Las Vegas is the largest city in the state of Nevada (USA) and is one of the cities that has been most immortalised in television and cinema.
If you close your eyes and think about Las Vegas, you will probably picture the city at night-time. This is how it’s been depicted for decades: themed hotels, casinos and a massive amount of lights, making Las Vegas a real 24/7 fairground.
People travel to Las Vegas to have fun, hence how it became known as the ‘City of Sin’ or the ‘World Entertainment City’.
Fancy sinning together?
Let’s start our visit in the nerve centre of the city: the Las Vegas Strip. This 5-kilometre stretch is the home to the city’s best hotels, with atmosphere guaranteed. At the northernmost tip of the avenue stands the city’s tallest tower, which is 350-metres tall and belongs to the Stratosphere Hotel. The tower holds the city’s only revolving restaurant, as well as various themed attractions that aren’t suitable for those with heart problems.
You can spend as much time as you like walking up and down the Strip, with an almost endless range of leisure offerings in each of its several hotels.
The second most popular street is Fremont Street: the oldest part of the city which is home to the Fremont Street Experience, a combination of lights, sounds and a vast range of performances. These figures give an idea of the magnitude of the ‘experience’: 12 million LED bulbs and 220 loudspeakers.
As mentioned before, themed hotels are one of Las Vegas’ biggest attractions. You’ll find it difficult to decide on a place to stay, as there are so many tremendously attractive options.
Find some examples below:
The Venetian:
As its name might suggest, this hotel harnesses the spirit of Venice. Landmarks of the Italian city are recreated in this hotel, such as the Grand Canal, Saint Mark’s Square, Saint Mark’s Campanile and the Rialto Bridge. The hotel is so big that you can even enjoy a gondola ride down its canal. Its shops and restaurants never see the dark of night, as a false ceiling ensures that guests see images of a sunny sky at all times of the day.
New York, New York:
This is another hotel that recreates cities; in this case, the city that never sleeps, New York City. Some of the replicas found inside this hotel include the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge.
In terms of leisure activities, this hotel has a modern casino, a variety of live shows, a circular rollercoaster and eleven different restaurants. It also has its own Cirque du Soleil show, ‘Zumanity’.
Paris Las Vegas Hotel:
As its name might suggest, this is a partial reproduction of the French capital city.
This hotel contains imitations of the legendary Eiffel Tower – standing 140-metres tall and housing two different attractions – and the Arc de Triomphe, and even includes replicas of famous Parisian streets. The hotel also offers night-time shows, a casino and even a covered shopping centre.
Hotel Flamingo:
This was the first luxury hotel to be built in Las Vegas and was the scene for the majority of the film ‘Ocean’s Eleven’.
Tourists can visit, free of charge, its 6-hectare wildlife habitat, where they will be able to see penguins, flamingos and various other birds and fish. There is also a 1400 m2 casino, musical performances with well-known artists and exclusive adults-only areas.
Grand Canyon visit
From Las Vegas, tourists can take a trip to one of the natural wonders of the world: the 446-kilometre Grand Canyon. The West Rim is the closest part, only 180-kilometres away from Las Vegas.
The West Rim looks over some impressive cliff faces, where visitors can also attempt the ‘Skywalk’: a cliff-top viewpoint above a 1300-metre drop.
The most visited part of the Grand Canyon is the South Rim, located in the heart of the Grand Canyon National Park. This area is generally flatter than the West Rim.
The North Rim is more isolated and is usually covered in snow, making it the least visited area.
Crazy weddings
Rivalling the importance of casinos and gambling in the city, up to twelve thousand weddings take place in Las Vegas every year. These are often alcohol-fuelled and/or spontaneous ceremonies, but they have nonetheless become something of a tradition. Only the city of Istanbul holds more weddings each year.
If you want to get married on your trip, you need to do it properly. In other words, you need to dress up. Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe are two of the most imitated artists when couples take the decision to say “I do”. If you don’t fancy tying the knot just yet, you are still able to take a look around the chapels and see other couples getting married – with a bit of luck, you could even be a witness!
Do you feel like shopping?
You need to have deep pockets when you go to Las Vegas. While we suggest that you refrain from spending your money in the casinos, we understand that everyone will be tempted to try their luck at least once.
You can spend the rest of your money in one of the city’s many shopping centres, such as the Fashion Show Mall, which has over 200 different shops that cater for all budgets.
If you’re into your brands, you must find time during your visit to take a look around the Las Vegas Outlet Center or the Premium Outlet, boasting over one hundred discounted brands.
And overall remember… what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!
