World City Guide

Mini Guide of Las Vegas

City Overview

Few cities bring to mind such images of sheer excess as Las Vegas. Located in the middle of the arid Mojave Desert, at the southern tip of the state of Nevada, Las Vegas is an oasis of life, energy and money – a city whose raison d’être is entertainment. With soaring temperatures during the summer and moderate winters, the city is visited all year round. Las Vegas may have little more than one million inhabitants but its airport is the ninth busiest in the world, daily spewing out hordes of tourists hoping to win big bucks at the thousands of gambling tables or one-armed bandits (slot machines). Over 35 million people visit Las Vegas every year, staying in the city’s 130,000 hotel rooms. According to the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, Las Vegas is now the fastest growing city in North America with an estimated two acres of land being developed every 24-hours and seeing approximately 50,000 people annually choosing to make the city and suburbs their home.

Ironically, Las Vegas’ beginnings were, if anything, humble. In the 18th century, the spot where the city now stands earned the named Las Vegas (Spanish for ‘The Plains’), because of a natural spring that created greenery in the dry desert. The city itself was founded in 1905 (as a stopover on the Union Pacific railway between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City) but it remained a remote backwater until the 1930s. In 1931, however, gambling was made legal and Las Vegas quickly began to assume its present character. At first, it drew the droves of workers building the nearby Hoover Dam. Soon, it became a gambling and vacation Mecca for the entire country – it attracted stars like Frank Sinatra, Elvis and Liberace and became America’s premiere entertainment hub. It also attracted the mob, an aspect of the city’s character depicted in countless movies, including Ocean’s Eleven (1960 & 2001), Casino (1995) and Bugsy (1991). By the 1960s, Las Vegas began cleaning up its act. Gambling remained its principal draw but the casinos began to fall under the control of large corporations and the city was increasingly repackaged as a family destination. Golf courses abound, as do shows, theme parks, shopping malls and a growing number of museums, such as the Las Vegas Natural History Museum and the Liberace Museum.

Today, Las Vegas is booming as never before. The 1990s saw a trend towards building enormous hotel complexes competing with one another for the title of largest hotel in the world and it has not let up. The competition was won by the city-like MGM Grand, whose capacity of over 5,000 rooms has yet to be bettered, although the newly opened Wynn Las Vegas is certainly going to give them a run for their money. More recently, the trend has been towards recreating mini-versions of cities like New York, Paris and Venice. The Downtown, with its smaller, more intimate and seedier casinos, remains the guardian of old Las Vegas character.

Entertainment so dominates Las Vegas that it is the backbone of the city’s economy, creating vibrant hotel, retail and hospitality industries. Other industries, such as construction, to a large degree owe their existence to the fact that hotels need to be built or expanded. it’s the city’s sheer exuberance in attracting visitors has created something along the lines of a city-sized theme park. Its residents lead normal lives in normal suburbs but to visitors, it is an endless playground of neon lights, hotel lounges, topless revues, live entertainment and casinos.

Getting There By Air

McCarran International Airport (LAS)
Tel: (702) 261 5211. Fax: (702) 261 3111 or 597 9553.
Flight info: (702) 261 4636.
Website: www.mccarran.com

Las Vegas McCarran International Airport is located a mere 1.6km (1 mile) from the Strip and 5.6km (3.5 miles) from Downtown, connected only by road. With over 1,000 scheduled flights each day, it is ranked as the ninth busiest airport in the world.

Major airlines: American Airlines (tel: (800) 433 7300; website: www.aa.com) operates both domestic and international flights from McCarran International. Las Vegas is connected to most other American airports by a number of other domestic carriers including America West, Continental, Delta, Frontier, Hawaiian, Northwest, Spirit and United. International carriers include Air Canada, BMI, JAL and Virgin Atlantic, serving destinations such as Mexico City, Toronto, Tokyo, Shanghai and London.

Approximate flight times to Las Vegas: From London is 12 hours; from New York is 6 hours; from Los Angeles is 1 hour 15 minutes; from Toronto is 5 hours 15 minutes and from Sydney is 14 hours 40 minutes.

Airport facilities: These include bureaux de change, ATMs, tourist information, car hire (Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, Alamo/National, Payless, Sav-mor, Thrifty and US Rent-A-Car), free wireless Internet access, a fitness centre, a children’s’ play area, a medical centre, lockers, restaurants, duty free, shops, bars, a massage centre, an aviation museum, slot machines, shoeshine services and a post office. Due to increased security procedures, lockers may be out of service at various times. Traveller should enquire first if they plan to leave luggage at the airport.

Business facilities: There are no longer business centers at McCarran International Airport.

Arrival/departure tax: US$6 departure tax is included in the price of the ticket.

Transport to the city: The simplest and most popular way to reach Las Vegas from the airport is by taxi. A trip to Downtown costs about US$18 and to the Strip about US$7 (journey time – 30 minutes and 10 minutes respectively). Taxis do not accept credit card payments. A bus service is operated by Citizens Area Transit (tel: (702) 228 7433 or (800) 228 3911 toll free in the USA; website: www.catride.com). Buses no. 108 and 109 depart from outside the arrival and baggage claim area every 30 and 20 minutes respectively, costing US$1.25/2 tokens (journey time – approximately 25 minutes). Route no. 109 runs 24 hours a day. One-day passes are available for purchase upon boarding and cost US$5. CAT guides are available on every bus.

A number of shuttle companies run services to and from McCarran Airport, with services to the Strip hotels costing around US$4.25 – 4.75 (journey time – 15–25 minutes) and to hotels Downtown US$5 – 6.50 (journey time – 30–45 minutes). Companies include Bell Trans Shuttle Bus (tel: (702) 739 7990; website: www.bell-trans.com), CLS (tel: (702) 740 4050), Grayline/Coach USA/Express Shuttle (tel: (702) 739 5700), Las Vegas Limousine (tel: (702) 736 1419; website: www.lasvegaslimo.com), ODS (tel: (702) 876 2222) and Showtime (tel: (702) 261 6101).

Getting There By Water

Getting There By Road

Considering that the city was built after the advent of the automobile and that it sits in the middle of a vast and barely populated desert, it is not surprising that transportation by car is the simplest and easiest way to travel both to and around Las Vegas. A vast network of Freeways and Primary Highways covers the state of Nevada. Freeways, designated on maps by a blue shield, are multi-lane thoroughfares that are divided by a median and have a speed limit of up to 121kph (75mph). Primary Highways can be two lanes (one in each direction) or multi-lane and have a speed limit of up to 105kph (65mph). Traffic drives on the right. The minimum driving age in Nevada is 15 3/4 years and proof of insurance is compulsory. Drivers from outside the USA must possess a licence from their country of origin, but must follow Nevada’s restrictions. Seatbelts must be worn at all times, by the driver and every passenger. Effective since 2005, the maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for drivers 21 and older changed from 0.10% to 0.08% to be more in keeping with the rest of the US. There is a 0.02% blood alcohol limit for drivers under the age of 21. Random breath tests can be imposed.

The American Automobile Association – AAA (tel: (702) 870 9171 or 800 922 8228; website: www.csaa.com) provides emergency roadside service as well as a variety of other automobile-related services.

Emergency breakdown service:
AAA (800) 222 4357 (HELP)

Routes to the city: Las Vegas is bisected by Freeway 15, which connects to Mesquite and Salt Lake City in the north and California (Los Angeles and San Francisco via Interstate 5) in the south. Freeway 515 connects to the Fort Mojave Indian reservation in the south.

Driving times to Las Vegas: From Los Angeles – 4 hours 10 minutes; Salt Lake City – 6 hours 25 minutes; San Francisco – 8 hours 45 minutes.

Coach services: Greyhound (tel: (702) 384 9561; website: www.greyhound.com) operates regular intercity services out of Las Vegas, linking the city with major western destinations, such as Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Albuquerque, El Paso and Los Angeles. Greyhound operates out of Las Vegas Greyhound Terminal, 200 South Main Street (tel: (800) 231 2222). Facilities include vending machines, toilets, lockers and tourist information. Charter coach services can be hired from Coach USA (tel: (702) 644 2233; website: www.coachusa.com).

Getting There By Rail

Amtrak no longer provides rail service to Las Vegas. Closest train stations are Needles (CA) and Kingman (AZ). Check for updates on the charter services from those stations to Las Vegas. Greyhound Station, 200 South Main Street (tel: 800 231 2222) provides basic facilities, including a waiting area, payphones and a snack bar.

Getting Around

Public Transport
Although Las Vegas is a bustling metropolis with over one million inhabitants, its public transportation services is mostly limited to buses. These are operated by the Citizens Area Transit – CAT (tel: (702) 228 7433 or 800 228 3911; website: www.catride.com). Some bus lines run 24 hours. Adult bus fares cost US$1.25 – except for routes 301 and 302, which cost US$2. Transferring between different buses is free of charge and transfer tickets are available from the bus driver. Fares can be purchased upon boarding (exact change only). Tokens are available from the Downtown Transportation Centre, 300 North Casino Centre Boulevard (tel: (702) 229 6025), open daily 0600–1845 and the South Strip Transfer Terminal, 6675 Gilespie Street (open daily 0700-1730) or online at (website: www.rtcsouthernnevada.com/cat/buy.htm).These allow a 20% discount.

Privately run trolley services are also available and are used more by visitors than locals. The Las Vegas Strip Trolley (tel: (702) 382 1404) runs the length of the Strip every 15 minutes 0930–0130 and costs US$1.65 per journey. There is no longer a Downtown Trolley service going to Freemont Street, making the only option for transportation taxi or CAT transit buses.

A thirty-day CAT Pass bus pass costs US$30 and is available from the Citizens Area Transit, specified vendors, by post or online at the CAT website (see above).

Monorail
The Las Vegas Monorail (tel: (702) 699 8200; website: www.lvmonorail.com) runs 0700-0200 daily from the Sahara Hotel to the MGM Grand and stops include the Las Vegas Convention Centre. Four ticket types are available: one-ride $3, day-pass $10, 10-ride $20, three-day pass $25. Tickets are available from ticket vending machines at monorail stations.

Depending upon your location along The Strip, you can connect to the LV Monorail by using the ‘private’ (hotel/casino run) monorail running between The Luxor, Excalibur and New York New York and upon disembarking cross the walkway bridge to the MGM Grand, a short distance away. Travel on this private monorail is free.

Taxis
Thousands of taxis service the high volume of tourists in Las Vegas. It is against the law to hail a taxi in Las Vegas, although some drivers will stop if this is done. There are large numbers of taxi stands on the Strip and Downtown at which taxis can be hired. At more remote locations, it is easiest to phone for taxi service from such companies as ABC Union (tel: (702) 736 8444), Ace (tel: (702) 736 8383) and Yellow Checker Star (tel: (702) 873 2000).

Taxis charge a flat rate of US$3.20 and add US$2.00 per mile. There is also a US$1.20 airport surcharge. A 10–15% tip is common.

Limousines
Limousines are a popular and suitably lavish way of seeing Las Vegas, a city with lavish habits. Chauffeur and limousine services are available from Ambassador Limousine (tel: (702) 362 6200 or 800 519 5466; website: www.ambassadorlasvegas.com), CLS of Las Vegas (tel: (702) 740 4545), Presidential Limousines (tel: (702) 731 5577; website: www.presidentiallimolv.com), and Las Vegas Limousines (tel: (702) 736 1419; website: www.lasvegaslimo.com). Cost is US$40-60 per hour (US$4.25 from the airport to hotels on the Strip with Las Vegas Limousines).

Driving in the City
Traffic is heaviest during rush hour (0800–1000 and 1630–1900), especially on highways and roads connecting the city centre with the suburbs. The Strip and Downtown, however, can also become congested any time tourists congregate in hordes – whether it is to see a boxing match at the MGM Grand, one of the many visiting conventions or merely Friday night at the casinos. Locals tend to use the streets behind the Strip to avoid traffic. The city is laid out on a grid pattern, with one or two major streets veering slightly off this plan. Las Vegas Boulevard runs north–south, through Downtown in the north and turning into the Strip in the south. Most other streets running north–south are named according to number (First Street, Second Street, Third Street etc).

There is very little street parking in Las Vegas, although hotels and casinos usually offer free or valet parking.

Car Hire
Car hire is extremely popular with visitors to Las Vegas and as a result there are quite a few firms offering car hire service in the city. Drivers must be 21 years or older and drivers under 25 years of age often have to pay a surcharge. National driving licences are permissible, however, it is advisable to check with the rental company in case an International Driving Permit is required. Insurance can be purchased from the car hire company.

The major providers include Alamo (tel: (702) 263 8411; website: www.alamo.com), Avis (tel: (702) 261 5595; website: www.avis.com), Budget (tel: (702) 736 1212; website: www.budget.com), Dollar (tel: (702) 739 8408; website: www.dollar.com), Enterprise (tel: (702) 795 8842; website: www.enterprise.com), Hertz (tel: (702) 736 4900; website: www.hertz.com) and National (tel: (702) 261 5391; website: www.nationalcar.com).

Hire charges are in the region of US$35–45 per day and may vary seasonally.

Bicycle Hire
Las Vegas’ relatively flat terrain makes cycling an enjoyable means of travel. Of course, visitors need to take the desert heat into consideration before venturing out for a lengthy trip. Las Vegas’ extraordinarily dry climate makes a difference as well – cyclists should be equipped with plenty of water and the appropriate sun cream. The best time for visitors to organise a bicycle tour is in the spring or late autumn (fall). Cyclists should also be aware of sudden rainstorms and flash floods – what looks like a small stream can turn into a river within minutes. Bicycle Nevada (website: www.bicylenevada.com) provides further information on routes and contacts.

Las Vegas Cyclery, 8221 West Charleston Avenue (tel: (702) 838 6966 or 800 596 2953; website: www.lasvegascyclery.com), hires out a variety of bicycles for day, half-day and multi-day rates (helmets included). Prices start at US$22 for a half day and rise to US$300 for two weeks. Bike Outpost, 16 Cottonwood Street, Blue Diamond (tel: (702) 875 4820; website: www.bikeoutpost.com), hires out mountain bikes for US$35 per day. The company’s location in Blue Diamond is strategically placed near mountain biking trails.

Business

Business Profile
Las Vegas is the engine that drives the state of Nevada. Clark County, where Las Vegas is situated, provides about 70% of the state’s taxable retail sales and about 80% of its taxable revenue. The city’s unemployment rate for the first quarter of 2005 was 3.5%, lower than the national average of 5.3%. The economy in Las Vegas has boomed in recent years due to strong employment growth linked to the city’s constant expansion.

Las Vegas was born as an entertainment town and that continues to be its main concern. Accordingly, the service industry is by far the largest employer, dwarfing goods-producing industries. Within the service industry, hotels, gaming and recreation employ the greatest numbers of people. This is evidenced by the fact that the city’s single largest employer is the MGM Grand, the Clark County School District follows in second place and the enormous hotel–casino, Bellagio, which employs in the region of 10,200 people holds third place. Casino hotels account for eight of the city’s top 10 employers and 18 of the city’s top 21 employers. Other major industries in Las Vegas (all of which are associated with entertainment) include the retail industry, restaurants and construction. To gain a perspective of these figures, it is worth considering that in 2004, Las Vegas had a one-year job growth of 44,680. As of March 2005, approximately half a dozen new hotels or major hotels expansions were under construction.

The warm climate and relaxed lifestyle continue to attract businesses to southern Nevada, although the city does not boast the head offices of any major multinational companies. The business community is predominantly young and blue collar. Downtown is home to about a dozen large office and government buildings (along with an equal amount of hotels) but even these are dwarfed by the much larger casinos and hotels of the Strip. The hotels maximise on the attractiveness of the city, by offering themselves as conference destinations for businesses, as well as places to stay for tourists. Las Vegas is becoming more popular as a wholesale and distribution centre for western America and manufacturing is largely based on mineral resources such as gypsum and titanium.

Business Etiquette
Visitors to Las Vegas may discover that the city has two faces. The entertainment industry, although professionally run, is influenced by the liberal attitudes it encourages among its clientele. While conducting business in the entertainment industry, a lunch or dinner at one of the city’s lavish hotels would not be unlikely. However, the city’s traditional industries are run by residents, many of who are Mormon and eschew practices such as drinking and gambling. In these circumstances, meetings are more likely to be business lunches than dinners, and alcohol at meetings (unless initiated by the host) should be avoided. It is not usual to be invited into someone’s home for business purposes.

During introductions, it is common to shake hands and address colleagues by their surname. On a day-to-day basis, however, people tend to address one another by first names. Gifts are not expected in business situations but are appropriate at the close of a deal or at Christmas and New Year. Business dress tends to be informal in Las Vegas, due to the heat, although suits are not uncommon for sales calls or when meeting associates for the first time. The working day normally begins at 0800 and ends at 1700, although administrative hours in casinos are sometimes 0700–1500.

Sightseeing

Sightseeing Overview
While most cities have particular entertainment districts for tourists to visit among other attractions, Las Vegas is one giant entertainment district. Las Vegas Boulevard (the central attraction for this 24-hour city) runs through the heart of Downtown, in the north of the city, and turns into the Strip, in the south. The city is divided into two halves – Downtown and the Strip. Downtown (also known as ‘Glitter Gulch’ for the bright neon signs and millions of flashing lights) is the living embodiment of old Las Vegas. Here, the vintage-style hotels, casinos, stage shows and strip joints are joined by the new and popular Fremont Street Experience Mall. Further south, the Strip is home to the latest, biggest and most ambitious casinos, many of which verge on being mini theme parks. Casinos are obviously Las Vegas’ biggest draw card and the biggest and the best are listed below (see Casinos in the Nightlife section for others worth visiting).

Tourist Information
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
3150 Paradise Road
Tel: (702) 892 0711 or 877 VISITLV (847 4858). (No fax available any longer)
Website: www.lvcva.com
Opening hours: Mon-Sun 0800-1700.

Las Vegas Visitor Information Center
3150 Paradise Road
Tel: (702) 892 7575.
Website: www.lvcva.com
Opening hours: Daily 0800-1700.

Passes
There are no tourist passes currently available in Las Vegas.

Key Attractions

Wynn Las Vegas
Erected on the spot where once stood the legendary Desert Inn, Las Vegas’ newest landmark is the glamorous Wynn Las Vegas. The latest property developed by Vegas casino kingpin Steve Wynn opened its doors on April 28, 2005. Sheathed in coppery bronze reflecting the desert sun, this 42-storey, 192-acre, US$ 2.7billion megaresort boasts a 10,000-sq-metre (110,000 sq ft) casino, 2,700 guest rooms, an 18 hole professionally designed golf course, a fine art gallery and Las Vegas’ only fully authorized Ferrari Maserati dealership with 10,000 square foot showroom. The centrepiece of the resort is a 46m (150ft) high mountain with a five-storey waterfall cascading into a man-made lake featuring The Lake of Dreams, a multi-media spectacular in an environmental theatre setting.
The Wynn also features a US$70m, 2,000 seat domed showroom with a circular stage, the first of its kind in the city and the home of Le Reve, the latest production from Franco Dragone, of Cirque du Soleil fame and the mastermind behind three of Las Vegas’ most popular shows. The resort will also boast close to 5,000 rooms with the scheduled completion of Encore, a 2,000-suite tower, in 2008.

3201 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Tel: (702) 770 7100 or 888 320 7123. Fax: (702) 770 1571.
Website: www.wynnlasvegas.com
Transport: Bus 301; Las Vegas Strip Trolley.
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours.
Admission: Free (hotel and casino).

Bellagio
The Bellagio has quickly become one of Las Vegas’ best-known and most visited hotel–casinos. Cashing in on the recent trend towards Euro-opulence, the Bellagio sits on its own four-hectare (10-acre) ‘oasis’, featuring a mock northern Italian village on the shore, behind which looms the bulking mass of the large hotel. The hotel offers 3,200 rooms and suites (see Hotels), 17 restaurants, six lounges, botanical gardens and six Mediterranean pool settings. Its 9,000-sq-metre (100,000-sq-ft) casino features over 2,000 slot machines and electronic games and over 100 table games. The Bellagio also has a fine art gallery, which hosts contemporary art exhibits, as well as a 9,000-sq-metre (100,000 sq ft) glass-encased shopping mall. A popular attraction is the dancing water show from the Bellagio’s world-famous fountains every 30 minutes 1500-2000 Mon-Fri (starts at 1200 Sat-Sun) and every 15 minutes from 2000 –2400.

3600 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Tel: (702) 693 7111 or 888 987 7111. Fax: (702) 693 8585.
Website: www.bellagio.com
Transport: Bus 301; Las Vegas Strip Trolley.
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours.
Admission: Free (hotel and casino); US$ 15 (art gallery).

Freemont Street and The Freemont Street Experience
Located Downtown, near the Plaza Hotel, Freemont Street is a favourite nightly flocking ground for the city’s many tourists. Ten casinos, over 60 restaurants and countless bars and lounges offer Old Las Vegas style enticement to visitors. Peddlers sell silver jewellery and various crafts from their pushcart stalls by day and especially at night, when Freemont Street comes alive with The Freemont Street Experience. Perched 90 feet above Freemont Street is a hi-tech overhead light and sound show stretching for five blocks over 1400ft composed of one of the world’s largest and longest LED screens. The Experience is an ideal way to take in the ’real’ Las Vegas and see some of her older and well-known neon signs, for example Glitter Gulch's Vegas Vickie and the equally recognizable Vegas Vic. Freemont Street is open 24 hours with shows starting at 2030 and from then run hourly between 2100 and 2400. A particular hit for those travelling with families.

Fremont Street Experience
425 Fremont Street
Tel: (702) 678 5777.
Website: www.vegasexperience.com
Transport: Bus 301 or 302; Las Vegas Strip Tolley
Opening hours: Freemont Street is open 24 hours.
Admission: Free (street and shows).

MGM Grand
Since its completion in 1993, the momentous MGM Grand has held the title of largest hotel in the world, with over 5,005 rooms. Its enormous Grand Garden Arena has also become one of the key venues for boxing matches in the USA. The casino area alone is 15,300 sq metres (170,000 sq ft). Other features include 15 restaurants, a coffee shop, a food court with five lounges, two showrooms, two wedding chapels, five pools including a flowing river pool, a lion habitat, a dance club and shopping complex. The MGM Grand is also a main terminal station for the Las Vegas Monorail.

3799 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Tel: (702) 891 7777 or 877 880 0880. Fax: (702) 891 1030.
Website: www.mgmgrand.com
Transport: Bus 301; Las Vegas Strip Trolley; Las Vegas Monorail
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours (hotel and casino); daily 1100-2200 (lion habitat).
Admission: Free (hotel and casino and lion habitat).

Caesars Palace
An old denizen of the Strip, Caesars Palace possesses more Las Vegas character than many of its newer neighbours. It sits in a lavish Roman setting, perhaps the historical theme best suited to this city of excess, with Roman columns, grand staircases, manicured shrubbery, imported marble statuary and luxuriant fountains. Its two main casinos, measuring a total of 12,050 sq metres (129,750 sq ft), feature all the regular games, as well as an ‘empire’ of slot machines that feature prizes such as motorcycles and convertible cars, and jackpots that have reached more than US$21 million. Recent additions to the Caesars Palace property include the newly constructed Colosseum, featuring The Celine Dion Theatre, a high-limit slot salon The Palace Court Slot Casino and the all-suites Augustus Tower, slated to open late summer 2005, which will see the resort rooming increase to 3,340 by the end of this year.

3570 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Tel: (702) 731 7110 or 877 427 7243. Fax: (702) 967 3890/866 1700.
Website: www.caesarspalace.com
Transport: Bus 301; Las Vegas Strip Trolley.
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours.
Admission: Free.

Mirage
Of all the mega-casinos that line the Strip, the Mirage provides the biggest outdoor spectacle. The evening sees queues of people taking in the artificial volcano that erupts every 15 minutes from 1900-2400. The setting is completed by an artificial lagoon with 54 artificial waterfalls that flow down the side of the volcano. As visitors make their way inside, they enter an indoor tropical rainforest, a dolphin habitat and a saltwater tropical aquarium. The hotel also boasts a pool and spa, eight restaurants, four lounge bar areas, a white tiger habitat, its famed Shadow Creek golf course and the requisite casino, which features over 2,000 slot machines.

3400 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Tel: (702) 791 7111 or 800 374 9000. Fax: (702) 791 7446.
Website: www.mirage.com
Transport: Bus 301; Las Vegas Strip Trolley.
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours.
Admission: Free.

Venetian Resort Hotel and Casino
This US$2 billion addition to Las Vegas is yet another complex to cash in on a European theme. To some, it was a tragedy to see the demolition of the historic Sands Hotel and Casino to make way for this new hotel but no effort has been spared in creating the Venetian. Much of the complex features actual canals, on which gondolas carry visitors up and down the waterways. The 10,800-sq-metre (120,000-sq-ft) casino, featuring 2,500 slot machines and 122 table games, sits behind a replica of the Doge’s Palace. The complex’s 18 restaurants, four pools and a fitness centre cater to the visitor’s non-gambling whims.

3355 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Tel: (702) 414 1000 or 877 883 6423. Fax: (702) 414 1100.
Website: www.venetian.com
Transport: Bus 301; Las Vegas Strip Trolley; Las Vegas Monorail.
Opening hours: Daily 24 hours.
Admission: Free.

Las Vegas Natural History Museum
The Las Vegas Natural History Museum brings the natural world of local Nevada wildlife to life, as well as ancient dinosaurs, marine life and more, through exhibits, displays and live exhibitions. The museum’s dinosaur exhibit features mechanical dinosaurs, including a 10-metre (35ft) –long Tyrannosaurus Rex, as well as the exhibits detailing the evolution of life from fish to dinosaurs. The Wild Nevada Room explores the surprising diversity of life from the state’s own Mojave Desert. Replicas include rattlesnake, bighorn sheep, desert tortoises and burrowing rodents. The museum also has live animals on display, such as a gopher snake, a tarantula, a boa constrictor and scorpions.

900 Las Vegas Boulevard North, Downtown
Tel: (702) 384 3466. Fax: (702) 384 5343.
Website: www.lvnhm.org
Transport: Bus 301.
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1600.
Admission: US$6 (concessions available).

Further Distractions

Liberace Museum
Constantly built, rebuilt and renovated, Las Vegas is covered in the kind of up-to-the-minute polish of a city constructed yesterday. The Liberace Museum, considered one of the best museums in Las Vegas, offers a view of the city’s cultural history by focusing on one of its most infamous entertainers. Liberace became an extremely prominent musician in America and nowhere were his dazzling (some would say gaudy) costumes and stage sets more at home than in Las Vegas. The museum is divided into two galleries. The first houses 18 of his 39 pianos (including his own Rhinestone-covered Baldwin piano and a rare, early English grand piano from 1788) as well as his car collection, including his one-of-a-kind Rolls Royce covered with mirror tiles etched with galloping horses. The second gallery houses costumes, stage props and candelabra. Proceeds from the not-for-profit museum support scholarships for the performing arts. The museum is wheelchair accessible.

1775 Tropicana Avenue East
Tel: (702) 798 5595. Fax: (702) 798 7386.
E-mail: info@liberace.org
Website: www.liberace.com
Transport: Bus 201.
Opening hours: Mon-Sat 1000-1700, Sun 1200-1600.
Admission: US$12.50 (concessions available).

The Gallery Featuring The Wynn Collection
Situated inside of the newly opened Wynn Las Vegas, The Gallery featuring The Wynn Collection houses an impressive collection of 16th – 20th century European and American paintings featuring canvases from Steve and Elaine Wynn’s personal collection of fine art by such artists as Gauguin, van Gogh, Monet and Picasso. Audio tours of the collection are available and The Gallery Shop carries exhibition-related items as well as prints and posters of the master artworks featured in The Gallery.

3201 Las Vegas Boulevard South (inside Wynn Las Vegas)
Tel: (702) 770 7000. Fax: (702) 770 1571.
Website: www.wynnlasvegas.com
Transport: Bus 301; Las Vegas Strip Trolley.
Opening Hours: Daily 1000-2100; last entrance 2015.
Admission: US$15.

Old Las Vegas Mormon State Historic Park
This decidedly low-key attraction may not have neon signs and an army of one-armed bandits but it does lend a sense of what Las Vegas was like before gambling stole its soul. Located north of Downtown, Old Las Vegas Mormon State Historic Park is the site of the original adobe fort used by the first Mormon settlers in the Las Vegas Valley. Built by missionaries from Salt Lake City in 1885, the fort was abandoned just a year later, due to the harsh conditions. A shed is the only remaining original building but the rest of the site was recently reconstructed. Rangers are on hand to provide interpretation and information. The museum on the property is closed from mid-Oct to mid-May

500 Washington Street East
Tel: (702) 486 3511. Fax: (702) 486 3734.
E-mail: cmacek@parks.nv.gov
Website: http://parks.nv.gov/olvmf.htm
Transport: Bus 113.
Opening hours: Daily 0800-1630.
Admission: US$3 for museum tour (concessions available).

Tours of the City

Walking Tours
There are a select number of walking tours in Las Vegas, although none of them feature the city’s most prominent landmark, the Strip. As for the Strip, visitors need no map or tour to take in the sights. The best way is just to walk along Las Vegas Boulevard and follow the bright flashing lights.

The entire grounds of the University of Nevada Las Vegas has been designated an arboretum. Monthly guided tours are available (organised on request) through the Arboretum Office, 4505 Maryland Parkway (tel: (702) 895 3392; website: www.unlv.edu/facilities/landscape/visit.html). A self-guided tour is available at the Barrick Museum of Natural History on the UNLV campus. The tour is self-paced and can be completed in under an hour. There is no charge. The university’s Xeric garden includes examples of unique plants from arid regions from around the world. Although springtime is the best time to experience the delicate beauty of the desert, many of the species in the garden bloom at different times of the year.

The Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve, 2400 Moser Drive, Henderson (tel: (702) 267 4180), offers a possible glimpse of more than 225 species of birds, as well as being a serene place in which to stroll or have a picnic. There are mapped trails with observation areas and benches from which to observe the desert wildlife. The Preserve is open daily 0600–1500 (last entry at 1445) and entrance is free. Due to security concerns, the preserve has a security gate. Visitors are asked to punch in a code (listed at the gate), and security will open the door.

Bus Tours
Gray Line Las Vegas (tel: (702) 384 1234 or 800 634 6579; website: www.grayline.com) offers a six hour ‘Neon and Lights’ evening sightseeing tour of Las Vegas for US$39.99. The tour will pick up passengers at major hotels, starting at 1700. The tour includes a narrated guide to the Strip and various other renowned landmarks, including a visit to the Special Memory Wedding Chapel, and ends at the Fremont Laser Light Show, Downtown. Gray Line Las Vegas also offers a tour during daylight hours ‘City Tour’ for US$29.99. Bus tours can also be arranged at the concierge desk at any hotel or casino.

Other Tours
A number of companies operate various tours that take in the captivating desert landscape surrounding Las Vegas. Action Tours (tel: (702) 566 7400 or 888 288 5200; website: www.actiontours.com) provides tours to attractions such as the Grand Canyon, Death Valley and Red Rock Canyon and also operates river rafting adventures, ATV Quad excursions, horseriding and aerial tours. Prices range from US$ 89 for a day-trip to Red Rock Canyon to US$ 539 for the one-day whitewater rafting adventure on the Colorado River.

Las Vegas Grand Canyon Tour (tel: (702) 260 0796 or 866 218 3427; website: www.lvgct.com) offers a wide range of tours.

Excursions

For a Half Day

Red Rock Canyon: Designated a National Conservation Area in 1990, Red Rock Canyon (website: www.redrockcanyonlv.org) is a 78,800-hectare (197,000-acre) park located 16km (10 miles) west of Las Vegas. The park provides a scenic drive, hiking trails, rock climbing, bicycling and picnic areas. The defining attraction of Red Rock Canyon is a geological feature known as the Keystone Thrust Fault. This was formed about 65 million years ago, when two of the Earth’s crustal plates collided, forcing a grey limestone plate up and over the younger red one, making for some of the most dramatic scenery in the Mojave Desert. Today, Joshua trees add another element to the sublimely coloured sandstone and jagged desert landscape. The Visitors Center (tel: (702) 515 5350) houses various exhibits and provides guided nature walks. Hiking trails range from easy to moderately strenuous. Travel by car, via Charleston Boulevard, is recommended, as the park features a 21km (13-mile) scenic drive – open from 0700 to dusk, entrance is US$5 per vehicle, US$2 for motorcycles, and US$2 for those on foot. Visitors Center hours are: Winter (Nov 1-Mar 31) from 0800 to 1630; Summer (Apr 1-Oct 31) from 0800 to 1730. Four-hour excursions are available from Gray Line Las Vegas (see Tours) for US$49.99.

Big Bend State Park: Situated 147km (91 miles), less than a 90-minute drive east of Las Vegas, are the sandy shores of Big Bend State Park (tel: (702) 298 1859; website: http://parks.nv.gov/bb.htm). Locals come here to boat, camp and take in a picnic lunch. The park is 1.6km (1 mile) east of the town of Laughlin, which features year-round festivals as well as several casinos. There is a fee of US$3 to enter the park, which can be reached on the Needles Highway from Laughlin.

For a Whole Day

Hoover Dam & Lake Mead: Located 56km (35 miles) from Las Vegas, the Hoover Dam (tel: (702) 293 8321; website: www.hooverdam.com) is one of the most famous dams in the world. One of America’s many public works projects during the Depression, it is an unusually beautiful representative of the era’s engineering. The dam stretches 380m (1,247ft) across the Colorado River, holding back the waters of Lake Mead. Containing 2,486,250 cubic metres (3,250,000 cubic yards) of concrete, its function is primarily a power generator, supplying electricity to Nevada as well as nearby California and Arizona. Visitor tours examine the construction of the dam and explore its hydroelectric generating facilities. Security is high on site and visitors may be subject to searches.

The Lake Mead National Recreation Area (tel: (702) 293 8907; website: www.nps.gov/lame) is open daily 24 hours and offers sightseeing, sunbathing and a variety of water-oriented activities. Entrance is US$5 per vehicle, for one to five days. The Hoover Dam is open daily 0900-1700 (website: www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam) and entrance costs US$10 (including a guided tour, historic film, admission to the exhibit hall and scenic lookout). A car is recommended for visiting the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, both accessible via Highway 93 (parking costs US$ 5). Alternatively, nine-hour excursions, combining the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, are available from Gray Line Las Vegas (see Tours) for US$ 64.99. Hoover Dam Tour Company (tel: (702) 655 6060 or 888 512 0075; website: www.hooverdamtourcompany.com) offer various tours starting at US$25.99.

Valley of Fire State Park: Dedicated in 1935, this is Nevada’s oldest and largest state park. It offers beautiful scenery of red sandstone formations, the beauty of the Mojave Desert and 3,000year-old Indian petroglyph. Situated 88km (55 miles) northeast of Las Vegas, and only 10km (6 miles) from Lake Mead, it is accessible from Interstate 15, exit 75. (tel: (702) 397 2088; website: http://parks.nv.gov/vf.htm). The visitor centre is open all year. Entrance fee $6. SUV Tours are available with Las Vegas Grand Canyon Tour (tel: (702) 260 0796 or 866 218 3427; website: www.lvgct.com), starting at US$119 per person.

Grand Canyon: It is possible to reach the Grand Canyon (website: www.thecanyon.com) in a full-day excursion from Las Vegas whether by land or air. Scenic Airlines (tel: (800) 634 6801 or (702) 638 3300; e-mail: res@scenic.com; website: www.scenic.com) offers various tours, including overnight stays and two-day hikes. The ‘Grand Canyon Deluxe’ tour offers a narrated aerial tour of Lake Mead, the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. Upon arrival at Grand Canyon airport, there is a coach tour through the Grand Canyon National Park (tel: (928) 638 7888; website: www.nps.gov/grca), with plenty of stops for staring at the stunning scenery. The entire trip (including the flight back to Las Vegas, lunch and hotel pick-up and drop-off) takes eight hours and costs US$ 279. Scenic Airlines also offer a highlights aerial tour, which lasts three hours in total from pick-up to drop-off and costs US$109. This takes in Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, Colorado River and the western edge of the Grand Canyon. Other specialised trips to the closer Grand Canyon West Rim take around five hours and include either a trip to an Indian Reservation or a helicopter flight for closer inspection of the Canyon. Entrance to the Grand Canyon is US$20 per vehicle or US$10 per pedestrian or motorcycle. The main park Visitor Centre is located on the South Rim (east of Grand Canyon Village, which is 96.5km (60 miles) north from Interstate 40 at Williams) and is open daily 0800–1700. Las Vegas Grand Canyon Tour (tel: (702) 260 0796 or 866 218 3427; website: www.lvgct.com) offers bus, airplane and helicopter tours starting at $89. Excursions are available from Gray Line Las Vegas (tel: (702) 384 1234; website: www.grayline.com) starting at $139.99.

Zion National Park: Just on the other side of the Nevada Utah border, 251km (156 miles) east of Las Vegas, is the spectacular Zion National Park (tel: (435) 772 3256; website: www.zion.national-park.com). Named by Mormon pioneers, who were awe-struck by the area’s unique temple-like rock formations, Zion is a favourite location for hiking and wildlife viewing. There are several hiking trails but less energetic visitors can experience the park by local shuttle. The Zion Park Lodge (tel: (435) 772 3213 or 888 297 2757; website: www.zionlodge.com) provides comfortable accommodation and has a restaurant on site. The park is open daily 24 hours and there is a US$7 entrance fee. The Zion National Park can be reached in just over two hours from Las Vegas via Highway 15, to Utah SR-9 and Utah SR-17.

Sport

Although Las Vegas prides itself as an entertainment hub, the city has no professional sports teams. That said, there are sporting events that attract thousands of fans. The Grand Garden Arena at the MGM Grand (tel: (702) 891 7777; website: www.mgmgrand.com) has become one of the venues of choice for boxing matches in America. The University of Nevada Las Vegas is home to the UNLV Rebels football team (website: www.unlvrebels.com), the local favourite in the exceedingly popular college (NCAA) football league. There is also a wide variety of sporting opportunities in Las Vegas for those who want to take part personally. As a resort destination, the city and region is brimming with golf courses. The vast hotel–casino complexes also offer superb fitness facilities (as luxurious and opulent as their restaurants and lounges) although, due to availability, these are sometimes limited to hotel guests.

Tickets to sporting events can be purchased through the concierge of most large hotels, such as the MGM Grand, Four Seasons, Caesars and Bellagio. Alternatively, the venue website can provide ticket information. Visitors are advised to order their tickets with as much advance notice as possible, as events commonly sell out, especially during peak sporting periods.

Fitness Centres: Most hotels in Las Vegas offer fitness facilities. The Mirage (tel: (702) 791 7111; website: www.mirage.com) offers fitness and spa facilities – steam sauna, whirlpool, weights, cardiovascular equipment, swimming pool, massages and facials – for US$20 a day. Caesars Palace (tel: (702) 731 7110; website: www.caesarspalace.com) is equipped with steam rooms, saunas, whirlpools, rock climbing, aerobic/yoga studio, weights, cardiovascular equipment, massage therapy and a pool and charges US$24 per day.

Golf: With an average of 320 sunny days every year, it is hardly surprising that golf has achieved the popularity it has in Las Vegas. Visitors will find a nine-hole course right on the Strip, at the Callaway Golf Center, 6730 Las Vegas Boulevard South, at Sunset Road (tel: (702) 896 4100), charging US$25 for nine holes. Angel Park Golf Club, 100 Rampart Boulevard South (tel: (702) 254 4653; website: www.angelpark.com), offers three different courses, one at nine holes and two at 18 holes, charging US$65–140 for 18 holes. Both clubs are open to the public and do not require membership. A short distance from the city is the world-class Reflection Bay Golf Club, 1600 Lake Las Vegas Parkway, Henderson (tel: (702) 564 1600 or 877 698 4653; website: www.lakelasvegas.com/golf_reflection.asp) offers 18 holes in a spectacular setting designed by golf legend Jack Nicklaus. No membership is required but green fees are pricey, ranging from US$110.00 to US$270.00. Prices vary according to tee time and season.

Tennis: There is no lack of tennis courts in Las Vegas – many of the larger hotels have courts on site. In some cases, there is no charge for hotel guests to use the courts, while in others, a small fee is charged. The Riviera Hotel and Casino, 2901 Las Vegas Boulevard South (tel: (702) 734 5110; website: www.rivierahotel.com), provides tennis courts that are open to the public for a nominal fee of US$10. Guests play for free.

Shopping

Although Las Vegas is best known for its casinos, the city has gained increasing popularity for shopping, to the point where this is now a major tourist draw in itself. Visitors can look forward to a wide variety of boutique shopping, featuring major European and American designers, as well as inexpensive factory outlet shopping. There is also the stereotypical memorabilia on hand – such as Elvis outfits, lighters and T-shirts.

Shops are located anywhere tourists might happen to pass with money in their pockets – in other words anywhere in Downtown and on the Strip. As with almost everything, the hotel–casinos spare no expense in their efforts to attract customers. The Venetian’s Grand Canal Shoppes (website: www.venetian.com/shoppe/index.cfm) are situated among cobbled walkways that wind through designer boutiques culminating in a replica of St Mark’s Square. The Aladdin offers Desert Passage (website: www.desertpassage.com), a shopping complex based on the North African trade routes that stretched from Spain to the Arabian Sea, featuring cosmetics, men’s and women’s fashion, outdoor gear, gifts and much more. The Bellagio’s Via Bellagio offers upmarket European shops including Gucci, Chanel, Giorgio Armani, Prada and Hermés. Paris Las Vegas features quaint cobblestone walkways rimmed with European and North American speciality stores. Caesars Palace Forum (website: www.caesarspalace.com) is a beautiful premier retail destination to shop and eat. Also known as the most successful shopping venue in the country, it has over 160 shops and boutiques ranging from fashion such as Escada, Judith Leiber and Versace, to gourmet restaurants that include Spago and the Palm.

Factory outlet malls are also very popular in Las Vegas, due to the considerable savings they offer on brand-name goods. The Belz Factory Outlet World, 7400 Las Vegas Boulevard South, offers over 140 outlets with brand names such as Danskin, Tommy Hilfiger and Liz Claiborne. There are a number of department store malls in Las Vegas and the Fashion Show Mall, 3200 Las Vegas Boulevard South (tel: (702) 369 0704; website: www.thefashionshow.com), is one of the city’s oldest and most prestigious shopping centres. Its upscale tenants include Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Macy’s. The mall also features sidewalk cafés, upscale restaurants and a fashion catwalk for daily fashion shows.

There are four farmer’s markets (tel: (702) 562 CORN/2676; website: www.lasvegasfarmersmarket.com) operating in Las Vegas – Gardens Park on Tuesday 1600-2000, Bruce Trent Park on Wednesday 1600–2000, Centennial Hills Park on Thursday 1600-2000, and a new market at Old Fifth Street School on Friday 1200-1800. The Henderson Farmer’s Market takes place every Thursday throughout the year in Henderson.

A non-refundable state sales tax of 7.25% is charged in Las Vegas (Clark County Nevada). Stores are open seven days a week, normally 1000–2200.

Culture

Culturally speaking, Las Vegas is not exactly the world capital of high-brow art. True, it possesses a fine philharmonic orchestra and a ballet troupe, but these do not draw the visitors in nearly the same numbers that popular entertainment does. The city, however, continues to attract some of the biggest names in show business with live theatrical shows, magicians, circus acts and dance. There is one major venue, the UNLV Performing Arts Center, Cottage Grove Street and Maryland Parkway (tel: (702) 895 ARTS/2787; website: http://pac.nevada.edu), which contains various auditoriums, including the Artemus Ham Concert Hall and the Judy Bayley Theatre.

Most major hotels offer concierge services and can order tickets for the more popular cultural events. Visitors can go online to Ticketmaster (website: www.ticketmaster.com) to order and pre-pay for tickets. Events at the West Las Vegas Arts Centre, 947 West Lake Mead (tel: (702) 229 4800) are free.

The best place for visitors to go for cultural listing is online. One website that holds a master list of all Las Vegas cultural and community events is the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce site (www.lvchamber.com/calendar/index.htm). Visit their Calendar of Events page for more details.

Music: The Las Vegas Philharmonic (tel: (702) 258 5438; website: www.lasvegasphilharmonic.com) performs at the Artemus Ham Concert Hall at UNLV Performing Arts Center (see above).

Theatre: As with virtually everything in Las Vegas, the casinos offer the bulk of the stage entertainment. The Luxor (tel: 888 777 0188; website: www.luxor.com) is home to the Pharaoh’s Theater and the Luxor Theater. The 1,200-seat Luxor Theater hosts theatrical productions, while the Pharaoh’s Theater offers a topless revue, as well as comedy acts. The MGM Grand (tel: (702) 891 7777 or 877 880 0880; website: www.mgmgrand.com) is home to the Hollywood Theater, hosting a variety of performers, including Chris Issak, Tom Jones and David Copperfield, and the 1,700-seat EFX Theater, which is currently showing EFX Alive, which showcases musician Rick Springfield. At Caesars Palace, the Celine Dion Theatre in the Colosseum features the Canadian songstress in the entrancing Dragone-created production A New Day as well as Elton John in The Red Piano. The two artists alternate schedules through the year, so check the website for show dates and ticket details (website: www.caesarspalace.com).

The Las Vegas Little Theatre, 3844 Schiff Drive (tel: (702) 362 7996; website: www.lvlt.org), and the Actors’ Repertory Theatre, Summerlin Library and Performing Arts Center, 1771 Inner Circle Drive (tel: (702) 507 3863) are two of Las Vegas’ newest small theatres. Both put on more serious theatre than the hotel–casinos, be it the classics, modern playwrights or even musicals.

Dance: The Nevada Ballet Theater (tel: (702) 243 2623; website: www.nevadaballet.com), founded in 1972, is one of Nevada’s larger cultural institutions and performs many of its productions at the Judy Bayley Theatre at UNLV Performing Arts Center (see above). Many of the revues and touring shows incorporate or are devoted to dance.

Film: Mainstream cinemas in Las Vegas include the United Artists – Showcase Mall, 3769 Las Vegas Boulevard South (tel: (702) 222 FILM/3456) and the Century Orleans 18, 4500 West Tropicana (tel: (702) 227 3456). Seating is normally done on a first-come, first-serve basis. Tickets are sold at the box office on the day of the performance. There are no exclusively arthouse cinemas in Las Vegas, although the Regal Village Square, 9101 West Sarhara Street (tel: (702) 221 2283), features two to three independent films per week. IMAX enthusiasts can get their fix at Brenden IMAX, 4321 West Flamingo Road (tel: (702) 507 1525; website: www.bigmoviezone.com), located inside The Palms Hotel and Casino; admission is US$9.75. The average cost for a film in Las Vegas is US$9.

Las Vegas is almost as famous a location for films as it is for casinos. Popular movies based in the city include Bugsy (1991), about the infamous gangster’s move from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, and Casino (1995), telling the story of mob-ruled casinos in the 1970s. Leaving Las Vegas (1995) is an emotional story documenting the damage and pain inflicted by alcoholism. The cut-throat and sleazy world of topless revues and Las Vegas nightlife was given an airing in Paul Verhoeven Showgirls (1995). Andrew Bergman’s romantic comedy Honeymoon in Vegas (1992), starring James Caan, Sarah Jessica Parker and Nicolas Cage, pokes fun at Vegas wedding culture and features the astounding Flying Elvises. More recently, the ambitious celluloid version of the late and lamented Hunter S Thompson’s cult classic, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), starred Johnny Depp as the seriously spaced-out ‘gonzo’ journalist, and the remake of the classic Rat Pack vehicle Ocean’s Eleven (2001) directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts.

Cultural Events: Las Vegas’ growing population has opened the door to new cultural and musical events, with springtime events such as jazz festivals in April and May, a folkdance festival in May and Mardi Gras in April. Of course, there is also America’s national day of Independence, July 4, which is celebrated just as fervently in Las Vegas as anywhere else. Although it is not, strictly speaking, a cultural event, Hunter S Thompson famously reported on the off-road racing in these parts. Las Vegas has become somewhat famous for revving engines, clouds of dust and, of course, arguably the toughest off-road race in America, the BITD (Best in the desert) Nevada 1000 (website: www.bitd.com). This 1,609km (1,000-mile) race through the heat and dust of Nevada sets off from Las Vegas on 6 July, returning five days later. Dates for this event change yearly, so visit the website for schedule information.

Literary Notes: More than one book has managed to get behind the flash of Las Vegas’ bright lights to explore its deeper, often darker themes. Not surprisingly, numerous mystery and crime novels are set here. Best known among these are Mario Puzo’s The Last Don (1997), which follows a crime family’s move from Las Vegas to Hollywood, and Michael Ventura’s The Death of Frank Sinatra (1998), which weaves a literary web of crime and intrigue in early 1990s Las Vegas. Many of the movies that made Las Vegas so famous began their lives as books. Casino (1995) was based on the Nicholas Pileggi book Casino: Love and Honour in Las Vegas (1995). Leaving Las Vegas (1995), by John O’Brien, was made into the eponymous movie and recounts a dark, sad tale of a suicidal alcoholic’s finding true love with a prostitute. Perhaps the most influential literary work associated with Las Vegas is Hunter S Thompson’s pop-culture classic, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998). The bizarre, true-life tale follows the journalist Thomson and his attorney’s drug-addled journey through Nevada.

Nightlife

Nightlife is Las Vegas’ best-known pastime. The casinos and hotels may be open by day but only under the cover of night does the city’s burst of lights set the atmosphere buzzing. Casinos, restaurants and bars are packed with tourists from all over the world, most in a friendly and genial spirit. Casino hotels tend to house not only the best-known stage shows but also all the late-night bars, nightclubs and live music. Once again, the city is split between the Strip and Downtown, both of which offer an overwhelming assortment of evening activities. Downtown offers smaller, sometimes more charismatic, venues, while the enormous hotel complexes of the Strip offer a wide variety of entertainment options at each individual complex. Las Vegas is a 24-hour city. Alcohol can be bought at any time of day or night, in restaurants, bars and shops. The legal drinking age is 21 years. Dress at most casinos is casual, however, more and more lounges do impose a dress code; for example most clubs deny entry to individuals wearing running shoes (trainers) or flip-flops (thongs). Unsurprisingly maybe, the rules are applied more strictly to men than to women. Mixed drinks generally cost between US$4.50 and US$10, although they are usually on the house while gambling. Drinks that come in a souvenir glass may cost more. Most nightclubs charge an admission fee ranging from US$10 to US$25. Some clubs waive admission charges for female patrons.

Listing of virtually every kind of entertainment that Las Vegas has to offer can be found online (website: http://lvindex.com/rolodex.htm). Another good website (www.vegas.com/nightclubs) has a selection of the more popular nightclubs in the city, along with a listing of upcoming events. Also try the 2AM Club Guide from Nevada’s largest alternative newsweekly, Las Vegas Mercury, available online (www.lasvegasmercury.com/2am/index.html)

Bars: All night-time entertainment happens within the hotel–casino complexes. Most bars in Las Vegas feature such extravagant entertainment that they rival the largest nightclubs of other cities. Nevertheless, in Las Vegas, they are simply bars when compared to the lavish shows put on in the theatres and clubs there. The Bellagio’s Baccarat Bar, 3600 Las Vegas Boulevard South, serves luxurious cocktails against a backdrop of live piano music. Serving over 100 varieties of vodka, Mandalay Bay’s Red Square, 3950 Las Vegas Boulevard, creates an opulent mix of pre-/post-Revolutionary Russia with its giant decapitated statue of Lenin and blood red velvet curtains, a 25ft long ice bar and vodka tastings in their walk-in freezer. The Bar at Times Square, New York-New York Hotel and Casino, 3790 Las Vegas Boulevard South, aims to recreate the feel of an old New York city pub with polished wood floors and nightly entertainment. The Mix Lounge is proving to be one of Las Vegas’ newest and hottest watering holes. Settled high-atop THEHotel at Mandalay Bay, expectant tourists and locals alike queue up in their street-chic attire for a chance to ‘be seen’ in what is being touted as the ‘highest and hottest nightlife destination’ in the city.

Casinos: To gamble, visitors must be at least 21 years old and have proof of age and identity in the form of a driver’s licence, passport or other photo identification. Most casinos in Las Vegas do not impose a dress code, although shoes and shirts are required. Some casinos worth visiting (not mentioned in the Key Attractions section) include the Arabian themed Aladdin Resort and Casino, 3667 Las Vegas Boulevard South, and The Palms Hotel and Casino, 4321 West Flamingo Road voted ‘Best in Vegas – 2005’ and the newest playground for the young and moneyed party crowd. The slightly dingy but intimate Gold Spike, 400 Ogden Avenue East, offers low table limit and penny slots, giving a taste of what the city was like in the 1970s. The Golden Nugget, 129 Fremont Street East, has been a fixture of Downtown since 1946, and features the largest gold nugget in the world, weighing in at 23 kilograms (61 pounds). New York-New York, 3790 Las Vegas Boulevard South, is a recreation of New York, while Paris Las Vegas, 3655 Las Vegas Boulevard South, aims to import a touch of European class and sophistication.

Clubs: A number of state-of-the-art clubs are offered by the major hotel–casinos. The minimum age for entry is usually 21 years and a dress code is also often in place. One of the best-known clubs is yet another Las Vegas recreation of somewhere else – Studio 54, MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Boulevard South. Modelled on the legendary New York nightclub of the 1970s, Studio 54 features live dancers, dance music and a collection of photographs taken at the original club. Pure (website: www.purelv.com), inside Caesars Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Boulevard South, is one of the newest clubs to open on The Strip. The 3,400-sq-metre (36,000-sq-ft) venue offers clubbers the choice of three environments, themes and sounds, with all rooms interconnected by intimate passageways and an elevated glass-enclosed VIP room at the heart of the action. It also tends to have long queues, so visitors are encouraged to arrive early. The Palms Hotel and Casino houses one of Vegas’ most popular nightclubs, Rain, 4321 West Flamingo Road. This 2,600-sq-metre (28,000-sq-ft) adult-only playground features an elevated dance floor lit by a 14ft fireball and dancing fountains of water throb in time with the DJ. Rain is also infamous as the place where Britney Spears partied hard before, during and after her first very short-lived marriage. Reservations are required (tel: (702) 942 6832).

Live Music: Live music is another one of Las Vegas’ legendary forms of entertainment – the city is the former home to superstars like Sammy Davis Junior, Frank Sinatra and Liberace. The Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts, Aladdin Casino, 3667 Las Vegas Boulevard South, headlines major touring rock and popular acts, while the Blue Note Jazz Club, also at the Aladdin Casino, features jazz acts. The Orleans Showroom, The Orleans Hotel and Casino, 4500 West Tropicana Avenue, has hosted touring pop acts such as Willie Nelson, Neil Sedaka and Jerry Lewis. The Mandalay Bay Events Center, 3950 Las Vegas Boulevard South, is a 12,000 seat sport and entertainment complex, the setting for superstar concerts, major sporting events and television specials. It has featured everyone from Steely Dan to Stevie Wonder to Paul McCartney and Wings.

City Statistics

Location: Nevada, USA.
Country dialling code: 1.
Population: 535,395 (city); 1,641,529 (Clark County).
Ethnic mix for State of Nevada: 56% white, 23.1% Hispanic or Latino, 8.6% African American, 6.6% Asian, 0.8% American Indian, 4.9% other.
Religion: 24% Catholic, 45% Protestant, 15% none, 10% other Christian/ Mormon, 6% Other Religions.
Time zone: GMT - 8 (GMT- 7 from first Sunday in April to last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 110 volts AC, 50Hz; round two-pin plugs are standard.
Average January temp: 8°C (46°F).
Average July temp: 34°C (94°F).
Annual rainfall: 107mm (4.2 inches).

Special Events

Laughlin Desert Challenge, off-road competitions, begins 2nd Thurs of Jan, Laughlin
Make a Wish Foundation 5K Run, late Jan-early Feb, throughout the city (website: www.southernnevada.wish.org)
Women’s Hockey Classic, end Jan, various hotel venues (website: www.hockeytourney.com)
Sam’s Town 300 – NASCAR Busch Series, automobile race, early Mar, Las Vegas Motor Speedway (website: www.lvms.com)
Monster Jam Truck Finals, late Mar, Sam Boyd Stadium
Fremont Street Mardi Gras , early Apr, Fremont Street
Las Vegas City of Lights Jazz Festival, late Apr, various locations around city (website: www.yourjazz.com)
Gem and Jewellery Trade Show, early Jun, Mirage (website: www.glda.com/vegas.html)
Jazz Festival, early Jun, live jazz bands from all over the country congregate under the Fremont Street arcade for a three day festival
Cinevegas Film Festival, Jun, Palms Casino Resort (website: www.cinevegas.com)
Fourth of July celebrations (American Day of Independence), 4 Jul, various venues
Annual Summer Classic, basketball tournament, end Jul, various venues
Las Vegas Music Festival, end Jul-beg Aug, various venues (website: www.lasvegasmusicfestival.org)
Bikefest and Music Experience, mid-Sep, Plaza Las Vegas Hotel and Casino and Lady Luck Hotel and Casino (website: www.lasvegasbikefest.com)
Best in the Desert, beginning Oct, a 300 mile desert and mountain race from Las Vegas to Reno, over a three-day period, in the longest off-road race in the country (website: www.bitd.com)
Laughlin Mile Dragon Boat Challenge, mid-Oct, a friendly race/competition with participating teams paddling in traditional 44ft-long Chinese war canoes (website: www.visitlaughlin.com)
Magical Forest, Christmas decorations go up, Nov-Dec, Opportunity Village
Downtown Hoedown, American country music experience, Dec, Fremont Hotel and Casino, Downtown
National Finals Rodeo, Dec, Thomas and Mack Centre (website: http://nfr-rodeo.com)
Parade of Lights, annual holiday pageant of boats, 1 Dec, Lake Mead Marina, Boulder City (website: http://lmboa.tripod.com)
Las Vegas International Marathon, Dec (website: www.lvmarathon.com)
Fremont Street Experience New Year’s Eve Party, 31 Dec, Fremont Hotel and Casino

Cost of Living

One-litre bottle of mineral water: US$1.90
33cl bottle of beer: US$2
Financial Times newspaper: US$4.50
36-exposure colour film: US$6.50
City-centre bus ticket: US$1.25
Adult football ticket: US$45–125
Three-course meal with wine/beer: US$35

1 American Dollar (US$1) = £0.57; C$1.16; A$1.31; ¬0.83
Currency conversion rates as of October 2005