East of The Strip
This area has more lodging variety than The Strip. East of the Strip features both gaming and non-gaming properties that range from budget to luxury accommodations. Key attractions here include the Las Vegas Convention Center, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the McCarran International Airport, several office parks, and the Restaurant Row along Flamingo and Paradise roads.
Fremont Street - Downtown
The neon, twinkling lights of vintage Vegas are on full display downtown at the Fremont Street Experience, a five-block area that features a few of the city’s longest-operating casinos, a pedestrian mall, and an overhead electronic canopy for laser and light shows. Downtown Las Vegas also houses city hall, the 18b Arts District, and a large outlet mall.
Henderson - Green Valley
Non-gaming hotels outnumber casino resorts in Las Vegas’ southeast suburbs. An area highlight is Clark County Museum, which has restored structures from important periods in local history. Nearby, visitors can rent water and pleasure craft from the Las Vegas Boat Harbor, northeast of Boulder City. Established in 1931 to house Hoover Dam workers, Boulder City stands out for its ban on gambling.
Lake Las Vegas
Like The Strip’s glitz and the glamour, the 320-acre Lake Las Vegas is wholly man-made. Upscale, Mediterranean-style casinos, golf resorts, and private villas ring the water’s edge. Although large, Lake Las Vegas is a mere puddle compared to another nearby man-made lake: Lake Mead. Covering 247 square miles, Lake Mead is held in place by the Hoover Dam, a tourist attraction in its own right.
North Las Vegas
This incorporated city offers casinos favored by locals. Mostly residential, North Las Vegas’ highlights include Nellis Air Force Base, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Motorsports Complex, the Lost City Museum of Archaeology, and several golf courses. North Las Vegas is an easy drive from the Valley of Fire State Park, a group of red sandstone formations and petrified wood amid the Mojave Desert.
Summerlin - Northwest Las Vegas
In the foothills of the Spring Mountains, Summerlin is a planned community once owned by eccentric mogul Howard Hughes. Northwest Las Vegas is a golfer’s haven: about a dozen courses are open to the public. Red Rock Canyon offers spectacular vistas accessible via a 13-mile scenic drive and 30 miles of hiking trails. Hikes around Mount Charleston provide a welcome respite from the Vegas heat.
The Strip
Glittering, larger-than-life gambling palaces dominate Las Vegas Boulevard South, better known as The Strip. Here, hotels are destinations unto themselves. Within a three-mile stretch, visitors can see the New York City skyline, the Eiffel Tower, an Egyptian pyramid, imperial Rome, a dancing fountain, and an exploding volcano. A monorail links several hotels and the Las Vegas Convention Center.
West of The Strip
Just west of the Strip, Vegas’ Chinatown contains an eclectic mix of Asian restaurants, shops, and markets. In the southwest region, Spring Valley is a suburb comprised of developments and desert landscape. At the 180-acre Springs Preserve, botanical gardens, trails, and galleries focus on sustainability and regional history. Nearby, the Las Vegas Art Museum exhibits contemporary art and design.