las vegas
Las Vegas has two sides. Most people in US will think casinos and gambling when you say Las Vegas. It will be a bit different for foreign tourists. Las Vegas and New York are the two cities that are iconic of the American culture for a foreigner. It will be an incomplete impression of the country for a tourist touring the United States without visiting these two cities. These tourists visit Las Vegas to see its never sleeping life rhythm, sparkling hotels, night lights, shows and overall aura of a glamorous "sin city". There are also natural attractions that could be included. One of the greatest natural attractions in the US is the Grand Canyon. It is approximately 4 hour drive from Las Vegas. It would be a good plan to combine the two, visit fabulous Las Vegas and do a day trip to the canyon.
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Gambling
You can gamble but you do not have to. First time we came to Las Vegas our son was a teenager. We were passing by slot machines and started playing. In no time $10 were gone and we asked him what would he do, continue playing or save money for something we can buy for him. He said: "What's the fun when you lose?" Now he is a grown man and he has not shown interest in gambling. For us Vegas was never about gambling, we went there for conferences and enjoyed other things the place can offer.
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Thrill rides
If you are with kids you can ride few thrill rides that are available at several hotels. Some are real thrills for brave ones. For example, those on top of the Strat hotel will make you hesitate.
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Shows
The best night-time attractions for us were the shows. Some shows can be popular and you are better off buying tickets beforehand for better seats. On other nights we would just have a nice dinner and stroll along the strip, stopping to watch fountains at Bellagio hotel and venturing inside the most spectacular hotels. Visiting the hotels is a sightseeing on its own.
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Natural attractions
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The Grand Canyon can be visited by either driving if you have a rental car, or you can buy a tour. As we mentioned earlier, combining Vegas and the Grand Canyon makes most sense for an international traveler.
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Red Rock Canyon park is a close by park with a range of rock climbing and mountainous scenery.
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Valley of Fire park a nearby park with surreal red rock formations and petroglyphs.
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Lake Mead is also a surreal combination of a lake and a desert. The lake is a man made reservoir formed after construction of the Hoover Dam.
When to go
It is desert and is almost always dry. However, temperature during winter (November-February) can drop to just above freezing. Occasionally temperature dives below freezing and it can even snow. At the other extreme, summer temperatures (June-August) can climb well above 30 degrees on the Celsius scale (90 Fahrenheit). Spring and fall will have moderate temperatures and will be more enjoyable. You can check for more information here.
There are many direct flights to Las Vegas international airport (LAS) from US and Canadian cities but there will be likely a connection flying from other places. We encountered people who flew to LA by a direct flight, then rented a car and drove to Vegas. Driving, it is about 5 hours from Los Angeles. Flying, it takes 5 hours from New York city or Miami. The airport is practically in the city, a short drive away from the strip.
The hotels in Las Vegas can be divided into those on the strip and outside the strip. The strip is a section of Las Vegas Boulevard with the highest density of higher end hotels and casinos. The higher end hotels compete by their splendor while the prices can range significantly. If you are on a budget, you may get a better deal just outside the strip although there are less expensive hotels on the strip too. Staying during weekdays is usually cheaper than staying over a weekend. Las Vegas is a place for frequent conferences and conventions. Hotel prices and room availability can become an issue during one major or several coinciding conferences. Check adjacent weeks during booking if you are flexible. It may happen that you target a conference week with low availability of less expensive choices.
Our itinerary
Day 1: Land in LAS airport, rent a car and drive to the hotel, evening stroll along the strip
Day 2: Conference, evening show
Day 3: Conference, exploring different hotels
Day 4: Drive to the Red Canyon and valley of Fire parks, evening show
Day 5: Drive to the Grand Canyon, return back
Day 6: Flight home
