On your next trip to Las Vegas, walk on the Las Vegas Strip at Night to experience the lights. How did the Las Vegas Strip become connected to gambling? Bugsy Siegel was a driving force behind the Strip development in the early 1930’s. When they repealed the Twenty-first Amendment, making alcohol legal again, many who made their money from bootlegging turned to gambling.

Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada

Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada flashes the iconic red, white, and blue sign as you enter Las Vegas via the south end of the Strip. If you want to visit using your GPS tracker, the address is 5100 Las Vegas Boulevard. While working for the Western Neon Company, Betty Willis created the sign in 1959, costing about $4,000 to build and install. Now, the sign is solar powered. The National Historic Register added the sign to their list in May 2009.

There are free parking spots in front of the sign to get out and take a picture. When leaving the Las Vegas side, the sign reads, “Drive Carefully, Come Back Soon.”

When you think of the iconic Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada sign, you think there is nothing quite like it. However, since there is no copyright on the sign, so many versions of the sign exist, including one on the Harley-Davidson store across the boulevard, a short distance from the original sign. The neon sign, Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Harley-Davidson Nevada has top billing over the “Harley-Davidson Motorcycles” logo.

Continue down the Strip, AKA Las Vegas Boulevard. As you are out exploring, take advantage of the several direct and four-corner pedestrian bridges over Las Vegas Boulevard—the bridges on the Strip separate pedestrians from motor vehicle traffic, increasing pedestrian safety. You can access them via elevators and escalators. 

Walking the Las Vegas Strip at Night

Travel the World Walking the Las Vegas Strip at Night

Travel the world via the Strip. Visit Paris, Venice, or even Egypt as you follow the lights. Or stay in the United States, where Vegas’s white lights invite you to visit New York, New York. View the New York City skyline, the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building topped with a lighted Christmas tree, or Lady Liberty with her torch held high. You may even burst into a chorus of New York-New York as you stroll down the Strip.

Paris Las Vegas

The Paris Las Vegas, located on the Strip, is almost 5 miles from the city center. The Eiffel Tower Experience is the closest landmark to Paris Las Vegas. Visit Paris and the golden-lit Eiffel Tower. After dark, dine in the Eiffel Tower and enjoy the lighted Bellagio fountains.

Venice

Travel to Venice at the Venetian. Take a gondola ride.

Egypt

The Luxor pyramid represents Egypt — outlined in lights, topped with a shining beacon you could see from outer space. A bearded sphynx guards the front of the building. The beacon’s blue color on the exterior of the building reminds me of the inside show Blue Man Group.

Time Travel

Not the world traveler type? Enter the Excalibur time machine and travel back to Mid-Evil times. The Tournament of Kings is a dinner and show adapted from the stories of King Arthur.

Bellagio

The Bellagio reminds me of under stated elegance, beautifully lit, without the screaming neon.

At the Bellagio, explore the different options of the Cirque du Soleil show. The Bellagio features O, a dreamlike adventure show that immerses audiences in an enchanting underwater world featuring aquatic acrobats and world-class divers. 

After topping by at the Bellagio for a free view of the nighttime fountains, you may also want to come back during the day to explore the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens. 

Caesar’s Palace

Situated on 85 acres with five towers, Caesar’s Palace is one of the largest hotels in Las Vegas. The hotel offers over 3,900 hotel rooms. Take plenty of time to unwind by the pool. With the Garden of the Gods pool complex, comprised of seven pools, including a swim-up Blackjack table, relaxing by the pool is no problem. I found the pools one of the best ways to relax in Las Vegas. With so many entertainment options, you don’t want to forget the live music at Caesar’s Palace. Caesar’s is one of Las Vegas’s great entertainment venues.

The Linq Hotel and the Linq Promenade are in Caesar’s entertainment district. If you’re a people watcher, I’ve found the Linq Promenade to be a great place to hang out. Also, with 22 restaurants on the property, you won’t have a shortage of dining options. 

Flamingo

It has been over 35 years since we visited Vegas and stayed at the Flamingo Hilton. The neon signs remind me of the “old” Vegas.

MGM Grand

Although confusing, the MGM Grand and the Park MGM are different hotels. The sculpted golden lion stands proud at the entrance to The MGM Grand. 

Harrah’s

A dazzling sign lights up Harrah’s entrance. Harrah’s is a more budget-friendly hotel, as opposed to some of the luxury offerings on the Strip. So, while the rooms are slightly smaller and while they don’t have refrigerators in the rooms, they do have them available upon request. Harrah’s Las Vegas, situated on 17.3 acres across from Caesar’s Palace and adjacent to The LINQ Hotel, the High Roller Observation Wheel, and the Fly LINQ Zipline. Harrah’s Las Vegas offers 2,542 redesigned guest rooms, a remodeled casino floor, and updated LED marquees at the north and south entrances.

While you’ll find roller coasters in Las Vegas, other high-energy experiences include the High Roller Observation Wheel, Stratosphere Tower, and ziplines. 

Stratosphere Tower

The Stratosphere is a 1,148-foot-tall structure. Experience several different thrills. Look closely at the upper right portion of the image. The Stratosphere has a five-prong star-shaped ride called The Insanity that spins you 64 feet over the Tower edge. If you dare open your eyes, you can stare straight down at the Strip during the ride. I was more than a little bit afraid.

Sky Jump 108 stories (829 feet) off the Tower to reach free fall speeds of over 40 miles per hour. A milder X-Scream ride catapults you 27 feet over the Tower’s edge. For the faint of heart, there is always the Observation Deck.

Piper’s Pro Planning

Here are several options to take your own Las Vegas Strip Walking Tour:

• A two-hour walking tour of the Strip
• If you prefer to cover the entire length of the Strip, with an excellent opportunity to take images at night, your best bet is the Las Vegas: Sightseeing Night Tour by Open-top Bus. This type of tour is how I managed to get so many photos of the Las Vegas lights at night.
• Need some help planning your trip to Las Vegas, take a look at this article on packing more vacation into your over-scheduled life.

High Roller Observation Wheel

The High Roller Observation Wheel peeks from behind another building and shares the spotlight with the Swarovski Crystal sign. This experience requires good weather. They’ll offer you an alternative date or a full refund if they cancel due to high winds or other poor weather conditions.

Veer Towers

The Veer Towers are twin 37-story leaning towers of luxury condominiums. 

Circus Circus – Walking the Las Vegas Strip at Night

Circus Circus is a family-friendly hotel where you can visit the Big Top and see a half-hour show. It is one of Las Vegas’ free things to do any day of the week.

M&M’s Store

Got a sweet tooth? Make a stop at the M&M’s Store on the Strip. Print some M&M’s with your name. It might prevent others from eating them. After all, they are your M&Ms, aren’t they?

Gold and Silver Pawn Shop

If you enjoy history, then stop at the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop, as seen on television. You’ll find art, antiques, coins, sports memorabilia, and jewelry inside. Every piece has a history.

The Container Park

The 40-foot-long flaming Praying Mantis lives at the Container Park on the corner of Seventh Street and Fremont. Shout, “Wake up, Mantis, wake up,” and fire may appear from his antennae. Admission to the Container Park is free. The insect formerly lived at the Burning Man Festival in northern Nevada.

Fremont Street Experience

In the downtown area, Freemont Street at night is an experience in and of itself. Most likely, you’ll find a crowd of people waiting to zip line down the length of Fremont Street on Slotzilla—a sure way to experience an adrenaline rush.

El Cortez

El Cortez is vintage Vegas. It is the only Las Vegas casino still using coins in their slot machines. The others have given way to dollar bills. This vintage style is how I remember Vegas 35 years ago—the noise of the coins clinging after the big win.

Binion’s

At Binion’s, if you are at least 21, you can take a free photo with $1,000,000 stacked pyramid-style. Yes, convince your friends you won BIG! After all, seeing is believing.

The Golden Nugget

At the Golden Nugget, check out the free aquarium with sharks. 

After viewing all these neon lights at night, you might enjoy some historic neon signs that still live on in the Neon Museum. The museum, located in downtown Las Vegas, features signs from old businesses displayed outdoors on 2.62 acres. 

Piper’s Pro Planning

While you won’t often find free shuttles in Las Vegas anymore, the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) offers a bus transportation option. Check out the routes and schedules here. You’ll also find free trams connecting some of the hotels and casinos.

Pin this to you favorite travel board for later!