Bellagio
Opened in 1998, Bellagio sits behind an eight-acre lake whose free fountain show runs every 15 to 30 minutes from the afternoon until midnight. Inside, the Conservatory & Botanical Gardens change their displays with the seasons and cost nothing to visit. The casino is polished and busy, the poker room is one of the best known on the Strip, and Cirque du Soleil’s water show “O” plays in its own theatre. Expect high table minimums, especially at weekends.
Caesars Palace
Opened in 1966 and still the template for the themed Strip resort. The casino floor is enormous and spread across several areas, so allow time to find your way. Highlights include the Colosseum theatre, home to long-running headline residencies, the Forum Shops mall under its painted-sky ceiling, the Bacchanal Buffet and one of the Strip’s largest sportsbooks. Its position at the corner of Flamingo Road puts much of the centre Strip within walking distance.
MGM Grand
Opened in 1993, the MGM Grand is one of the largest hotels in the United States, with a casino floor to match. Its Garden Arena has staged some of boxing’s biggest nights, including Tyson vs. Holyfield II and Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, and still hosts UFC cards and concerts. Cirque du Soleil’s KÀ plays here, and the Las Vegas Monorail starts at its back door, which makes it a practical base for the south and centre Strip.
The Venetian
Opened in 1999 with a full-scale take on Venice: canals with singing gondoliers run through the Grand Canal Shoppes upstairs, and St Mark’s Square is recreated under a painted sky. Every room is a suite. The poker room is one of the busiest in town and runs regular tournament series, and a walkway leads to the Sphere. Together with its sister resort, the Palazzo, it has one of the largest casino floors on the Strip.
Wynn Las Vegas
Opened in 2005 on the site of the old Desert Inn, Wynn is the benchmark for understated luxury on the Strip, with floral displays, natural light and a calmer casino than most. Behind the resort is an 18-hole golf course, and the poker room is one of the most respected in the city. Prices and table minimums are high; it’s a place to treat yourself rather than stretch a budget.
Encore
Wynn’s sister tower, opened in 2008 and connected to it indoors. The red-and-gold casino feels more intimate than its neighbour, and every room is a suite. Encore is best known for its pool and nightlife scene, including the Encore Beach Club. During the day, the Wynn and Encore casinos together are one of the Strip’s quieter high-end places to play.
Paris Las Vegas
Opened in 1999 beneath a half-scale Eiffel Tower whose observation deck looks straight down on the Bellagio fountains across the street. The casino floor sits under the tower’s legs, and the French theme carries through the cafés and restaurants. Mid-priced and central, it connects indoors to Horseshoe Las Vegas, and the two share the World Series of Poker each summer.
Aria Resort & Casino
Opened in 2009 as the centrepiece of the CityCenter complex, Aria is sleek and modern rather than themed, with public art from the CityCenter Fine Art Collection throughout. Its poker room is a hub for high-stakes cash games and tournaments, and the PokerGO Studio, where televised poker is filmed, is on site. A free tram links it to Park MGM and Bellagio.
Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
Opened in 2010 and aimed squarely at a younger, design-conscious crowd. Many rooms have private balconies, which is rare on the Strip. The three-storey Chandelier bar is a landmark in itself, and an unmarked pizza counter on the third floor (known to regulars as Secret Pizza) is a late-night favourite. The casino is busy and loud in the evenings, with a big mix of table games.
Mandalay Bay
Opened in 1999 at the south end of the Strip. Its biggest draws are outside the casino: an 11-acre pool complex with a sand beach and wave pool, the Shark Reef Aquarium, and the Michelob ULTRA Arena, home of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces. Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson ONE plays here, and a free tram connects the resort with Luxor and Excalibur.
New York-New York
Opened in 1997 behind a scaled-down Manhattan skyline, with its own Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge on the pavement. The Big Apple Coaster loops around the outside of the building. Inside, the casino is styled like old New York streets, with Greenwich Village-style food stalls and a lively piano bar. Friendlier on the wallet than its neighbours, it sits beside the walkway to T-Mobile Arena.
Treasure Island (TI)
Opened in 1993 and independently owned since 2009, Treasure Island is a relaxed, good-value option in the middle of the Strip. Cirque du Soleil’s Mystère, the company’s longest-running Las Vegas show, has played here since the resort opened. The pirate battle out front ended years ago, but the casino remains a friendly place to play with reasonable minimums for the location.
Circus Circus
Opened in 1968 and still the Strip’s most family-oriented resort. Free circus acts perform on the stage above the casino floor through the day, and the Adventuredome next door is a five-acre indoor theme park with roller coasters. Rooms are among the cheapest on the Strip. It sits at the north end, so allow time or a bus ride to reach the central resorts.
Luxor
A 30-storey glass pyramid opened in 1993, with a beam of light shining from its peak each night. Its lifts, called inclinators, climb the sides of the pyramid at a 39-degree angle. The casino is affordable and low-key, and the resort hosts Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition. A free tram connects it with Mandalay Bay and Excalibur.
Excalibur
Opened in 1990 as a fairy-tale castle and still one of the cheapest places to stay and play on the Strip. Table minimums are among the lowest at the south end, and the food court and arcade make it popular with families. A pedestrian bridge crosses to New York-New York, and the free tram runs from here to Luxor and Mandalay Bay.
Planet Hollywood
Formerly the Aladdin, rebranded as Planet Hollywood in 2007. It has a lively, party-leaning casino aimed at a younger crowd, and its theatre hosts music residencies. The Miracle Mile Shops wrap around the resort, and its centre-Strip position opposite the Cosmopolitan puts most of the big names within walking distance.
Palms Casino Resort
The Palms opened in 2001 just west of the Strip on Flamingo Road. After a pandemic closure it reopened in 2022 under the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, the first Native American tribe to own and operate a Las Vegas resort outright. It mixes a locals-friendly casino and good-value restaurants with a contemporary art collection and the Pearl concert theatre.
Fremont Hotel & Casino
Opened in 1956 under what is now the Fremont Street Experience canopy, the Fremont is a classic downtown casino owned by Boyd Gaming. Its neon frontage is one of the most photographed on Fremont Street. Table minimums are lower than on the Strip and the atmosphere is unpretentious. The Golden Nugget, Four Queens and the canopy light show are all a few steps away.
Golden Nugget
Opened in 1946, the Golden Nugget is the most upscale hotel downtown. Its pool, The Tank, has a waterslide that runs through a shark aquarium, and the lobby displays the Hand of Faith, one of the largest gold nuggets ever found at around 61 pounds. The casino is bright and busy, with a poker room and a broad mix of tables: downtown prices with more polish.
Binion's Gambling Hall
Benny Binion opened the original Horseshoe here in 1951 and became famous for accepting bets with no upper limit. In 1970 his family hosted the first World Series of Poker, which stayed here until it outgrew the room in the mid-2000s. Today Binion’s is a small, old-school casino with low minimums and a lot of history on the walls. Its poker room closed in 2020; Golden Nugget, a short walk away, now runs downtown’s only poker room.
El Cortez Hotel & Casino
Opened in 1941, El Cortez is the oldest continuously operating casino in Las Vegas, and its 1952 frontage still looks much as it did then. It’s known for low table minimums and some of the last coin-operated slot machines in town. It sits on East Fremont Street, a few minutes’ walk from the canopy, in the bar-lined Fremont East district.
Four Queens Hotel & Casino
Opened in 1966 on the corner of Fremont Street and Casino Center Boulevard, under the canopy. It’s a friendly, old-school casino with low minimums and a loyal following. Hugo’s Cellar, the restaurant in its basement, has served tableside dinners since the 1970s and is one of downtown’s classic nights out.
Golden Gate Hotel & Casino
Opened in 1906 as the Hotel Nevada, the Golden Gate is the oldest hotel in Las Vegas, at the western end of Fremont Street. It’s a small hotel with a lively casino where dealers dance on some tables, and it has served its famous shrimp cocktail since 1959. It shares owners with Circa and the D.
Downtown Grand
Opened in 2013 in the former Lady Luck building, a block north of the Fremont Street canopy. It’s a newer, cleaner take on downtown with a rooftop pool and good-value rooms. The casino is modest in size and relaxed, and the Mob Museum is next door.
Red Rock Casino Resort
Station Casinos’ flagship, opened in 2006 in Summerlin, about 20 minutes west of the Strip. It’s a polished resort that suits visitors heading to Red Rock Canyon, a short drive away. The casino is spacious and modern, with a good range of video poker, a bowling centre and a cinema.
South Point Hotel & Casino
Opened in 2005 by Michael Gaughan, about ten minutes south of the Strip. It’s a sprawling locals favourite with a 64-lane bowling centre, a cinema, an indoor equestrian arena and a large bingo hall. Rooms are good value and the tables and video poker are friendlier than on the Strip, making it a solid base if you have a car.
Green Valley Ranch Resort
A Mediterranean-style resort opened in 2001 in Henderson, about 20 minutes south-east of the Strip. It’s Station Casinos’ upmarket option on the east side, with a large pool area, a spa and a calm casino popular with Henderson locals. A good choice for a quieter stay that’s still close to the airport.
Sunset Station
Opened in 1997 in Henderson, Sunset Station is a mid-size locals casino with a Spanish-village theme. Its centrepiece is the Gaudí Bar under a large stained-glass ceiling. There’s a cinema and an outdoor amphitheatre, plus low table minimums and plenty of video poker.
Palace Station
The original Station casino, opened in 1976 as the Bingo Palace just west of the Strip by Interstate 15. A major renovation in 2017 modernised it, and it’s now a convenient locals casino with a sportsbook and plenty of video poker. Its Oyster Bar is a local institution, famous for its pan roast and long queues.
Resorts World Las Vegas
Opened in 2021 on the north Strip, Resorts World was the first major resort built from the ground up on the Strip in more than a decade. It houses three Hilton hotels under one roof (Hilton, Conrad and Crockfords) and a large, modern casino with a strong Asian influence in its games and dining. Famous Foods Street Eats, a Southeast Asian hawker-style food hall, is one of its best features.
Fontainebleau Las Vegas
Opened in December 2023, 16 years after construction first began, Fontainebleau is the tallest occupied building in Nevada. It’s a luxury resort on the north Strip with a modern casino, high-end restaurants and the LIV nightclub. Like Resorts World nearby, it sits at the north end, so most other resorts are a ride away.
The Palazzo
Opened in 2007 as the Venetian’s sister resort and connected to it indoors. Every room is a suite, and the shared casino gives you access to the Venetian’s poker room and table games. The Shoppes at the Palazzo hold higher-end boutiques. It’s a little calmer than the Venetian side and suits longer stays.
Park MGM
The former Monte Carlo, reopened as Park MGM in 2018. In 2020 it became the first Strip casino to go completely smoke-free, which makes it the obvious choice if smoke bothers you. Eataly fills much of the ground floor, the NoMad hotel occupies the upper floors, and Dolby Live hosts major music residencies. T-Mobile Arena is right behind it.
The Linq
Rebuilt from the old Imperial Palace and reopened as The Linq in 2014. It sits on the Linq Promenade, an open-air street of bars and restaurants leading to the High Roller, a 550-foot observation wheel. The casino is compact and lively, rooms are modern and fairly priced, and the location in the middle of the Strip is hard to beat.
Flamingo Las Vegas
Opened in 1946 with backing from the mobster Bugsy Siegel, the Flamingo is the oldest resort still operating on the Strip. Behind the casino is a free wildlife habitat with live flamingos, pelicans and koi. Rooms and tables are good value for a mid-Strip location, and the Linq Promenade is next door.
Harrah's Las Vegas
A centre-Strip resort between the Linq and the Venetian, opened in 1973 and running under the Harrah’s name since 1992. It’s a straightforward, good-value casino with comedy and variety shows in its theatres. A monorail stop nearby and its central position make it a practical base.
Horseshoe Las Vegas
The former Bally’s, rebranded Horseshoe Las Vegas in 2022, at the corner of Flamingo Road opposite Bellagio and Caesars. Each summer it hosts the World Series of Poker together with Paris next door, bringing the event back to the Horseshoe name it began under at Binion’s. The casino is mid-priced with plenty of table games.
The STRAT Hotel & Casino
Opened in 1996 as the Stratosphere and renamed The STRAT in 2020, it’s built around a 1,149-foot tower, the tallest freestanding observation tower in the United States. The top has an observation deck, thrill rides and SkyJump, a controlled free-fall from the 108th floor. The casino at its base is good value, and the location between the Strip and downtown suits visitors who want both.
Sahara Las Vegas
One of the Strip’s original resorts, opened in 1952. It was rebuilt as the SLS in 2014 and returned to the Sahara name in 2019 under new owners. Today it’s a stylish, mid-priced resort on the north Strip with a modern casino. The Las Vegas Monorail starts outside, which makes the centre Strip and the convention centre easy to reach.
Casino Royale
A small, independent casino between the Venetian and Harrah’s, with a Best Western Plus hotel upstairs. It’s one of the last places in the middle of the Strip with genuinely low table minimums and a casual, no-frills feel. The owners have long-standing plans to redevelop the site, so check it’s still open before you go.
Vanderpump Hotel
The former Cromwell, reopened in May 2026 as the Vanderpump Hotel in partnership with the TV personality and restaurateur Lisa Vanderpump. It’s a small boutique hotel with a compact casino and a stylish, party-friendly feel, at the corner of Flamingo Road opposite Caesars Palace and Bellagio.
Circa Resort & Casino
Opened in October 2020 by Derek Stevens, Circa is the first new casino resort built downtown in decades and is strictly 21-and-over. Its three-storey sportsbook was built to be the largest in the world, and Stadium Swim is a terraced pool facing a giant screen. Vegas Vickie, the famous neon cowgirl from the old Glitter Gulch, now hangs inside.
The D Las Vegas
Derek Stevens took over the old Fitzgeralds and reopened it as the D in 2012. The ground floor is a loud, party-style casino with dancing dealers and cheap drinks; upstairs, Vintage Vegas keeps an older feel. It sits at the eastern end of the Fremont Street canopy, close to Circa and the bars of Fremont East.
Plaza Hotel & Casino
Opened in 1971 at One Main Street, on the site of the old railroad depot at the western end of Fremont Street. Its glass-domed Oscar’s Steakhouse, named after former mayor Oscar Goodman, looks straight down the canopy. The casino has low minimums, and the good-value hotel has a rooftop pool and pickleball courts.
Main Street Station
A Victorian-themed casino from 1991, owned by Boyd Gaming, a block off Fremont Street. It’s filled with genuine antiques, stained glass and old railway carriages, and a section of the Berlin Wall stands in the men’s restroom. Popular with Hawaiian visitors, it has low minimums and an easygoing atmosphere.
California Hotel & Casino
Opened in 1975 and known as “the Cal”, this Boyd Gaming property is the heart of Las Vegas’s connection with Hawaii, which locals call the Ninth Island. It’s packed with Hawaiian visitors and food, including a well-known oxtail soup, and has friendly low-minimum tables. A pedestrian bridge connects it to Main Street Station.
The Orleans Hotel & Casino
A New Orleans-themed Boyd Gaming resort opened in 1996 on Tropicana Avenue, west of the Strip. It has a 70-lane bowling centre, a cinema and the Orleans Arena, which hosts college basketball tournaments and concerts. Tables and video poker are friendlier than on the Strip, and rooms are good value.
Gold Coast Hotel & Casino
A Boyd Gaming locals casino opened in 1986 on Flamingo Road, next to the Rio and just west of the Strip. It’s unflashy and good value, with a loyal following among older regulars, low minimums and plenty of video poker. If you want to gamble near the Strip without Strip prices, it’s one of the easiest options.
Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino
An all-suite resort opened in 1990 just west of the Strip. From 2005 to 2021 it hosted the World Series of Poker, and Penn & Teller have performed their show here for more than two decades. Under new operators since 2023 it has been steadily renovated, and its large rooms are well priced.
Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
The former Hard Rock Hotel, rebranded as Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in 2021 and now part of Hilton’s Curio Collection. It sits east of the Strip on Paradise Road, and its casino is run by Mohegan Gaming. Expect a relaxed, design-led hotel with a good pool, solid restaurants and a theatre for concerts and comedy.
Westgate Las Vegas Resort
Opened in 1969 as the International Hotel, where Elvis Presley played hundreds of sold-out shows between 1969 and 1976. It’s next to the Las Vegas Convention Center with its own monorail stop, and its SuperBook was long billed as the world’s largest sportsbook. A good-value choice for convention visitors and sports bettors.
Tuscany Suites & Casino
An all-suite hotel with a small casino on Flamingo Road, a 10 to 15-minute walk east of the Strip. It’s quiet and good value, with large rooms, garden-style grounds and a pool, which suits visitors who want space and calm close to the action. The casino is small, with low minimums and a friendly lounge.
Ellis Island Hotel & Casino
A small locals casino on Koval Lane, a short walk behind Horseshoe and Paris. It’s known for its own brewery, nightly karaoke and a long-running cheap steak dinner special, and its video poker is rated highly by regular players. Unpretentious and popular with locals.
Durango Casino & Resort
Station Casinos’ newest resort, opened in December 2023 in the south-west of the valley by the 215 beltway. It’s a modern locals casino with a strong food hall, Eat Your Heart Out, plus a sportsbook and a bright, contemporary casino floor. Handy if you’re staying in Summerlin or the south-west, about 15 to 20 minutes from the Strip.
Suncoast Hotel & Casino
A Boyd Gaming locals resort opened in 2000 in Summerlin. It has a 64-lane bowling centre, a cinema and a showroom, and its casino is calm, with good-value video poker and low table minimums. A comfortable, quieter base for visitors heading to Red Rock Canyon.
Sam's Town Hotel & Casino
Opened in 1979 on Boulder Highway, east of the city, Sam’s Town is a western-themed Boyd Gaming locals casino. Its indoor Mystic Falls Park atrium has trees, waterfalls and a free light-and-water show, the Sunset Stampede. There’s also a bowling centre, a cinema and a concert hall.
Boulder Station Hotel & Casino
Station Casinos’ east-side property on Boulder Highway, opened in 1994 with a railroad theme. It’s a no-frills locals casino with a cinema, low minimums, plenty of video poker and budget-friendly restaurants. Useful mainly if you’re staying on the east side of the valley.
Santa Fe Station
A Station Casinos property in the north-west of the valley, opened in 1991. It’s a family-friendly locals casino with a bowling centre and cinema, low table minimums and plenty of slots and video poker. Mostly useful for visitors staying in the north-west or heading up to Mount Charleston.
Arizona Charlie's Decatur
A Golden Entertainment locals casino on Decatur Boulevard, west of the Strip, opened in 1988. It’s an old-school, budget-friendly place with low minimums, a bingo room and lots of video poker, popular with regulars rather than tourists. The hotel is basic but cheap.
Silverton Casino Lodge
A locals casino south of the Strip by Interstate 15, connected to a huge Bass Pro Shops outdoor store. Its 117,000-gallon saltwater aquarium has rays, sharks and free mermaid shows on some days. The casino is relaxed with good-value tables, and the Strip is a short drive away.
Rampart Casino
A locals casino inside the JW Marriott resort in Summerlin, with Mediterranean-style grounds, palm trees and a spa. The casino is calmer and more refined than most off-Strip options, with good-value promotions and comfortable restaurants. A pleasant base for golf or trips to Red Rock Canyon.