Las Vegas Travel Guide

Las Vegas, known for gambling and bright lights, also offers family-friendly entertainment and attractions. Stroll along The Strip at night and marvel at dozens of high-end casinos, many with attractive fountains, themed features and street-side entertainment.

Gambling developed in the early days of Las Vegas to attract men constructing the nearby Boulder Dam. Learn about the intertwined history of gambling and crime in Las Vegas and across America at the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, aka the Mob Museum.

Today dozens of casinos offer legal gambling, from penny slot machines to high-stakes tables, but you don’t have to gamble to enjoy Las Vegas. Entertainment ranges from Cirque du Soleil to comedy acts, magic shows and big-name performers, including Celine Dion and Britney Spears.

Gaze at the city’s one-of-a-kind structures. The Stratosphere Tower offers views from 1,149 feet (350 meters) in the air as well as catapults, sky jumps and free-fall rides from the dizzying height. See a half-scale Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas and replicas of the Statue of Liberty and buildings from the Manhattan skyline at New York New York Hotel.

The Bellagio’s fountains provide outstanding water shows with lights and music. Enjoy the conservatory and botanical gardens of this Italian-style hotel. See more than 2,000 marine animals at the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay. The Fremont Street Experience has zip-line rides and free nightly light shows. Enjoy 25 rides and attractions at the Adventuredome at Circus Circus. Visit 160 shops and restaurants at the Forum at Caesars Palace.

Experience outdoor adventures in less than a 1-hour drive from the neon lights of Las Vegas. Hike in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and explore the Mojave Desert. See the engineering marvel of Hoover Dam, formerly Boulder Dam, and its man-made Lake Mead.

The city proudly promises, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” Make a visit to Las Vegas and you’ll want to stay here too.