nevertheless, they are still hotels that have much to offer.

Go a bit further down the strip and you hit the Venetian. With shops, canals, casinos, and more, the Venetian is modeled after the city of Venice in Italy. You can go shopping under a fake sky or pay to go on an indoor gondola ride. This hotel features the best parts of Venice, while still capturing the essence of Vegas. 

As you are nearing the end of the Strip, you hit the Wynn and Encore Hotels, as well as the Fashion Show Mall. This twin set of hotels manage to stand out even when battling against the fame of their neighbor, the Venetian. Meanwhile, at the Fashion Show Mall, it’s any shopper’s dream. With designer stores, shoe stores, and etc; this mall has everything you ever want a mall to have.

When you get to the end of the Strip, you see the final hotels: Circus Circus(As well as the Las Vegas Festival Grounds), SAHARA Las Vegas, and the STRAT. The STRAT is the last hotel based on a landmark; the Space Needle in Seattle. The Skypod and the Casino are the main attractions in this hotel, as is the observation tower.

After taking a poll of iUP students, 40% of them have been to Las Vegas. While it isn’t halfway yet, it’s still impressive that 40% of the students that participated in the poll have been to Vegas. 60% would like to go to Vegas at some point, for reasons like “It’s an iconic city in the United States, and I would love to see the Las Vegas strip one day.”(Nathan Travis)

From Paris to Rome, and Seattle to Egypt, Las Vegas has much more to offer than many people realize. You can experience multiple different cultures in one day, and travel globally in just a few hours. Even during COVID, you can still travel around the world without having to take a COVID test, or get vaccinated. Just head on over to Las Vegas, and you won’t regret a single minute of it.

Sources:

“Paris Las Vegas” Best of Vegas: https://www.bestofvegas.com/articles/paris-las-vegas-history-eiffel-tower/ Accessed 5/7/21