Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Starr_071227-1081_Phoenix_sp..jpg
Author: Forest & Kim Starr


Las Vegas is a major resort city in the United States. It is the most populous city in the state of Nevada. The city is famous for being an entertainment and gambling destination. The Las Vegas Metropolitan area has a population of 1.8 million people. The city is located in the arid desert floor of Clark County. It is surrounded by an arid landscape of desert plans. Nevertheless the city is vulnerable to torrential flash floods.

Excalibur, Las Vegas
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Excalibur_Las_Vegas_2007.jpg
Author: Forest & Kim Starr


Las Vegas is the relatively young city, having been established only in 1905. This made it the most populous American city to be founded in the 20th century. In the early days, it was a stopover on the pioneer trails to the west.

Las Vegas started to gain prominence with the construction of Hoover Dam in 1935. Along with it was the creation of Lake Mead, which was the biggest man-made lake. The dam and lake became a tourist destination that helped developed the city's economy.

View of Las Vegas
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:26th_Floor_of_the_new_Spa_Tower_at_Bellagio.jpg
Author: Sam Pullara


Gambling was legalized in Las Vegas in 1931. This led to the first casino-hotel in the city. Many of the early casinos had linked to organized crime. The success of gambling in Las Vegas doomed other aspiring gambling destinations including Galveston, Texas and Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Most of the hotel-casinos of Las Vegas are located along or near the 3.8-mile (6.1 km) Las Vegas Boulevard South, popularly known as the Las Vegas Strip. In fact it is not within Las Vegas proper, but rather in Paradise and Winchester, urbanized areas directly south of Las Vegas. Within this stretch are nineteen of the 25 largest hotels in the world by room count. The only major hotel-casino away from the Strip - by just half a mile though - is Las Vegas Hilton. Many of the hotel-casinos along the Las Vegas Strip are built to mimic famous destinations (Paris, Venice, New York City, etc.) or exotic periods in history (ancient Egypt, ancient Rome, etc).

Las Vegas Strip
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Las_Vegas_Strip2.jpg
Author: Sesquipedalia

Travel to Las Vegas

Most people go to Las Vegas by road from California. The main route to Las Vegas is Interstate-15, a highly congested highway linking the city to Southern California. I-15 offers scenic views, but driving this route can be slow and frustrating. The distance to Las Vegas is 280 miles and in summer the temperature here can hit 110°F (43°C).

By Plane
The Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS) is the major hub for Southwest Airlines and a minor hub for USAirways. Some of the resorts including those owned by Harrah's Entertainment and MGM Grand have check-in desk and luggage transfers at the airport.

By Road
Budget travelers can leave the airport for downtown Las Vegas by bus. A taxi ride will cost you up to $20 while a limousine will set you back $35. A good way to explore Las Vegas is by car. Consider renting one while you're at the airport.

Travel within Las Vegas

If your visit is limited to the Las Vegas Strip, then you can go on foot, as most of the casinos and hotels are packed close to one another. Do note that you are in a desert area, so it can get very hot in summer.

The Las Vegas Monorail covers the eastern part of Las Vegas Strip with stations at the major hotels and the Las Vegas Convention Center. It might not be the most practical option, and if you're in a small group, getting a taxi might work out to be cheaper. Moreover the monorail stations are not always right at the front door.

Frenchman Mountain, southern Nevada
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Frenchman_Mountain_south_peak_5.jpg
Author: Stan Shebs

Places of Interest in Las Vegas

Excursions out of Las Vegas

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About this website

Thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy Tye. My hobby is to research information about places, and share the information with people on this website. I started this website on 5 January 2003, and since then, have written about over 20,000 places, mostly in Malaysia and Singapore.

Please use the information on this page as guidance only. While I try my best to provide you information that is as accurate as I can get it to be, I do apologize for any errors. Also, as I might not be able to update some information on time, some of these pages may contain outdated information.