Vital Statistics
Location / Description
Las Vegas is located along Interstate 15 in Clark County of southern Nevada. Generally regarded as the gambling capital of the U.S., glitz is supplied in quantity by huge hotel/casino complexes, which offer inexpensive lodging and dining, as well as entertainment from glamorous stars. Las Vegas is also the gateway to Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
Population / Elevation
508,300 / 2,174 feet above sea level
Weather / Climate
Las Vegas receives an average 4 inches of rain and 250 days of sunshine a year. Temperatures are extremely hot May to October, over 100 degrees F. June through August, but humidity is extremely low.
| Las Vegas, Nevada - Monthly Climate Normals |
| |
Year |
Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
| High °F |
81 |
57 |
63 |
69 |
78 |
88 |
100 |
106 |
103 |
95 |
82 |
67 |
58 |
| Low °F |
54 |
34 |
38 |
44 |
51 |
60 |
69 |
76 |
74 |
66 |
54 |
43 |
34 |
 |
| Avg °F |
67 |
46 |
51 |
56 |
64 |
74 |
85 |
91 |
89 |
81 |
68 |
55 |
46 |
| Rain |
4.13 |
.48 |
.48 |
.42 |
.21 |
.28 |
.12 |
.35 |
.49 |
.28 |
.21 |
.43 |
.38 |
Hotels/Motels/Timeshares
There are hotels and motels in Las Vegas with something for every taste and price range. For more information and a complete list. Click Here. (Rates, availability and reservation online)
Holiday Group offers Las Vegas timeshares for sale at leading resorts on and off the strip. View other timeshare resort destinations
Camping & RV Parks
- Lake Mead NRA
- Red Rock Canyon (Primitive)
- Desert National Wildlife Range (Primitive)
History
Las Vegas, once an oasis en route to California, began as a Mormon settlement during the silver rush of the 1800s. It was revived by ranching in the 1850s. With the arrival of the Union Pacific Railroad in 1905, bars, gambling houses and other businesses sprouted in the downtown area.
In 1931, during the Great Depression, a stampede of unemployed arrived in Las Vegas to work in the construction of Hoover Dam, on the nearby Colorado River. The hydroelectric marvel that was finished in 1936 now lights the neon signs for which the city is famous.
That same year, state legislators allowed legalized gambling in Las Vegas. Immediately, casinos and hotels sprang up, transforming the city almost overnight. After World War II, huge resort/hotels began rising higher and higher on the strip, and with them, came world-class entertainment: the country's best collection of singers, dancers, musicians and comedians.
Things To Do
Events Calendar
- January: Gun and Knife Show (Cashman Field)
- February: Las Vegas International Marathon
- March: Las Vegas Archery Show (Sands)
- April: Crafter's Village Show (Cashman Field)
- May: Emerging Artists & Talent in Music Festival (Sands)
- June: Jazz in the Park (Clark County Gov. Center)
- July: Red, White & Boom Fourth of July (Desert Breeze Park)
- August: Concert Fantasy (Cashman Field)
- September: Unlimited Hydroplane Racing (Lake Mead)
- October: AMA Bikeweek Nevada
- November: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Race
December: NFR Cowboy Christmas Gift Show (Cashman Field)
Resources & Nearby Attractions
Cities & Towns
Parks & Monuments
Wilderness & Recreation Areas
- Lake Mead National Recreation Area: 17 miles east.
- Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area: Renowned for geological wonders, including sandstone escarpments in striking colors.
- Desert National Wildlife Range: 1, 588, 459 acres north of Las Vegas offering camping, hiking and hunting. (USFWS)
- Corn Creek
- Desert View Naturural Environment Area
- Spring Mountains National Recreation Area: 316,000 acres offering camping, hiking and hunting. (USFS)
Historic & Points of Interest
- Hoover Dam: Highest concrete dam in the western hemisphere impounds Lake Mead.
- Moapa River Indian Reservation: Moapa Band of Paiute Indians occuppy 71,000 acres north of Las Vegas.
- Nevada State Museum and Historical Society: Depicts 10,000 years of regional history. 702-486-5205
- Las Vegas Museum of Natural History: Highlights regional natural history, wildlife and art. 702-384-3466
- Zoological-Botanical Park: 4-acre zoo featuring many desert plant and animals. 702-648-5995
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