Circus Circus Las Vegas is a hotel and casino on the north Las Vegas Strip at 2880 South Las Vegas Boulevard, sitting just south of the Sahara and north of the Stratosphere. Opened October 18, 1968 by Jay Sarno, it’s one of the oldest resorts still operating on the Strip and has been owned by Phil Ruffin since 2019 after decades under Circus Circus Enterprises, Mandalay Resort Group and MGM.
The draw here is old-school Vegas value: free trapeze and circus acts over the casino floor, a 5-acre indoor theme park, and some of the cheapest room rates and only free self-parking left on the Strip. It’s a fit for families and budget travelers, not anyone chasing a boutique or luxury stay.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: North Las Vegas Strip, 2880 S. Las Vegas Blvd, just south of the Sahara, Winchester, NV
- Operator: Phil Ruffin / Ruffin Acquisition, LLC
- Opened: October 18, 1968 (hotel tower added 1972)
- Rooms: 3,767 rooms across four towers
- Price tier: Budget
- Casino: 123,928 sq ft, mostly slots, plus adjoining Slots-A-Fun
- Signature attraction: Adventuredome indoor theme park
- Headline venue: Carnival Midway circus acts (no ticketed concert hall)
Rooms, Pool and Casino
Rooms are spread across four towers built between 1972 and 1996 — the original 15-story towers, the 29-story Skyrise Tower, and the 35-story West Tower — with 3,767 rooms total, the most basic and least expensive of any major Strip resort. The heated outdoor pool complex has three pools and is reserved for hotel guests. The 123,928-square-foot casino skews heavily toward slots and low-limit tables, and the standalone Slots-A-Fun casino sits next door under the same ownership.
Shows, Attractions and Dining
Circus Circus is famous for free daily circus and trapeze acts performed above the casino on the Carnival Midway, alongside carnival games and an arcade — a holdover from its 1968 opening that earned it a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for the world’s largest permanent circus. The Adventuredome, a 5-acre indoor amusement park added in 1993, houses the Canyon Blaster and El Loco roller coasters plus a Splash Zone water play area added in 2017. Dining runs from the long-running Steak House to a buffet and a large quick-service food court, keeping meal costs low.
There’s no marquee concert hall on-site, so guests wanting arena or residency shows head to venues farther down the Strip — see ThrillZing’s [Las Vegas residency concert tips](https://thrillzing.com/concerts/las-vegas-residency-concert-tips/).
Location and Who Should Stay Here
Circus Circus sits at the north end of the Strip, just south of the Sahara and north of the Stratosphere, well removed from the center-Strip corridor. Sphere and T-Mobile Arena are roughly a 15-20 minute rideshare or bus trip south, and Allegiant Stadium is further still, so a car, bus, or rideshare budget is worth planning for. It suits families and budget-minded travelers who want a theme park and old-school Vegas kitsch on-site, and value free self-parking over walkable access to the newer center-Strip resorts.
Explore more: More Las Vegas Strip hotel guides, Las Vegas residency concert tips.
Circus Circus Las Vegas FAQs
What is the resort fee at Circus Circus, and is parking free?
The resort fee runs around $51 per room per night and covers Wi-Fi and fitness center access. Self-parking is free for guests and visitors, one of the few remaining free options on the Strip; valet starts around $12.
Is Circus Circus within walking distance of the center Strip?
No. It’s at the north end of the Strip just south of the Sahara, roughly 15-20 minutes by rideshare or bus from Sphere, T-Mobile Arena, and the Bellagio/Caesars corridor.
What is Circus Circus best known for?
Free live circus and trapeze acts over the casino floor, the indoor Adventuredome theme park with two roller coasters, and being one of the most affordable hotel-casinos on the Strip.
Get More from Circus Circus Las Vegas
Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate Circus Circus Las Vegas, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.
Want the day’s theme park news in your inbox? Subscribe to ThrillZing Daily — free.
Photo: Alexander Migl / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.