Las Vegas travel guide

How to make the most of America's dazzling desert playground

When Mormon pioneers established a fort in the middle of a punishing Mojave Desert landscape in the 1850s, only two short decades after the United States had annexed the area from Mexico, no one could have forecast that it would become a neon-festooned symbol of American ingenuity, capitalism, and round-the-clock fun. Yet here we are. What once was a dusty pit stop between California and Utah now attracts more than 40 million conventioneers and pleasure seekers a year. Las Vegas is the most unlikely of American cities. Ancient hunter-gatherers originally populated this area, and throughout the decades, Spanish merchants, pioneers, railroaders, Mafia crime bosses, and multi-billion-dollar gaming corporations have made their mark. Today it is a high-budget entertainment zone with over 4,000 restaurants—the highest per capita density of any US city—a packed and growing Strip of hotels; multiple mega sports arenas, and, thanks to savvy marketing, is one of the most recognizable brands on the planet.

Learn more
Table of contents

Must-see in Las Vegas

20 not-to-miss sights in Las Vegas

Seasonal events in Las Vegas

Las Vegas creates its own seasonal magic year-round

Once you're in Las Vegas

Getting around Las Vegas

The resort corridor of Las Vegas offers lots of ways to get around, from elevated trams and a monorail to fun tour buses and the largest fleet of Rolls-Royce Phantoms in North America. The city and its resorts offer everything from totally free transportation to invite-only rides.

From over-the-top theatrics to down-home favorites: the full spectrum of dining experiences

Las Vegas’ specialty is taking everything up a notch—especially restaurants. You may see some names you know but they’ve been turbocharged and dusted in edible gold for a Vegas audience. Still, there are plenty of historic originals and local specialties to enjoy if you know where to go.

Renting a car and driving in Las Vegas

The Las Vegas resort corridor couldn’t be more convenient. Hotels are packed together on or not far away from a single four-mile-long boulevard, there’s a convenient Monorail and tons of rideshares and cabs, and it’s all just minutes from the city’s international airport. If you’re coming to Las Vegas and never intend to leave the Strip, renting a car isn’t necessary. But if you want to explore some of the surrounding attractions - Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Hoover Dam, Valley of Fire - renting a car is a great idea, if you do it right.

Things to do

Bring the kids: Las Vegas isn’t just an adult playground

Las Vegas may have been built on adult vice, but it has loads to do for the whole family.

Nights out in Las Vegas - America’s favorite adult playground

Las Vegas: A shopper’s paradise

From Vegas-only exclusive fashion items to rare watches to cheap and cheerful memorabilia, if you can’t find it here, you won’t find it anywhere.

Las Vegas and beyond: the Strip is the perfect base for a day trip into nature

The unnatural wonders of the Strip are typically the star of a Las Vegas vacation, but to really understand the city, take a day trip to one of the natural wonders that surrounds it.

What to pack for Las Vegas

Staying comfortable and stylish in a city of extremes