The strip is a must, even though I don't like it

[Miller12pack]

I always stay downtown because I like all the casinos close together. Every trip I feel like I have to hop on the bus and hit the strip for a day. I get there and go nuts because it's so crowded and so much walking, but I do it every trip. This trip I am thinking of going at night because I have never walked it at night. I have driven it at night, but never walked. I usually get off at Caesars and go to Tropicana Blvd., stopping at places that look interesting, then work my way back to around Harrah and catch the bus back downtown. Will it be more interesting?, or should I just forget about the strip?

 

[ardee]

Do you go by the Bellagio? If you're going to be walking the strip at night I think you would enjoy
watching the fountains and listening to the music at night. A great strip experience!
The neon has always been a big attraction for me and I love it at night, of course.

 

[93 Octane]

Returned to the strip after 10 year hiatus, stayed at Bally's Sunday night and Linq tonight..now I remember why I left---suffocating crowds and overpriced drinks/food along with tight gaming..maybe i'll try again in 2026

 

[CoveredinBeer]

My last trip was the first time I never went to the strip. I must admit, I didn't like it. I think you have to go for a night or two. I get the negatives, but the positives are it's still the LV strip. I love staying at Harrahs, cutting through casino royale and buying a $1 beer on the way to the Venetian. Or making my way south all day and hitting every casino until MGM, then making it back. The great restaurants and shows and free attractions. Granted, the minority of my trip is spent on the strip, but I'm still going to go. There's still nothing like it.

 

[Geogran]

Yes - do it once. The strip lit up at night is really impressive from the street level IMHO.
Maybe get off at Mirage and watch the Volcano erupt, next Caesar's, then watch a Bellagio fountain show, pop into Cosmo for a look at the Chandelier Bar and maybe grab a slice of Secret Pizza on the 3rd level, cross over to Planet Hollywood and work your way back up the strip for quick stops at whichever casinos catch your fancy. Catch the bus back downtown at either Harrah's or Wynn.

 

[hail2skins]

I stay downtown as well, but usually catch a cab to the Strip one morning where I'll get up early and walk from Encore to Tropicana Avenue and back. But I just went in November and really felt no desire to go to the Strip, mainly because there's really nothing new to see. When I go back in the spring I'm thinking about just going to Sahara Ave and checking out Lucky Dragon and SLS, which I still haven't been to.

 

[Camp Rusty]

We don't stay on the Strip so much any more, but we can't miss at least one night taking in the spectacle that is the Strip at night. Nothing else seems to be able to match the lights and energy of a stroll up and down after dark.

I don't gamble on the Strip, unless it's in a sportsbook so the table/ machine odds have little bearing on my enjoyment of the experience.

Perhaps if the crowds, strollers, and the other various impediments are a reason to stay away maybe consider going after midnight or later on a week night ? The crowds do decrease to a more manageable level with the Vegas vibe still strong. That is what we did in October, took the last shuttle over from Orleans on a Thursday night and Ubered back around 2:AM. Just couldn't see a trip without those spires of neon ( even though a lot of the cool lights are LED's now)

 

[Flowers]

The strip at night, even with no gambling, eating or anything is just wonderful. The lights and the "glory" of the different personalities of the casinos comes alive. At a minimum the Bellagio fountain show is a must at night as is the volcano show at the Mirage. Do it!

 

[Richard Alpert]

I love the lights and all the interesting things and characters to see. My bride and I walk a good portion of the Strip at least one night per trip.
I prefer the ease of walking during the calm/quiet 5:00-7:00 A.M. timeframe, but walking the Strip at night is a different kind of special.

RICHARD

 

[MikeOPensacola]

Every trip I stay downtown. I get a great room there for a fair price, much better than I would get for a comparable standard room on the strip. But I spend a significant amount of time on the strip. Each day of my trip I'll head to the strip around lunchtime and get a bite to eat. Lots of fun places that won't break the bank. I like to shop and see the sights during the day and play a little BJ or make a sports book bet along the way. Usually I'll stay until dinner time and treat myself to a nice meal and then walk the strip for about an hour after sunset taking in all the great sights. I have no real desire to stay on the strip but I certainly make a point to hit the strip for about six to eight hours every day, sometimes more. I've had a trip here and there where I didn't visit the strip and I usually regretted it. I get why the strip is so expensive, people come from all over the world to see the Las Vegas strip, not so much downtown or off strip. Still, I don't care for the arrogance of the strip properties and choose not to spend all my time on the strip but being the Vegas hypocrite that I am I'll certainly drop a few bucks there and be glad that I did.

 

[Multifarious5]

I would absolutely check it out at night. Do some research first. The strip is exorbitant IF you just plop down in the first place you find without price-checking. If you find out areas you want to hit, check out some menus online (drinks and or food) and have an idea which places to hit, and avoid, you'll do fine.

Think of any big city, if you blindly go out and plop into the first restaurant you find, yes, you have a good chance of getting gouged. Heck, gas stations are like this. Right off the freeway is always way more than even a block or two down. Research, research, research...know your territory. You can find a good deal anywhere...you just have to do some pre-planning.

The strip (and most places in a thriving market economy) rewards, even spoils the researchers, and brutalizes those those that don't. It's almost like house hunting. If you go in blindly and never research, you're liable to be hung out to dry. If you research? You'll find some great bargains/values.

Enjoy, and have a blast!

 

[vegasdev]

I get so irritated when I can't walk because of the morons in front of me. I don't know when is the last time that I have been to the strip. I want to go, but not sure I have the patience for it. if you should happen to notice a bunch of folks on the strip with selfie-sticks -- sticking out of their asses, well you will know that I have been back to the strip.

 

[Multifarious5]

I get so irritated when I can't walk because of the morons in front of me. I don't know when is the last time that I have been to the strip. I want to go, but not sure I have the patience for it. if you should happen to notice a bunch of folks on the strip with selfie-sticks -- sticking out of their asses, well you will know that I have been back to the strip.

Hahaha, now THAT VegasDev, I can't argue with. Inconsiderate people annoy me everywhere, but the strip IS like flypaper for selfie-enthuiasts and route-blockers! This includes Breeze's beloved "moronettes"!

 

[gguerra]

Friday and Saturday has always been very crowded. A large majority of the people that crowd the strip on the weekends are from SoCal. I'm not knocking people from Cali but since it's a few hours away from LA it's a major goto destination. Unfortunately because of work I always have to go on the weekends and deal with the crowds. This is not the case on weekdays. If you can visit the strip on Sunday through Thursday you will more likely enjoy it.

 

[makikiboy]

Guess I'm in the minority. I stay downtown and some trips I don't even go near the strip. I don't miss it either, esp with parking fees now.

But then there are other places that I always visit....like Trader Joe's.

Strip? Nah, I don't gamble there because I'm a red chip player so I don't miss it one bit. I will probably go to the SLS and park so I can walk to the Lucky Dragon.

 

[WHU66]

Total opposite for me, love the strip and only spend one day/night downtown. Just don't feel it on Fremont as much as on the strip. I enjoy the time I spend there but can't imagine actually staying a whole trip downtown. I love the excitement and have never had an issue moving around on the strip, downtown can be just as crowded. As above, planning helps and as always, Vegas has something for everyone, each to their own.

 

[Electroguy563]

If I want to visit the Strip I go during the week, usually on Tues. Wed. and Thurs. I try to avoid going on the weekends it's just too crowded.

 

[EastCoastVegasFan!]

I haven't stayed downtown yet. I probably will at some point, but I just love the pools on the strip too much.
Maybe if I go in the winter I will experience downtown.

 

[Nevyn]

I always stay downtown because I like all the casinos close together. Every trip I feel like I have to hop on the bus and hit the strip for a day. I get there and go nuts because it's so crowded and so much walking, but I do it every trip. This trip I am thinking of going at night because I have never walked it at night. I have driven it at night, but never walked. I usually get off at Caesars and go to Tropicana Blvd., stopping at places that look interesting, then work my way back to around Harrah and catch the bus back downtown. Will it be more interesting?, or should I just forget about the strip?

I am more or less over the strip, or at visiting for its own sake.

The strip still has some pull, with restaurants I want to try or revisit, and shows/headliners I want to see. But the gambling? I'm over it. And visiting for the sake of a sightseeing and a stroll? Fuggetaboutit. There is nothing new or real interest from the outside, and every time they try to remodel something, the sidewalks get curvier, trying to pull crowds into retail distractions, which makes getting point A to point B annoying, makes the crowds worse, and does not add much for the veteran visitor.

 

[crimhead]

Connie & I have been to Vegas many many times, and pretty much avoid the strip unless we have tickets to a concert there. We stay mostly at Red Rock or Green Valley Ranch (recently Sunset Station again after many years.) It's always such a zoo when we do go to the strip. And, of course, the last time we went (Black Sabbath farewell concert in September) we had the privilege of paying for parking. The off-strip casinos have pretty much everything we want.