Introduction
If your are visiting Las Vegas for the first time, the most cherished moment would be the first glance of the city i.e. the Strip. Walking through the streets under impressive line of neon is an experience undefined. Las Vegas is a dream where finding something real would be the most grave mistake that anyone could make. Resorts lined up in the streets are attractions in themselves. Casinos, Pirate battles, volcanic eruptions, circus are all the extension of this dream called Las Vegas.

Just a few years back Las Vegas was considered as the hub of adult entertainment. Today, investors are investing millions of dollars to make this resort city a children’s delight. Las Vegas has casinos, theme parks, biological gardens, impressive museums, and if you wish to explore the natural splendors, just a few kilometers away from the city.

What to do
Hiking, boating, water skiing, scuba diving, sun bathing, and gambling, all makes Las Vegas a great place to have undiluted fun. Hiking options are available at Red Rock Canyon and Toiyable National Forest. Enjoy boating and water skiing at Lake Mead, located around 50 km east of Las Vegas. If you are an avid scuba diver and sunbather, you can fulfill your desire at his lake with its 800 km of shoreline. Lee Canyon Ski Area on Charleston Peak gives thrilling experience of skiing.

City at a Glance

Area 215 Sq Km km. Population 880,000 Language English, French Religion Christianity Telephone Codes 702

History
Prehistoric Las Vegas was a region of water and marshland. Before the arrival of white men, the Native Americans inhabited this part of Southern Nevada. The first white man to set his foot on this land was Rafael Rivera. After 14 years of Rivera’s discovery, John C. Fremont led an expedition to west and camped at Las Vegas Springs on May 13, 1844. Mormon Settlers from Salt Lake City moved to Las Vegas in the 1850’s to protect the Los Angeles – Salt Lake City mail route. They started constructing a 150 – Square foot fort in 1855 of sun – dried brick made of clay soil and grass, known as adobe.

In the last decades of 19th century, railroad companies decided that Las Vegas valley with its abundant supply of water would be a good stop town. Work on the railroad started in the summers of 1904 and in 1905 the city of Las Vegas was founded. Nevada was the first state in the confederation to legalize casinos – style gambling, but it took a long time before legalized gambling could take off. Building boom of Las Vegas started in the 1940’s after the success of El Rancho Vegas fronting a two – lane highway from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. This section later developed into today’s Las Vegas Strip. Building of casino style resorts continued through 1950’s and 60’s. In the later half of 1970’s when some other states also legalized casino style gambling, it became apparent to the casino owners that the days of monopoly are over. This led to the development of family – oriented megaresorts, a fad that is still continuing.

Weather and Best Season to Visit
Summers are hot with temperature touching an average high of 38ºC from June to September. From December to January (winter) the average temperature remains around 13ºC. Rest of the year is temperate. Average temperature of Las Vegas hovers around 19ºC on yearly average basis. The city receives annual rainfall of 10.64 cm. Humidity is low at around 30%. The city receives more than 200 days of clear sky. The best time to visit Las Vegas is spring and fall.

Attractions
Amusement and Water Parks
MGM Grand Adventures
This is a fun park for entire family. The park offers something for everyone and that is enough for crowds to throng this place. There are rides like flume ride, haunted mine, bumper cars, rapids ride, and motion simulator that keeps the visitors busied. There are eight theme areas including Asian Village, Casablanca Plaza, French Street, and Tumblewood Gulch. The free falling experience from the height of 75 m in Sky Screamer attracts younger generation more. You can also enjoy the great theater shows, pirate fights, and Three stooges presentation (if you have enough time).

Grand Slam Canyon
Grand Slam Canyon is another great place to have fun in Las Vegas, the city of nonstop fun. This climate-controlled adventure dome done in pink is the largest indoor adventure park in the world. There are thrill rides, animated dinosaurs, and an indoor double-loop, double-corkscrew roller coaster in USA. The number of rides available is certainly not in the range of MGM Grand Adventures, but that does not take away its attractions.

Wet ‘n’ Wild
It has got the highest and fastest water shoot in the world and if you are going through the hell in the blistering summer days, this is the place to be. There are many water rides and slides available all of them giving different kind of experience. There are lazy river rides for the adults while for the children there are midway arcade and Suntan Lagoon.

Scandia Family Fun Center
Main attraction of Scandia Family Fun Center is its 18 – hole miniature golf course. Apart from the golf course there is Lil’ Indy raceway, bumper boats, batting cages, and rides.

Museums and Historical Sites
Guinness World of Records Museum
An interactive museum depicting life – size images of Guinness world record holders. Some of the major attractions are the tattooed lady, the tallest man, shortest lady, and the fastest man. There are video, photographic, audio, and printed displays of world records.

Imperial Palace Auto Collection
The Mecca of auto buffs in Las Vegas, the temptation to visit this museum is hard to resist. There are more than 200 antique and special interest automobiles on display here.

Nevada State Museum and Historical Society
The museum is located at the southern end of Lorenzi Park. There are permanent displays on natural history, history, and Native American culture of the region. Three galleries in the museum change exhibits regularly.

Liberace Museum
This is the most popular tourist site in Las Vegas after the casinos. Exhibits include Mr. Showmanship’s Memorabilia and million – dollar wardrobe, world’s largest rhinestone, a rare piano collection, and classic and customized cars.

Old Mormon Historic Fort
Old Mormon Historic Fort is the place where all the history and glitter of Las Vegas started. It is part of the original Mormon Settlement started in 1855 and oldest original building in the state of Nevada.

Hoover Dam
Located in the east of Las Vegas, this dam was built many years ago to hold the waters of Colorado River and generate electricity for the region. Today, the dam is considered an artistic gem. The dam is 220 meters high and its walls are visible in sharp contrast with the red rocks of canyon rocks. There are tours available which can take you to the heart of the dam from its top using a 50-storey elevator.

Red Rock Canyon
It is a breathtaking red rock splendor located just few kilometers east of Las Vegas. Recently expanded by US Congress to 197,000 acres, this National Conservation Area is raw, natural, and old (more than 65 million years). In short is it is everything that Las Vegas is not.

Important Festivals and Exhibitions
Las Vegas is a great party that never ends. Barely any day goes without an event taking place in Vegas and you can easily consider Las Vegas a non stop fun. Major events and festivals that take place annually are St Patrick’s Day Parade in March, Helldorado Days Rodeo and Western Festival in May, Jaycees State Fair and Cashman Field International Golf Tournament in October, and National Finals Rodeo in December.

Hotels
Las Vegas has more than 120,000 hotels, perhaps highest at any resort in the world. Megaresorts are the norm of the day and in some cases to attract the customers, these hotels have in themselves become attractions. It is surprising that despite the large number of rooms, the city is able to sell all of them if some major event is taking place here. At these times, rates are tending to double the normal rates. Most of the hotels do not charge much as they believe that their guests would gamble enough to compensate for the room rates. Strip is the most preferred area for the hotels as opposed to the cashions, which are located in the Glitter Gulch as well as Strip.

Restaurants
Food scene in Las Vegas is as greater as in the other major cities of USA. Strip and downtown Las Vegas has become the Mecca of restaurant business here. Most of the buffets are reasonably priced, but if you want to go for something expensive expect to be in the queue for a longer time.

Shopping
Just a few years back it was no fun going for shopping in Las Vegas, but today, the situation is just the reverse. High fashion outlets around the Strip are always full of life. The best bargains are possible in the factory outlets and the areas at the outskirts of the city.

Travel Information
Air Travel Resources
McCarran International Airport is located around 8 km southeast of the downtown. It is connected to cities in USA, Canada, and Europe. Shuttle buses and private taxis are available to ferry the travelers from airport to the city.

Land
There are private buses that connect Las Vegas Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Phoenix. Other good way to reach Las Vegas is by personal car. Traversing the highways by car and reaching far off places in the southwest should be a good experience.

Pennsylvania Station is the main railway terminal and departure point for cities across USA mainly Amtrak trains. Long Island Rail Road and New Jersey Transit operate trains for neighboring cities as well as to the suburbs.

Local transport
Shuttle buses are the best bet for them who stay around the strip. You can also hire taxis. If you are needed to go out of the city, hire a car from many agencies that operate here. To reach Hoover Dam you can choose two buses that connect it with Las Vegas.