Las Vegas

Las Vegas: history

Las Vegas means 'the meadows' in Spanish. It was a spring-fed stop on the old trail to California. The city was founded in 1905, when the railway sold plots of land at auction.

Nevada made gambling legal in 1931, the same year that work began on the Hoover Dam. The first big resorts opened on the Strip in the 1940s, and the giant themed hotels arrived from 1989.

Las Vegas: tourist attractions

• The Strip by nightFour miles of lights, from Mandalay Bay to the Strat.
• Bellagio fountainsA free show of water and music, and the flower conservatory inside.
• Fremont Street ExperienceThe old downtown, under a canopy of lights.
• High RollerA 550-foot observation wheel.
• SphereThe giant globe covered in screens, opened in 2023.
• The VenetianIndoor canals and gondolas.
• A headline showAcrobats, magic or music. We book the seats.
• Eiffel Tower viewing deckA half-size tower with a view of the fountains.

Las Vegas: excursions nearby

• Red Rock Canyon about 17 milesA 13-mile scenic drive among red cliffs.
• Hoover Dam about 35 milesThe dam and the bridge high above the Colorado River.
• Valley of Fire about 50 milesBright red sandstone and ancient rock carvings.
• Grand Canyon West about 125 milesThe Skywalk glass bridge.
• Zion National Park about 160 milesA canyon of towering sandstone walls.
• Grand Canyon South Rim about 280 milesThe classic view. It makes a long day, so a night there is better.

Distances are approximate. Tell us which excursions you want and we add them to your quote.