Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned majorre sort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous for its consolidated casino–hotel sand associated entertainment. A growing retirement and family city, Las Vegas is the 31st-most populous city in the United States, with a population at the 2010 census of 583,756. The 2010 population of the Las Vegas metropolitan area was 1,951,269.
Established in 1905, Las Vegas was incorporated as a city in 1911. At the close of the 20th century, Las Vegas was the most populous American city founded in that century (a distinction held by Chicago in the 19th century). The city's tolerance for various forms of adult entertainment earned it the title of Sin City, and this image has made Las Vegas a popular setting for films and television programs. There are numerous outdoor lighting displays on Fremont Street, as well as elsewhere in the city.
Las Vegas often refers to the city plus some areas beyond the city limits, especially the resort areas on and near the Las Vegas Strip, and sometimes the entire Las Vegas Valley. The 4.2 mi (6.8 km) stretch of South Las Vegas Boulevard known as the Strip is mainly in the unincorporated communities of Paradise, Winchester, and Enterprise.
Climate
Las Vegas' climate is a subtropical desert climate, typical of the Mojave Desert in which it lies. The city enjoys abundant sunshine year-round: it has an average of about 300 sunny days per year with more than 3,800 hours of sunshine.
The summer months of June through September are very hot and mostly dry, with average daytime highs of 94 to 104 °F (34 to 40 °C) and night-time lows of 69–78 °F (21–26 °C). There are an average of 133 days per year above 90 °F (32 °C), and 72 days above 100 °F(38 °C), with most of the days in July and August exceeding that benchmark. Humidity is very low, often under 10%.
Las Vegas' winters are of short duration and the season is generally mild, with daytime highs near 60 °F (16 °C) and nighttime lows around 40 °F (4 °C). The mountains surrounding Las Vegas accumulate snow during the winter but snow is rare in the Las Vegas Valley itself. Although, on December 17, 2008, Las Vegas received 3.6 inches of snow. Temperatures can sometimes drop to freezing 32 °F(0 °C) but winter nighttime temperatures will rarely dip below 30 °F (−1 °C).
Annual precipitation in Las Vegas is roughly 4.5 in (110 mm), which on average occurs on 29 days per year..
Tourism
The major attractions in Las Vegas are the casinos and the hotels. Most of the hotel casinos are in the city's downtown area, which has been the focal point of the city's gaming industry since its early days.
Most major casinos are downtown on the Fremont Street Experience, The Stratosphere being the major exception. Fremont East, adjacent to the Fremont Street Experience, was granted variances to allow bars to be closer together, similar to the Gaslamp Quarter of San Diego, the goal being to attract a different demographic than the strip attracts.
Las Vegas got its start with casinos in 1931 with the opening of the Northern Club . The most notable of the early casinos may have been Binion's Horseshoe while it was run by Benny Binion. Boyd Gaming has a major presence downtown operating the California Hotel and Casino, Fremont Hotel and Casino and the Main Street Casino. The Golden Gate Hotel and Casino is the oldest hotel in the Fremont Street Experience. The Golden Nugget is the largest hotel and casino in the city. The Plaza Hotel & Casino on Main Street was the railway station until Amtrakdiscontinued service. Other casinos include the El Cortez, The D, Four Queens, Gold Spike Hotel and Casino and the Las Vegas Club.
Culture
The city is home to several museums including the Neon Museum home to many of the historical signs from the valley, The Las Vegas Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, the Las Vegas Natural History Museum, Lied Discovery Children's Museum National Atomic Testing Museum, and the Old Las Vegas Mormon State Historic Park.
On the first Friday of each month, the "First Friday" celebration is held, which exhibits the works of local artists and musicians in a section of the city's Downtown region called the "Arts District".
The Thursday prior to First Friday is known in the 18b Arts District as "Preview Thursday". This evening event highlights new gallery exhibitions just opening throughout the district.
The Southern Nevada Zoological-Botanical Park, also known as the Las Vegas Zoo, exhibits over 150 species of animals and plants.
The $485 million Smith Center for the Performing Arts is located downtown in Symphony Park. The center hosts Broadway shows and other major touring attractions as well as orchestra, opera, and dance performances.
The city hosts annual events like the Helldorado Days.
Sports
Las Vegas does not have major-league sports, although the metropolitan population is as large or larger than many cities that have them. The two main reasons are concern about legal sports betting and competition for the entertainment dollar.The only minor league sports team that plays in the City of Las Vegas is baseball's Las Vegas 51s of the Pacific Coast League, the AAA farm club of the New York Mets. The United Football League's Las Vegas Locomotives play in nearby Whitney, Nevada.
Transportation
RTC Transit is a public transportation system providing bus service throughout Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, and other suburban areas of the valley. Inter-city bus service to Las Vegas is provided by Greyhound, many charter services, including Green Tortoise, and several Chinatown bus lines. Amtrak California operates Deluxe Express Thruway Motorcoach dedicated service between the City and its passenger rail station in Bakersfield, California.
A bus rapid transit link in Las Vegas called the Strip & Downtown Express (previously ACE Gold Line with limited stops and frequent service was launched in March 2010, and connects Downtown Las Vegas, the Strip, the Las Vegas Convention Center, and Town Square.
With some exceptions, including Las Vegas Boulevard, Boulder Highway (SR 582), and Rancho Drive (SR 599), the majority of surface streets in Las Vegas are laid out in a grid along Public Land Survey System section lines. Many are maintained by the Nevada Department of Transportation as state highways. The street numbering system is divided by the following streets:
- Las Vegas Boulevard divides the east–west streets from the Las Vegas Strip to near the Stratosphere, then Main Street becomes the dividing line from the Stratosphere to the North Las Vegas border, after which the Goldfield Street alignment divides east and west.
Interstates 15, 515, and US 95 lead out of the city in four directions. Two major freeways – Interstate 15 and Interstate 515/U.S. Route 95 – cross in downtown Las Vegas. I-15 connects Las Vegas to Los Angeles, and heads northeast to and beyond Salt Lake City, Utah. I-515 goes southeast to Henderson, beyond which US 93 continues over the Mike O'Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge towards Phoenix, Arizona.
Colleges and universities
The College of Southern Nevada is the main higher education facility in the city. Other institutions include the University of Nevada School of Medicine, with a campus in the city, and the for-profit private school Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. Many educational opportunities exist around the city. These include University of Nevada, Las Vegas and Nevada State College run by the Nevada System of Higher Education, Desert Research Institute, The International Academy of Design & Technology Las Vegas, Touro University Nevada and the University of Southern Nevada.
Famous Hotels & Places in Las Vegas
Las Vegas is one of the premier entertainment destinations in the world, known for its mega-casinos, glitzy shows, headlining entertainments, great dining and ribald and rowdy nightlife. Many iconic hotels and destinations can be found in this gambling capital, from the famous Strip to museums to thrills high in the sky.
Museums
Vegas isn't all about gambling and shows. The Atomic Testing Museum (atomictestingmuseum.org) pays homage to the region's history as a testing ground for nuclear weapons. The museum has artifacts from the era, including a collection of Geiger counters, missile pieces and protective gear. The museum is open seven days a week and, as of July 2011, admission was $12 for adults and $9 for kids and seniors. The Las Vegas Natural History Museum (lvnhm.org) focuses on the natural sciences, with a variety of displays and exhibits. Exhibits include Treasures of Egypt, the Engelstad Family Prehistoric Life Gallery and the Wild Nevada Gallery. The museum is open seven days a week.
Hotels on Fremont Street
Fremont Street is one of Vegas' most famous landmarks, and in the mid-90s grew into the "Fremont Street Experience" -- with a covered, video ceiling. Rooms at the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino offer flat-screen TV's, robes, Egyptian-cotton linens and down pillows. The pool at the hotel has a three-story water slide, a shark tank and private cabana rental. Rooms at the Main Street Station Hotel & Casino offer refrigerators, wet bars and expanded cable and the hotel has free wireless high-speed Internet access in the lobby. The hotel has two restaurants, including an all-you-can-eat buffet, and a collection of turn-of-the-century antiques on display.
Family Entertainment
Though long known for hedonistic adult fun, Vegas now has family-friendly entertainment. The Stratosphere a 1,100-foot tower overlooking the city, has gambling and a hotel. At the top is a revolving restaurant. The "X Scream," takes riders out over the edge of the tower, the "Big Shot," shoots riders 100 feet above the tower's upper deck and into a controlled fall from the tower's edge, similar to bungee jumping. The Fountains of Bellagio have been featured in many TV shows and movies. A free water fountain show, choreographed to well-known music scores, happens outside of the