By J.D. Chi
Commonly referred to as "Sin City,"
Las Vegas is a cosmopolitan city located in the southwestern Nevada desert. Within easy driving distance from many California cities, the Las Vegas airport has direct flights from most U.S. cities and is a hub for Southwest Airlines.
Las Vegas offers something for everyone. Gambling, shopping, golf, culture, live shows, animal exhibits, spa services and fine dining are all within easy reach in this compact city. The key tourism areas are the "Strip" and downtown areas, both of which have plenty of hotels and services.
Las Vegas is also a great starting point for outdoors lovers who want to visit Bryce, Death Valley or Zion national parks.
Getting There
Las Vegas is located in south-central Nevada. It may be reached by car in less than 8 hours from Los Angeles (4 hours), San Diego (5 hours), Phoenix (6 hours), Salt Lake City (6 hours), Tuscon (7.5 hours), and San Francisco (8 hours). Interstate 15 is the main freeway running through the Las Vegas area. If you'll be flying into town, the main airport is McCarran International, which is located just minutes off the Strip.
Rental cars and limo and taxi service are available. Many hotels offer complimentary shuttle service from and to the airport. If your hotel does not offer shuttle service, check into buying a roundtrip shuttle ticket, which is a big savings over taking a cab.
Getting Around
Getting around Las Vegas is relatively easy. If you're going to stay on the Strip or in the downtown area, it is not necessary to rent a car. However, if you do, most hotels have complimentary parking and parking garages are generally located behind the hotels. If you're on the Strip, walking is a great mode of transportation, but you can also catch a cab, use the monorail or take a city bus. In the downtown area, walking is also a great option, but you'll want to take a shuttle, cab or bus if you're headed to the Strip or another attraction.
Lay of the Land
The most-well known part of Las Vegas is the Strip, which is Las Vegas Boulevard South between Sahara and Russell Road. This is where the biggest, most outrageous hotels are, including MGM Grand, Wynn Las Vegas and Paris, Paris. This is the heart of the tourist area and many casinos and restaurants are open 24 hours a day. North of the Strip is old Las Vegas, which has been transformed into the "Fremont Street Experience," a covered area filled with casinos, entertainment and restaurants. The hotels in this area are not as fancy or outrageous as those on the Strip. The area has undergone a renaissance designed to appeal to tourists, but it is still more about gambling and glitzy shows. The Fremont Street Experience is a covered area of Fremont Street that combines vintage Las Vegas with high tech, including nightly light shows.
Choosing a Hotel
Las Vegas hotels run the gambit. The Imperial Palace on the Strip is well known for its incredibly inexpensive rooms--sometimes as low as $19/night--while just down the street, the Bellagio is a luxury affair. When choosing a hotel, location is critical--first-time visitors will likely want to be in the heart of the action on the Strip. Beyond that, you'll need to decide whether you want to be on the Strip, downtown or off the beaten path and what amenities are important to you. Las Vegas is famous for deep discounts, so be sure to look around online for special offers.
Imperial Palace
3535 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(800) 351-7400
www.imperialpalace.com
Bellagio
3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(888) 987-6667
www.bellagio.com
Dining
Many well-known restaurants, including Emeril's, have Las Vegas locations, so dining is a real treat. The famous Las Vegas all-you-can-eat buffet still exists, but prices have risen to about $20 per person for a mid-range buffet. Most hotels offer 2-for-1 buffet coupons, so ask at the front or concierge desk before going to the buffet. It's tough to find a reasonably priced meal in Las Vegas anymore. You'll have more luck doing so downtown than on the Strip, although many of the Strip hotels, including the Monte Carlo, Mirage and MGM, all have food courts with staples like Starbucks, McDonald's and Subway.
Emeril's
3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 891-7374
www.emerils.com
Monte Carlo
3770 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(800) 311-8999
www.montecarlo.com
Mirage
3400 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 791-7111
www.mirage.com
MGM Grand
3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(877) 880-0880
www.mgmgrand.com
Things to Do
While gambling is the main event in Las Vegas, there are plenty of other options. At night, the Fremont Street Experience light show and the erupting "volcano" at the Mirage are among the many free things to do. There are also live shows ranging from burlesque to Cirque de Soleil shows at most major hotels. During daylight hours, you'll find great golf, culture and shopping all around town.
Fremont Street Experience
425 Fremont St.
Las Vegas, NV 89101
(702) 678-5600
www.vegasexperience.com
The Mirage
3400 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 791-7111
www.mirage.com
Resources
About the Author:
J.D. Chi is a professional journalist who has covered sports for more than 20 years at newspapers all over the United States. She has covered major golf tournaments and the NFL as well as travel and health topics. Chi received her Bachelor of Arts in professional writing from Carnegie Mellon University and is working toward a master's degree in journalism.
