Every new hotel on the Strip seems determined to out-dazzle its predecessors. And for the visitor, gambler or not, this means a grand and gaudy show that's full of fun and nonsense. At the entrance to Bellagio, splashing fountains dance to show tunes in an eight-acre lake. But making a circuit of all the showiest places can be difficult. Public buses and trolley tours ply the Strip, but they're often packed, and you have to wait outside in the heat or cold.
Taxis are easier, but the fares mount.
The cruise takes you from Treasure Island at the northern end of the Strip's latest construction boom to Mandalay Bay at the southern end, and back. In a rush, you can probably make the loop in a couple of hours. To explore each casino as you go, give yourself more time. My wife and I spent most of one enjoyable day making the circuit. Along the way we stopped for lunch at the jazzy Wolfgang Puck Cafe at MGM Grand, shopped in the Forum boutiques at Caesars Palace and left a buck or two in the slot machines of several casinos.