Bonanza - 2440 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, NV 89104. 702-385-7359. 8 a.m. - midnight.

Bonanza is in a great location, being able to capture most of the tourists who decide to walk to the Stratosphere from the Las Vegas Strip. What most tourists don't expect, however, is the gauntlet of panhandlers who also know that this short stretch of Las Vegas Blvd. is ripe for the picking. You can expect to be asked for spare change or otherwise hit up for cash (I need $2 for the bus; my car ran out of gas; I lost my wallet; etc.) at least once during a walk from Sahara Ave. to the Stratosphere.

Bonanza is a good place to stop for vacation supplies from forgotten toiletries left at home to inexpensive hard liquor (inexpensive compared to hotel room mini bars or casino bars) and a large variety of Las Vegas souvenirs and mementos.

They have uniformed security guards on site and may ask you to check any shopping bags you're carrying with you before entering the store.

Fun City - 2233 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, NV 89104. 702-731-3155

You have to wonder who their target demographic is... a cheap motel, named "Fun City"...

Holiday Motel - 2205 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, NV 89104. 702-735-6464

Whether you walk or drive this stretch of Las Vegas Blvd., or just read about it here; it doesn't take long to realize that this is a radically different world apart from Las Vegas Blvd. south of Sahara Ave. While that segment of Las Vegas Blvd. is full of upscale resort casinos and throngs of tourists; this segment is full of "no tell" motels, quickie wedding chapels, strip clubs, pawn shops, homeless wanderers, and other interesting characters.

This is probably the only Internet store where you can buy Holiday Motel memorabilia.

Aztec Inn - 2200 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, NV 89104. 702-385-4566

Aztec Inn is a small hotel/casino which doesn't have a web site. I put up a link to a customer review page.

Yucca Motel - 1727 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, NV 89104. 702-650-3394

This is one of the few Las Vegas Blvd. motels that, in addition to not having their own web site, does not have any reviews posted about it. Their sign appeared to advertise free rooms "$0" and while I'm sure they're worth the price; the sign appears to have been in disrepair for several decades so I would not trust the information shown on it.

Olympic Garden - 1531 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, NV 89104. 702-385-8987

Olympic Garden is an upscale, genuine "gentleman's club" radically different from Showgirl Video and Talk of the Town.

Dino's - 1516 Las Vegas Blvd S., Las Vegas, NV 89104. 702-382-3894

Like many small businesses in Las Vegas, I've walked past this place a dozen or more times but have never stopped in. It seems like a cool place though. They even have a web site.

TOD Motor Motel - 1508 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Las Vegas, NV 89104. 702-477-0022

I recall seeing this sign in the opening montage of one of those "Cops" reality shows... so I'm surprised that 3 out of the 4 reviews posted on tripadvisor.com are favorable. Yahoo Travel has two reviews, both favorable. So I guess it's not fair to judge the quality of a motel by its location.

Chapel of Love / Wedding Wonderland - 1431 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, Nevada 89104. 702-636-0803

So, maybe you hit it off really well with one of the dancers at one of the nearby strip clubs... check into Fun City for the night... then get married at the drive thru in the morning.

What happens in Vegas... stays in Vegas? There's got to be some kind of marketing strategy behind the intentional placement of wedding chapels, cheap motels, and strip clubs all within a few blocks of each other.

Talk of the Town - 1238 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, NV 89104. 702-385-1800. Open 24 hours.

Here's a photo I shot December 13, 2007, with the Stratosphere framed in Talk of the Town's sign.

Slightly Sinful - 1232 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, NV 89104. 702-387-1006

A womens clothing store.

EZ Pawn - 808 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, NV 89101. 702-384-3042

Pawn shops are weird. Remember the scene in "Leaving Las Vegas" where Ben (Nicolas Cage) gets $50 for his Rolex? Rather than buying stuff, they loan money against the value of stuff. If you don't repay the loan they keep your stuff and put it on sale. The few times I've browsed in pawn shops, prices were about the same as for new items in standard retail stores. I guess you're supposed to "haggle" over the price.

ABC Bail - 735 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, NV 89101-6720. 702-792-5100

This is one of those businesses that just wants to be at the top of the list in the phone book. I doubt that ABC actually stands for anything.

Showgirl Video - 631 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, NV 89101. 702-385-4554. 8 a.m. to 4 a.m.

Combination adult bookstore / peep show / strip club.

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