Three resorts, one tram, three budgets
The southern end of the South Strip is a cluster of three MGM Resorts properties that work best when treated as a unit. Excalibur (1990) is the white-and-red castle at the Tropicana Avenue corner, the family-oriented budget option. Luxor (1993) is the 30-storey black glass pyramid with the sphinx out front and the world's brightest beam of light from its apex. Mandalay Bay (1999) is the gold-glass tower at the very end of the Strip, the upscale one, with the Four Seasons occupying its top floors and the Delano all-suite tower attached.
A free tram and a chain of indoor walkways link all three, so you can stay at Excalibur for the price, swim at Mandalay Bay's beach and eat at Luxor without going outside. That flexibility is the reason to consider this corner: it is the most self-contained stretch of the boulevard and the closest to Harry Reid International Airport and Allegiant Stadium. The trade-off is that the Center Strip is 25 to 45 minutes away on foot.
Free: the pyramid, the castle and the walk-through
Free things worth seeing here are mostly architectural. Luxor's atrium is the largest in the world by volume, and standing at the base looking up at the inclined elevators (the "inclinators") running along the pyramid's edges is an experience; the sphinx and obelisk out front are the photo spot. Excalibur's castle exterior is best seen lit at night from the Tropicana bridge, and the Fun Dungeon arcade downstairs is free to walk through, if not to play. Mandalay Bay's lobby has an aquarium wall and a tropical-modern feel, and the Delano lobby is a quiet, stylish place to sit.
Beyond the resorts, the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign is a 10-to-15-minute walk south of Mandalay Bay on the median of the boulevard, with a small free car park; queue for the photo. The Hacienda Avenue bridge west from Mandalay Bay gives a close-up of Allegiant Stadium. For the full list, see free things to see.
Attractions inside
Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay is a 1.6-million-gallon aquarium with a shark tunnel, sea turtles and a touch pool; tickets run roughly $30 to $40 as of 2026 and it takes an hour. Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil plays in Mandalay Bay's theatre at $70 to $200. The Michelob Ultra Arena and the House of Blues host concerts. Bodies... The Exhibition and Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition have run at Luxor for years, each around $30 to $40; Blue Man Group plays in Luxor's theatre; and the HyperX Arena esports venue is open to the public.
At Excalibur, the Tournament of Kings dinner show, with jousting knights and a roast chicken you eat with your hands, has run since 1990 and remains a family favourite at roughly $70 to $90; Thunder from Down Under is the male revue. Full listings and how these rank are in shows and nightlife and the attractions hub.
Dining highlights across the three
Mandalay Bay carries the serious food. Aureole has the four-storey wine tower with harnessed "wine angels"; StripSteak by Michael Mina is a top-tier steakhouse; Libertine Social is a lively gastropub; Kumi does Japanese; Border Grill is reliable modern Mexican; Rivea at the top of Delano has Alain Ducasse's Riviera cooking and the best view of the South Strip and the stadium, with the Skyfall Lounge beside it for a drink. House of Blues does a gospel brunch on Sundays. Expect $60 to $200 a head at the top of the list.
Luxor has Tender steakhouse and a mostly casual line-up including a decent food court and Pyramid Café. Excalibur has the Steakhouse at Camelot, a large buffet in the $30 to $50 range, and food-court basics. The Mandalay Bay Bayside Buffet overlooks the beach. For value, the dining hub points to the cheap eats within a short walk.
The pools: beach, pyramid and castle
Mandalay Bay Beach is the standout: an 11-acre complex with a 1.6-million-gallon wave pool with real sand, a lazy river, three other pools, the adults-only Moorea Beach Club (topless permitted, day passes charged) and the Daylight Beach Club dayclub. It is the best family pool on the Strip alongside MGM Grand's and one of the best anywhere. Cabanas run from a couple of hundred dollars up. Guests of all three resorts sometimes get access via MGM policies, but as of 2026 the beach is generally for Mandalay Bay, Delano and Four Seasons guests only; check before assuming.
Luxor's pool is a large sun-baked deck at the base of the pyramid, adequate and often quieter. Excalibur's two pools have a water slide and a kids' area and are among the more relaxed on the Strip. All are guests-only with seasonal hours, and the wave pool and lazy river close in winter.
Casinos, vibe and which to book
Mandalay Bay's casino is large, bright and tropical, with mid-to-high minimums and a good sportsbook; the vibe is upscale-convention during the week and event-crowd on stadium weekends. Luxor's casino sits under the pyramid and has a slightly dated feel despite updates, with lower minimums and a younger crowd drawn by the clubs and esports. Excalibur's is the busiest and cheapest, with $5 to $15 tables at off-peak times as of 2026, a lot of families passing through and a party atmosphere at weekends.
Rooms and rates as of 2026: Mandalay Bay rooms are around 500 square feet, renovated in 2024, at roughly $150 to $350 midweek; Delano suites are about 725 square feet in a white-on-white style at $180 to $400; Luxor pyramid rooms have the sloping window and are cheaper ($60 to $150), with the tower rooms newer and pricier; Excalibur is frequently the cheapest on the Strip at $40 to $120, with the Royal Tower rooms being the better ones. Resort fees are $40 to $50 plus tax at each. Book Mandalay Bay or Delano for the beach and the restaurants, Luxor for a bargain with character, Excalibur for kids and the lowest cost. The hotels hub goes deeper.
Parking, the tram and getting around
Each resort has its own self-parking garage; MGM Resorts charges non-guests and most guests a daily fee, roughly $18 to $25 as of 2026, waived for higher MGM Rewards tiers and Nevada residents. Mandalay Bay's garage is on the west side off Hacienda; Luxor's is behind the pyramid; Excalibur's is off Reno Avenue. On stadium and arena event days, expect closures and surge pricing; check MGM's parking page.
The free Mandalay Bay–Excalibur tram runs from mid-morning to around midnight, with an express car between Mandalay Bay and Excalibur and a local that stops at Luxor. Covered walkways link all three as an alternative. From Excalibur, bridges cross to New York-New York, MGM Grand and the Tropicana site. The nearest monorail station is at MGM Grand, 10 to 15 minutes from Excalibur. From LAS, a rideshare takes 10 minutes and costs $15 to $20 to any of the three. The transportation hub covers the Deuce bus and everything else.