We did a few Vegas-like things on our visit, one being gluttony at a food buffet. Caesars Palace has one of the best buffets, but we didn’t reserve a seat early enough. We went off the Las Vegas Strip to the Palm Hotel. Ratings indicated that their buffet was solid, and all-you-can-eat crab legs were one of the attractions on that day.

According to our map, the walk didn’t look too bad, so we ventured west on Flamingo Blvd, which runs between the Bellagio and Caesars Palace. The walk wasn’t far, but it felt far since it was a desolate stretch of road, passing over Interstate 15. There wasn’t much visual to make the trek enjoyable.

The Palms property featured a few tall towers, but we found the entrance and made it over to the buffet line. The structures looked clean and modern without any gimmicks typical of the big hotels on the Las Vegas Strip.

Across the street diagonally, we passed by the Gold Coast Casino before reaching the Palms. While looking like an old-school hotel, the property is relatively new, built-in 1986. The sprawled, low-slung structure could only be built on less expensive land. You won’t see development like this anymore on the Strip.

The Rio was the first hotel and casino we saw on our westward walk beyond the strip. While the property opened in 1990, this 41-story tower was constructed in 1996.

There wasn’t much to see besides these hotels, almost resembling a suburban road but with light development. We were a group and felt safe, but I wouldn’t recommend this walk individually.

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