On the Las Vegas map I see an area marked "Chinatown." We have two adopted girls from China and need to buy them a gift from Vegas. Please give some information on Chinatown.
Thanks,
George
(Boise, Idaho)
If you're expecting a Chinatown like in San Francisco or New York, you may be disappointed. Vegas' version only sprouted within the last 15 years and is largely a group of strip malls with Asian (not just Chinese) restaurants, groceries and specialty stores. It really doesn't have the character that old areas of cities where immigrants settled and infused with their own culture. That said, some of the restaurants are excellent and it's one of the few places in Las Vegas where authentic, non-Americanized Asian cuisine can be found. The restaurants are very popular with wealthy visitors from Asia.
There are gift and jewelery shops in Chinatown, but also take a look at stores in some of the high-end Strip casinos like the MGM Grand and Caesars Palace. Some of these places really cater to Asian visitors — many of the wealthiest and loosest gamblers (called "whales") come from that part of the world — so they keep products on hand that are of interest. Jade jewelery, in particular, can be bought in many Strip hotel shopping areas and makes an excellent gift.
If you do plan to visit Chinatown, I wouldn't advise trying to walk there. It's only a mile or so west of the Strip, but it's not a great idea to stray too far off the beaten path. Take a taxi and let the cabbie know you want to head to Chinatown Plaza.
