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After dark is when the Strip is meant to be seen: its miles of neon tubes, millions of twinkling, pulsing, flashing lights, vast fiber-optic signs, and, of course, thousands of people create an almost euphoric excitement.

Although daytime lacks the glitter of the night, the Strip starts coming to life from mid-morning, when the street and sidewalks become thronged with cars and pedestrians. The Strip is one of 15 American thoroughfares designated as an “All American Road and Scenic Byway.”

Westward Ho, Riviera, Tropicana, and Bally’s are among the few surviving hotel-casinos of the 1950s to 1970s. Their façades and landscaping are grand but not over-the-top, reflecting the postwar era. Room prices are relatively low.

The MGM Grand, Treasure Island, Monte Carlo, Luxor, and Caesars Palace were all built in the early 1990s. As their names suggest, they are designed around themes. MGM Grand features a lion enclosure with real lions, Treasure Island stages rousing pirate battles. Ancient Egypt is the theme of the Luxor.

Bellagio, Venetian, Aladdin, Mandalay Bay, and Paris (see Paris Las Vegas) have all opened since 1998. Once you are installed there is no need to venture out again: all your desires are catered for.

Fashion Show Mall proudly upholds the Las Vegas maxim that “bigger is better”. This upscale mega mall houses 250 luxury shops and restaurants, and no fewer than eight major department stores are anchors here.

A Las Vegas must-see, the Forum Shops, combine entertainment, dining, and shopping. Let your taste buds tingle on a burger while your eyes feast on scenes from ancient Rome.

Clinging to life between the skyscrapers are simple one-story buildings that house everything from snack shops to tour operators. In one storefront operation men hand-roll cigars.

Water heaven for kids and teenagers. Experience thrill rides, a surf lagoon, and a “lazy river” for floating. Volleyball courts (dry) are thrown in for good measure.

Elvis lives – at least, his numerous reincarnations do. Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe impersonators, among others, are a routine sight on the Strip. They perform in nostalgia shows; some even perform marriage ceremonies. Keep your eyes open, though: some real celebrities live here too!