The 7 wonders of Las Vegas

Las Vegas isn’t exactly known for leaving famous landmarks well enough alone.

The Eiffel Tower? Ancient pyramids? If we can’t have the originals, we’ll build our own.

That attitude isn’t limited to hotel developers. Seven years ago, we looked at the seven ancient wonders of the world and decided Las Vegas needed seven wonders of its own.

Times have changed, though, and Las Vegas keeps growing. So we made a few tweaks to our original list. What would you change? Let us know at social@reviewjournal.com.

Bellagio Dancing Fountains

TripAdvisor named the Bellagio’s fountains the No. 1 landmark in the U.S. in July, above the LuxorGettysburg National Military Park, the USS Arizona Memorial in Honolulu, and the Top of the Rock Observation Deck in New York City.

The decision was based on millions of reviews and opinions from TripAdvisor users.

The fountains were also the fourth-most Instagrammed location in the world in 2013, behind Siam Paragon shopping mall in Bangkok, Times Square and Disneyland.

Red Rock

Who in Las Vegas could look at a photo of the Spring Mountains and not be able to identify them by the dark red horizontal stripe running across the range?

For that, the conservation area makes our list as Las Vegas’ most recognizable natural wonder. More than 1 million people visit the area every year.

The Luxor

Like the Paris and the Stratosphere, the Luxor is notable on the Strip because we took part of another skyline and made it our own, with a Las Vegas twist.

There may be nothing entombed (that we know of) in our pyramid, but it has its own reason to shine: the iconic Sky Beam, the only one of its kind on the Strip.

The beam is shrouded in mystery, but reporter Sonya Padgett got the inside scoop in 2012 about what makes the beam so unique. Read about it here.

High Roller

The centerpiece of the $550 million Linq is the 550-foot tall observation wheel known as the High Roller.

Opening in a few weeks, the High Roller will be the world’s tallest observation wheel until an even bigger one opens in New York City in 2016.

The High Roller showed off its impact on the Las Vegas skyline earlier this week when officials tested the wheel’s 1,500 LED lights during an awe-inspiring light show.

Rumor has it a star-studded grand opening is planned for April.

Edit, April 15, 2014: The High Roller opened to customers at the end of March. Read more about it here.

Buffets

There are a few things that come to mind when people think “Vegas,” and gambling, drinking and buffets will almost always make that list.

We may not have invented the wheel, but we sure know how to pretty it up and put one on every corner.

Check out this list of Las Vegas’ best buffets if you’re in the mood to overeat tonight.

Neon Museum

The Neon Museum makes the list for its showcase of some of the most striking objects from Las Vegas history: the neon signs.

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who sees a flashing neon sign and isn’t reminded of Las Vegas. The Neon Museum exists to tell the stories behind the signage, from diners that only long-time locals will remember to some of the most recognizable hotel names on the planet. Walking through the graveyard of Las Vegas’ older skins is like stepping back through time.

Downtown Project

The urban renewal drive backed by Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is at the heart of many of the projects that are currently transforming the city, including the recently opened Container Park.

We don’t know what Las Vegas will look like 10 years from now, but it’s safe to say the Downtown Project is playing a role in shaping it. Check out the RJ’s in-depth look at the Downtown Project here.

Contact Stephanie Grimes at sgrimes@reviewjournal.com. Find her on Twitter: @steph_grimes