“Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas! »Announces the imposing sign at the entrance to the city. Where the desert ends, the city of Las Vegas takes care to welcome visitors for a journey into the heart of excess and extravagance. World capital du jeu, the most populous city in Nevada has built its reputation on its sumptuous complexes of hotels, restaurants, casinos and theaters. The American dream in short, accessible to all, for a weekend. Here are 10 ideas for visits to do in Las Végas during your stay!
Discover the history of "Sin City"
Now nicknamed Sin City (the city of vice), Las Vegas was, however, founded by Mormon farmers in the mid-XNUMXth century.. Its real expansion began in 1931, when the state of Nevada legalized gambling. Capital flows, investors too, and the first hotels and casinos are quickly emerging. With the development of transport, thefts have increased and largely participated in the growth of the city.
Part of the city
Shopping at the height of excess
In addition to the dozens of shops in each hotel, a huge shopping center is located on Las Vegas Boulevard (also called "The Strip"): le « Fashion Show Mall ». A veritable Eden for shopping enthusiasts, it brings together luxury boutiques and stores of all kinds. Unfortunately, nothing typical to bring back from Las Vegas, except for the famous coin-operated cups with the colors of the big casinos! For “hype” shopping addicts, the Forum Shop brings together nearly 160 luxury stores under an artificial sky.
The Strip
Play gambling games and casinos with the family
It is precisely these who make a trip to Las Vegas so attractive. Clustered along the Strip, casinos drain - and empty the pockets - of millions of travelers every year. Gambling is reserved for adults, i.e. 21 years old, according to the laws of Nevada. But casinos also offer entertainment for the whole family. The best example is the Circus Circus, with its private amusement park and daily circus performances.
The ”Circus Circus”
Explore the city and its surroundings
In the city itself, there are not only casinos and theaters:
- At Shark Reef (at the Mandalay Bay Hotel) you will observe real sharks evolve in the company of jellyfish, rays, scorpion fish and other tropical species.
- From the top of its 356 meters, the revolving restaurant of the Stratosphere tower offers you a spectacular panorama of the city and its surroundings.
- Do you want nature and authenticity? Why not improvise a little camping au Charleston Peak or part of diving at Lake Mead (50km east of Las Vegas) before diving back into the world of slot machines?
Lac Mead
Educate yourself at the Mafia Museum
If there is one city that was to host a Mafia Museum within these walls, it is Las Vegas. The city would not be what it is today if members of organized crime had not participated in its construction. The Mob Museum traces the history of a city, built on tumultuous relations between gangsters and law enforcement. You will be able to see a model of Al Capone's favorite machine gun: the famous Thompson. You can also, if you feel like it, sit in an electric chair! Ideal for an unusual outing in Las Vegas.
The Mafia Museum
Hiking in Red Rock Canyon
For those who do not know what to do in Las Vegas itself, we advise them to escape for a while in the surrounding desert and to rediscover a bit of nature, certainly dry and inhospitable, but all the same magnificent. The road that crisscrosses this park, nearly 13 miles long, makes it possible to take the measure of the statuified grandeur of the place. Imposing blocks of red or white sandstone observe you from the top of their presence and you definitely feel small when you walk through them, alone in the face of the power of the harsh and wild nature of the American West.
Red Rock Canyon
Admire the Hoover Dam
In a hostile and overheated desert, thousands of workers sweated blood and water to build what was at the time the largest concrete structure in the world. 112 left their lives there. Nonetheless, construction of the dam was completed in 1936, two ahead of schedule, and the area around the rushing Colorado River was finally able to access local electric power. Symbol of the mastery, acquired through hard work, of nature by man, the Hoover Dam is a must-have when visiting Las Végas, symbol of a city that was built by force of wrist in a hostile and sorry environment.
Hoover Dam
Around the world in Las Vegas
Going out at night in Las Vegas allows you to admire the extravagant constructions imagined by the owners of the resorts. Never has a trip between Paris, Venice, New York and Egypt been so quick! With its hundreds of illuminations, the Strip and its extension into “Downtown” take on an unreal aspect. Miniature versions of Paris, Venice or Luxor, from Star Strek's ship to MGM movie studios, the Strip offers a riot of visual eccentricities. To see also, the thousands of jets from the Bellagio fountains dancing to the rhythm of the spots and reaching dizzying heights. Refreshing in the middle of the desert! The same cannot be said of artificial volcano of the Venetian hotel ! If the sets ring fake, the fun is real. The " Fremont street experience Is also worth a detour. The interior of this gallery (which houses bars and restaurants) is covered with a huge screen 460 meters long!
Aerial view of Las Vegas
Nightlife in Vegas: where to go?
Paradoxically, finding a place to dine could prove to be a challenge, as the choice is so vast. Each hotel usually has several restaurants, some very luxurious, others less expensive (snack). Finally, to end the evenings, it is possible to go and attend one of the multiple nightclubs from Las Vegas or book a ticket for a show or a concert. In short, you will not be bored with so much to do in Las Vegas!
Las Vegas by night
Saying "Yes" to Vegas
Before leaving Vegas, many couples take the opportunity to get married! Kind of wedding capital of the world, Nevada laws allow foreigners, like Americans, to get married very simply. All you need to do is pay a tax to Las Vegas City Hall and find the right agency to organize the wedding of your dreams. This is an unforgettable thing to do in Las Vegas!
A wedding chapel in Las Vegas
Useful information
Want to go to Las Vegas? To make your stay a success for sure, we provide you with our practical information:
- Formalities: The formalities for entering the United States are quite strict. You must have a valid electronic passport. It is not necessary to obtain a Visa, but an electronic travel authorization request must be made before departure. This request can be made online, at least 72 hours before departure.
- Weather : Las Vegas can be visited all year round due to its hot and dry climate. But beware, temperatures can go up to 50 degrees in summer!
- Cash : The American currency is the US dollar.
The must-sees in Las Vegas… what next?
While there are so many things to do in Las Vegas and its region, it would be a shame to limit yourself to a country with so many different landscapes. Once you have toured the casinos, visited the places of interest and lost most of your poker money, in short, when you have nothing more to do in Las Végas ... rent a motorhome and go on the road. mythical route 66! Crossing the country from East to West, it will take you from the city splendors of the East Coast, like New York and its teeming culture, or Orleans and its so Frenchy dynamism, to the megalopolises of the West. Besides, Los Angeles is surely the most distinguished of the representatives. In the United States, it's always on the road again!
