As I stepped into the city borders, the huge cluster of buildings caught my eyes and from there on began a journey which I did not want to end.
Popularly known as &ldquoThe City of Sin,&rdquo Las Vegas is mainly popular for its scenic casinos and the evening street experiences. I decided to take a round along the Strip and visit the hotels, each popular for its distinguished casino setting and theme.
The Venetian, the luxury hotel and casino resort, uses the Italian city of Venice as its design inspiration and features architectural replicas of the city&rsquos popular landmarks. The must-visit list includes St.Mark&rsquos Square at the Grand Canal Shoppes which is surrounded by restaurants and shops. There&rsquos not a single dull moment at The Venetian, thanks to the live music shows. One thing charmed me the most at the resort&ndashthe artificial clear blue sky which gave this place a permanent daytime feel to it, even at midnight For a moment, I felt like I was in Venice for real&ndashthe Gondola rides took me through the artificial canals under the blue sky, the boat paddlers belting out Italian tunes for the effect
A plethora of brands, spas and eateries lineup this scenic hotel&ndasha perfect therapy post Gondola ride.
The next destination was the famous Mandalay Bay with a beautiful lobby, a huge casino and an artificial park down its end. Connected to Mandalay Bay is the Luxor hotel. On the outside lies the replica of the Great Sphinx of Giza and near it is the Luxor Sky Beam. It is the strongest beam of light in the world and uses curved mirrors to collect the light from 39 xenon lamps and focus them into one intense, narrow beam
Siegfried and Roy's Secret Garden at The Mirage[/caption]
The Mirage was next on my list. I was taken aback by the front area and it was perhaps the best view across the Strip of Las Vegas. There is an artificial volcano which erupts nightly, the flames lighting up the streets Another thing that captured my attention at The Mirage was its Siegfried and Roy's Secret Garden, home to the different species of big cats. Simple yet beautiful, the Secret Garden was a great experience.
The Paris Las Vegas, a hotel with a half-sized replica of the Eiffel Tower[/caption]
While roaming around Vegas, I figured it was best to walk on foot from one hotel to another. Escalators and foot-over bridges joined multiple streets and also offered the best possible views. Venice, Egypt, Paris, New York...this was not a travel bucket-list, This was what I experienced in Las Vegas. Next up was Paris. The Paris Las Vegas, a hotel with a half-sized replica of the Eiffel Tower The New York-New York, a hotel depicting the street life of New York City, also had a replica of the Statue of Liberty.
Next, I made my way downtown to Fremont Street, the tourist-driven destination that's all about classic neon marquees, gift shops, and the stench of beer. It's a historic stretch of Las Vegas that's become a lot busier and more boisterous in recent years. Bustling with street performers, the most popular attraction here is the Viva Vision, the world&rsquos largest video screen with more than 12 million LED lights stretching 90 feet wide and 1,500 feet long.
Las Vegas is much more than the casinos, the party-themed street life and the clubs. The excitement grows on you when you roam around, be it day or night, and you really take back good memories while heading back.
It was a dream to capture myself with the iconic &ldquoWelcome To Las Vegas&rdquo sign board and I chose the last day of my trip to do so. Well, it felt the trip never ended and it would go on forever in my travel diaries
