A den of extravagance in the heart of the
USA's Mojave Desert, there is nowhere in the world quite like Las Vegas! A city of high rollers, Elvis impersonators and drive-thru everythings, from coffee to wedding chapels, Las Vegas is at the highest gear 24 hours a day.
A Mormon outpost in 1855, founded as a stopping point on a trade route between Salt Lake City and the Pacific Coast, Las Vegas has been the ‘Sin City’ since 1905, when it became a railroad town with an early red-light district and its first casino. In 1911 it officially became a city, but it wasn’t until the 1930s, when the Hoover Dam was constructed and the state of Nevada legalised wide-open gambling and quickie divorces that Las Vegas hit the big time. The 1940s saw the birth of the world-renowned Strip, with the construction of mob-backed luxury resorts – it was at this point that Las Vegas began the transition into the entertainment capital it is today.
There is plenty to explore here – stroll along the Strip under the shimmering lights, catch a show, visiting unusual museums and impressive art collections and exploring the different resorts where cities like Paris and Venice have been elaborately recreated and there are impressive fountains and conservatories full of flowers to admire. Alternatively, you can go along with the city’s modus operandi and indulge your sins through internationally renowned eateries, glitzy casinos, huge shopping malls and tranquil spas. After all, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.
