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Fremont Street

Fremont Street
Every city in America has a main street. Many European cities do, too, but as many of them are round it’s sometimes hard to tell which it is. But that’s not a problem in Las Vegas. Fremont Street is it. Of course, those who walk The Strip will argue. But visit Fremont Street and you’ll be convinced. New York has Times Square at Broadway where the neon lights astound visitors. Paris is appropriately nicknamed the City of Lights. But Las Vegas is unique. Nowhere outside Asia can you find such a dazzling array of sights and sounds, with crowds to match. Housed under a permanent canopy, the casino-lined street has over two million lights and a state-of-the-art sound system. The combined effect is, well, electric. Under the $70 million canopy walk a million visitors a year, if ‘walk’ is the proper term. On many nights, it’s more like being the ball in a pinball game. Not that it’s overcrowded, it’s just that you spend so much time trying to take in all the sights, you have to bump shoulders fairly frequently. Ninety feet above your head there are 12.5 million synchronized LED lights producing millions of color combinations, accompanied by animation and video. One second it may be a TV broadcast, the next an indefinable kaleidoscope that pops your pupils. Among the better known signs is Glitter Gulch’s Vegas Vickie, exemplifying everything that is Las Vegas. Kitsch, fun, carefree and silly. Videos are projected onto the canopy, too. Some last several minutes and run the gamut from ‘The Drop’, a psychedelic ‘happening’ ala the ’60s, to ‘Area 51′, showing earthlings in battle with aliens. ‘Above and Beyond’ gives visitors a view of the Earth from outer space, while ‘Fahrenheit at Night’ displays some of what Vegas is best known for: beautiful women. There are dozens of shops, everything from small indoor venues to free standing kiosks. Many of the offerings are just what you’d expect – little trinkets that will break the first time your child goes to play with it. But there is the odd interesting item here and there. If nothing else you can grab a doughnut at Krispy Kreme and enjoy the sights from the outdoor patio. The canopy is 1,400 feet (about 1/4 of a mile), so you’ll have plenty of opportunity to miss something interesting. Better plan to go twice, at least once when you’re sober. read more

30 Fun Free Things To Do In Vegas That Don’t Involve Gambling

30 Fun Free Things To Do In Vegas That Don
Almost everyone comes to Vegas to gamble. However, there are a heck of a lot of ways to entertain yourself in Vegas without gambling. Here are 30 fun free things to do in Las Vegas, just for starters. ALADDIN – They have a rain display where water falls from the ceiling into a reflecting pool below. ANDERSON DAIRY – Dairy Tour ARTS DISTRICT, DOWNTOWN – First Fridays BALLY’S HOTEL – Light, water and sound show BARBARY COAST HOTEL – Big Elvis BASS PRO SHOPS OUTDOOR WORLD – the layout of this store is similar to a natural history museum. An extra special feature is the live bass aquarium. BASS PRO SHOPS – Fishing demonstrations BELLAGIO – They have an elaborate fountain show on every half hour and can be seen from the street or by standing on the casino’s front porch. 1200 nozzles and 4500 lights are used. The Bellagio is also famous for its botanical garden. There are over 7500 flowers, trees and plants displayed and the atrium is changed six to eight times a year. BELLAGIO – Stunning Bellagio hotel lobby BELLAGIO – Chocolate fountain BONNIE SPRINGS PETTING ZOO/OLD NEVADA – Less than half an hour west of Vegas you will find this extensive free petting zoo though donations are accepted gratefully! The whole place is like a recreation of the wild west of Nevada. There is a mining town (small fee), plus a miniature locomotive. BOULDER CITY – Hoover dam CAESARS PALACE – Caesar and Cleopatra walk around inside waiting for you to quiz them about historical events. There is also a circular aquarium at the far end. You can take a free tour every weekday to find out how the fish tank works and what the employees do to keep the fish happy. CAESARS PALACE FORUM SHOPS – Every hour two fountains come to life. There are two shows. The first show features Bacchanal and the second show features Neptune. Very popular and crowded. To easily slip out watch near the back of the crowd. The show starts promptly on the hour. CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY CENTER – Movies and popcorn. CANNON AVIATION MUSEUM – This is located at the McCarran International Airport. There is a large exhibit about the aviation history of Las Vegas. CHINA DATE RANCH – This is a small working farm with a huge selection of fresh dates and baked goods. The date palms have brightly coloured petticoat skirts which keep the birds away and the dates happy. CHINATOWN – Just like many Chinatowns around the world. A great experience and lots of fun. CIRCUS CIRCUS – The AdventureDome is free to walk around in though rides cost. The theme here is the Grand Canyon. From 11am to 12pm, every 20 minutes, a different circus act performs on the midway above the casino. COFFEE ROASTERS OF LAS VEGAS – Find out everything you wanted to know about tea and coffee here. There are tours and classes – tours are free – and you also get to enjoy a free sample. DESERT DEMONSTRATION GARDEN – A display of hundreds of desert plants and explaining how desert plants read more