the strip las vegas is minutes away from the airport - by Kiki

The Strip Las Vegas

The Strip Las Vegas is a four mile stretch of opulence, bustling energy, millions of lights, casinos, clubs, restaurants and entertainment like no where else in the world. It's known as the Entertainment Capital of the World, the Wedding Capital of the World, the Restaurant Capital of the World and until 2006, the Strip was the world's largest center for gambling. Now it takes second place to Macao for gambling but second to none in sheer class.

A picture of the neon lights in use on the Las Vegas Strip at night.

McCarran International Airport is conveniently located within 3-7 miles of any hotel on the Strip. On the east side of the Strip, the monorail runs from the MGM Grand on the south end, with stops at various casinos including the Hilton, the Las Vegas Convention Center and ending at the Sahara. Plans are in the works for the monorail from Terminal 1 and 3 at McCarran International Airport.

It has gone through many changes over the years and is still growing and changing like never before. Casinos have come and gone like the Stardust, the Desert Inn, the Sands, the Aladdin, the Frontier and many more. Currently, it has 30 of some of the most famous hotel casino resorts in the world.

There are just a few big players on the Strip Las Vegas currently. They include the MGM Mirage which owns at least 10 of the largest casinos on the boulevard and the Project City Center. The Apollo Group purchased Harrah's Entertainment including Caesar's Palace and four other casinos on the Strip. Sheldon Adelson owns the Venetian, the Sands Expo and Convention Center and the Palazzo.

Steve Wynn is a powerful figure in Vegas and credited with turning Vegas into a mega resort starting in the 1990's. He rebuilt the Golden Nugget downtown and set new standards for luxury by building the Mirage in 1989, Treasure Island in 1993, the $1.6 billion Bellagio resort in 1998, the $2.7 billion Wynn resort in 2005 and Encore in 2009.

Trump (The Donald) has built his own tower in shimmering gold. The $7 billion Project City Center is located across the street from the Tropicana, on the south side of the Bellagio. It's a complete city in itself including a hotel, condos, restaurants, shops, and entertainment on 66 acres and the largest construction project in the world to date.

The Strip Las Vegas has always been a mecca for celebrities and entertainers like Frank Sinatra and his Rat Pack, Marilyn Monroe and Elvis. Today's stars include comedians, magicians, hypnotists and singers like Elton John, Celine Dion, Bette Midler and Kiki Kalor. Corporate entertainment with shows from the Cirque du Soleil, the Blue Man Group and Broadway shows like the Phantom of the Opera are also popular.

Vegas started out with incredibly inexpensive packages and deals to lure visitors to this desert oasis. Now, with over 40 million visitors a year, it's become an expensive and luxurious resort where you have to plan your vacation or stay ahead of time to get the best deals on the Strip Las Vegas.