Las Vegas City Guide

Bold, brash Las Vegas is known as the entertainment capital of the world. This psychedelic city, which is situated in the midst of the Mojave Desert in the state of Nevada, was until the early 1930’s a veritable backwater for it functioned merely as a pit stop for travelers on their way from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City.

All this began to change in March 1931, when the State of Nevada legalized gambling and issued six licenses. This soon led to the sport being pursued most enthusiastically in the gambling halls and hotel casinos. These grew exponentially until 1964, when Mafia Don Ben 'Bugsy' Siegel funded the exceedingly lavish Flamingo Hilton hotel on Highway 91. The founding of this grand structure paved the way for the over the top, grand luxury casino hotels that populate the city’s main drag, Las Vegas Boulevard or ‘the Strip’ today.

Although the main attraction in Las Vegas continues to be gambling, Las Vegas today markets itself as a family-friendly destination suitable for all ages. This glitzy, glamorous city in addition to casinos, also offers relatively tame attractions like theme parks, golf courses, mega mall shopping and fine dining opportunities along with spectacular live shows and performances by the biggest names in show business.

Las Vegas also offers numerous 24-hour wedding chapels that offer a wide array of wedding packages. These reasonably priced all inclusive wedding packages are immensely popular with impulsive or cash-strapped couples in need a ‘quickie’ wedding who often combine a vacation to Las Vegas, with a trip down the altar.

If you are looking for an escape from your daily routine or merely a distraction, a Las Vegas vacation may provide you with just the tonic you need since this adult Disney Land offers a world of invigorating attractions that are known to enthrall and delight one and all.

Home to some of the most flamboyant hotel properties in Las Vegas, ‘the Strip’ or the 4.2 mile stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard that lies between Sahara Avenue and Russell Road is the most coveted choice for accommodations in downtown Las Vegas. This world famous road hosts many of the largest hotel, casino and resort properties in the world and offers in excess of 67,000 hotel rooms of all grades which cater to myriad tastes and preferences. Hotel bookings made trough Fare Buzz, ensure that you get the best hotel rates for the various Las Vegas luxury hotels located on this world famous Strip.

This area of Las Vegas is located to the east of the Strip near the city’s Convention Center and further south along Paradise Road, Flamingo Road, and Tropicana Avenue. The east of the Strip area of Las Vegas hosts several mid-range hotels. These hotel properties are popular with visitors whose visit to Las Vegas involves the need to attend a conference or a convention at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The Northwest area of Las Vegas usually hosts visitors who can’t afford the high hotel rates charged by the super luxury Las Vegas hotels situated on the Strip. The hotel properties located here include discount hotels and other budget accommodation avenues.

The city’s chief attractions are it’s over the top, man-made casinos which can’t be missed on any trip to Las Vegas.

The Venetian Hotel and Casino has recreated the many attractions of the city of Venice in the heart of the Mojave Desert. The hotel offers replicas of Venice’s St Mark's Square and the Basilica as well as Venetian canals and waterways which feature gondolas that offer rides to guests. This huge gambling den features 2,500 slot machines and 125 gaming tables along with five swimming pools, seventeen restaurants and even an outpost of Madame Tussaud’s wax museum.

The star attraction at the Mirage casino is a faux Volcano that shoots flames that are 100 feet high into the night sky repeatedly, as it presents a spectacular though terrifying sight. Yet another popular attraction at the Mirage is its huge 20,000 gallon salt water aquarium, which is located behind its front desk and features angel fish, puffer fish, sharks and other marine creatures.

The casino hotel, the Luxor recreates the landscape of Egypt with its pyramids in the Nevada desert. The hotel offers a massive casino, an IMAX theater, swimming pools and various other attractions like entertaining shows and comedy performances.

The famous Bellagio casino offers a spectacular conservatory that features elaborate displays of exotic plants and flowers. The casino employs a team of 100 horticulturalists that organize these displays in the casino’s bright and airy atrium. In addition to its conservatory, the opulent Bellagio also features displays of dancing fountains that are set to music and feature rushing water that soars as high as 460 feet from a total of 1,214 water-emitting devices.

The Imperial Palace Auto Collection offers displays of 250 classic antique cars which are all available for sale. This collection, which features race cars, muscle cars, touring roadsters, exotic and rare models and cars owned by various famous folk should be considered a must-visit for any car enthusiast on a visit to Las Vegas.

Fremont Street is also known as ‘Glitter Gulch’ for its many neon signs and flashing lights. The gambling history of Las Vegas can be traced to Fremont Street as it is here that the first gambling halls were established in the early 20th century. Fremont Street continues to host vintage casinos like the Golden Nugget and the Gold Spike that hark back to another era. The street also hosts various strip clubs, stage shows and the Fremont Street Mall.

If you are on a vacation to Las Vegas with your children they are bound to be delighted by the city’s many roller coaster ride offerings. Las Vegas is believed to be one of the world’s top rollercoaster destinations, which has the biggest, fastest and most exciting rides.

The most thrilling roller coasters in Las Vegas include the roller coasters, which are located atop the 1,149ft (350m) Stratosphere Tower, the tallest freestanding observation tower in the United States. However, the city also offers several other thrilling rides which include the Speed Ride at the Sahara Casino and Hotel, the Canyon Blaster at the Circus Circus Adventure dome, and the Manhattan Express at the New York , New York Hotel and Casino.

Las Vegas is located in the midst of the Mojave Desert and like other desert terrains; it experiences a weather pattern that features hot and dry summers and mild, cool winters. The hottest months in Las Vegas are usually July and August. During these months, the mercury often soars above 100ºF (38ºC) and the weather is not really conducive for doing much.

The winter months that extend from November to end of March constitute some of the best times to plan a trip to Las Vegas for they are characterized with cooler days with an average daytime highs of around 60ºF (16ºC).

Las Vegas is served by McCarran International Airport that is located one mile to the south of the Las Vegas Strip. The Las Vegas airport is connected to the Strip and downtown Las Vegas by various buses and airport taxi services. Taking a flight to this airport is the easiest with Fare Buzz since our site offers the best and cheapest air flight tickets from across the top airlines.

If you need to hire a car for the duration of your stay in Las Vegas, Fare Buzz can also organize this service for you as it offers a wide array of affordable car rentals for Las Vegas. Moreover, these car rentals can be booked via its usual booking platforms and the vehicles can then be picked up at any of the outlets of rental car agencies that are located outside the Las Vegas airport.

Public transport within Las Vegas is provided by public buses, private trolley services, taxicabs, monorail links and free shuttle services, which are provided by many of the casinos.

Another popular mode of transport in Las Vegas is limousine hire and the city is equipped with many inexpensive limousine hire agencies which offer chauffer driven vehicles to the cater to the needs of visitors to Las Vegas.

Las Vegas used to be all about gambling, the tables, and the slot machines. In recent years however, this big, brash city has evolved into a more family-friendly destination, which offers in addition to much nocturnal entertainment, much scope for shopping.

The casinos hotels that line the city’s famed ‘strip’ in fact today offer much more than just gambling for housed within their premises are expansive shopping malls along with various entertainment options like gondola rides and live performances. The Forum Shops at Caesars is one such mall attached to a casino that has been attracting the hordes for over two decades now. This mall which seems inspired by Italy features fountains and statues and is home to 160 retailers offering a good mix of luxe and upscale brands. Onsite at the mall are outposts of upmarket brands like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Christian Louboutin, which stand cheek by jowl with more down to earth retail outfits like Bath and Body Works, the Gap and Express. The Forum also offers various dining options at its restaurants like PJ Clarke’s, Planet Hollywood, Spago and more.

The Miracle Mile at Planet Hollywood resort and hotel encompasses a 1.2 mile long entertainment and retail stretch. Situated here are 170 stores, 15 restaurants and various avenues for entertainment. The stores at Miracle Mile include outposts of popular brands like H&M, American Apparel, Aldo, Lucky Brand and many more. The mall also offers a plethora of entertainment options including an indoor fountain show. Yet another mall, which combines much entertainment with retail, is the Fashion Show Mall, the largest shopping destination on the Strip. The mall is a heaven for fashion addicts as it offers live runway shows on all weekends. Additionally, it hosts more than 200 stores offering both high-end and moderately priced retail options.

Other malls and shopping complexes worth perusing on the strip include The Shops at Crystals (luxe shopping at its best), Via Bellagio, the Wynn Esplanade and the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian.

The best outdoor shopping experiences in Las Vegas can be had at the open-air Town Square Vegas mall. This mall which is modeled on a European village extends over 117 acres in the township of Enterprise. Town Square offers a wide assortment of shopping options at retailers like Juicy Couture, Sephora, H&M and Apple, along with a variety dining and entertainment options. The mall area also encloses a playground and a waterpark, both of which render it as extremely family-friendly.

However, shopping in Las Vegas is not all about upscale choices for this gambling capital of the world also offers a multitude of bargain-hunting opportunities at its two Las Vegas Premium Outlets Malls which are located in the north and south sections of the city.

Sin City is home to numerous restaurants serving every type of cuisine in almost every kind of environment. All the big name chefs ensure that they have representation in Las Vegas, for the city attracts hordes of international and domestic tourists all year round. A winning restaurant in Las Vegas, thus offers a sure-fire formula to get your name out there with the masses.

The list of highly-ranked eateries which are considered a must-try in Las Vegas include joints like Bar Masa (Japanese), Carnevino (Steak), Michael’s (continental), Bouchon Bistro (French), Bartolotta Restaurant di Mare (Italian), Joel Robuchon (French), Cut by Wolfgang Puck (Steakhouse), Lotus of Siam (Thai), Chada Thai and Wine (Thai), China Poblano (Asian-Mexican fusion), American Fish (seafood) and Abriya Raku (Japanese).

The party never stops in Las Vegas and the bars, clubs and lounges in this aptly named ‘entertainment capital of the world’ seem to rock on 24/7. Popular nightlife haunts in the city currently include hot spots like the Marquee nightclub (at the Cosmopolitan), XS nightclub (t Encore), Tao (nightclub and restaurant at the Venetian), Rain in the desert (nightclub at Palms Casino Resort), Ghostbar (rooftop bar at Palms Casino Resort), Tryst (at the Wynn), Lax and Saville Row (bar) (at Luxor hotel and casino), and the Pussycat dolls lounge (Caesars Palace casino).