Las Vegas is loud, garish and utterly over the top, and that is exactly the point. In the middle of the desert stands a city that consists almost entirely of show, with replica pyramids, half of Venice and fountains that dance to music.
The Strip
Las Vegas Boulevard, the Strip for short, is the center. Along around six kilometers the big themed hotels line up, from the Bellagio to the Venetian to Caesars Palace. In the evening walk the mile once, look into the lobbies, take in the glitter. But do not underestimate the distances, the Strip is longer than it looks.
Downtown and Fremont Street
It gets older, quirkier and cheaper Downtown around Fremont Street, under a huge canopy of lights. For many that is the more original side of Vegas.
A contrast to the desert
After days in the quiet nature of the Southwest, Vegas is a stark contrast. See the madness once, and for most people that is enough again. Anyone seeking calm is in the wrong place here, anyone who wants everything at once for once is exactly right.
The perfect start or finish
The city is above all handy as the beginning or end of a Southwest loop. The airport is large, the rental cars are often cheapest, and Hoover Dam, the Grand Canyon and the national parks are easy to reach from here.
