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The section of the Las Vegas Strip south of Tropicana Avenue features some of the most recognizable resorts in the city.
Tropicana (Permanently Closed)
The Tropicana is a South Beach themed resort at the southeast corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue. It opened in 1957 and was last renovated in 2011. Magicians Siegfried and Roy debuted their act there, and it was featured in the 1971 James Bond film Diamonds are Forever. The Tropicana shut down for good on April 2, 2024.
Excalibur
Across the Las Vegas Strip from the Tropicana is Excalibur. This resort has a medieval them and is popular with families.
Luxor
South of there is Luxor, named after the Egyptian city and with an ancient Egyptian theme. The resort is built into a pyramid and has a sphinx and obelisk outside. There are Egyptian statues in front of the entrance.
Next to the lobby, the entrance to the gaming area looks like a temple. Upstairs you’ll find another obelisk and replica Egyptian village.
Luxor is home to Bodies… The Exhibition and Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition. Bodies displays actual human bodies and organs and gives visitors a better understanding of the wonders of the human body and how it works. Titanic has actual artifacts recovered from the 1912 disaster, including a large piece of its hull. Each costs US$32 and a combo ticket for both exhibitions is US$42 (as of November 2023).
Mandalay Bay
Mandalay Bay sits south of Luxor. This massive complex has an elegant tropical South Pacific theme.
The lobby and hallways are impressive, as is the Mandalay Beach pool area.
Mandalay Bay also houses the Shark Reef Aquarium, which contains the third largest tank in North America. Adult admission on a timed entry is US$29 while anytime pricing is US$36 (as of November 2023).
The first part of the Shark Reef Aquarium displays reptiles such as crocodiles and a Komodo dragon along with fish from the Amazon basin. You then pass through an aquarium tunnel to the next section.
Stingrays, lionfish, jellyfish, and other exotic species are featured in the next section. There’s a stingray and horseshoe crab petting tank as well.
At the end of the aquarium is a large tank with a few different species of sharks and larger fish.
Welcome Sign
The iconic Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign is not too far south of Mandalay Bay. It was built in 1959 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. I went at night and was able to see it all lit up. An Elvis impersonator was also there serenading a couple.
Tram
Note: Excalibur, Luxor, and Mandalay Bay are all connected by a free tram.
