Las Vegas Strip facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Las Vegas Strip

The Strip South Las Vegas Boulevard
Clockwise from top: Las Vegas Boulevard, MGM Grand Las Vegas, New York-New York, The Venetian Las Vegas, Caesars Palace, Bally's Las Vegas & Paris Las Vegas, Bellagio
Length	4.2 mi (6.8 km)
Coordinates	36°07′11″N 115°10′21″W / 36.119684°N 115.172599°W / 36.119684; -115.172599
South end	Russell Road
North end	Sahara Avenue

The Las Vegas Strip is a famous part of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada. It's known for having many large resort hotels and casinos. People often just call it The Strip.

This famous road is about 4.2 miles (6.8 km) long. It's just south of the main Las Vegas city area. Even though it's outside the city limits, most people think of it as "Las Vegas."

Many of the world's biggest hotels, casinos, and resorts are found here. The Strip is famous for its modern buildings, bright lights, and many fun things to do. Its hotels, restaurants, and entertainment make it one of the most popular places for tourists. It also helps the Las Vegas economy a lot. Parts of the Strip are even called an "All-American Road" because they are so special.

What is the Las Vegas Strip?

Looking north at the Strip in 2013.

Looking south at the Strip at night.

The Strip is a specific part of Las Vegas Boulevard. It runs roughly between Sahara Avenue in the north and Russell Road in the south. This stretch is about 4.2 miles (6.8 km) long.

However, when people say "the Strip," they often mean more than just the road. They include all the big casinos and resorts right on the road. Sometimes, they even include places a little bit away from Las Vegas Boulevard. These areas are sometimes called the "Resort Corridor."

For example, the Sahara is usually seen as the northern end of the Strip. Mandalay Bay is considered the southernmost resort on the Strip. The famous "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign is also seen as part of the Strip, even though it's a bit further south.

Many other roads run next to the Strip. Interstate 15 is to the west, and Paradise Road is to the east. The McCarran International Airport is also on the eastern side, south of Tropicana Avenue.

History of the Las Vegas Strip

How the Strip Began (1930s–1990s)

The first casino on Highway 91 (which became the Strip) was the Pair-o-Dice Club in 1931. The very first casino-resort was the El Rancho Vegas. It opened in 1941 with 63 rooms. Its success led to more hotels, like the Hotel Last Frontier in 1942.

The Strip in the 1940s. This is the gas station of the Hotel Last Frontier.

The Strip got its name from a police officer named Guy McAfee. He named it after the Sunset Strip in his hometown of Los Angeles.

In 1950, the mayor of Las Vegas wanted to make the Strip part of the city. But casino owners wanted it to stay separate. So, two new towns were created instead: Paradise and Winchester.

The Caesars Palace opened in 1966. In 1969, the International Hotel opened with 1,512 rooms. This started the era of "mega-resorts." These were huge hotels with many rooms. The first MGM Grand Hotel and Casino opened in 1973 with over 2,000 rooms.

In 1980, the MGM Grand had a big fire, which was a sad event. It reopened eight months later. Later, it was sold and renamed Bally's.

The opening of The Mirage in 1989 changed the Strip even more. Smaller hotels were replaced by even bigger resorts. Places like the Rio and Excalibur opened in 1990. These huge resorts offered not just gambling, but also shows, restaurants, and many other activities.

The lights along the Strip have been dimmed to honor famous people who passed away. These include Elvis Presley, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, and Frank Sinatra. In 2017, the lights were dimmed to remember the victims of a mass shooting.

In the 1990s, some resorts tried to attract families with kid-friendly attractions. For example, the MGM Grand opened with a theme park in 1993, but it closed in 2000. Treasure Island also changed its pirate theme.

The Strip became a very popular place to celebrate New Year's Eve in the mid-1990s.

The Strip Today (2000–Present)

Four-part view of The Cosmopolitan, Bellagio, and Caesars Palace.

Gondolas outside of The Venetian.

Since 2000, new luxury resorts like Bellagio, Venetian, and Wynn have opened. Older resorts also added big new parts. Many resorts now offer fancy restaurants, unique shops, spas, and nightclubs, not just gambling. There are also expensive apartments on the Strip.

In 2004, MGM Mirage announced plans for CityCenter. This huge project cost $7 billion and includes hotels, casinos, condos, shops, and art. It's one of the biggest complexes of its kind in the world. Most of CityCenter opened in 2009.

In 2012, the High Roller Ferris wheel and a shopping area called The LINQ Promenade were built. These attractions help make the Strip fun for everyone, not just gamblers. Other new places like T-Mobile Arena and The Park opened in 2016.

Future Plans for the Strip

CityCenter Las Vegas.

There are always new and exciting projects planned for the Las Vegas Strip:

• Resorts World Las Vegas is being built where the old Stardust used to be. It is expected to open in 2021.
• Astral Hotels plans to build a new 34-story hotel and casino called Astral. It could open in 2022.
• Dream Las Vegas, a new casino and hotel, is planned to open in 2023.
• The MSG Sphere Las Vegas, a huge entertainment venue, is being built behind The Palazzo and The Venetian. It is expected to open in 2023.

Getting Around the Las Vegas Strip

Buses

RTC Transit offers bus service on the Strip using special double decker buses called The Deuce. These buses run from Mandalay Bay in the south to Downtown Las Vegas in the north. They stop near almost every casino. There's also an express bus called the SDX that connects the Strip to the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Trams

Several free trams run between different resorts on the west side of the Strip:

• The Mandalay Bay Tram connects Mandalay Bay, Luxor, and Excalibur.
• The Aria Express connects Park MGM, Crystals, and Bellagio.
• The Mirage-Treasure Island Tram runs between Treasure Island and The Mirage.

Monorail

The Las Vegas Monorail runs on the east side of the Strip. It's 3.9 miles long and stops at several resorts, including the MGM Grand and the Sahara.

Walking on the Strip

Traffic on the Strip during the day, looking north from the MGM Grand.

An elevated pedestrian bridge at Spring Mountain Road and Las Vegas Blvd.

Many thousands of people walk along the Strip every day. To help people cross busy intersections safely, several elevated pedestrian bridges were built in the 1990s. These bridges connect different resorts and shopping centers.

Some people find these bridges a bit long to walk across. To make the Strip safer, special posts called bollards were added along the sidewalks. These help protect pedestrians from cars.

Clark County has also made improvements to sidewalks. They added LED lights, made ramps for wheelchairs, and widened sidewalks. They also try to keep areas clear of things that block walking paths.

Taxis and Rideshares

Taxis are easy to find at resorts and shopping centers. Rideshare services like Uber and Lyft are also available on the Strip.

Fun Things to Do on the Strip

Gambling

The casino floor at The Wynn.

Hakkasan Nightclub at the MGM Grand.

Most visitors to Las Vegas try gambling. In 2019, about 8 out of 10 visitors gambled. They spent an average of 2.7 hours gambling. The big casinos on the Strip make billions of dollars from gaming each year.

Over the years, the types of games people play have changed. Games like Baccarat have become more popular. Casinos are also improving their sports betting areas. These areas often have huge screens and comfortable seating.

Entertainment

The Las Vegas Strip is famous for its shows, nightclubs, and live music. Most of these are found inside the hotel casinos. Some popular free attractions include the dancing water fountains at Bellagio and the volcano show at The Mirage.

Many famous artists have performed in Las Vegas. These include Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Celine Dion, and Lady Gaga. There are also several amazing Cirque du Soleil shows, like Kà and O.

In 2019, about half of all visitors went to a show. More people are going to big Broadway-style shows.

Venues for Shows and Sports

The Strip has many large places for entertainment and sports.

• The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
• Las Vegas Festival Grounds
• MGM Grand Garden Arena
• T-Mobile Arena
• MSG Sphere Las Vegas (being built)

Shopping

The Rainstorm Show at the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood.

The Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace.

The Strip is a great place to shop!

• Bonanza Gift Shop is called the "World's Largest Gift Shop."
• Fashion Show Mall has many stores.
• Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian has canals and gondolas.
• The LINQ Promenade is an outdoor area with shops and restaurants. It leads to the High Roller.
• Miracle Mile Shops is inside the Planet Hollywood hotel.
• The Forum Shops at Caesars is a luxury mall with over 160 shops.

Live Sports

You can watch professional sports on or near the Strip:

• The Las Vegas Raiders (NFL football) play at Allegiant Stadium.
• The Vegas Golden Knights (NHL hockey) play at T-Mobile Arena.
• Boxing matches are held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Golf

While many golf courses on the Strip have been replaced by new buildings, there are still places to play. The Bali Hai Golf Club is just south of Mandalay Bay. The Wynn Golf Club was closed but is being renovated to reopen. There's also a TopGolf facility near the Strip.

Amusement Parks and Rides

The Strip has some exciting rides and an indoor amusement park:

• The Adventuredome is an indoor amusement park.
• The Stratosphere tower has thrilling rides like Big Shot and X-Scream.
• SkyJump Las Vegas lets you jump from the tower.
• The Roller Coaster at New York-New York.
• The High Roller is one of the world's tallest Ferris wheels.
• Fly Linq is a zipline ride.

Sustainability Efforts on the Strip

The bottom left of the photo shows part of the solar panels on top of the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

Even with all the bright lights and fountains, many hotels on the Strip are working to be more eco-friendly.

• Water Conservation: They try to save water by recycling it, using less outdoor landscaping, and installing water-saving toilets and showers.
• Recycling: Hotels on the Strip recycle about 40% of their waste.
• Food Handling: Leftover food is composted or sent to farms. Food that hasn't been touched is given to local food banks.
• Energy Efficiency: Hotels use energy-saving appliances, LED lights, and smart lighting systems.

Many resorts use renewable energy. The Mandalay Bay has a huge solar panel system on its roof. It's one of the biggest rooftop solar arrays in the United States. This system can power a quarter of the Mandalay Bay campus!

Many buildings on the Strip are also "LEED-certified." This means they were built to be very energy-efficient and good for the environment.

Current Landmarks on the Strip

Images for kids

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  The iconic Welcome to Las Vegas sign was built in 1959.

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  The Strip in 2009.

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  A view of the southern end of the Strip. Looking northward from Tropicana Avenue.

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  View of the Strip from the Eiffel Tower of the Paris Las Vegas.

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  Photo taken May 21, 2010, a view of the Strip from the Renaissance Hotel.

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  View of Monte Carlo Resort and Casino with City Center in the background.

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  The Bellagio Fountains as seen from the hotel.

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  The Cosmopolitan.

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  The Las Vegas High Roller is the tallest Ferris wheel in the world.

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  Wynn Las Vegas.

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  T-Mobile Arena.

See also

In Spanish: Las Vegas Strip para niños