The Las Vegas sights top 10 and travel tips Nevada are not only themed hotels or an interesting environment, but also the barren desert with some national parks and special sights within a short excursion distance. Las Vegas in Nevada is a perfect starting point for exploring Nevada.
After several stays in this glittering world in the desert, I have some insider tips as well as classic sights for you. I would therefore like to introduce you to my Las Vegas sights and my personal Las Vegas Top 10.
Getting there, facts and origins
When you think of Las Vegas, the first thing that comes to mind is Las Vegas Boulevard, the Strip with its many different themed hotels and advertising signs. Various entertainment shows and shopping opportunities. The journey from California to Las Vegas alone is worth seeing. From Los Angeles it takes about 4 hours and most of the time you drive through the desert. When the advertising signs increase and you recognize the Las Vegas skyline, the city seems a little unreal. From the nothingness of the stopover to the exaggerated life in such a short time – hardly any other city offers this.
The name Las Vegas comes from the Spanish and means something like “The Meadows” due to the artesian springs of the time. 150,000 beds await visitors in Las Vegas. 40 million tourists a year can’t be wrong. Las Vegas is a party magnet and has countless sights to offer that you can and should experience in Las Vegas.
Of course, tourists can simply let themselves be carried away by the crowds and experience this desert city. But you can also try to target a few highlights, sights and, for example, my Las Vegas top 10 sights. My most fascinating places in Las Vegas that I like to visit again and again.
I would be happy to give you more information about the individual Las Vegas sights in a really fast-growing city that was only founded in 1905. While I found Las Vegas a little over the top on my first visit, I got used to Las Vegas during my subsequent stays and could even imagine living there.
Las Vegas top 10 sights
Hotel Bellagio with Fountains and Botanical Gardens
The Bellagio luxury hotel is located directly on the Las Vegas Strip and has been famous for its water fountains with music since it opened in 1998. You should hear and see “Time to say goodbye” with water fountains at least once here (between 3pm and midnight) – preferably in the evening, as in the films Oceans Eleven and Oceans 13.
The lake and the landscape of the Hotel Bellagio were modeled on Lake Como in Italy. The hotel is home to the casino, a botanical garden, the “O” show by Cirque du Soleil and, of course, a small luxury shopping mall. The “Hotel Bellagio” with its fountains is one of the sights to see on your first visit to Las Vegas.
Venetian Resort Hotel with Grand Canal Shoppes
Venice in Las Vegas – the Venetian Resort Hotel makes it possible. Since its opening in 1999, you can ride through the Venetian Hotel and the Grand Canal Shoppes in a gondola with singing gondoliers under a painted blue sky with clouds. You quickly feel transported to Italy as you stroll over small bridges and take photos of the Rialto Bridge, St. Mark’s Square and the Campanile.
Of course, there is also a casino in the hotel. Until recently, the musical “Phantom of the Opera” was performed here in a musical theater built especially for the show – actually perfect when you think of the hotel’s canals. The rooms at the Venetian Resort Hotel have always been slightly larger than the other rooms in Las Vegas and have therefore often been my choice and a top 10 tip for Las Vegas.
Caesars Palace Hotel with Forum Shops
The Caesars Palace Hotel has been offering even more Italy in the style of an ancient Roman palace since 1966. This is exactly how you imagine a Roman palace – columns, fountains and statues everywhere. The Caesers Casino offers plenty of space as soon as you enter the hotel. You can shop in the pretty Forum Shops with revolving escalators – Wendel escalators.
Caesars Hotel was the backdrop and filming location for the movies Hangover and Hangover 3. Many stars such as Frank Sinatra, Liberace, David Copperfield, Cher, Céline Dion, Elton John and the Pussycat Dolls performed at this hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, including at the Colosseum. With many renovations, expansions and special events, the Caesers Palace Hotel is still an absolute Las Vegas Top 10 attraction.
Fremont Street Experience
The second most famous street in Las Vegas – but not near the Strip, but in Downtown Las Vegas. Las Vegas Boulevard crosses Fremont Street to the north. There are old neon casino advertisements everywhere, but Fremont Street has been really famous since 1995 for the magnificent 450-metre-long LED show at a height of 27 meters on the roof.
When it is dark, various shows with music are shown in the sky. The surrounding oldest casinos in Las Vegas switch off their lights when the show begins. The first casino here received Nevada’s first gambling license in 1925 (Northern Club). The first casino hotel in Las Vegas was the Golden Nugget located here. The origin of today’s Las Vegas.
Note: during the light show you look up at the ceiling and may not pay close attention to your bags – it may be better to look for a place on the edge and only take the most necessary items with you! Nevertheless, a typical Las Vegas attraction that is well worth seeing.
Las Vegas Sign
THE photo spot in Las Vegas. Since 1959 directly at the beginning of the Strip, Las Vegas Boulevard. Coming from the airport just before the Mandalay Bay Hotel with its beautiful sandy beach wave pool is the Las Vegas Sign. All sightseeing buses stop here. Everyone who is in Las Vegas wants a picture with the sign and themselves – and there are a lot of people in Las Vegas. It won’t be easy to have the sign just for yourself :).
The most famous city entrance sign in the world as a neon sign. However, the sign is not in Las Vegas, but in Paradise, if you look closely. Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas! If you’ve spent a long night in Las Vegas, there’s a great photo opportunity at sunrise with the almost empty Strip in the background and the rising sun! A perfect match for the Las Vegas Top 10 sights.
Stratosphere Las Vegas with Big Shot
The Stratosphere Tower has been part of the Stratosphere Hotel and Casino since it opened in 1996. With a height of 350 meters, it is one of the highest free-standing observation towers in the world. At the top of the tower there is a revolving restaurant that rotates on its own axis once an hour – so there is no such thing as a bad window seat.
The view extends from Las Vegas and the Strip to the Spring Mountains and Charleston Peak. From 1996 to 2005, the observation deck was home to the world’s highest roller coaster. Today you can find attractions such as the Big Shot, which shoots you 40 meters into the air and lets you fall back down again (extreme adrenaline shock – being shot into the air on such a high tower with a view over Las Vegas and falling seemingly without a bottom – one try is enough).
If you would like to be over the edge of the tower, you should look forward to the X-Scream and Insanity chain carousel or take advantage of the Sky Jump option. Stratosphere Tower in Las Vegas regularly offers very reasonable room rates for several days a week – e.g. from 19 USD per room and night, the area is okay, but cannot be compared with Las Vegas Boulevard with the Las Vegas attractions Bellagio, Caesers, Wynn, etc.
Paris Las Vegas with the Eiffel Tower
Directly opposite the Bellagio Hotel is the Eiffel Tower. At 165 meters high, it is half the size of the original and has been one of the landmarks and sights of Las Vegas for years. From the viewing platform (admission from USD 7.50) you have a perfect view of the Strip and the Bellagio fountain show.
I suspect some marriage proposals are made here, just like the original. If you want to get married in Las Vegas right after the proposal, you can do it Britney Spears-style at the Little White Wedding Chapel (1301 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89104).
The Eiffel Tower has been part of the Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino since it opened in 1999. The hotel has replicas of the Paris Opera, the Louvre, the Montgolfier Balloon and the Paris Arc de Triomphe in miniature.
I always looked forward to breakfast in Paris at the buffet restaurant “Le Village” (breakfast from 7 – 11am for USD 21.99 a week). Typical crêpes, French specialties, etc. – But very much geared towards mass tourism.
Las Vegas High Roller
Las Vegas now also has a Ferris wheel. Visually similar to the London Eye, the Las Vegas High Roller is located at the height of Caesars Palace. The Linq amusement complex is now home to what is currently the largest Ferris wheel in the world. 167 meters high above Las Vegas – half an hour for one rotation – from USD 25. It was opened in April 2014 and is almost 2 meters higher than the Singapore Flyer. In the evening, the Las Vegas sightseeing wheel is illuminated with countless LEDs.
Personally, I would prefer the view from the Eiffel Tower. Certainly another interesting sight, but not recommended as a “photo spot”. There are nicer places in Las Vegas where you have the Ferris wheel directly in the photo. The backdrop of the Ferris wheel in front of the surrounding mountains is absolutely worth seeing. As a viewing platform, opt for the Stratosphere Tower or, if possible, book a room with a view of the Fountains at the Bellagio for one night. Occasionally during the week (low season from 149 USD).
CityCenter – The Crystals Shopping
Luxury shopping in the CityCenter in Las Vegas. The new shopping center The Crystals opened in 2009 with many luxury brands such as Bally, Bottega Veneta, Bulgari, Cartier, Christian Dior, Fendi, Gucci, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Roberto Cavalli, Tiffany & Co, Versace, Yves Saint Laurent and many more. Wonderful for window shopping like in the luxury hotels.
For shopping in Las Vegas, however, as a fashion blogger I prefer the Fashion Show Mall opposite the Wynn Hotel (the hotel with its own golf course on the Strip) and the Las Vegas Premium Outlets North. New luxury hotels such as the Mandarin Oriental, Aria Resort & Casino or the Vdara Hotel & Spa are located in the new CityCenter and offer direct access to “The Crystals Shopping” – one of my top 10 tips for Las Vegas attractions.
Hotel Mirage with Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden
The golden Hotel Mirage, decorated with real gold dust in the windows, opened in 1989 under the motto “Tropical Rainforest”. Siegfried & Roy performed here from 1990 to 2003. The white tigers, lions and dolphins can still be seen today in the hotel’s own Secret Garden (admission USD 19.95). The Beatles show “Love” by Cirque du Soleil has been performed here since 2006.
After dark, a simulated volcanic eruption takes place in front of the hotel every hour until midnight. The Hotel Mirage was one of the first Las Vegas attractions for tourists from Las Vegas and regularly attracted tourists to the volcano every 15 minutes and then to the glass enclosure of the white tigers in the casino.
Surrounding area of Las Vegas
If these Las Vegas sights are a bit too much for you in the long run, I recommend spending a day exploring the natural surroundings of Las Vegas. In particular, I can recommend a few national parks (entrance fee of course): Red Rock Canyon (driving time from Las Vegas: 20 minutes), Grand Canyon with Skywalk (driving time from Las Vegas: 2 hours 30 minutes), Valley of Fire – my favorite (driving time from Las Vegas: 55 minutes) or Death Valley (driving time from Las Vegas: 2 hours 15 minutes).
Also absolutely worth seeing – the Hoover Dam (admission only with a guided tour of the dam) with a new bridge to walk across (driving time from Las Vegas: 45 minutes). For those looking for something special, there is Ghost Town – once a gold mining town with 10,000 inhabitants – (driving time from Las Vegas: 2 hours) or the Grand Dunes, which are also on the way to Ghost Town. Caution: choose a four-wheel drive vehicle.
Conclusion – Las Vegas sights top 10
Las Vegas is a great alternative to the big cities on the west coast of the USA, despite being somewhat reminiscent of a big Disneyland for adults. California impresses with cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego. Las Vegas is very different and definitely looks more artificial.
If you have had enough of the neon lights and the crowds of tourists, there are many Las Vegas sights outside the city that you can experience, as well as many fantastic luxury hotels. But not only luxury travelers will be happy here. Many hiking excursions are also possible outside the hot summer months.
Of course, there are actually many more Las Vegas attractions in the top 10 travel tips, but with the themed hotels and casinos alone, almost every hotel can be included in the list of attractions. However, some hotels look better from the outside than from the inside, such as the pyramid of the Luxor Hotel and Casino, where I watched Chris Angel’s show.
Or the New York New York Hotel with the Brooklyn Bridge outside, and the looping roller coaster The Roller Coaster, where I really wanted to sit in the front row – sitting in front of a hot hairdryer has a similar effect. So it’s also a bit of my personal Las Vegas sights top 10 travel tips with about 5 trips to Las Vegas and my love for this special city with lots of options and top Las Vegas sights for a whole photo album – a selfie paradise.
If you want to experience all Las Vegas has to offer, you need more than just a vacation. It’s really best to limit yourself to your own preferences and, especially in summer, you should bear in mind the physically demanding temperatures in Las Vegas.
It’s better to enjoy one of the many shows in the evening. Personally, I would go to see Le Reve at the Wynn again and I’m looking forward to seeing “Ka” by Cirque du Soleil at the MGM at some point.
However, I would actually prefer to see Celine Dion at Caesars, or enjoy all-you-can-eat (AYCE) sushi in China Town, or join the locals at night in one of the 24-hour Starbucks outside the Strip, such as 8975 S. Eastern Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89123-4853, or what would I give for one of the delicious burgers and fresh fries at In-n-Out Burger (my favorite: 4888 Dean Martin Dr. Las Vegas, NV 89103 – while waiting in line see how fresh the food is made here – very simple menu, but there is a secret menu for specials on the internet).
I can already tell that I urgently need more time in this desert city. See you at the Las Vegas Sign!
