Lou's Views
Bleeding the Guest Wallet
Las Vegas was built on a foundation different from other cities - casino gaming, incomparable value, world class entertainment, inexpensive buffets and lodging rooms, free drinks and, beginning in 1989, unique architecture. The corporate response to the previously non-existent competition has been to increase the cost of everything, eliminate or reduce what Vegas had become known for and, because corporate greed has neither sensitivity nor boundaries, fabricate new and often hidden revenue streams. It seems Las Vegas, once a unique paradise of value, where the average person could afford to be treated like a celebrity while enjoying sights and diversions unrivaled in the world, has lost that vision in its myopic attention to the quarterly balance sheet It should be noted that not all casino ownership subscribes to the aforementioned. In 1995 after reaching the point where 80% of all casino profits were realized on the Strip, the four original casinos Downtown recognized the power of collective attraction, combining to construct the Fremont Street Experience (and there are still independent casinos remaining that treat patrons in the old Las Vegas style). Be careful what you wish for Las Vegas, the slow erosion of what made this city unlike any other might just make it like many others. For more see Nickel & Diming for Dollars
Nickel & Diming for Dollars
Is the tourism downturn in Las Vegas because of the "Vegas is too expensive" rhetoric?... Not really. Vegas isn't the only destination experiencing a tourism downturn. Manhattan is down 5%, Florida 18%, and Hawaii, 17% fewer visitors, to name a few popular tourist destinations Is Las Vegas simply a victim of circumstances? Well, no. Not entirely. It’s been exacerbated by terrible corporate marketing. Corporate 'wisdom' has been to make up for income loss by adding more (and more) 'nickel and dime' fees. Let's review those nickels and dimes. There are: • Parking fees - some resorts even charge every time you enter the garage • Resort fees - covering such amenities as use of the phone no one uses. • In-room beverages and snacks - typical costs of about $12 for items like candy and chips.. There are the 'acronym fees': • RFT (resort fee tax): a 13.38% tax paid on top of the resort fee. • LET: a 9% live entertainment tax): the charge for buying a ticket to any live performance. • CNF (concession & franchise) 3% to 5% surcharge on restaurant food items. • CCU (credit card usage): 2.5% to 3% for using a credit card. And in some establishments you’ll find: • 'On the Rocks' and ‘Neat Pour’ fees: for a shot pour larger than the 'Strip standard' of 1 to 1.25 ounces. • Mandatory Gratuity: up to 20% automatically added to drink or food orders (usually, but not necessarily applied to large groups). • Restaurant Operation Fee: 3% to 5% fee (because the restaurant exists?). • Premium view fees: For rooms or restaurants with specific outdoor views - typically $25 to $75. • Operation Fee - such as for room service ($25 at some resorts). • Booking Fee or 'Contact Center Fee' - for speaking with a human agent during the booking process. If the multitude of fees were rolled into original pricing structures, the “Vegas is ripping you off” narrative might at least dissolve into the “Vegas is too expensive” rhetoric.
Vegas Value Vacation
Value? Vegas? Yes. It depends how you look at it. It begins with hotel prices. There are 150,000 rooms available in Las Vegas. That kind of supply vs. demand creates an accommodation value unparalleled anywhere else in the United States. To illustrate this, the following are nightly room rates comparing the cost of three levels of hotels (on a Wednesday, booked one month in advance) compared with a small city (30,000 pop.) in central New York: CENTRAL NEW YORK: Hampton Inn $235 Fairfield Inn $190 Red Roof Inn $86 LAS VEGAS: Paris Hotel $180 ($55 less than Hampton Inn) Flamingo $92 ( $98 less than Fairfield Inn) Luxor $59 ($27 less than Red Roof Inn) Of course, few people plan a vacation in a small town in New York, so let’s compare Vegas with some large tourism destinations (again, on a Wednesday, one month in advance, including fees): HAMPTON INN: Las Vegas $108 Chicago Downtown $139 Boston Seaport $239 Manhattan $361 Drinks and food do cost less in a small city, but that depends on where you’re dining. In Vegas there are over 400 options on the Strip alone, with more than 6,000 more within a short drive. Of course, vacations are all about things to do. There are over 100 free attractions on and around the Strip, along with hundreds more within a short distance (many of which can be found here). There are over 100 paid shows and music performances available to enjoy at any given time - many of which are far less expensive than you might think. Then there’s the weather… That particular amenity costs nothing.
New Vegas
The "Vegas is too expensive" and "Vegas was better when the 'Mob' ran it" narratives are in some ways true, but let's take a closer look at it... Back in the 50's through the early 90's, Vegas offered gambling that was illegal most everywhere else along with those $9.95 buffets and free drinks. But there weren’t: over 100 celebrity chef restaurants among the 7,000 restaurants available within an hour drive. iconic one of a kind resorts like Luxor, Strat, NYNY, Bellagio, Venetian and Paris or world-class lodging like Caesars, Resorts World, Wynn, Cosmopolitan and Fontainebleau. There also was no: Sphere, Fremont Street Experience or NHL Hockey, NFL Football, WNBA Basketball, Formula One, Nascar, UFC or AAA baseball (and soon Major League baseball). All of that results in far more reasons to visit Las Vegas than the gambling, cheap food and drinks version of what was then aptly dubbed 'Sin City'. And it costs more. But how much more? HOTELS: There are over 150,000 rooms in the Las Vegas valley, making it easier to find a reasonably priced room than any other tourist destination. A 2024 study of the average rate for 3-4 star hotels in cities with populations over 200,000 revealed the most expensive as Boston, Jersey City, Manhattan, Raleigh and Austin - all averaging over $250 per night. Las Vegas came in at number 82 at $132 per night. Most affordable nightly rate for tourist destinations: Las Vegas $107 came in second behind only San Francisco. Best Prices at a 5-star hotel? Las Vegas came in third at $341, behind only Portland, Oregon and San Antonio. RESTAURANTS: Along with the trend toward themed mega-hotels, the 1990s initiated the move away from cheap buffets and steak dinners to higher quality buffets, restaurants and world-class culinary experiences. Because of that, Vegas is among the top 10 in cost for a quality dinner, along with Manhattan, Honolulu, Miami, Charleston, New Orleans and San Francisco. Menu prices are the same at various national chains such as Capital Grille, Nobu and Giordano's. Simply get out of the tourism corridor (Strip to Downtown) however, and you'll find very reasonably priced exceptional world-class quality restaurants. So it seems that the cost of New Vegas is more than ‘old Vegas’ but it’s also no longer ‘sin-city’ - simply a destination for gambling and accompanying reasons to keep you there to gamble. Las Vegas, instead, has become the 'Entertainment and Sports Capital of the World' and still is among the best dollar-for-dollar vacation destinations in the world, but for different reasons.
A Tale of Two Vegases
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…” Times have changed. And so has Las Vegas. Las Vegas grew initially by offering things not available anywhere else in the country, all presented in an opulent fashion that was unlike anything available elsewhere - and visitors were all treated as celebrities for the duration of their time here. Vegas had developed the reputation of a value destination because ancillary expenditures, mostly food and drink, were viewed by the casino bosses (take that term as you wish) as loss-leaders, to draw people into their establishments where it was all underwritten by gambling revenues. The loss taken on the buffet ledger was more than balanced by the gaming revue. Unfortunately, all that changed when the Strip was taken over by corporate behemoth semi-monopolies (Caesars and MGM come to mind), who viewed those ‘loss-leaders’ as unprofitable space that could either be leased or filled with gaming options, creating additional revenue streams. Gone were the inexpensive buffets and frequent free drinks for gamblers. Similarly, the trend perpetuated with the destruction of the free show - and themed buildings - that for years had drawn customers not only into the venue, but to Vegas itself. And, with casino gambling now available within a short distance of most Americans, along with on-line options, casinos had to create revenue by other means. So they decided that those means would be by providing floor space to other businesses - the same thought process as closing the free shows and leasing that space instead. This is short-sighted, but is the overriding approach because of the two things that the Sin-city version of Vegas didn’t have to be concerned with: The quarterly report, and data proving that ‘free things’ draws customers to the establishment, creating profit in the long term. So, it seems that other businesses have taken over much of the responsibility to attract visitors and create the profit margins desired by the corporations. Times have changed - but it’s still the best of times.
New Old School
"Vegas is too expensive", "it was better in the old days when the mob ran it" There's a resort that keeps the old days alive.. South Point Hotel, Casino and Spa, a 25 story, 2,163 room resort, right on Las Vegas Boulevard, 6.5 miles south of Mandalay Bay. It's been owned and operated for over 20 years by Michael Gaughan, son of former El Cortez owner Jackie Gaughan (he also built the Strip property Barbary Coast - now Vanderpump). Approaching the property, the first thing you'll notice is abundant, unrestricted free parking (another dwindling Strip and Downtown perk that really shouldn't be a perk). South Point is for the Vegas visitor from years past. It sponsors a stock car race, high profile sports watch parties in the upstairs ballroom. It has a 400-seat showroom that offers quality entertainment at reasonable prices. As for the restaurants? Hidden gems. One of the best steakhouses in Vegas, along with Mexican, Italian, Asian, American Classics, and for the foodies out there - in the style of old Vegas - Michael's Gourmet Room (and unlike most Strip resorts, there's a 24-hour Starbucks and 24-hour full-service cafe restaurant (that offers some pretty special late-night deals). Oh, and there's a buffet. Just as the Strip-side free shows, buffets were once viewed as 'loss-leaders' that existed to drive traffic into casinos. Corporate powers have largely abandoned both of these customer attractions, opting to rent space for outside-owned restaurants and stores. Not at South Point. The reasonably priced Garden Buffet experiences a monthly loss of up to $2 million while serving 90,000 customers. That's a $22 loss per buffet customer. Raising the price, like the remaining Strip buffets did, might have made up the loss but South Point prefers to make up the difference by allowing guests to spend the difference gambling and enjoying the many other attractions. It serves as a throwback and reminder of what made Vegas 'Vegas' not so long ago. But I digress… The gambling? A Casinos.com gambling study recently ranked South Point as the third luckiest Casino of 108 polled in the USA. There's lower-limit tables and an independently run sports book with betting kiosks (and even a hotdog stand!), and the old-school vibe continues with non-monitored complimentary drinks while gambling. There's a 16 screen movie theater, poker room, bingo hall and a 64-lane bowling center along with a separate 'Bowling Plaza' housing 60 PBA-quality lanes - used only for tournament play. And there's an equestrian center. Yes, an Equestrian Center and Exhibit Hall where you can enjoy free rodeo shows and other sporting events from either the 4,400 seat arena or the pretty legit cowboy bar overlooking it (Ok, so an equestrian center was never part of the Vegas glory days, but it does serve a small reminder of the wild west). South Point is way more than an 'Off-Strip' budget-friendly destination. It's as close as you're going to come to finding 'Old Vegas'. Bonus Info: Who operates all those Airport slot machines? Yep. It's the 'Michael Gaughan Airport Slots' company - responsible for the more than 1,300 slot machines in the largest of only two airports with slots. The other? Reno. Obviously.
Death Reports Have Been Greatly Exaggerated
Living in a lesser town has recently spawned 'Vegas is Dead' drivel spilling out of many click-seeking ‘influencers’ who should remember that locals have influence too. Yes, 3.5 million fewer people visited Las Vegas in 2025 - a 12% reduction from 2024. But other tourism-focused destinations such as Florida and Hawaii are experiencing a significantly steeper decline. It’s just the most reported because of its historical, but changing, National tourism-centric economy. Although the popular narrative is that the decline in tourism is only because of rising prices, in fact, external factors including tourism boycotts due to Federal policies and ‘trade-war’ issues, air travel disruptions and increased fares,and a variety of inflation-contributing factors. For various reasons, people simply have less disposable income than they had. And still, over 38 million will visit Las Vegas this year. That's more than 100,000 new persons visiting a 5.5 square mile area. But only 36% of what they spend will be gaming because Las Vegas has evolved into a beautiful place to visit and to live - with more and better amenities than most cities its size. Las Vegas is no longer dependent entirely on tourism. And those locals don’t leave - all 2.6 million of them support and keep alive all the attractions the rest of the world comes to visit. Las Vegas is far from ‘dead’ it simply has a temporary ailment that will be easily treated with new world-class attractions and reasons to visit and live here. Just as it always has.
Locals Go to the Strip, Just Not Always
“Locals never go to the Strip.” Well, some of us do - occasionally. Why live in the Las Vegas valley if you never take advantage of the world-class culinary, entertainment and other options? Locals are well aware, however, that there’s no need to go to the Strip (or Downtown) when low limit gambling, free drinks and better (yes, better) restaurants with exceptional service at affordable prices can be found all over the valley. And it’s all available to anyone. Every criticism of the Strip won't be found just a short drive away. Unique bars, restaurants, activities and attractions - in the Arts District and Chinatown, just a little farther awat in Henderson, Summerlin,, Lake Las Vegas and the many attractions on the outskirts. Don't declare Vegas a thing of the past if you only visit things from the past.
On Becoming Common
Stardust, Riviera, Aladdin, Dunes, Landmark, Sands. The names alone evoke fond memories of what made Las Vegas the finest gambling and adult entertainment destination in the country. In 1989, the free volcano show, rainforest atrium, Secret Garden and other attractions at the Mirage established the beginning of the evolution - from Sin City to the Entertainment Capital of the World. Soon visitors were treated to a dragon rising out of the moat at Excalibur followed by the Luxor 'Nile River tour', pirate battles at Treasure Island, real lions at the MGM Grand, a 'Mardi Gras Show in the Sky' at Rio, and so much more. Now, Vegas is in the process of it's third iteration - evolving into the 'Sports and Entertainment capital of the World' - a 'real city' that has grown to a size able to be partly independent from gambling and tourism alone. However, as Vegas transformed, its model for casino gaming, sports betting and accompanying entertainment was legalized, and replicated, in many other parts of the country, most without themed casinos. The success of Vegas was the result of a collective of iconic attractions, each of which was a costly 'loss leader', but collectively they drew millions of tourists. Recently, however, many resort properties have abandoned the innovative courage that built the Strip, due to the short-sighted requirement of optimizing the bottom line without addressing the bigger picture. The perception that every square foot of real estate should generate revenue has resulted in removal of many of the attractions and buffets that originally had enticed new visitors to come to Vegas. The square footage occupied by such attractions is now viewed as a drag on individual resorts' bottom line, easily replaced by renting space for revenue. You see, free shows don’t create short-term identifiable revenue any more than buffets do. Ironically, in October 1993, a group of casino operators just north of the Strip in 'old Vegas', had recognized that the growing aggregation of themed buildings and free shows on the Strip posed a serious impediment to the future of Downtown. The representatives of eight casinos met to discuss designing an attraction that could lure visitors already on the Strip to venture a few miles north to Downtown. Their vision broke ground in 1994 and a year later the $70 million project known as the Fremont Street Experience was opened to the public, resulting in an increase of Strip visitors from less than 20% that year to nearly 70% today - over 26 million visitors annually. Back on the Strip, meanwhile, in conjunction the removal of the attractions that had threatened Downtown has been exacerbated by the direction taken with new resort construction. Aria and Cosmopolitan, though beautiful, evoke thoughts only of other large cities. Park MGM is no Monte Carlo, Harrah's is not the Riverboat, and even the Sahara is no longer the Sahara. People can gamble, eat, drink and be entertained closer to home in casinos that resemble office buildings. Strip properties could now learn the lesson Downtown learned from them 30 years ago.
They Paved Paradise (Nevada)
It's been a while, but with the recent demolition of the Mirage and Tropicana, it's appropriate to review the fate of another of the original iconic Vegas resorts. Opened in 1955, the Riviera was the first skyscraper and tallest building on the Strip. Over the years, it represented Vegas in films like Ocean's Eleven, Casino and the Hangover, along with providing millions of visitors with enduring memories of the 'old days' that so many still lament. In 2015, 60 years later, 'the Riv' (as it had become affectionately known) was demolished to make way for the expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center. And now, more than a decade after its demolition, an empty ten acres of land where the Riviera proudly stood, faces the Strip - an empty reminder of its contribution to the lore of old Vegas. “...Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you got 'til it's gone?”
Nevada State Flower
No one knows how many cones, barrels and barricades there are on the roads of the Las Vegas Valley, but likely it represents the most per capita in the United States, if not the world. Locals, have facetiously dubbed the orange obstructions Nevada’s state flower. In fact, recognizing this dubious achievement of the Clark County Public Works Department there actually is an Arts District exhibit entitled ’State Flower’, showcasing traffic cone art (surprisingly there were some actual cones available for the display). The multitude of work zones void of humanity would suggest there aren’t remotely enough employees to work on the repairs or improvements that are needed on the many roads obstructed by the little nuisances. Therefore, it seems they are simply being stored in plain sight, affording the added benefit suggesting progress is imminent. Perhaps the DPW should instead consider a warehouse for storage.
Diamonds are Forever - But Resorts are Not
Corporate Vegas has successfully severed yet another tie to the Vegas of old. With a storied past, including scenes from the 1971 James Bond film of the same name, the time has come to bid farewell to another iconic landmark - ‘The Trop’, to make way for… Baseball? Yes, just short of 70 years, and still profitable, the 'Trop' is being replaced by a Major League Baseball stadium, the new home for the former Oakland A's (yet another struggling team jettisoned from Oakland, California, landing in Vegas. Baseball on the Strip? Sure, why not? Professional football, baseball, hockey, and soon NBA Basketball will soon all be within walking distance of each other and from Strip resorts (if you consider a mile or two walking distance). And walk we will, because the traffic on and near Tropicana Ave will be significant (yes, the road is still named that, servin
Luxor - The Egyptian... Billboard?
In 1993, a 30 story glass pyramid with the strongest beam of light and largest atrium in the world opened. Although some of its attractions such as the 'the Nile River Tour', Luxor Pyramid 3D/IMAX films, and a King Tut’s Tomb replica are no longer there, the heavy Egyptian theme remains unmistakable. MGM had made it painfully evident that there would be no theme involved when the venerable Monte Carlo became Park MGM (unless its office building theme is lost on me). Now, the billion dollar glass monument has become what seems may be the world's most expensive billboard. Thankfully MGM hasn’t yet thought to put bumper stickers on the Venetian gondolas.
Attack of the 50-foot Showgirls
Are showgirls really still representative of Las Vegas? It would seem so, even though with the closing of Bally's Jubilee a decade ago, Las Vegas no longer hosts any shows that include the tall, beautiful, talented dancers. Showgirl qualifications have since been relaxed it seems. They are now shorter, often wider, g-string clad outdoor facsimiles - hustling tourists, alongside Spider Man, for the $20 (make that $50) photo. Recently, however, perhaps in an attempt to rekindle the memories of the iconic ladies that only those her age could appreciate, in 2018 Mayor Goodman authorized installation of twin 26 foot cartoon-like showgirl signs to greet tourists entering 'old Vegas' (game on, Paradise). And now, four years later, in typical Vegas style of excess gauche, those 26 foot eyesores have grown in height, if not stature, replaced with 50 foot versions (fear not - the original 'girls' are being refurbished and will greet visitors to the 18b Arts District at at 4th Street and Las Vegas Blvd). Perhaps more than their scantily clad photo-hawking facsimiles, the offense that best laments the loss of the beauty and class of the original showgirls will be the numerous selfies containing the lower extremities of the gigantic cartoon versions.
R.I.P. SDX
For those visitors new to the wisdom of the Las Vegas Regional Transportation Center (RTC), there once was a more efficient bus system that worked in concert with the Deuce. That bus was called the SDX (Strip and Downtown Express). It became a casualty presumably of the COVID-19 pandemic, never to return, leaving tourists, along with Strip and Downtown employed locals, to rely on what now is the significantly overcrowded Deuce. So let's review what now is the only bus system available to the over 40 million yearly Vegas visitors:: The typical wait: 15 to 20 minutes. The riders: tourists now share the ride with many locals traveling to and from work - the only remaining economical means of transportation for many resort employees. The ride: 27 stops over 9 miles - one every 600 yards. The time: About one mile in 11 minutes (the complete N-S route can take up to two hours). The traffic: There is no dedicated bus lane, frequently causing even slower times due to construction and traffic congestion (particularly in the evening during the many sports and entertainment events on the Strip). The occupant's health: Remember COVID-19 (supposedly the main contributing factor to all this)? It's not the only illness that can be transmitted on an overcrowded bus with standing room only occupancy. This is no way to treat those who make Las Vegas the "Entertainment Capital of the World", the lifeblood of our economy. Fortunately there are private transportation options available, including the underutilized Monorail (try to find the stations - often it might be quicker to just walk to your destination). Hopefully the promised underground Las Vegas Loop system will help alleviate both the traffic and psychological stress caused by the death of the SDX (that is, if you don't mind riding underground in a Tesla). ________ Update: Autonomous and teledriving taxi services have been popping up lately. It remains to be seen if these services offer an option although they are certainly not going to help with congestion along the old SDX route).
Formula (1) for Tarmac Turmoil
The erosion of the iconic Las Vegas Strip themed resorts has been further exacerbated for four full months annually as ‘The Entertainment Capital of the World focuses on a single event, negatively impacting its most well known attractions partially or completely unavailable. The world renowned Bellagio Fountains blocked by massive viewing stands, the Venetian 'canal' drained, overpasses visually blocked (lest a non-paying passerby may see an F1 car for the millisecond it takes to roar past at 200 mph). Lighting, fencing, road closures, lane reductions, barricades and restricted access all along and near the 3.75 mile north Strip 'track'. The race lasts about two hours. Sounds crazy? Maybe, but there is that $1,000,000,000 (that's billion, with a 'B' as they say) spent by the 175,000 visitors during F1 week, mostly at or near the premium hotels and restaurants. Maybe locals and visitors alike will get used to the disruption. We'll have the chance to find out. The current contract lasts through 2037
Strict-ish Watering LAws
Las Vegas is in the Mojave desert. It’s pretty easy to forget that, with the lavish water attractions, and daily water usage of about 3.4 million persons. Southern Nevada is one of the most water-securing communities in the West. Las Vegas treats and recycles nearly all indoor water - from sinks, toilets, and showers - about 200 million gallons daily (73 billion annually). The 2.3 million locals use about 84 billion gallons per year, while the 40 million Vegas visitors consume an additional 28 billion gallons (the deficit hopefully filled by ever-diminishing regional precipitation). However, outdoor water usage cannot be captured for re-use and a large portion of the treated waste water is ultimately used outdoors - to water home lawns, irrigate parks and provide appropriately manicured grass for the more than 50 golf courses (yes, 50 - in an area encompassing only 640 square miles of desert). To address outdoor consumption, Las Vegas has enacted strict (?) watering laws: Only six days a week in the summer, three days per week in the fall and one day per week in winter. Additionally, watering is prohibited on Sundays, as is watering with sprinklers between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. (to a maximum of 12 minutes per day). Really? That’s the solution? Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States, was designed to hold 9.5 trillion gallons but its level currently is at only 2.3 trillion gallons - roughly 25% of its total capacity due to ongoing drought conditions in the southwest. There are many reasons to enjoy living in the Las Vegas area. Lack of natural grass seems a small sacrifice. Las Vegas is in the Mojave desert.
Now It Really was a Mirage
It was maybe not the original but the most breathtaking of all the free entertainment on the Las Vegas Strip. The Mirage It had changed everything. There was the Strip-front volcano, erupting nightly,; spewing water and fire that generated heat that could be felt on the other side of the Strip - accompanied by a thundering tribal soundtrack composed by Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart and Indian composer Zakir Hussain. It erupted numerous times nightly, for 34 years. Surrounding it were the water features, including a waterfall and lagoon. Inside was an atrium, a 100-foot-high curved glass dome housing a tropical conservatory that included more cascading waterfalls, fresh orchids and numerous live tropical flowers. Behind the check-in desk was a 20,000-gallon saltwater aquarium with hundreds of forms of exotic marine life. For 30 years, you could also enjoy Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat - an outdoor sanctuary that was home to dolphins, white tigers and leopards. Replacing it will be the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino - a $4 billion guitar-shaped hotel.
Navigating the Strip
"It's right there - we can walk. Maybe, but, trust me, you probably don’t want to. The Las Vegas Strip is about four and a quarter miles from Mandalay Bay to the Strat - if you could walk straight up the boulevard it would take an hour and a half. But you can’t. Why? Because you will have to walk through hotels, up stairs, up escalators (that will likely be out of order) across overpasses. And most of the year it will be hot. Very hot. There really is no easy way to get to a resort other than the one next to you but there are a few options. There’s the Deuce Bus - an inexpensive (24-Hours: $8 / 3-Days: $20) but it's overcrowded and slow (more than once I’ve successfully outpaced the bus by walking - not including the time waiting for one to get to one of the 26 stops (supposedly about 15 minutes). There are at least five stops per mile that averages an 11 minute mile. If you can get one of the four seats upstairs though, you will be treated to a casual view of the Strip. Otherwise you won’t see much, as the windows are covered in external ad wraps. There’s the Monorail,. 10 stops along the east side of the Strip (MGM, Horseshoe, Flamingo, Harrah’s, LINQ (Convention Center), Westgate and Sahara. The stations can be found in the back of the casinos. The cost is $15.00 per day (special pricing for locals). The walk to the station can literally be up to a half mile away though, taking up to 15 minutes navigating through the casino if you can find it (most are unmarked until you get close). It is a pleasant uncrowded ride past areas most visitors never see, however. Taxis may be the best way to get there - they are allowed at locations outside the front of the resorts. The Las Vegas Loop system will help alleviate both the traffic and stress as it slowly grows under the Strip and eventually Downtown. Currently it's available at Resorts World, Fontainebleau, Encore, Westgate, and the Airport (LAS), connecting to the Las Vegas Convention Center. It runs from 7:00 to 9:00 PM at a cost of $4.25 for a single ride ($12.50 daily). Besides the many attractions such as the Sphere, Bellagio Fountains, Venetian canal and so very much more, there are up to 150 bars, lounges, and nightclubs inside the resorts and on the Strip (over 200 if you include walk-up, casino-floor bars, and restaurant-bars - 1,000 in the Vegas valley). Note: There are 10 mega-nightclubs on the Strip :XS Nightclub at Encore, Omnia Nightclub at Caesars, Hakkasan at MGM Grand, Marquee at The Cosmopolitan, TAO at The Venetian, Zouk Nightclub at Resorts World, LIV Nightclub at Fontainebleau, Jewel at Aria, EBC at Night at Wynn and and Drai's, now 'underground' at Vanderpump. By the way, there's Downtown. You're not going to walk there from the Strip (although it can be done), but it's worth the trip, no matter how you get there. You can walk the entire loop of downtown casinos—Main Street Station to El Cortez pretty easily - it's just about a mile (and there are plenty of places to get a drink in between). Despite this, there’s a free bus called the Downtown Loop. Downtown is different.