Things to do in Las Vegas, NV

Nevada legalized gambling in 1931, and Las Vegas went on to make a name for itself as one of the most thrilling places in the world to place a bet. Gambling isn't restricted to casinos - you'll find slot machines and poker machines in convenience stores and at the airport. The casinos along the Strip (the city’s iconic thoroughfare) offer every type of gaming: table games, sports books, machines. Some of the best odds in the casino are blackjack and craps.  The worst? Roulette and Keno. If you don't know how to gamble, don't worry. Most of the machines are easy to learn if you've ever played a video game or used a computer. Many of the hotels offer tutorials in their rooms. Just remember that the smartest gamblers know when to walk away and that they should limit their drinking, even though you can get free drinks while you're playing. 

Las Vegas is in the Mojave Desert, which means temperatures during the summer are routinely in the triple digits. One of the oldest jokes about Las Vegas is that while it's hot, "It's a dry heat," which is supposedly easier to bear than humidity.  Temps can still reach 110, though. Las Vegas buildings are universally air conditioned, and most visitors will either...  

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Nevada legalized gambling in 1931, and Las Vegas went on to make a name for itself as one of the most thrilling places in the world to place a bet. Gambling isn't restricted to casinos - you'll find slot machines and poker machines in convenience stores and at the airport. The casinos along the Strip (the city’s iconic thoroughfare) offer every type of gaming: table games, sports books, machines. Some of the best odds in the casino are blackjack and craps.  The worst? Roulette and Keno. If you don't know how to gamble, don't worry. Most of the machines are easy to learn if you've ever played a video game or used a computer. Many of the hotels offer tutorials in their rooms. Just remember that the smartest gamblers know when to walk away and that they should limit their drinking, even though you can get free drinks while you're playing. 

Las Vegas is in the Mojave Desert, which means temperatures during the summer are routinely in the triple digits. One of the oldest jokes about Las Vegas is that while it's hot, "It's a dry heat," which is supposedly easier to bear than humidity.  Temps can still reach 110, though. Las Vegas buildings are universally air conditioned, and most visitors will either spend their time in the casino or at the pool. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids—all that dry heat can dehydrate you—and if you're here in summer, limit your outside activities to early morning and after sunset. In winter, however, while the rest of the country is shoveling snow, Las Vegas is a perfect temperature for almost any outdoor activity. 

Gracefully walking a stage with a gigantic feathered head dress, wearing high heels and a sequined bikini, the Las Vegas show girl is emblematic of the city. Made famous in classic productions like the Lido de Paris and the Follies Bergere - both shows that have closed - showgirls can still be found in abundance on the stage of the Strip's grandest production show still going, Jubiliee! 

Officially known as Las Vegas Boulevard, this five-mile stretch of road is home to some of the world's largest hotels. Back in 1946 when the famous mobster Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel opened the Flamingo Hotel Casino, most of the hotels in Las Vegas were downtown. Over the years, the hotel casinos sprang up like wildfire along the Strip, creating a concentrated area dedicated to tourism—and most visitors never leave the Strip. Only a few of the original hotel casinos remain, but the Strip continues to add all kinds of attractions:  luxury shopping malls, upscale restaurants, and curb-side entertainment. 

They come to town for all kinds of events, host parties at nightclubs, and grace the stages of fantastic hotels. Celebrities, from the A-list to the reality show stars, love to come to Vegas to hit the tables and strike a pose for the paparazzi. Visitors flocking to local hot spots in hopes of catching a glimpse of the famous are often rewarded.

Where can you see Paris, Venice, New York and even ancient Egypt, in one day? It's Vegas, baby, where the neon glares, the slots chime, the shows dazzle, and the scenery offers an eye-popping reconfiguring of the world's iconic destinations. Hedonism reigns here, and although the city is truly a bastion of artifice, Las Vegas travel guides from around the world agree that it's a testament to America's ability to go over the top.

It would have been difficult to imagine this glowing spectacle when 19th-century Spanish traders on their way to Los Angeles deemed the trip through the Las Vegas Valley "the journey of death." Soon the railroad stop brought an influx of people, and Vegas became a city in 1905. When gambling was legalized in Nevada six years later, few realized the impact that this industry would have, but after World War II, Las Vegas tourism and entertainment became the cornerstone of this city's experience and economy.

Now, a century since its founding, the city has been completely transformed, and the skyline continues to change every year. Developers come up with ideas for resorts and attractions that are bigger, brighter, bolder and louder. More than 39 million people visit each year, and...  Read more »

Where can you see Paris, Venice, New York and even ancient Egypt, in one day? It's Vegas, baby, where the neon glares, the slots chime, the shows dazzle, and the scenery offers an eye-popping reconfiguring of the world's iconic destinations. Hedonism reigns here, and although the city is truly a bastion of artifice, Las Vegas travel guides from around the world agree that it's a testament to America's ability to go over the top.

It would have been difficult to imagine this glowing spectacle when 19th-century Spanish traders on their way to Los Angeles deemed the trip through the Las Vegas Valley "the journey of death." Soon the railroad stop brought an influx of people, and Vegas became a city in 1905. When gambling was legalized in Nevada six years later, few realized the impact that this industry would have, but after World War II, Las Vegas tourism and entertainment became the cornerstone of this city's experience and economy.

Now, a century since its founding, the city has been completely transformed, and the skyline continues to change every year. Developers come up with ideas for resorts and attractions that are bigger, brighter, bolder and louder. More than 39 million people visit each year, and fifteen of the world's twenty largest hotels are located here. Although the Las Vegas tourism industry has attempted to reinvent itself as a family spot, the adult culture remains firmly ingrained. Family-oriented attractions have simply added another element to the Las Vegas vacation allure.

If you are traveling to Las Vegas, you probably aren't coming to explore diverse neighborhoods or see historical landmarks. You and millions of others arrive in Vegas with one key destination in mind — the Strip. Here, hotels aren't just places to rest your weary head — hotels and their numerous activities are some of the best things to do in Las Vegas. You can watch water dance at the Bellagio, see pirates battle gorgeous wenches at Treasure Island or have a quickie wedding overseen by an Elvis impersonator. It's a different world in Vegas, and no matter what you've seen in movies, the sensory overload it produces will go beyond your wildest imaginings.

To keep up with the city's diverse clientele, dining and shopping scenes have become increasingly sophisticated. Vegas was once derided by restaurant critics, but the city is now awash in fantastic restaurants featuring all types of cuisine. Naturally, the ubiquitous cheap buffet is still found in every hotel, but top chefs also offer signature dishes at upscale spots in Las Vegas. The best places for shopping boast a huge array of designer names as well as plenty of shops offering requisite hats, t-shirts and Elvis memorabilia.

And if you're itching for a respite from the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas tourism, the best places for scenic natural beauty can be found at the gorgeous Red Rock Canyon and nearby Mount Charleston and Lake Mead.

Las Vegas, at just 100 years old, may not be known for its history, but visit once and you'll understand that this unique American place has created its own version of history. It was built for tourists, a whirl of entertainment that's an ode to capitalism, excess and the possibility of striking it rich — or at the very least, having a blast while trying to break even.