We took an Uber to the Stratosphere hotel and casino which is all the way at the end of the strip. It’s so far down the strip that it’s actually not considered to be apart of “the strip” and noted as the beginning of Northern Las Vegas which includes the Frémont Street area.
We found that it costs $40 per person to take the elevator to the top observation deck, but our Uber driver told us if we tell them we are going to the top floor for drinks we wouldn’t have to pay. The plan worked and we didn’t have to pay to get up the elevator. It was even better since it was happy hour and we only had to pay $8 for drinks!
While we were on the observation deck, we got to see someone jump off the building. It was pretty scary even though they were secured by harnesses. I would never be able to do something like that, even if I had 20 of those $8 drinks 🤣
I have to be honest, the views were beautiful, but it wasn’t of the strip. You could see all of the Las Vegas area except the strip. The views from Paris Las Vegas really captured the whole strip.
After the Strat, we took another Uber (I think we took 6 today!) to The Mirage. The Mirage is another stunning hotel and casino. We stopped at the front desk for about 30 minutes to stare at the 53 foot long aquarium. Eddie used to grow coral and had a few salt water tanks so he is very interested in fish tanks.
We continued through the hotel and casino until we found the Siegfried and Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat. It was $22 to get in but it was worth every penny. The dolphins were so playful! They were giggling and throwing a ball around and playing in the fountain. I’ve never seen such playful, happy dolphins in a zoo-like setting. There was even a young baby dolphin who was about one year old.
After you walk through the dolphin area you get to the lions and tigers. (And bears, oh my! There weren’t any bears but I had to finish the saying lol) Again, these animals were happy and playful. It was nothing like the sleeping animals you typically see at the zoo. The lions and tigers were swimming and playing with the rubber ball in their pools. We wound up watching the animals for over an hour and there was only 4 of them! This was one of the best attractions we saw at the hotels and casinos out here.
By now it was about 7pm so we walked over to The Terry Fator Theater for the show. Eddie and I have seen Terry Fator on America’s Got Talent, but he was so much funnier in person. It’s no wonder he won the show and wound up with his own show and theater in Las Vegas. I had no idea that he had so many different dummies and could do so many different voices. He was really impressive and the show was hilarious.
It was another great day and the perfect ending to the Las Vegas portion of our trip. Tomorrow we link back up with Route 66 and head to the end, the Santa Monica Pier and Mel’s Drive In!
