North, central or south Strip? Downtown or the suburbs? Find out which of the Las Vegas tourist neighborhoods is right for your trip. There are two main tourist areas in Las Vegas: the four-mile stretch of casinos, hotels, restaurants, shops and clubs known as The Strip, and downtown Las Vegas. The Strip is so close to the airport, you can see it when the plane lands; it continues north from there. Farther north is downtown, and luxurious resort hotels can also be found in suburban areas like Summerlin and Henderson.
Downtown Las Vegas
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Downtown Las Vegas isn't exactly old-school Vegas anymore, with high-tech attractions like the Freemont Street Experience and high-end resort hotels like the Golden Nugget. But you can still find cheap steak dinners, low-ceiling casinos open to the street, and a casual bar crowd that spills into the street.
The Strip -- South
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Like a well-planned theme park, the excitement starts before your plane lands and you can already spot the southern edge of the Strip (along with icons like Luxor's pyramid and Excalibur's candy-colored castle turrets). The hotels at the intersection of Tropicana Avenue and slightly south make up this section of the Strip for us. Adding to the eye candy is New York New York's mini version of the Statue of Liberty and MGM Grand's huge outdoor video screens. Nearby is an entertainment complex with M&M World and the Gameworks arcade, to name just a few.
The Strip--Central
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Foot traffic gets really busy along the central part of the Strip. Hotels and casinos sit side-by-side, but you'll still find yourself walking what seems like miles to get from one hotel to the next. The scale plays tricks on your mind--the hotel next door is so large, it seems close by; yet it takes forever to walk. Most of the hotels in this part of the Strip are connected via moving sidewalks, trams and the Las Vegas monorail. There are plenty of free attractions in this part of the Strip, including the Mirage volcano, the Treasure Island sirens and pirates, and the Bellagio fountains.
The Strip--North
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Hotels are fewer and farther between as you go north on the Strip, although many are destinations to themselves--the towering Stratosphere and the amusement park in back of Circus Circus, to name a few. This area includes Sands Avenue north to the Stratosphere, and takes a detour to include the Las Vegas Hilton, just east of the Strip.
Convention Center
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Las Vegas is a big convention town and the Convention Center is not far from the action. Choose any of the hotels near the convention center, large or small, and you'll have easy access to the Strip for after-hours fun and a huge selection of restaurants.
East of The Strip
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Hotels and casinos large and small dot the streets leading east off the central part of the Strip; the most noteable is the Hard Rock Hotel (worth the side trip for Nobu). Smaller, quieter hotels (many without casinos) abound, and it's also a great area to get a deal on a suite with a full kitchen in case you prefer a bit more room.
West of the Strip
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West of the Strip, hotels like Palms and Rio have been popular with the in-crowd, and proffer fabulously panoramic and largely unobstructed views of the Strip. Shuttles exist to ferry you to the Strip if you like; a short cab ride is your other option, since a highway separates these hotels from the Strip.
Summerlin
For a change of pace, try one of the luxury resort hotels in Summerlin, about a twenty minute cab ride from the Strip. This upscale suburb is flanked by mountains, making views from these resorts spectacular in a completely different fashion. Outdoor activities abound, and gambling is still legal "out here."
