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Nevada,
Las Vegas
Las Vegas: -
Las Vegas is Spanish for 'The Meadows'. 'Vegas', as seen today, began after World War II when the idea of large hotels along the brand new Strip was developed. Tourism and gaming are the two major employers. Manufacturing, the Nellis Air Force Base and other government agencies, warehousing and trucking are secondary industries. The city proper is an 135,618 sq km (84,272 sq mile) enclave surrounded by Clark County.
Resorts and Excursions: The Las Vegas Strip is best seen at dusk when it is all lit up in neon lights. Children will enjoy Wet 'n' Wild, a water park on the Strip, and the Lied Discovery Children's Museum. Fremont Street Experience is a pedestrian mall dominated by gaming with a spectacular light show every night. For something different, the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History houses exhibitions of the archaeology and natural history of the Mojave Desert, whilst the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort Historic Park is the site of the first settlement of Las Vegas, and the Nevada State Museum and Historical Society explains southern Nevada's history. The Liberace Museum contains memorabilia from the world-famous pianist. The Guinness World of Records Museum is an interesting exhibition based on the famous book. The Circus Circus - Grand Slam Adventuredome theme park provides circus acts daily from 1100-2400 (free of charge) and thrilling theme park rides. Not to be missed, is the stunning display of over 1000 fountains, choreographed with light and sound at the Bellagio Resort (daily, every 15 minutes, after dusk).
Hotel-casinos: The 3049-room Mirage Hotel-Casino displays a man-made volcano. Nearby, the Treasure Island features Buccaneer Bay with a full-scale pirate ship and British frigate engaged in battle. The MGM Grand Hotel & Theme Park is the largest resort hotel in the world. The recently opened New York, New York duplicates the Big Apple's skyline while the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel & Casino offers an interactive Star Trek experience with virtual reality stations, a themed bar and Star Trek memorabilia. There is also The Excalibur, with 4000 rooms, built in the style of a medieval castle, and the Egyptian-themed Luxor, a full-scale pyramid watched over by a sphinx.
Restaurants: Las Vegas is becoming world-renowned for its restaurants and every conceivable taste is catered for, whether it's for a seven-course gourmet meal or a custom hamburger. Diners can choose from seafood, steak, southwestern, Continental, Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Japanese and Brazilian cuisines. The ultimate eating experience is the Las Vegas buffet: the Golden Nugget Buffet, the Las Vegas Hilton, the Palatium Buffet at Caesars Palace, the Grand Evening Buffet, Maxim and the World's Fare Buffet at The Riviera are all worth a visit. Picasso at the Bellagio and Renoir at The
Mirage both received the prestigious Mobil 5-star rating in 2000, ranking them among the top 17 restaurants in the world. Roxy's Diner is a 1950s-style diner, serving thick milkshakes in tall, frosted glasses, sandwiches, burgers and a selection of blue-plate specials. The Stage Deli of Las Vegas is at the Forum Shops at Caesars. Speciality items are flown in from the world-famous New York Stage Deli, offering a full line of breakfast, lunch and dinner. Spago features celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck's 'California Cuisine', which emphasises fresh, locally produced ingredients incorporating the cuisines of Europe, the Orient, Latin America and the USA to create an eclectic menu. The themed Harley-Davidson Cafe, Star Trek: The Adventure and Motown Cafe, provide a fun atmosphere for dining.
Shopping: Vast malls display a wide range of products: the Forum Shops at Caesars, the Fashion Show Mall, the Desert Passage at the Aladdin Resort, the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian Resort (includes a reproduction of Venice's Grand Canal - complete with gondolas), the Boulevard Mall (the largest shopping centre in Nevada), the Meadows Mall (with 140 shops and restaurants), and the Belz Factory Outlet World are all popular. The Fashion Outlet Stores (south of Belz Mall) recently opened in Primm.
Getting married: More than 45 wedding chapels operate throughout the metropolitan area including some in the major hotels. The Little White Chapel, 1301 Las Vegas Boulevard South, where Joan Collins was married, has a 24-hour drive-through window.
SPECIAL EVENTS: Jan 18-21 2001
Desert Challenge Off-Road Race, Laughlin. Feb 12 2001
ESPY Awards, MGM Grand Garden Arena. Mar
Big League Weekend (baseball tournament), Cashman Field. Apr 25-29
Laughlin River Run/Henley Days, Laughlin. Apr
Laughlin Rodeo Days, Laughlin; Clark County State Fair and Rodeo; Las Vegas Senior Classic (golf tournament), The Canyons. May 5
EA Sports Supercross Series Natonal Finals (motorcycle race), Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas; Cinco de Mayo (food festival), Sunset Station Hotel. Jun
Laughlin River Days Formula 1 Racing, Laughlin. Jul 4
Rockets over the River, Laughlin. Sep
Las Vegas Triple - A World Series, Cashman Stadium. Oct
Invensys Invitational Golf Tournament. Nov Laughlin Western Celebrity Party, Riverside Resort. Nov 30-Dec 9
National Finals Rodeo, Thomas and Mack Center, Las Vegas. Dec Billboard Music Awards, MGM Grand Garden Arena.
TRAVEL: The Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS) (web site: http://www.mccarran.com), with slot machines in the terminal, is 1.6km (1 mile) from the Strip, and 8km (5 miles) from central Las Vegas. There are more than 965 cabs, 325 limousines, and 16 bus and/or charter firms serving the district. The Citizen Area Transit (CAT) is a public transportation company that operates 31 routes throughout the Las Vegas metropolitan area, and one route in Laughlin.
CLIMATE: The average temperature is 66°F (19°C ) and the average yearly rainfall is 10.7cm (4.2 inches). There are 212 clear days annually, 82 partly cloudy days and 71 cloudy days.
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