What’s to see there ? The iconic “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada” sign serves as Sin City’s unofficial welcome mat.
This neon beacon has greeted visitors at the south end of Las Vegas Boulevard since 1959, when commercial artist and prolific sign designer Betty Willis designed it as a gift to the city. Because Willis never trademarked her work, merchandising companies have been able to replicate it on t-shirts, mugs and other tchotchkes. The sign was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009, and it’s one of the most popular selfie spots in town. It also served as the site of a makeshift memorial after the mass shooting at a country music concert in October 2017.
Other things to see : The 2.5-mile-long central section of Las Vegas Boulevard, which runs through the city from northeast to southwest, known as the Strip, is lined with huge entertainment palaces, many built with a defining theme and home to performance venues, luxury hotel rooms, and fine dining. The Strip is particularly impressive at night, when the city is illuminated by an endless succession of glittering neon signs.
Most visitors enjoy walking along the Strip and taking in the sights. Generally speaking, the Las Vegas Strip runs from the Mandalay Bay Hotel to Treasure Island Hotel. To truly experience Las Vegas, stay on the Strip, preferably at one of the major resorts. For a look at some of the best accommodation options in a variety of price ranges, see our recommended hotels.
Free things to do in Vegas :
See Incredible Art
Incredible public artworks on the 67-acre CityCenter campus include 15 works by artists such as Nancy Rubin, Claes Oldernburg and Coosje van Bruggen.
Within Crystals, CityCenter’s high-end mall, light artist James Turrell has installed Shards of Color-four recessed geometric shapes lit in neon.
But the best secret in Crystals is Turrell’s Akhob-an enormous permanent installation inside the Louis Vuitton Maison flagship. It’s a womblike installation flooded with ever-changing light. It’s free with an appointment made through Louis Vuitton.
And of course the casinos … You can familiarize yourself how this games plays, before travelling to Las Vegas here at Mega Moolah Jackpot Winners.
You can easily keep yourself entertained wandering the Strip – watch the gondoliers at the Venetian, walk across the Brooklyn Bridge at New York New York, see the pyramids at the Luxor, visit the botanical gardens at the Bellagio, check out the vintage neon casino signs on Fremont Street in Old Vegas, or pose by the Las Vegas sign (south of Mandalay Bay on the Strip).
There are also free attractions inside the casinos. The Flamingo has a Wildlife Habitat, which is home to flamingos and other exotic birds, fish and turtles in 15 acres of gardens. The Silverton Casino has a huge tropical aquarium, complete with tropical fish and swimming mermaids. And the Cosmopolitan has its own modern art collection. Away from the casinos, the Las Vegas Pinball Hall of Fame is free to enter and you just pay 25-50ยข per game.