Las Vegas, Nevada

Gambling Capital of the U.S

Where to Stay | Things To Do | History | Nearby Resources

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. As you will see below the things to do in Las Vegas are endless!

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)

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)

Lake Mead Video - Houseboating & Hoover Dam

**Read Vegas On A Budget on our Desert Road Trippin' Blog**

Resources & Nearby Attractions

Resources

Cities & Towns

Boulder City, Nevada: 25 miles south.
Henderson, Nevada: 10 miles south.
Laughlin, Nevada: 94 miles south
Bullhead City, Arizona: 96 miles south.
Baker, Califonria: 93 miles west.
Pahrump Nv.
St George UT: 115 miles northeast

Parks & Monuments

Death Valley National Park: 85 miles west.
Valley of Fire State Park: 45 miles northeast.
Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park (within the city)
Spring Mountain Ranch State Park
Floyd Lamb State Park
Zion National Park

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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Rhyolite, Nevada, Video - a few miles west of Beatty, sprung up almost overnight after Shorty Harris and his partner Ernest Cross found gold in 1904. Rhyolite is located a little over six miles from the original gold discovery. It quickly grew into a city of brick and stone buildings. Today you can find several remnants of Rhyolite in its glory days, such as the old bank, schoolhouse, train station, and the famous bottle house.

Ballarat, and the Rainbow Chasers Video
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Death Valley - Overview Video
Take the Death Valley grand tour - see the Badwater Basin, the lowest place in North America; the dramatically eroded Sabriski Point; Artist’s Palette, with its unusual tonal colors; Salt Creek and its pupfish, Titus Canyon and more! See why Death Valley is such a spectacular National Park!

Death Valley - Scotty’s Castle Video
Find out how Scotty's Castle came to be, when Albert Johnson met Walter Scott, later known as Death Valley Scotty. Take a tour of the magnificent rooms and see the castle's fantastic furnishings. Hear the organ in the music room as you experience this place of legend first-hand.

Titus Canyon, drive - Video
As Titus Canyon Road in Death Valley reaches the foothills, it starts to climb and meander among the sagebrush and red rock outcroppings. The road becomes steeper and narrower as it approaches Red Pass, amply named for its red rocks and dirt. Enjoy the ride!

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