Stratosphere - 1 and other Las Vegas, NV Things to Do Tips

Now my husband is a bit of an adrenaline junkie so the thought of four rides in one place and 1,149 feet into the air was just too exciting to resist! Although not a confirmed thrill addict myself (motion sickness- the effects of being swung round, turned upside down, jolted to a stop etc.. would not be pleasant for all concerned!) I do enjoy a good view so was quite happy to accompany Steve up to the top of the Stratosphere Tower. While he hurled himself around its top my very tasty caramel frappuchino and I were happy to casually saunter round the indoor and outdoor observation decks.
If you are not afraid of heights it is worth going to the tower for the view. You get a fantastic panorama of not only The Strip (where you can play spot your hotel) but also the surrounding neighbourhoods (count how many swimming pools you can see) and the mountains in the distance and, if the weather is good and it generally is, the wonderful blue of the sky. It really is quite breathtaking. The are two circular observation decks, inside and out. Inside gives, in some ways, the better – and slightly scarier – views. The glass windows are angled out so if you lean forward to look through them it almost feels like you might overbalance! It does give you the chance to look down and see exactly how high up you are. Inside also includes a gift shop, Starbucks Café and restrooms. You also have the advantage of being able to walk round the whole 360 degrees and thus see the views from all angles. Outside half of the observation platform is given over to two of the thrill rides. However if, like me, you enjoy the wind on your face and don’t think you’ve really experienced a view if you’ve only seen it through glass then make your way to the external observation deck and get your camera clicking!

Entrance for just the Tower is 9.99 dollars. The lift whisk syou to the top so fast your ears will pop!

To get an idea of the views go to the Stratosphere website and look at their Tower Webcams

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Phone: (800) 998-6937
Address: 2000 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Directions: You can't miss it!
Website: www.stratospherehotel.com

Shark Reef at the Mandalay Bay is a walkthrough aquarium where you get the chance to get up close and personal with a variety of fish and sea creatures including, of course, sharks.
You walk through various themed areas – Jungle, Temple and Shipwreck – guided by both your “passport”, which includes some handy photographs for identifying various species, and an extremely informative audio guide. Along the way you will see some of what must be some of the most beautiful and bizarre creatures on the planet. Spots, stripes, bright reds, vivacious blues and poster paint yellow catch your eye, as does the range of shapes and sizes from dainty Angelfish to huge Tarpons and gracefully sleek Stingrays. Try and look out for the Lookdown, whose flat face makes it seems as if it has just run into a wall, and the magnificent Lionfish, a blend of stripes, fans and tendrils that looks like it should be fantasy rather than reality!
Rays swim in a small pool where you encouraged – under supervision – to touch them. It’s a strange sensation. I though they would be soft and squashy but instead they felt rather hard and leathery. A nearby display of jellyfish again look like creations of an imagination run wild.
The culmination of the tour is the shipwreck where, in a huge tank, sharks and fish swim round, under and above you. The sharks are amazing creatures, inspiring an almost primeval sense of both fear and respect. Wait for one to swim over our head so you can see its rows of teeth and feel that slight tremor go up your spine!
Education and conservation are two of the aims of the aquarium - it has links to various organisations that promote research and conservation – and I liked the last page of the passport guide that gives some small tips about how people can try and help conserving the environment.
The adult admission cost of 15.95 dollars (I think it is less for children) is very reasonable for what is an interesting and informative exhibition. I’d recommend a visit.

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Phone: (702) 632-7580
Address: 3950 S. Las Vegas Blvd.

Accordion music, fountains and a cheery greeting of “Bonjour” from the hotel staff and you have to be in Paris! Or do you?! Well, you could also be in the Paris Hotel Las Vegas and, of course, you can’t have Paris without having the Eiffel Tower.
The Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas is not quite as tall as the original, in fact it is exactly half the size, however it has been reproduced with a superb eye for detail. An elevator whisks you to the observation deck, 460 feet above the Strip. The lift attendant was extremely friendly and informative. I can’t remember exactly how much he told us it cost to build the tower but it was in the millions of dollars range. However he also told us that they had recouped all the building costs in about six months of opening!
The views across Las Vegas are fantastic, taking in a 360degree panorama that includes the Strip, the city and the mountains in the distance. In the evening it also allows wonderful views across to the Bellagio fountain display.
The observation deck is quite small (holding about 30 to 40 people at a time) so you may have to queue to get in and, needless to say, it is not for those at all nervous of heights!
Cost of entry is approximately 12 dollars each. A little pricey maybe but worth it for the views

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Phone: (702) 946-7000
Address: 3655 S. Las Vegas Blvd
Directions: Center Strip next to Aladdin's Hotel and Casino
Website: http://www.paris-lv.com

The brochure of the Bellagio, Steve Wynn’s recreation of an Italian villa by Lake Como, describes the hotel as “Where beauty meets luxury”. Now, as we weren’t staying there, I can’t comment on the rooms/private areas but the public spaces were certainly lived up to that description!
Created by the American artist Dale Chihuly the ceiling of the lobby is decorated with 2000 hand-blown glass flowers in a mixture of vibrant shades – the Fiore di Como. They look so delicate, like multicoloured brandy-snap baskets, and the light shines through them with a wonderful translucent effect.
Apparently each of the 2000 flowers are different, so why not sit down on one of the velvet sofas, look upwards and start counting. 2000, 1999, 1998 etc..

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Phone: (888) 987-3456
Address: 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd
Directions: Center Strip, across from Barbary Coast/Flamingo
Website: http://www.Bellagio.com

Glass flowers in the lobby of the Bellagio lead to real flowers in the Conservatory; a glass domed botanical garden that contains a butterfly cage, trees and floral displays, which are changed seasonally. When we visited there were a number of flower sculptures in the shape of snails and ladybirds.
It is free to visit, a good place to re-charge your batteries before heading back to the casino or Strip and even if you are no gardener (like me) you’ll still appreciate the colour, variety and beauty of the plants.

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Phone: (888) 987-3456
Address: 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd
Directions: Bellagio Hotel/Casino
Website: http://www.Bellagio.com

If you legs are aching with walking in, out and through casinos, you’ve got time to spare and you wouldn’t mind a cheap sightseeing tour of The Strip then I’d suggest hopping on the Las Vegas Strip Trolley.
A replica of an old-style trolley bus the Strip Trolley runs up and down the Strip from the Mandalay Bay in the South to the Stratosphere in the North stopping at various hotels/attractions in between. The set fare is 1.75 dollars (exact fare only, no change is given) or 5 dollars for an all day pass. Depending on traffic the Trolleys run every 15 to 20 minutes, weaving in and out of hotel driveways and, if you are lucky enough, with drivers who will give you a running commentary – not about the hotels but rather their feelings about the other drivers on the road!
It’s not the fastest way to travel the Strip but it’s cheap, convenient and, if not too busy, rather pleasant.

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Phone: (702) 382-1404
Directions: Up and down the Strip!

Before I went to Vegas this picture was what I thought it was all about, neon, flashy and a bit kitsch. Nothing wrong with that and, of course, there is still that aspect to the city, particularly downtown.
Downtown, in Glitter Gulch, is home to the Vegas Vic sign, an iconic image of Las Vegas, and also the flashing lights of illuminated Casino fronts and signs. This is where the first casinos opened and where you’ll find recognisable names such as the Golden Nugget and the Lady Luck.
The area fell into decline during the 1980’s and early 1990’s as hotel/casino building was concentrated on the Strip, however, since the mid-1990’s and the establishment of the Freemont Street Experience (see separate tip) in 1995 the Downtown area and Glitter Gulch began to revitalise. Now, especially at night, the area is buzzing with people, entertainers and – of course, neon

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Directions: Downtown

In 1995 Freemont Street was converted into a pedestrian area and covered with a 90 foot tall ‘ceiling’ of over 2 million lights. Underneath this you’ll find casinos glittering with neon, stalls selling jewellery and other items, entertainers, rock bands, souvenir shops and, in general, a party-time atmosphere.
Visit at night – when the entertainers are about and the neon is shining – and you’ll also see the sound and light extravaganza. This happens hourly from about 8.00 pm, the casinos and stores turn off their bulbs and the whole of Freemont Street is instead lit up by the 2 million or so lights of the ‘ceiling/screen’ above your head. On the ‘ceiling’ are a myriad of images on a variety of themes i.e. Las Vegas Legends, Heartbeat of a Planet, are displayed. To be honest I can’t remember any specific images from our visit (although I seem to remember there may have been an underwater sequence) just the feel of the whole show which held people captivated with its colour and, like a kaleidoscope, its changing shapes. Hat I do remember though was how bright it was, both during the show and also when all the neon signs are lit. Like daylight rather than night.
There are plenty of places to eat and drink (we went for the Friday Seafood Buffet at the Golden Nugget. Delicious!), casinos if you want another turn of the roulette wheel or spin of the slot machines and any number of souvenir shops for those Poker Chip Chocolates or Fridge Magnet! The Freemont Experience is a fab one!

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Address: Downtown on Freemont Street

Steve and I are big “Star Trek” fans – in all its incarnations – so the “Star Trek Experience” was always going to be a major draw for us.
Based in the Las Vegas Hilton the tone for the experience is set as you are queuing for tickets– Klingon Warriors (male and female) patrol the line throwing out suitably war-like insults at the “puny humans”. You can have your photograph taken with them – if you dare – I asked rather meekly although Steve suggested I should have demanded in a suitably Klingon way i.e. “Kaplagh, Klingon dog! Have your photograph taken with me or you will feel the wrath of my warrior heart!”
Having bought your tickets (Ł34.99 per adult ticket, quite expensive but you can stay as long as you like and go on the two ‘rides’ as many times as you like) the rest of the exhibition consists of an exhibition of Star Trek memorabilia, Quarks Bar, a gift shop and the two ‘rides’. I use inverted commas because they aren’t really rides in the traditional rollercoaster sense but more like simulations.
The rides alternate between the two, the first one we went on was Klingon Encounter. I don’t want to give away the plot but let’s just say you are whisked on a journey through time and space which ends with a bucking bronco of a ride – in a flight simulator – over some fairly familiar terrain! It’s fun and exciting although the end part – when in the simulator – is not suitable for people who suffer with motion sickness (the staff are very good at pointing this out and asking if anyone does suffer from anything which may be exacerbated by the ride).

Set Phasers for more info. Part 2 below

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Address: Las Vegas Hilton, 3000 Paradise Rd
Directions: In the Las Vegas Hilton

Continued from Part 1

Borg Invasion 4D starts fairly sedately, okay so you are in the middle of a Borg invasion but to be honest the Borg don’t move very fast when chasing you – although none of the group wanted to be at the back just in case! The real fun starts when you are given 3-D glasses and invited to take your seat in a ‘shuttle’ preparing to escape. Again I don’t want to give the game away but you do get to meet some familiar characters and there are a number of moments that will have you yelping in startled surprise! Steve and I left Borg 4D laughing with delight. It’s fantastic! Really, really god fun that makes you want to run round and have another go as soon as you can. Even the unexpected appearance – on his part as much as ours – of an off duty member of staff (Hilton, not Starfleet!) carrying a plastic bag (he’d obviously just opened the wrong door) added to rather than detracted from our enjoyment.
When not fighting Klingons or escaping assimilation you can relax and have a drink – suitably named cocktails such as the Borg Queen and Captains Table – or something to eat. Accompanied again by Klingons and also a Borg whose response to being asked how he was - “Operating within normal parameters” - has now become a standard and oft-repeated phrase in the Mappley household!
The Gift Shop has a good range of souvenirs i.e. T-shirts, Key-rings, Teddy Bears, DVD’s and also Klingon Ale! – but they are perhaps a little pricey. However you’re on holiday so why not treat yourself (sorry Mr. Bank Manager)!
Overall if you are a Star Trek Fan you should really like the Star Trek Experience. It’s fun, it’ll make you laugh and turn you into an over-excited Trekkie! Make it so!

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Address: Las Vegas Hilton,3000 Paradise Rd
Directions: In the Las Vegas Hilton
Website: www.startrekexp.com