Las Vegas Places

New York-New York Hotel and Casino

Vegas takes on Manhattan in this fantasy version of Gotham City. The mini-Manhattan skyline is one of our favorite parts of the Strip—there are third-size to half-size re-creations of all the biggies: the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, and the Chrysler and CBS buildings, as well as the New York Public Library, Grand Central Terminal, and the Brooklyn Bridge.

Looping around it all is the Manhattan Express roller coaster. The Big Apple flavor continues inside: walk through an art deco lobby, play virtual-reality games at an arcade reminiscent of Coney Island, chow down at a surprisingly good food court patterned after Greenwich Village. While you explore, keep your eye out for details such as names on mailboxes and brownstone apartment façades with air-conditioners in the windows. The casino floor, refurbished in 2009, is now one of the swankiest in Vegas.

The History

Considering that New York-New York first opened in 1997, it's one of the older hotels on the Strip. When the project began, it was a joint venture between MGM/Mirage and Primadonna Resorts. Today MGM/Mirage retains sole ownership, and has done its best to play up the New York vibe. A massive, multimillion-dollar renovation to the inside of the casino was completed in early 2009, and the new gaming floor revolves around the chic Center Bar. One thing that will never change: the Manhattan Express, a roller coaster that darts between the "buildings" of the hotel's skyline and is hands down the best ride on the Strip.