In 1931, the ban on gambling that would otherwise apply in the USA was lifted in Nevada. This coincided with the construction work on Hoover Dam, which drew countless workers to the area. The first casinos emerged from the desert sand and attracted more and more gamblers. Las Vegas expanded from year to year, and even today there is no end in sight. Then there is the easy possibility of getting married there. In this sense, it’s a typical American city where one thing counts above all else: making money and growing steadily. A city that never sleeps, or rather: a city that only really wakes up in the evening, when the neon signs light up the night sky.
In the early 1990s, other states followed suit and legalized blackjack and roulette. According to acronymmonster, Las Vegas faced serious difficulties and responded with breathtaking speed. The city of gamblers became Disneyland for adults. For billions of dollars, huge themed hotels were built out of the desert sand within a few years, offering one thing above all else besides gambling: entertainment. And so Las Vegas today is characterized by gambling on the one hand and shows on the other. You can’t avoid the daddle machines (one-armed bandits), you come across them everywhere, at every step, even on the way to the toilet. One must (be able to) endure this. A visit to any of our casinos in Germany is even remotely comparable to the casinos in Las Vegas. But even for those who hates gambling, Las Vegas has a wide spectrum of must-see entertainment. Nowhere else in the world is there such a concentrated range of high-quality entertainment.
The change from a pure gambling metropolis to an entertainment metropolis has a disadvantage for tourists: while the prices for food, accommodation and shows used to be very low because gambling was the source of income, prices have risen significantly today and top shows are – also because of Development of the dollar exchange rate – very high from a European perspective. Still: Las Vegas is a must-see for at least two days. The main route to and from Las Vegas is Interstate 15. From Northern Arizona leads the US 93 to the destination, which unites with the US 95 and together as Interstate 515 cross Interstate 15 northwest of downtown Las Vegas. There are two separate areas of entertainment in Las Vegas: Las Vegas Boulevard, better known by its abbreviation “Strip”, with the exclusive theme hotels and Downtown with Fremont Street and its side streets, which are more reserved for “cheaper” entertainment.
Telephone Area Code = 702
Time zone: Pacific Standard Time (7 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time – UTC -, 8 hours behind CET); Summer time (Daylight Saving) between the first Sunday in April and the last Sunday in October.
Minimum age
The minimum age for drinking alcohol and participating in games of chance is 21 years. Compliance with the requirement is strictly observed.
Alcohol
Alcohol (liquor) can be bought around the clock, as drinks in restaurants and bars, and in bottles in licensed liquor stores. The minimum age for consuming and buying alcohol is 21 years. This means that Las Vegas has one of the “most permissive” regulations for alcohol in the USA.
Dress
Except in top restaurants there are no dress codes (“dress casual”). In summer, T-shirts, shorts and light shoes are also popular in hotels and casinos, for winter the clothes are only “longer” and therefore more covering, but not “finer”. The casinos in Las Vegas don’t have a dress code like in Europe. Comfortable shoes are important, because Las Vegas wants to be “run” and is therefore not typically American. Swimwear shouldn’t be forgotten either, as most hotel complexes also have swimming pools.
Crime
Basically, the tourist part of Las Vegas is considered safe, the passion for gambling should not be “endangered”. Violent crime is not a problem, but pickpockets must be expected. The area between the Strip and Freemont Street Mall in downtown is not considered particularly safe at night.
Overnight stays
Las Vegas is the hotel capital of the world. Nineteen of the 20 largest hotels in the world are located here and of course the largest hotel in the world, the MGM Grand with more than 5,000 rooms. In total, there should be more than 100,000 hotel rooms. To give an overnight tip here would be presumptuous. In general, however, one can say that the “better” hotels are on the Strip, Las Vegas Boulevard South. The second hotel cluster can be found in downtown.
The times in which the hotels obtained their income mainly from the casino operation and the room brokerage was incidentally and dirt cheap are – unfortunately – over. A decent price is being charged for the rooms today, which, however, can still be described as “cheap” in a US comparison, taking into account what is offered; it is still about 30% below the American average.
Almost all casinos also have a hotel, which is often top notch. The “normal” hotels are of course also in Las Vegas, but they are usually not much cheaper. If you can resist the passion for gaming, you should therefore prefer a themed hotel on the Strip with a casino operation. However: the distances in the hotel are often long, because you shouldn’t actually leave the hotel and play (in the MGM Grand it can take up to half an hour to reach the outside world!). But you have the rest of the adventure world on the Strip within walking distance.
The prices vary from day to day and are seasonal. In general, overnight stays from Sunday to Thursday are cheaper because Americans come to gamble and enjoy the entertainment on the weekends. This rule does not apply if large conventions take place in the city or in the desired hotel; Choosing another hotel can then bring considerable savings.
Taxes
Nevada sales tax is 7.25%. Las Vegas has a room tax of 9% on the Strip and 10% in Downtown.
Shopping
Factory Outlet Centers
- Belz Factory Outlet World
- 7400 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
Located 2 miles south of Mandalay Bay, on the east side of Las Vegas Blv., Which is no longer called the Strip. Over 150 manufacturers and high-quality suppliers are represented, it is considered the cheapest shopping opportunity in the city with discounts of up to 75% (Levi’s, Dress Barn, Calvin Klein, Nike, Reebok, Saks Fifth Avenue, Levi’s, Calvin Klein, Nike, Sprit, etc.).
- Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas
- 32100 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
40 miles southwest of Las Vegas, just before the California border in Primm. Over 100 design makers and high quality suppliers (Neiman Marcus, Ralph Lauren, Burberry, Versace, Banana Republic, Calvin Klein, Lacoste, Benetton, etc.). Shuttle service for around $ 10 from the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino and the New York Hotel & Casino; Shuttle Information Tel. 888-424-6898 or 702-874-1400.
- Vegas Pointe Plaza
- 9155 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
Shopping malls
- Boulevard Mall
- 3528 Maryland Pkwy.
- Fashion show
- 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
- Meadows Mall
- 4300 Meadows Ln.
