I live here also. Once you get so far off the strip, haze and other lights can affect exposures. I like to visit and shoot from the top of parking garages that are either on the sides of hotels or those garages that aren't near I-15 on the west or Koval Lane on the east side of Las Vegas Blvd. If you want to get an overall pan but isn't that far off the strip, go to the top floor of the Airport Short Term Parking garage. Also at the top of the Rio Hotel. Here's my trick and it works at the Fremont and Mint Hotels too. Make reservations to eat at the top of the hotels, then take the elevator up there. Before you go up there is a person checking to see if you are on the reservation list. Great you are and up you go. Once off, tell the hostess there that you are going to the bar first or that you really don't feel like eating a huge meal and will get something from the bar. Then you can stay for as long as you like and shoot, shoot, shoot. This works also at the Palms except during holidays when tourism is up. For fireworks on national holidays you need special permission. The trouble with the Stratosphere Hotel is that all of the rides up there are located on the good south, west and north sides of the patio. There is only a small area for a photographer to shoot from and it can be very crowded. The patio up there that is open for just gazing is the east side only. If you place a camera on those special pay binos for viewing, you can get a decent(sunset) shot straight south for a 20 second f/16 exposure. Good Luck! There are other choice spots, but you have to know people and I do know some, and continue to look for even better spots. Good luck!
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