What to visit in Las Vegas? Landmarks of Las Vegas. One of the most famous clubs. Las Vegas Attractions: Roller Coaster

It was founded in 1829 when a caravan lost its way and stumbled upon an oasis. The city received the official status of founding only in May 1905, when the construction of the railway track from Salt Lake City to was completed. It became the center of the gaming industry in 1915. A little later in 1931 gambling became legal. Interesting is the fact that the proposal to create a gaming zone was made by mysterious resident state that has never played in a casino. He believed that gambling taxes could be funded by educational institutions. Already at that distant time, Vegas attracted people to enjoy the unique and fantastic features of the city, which grew up in the desert. It is worth noting that the winning situations of that time were different from the existing payouts. The whole big sum was paid in kind, whether it was cigars or alcohol. Thanks to the "reckons of a natural kind" - he received the well-known pseudonym "city of sin".

Originated in the center of the famous Mojave Desert. The climate is arid, 310 days a year the bright and scorching sun shines. The city never sleeps thanks to its gambling fame. The game continues day and night. The gambling capital of the United States amazes many tourists with its amazingness. It is the world capital of bright neon lights, signage, bustling entertainment centers and luxury hotel complexes. Gambling establishments appear as a visiting card of the city, based on the lifeless sands of Nevada. A trip to the city of slot machines is a chance to get to know yourself, your nerves and luck. If in one institution you were unlucky to “throw a coin” and lost, you should not despair, luck and success of a big jackpot are sure to await in a neighboring institution.

Las Vegas - the whole planet in miniature

Many people mistakenly believe that the city is just a casino, slot machines and hotel complexes. Here you can not only spend the night, but also have a wonderful time free time. The city is strewn with attractions that every tourist needs to visit. Cultural monuments and world-class buildings, created in a miniature composition, deserve a special look from tourists. Only in this place can you capture the Parisian beauty of the Eiffel Tower, the miniature or legendary tomb of Emperor Tutankhamun, which has become the highlight of the Luxor casino. This is just a small part of all the attractions of fantastic Vegas.

The best hotels in Las Vegas

In the city of slot machines there are 80% of the largest hotels in the world. All major hotels are divided into thematic varieties:

• "Stratosphere". The hotel is connected with the theme of air navigation. From its height, and this is a couple of hundred meters, the main street of the city is visible - the Strip or Southern Boulevard, as it is called legally.
• "NY". This complex is like Manhattan in miniature. It even has its own "Statue of Liberty", only smaller in size.
• "Caesar's Mansions". A unique likeness of the palaces of the past, which adorn the ancient Greek statues, triumphal arches and Roman unfading gardens. But modern technology has not gone far either. A moving walkway leads to the main entrance. The complex provides a hall for dancing "Tour of Cleopatra". And in the world of attractions "Streets of the Roman Empire" holograms are illuminated that tell about historical era that time.
• "Luxor". This hotel is completely similar to Ancient Egypt. The design is made in the form of a pyramid, made of real blackened glass. The Sphinx is the main entrance to the building. Around it are palm trees that form a grove. There is also its own Nile. On the perimeter of the hotel there is a museum similar in shape to the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. And although the building has thematic aspects ancient history, yet it is filled with modern technology. Particularly attractive is the striking beam from the roof, which is clearly visible even from orbit.
• "Mirage". The building is presented as a classical-style hotel, but upon closer examination, it becomes clear that this is a jungle. Tropical plants grow around the entire perimeter of the complex, fountains and beautiful waterfalls flow. Also, the highlight of the hotel are white tigers that roam its territory.
• "Paris". The hotel is dedicated to the name of the capital and built in the French style. On the territory there is an exact copy of the Eiffel Tower.
• "Grand MGM". It is dedicated to a fairy tale about emerald city. Main entrance in this complex is made in the form of a lion's mouth. The size of the lion reaches 31 meters. On the territory of the hotel there are theater stages, sports grounds, entertainment bars and 5005 luxurious rooms. Disneyland is located near the complex.
• "Excalibur". This complex is associated with the castle of the times of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. There are natural castle towers here, rising walkways are sometimes held tournaments of knights, especially for tourists. The construction cost of this building exceeded 300 million US greens.
• To spend the night in your favorite hotel, you will have to pay $ 5,000 for a regular room. In the absence of such an amount, but the desire to contemplate the magnificence remains, then excursions come to the rescue, which will fully satisfy the curiosity of each of the hotels. This is economical, reasonable, from which there will be much more impressions and emotions than from visiting theater buildings or a museum.

Landmarks of Las Vegas

Plan of Las Vegas

In plan, this capital of one-armed bandits is presented with only a single street, on which the most popular restaurant complexes, gaming establishments and hotels are located. The street of incredible size, reaches 5.5 kilometers, stretches from air harbor to the alleys of the Sahara desert. All establishments are located on the main highway, and they are overly elegant. There are more than 80 large casinos in the city, whose income from the gambling vein alone is more than 4 billion dollars. It's hard to even imagine how much more comes to the piggy bank from additional services. But it is still necessary to get to entertainment gambling establishments, as visitors are required to settle somewhere for a couple of days.

Excursions away from the bustle of the city

Sometimes the noise, vanity and the city that does not fall asleep get bored. You can go on excursions, and for example, explore the Grand Canyon Reserve, 1.5 kilometers deep. The spectacle is breathtaking. A huge canyon is located on the Colorado River, Arizona. Its main aspect is the ability to have different shades at certain times of the day.

Purchases are usually made at Factory Outlets. As a memento, it is customary to buy economical options for jewelry, confectionery, personalized T-shirts, T-shirts and caps with Las Vegas logos, as well as fridge magnets. For a few cents, you can even buy something, remembering Las Vegas!

Entertaining little things

• In order not to get lost in unknown city, must be taken at the hotel "at the reception" business card hotel.
• With little knowledge in English can be hired Russian speaking guide but it's not cheap. But sometimes it’s not a pity for money, because with a guide a tourist will certainly see all the amazing places and learn a lot of new things that guidebooks don’t write about.
• If you have an idea to go shopping or use any service, then you should not forget to leave a tip. Their amount is usually 10-15 percent of the quoted price. Tipping applies to hotel staff, restaurants, casinos and taxis.
• Strange, but in the "sin city" to eat cheaper than in any city in the United States.
• It is very easy to get married in Las Vegas, you just need to pay the wedding tax - $ 55. The ceremony itself will cost $1,000. It is for these reasons that hundreds of thousands of couples are married. It is worth noting if people have citizenship Russian Federation, then such marriages are invalid for the law.

The most important musical character in Vegas is Elvis Presley. The territory of the city is filled with its twins, which can be found everywhere.

Tourists may break most of the commandments when they come to Las Vegas (Nevada), which is why they call this place “sin city”, but no one can deny that it impresses both with its beauty and offers for unforgettable holiday. Every traveler will find entertainment to their liking here, although most of them come here to go all out and have fun spending their money.

State of Nevada

Perhaps this is the most contrasting state in America. Las Vegas, with its famous hotels and casinos, is not its only attraction. Everything is unique here: climate, nature, cities and people.

Once a Spanish colony, it became part of the United States during the Civil War between North and South. His motto is "battle-born", and as a sign of the valor of the soldiers who died in those battles, several of America's warships today proudly bear his name.

Although tourism and gambling profits make a big contribution to the state treasury, agriculture also thrives in it. This is a rare case when land is used by 90%. The state with the city of Las Vegas is no less rich in minerals. For example, gold mining here is 9% of the world's reserves.

But Las Vegas, the world leader in the gambling industry, brought the greatest fame to these places. This city is quite young, but in a short time it was able to turn from an ordinary railway station in an oasis in the middle of the desert into a metropolis, which people go to for thrills from all over the world.

City `s history

Although located in the Las Vegas desert, the state in which it is located means "snowy" in Spanish. This is not surprising, since most of Nevada is located in the intermountain plateaus, while famous city, founded in 1905, in its southern part. The beautiful oasis was found by accident in 1829, when a lost caravan circled in search of water.

The discovered source was called Las Vegas (the state was much smaller at that time) and became a mandatory stopover for trade caravans on the way from Texas to Los Angeles (California).

When railroad construction boomed in the United States, it became natural to build one along the path of the caravan. Thus was formed a large railway junction Las Vegas. The city itself began to be built up only at the beginning of the 20th century and almost immediately gained a reputation as an immoral place. This is due to the free morals that were inherent in him from the very beginning. Quick weddings and fights without rules for money attracted many swindlers and thrill-seekers to the city.

The first Arizona club was opened for railroad workers so that workers could relax in it, drink and rent women of easy virtue, but apparently, the craving for breaking the commandments was already strong in Las Vegas, so soon instead of the barrack where it was located, a beautiful stone building appeared, in the premises of which the first roulettes were placed.

This is how the city of gambling was born, and it remains so today.

Fighting the "sins" of Las Vegas

The authorities, who tried to return the dissolute city to the path of holiness, banned gambling in 1919, forcing the existing casinos to go underground. The owners of gambling establishments became even richer, and Las Vegas (Nevada too) lost huge profits that were previously deducted to the treasury in the form of taxes from each casino. Only by 1931, having assessed all the damage to the budget and realizing that those who wish to gamble will still find where to do it, they decided to legalize gambling. The document confirming this took 6 pages, and today it contains several tens of thousands of acts.

But it was not this that accelerated the development of the city, but the dam built just 40 km from it, which not only supplied electricity to the entire region, but also formed beautiful lake Mead, which attracted nature lovers to its shores.

Gambling establishments of the city

Casinos were built one after another. Among their owners there were people of completely different strata, from the former police chief to the leaders of the mafia. The greatest boom in the construction and development of the gambling and recreation industry occurred at the end of the 40s and 50s. The most legendary Flamingo Casino was built in 1946 by Billy Wilkerson, who was considered a visionary by many in the business community of the time. His institution became the first place where customers were offered not only gambling halls, but also entertainment and resort-level recreation.

Compared to gambling establishments built before 1960 and modern casinos, Las Vegas (Nevada), in 100 years of development, not only did not fall into decay, as predicted, but became the capital of world-class entertainment. As travelers note in their reviews, they come here not so much for the game, but for spectacles. The best shows, musicals, circus performances, SPA, musical fountains and themed casinos - this is the whole of Vegas.

Where to stay in the city

Only an inexperienced tourist can confuse in which state Las Vegas is located. A city in the middle of the desert in a region famous for its harsh winters when the temperature drops to -46 degrees, this is rather an exception. That's why people are bad those who know geography The United States “transfers” sultry Las Vegas, where in summer the heat rises to +50, to California, which is nearby.

This city impresses not only with its casinos, but also with the most unusual hotels.

Interesting to know: there are 25 major hotels in the world, 15 of which are in Las Vegas. Which state will give up its reputation as the most gambling, hospitable and most visited in the US? He created a name for himself thanks to the title of "sin city", not without reason for the 600,000 people living here, there are more than 50 million people who come here every year.

As tourists note, some hotels in the city are like mini-towns, which have everything for a quality vacation: casinos, SPAs, cafes, boutiques, sports grounds and swimming pools, bars and restaurants and chapels for instant weddings. What pleasantly pleases visitors is housing prices. Here, for $30-50 per day, you can rent a comfortable room, and a suite will cost $100. As a rule, this is due to the fact that customers leave as much cash as possible at slot machines and in stores.

Famous and popular Las Vegas hotels

Among the most original hotels in the city:

These are far from all the hotels in the city, but vacationers note that Las Vegas (Nevada) is a place where there is its own Paris, Egypt and even the sea. Each of them was created with the aim of surprising, captivating with comfort and luxury, so that people come here again and again to spend their money.

sports arenas

It is hard to imagine that sports competitions were not held in such a gambling place. Arenas, as stadiums are called here, are constantly in demand. Some of them are built exclusively for baseball, others meet fans of American football, volleyball or basketball.

Americans are a very athletic nation, so there is nothing surprising in the fact that you need to buy tickets for the final games six months in advance.

Some hotels own their own golf courses where international tournaments are held, no less famous than the legendary world poker championships, which have been held for 47 years in a row at Binion's Gambling Hall, a casino also famous for displaying 1 million dollars.

The Las Vegas Show

"Bread and circuses" people always crave. In this sense, they are not much different from the ancient Romans, but the level of entertainment since that time has qualitatively changed for the better. The shows that take place in every casino and hotel in the city are of such a high level and so diverse in subject matter that, as tourists note, even the longest stay does not allow you to get acquainted with them all.

If Nevada, the state around Las Vegas, offers its guests an encounter with pristine nature, beautiful mountains, and even the opportunity to feel like a gold digger, then the city provides a completely different experience.

The most famous shows in Las Vegas:

Glittering with neon signs, Las Vegas has long gained fame as the largest tourist center USA. Excitement and luxury reign supreme here, casinos are open 24 hours a day, and an endless stream of shows and entertainment captures the tourist with his head. It is not for nothing that in Las Vegas people forget about reality and everyday affairs and are completely attached to unbridled fun.

The alluring brilliance of the giant casino hotels Luxor Las Vegas, Bellagio and Caesars Palace attracts tourists from all over the world like a magnet. Unusual collections of local museums make even die-hard lovers of the classics reconsider their attitude to art, and you don’t want to leave amusement parks at all. Las Vegas is an incredible city, a phantom in the middle of the desert and an alluring oasis that gives the traveler the illusion of the infinite lightness of being.

The best hotels and hostels at affordable prices.

from 500 rubles/day

What to see and where to go in Las Vegas?

The most interesting and Beautiful places for walks. Photos and a short description.

The first thing that a tourist sees when entering the city via the Las Vegas Strip is the famous welcome sign, which sparkles with bright lights and promises visitors an unforgettable experience and fun adventures. The sign was installed in 1959. Its design in the googie style popular in the middle of the 20th century was developed by B. Willis. Since 2009, the mark has been included in the National Register historical sites USA.

The Las Vegas Strip is the central alley and the heart of the city, where famous casinos (including the legendary Caesar's Palace) and luxury hotels are located. Each building on this street can be seen as a wild splash of architectural imagination of the creators: there is a copy of the Eiffel Tower and the Brooklyn Bridge, Egyptian Pyramid and the figure of the Sphinx, a medieval castle and others grand buildings.

Fremont Street Experience is a huge video screen in the form of an arched dome, which was erected on the street of the same name in 1995 to increase the attractiveness of this place for tourists. The height of this grand structure reaches 30 meters, and the length is comparable to the length of 4 blocks. The screen was developed by LG, which also became its general sponsor.

Hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip, which was built in 1998. "Bellagio" is designed for almost 4 thousand rooms, it takes 11th place in the world ranking of hotels in this indicator. One of its main attractions is the musical fountain, which releases more than 1000 powerful jets and is equipped with 4.5 thousand light sources. Every day there is a light and music show, which usually lasts from lunch until midnight.

Entertainment complex, which includes a hotel with 4.5 thousand rooms and a casino. It was built in the form of a black 30-story pyramid over 100 meters high. In the evenings, a powerful beam of light escapes from the summit, which is visible even from the Earth's orbit. In front of the building is a huge figure of a sphinx. The gaming zone "Luxor Las Vegas" has an area of ​​more than 11 thousand m² and consists of 87 tables and more than 1.5 thousand slot machines.

Another grand casino hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. From an architectural point of view, it is a copy of the French Hotel De Ville. The peculiarity of the complex is that it is surrounded by replicas of French sights: there is the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe and the Paris Opera. The interior of the hotel is decorated in European style, which allows guests to forget that they are in the US and not somewhere in the Old World.

As the name suggests, this casino hotel is decorated in the style of a Venetian palazzo. On its territory there are 18 restaurants, 6 swimming pools, a fitness club, a spa and shops. The hotel lobby is painted with copies of Italian paintings, decorated with marble columns and arches. All frescoes, statues and other interior elements look like they are several hundred years old - they are almost indistinguishable from the originals.

"Wynn" was named after billionaire Steve Wynn, who made his fortune through the gambling industry. The complex consists of 60 floors, making it one of the tallest in Las Vegas. In addition to the hotel and gambling zone, there is a dealership for Maserati, Ferrari, Aston Martin and other luxury brands. The interior of the complex is decorated with works of art from S. Wynn's personal collection.

Entertainment complex designed in style ancient rome. It has been in existence since 1966. Caesars Palace became famous for its entertainment shows and performances by pop stars (Frank Sinatra, Elton John, Celine Dion sang here). In 2003, the Colosseum with 4,300 seats was built for concerts. The hotel of the complex consists of six towers, in which there are about 4 thousand rooms.

The hotel-casino, built in the form of a tower, which reaches a height of 350 meters. The observation deck of the Stratosphere is the highest in the United States. The complex was built in 1996. At first, it was not very popular with visitors due to its location away from popular places Las Vegas, but thanks to favorable prices and competent marketing, the hotel eventually became a success.

The house-museum of Wayne Newton, an American pop singer who performed in the city's casinos for many years, for which he was nicknamed Mr. Las Vegas. In the 1980s, he was the highest paid artist in the world. The villa has a collection of rare cars, an exhibition of exotic animals, as well as a private jet, Arabian horses and other attributes of a luxurious life.

The botanical garden and the conservatory are part of the Bellagio hotel-casino complex. More than 10 thousand plants of the garden are located on a vast territory, various animal figures are made of flowers, which gives the place a fabulous look. To care for such an impressive area, there is a staff of 100 gardeners who daily water, cut and create new ones. flower arrangements to the delight of visitors.

An iconic wedding chapel where couples from all over the world come to marry. The building itself looks modest and concise, especially against the background of the grandiose sights of Las Vegas. But, at the same time, the chapel is one of the most technologically advanced. It was here that they began to conduct the first ceremonies on the Internet and via Skype. Several wedding packages are available for newlyweds.

The collection is completely devoted to one of the main attributes of Las Vegas, without which this city is almost impossible to imagine - neon signs of all stripes and shapes. Most of exhibits are placed under open sky. In total, the museum exhibits about 150 signs. Many of them have not been updated or restored, therefore they are of a certain artistic interest.

The exposition is located in the building of the former post office. It is dedicated to the rule of law and the fight against organized crime. For visitors, a variety of entertainment is provided here: from shooting from a machine gun to studying illegal business schemes. The museum opened in 2012 at the initiative of Mayor O. Goodman, who allocated $76 million from the city budget for its organization.

The main difference between Madame Tussauds in Las Vegas is the presence of a large section dedicated to local stars, among which there is the figure of Playboy publisher Hugh Hefner. The rest of the exhibition consists of famous actors, athletes, singers and other public figures. For example, the museum has wax copies of Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Jennifer Lopez. The figures are executed so well that they seem alive.

The museum is located in the suburbs of Las Vegas. It was created in 2005 as an exhibition pavilion for the Smithsonian Institution. The exposition is dedicated to the Nevada Test Site, where nuclear tests have been conducted since the 1950s. The collection features deadly weapons from the times cold war, the interior of the bunkers, various measuring equipment. A nuclear explosion is demonstrated on special screens.

The exposition is located on the territory of the hotel-casino "Luxor Las Vegas". It is quite popular with tourists, as it is dedicated to one of the main disasters of the 20th century - the wreck of the Titanic liner. In total, the museum has collected about 300 exhibits raised from the seabed: ship plating details, interior items, jewelry, personal belongings of passengers, and even a preserved bottle of 1900 champagne.

A small collection of Mustangs from Shelby American, Inc. Visitors will be able not only to view the exhibition, which consists of retro models and new designs, but also to hear the history of the brand from the guide and learn about the features of the production of these devices by visiting the assembly shop. Tours of the museum are carried out 1 or 2 times a day for free. The exposition will interest, first of all, passionate fans of cars.

The Las Vegas Ferris Wheel is considered one of the largest in the world. Its height is about 170 meters. The grand attraction consists of 28 spacious booths, each of which can accommodate a record number of visitors (several dozen people). The wheel makes a complete revolution in 30 minutes. During this time, everyone has time to fully enjoy the bewitching view of the city from a bird's eye view.

An amusement park for the whole family on the Las Vegas Strip, covering an area of ​​more than 20,000 m². There are 25 rides here (including a steep roller coaster with a double dead loop), a golf course, a shooting range and a climbing wall. There is also a fun clown show for visitors. The park is located under a roof on the territory of the Circus Circus hotel, but not only guests can visit it.

An unusual amusement park for adults, where you can try yourself as an operator of an excavator, bulldozer and other heavy equipment. Only persons over the age of 18 are freely allowed here (children from 14 to 18 must obtain parental consent). Safety precautions are strictly observed throughout the territory: visitors are given helmets and vests, as well as detailed instructions.

The dam is located on the border of the states of Arizona and Nevada in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River. It is not only the largest power plant in the region, but also protects the southwestern United States from flooding. The dam is named after Herbert Hoover, the 31st President of the United States, who allocated money for its construction. The construction was built in 1935, since 1937 it has already become a popular tourist attraction.

The peak is located in southern Nevada, it is the highest point of the Spring Mountain Range. From the Las Vegas Strip to the mountain can be reached in many ways: on foot, by bike or even by horse (in winter time sleds and skis are popular). Charleston is located in national park Mount Charleston Wilderness Area. There are many places for picnic and camping in the summit area.

The Nevada National Wildlife Refuge, which is visited by over a million people every year. The natural area is located on the border of the states of Arizona, Nevada, Utah and California. total length hiking trails in Red Rock Canyon - more than 30 km. People come here from noisy Las Vegas to enjoy the tranquility and beauty of nature, as well as to see unique landscapes the Mojave Desert.

Las Vegas (Nevada) is a city in the southwestern United States and The largest city in the state of Nevada. Las Vegas is worldwide famous center entertainment and recreation, it is the unofficial gambling capital of the world. The population of the city for 2013 is 603 thousand people and it is included in 30 US cities in terms of the number of inhabitants. The population of the urban agglomeration, the center of which is Las Vegas, exceeds 1.9 million people.

Las Vegas is located in the southwestern corner of Nevada, close to the borders with California and Arizona. It's 275 miles (450 km) from Los Angeles, or less than four hours on the excellent interstate. The city is located in a wide and flat desert valley surrounded by barren mountains. The region receives only about 5 cm of rain per year, however the city is very green with many palm trees and flowers. All plants are watered with water brought from outside.

In 1931, gambling was legalized in the barren wilderness of Nevada, while it remained illegal in most other states. By this time, Las Vegas was a sleepy town, a godforsaken place in the Mojave Desert. In 1940, the first casino with the name "El Rancho Vegas" (El Rancho Vegas) was built on the outskirts of Las Vegas. Already next year, the second casino - "Forgotten Frontier" (Last Frontier). Both establishments immediately began to make a profit, because in the neighborhood was densely populated California and, in particular, the huge Los Angeles. In December 1946, notorious New York mobster Bugsy Siegal, then living in Los Angeles, built a fashionable casino hotel in Las Vegas called the Flamingo. Segal's dream was to create a new holiday destination for gambling and entertainment lovers. Unfortunately for Bugsy, he was gunned down in his Beverly Hills home in 1947 and never saw his dream come true. It is worth noting that for decades after the death of Bugsy Segal, the luxury casinos of Las Vegas were controlled by the mafia.

Today, Las Vegas is a desert oasis with over 38 million visitors annually. More than 120 casinos operate in the city, the total number of licensed gambling establishments exceeds 1700, the number of slot machines exceeded 200 thousand pieces. 14 of the 15 largest hotels in the US are located in Las Vegas. The total number of rented rooms is about 130,000. Gambling and entertainment are still the most important attractions and main sources of income for the city. It is believed that the mafia has clearly been removed from the gambling scenes of Las Vegas. Most casinos are run by corporations (a dubious improvement). Oscar Goodman has been the mayor since 1999. Being a flamboyant lawyer, he became famous for his vigorous defense of famous bandits and persons involved in crime. It is no coincidence that at one time he received the nickname “mouthpiece for the mob” (mouthpiece for the mob). Goodman seems to be the most suitable candidate for the city, which has the nickname "Sin City" (Sin City).

The pulsating world powerhouse of the gaming industry emerged from the Mojave Desert as a dream city for a community of people looking to have fun, tickle their nerves and plunge into the world of excitement. Everything that is built in Las Vegas is done on a large scale and on a grand scale. Along the main street of Las Vegas Boulevard, a pyramid of black glass rises hundreds of meters above the desert. Before entering the pyramid, visitors are greeted by a copy of the Sphinx, larger in size than the original itself. On the other side of the street rises a replica of New York, with skyscrapers, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty. But that is not all. Visitors to Las Vegas can see a 2-fold reduced copy of the Eiffel Tower, a copy of the Venetian Piazza San Marco (Piazza San Marco) and even a giant volcano that erupts every 30 minutes. In Las Vegas, you often ask yourself, "Is this really a city, or have I ended up in a futuristic amusement park?"

On any given evening in Las Vegas, you'll find hundreds recreational activities, such as the famous Las Vegas shows, world-class sports, performances by world-famous artists, as well as music, dance and comedy in numerous large and small concert halls and clubs throughout the city.

The famous old Las Vegas shows are usually barely dressed dancing girls, gritty humor and quality musical accompaniment. Afternoon and evening shows are more family oriented, while late night shows are geared towards adults only. The famous Circus of the Sun (Cirque du Soleil) presents several spectacular performances in Las Vegas, each of which is played against the backdrop of fantastic scenery and technological marvels. Prices are quite expensive, but this should not surprise anyone. Broadway musicals are also played on a regular basis in the city. Both famous artists and local stars perform in all casinos and public places of the city. World famous artists come to Las Vegas almost weekly. In addition, most casinos host free performances almost daily to attract visitors off the street. Definitely, Las Vegas is not the city where you will feel the lack of entertainment. It seems like this city never goes to sleep. Frivolity and carelessness continue all night long. Serious players keep trying to break the bank in the casino and get rich in an instant, not noticing that the morning sun has risen and a new day has begun.

Like fields of cacti in the desert, low-rise houses sprawl around Las Vegas across the valley for tens of kilometers in any direction. However, the main attractions of Las Vegas are concentrated on one wide alley, which stretches for many kilometers from the southern outskirts of the city to the north until it reaches the heart of the old city. This famous Las Vegas Boulevard is commonly known as "the Strip". international Airport McCarran is near its southern end, and almost all of the major casinos line the boulevard. If you move north along the boulevard, then along the way you will meet the pyramid, the Luxor casino, the skyscrapers of the New York, New York casino ( New York casino), the Eiffel Tower of the Paris casino (Paris casino), the tent of the Circus casino, as well as the towers of the Stratosphere casino. Eventually, driving along the boulevard will take you downtown to Fremont Street, home to historic parlors like Binyons or the Golden Nugget. At night, The Strip comes alive with millions of neon pulsing lights. Rest assured, even just driving down the boulevard past all those spectacular casinos and recreational spots is a fantastic experience.

Most of the new, most prestigious hotels and casinos are located in the southern part of the city center, near the McCarran airport. Even the smallest of the new hotels has over 2,000 rooms, and the MGM Grand has over 5,000 rooms. Each casino contains thousands of slot machines, hundreds of gaming tables, several restaurants and concert halls, lots of shops and bars. In the northern part of the city center, along the Strip are less impressive casinos. They are older than their southern neighbors and are slightly less popular.

However, this only means that in order to compete successfully in the gaming business and attract visitors, these casinos offer more low prices for shows and food. There are also several large casino hotels, such as Sam's Town and Boulder Station, located away from Las Vegas Boulevard. These isolated casinos often offer excellent discounts to the public.

For a long time, even before Las Vegas became a world-class city, Nevada had a reputation as a tolerant state that allowed gambling, prostitution, and simplified divorce procedures. It is not uncommon for Californians to come to Nevada on purpose to easily break the ties of an unwanted marriage. Where it is easy to get divorced, it is also easy to register new marriages. Over the years, many other states have made it easier to get divorced, but Las Vegas still maintains a reputation for being a frivolous city with no room for red tape. Wedding chapels are easy to find along central boulevard in the city. Also, almost all major casinos have their own wedding halls. Las Vegas has one of the highest suicide rates in the US. The reason, I think, is quite obvious.

Periodically, almost every casino hosts an "attraction of unheard of generosity" - the visitor is lured by a buffet from which he can eat as much as he can. Even if you did not receive such a "gift" - do not be discouraged. Look for a casino away from the center. With a high degree of probability in less popular casinos you will get ridiculously low prices in the buffet. And this is all just to attract you to the gaming tables. It is worth noting that the prices in the new casinos are higher, but the quality of the food is also higher. Naturally, hundreds of restaurants are scattered throughout the city, but you can also eat well in the casino. Each of the large casinos has at least 5 restaurants of different price ranges.

The Las Vegas metropolitan area is one of the fastest growing regions in the States. Most of the new residents move here from California. Racial composition cities: whites - 70.8%, African Americans - 10.3%, Asians - 5.5%. The rest is occupied by other racial groups or people of mixed race. Hispanics of any race make up 30% of the population of Las Vegas. Nearly 28% of the population are Mexican Americans. Approximately 9% of the urban population lives below the poverty line.

The economy of Las Vegas is mainly based on tourism and the gambling industry. The retail and food industries also have a big impact.

Las Vegas does not have a single sports team represented in major sports leagues, although the size of the city is larger than many cities that do. The main reason is the concern about the competition for the dollar that professional teams in the gaming industry can make up. Another reason is that sports betting is completely legal in Las Vegas, which is a concern for professional sports leagues.

The climate in Las Vegas is characterized as subtropical desert. The sun shines all year round in Las Vegas, the total sunny days exceeds 300 per year. Precipitation is extremely low, air humidity is very low. The summer months in Las Vegas are very hot and dry. From June to September, the air temperature rises to 34 C - 40 C, and at night it does not fall below 20 C. In total, on average, there are about 130 days a year when the temperature rises to 32 C, and 70 days with a temperature reaching 38 C. Winters in Vegas are short and very mild. Daytime temperatures in January can reach 16 C and do not drop below 4 C at night. Snow is extremely rare in the valley, as well as temperatures below zero are extremely rare.

If you love to travel and would like to explore the southeast of the United States, then Las Vegas is the right place for you. The desert landscape surrounding Las Vegas is uninhabitable, but extraordinarily beautiful. Red Rock Canyon, located just 35 km west of the city, looks just like Hollywood cowboy movies. The Hoover Dam and Lake Mead are located 40 km east of the city. The deep blue color of the water in the lake contrasts with the barren landscape of hills and cliffs and gives the place an unusual feel. About 100 km to the north lies the Valley of Fire - amazing place, where rock distorted by a volcano, lava fields and ancient Indian runes intertwined. A little further from Las Vegas are attractions such as the Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park.

Below are the distances and approximate time it takes to get to these places:

• Bryce Canyon 400 km, 4.5 hours
• Death Valley 200 km, 2.5 hours
• Grand Canyon ( grand canyon) 430 km, 5 hours
• Zion National Park national park) 270 km, 3.25 hours

If you do not want to cover such distances by car on your own, then there are many tours that you can book in Las Vegas. Tour options are varied. You can get to the great wonders of nature by bus, jeep, plane or private helicopter. As a rule, the tour operator will pick you up at your hotel and bring you back on the day of the tour. If you intend to visit Las Vegas for a few days or more, you should definitely set aside a day or even half a day to see any of the scenic scenery of the US southwest.

Most people think that Las Vegas is just hotels and casinos, and non-gambling people simply have nothing to do here, in vain deleting it from the list of places to visit. Las Vegas is not only "one-armed bandits" and card tables. This is a city-theater, looking behind the scenes of which you can make amazing discoveries. I want to dispel the myth that people come here for the sole purpose of getting rich, day and night without leaving the gambling halls. On the contrary, those who are absolutely indifferent to gambling will be no less interested in visiting one of the most famous cities in the world. I present to your attention 10 reasons to go to Las Vegas.

1. Gondola ride

Do you dream of immersing yourself in the unique atmosphere of Venice and taking a romantic walk along its canals? For this, it is not necessary to fly to Italy. If you are traveling in the United States, then your dream can come true right in Las Vegas! This city never ceases to amaze. Whole italian city spread over 46,000 sq.m. with its most popular attractions - Piazza San Marco, the Campanile Bell Tower, the Rialto Bridge, and, of course, gondolas floating along the real Venetian canals. The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino, or in other words "Venice", invites everyone to ride along the canals to the sounds of a professional gondolier's serenade. The internal canal flows along the second floor of the hotel - it is here that an exact copy of Venice is recreated. Visitors can watch charming Italian architecture and painted blue skies. The outside walk offers a splendid view of the Las Vegas Strip. For the newlyweds, a snow-white gondola decorated with golden flowers is provided. Couples in love, according to tradition, need to kiss while swimming under the bridge.

Address: 3355 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV

2. Beach resort. Beware: sharks!

It is hard to imagine that in the desert it was possible to sunbathe on white sandy beach an area of ​​4.5 hectares, enjoying the sound of the surf. For Las Vegas, truly, there are no barriers. When heading to this unpredictable city, grab your swimwear. In a hotel Mandalay Bay, next to the wave-simulating pool, you can soak up the soft sand imported from California.

In addition, there is a huge aquarium "Shark Reef" (Shark Reef Aquarium), which registered two thousand of the most different representatives sea ​​world our planet. This is the only aquarium that is located away from water sources. Piranhas, sharks, turtles, jellyfish, sea squirts, molluscs, snails and the rarest representative of golden crocodiles are just the tip of the oceanarium iceberg. Well, those who can boast of a diving certificate are offered to scuba dive with sharks.

Address: 3950 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV

3. Dancing fountains

You can rest from the hot heat and relax from the city noise near the dancing fountains next to the Bellagio hotel. The Bellagio Fountain impresses with its choreography and colors of water jets. This is one of the main attractions in Las Vegas. Jets of water rise to the music to a height of 152 meters. To the beat of the music, they also sway, that is, they dance, and the sound of water mixes with the voices of Pavarotti, Bocceli, Sinatra. The fountain show must be seen at least twice - from the ground, standing right in front of them, and from a height, sitting in a restaurant or just standing on the balcony of one of the hotels in the area. It will be two completely different spectacles.

Address: 3600 Las Vegas Blvd S, Bellagio Hotel Resort, Las Vegas, NV

4. Museums

It would seem, well, what kind of museums can be in Las Vegas ... However, the city boasts a considerable number of them. Here you can visit such museums as: "Museum of Neon Signs", without which Las Vegas would not be Las Vegas; "Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition" - artifacts of the Titanic liner raised from the bottom of the ocean, as well as an exact reproduction of some of the cabins and the main staircase of the ship; "Museum nuclear testing”- a film demonstration of nuclear tests conducted near the city at a test site in the second half of the 20th century, accompanied by a roar, blinding flashes, shaking benches and a wave of warm air. As well as the Guinness World Records Museum, Natural History Museum, Vintage Car Museum, Bellagio Art Gallery, Madame Tussauds Museum and many others.

5. Concerts, shows and musicals

No less popular than casinos are all kinds of Las Vegas shows. No wonder it is called the entertainment capital of the world. What is not here:

• comedy performances
• Illusionists and other magicians
• Circus performances
• Adult Programs
• Hypnotists
• Concerts of famous stars
• Musicals
• dance shows
• Sport events

The most popular are, for example, the famous Cirque Du Soleil, which offers almost a dozen different programs, Blue Man Group, David Copperfield, the musical Mamma Mia! and others.

6. Secret garden, dolphins and white tigers

Those who wish can take a walk through the "Secret Garden" of the Mirage Hotel, which welcomes visitors from its very doorstep with tropical palm trees, exotic flowers and waterfalls. White lions and white tigers, panthers and leopards live on its territory. In fact, no one can accurately determine who lives in the Secret Garden. Someone meets an owl, others - peacocks, someone managed to pet a lemur. Then you meet flamingos and hummingbirds, and then you pass along the pool with dolphins and tropical fish. Here, dolphins frolic and play in conditions that are as close to natural as possible - a real coral reef and sand raised from the ocean floor. They will be happy to play ball with you.

The main attraction of the hotel is its artificial volcano, the "eruption" of which is accompanied by musical accompaniment. This impressive show can be watched every hour every day from 19.00 to 23.00.

Address: 3400 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV

7. Cinema "Fremont Street Experience"

On Fremont Street, formerly main street Las Vegas, a unique “overhead cinema” has been installed - a giant screen 460 meters long. It consists of 12 million LED displays controlled by 10 computers. Movies, excerpts from show programs that take place in the Las Vegas casinos, and performances by stars are shown on the screen. In fact, it is a domed roof above the street, onto which advertisements and various videos are projected. You can watch both standing and lying down. For convenience, the street is closed during the show.

Address: Fremont St, Las Vegas, NV

8. High Roller

Coming to Las Vegas and not taking a ride on the Ferris wheel? Especially when its height reaches 168 meters… This is one of the highest Ferris wheels in the world. It is located opposite the Caesars Palace entertainment complex, in the new LINQ shopping and entertainment district. The wheel is equipped with 28 spherical glazed cabins, accommodating up to 40 people. Within 30 minutes, tourists have the opportunity to fully view Las Vegas, as the cabins rotate around their axis. From it opens beautiful view for the entire Strip. Especially at night. Therefore, the cost of tickets at night is higher.

9. Night clubs and bars

Those who can't sit still, and they are the majority in Vegas, are invited by numerous nightclubs and bars. There are both establishments at large hotels-casinos, and existing on their own. Clubs in Las Vegas are considered unique, because it is here that you can come face to face with some celebrity.

One of the most famous clubs:

• Chateau Nightclub at Paris Hotel-Casino
• Marquee Nightclub in The Cosmopolitan
• Moon Nightclub in the Palms
• Voodoo Lounge at Rio Hotel

More bars! They can be found at any casino or even in the open air.

10. Stratosphere Hotel Tower

The tallest observation tower in the United States, the Stratosphere (350 meters), offers a ride on 4 heart-rending rides located on its top. Thrills guaranteed! big shot in a matter of seconds, it catapults at a speed of 72 km / h to a 32-meter height, and then lowers it back at the same speed, while there is a complete sensation free fall. Insanity- a carousel in the form of a claw with five open booths, rotating at different angles outside the tower at a height of 274 meters. X-Scream- an open trailer without railings, accelerating along the guide rails straight down from the roof of the tower at a distance of 8 meters from it and braking sharply, hovering at a height of 264 meters. sky jump is a free fall ride from a height of 260 meters on cables fastened to the body - this is a kind of "bungee".

In addition to breathtaking extreme rides and observation deck in the tower is a revolving restaurant "Top of the World".

Address: 2000 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Las Vegas, NV 89104, USA