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Las Vegas

The Entertainment Haven of the World

Las Vegas, an oasis in the deserts of Nevada, is a city of neon lights and pulsating night life. It’s a city that never sleeps and is host to the top 20 largest hotels in the world. Millions of visitors throng Vegas looking for luck, pleasure and happily ever after. It’s a typical American story of a non existent abandoned town converted into the rich and luxurious gambling city of today.

History of Las Vegas

The town of Las Vegas isn’t very old but its history spans nearly two centuries with the arrival of Antonio Armijo’s caravan in the year 1829. While looking for water, Rafael Rivera, a member of the scouting party, discovered abundant spring water, and miles of wild grass, which helped the traders to shorten their route to Los Angeles. The happy merchants then gave Vegas its present name, meaning ‘the meadows’ in Spanish.

John C. Fremont was the next European to visit the Las Vegas Springs in 1844. His journal described the two new springs that he’d located in the area. His writings became popular and induced many people to move to this relatively unknown area. To honour the contribution he made, the stunning Fremont Street in Vegas is named after him.

The Mormons built a fort in the year 1855 to link the various Mormon settlements but had to abandon the fort a couple of years later due to the hardships they had to face frequently. Today it is the oldest standing structure in the town of Las Vegas.

The discovery of gold and the subsequent ‘gold rush’ brought in the miners and the early settlers to the city and the town began to get populated.

The completion of the railroad and the subsequent sale of the 110 acres in the year 1905, laid the true foundation of the city as we know it today. The railroad purchased land and controlled water rights. By auctioning off the prime lands, Las Vegas became a small watering hole for the weary travellers with the development of a few hotels, stores and saloons.

1931 was a very significant year in the history of Nevada. Divorce laws were liberalized, gambling was officially legalized and the construction of Hoover dam brought in an influx of the construction workers, which helped to boost the economy of the state. The abundance of water and electricity not only attracted the visitors, but also brought in the military settlements to the valley in the 40’s when the World War II broke out.

In the year 1941, Thomas Hull opened a hotel just outside the city limits which became quickly popular. His success led to mushrooming of buildings on the same stretch and the Las Vegas ‘Strip’ was born. By the year 1945, the city of Las Vegas reinvented itself to an entertainment and tourist heaven.

The year 1960 became a landmark year when the Nevada legislatures invited big companies to obtain gambling licences. Thus Gambling became an official industry and top names began investing in Las Vegas. Entertainment became opulent with gold studded Casinos and hotels. In addition to this, nightclubs, themes, shows, exhibitions and golf courses came up to offer a complete package designed for the discerning visitors. People from all over the world flocked in and economy boomed like never before. Big names like the millionaire Howard Hughes and Elvis Presley started investing in hotels and created a mania for Las Vegas, which the world had never seen before. Moulin Rouge, the Pink Flamingo and International became synonymous with style and extravagance. Today the grandeur of the Strip has surpassed the initial casinos of downtown but is a perfect host to the kings and commoners alike.

The City completed its 100 years of existence in the year 2005 and is still growing by leaps and bounds. The city of Las Vegas mesmerized people one generation ago and is still one of the most popular destinations in the world.

Climate

The climate of the city is typically a desert climate with hot summers, plenty of sunshine, mild winters and scanty rainfall. The summer months usually mark temperatures between 90 degrees F to 100 degrees F with low humidity. The winters usually record a temperature between 60 degrees F – 40 degrees F.

Getting into Las Vegas

McCarran International Airport is the main airport which serves Las Vegas. It’s well connected from US, and caters to all the flights arriving from all over the globe. The Airport is located right next to the Strip and is just a few minutes away from all the major Casinos and Hotels. Shuttles, cabs and buses are all available outside the airport to assist the passengers.

For people travelling from US, the Grey hound bus service offers trips to Las Vegas from most major American cities. Amtrak too has a regular train service for easy travel in and out of Las Vegas. One can also drive to Las Vegas, the road trip takes about four hours from Los Angeles. Driving through the deserts of the stunning Mojave Desert is an experience in itself. However, one should always check the weather conditions before leaving. Also make sure that you refill the gas whenever possible as the fuel stations are few and spaced out. You may not see one for hours on end.

Getting Around Vegas

Las Vegas packs in most of its attractions around the Strip and the downtown. There are various means of transportation, from city buses, to renting cars, taking a shuttle or a cab, or getting on the Las Vegas Monorail which boasts of being one of the most contemporary and advanced human carriers in the world.

There is an unlimited choice in the variety of cars on hire; there are economy cars for the budget conscious, as well as the ultra luxurious limousine service for those who want to travel in style, in the beautiful city of Las Vegas. Shuttle services are relatively cheaper, whereas, the buses are the most convenient, as they run 24 hours in a day. Metered taxis are available in most places and most cabbies are familiar with the popular casinos and hotels. The monorail runs seven days a week from 7am to 2 am and stops at the major hotels like the Flamingo, Imperial and Hilton before terminating at the MGM resorts.

For the adventurous, the best way to travel in Las Vegas is to drive around in one’s own vehicle. Ample parking space is freely available at no cost. However, since parking isn’t allowed on the Strip, its better to park in one of the hotel’s parking lot, and use the trolley that runs the entire length of the Strip. One can also cover parts of the city on foot, especially Fremont Street Experience, which is a pedestrian’s delight.

Las Vegas Do’s and Don’ts

1. Do not carry a cell phone into the casino as you’re not allowed to use it while seated at a game.

2. Do not keep your purse or wallet by your side. Ladies should hold on to their purses while the gentlemen should keep their wallets carefully.

3. Do not carry too much cash or your credit cards, use travellers checks instead.

4. Do not bring children to Las Vegas – the culture isn’t really conducive.

5. Do not try to enter the casinos if you are under 21, they are very strict about the age issue and will demand identification at any time.

6. Never walk down from the Fremont area to the Strip at night, you can get mugged.

7. Do not trust any strangers, or accept drinks from someone you’ve just met, it may just save your life.

8. Do not leave hotel keys lying around, and if you’ve lost your key ask the hotel security to accompany you to the room.

9. Do tip the waitress at the bar to get good service.

10. Find out the dress code before you go to a restaurant or a night club.

11. Summers can be very dehydrating, do carry a bottle of water.

12. Do wear sensible shoes while walking around the town, the casinos look close by but actually are quite far apart.

13. Keep your hotel room locked at all times, even if you’re going out for a minute.

Things to do in Las Vegas

There are plenty of things to do in Las Vegas besides losing money in blackjack and the slot machines. It isn’t called the city of entertainment for nothing; there are plenty of activities to choose from both, in the night as well as the day.

Here is a list of a few popular activities that can be enjoyed by most people -

1. Sky Diving – If you want to fly like a bird, put on a parachute and go for a 60 second free fall from 10,000 ft in the air, and watch the city the way the birds do.

2. The Grand Canyon – Fly to the Grand Canyon in a helicopter and then take a cruise down the Colorado River.

3. The fountains at Bellagio – This is one of the most extravagant water shows in the world. It takes place on a 9 acre Lake Como, the water dances to the beat of the music.

4. Cirque Du Soleil – You won’t find animals here but dazzling shows by acrobats.

5. Adventure Dome – There are plenty of simulator rides for all ages.

6. The Strip – The 3 mile stretch hosts a plethora of hotels and Casinos with amazing themes.

7. Treasure Island's Buccaneer Bay Pirate Battle – Watch live pirates enact sea battles on huge wooden ships which sink dramatically.

8. Gondola Ride at the Venetian – The Gondola rides can be very romantic under the starry nights of Las Vegas.

9. Gambling – The lure of making money is hard to resist and in Las Vegas, gambling is an art.

10. Freemont Street Experience – There is a canopy above the street that lights up with millions of bulbs and the sound and light show is an amazing experience.

These activities are just a few examples of the things to do that Las Vegas offers to its visitors. There are hundreds of other activities to choose from, depending on one’s taste, time and budget.  Make sure you search for discounts before travelling to Las Vegas. There are ressources on the web, both, for accomodation and for the shows.

Get Married in Las Vegas

Vegas is considered to be a marriage heaven, thousands of couples descend from various parts of the world just to say ‘I do’. Las Vegas offers a complete freedom of choice when tying the knot here. From Elvis impersonators, to formal tie affairs, chapels, Gondolas, pirate ships, lavish chapel weddings or just a quickie, anything is possible in this wedding capital of the world.

The city of neon lights is the perfect venue as one doesn’t require blood tests and there is no waiting period. A marriage licence and proof of age are the only documents required to get married here, however, one has to be at least 18 to get married in Las Vegas. The licence bureau is conveniently open right from 8a.m. to midnight and allows even non US residents to get married here.

 

 

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