If you're cruising the bedraggled North Strip, don't overlook Circus Circus. Granted, it's pretty hard to miss, what with the enormous clown-shaped marquee and tent-shaped casino under a gaudily striped big top. From the outside, this sprawling resort looks pretty cheesy – and it is . It's also overrun by kids, baby strollers and hilariously immature adults.
The decor inside is a riotous carnival of colors, mainly pinks and oranges, but these days it aims more for commedia dell'arte than Ringling Bros. Three full-sized casinos contain more than 2200 slot machines (keep an eye out for those with spinning carousels), plus wacky table games such as Casino War, with free blackjack, roulette and craps lessons given daily.
Trapeze artists, high-wire workers, jugglers and unicyclists perform excellent free circus acts above the casino floor. Just show up and take a seat at the Horse-A-Round Snack Bar , made infamous by Hunter S Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas . Nowadys gonzo fans will have to settle for salty popcorn and a lemonade, as it doesn't serve alcohol anymore. Wrapped around the stage is the Midway , where high-tech video games compete for youngsters' attention with old-fashioned carnival diversions.
Behind the hotel's west tower is Adventuredome , packed with thrills and dozens of rides and attractions. Highlights include the double-loop, double-corkscrew Canyon Blaster, gravity-defying El Loco (which packs a whopping -1.5Gs of vertical acceleration), a rock-climbing wall and mini golf. Clowns perform free shows throughout the day.
