Often referred to as the Entertainment Capital of the World, Las Vegas located in Nevada is an extremely popular destination for travellers and visitors from all over the world. Known internationally as the main resort for gambling, dining and shopping it is probably best known for the huge amount of casinos it boast and also other varied entertainment.

Although it established itself in 1905, it didn’t actually become a city officially until 1911. From that date onwards it grew in size and popularity at a huge rate.


The immense casinos draws in gamblers from all over, ranging from those who just want a little flutter, to the more serious and hardened gambler. However there is a lot more to Las Vegas than the casinos -  there’s the famous Las Vegas strip, gigantic hotels, buzzing nightlife, sumptuous restaurants and of course the famous wedding chapels, where you can be married by a look-a-like Elvis Presley!  All this and you can also look forward to an average of 315 days of sunshine a year.

One of the larger hotels, the MGM Grand located on the Strip has some impressive statistics. It is the second largest hotel in the world and has 30 floors, 19 restaurants, 5 outdoor pools and the largest casino in the county. Leo, who is the MGM lion, guards the entrance to the hotel and is a formidable sight!

Many of the hotels in the area boast roller coasters and other types of thrilling rides for those wanting an adrenaline rush. One such ride is at The Stratosphere Casino, Hotel and Tower where you can find the SkyJump. This is the ultimate in free fall experience, where riders are taken to the top of the Stratosphere, connected to a high speed “descender” and then step off to go plummeting downwards past the 108 floors of the hotel. Not for the fainthearted!

The Roller Coaster at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino is another popular ride for thrill seekers. It rises up to 203 feet then drops you down 144 feet, then coasts along at 67mph. It is supposed to simulate a barrel roll that a jet fighter would do and also take you on the notorious “heartline” twist.


So grand hotels and casinos aside, what else is there to do in Las Vegas? Shopping is a very popular pastime, with most of the major brands having outlets based there. You could take in a show such as The Lion King, Phantom or Cirque du Soleil, after dining at one of the hundreds of fantastic restaurants around. Surely there must be something in this city to suit every palate!

Or there are many museums and galleries to look around such as  Madame Tussauds Las Vegas, Nevada State Museum, Atomic Testing Museum and the Ethel M Chocolate Factory Tour to name but a few.

There is so much to see and do in Las Vegas, on a typical two week holiday you would never fit it all in but you should at least get a chance to see most of the more popular and interesting attractions.

Las Vegas Airport (McCarran International Airport) is the main airport serving Las Vegas and has flights coming in constantly from all over the world.  Be sure to organise your Las Vegas car hire well in advance as it is often cheaper and there is no better way to get around and see this amazing city.

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