Las Vegas

The entertainment capital of the desert: themed resorts along the Strip, the Sphere and residency shows, plus day trips to Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire and Hoover Dam.

Las Vegas lies in the Mojave Desert in southern Nevada at an elevation of about 600 m, and is the world's best-known city of entertainment and gambling. Its heart is the Las Vegas Strip, about 6.8 km long, lined with themed resorts such as Bellagio, The Venetian, Caesars Palace and Paris, and home to musical fountains, indoor canals, headline residency shows and the Sphere, which opened in 2023. At the northern end, Fremont Street in the Old Downtown keeps its retro neon, with the Mob Museum, the Neon Museum and the Arts District nearby.

Day trips: Red Rock Canyon about 25 km to the west, Hoover Dam and Lake Mead about 50 km to the southeast, Valley of Fire State Park about 80 km to the northeast, Mount Charleston to the northwest as a cool summer escape, and Seven Magic Mountains, an art installation beside I-15 to the south. Farther but still classic day trips include the Grand Canyon West Skywalk (about 200 km) and Death Valley National Park (about 190 km). The Grand Canyon South Rim, Zion, and Page with Antelope Canyon are covered as separate destinations.

Climate: March–May and September–November, with daytime highs of 20–30°C, are the best times to visit; June–August often exceeds 40°C, and winter days are around 10–15°C. Getting around: Harry Reid International Airport is about 5 km from the Strip; on the Strip you can walk, take the Monorail or ride the Deuce bus, while sights outside the city require a rental car or a tour. We recommend 3–4 days. Tips: hotels charge a resort fee of tens of dollars per night, and weekend room rates jump sharply; people under 21 may not remain in casinos; bring plenty of water when driving in the desert, and avoid hiking at midday in summer.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries