Page 110 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Southwest USA & National Parks

108  LAS VEGAS LAS VEGAS  109

A View of the Strip: 2

The first casino resort to open on Las Vegas’ Strip in 1941
was the El Rancho Vegas Hotel-Casino, which was located
on the northern section of the Strip, on the corner of
Sahara Avenue. A building boom followed in the 1950s,
resulting in a swathe of resorts. The Sands, Desert Inn,
Sahara, and Stardust hotels began the process that has
transformed the Strip into a high-rise adult theme park.
The few north Strip resorts that remain are mostly
unrecognizable from their earlier incarnations
thanks to million-dollar rebuilding programs. The Venetian with replica of St. Mark’s Campanile s Stratosphere
Today, resorts such as The An observation deck at the top of the 1,149-ft (350-m)
tower that dominates this hotel offers fine views of the
Venetian and Mirage have i Treasure Island a Circus Circus city and the ring of mountains that rise from the desert.
Lucky the clown beckons visitors to this
established the Strip’s The world of Treasure Island resort, which offers circus acts and traditional
reputation for upscale features the spectacular Mystère™ carnival games on the mezzanine floor
quality, and almost nothing show by Cirque du Soleil®, above the casino.
performed twice each evening
remains of the spit-and- Saturday to Wednesday.
sawdust atmosphere the
city once had.
The Fashion Show Mall is
u Mirage currently the largest shopping
The Mirage is both stylish destination in Vegas, with more W . S A H A R A
S T R E E T
and ornate – its beautiful, than 200 stores, an entertainment A V E S . M A I N
Strip-facing gardens complex, and a food court serving
feature an “erupting” both fast and fresh food.
volcano.
T H E S T R I P

S P R I N G
M O U N T A I N R D
L A S V E G A S B L V D

0 meters 300 S A N D S A V E p SLS Las Vegas
One of the trendiest resorts on
0 yards 300 the Strip, SLS Las Vegas is known
o Wynn Las Vegas & Encore for its sophisticated and lively
This resort has it all: casinos, an nightclubs, bars, and lounges.
exclusive golf course, oversized
luxurious rooms, restaurants with
award-winning chefs, nightclubs, and
dozens of designer shops (see p240).
0 meters 300
Guardian Angel Cathedral 0 yards 300
Located on Cathedral Way, this chapel
has elegant marble floors and imposing
buttress support columns.
y The Venetian
One of the world’s most luxurious hotels,
this has mock canals flowing through its
shopping area. Busy traffic on the Strip at dusk
For hotels and restaurants see pp238–40 and pp251–4

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