Las Vegas
Dream destination in the desert
Categories: Las Vegas Nevada USA
One of the absolute top travel destinations in the USA - also for Americans themselves - is the desert city of Las Vegas. If you arrive in the dark, it seems as if you suddenly approach a UFO from the barren, lightless desert landscape. During the day, Las Vegas is the first place where the desert situation becomes noticeable. Except for a few days a year, the sun shines relentlessly here. 
© philipbird123 / Fotolia
You can cool off in the imaginatively designed pool landscapes of the respective hotel or during the sightseeing tour in the pleasantly air-conditioned casino palaces themselves. Most are located along Las Vegas Boulevard, better known as 'The Strip', and in the area around Fremont Street. The rest of Las Vegas is normal residential and commercial development. The architecture of the casinos is impressive even during the day, although the city with its millions of LEDs and classic neon lighting only really comes to life after dark.
To list all the casinos would go beyond the scope of this site, so here are some highlights in short form:
-Ceasar's Palace - 'the' classic luxury casino par excellence in the style of a Roman palace with shopping mall
-The Flamingo - the oldest casino in the city and known for various films and series
-Luxor - black giant pyramid, furnished in Egyptian style
-Stratosphere Tower - 350m tower with roller coaster in 280m and the Big Shot at the top of the tower - for adrenaline junkies!
-Bellagio - the ultimate luxury casino with luxury mall, 2 wedding chapels and the breathtaking free water show
-The Venetian - Venice replica with Rialto Bridge, St Mark's Square and Campanile
-Excalibur - medieval castle with elevated railway to Luxor
-New York - replica of the city
All casinos are more or less luxurious depending on the category and have the following in common: free entrance, various restaurants and partly all-you-can-eat buffets (TIP!), no compulsion to play, photo ban in the gambling rooms, permanent camera surveillance, shopping malls, additional attractions/rides, partly wedding chapels, spectacular free 'shows' in front of the hotels, e.g. Hotel Mirage= erupting volcano, Bellagio=water show, etc.
Don't miss the Fremont Street Experience! The Fremont Street was covered on 400m length and 25m width with an electronic semicircular light dome. In the evenings there is an absolutely spectacular free light show, which is probably unique in the world.
Those who get the idea of getting married can get married spontaneously in one of the marriage chapels 'Wedding Chapels'; the liberal laws in Nevada do not only allow gambling but also uncomplicated marriages and divorces. 
© f11photo / Fotolia
At rush hour this is a bit like an assembly line. Wedding Chapels can be found in some hotels and specially in the district around the Hotel Wynn.
Las Vegas is also the show metropolis! Visit one of the world-famous (paid) shows in one of the hotels in the evening. In 2017 the shows include Mirage=Cirque du Soleil, Ceasar's Palace=Celine Dion and Elton John, Planet Hollywood=Britney Spears, etc. And remember at the end: The expenses are financed mainly by the game losses!
