The Las Vegas Boulevard,
also known as “The Strip” or “The Las Vegas
Strip,” is where most of the large hotels are located.
The Strip, from the Stratosphere Hotel to the Las Vegas Outlet
Center, is a little over five miles long, and is home to about
30 large hotels. This is the entertainment center of Las Vegas,
where most of the main attractions are for those both under
and over 21.
The first attractions for those under 21 are the arcades, the
largest and most popular being GameWorks, which is located next
to the MGM Grand Hotel. GameWorks has more than 250 games, as
well as a restaurant, bar, Coca-Cola Store and M&Ms “factory.” GameWorks
has the world’s tallest free-standing rock-climbing structure,
as well as a bobsled racing game, and a large assortment of video
games, from classics such as Pac-Man to new games developed especially
for GameWorks.
A smaller arcade, but the only competition to GameWorks is
the arcade at the Luxor Hotel, called the “Games of the Gods
Arcade.” This arcade is home to about 200 video games,
as well as a programmable roller coaster that allows players
to design and ride their own virtual roller coaster. “Games
of the Gods” also has an Indy 500 racing simulator and
a powerboat racing game.
If games aren’t your type of thing, there are also attractions
featuring animals. At the Mandalay Bay hotel, the Shark Reef
exhibit is one the whole family can enjoy. The Shark Reef re-creates
the atmosphere of an Amazon rainforest, and visitors can gaze
at sharks in a sunken pirate ship. The current top feature in
the Shark Reef is a 6-foot-long juvenile Great Hammerhead shark.
Adult Great Hammerhead sharks usually grow to about 18 feet in
length. This is the first time that a Great Hammerhead has been
successfully featured in the United States in an aquarium. Another
interesting creature is the Golden Crocodile, and Shark Reef
is the only place that this creature can be seen outside of Thailand.
The Golden Crocodile is a hybrid of a Siamese and a saltwater
crocodile, and is extremely rare. The golden-yellow skin of this
crocodile is due to a missing top layer of pigment in its skin.
Another animal attraction is the Lion Habitat at the MGM Grand
Hotel. This exhibit showcases lions in a simulated forest, complete
with a waterfall, and is free to the public from 11 a.m. to 11
p.m. Viewers and lions are separated by a protective, soundproof
glass that stretches from the floor to the ceiling. The Lion
Habitat is partnered with the University of Minnesota to promote
lion preservation and further lion research.
The Strip is also home to many shows for all ages, from Excalibur’s “Tournament
of Kings” to the magic of Lance Burton. The “Tournament
of Kings” is a dinner show at the Excalibur hotel from
6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. nightly. This live-action show charges a
fee and features medieval jousting, wizards and dragons, and
includes dinner.
Treasure Island is also home to a nightly show. Formerly home
to the “Pirate Battle of Buccaneer Bay,” Treasure
Island has changed their show to the “Sirens of TI.” The
show is at 6 p.m., 8 p.m., and 10 p.m. nightly and is performed
in the Siren’s Cove in front of the hotel’s entrance.
Another free show right next door to Treasure Island is the
Volcano at the Mirage. The Volcano “erupts” every 15 minutes
nightly, from 7 p.m. to midnight. Located in front of the hotel,
the Volcano, during the day is a large waterfall that transforms
into a fiery beast every night.
For those who enjoy a step out the present into the past, there
are also many museums located on The Strip. The Luxor hotel houses
a full replica of King Tutankhamun’s tomb, reconstructed
using the same tools and methods as the Egyptians did nearly
3,300 years ago.
Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum is located at the Venetian
Hotel, also on The Strip. The museum exhibits over 100 celebrities,
including sports stars, movie stars, world leaders, and Las Vegas
stars. Here visitors can be one of Brtiney Spears’ backup
dancers, shoot hoops with Shaq, or just have their picture taken
with stars of long ago.
Many of the attractions on the Strip are no longer only for
adults. For those under 21, Las Vegas can still be the “City of
Entertainment.” |
