DESTINATION LAS VEGAS

Las Vegas demands the suspension of disbelief - the moment you start to take it seriously you miss the point. It's glitz for its own sake, over-the-top hustle and flash as means and end. It's crowds of people in polyester pantsuits, big hair and gold chains, staring at neon signs and spinning lemons like deer hypnotized by headlights. Not that Vegas doesn't have a serious side: billions are at stake on the craps and blackjack tables and in the battle of the theme parks - but you're given enough distractions to ignore it - until you lose. If you tire of pulling the handle on that one-armed bandit and drinking watered-down (albeit free) screwdrivers, the surrounding area has some of the region's most beautiful scenery.

Map of Las Vegas (15K)

Facts at a Glance
History
When to Go
Orientation
Attractions
Off the Beaten Track
Activities

Events
Getting There & Away
Getting Around
Recommended Reading
Lonely Planet Guides
Travelers' Reports on the USA
On-line Info

Facts at a Glance

Population: 880,000
Elevation: 2175ft (650m)
Area: 85 sq mi (215 sq km)
State: Nevada
Time Zone: Pacific Time (GMT/UTC minus 8 hours)
Telephone area code: 702

History

The only natural feature to account for the location of Las Vegas is a spring north of downtown. Once used by Paiute Indians on their seasonal visits to the area, it was re-discovered by Mexican scout Rafael Rivera in 1829. The area became known to overland travelers as las vegas - 'the meadows' - a place with reliable water and feed for horses. Las Vegas became a regular stop on the southern emigrant route to California, the Spanish Trail. In the 1850s, Mormons built the town's first structures, a small mission and fort; the fort became a ranch house, but there was little development until 1902, when much of the land was sold to a railroad company. The area that is now downtown was subdivided when the tracks came through, with 1200 lots sold on 15 May 1905 alone - a date now celebrated as the city's birthday.

As a railroad town, Las Vegas had machine shops, an ice works and a good number of hotels, saloons and gambling houses. The railroad laid off hundreds in the mid 1920s, but one Depression-era development gave the city a new life. The huge Hoover Dam (then known as Boulder Dam) project commenced in 1931, providing jobs and growth in the short term and water and power for the city's long-term growth.

Also in 1931, Nevada legalized gambling and simplified its divorce laws, paving the way for first big casino on the Strip, El Rancho, which was built by Los Angeles developers and opened in 1941. The next wave of investors, also from out of town, were mobsters like Bugsy Siegel, who built the Flamingo in 1946 and set the tone for the new casinos - big and flashy, with lavish entertainment laid on to attract high rollers.

The glitter that brought in the high rollers also attracted smaller spenders, but in larger numbers. Southern California provided a growing market for Las Vegas entertainment, and improvements in transport made it accessible to the rest of the country. Thanks to air conditioning and reliable water supplies, Vegas became one of the country's most popular tourist destinations. In recent years, Vegas has bent over backwards to remake itself into a family resort destination, building theme parks inside its hotels. Hotels have outdone each other with working volcanoes, million-gallon fishtanks and miniature Manhattans. All of which - along with dozens of artificial lakes in the suburbs - has put a huge strain on the city's water supply, but it hasn't slowed the development juggernaut.

When to Go

The summers are hot and the winters are cool, making spring and fall the best times to visit. The daily high averages around 100°F (38°C) from June to September, and around 55°F (13°C) from December to January; the rest of the year is temperate. It's pretty dry most of the time, but thunderstorms are most common in the summer (June to August) and can cause dangerous flash floods.

Orientation

Las Vegas is in the southern part of the state of Nevada, about 50 miles (80km) east of the California border and 30 miles (50km) west of the Arizona border. The city is divided into two main parts: a compact downtown called Glitter Gulch, centered on the intersection of Highway 95 and Interstate 15; and the Strip, a corridor of hotels and casinos lining I-15 a few miles south of downtown.

The casinos are divided between downtown's Glitter Gulch and the Strip; most hotels are on or near the Strip. McCarran International Airport is located at the southern end of the Strip, about 5 miles (8km) south of downtown. The Greyhound bus and Amtrak railway stations are downtown (the railway station is located inside Gaughan's Plaza Hotel and Casino).

Attractions

Glitter Gulch

The blocks around the intersection of Fremont and Main Streets in downtown Las Vegas are known as Glitter Gulch. The first neon sign in the city went up here in 1929; now millions of lightbulbs and miles of neon tubing bathe the Gulch in perpetual daylight. This is where you'll find Vegas Vic and his pal Sassy Sal - two of the best-known neon icons in the country. Some of the city's most famous casinos are in the Gulch, including the Golden Nugget and the Gold Spike, as are most of its strip clubs. Aside from slowly cruising down Fremont Street and basking in the multicolored glow, there's little to do apart from gamble, drink or watch naked people slither around poles. Shopping consists mainly of souvenirs.

The remains of Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park may pale in comparison to nearby Glitter Gulch, but this is where it all started. Beginning in the 1850s, this adobe quadrangle provided refuge for travelers along the Mormon Trail between Salt Lake City, Utah, and San Bernardino, in southern California. Some of the original walls are still standing, and displays of artifacts and photographs illustrate mid-19th century life on the frontier. There's an ongoing archaeological dig outside. The fort is a mile north of downtown.

The Strip

The Mirage is interesting for the action going on outside: a fake volcano, surrounded by an artificial lagoon, erupts every half hour, belching smoke and fire, and 54 artificial waterfalls cascade down the exterior. Not that there isn't glitz galore inside. You enter through a miniature tropical rainforest, complete with Siegfried and Roy's white tigers. And for a small fee you can watch dolphins frolic in a giant tank. Should you actually check in, you'll do so at a counter backed by a 60ft (20m) long aquarium filled with over 1000 fish. The Mirage is the bête noir of water conservationists; it uses over a million gallons of water a day. No wonder Nevada is running dry.

One of the original casino-cum-theme-parks, Circus Circus is tackiness incarnate. You can take in free circus acts in the tent-like interior, a 'midway' with carnival attractions, and a roomful of video games. Grand Slam Canyon is a mini amusement park in a giant dome behind Circus Circus. It boasts a rollercoaster, flume rides, fake dinosaurs and a water slide. Circus Circus is located on the northern half of the Strip and attracts a lot of families (ie rambunctious kids), so either head for or avoid it accordingly.

Car buffs won't want to miss the Imperial Palace Auto Museum, which includes rare models and dozens of vehicles once owned by the rich and infamous. There's Czar Nicholas II's 1914 Rolls Royce, Japanese Emperor Hirohito's 1935 Packard and Adolf Hitler's 1939 Mercedes. You can also see the cars of several US presidents and Howard Hughes' 1954 Chrysler (the air purifier cost more than the car). About 200 vehicles are on display. The museum is located in the Imperial Palace Casino, on the Strip about 3 miles (5km) south of downtown.

Off the Beaten Track

Hoover Dam and Lake Mead

Few dams are artistic achievements, but Hoover Dam is an architectural gem. Seen from below, the sensuous geometry of the 725ft (220m) high concrete wall contrasts sharply with the rugged red rock of the canyon walls. You can see exhibits on the dam's construction and inner workings at the visitors' center. A 50-story elevator ride takes you down to the turbine room at the bottom of the dam. The view from the base brings home the fact that the dam is one of the highest in the world. Guided tours are available.

Stretching to the north and east of the dam is the artificial body of water it created: the 110 mile long (180km) Lake Mead. It's a good spot for boating, water-skiing, fishing and even scuba diving. Hoover Dam is an hour's drive southeast of downtown Las Vegas, where several companies offer bus tours.

Red Rock Canyon

Fewer than 20 miles (30km) west of the Strip, Red Rock Canyon is everything Vegas isn't: raw, natural and very old - 65 million years old. A 3000ft (900m) escarpment rises on the western edge of the valley. The canyon's most striking features - Joshua trees, multicolored sandstone, jagged peaks - can be seen from a 13 mile (20km) loop drive. There are many spots for picnicking, hiking and climbing along the way. There's a good visitors' center at the start of the loop.

Overton

If the flashing lights of Vegas blow your circuits, the funky, laid-back little town of Overton is less than two hours' drive from Glitter Gulch. Settled in the 1880s, Overton hasn't changed much since. Aside from a few motels, bars and stores, there isn't much to do here aside from the museum, but it's a good place to escape the hubub of the Strip.

Just north of Overton are 1000 year old Anasazi Indian pueblos - actually, they're reconstructions on the original foundations. The pueblos are part of the Lost City Museum, which features a collection of locally found artifacts dating back 10,000 years. Overton is about 50 miles (80km) northeast of downtown Las Vegas.

Grand Canyon

Just a few hours' drive east from Las Vegas is America's most popular national park. The south rim of the Grand Canyon is an easy overnighter from the Strip (the north rim is an additional five hours). The canyon is 225 miles (365km) long and nearly 10 miles (16km) wide, and the multicolored rock strata go down a mile to the Colorado River below. You may think your life is complete just to stand at the edge and look down at one-third of the earth's geologic history (though from the top you can't see the 1.7 billion year old rocks at the bottom). The canyon offers excellent hiking, horseriding and rafting.

Activities

The rough-hewn areas around Las Vegas offer great hiking. Red Rock Canyon, about 20 miles (30km) west of the city, has multicolored sandstone scenery. Toiyabe National Forest, further west, features 12,000ft (3700m) Charleston Peak and trails that wind through pine forests and desert scrub. Camping is allowed.

For boating and water-skiing, smear on the sunscreen, slither into your wetsuit and head over to Lake Mead, about 30 miles (50km) east of Las Vegas. You can even scuba diving here. The lake's 500 miles (800km) of shoreline offer plenty of sunbathing spots.

Skiers can thrill to the downhill at the Lee Canyon Ski Area on Chesterson Peak in the Toiyabe National Forest, about 80 miles (130km) northwest of Las Vegas.

Events

It's hard to outdo the nonstop party that is Las Vegas, but the city does have a few annual events and festivals. Locals wear the green for the St Patrick's Day parade in March. It's chaps and chili during the Helldorado Days Rodeo & Western Festival in May and the National Finals Rodeo in December. October brings both the Jaycees State Fair and the Cashman Field PGA Invitational Golf Tournament.

Getting There & Away

Las Vegas is served by McCarran International Airport, where travelers from other US cities and Canada and Europe have the best connections.

Amtrak's Desert Wind train runs daily between Salt Lake City, Utah, and Los Angeles via Las Vegas. Greyhound has bus service between Las Vegas and Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Phoenix, Arizona. Green Tortoise offers a low-budget, communal bus experience between Las Vegas and major cities on the West Coast.

One of the best ways to get to Las Vegas is by car. Highways traverse the desert and converge on Las Vegas from the major cities of the Southwest.

Getting Around

McCarran International Airport is located at the southern end of the Strip, about 5 miles (8km) south of downtown. Several companies run shuttle buses between the airport and the city. Taxis are also available, and city buses run along the Strip into downtown.

If you're staying on the Strip, the best way to get around is the inexpensive shuttle bus that runs between the big casinos and hotels 24 hours a day. Taxis are also a good option. Those who want to get out of town will need their own wheels. You can rent a car at one of the many agencies in town. Tour buses run regularly between the city and Hoover Dam.

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