//
Most populous city in Nevada, United States
Photo: Ken Lund from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
In the midst of the southern Nevada desert, Las Vegas is the largest city in the state of Nevada. Nicknamed Sin City, Las Vegas and its surrounding communities are famed for their mega-casino resorts, often lavishly decorated with names and themes meant to evoke romance, mystery, and exotic destinations. Along the brightly-lit Strip through the center of the city, visitors will find all manner of amusements and entertainment: circuses, stage shows, thrill rides, erotica, exotic animals, fine dining restaurants, nightclubs, shopping, and elaborate fountain displays, to say nothing of the age-old allure of gambling and drinking.
Lined by casino hotels, this 4-mile stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard is the epicenter of Las Vegas. Gambling, shows, eating and drinking, things to see such as replicas of buildings from around the world, gardens, theme parks and even museums — you won't easily run out of experiences here.
North of the Strip, this can be considered the 'old town' of Las Vegas and here you can find the oldest casinos still in business, with massive installations of neon and bulbs. Many are along Fremont Street, whose canopy cover doubles as a huge LED screen featuring light shows every half hour or so.
This area of town is largely suburban in character, but still has several attractions within a mile or two of The Strip that many travelers won't want to miss out on. For experiencing some of the nature of the southwestern U.S. Red Rock Canyon on the western rim of the Las Vegas Valley is just a 30 minute drive from The Strip.
While the most famous casinos are along the Strip, there are also many to choose from when going east. If looking for cheaper accommodation and a less hectic Las Vegas trip, this part of the city can be a good choice. There are also a couple of interesting museums here.
This is mostly a residential part of the Las Vegas Valley. Certainly not as intense as districts further south, it is notable for its motor speedway and air force base. Adventurous travelers might enjoy renting an ATV and exploring the Nellis Dunes.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
NHL (ice hockey) team that made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in its first season in 2017–18 (though losing), and lifted the Cup in its sixth season in 2022–23. The city's first team in one of the "big four" professional sports of the US and Canada, joined by the Las Vegas Raiders of the NFL in 2020.
NFL (football) team that began playing in Las Vegas in 2020 after relocating from Oakland.
WNBA (women's basketball) team that relocated from San Antonio to Vegas in 2018. The arena is part of the Mandalay Bay casino resort.
Triple-A baseball club, the Aviators have been in Las Vegas longer than any other professional sports team. The Aviators began as the Las Vegas Stars in 1983, changed their name to the Las Vegas 51s, a reference to Area 51, in 2001, and became the Aviators for 2019 and beyond. They have won 2 Pacific Coast League crowns and 10 division titles. The team opened a new ballpark in Summerlin in 2019.
The Golden Knights' top minor-league team, playing in the American Hockey League. They moved to the new Dollar Loan Center in Henderson shortly before the end of the 2021–22 season.
Las Vegas hosts NASCAR for a weekend every year, usually in March. The race draws about 150,000 race fans to the city. Many cheer for Vegas natives Kurt and Kyle Busch. Aside from NASCAR, the speedway hosts many other racing events throughout the year.
Arguably the city's most prominent sporting event is the finals of the annual Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association circuit, held over 10 days in December just off the Strip at the Thomas & Mack Center on the UNLV campus.
Another major rodeo event is the finals of the Professional Bull Riders series, a separate circuit dedicated to bull riding. The PBR finals, held in late October/early November at the T-Mobile Arena, have more of an international flavor than the NFR—while the NFR is exclusive to the US and Canada, PBR runs national series in Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and Australia, and all of these countries, especially Brazil, are represented on the U.S. circuit.
The athletic teams of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, better known as UNLV, are also popular in the area. The Rebels are members of the Mountain West Conference, which has 12 members in football and 11 members for other sports. The most famous UNLV team is the men's basketball team, known as the "Runnin' Rebels"; though not as strong as in their heyday from the late 1970s through the early 1990s, they remain solidly competitive and very popular. Most of the school's sports venues are on campus, but the football team shares Allegiant Stadium with the Raiders. The central ticket office for all UNLV sports is at the Thomas & Mack Center.
A twin-rink facility.
By bus
Intercity bus companies have their own separate stops or stations in different parts of town. See the below links:
By plane
By train
Direct Amtrak service to Las Vegas was discontinued in 1997 due to budget problems.
By monorail
Due to high prices, inconvenient station locations, low passenger ridership, and the lack of any connection to downtown or the airport, the Monorail is widely regarded as a failure.
By resort trams
The resort trams serve the west side of the Strip (the monorail serves the east side) and are all people movers / automated guideway transit on elevated tracks with free fares.
By public transit
Buses can be an inexpensive and convenient option, especially if just traveling up-and-down the Strip, or to-and-from downtown.
By taxi
One of the easiest ways to get around is by taxi. Every hotel and most attractions have a taxi stand.
By ride hailing
Ride hailing companies have established legal operating status in Las Vegas, and operate throughout the Las Vegas Valley. The two most common rideshare services are operated by Lyft and Uber.
By car
Driving Las Vegas Boulevard (the "Strip"), especially on weekends, is an exercise in frustration.
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Las Vegas · International · LAS
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Las Vegas and United States.
Travel tipsFind the cheapest countries to fly to from the US and UK in 2026. Compare realistic round-trip flight deals, budget airlines, and prime booking windows.
8 min read
Travel tipsFind the best time to visit Hawaii in 2026. Compare whale seasons, big-wave surf, dry shoulder months, hotel rates, and island microclimates.
8 min read
InspirationDiscover the best places to visit in April. Compare Dutch tulip fields, Thailand's Songkran water festival, Roman spring gardens, and cherry blossoms.
6 min read
Travel tipsA practical guide to travelling with medication and refrigerated drugs like insulin and GLP-1s. Learn airline rules, customs papers, and cooling tips.
7 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.