Everyone who knows me knows I love Las Vegas. In fact, I love Las Vegas so much, that when Scott and I started our big trip last February, Las Vegas was the first city we visited. There is an excitement in the air in Las Vegas that I can’t describe in words, but when you are there, you feel it and if you have been, you know exactly what I mean. Part of that excitement is created by the design and theme of the casinos themselves. During one walk down The Strip, and you can visit Paris, New York, Monte Carlo, and ancient Egypt. Whenever I visit Las Vegas, I always make it a point to stroll down The Strip and admire my favorite casinos. It’s a fun tradition, and here are the casinos that usually make my list.
Luxor
One of the biggest and boldest theme casinos when it opened, Luxor Las Vegas is still a favorite of mine and the gigantic black pyramid with light beam on top always beckons me to the far southern end of The Strip. Speaking of that light beam on top of the Luxor, at first the beam was so strong that it could be seen from space, but due to numerous complaints by pilots, it was turned down a few notches to its present strength. In addition to the actual pyramid, there are some wonderful and realistic Egyptian status that greet you upon entering Luxor that I have always thoroughly enjoyed.
New York, New York
New York, New York isn’t just a song, it’s one of the best designed casinos on The Strip. Not only have the painstakingly recreated New York City’s skyline, they have incorporated much of the Big Apple’s special atmosphere inside the casino. One minute, you feel like you are strolling in tranquil Central Park, the next you are in buzzing Times Square. My favorite thing to do at New York, New York is to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge outside the casino.
Bellagio
Bellagio exudes romance from the moment you step foot on her well-manicured grounds. Inspired by a village of the same name on Italy’s beautiful Lake Como, Bellagio is a beacon on The Strip of the same type of style and flair that Italy is world famous for. Walking through the casino feels like walking through a grand ballroom, and the dream comes to a crescendo when you witness the world famous Bellagio fountains that dance nightly in the lake in front of the casino.
The Mirage
There is no question that The Mirage isn’t the most famous of Las Vegas casinos and I would even imagine that there may be a few people reading this that may not have even heard of it. The truth is though that The Mirage was the original theme hotel and if it wasn’t for The Mirage, who knows if any of the others would have been built. Brainchild of Las Vegas casino icon Steve Wynn, the Mirage is a tropical paradise inside with one special groundbreaking feature on the outside: and active volcano. Every evening, a manmade active volcano erupts every hour on the hour to the delight of the crowds, and was without a doubt the forerunner to other “casino-tainment” crowd pleasers like the Treasure Island Pirate Show or Rio’s Carnival in the Sky.
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