Top 25 Things Las Vegas is Known For and Famous For
Las Vegas is one of the most popular travel destinations in the United States. The city normally welcomes over 40 million visitors each year. The city is famous for many different reasons although the biggest reason everyone most likely already knows is because of gambling.
Las Vegas is known first and foremost for gambling and casinos. The city is also known for its music performances, magic shows, and circus acts to keep tourists entertained. As well as the desert heat, fine dining, its mob history, hosti’ng conventions and conferences, its Sin City nickname, and so much more.
Everyone knows Las Vegas is famous for gambling and massive casinos but what else is Sin City known for?
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GAMBLING
Of course, gambling is the first thing you think of when you hear mention of the words Las Vegas.
Gambling is at the core of the city with more than 140 casinos throughout Las Vegas. The city is built around gambling.
The gambling industry in Las Vegas and Nevada is massive. In 2013, the 89109 zip code which is one of a handful of zip codes along the strip, estimated that there were over 100,000 jobs in just that one zip code alone. Check it out on Google maps here!
Las Vegas has a long history with gambling. The city was founded as a town in 1905 and the piece of land that would become Downtown Las Vegas was acquired through an auction.
However, by the time, Vegas was incorporated into Nevada in 1911. Nevada had outlawed gambling the year prior in 1910.
Gambling in Vegas would continue in underground saloons, bars, and illegal casinos into the 1930s’ when it became legal again.
The timing couldn’t have been better for the city which was struggling since the end of WW1.
After gambling was legal again the mob, which was running a lot of gambling while it was illegal, moved in legally and started re-creating Vegas in their image after getting cracked down on in Los Angeles and other cities and states.
During this time in a little town not too far away was a massive construction project underway, The Hoover Dam. The construction saw a steady flow of men working on the dam and spending their paychecks in Vegas.
1950 and 1960 would see the slow chipping away of the mob’s grip on the city with policies by JFK and the US government, as well as new players in Vegas. Famed Howard Hughes moved in and helped kick out the mob, which would remain until the 1980s
Vegas would boom again in the 1990s with massive casinos being built on the strip like the:
- Mirage
- Luxor
- Excalibur
- The New MGM
Gambling in Vegas continues to be a big business generating billions of dollars a year for the casinos and city.
CASINOS
Gambling has made Las Vegas world-famous. Creating an entertainment center that few other cities in the world can rival, looking mainly at you Macau.
Gambling is everywhere throughout the city, but the casino resort hotels that dot the city is where most of the action takes place.
Some of the top-performing casinos generate revenues of about $630,000 each day. That is $72 million a year. Check out a more detailed report on some of the numbers coming out of Vegas.
The casinos in Las Vegas are one of the city’s best-known features. The casinos draw millions of tourists and generate billions of dollars each year. The casino buildings are absolutely massive. Many of the hotels have thousands of rooms and stand as tall as skyscrapers.
Some of the notable casinos:
MGM GRAND
The MGM Grand is one of the most famous casinos on the strip. It is also the third-largest hotel in the world with 6,852 rooms and is 171,500 square feet (15,930 m2).
CAESARS PALACE
It takes 15-30 minutes to walk through the hotel without stops and depending on how fast you are walking. One of the most famous casinos on The Strip.
FLAMINGO LAS VEGAS
One of the original hotels on the strip. The Flamingo is one of the last standing hotels in Las Vegas that was built with mob money. Bugsy Siegel is the mob man behind one of the most successful casinos to grace Sin City.
LUXOR
An Egyptian-themed hotel. The pyramid that is at the center of the hotel is one of the world’s largest.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
This hotel is a replica of the city of New York. The interior is all done like the streets you would find in New York City.
BELLAGIO
One of the best-known casinos on the strip, thanks to the impressive fountain shows.
VENETIAN CASINO
A casino in the shape of Venice. The casino has real-life canals which you can take a gondola ride through and pretend that you are in Italy and escape the desert.
STRATOSPHERE
The tallest building in Las Vegas with some amazing views of the city. Located on the north end of the strip.
Other honorable mentions, which are all worth walking through and exploring.
- Circus Circus
- The Venetian
- Mandalay Bay
- Paris
- Wynn
- Golden Nugget
- The Mirage
- Treasure Island
- The Cosmopolitan
- Planet Hollywood
- Excalibur Hotel
- Fremont Hotel
- The D Casino
SHOWS
Las Vegas has long been well known for the shows the casinos and the city put on. Visitors are drawn to the city for these shows that can not be seen anywhere else in the world.
Shows are a huge part of the Las Vegas experience and draw big crowds to almost every single one.
Performances in Vegas come in a multitude of different shapes and styles. From magic, cirque du Soleil, music, comedy, and burlesque/adult-themed shows.
The typical price for a show in Las Vegas starts at about $80 and can go up to about $300, although there are some outliers on either end.
For some deals check out Vegas.com for deals on shows. (We went to Cirque du Soleil’s “O”, “Ka”, & “Zumanity”. All three were amazing and worth going to!)
Shows are one of the best ways to experience Las Vegas. The production quality alone has made Vegas well known and rivals that of other major cities such as New York and London.
Casinos pump millions of dollars into these shows.
KA by Cirque du Soleil at the MGM. Cost MGM over $135 million to create. New York New York spent $165 million on their Cirque de Soleil show.
Shows in Vegas worth seeing:
- O by Cirque du Soleil
- Zumanity by Cirque du Soleil
- The Beatles – Love – Cirque du Soleil
- Penn and Teller
- Chirs Angel
- The Blue Man Group
- Wayne Newton
- Carrot Top
- Any Cirque du Soleil show at any casino
The performances continue to change and are always coming and going, so if you want to see one don’t wait as it will not be there forever.
BIG-NAME CONCERTS
Las Vegas has been able to attract people from around the world not only to gamble, but to come and see their favorite artists.
The concerts in Vegas are one of the best things to do in the city and are full of exciting entertainment.
Some of the best shows to see in the city are that of major singers and songwriters who have gotten their own venues to perform daily shows, sometimes multiple shows a day.
Some of the largest acts to see in Las Vegas are:
- Katy Perry
- ZZ Top
- Usher
- Barry Manilow
- Sting
- Cher
Check out what’s playing now in Vegas here.
THE STRIP
The Strip is where the majority of the Las Vegas casinos can be found. The 4.2 mile stretch of road through the center of the city is famously known around the world as the Las Vegas Strip.
The Strip is where almost all of the action in Vegas goes down, casinos, shows, live music, bars & nightclubs, restaurants, and pretty much anything else you can think of doing in the city all happens along this 4.2 mile stretch of highway.
El Rancho was the first casino to be built on the strip in 1941 and the success it had led to even more casinos being built.
Along the Las Vegas Strip, you can find 30 different hotels and casinos.
THE MOB
Depending on who you ask they might not know that what we think of Las Vegas today was originally an idea of the Mob. Gangsters in the United States were looking for more ways to make more money. They found that building casinos in the middle of the desert was actually good for business.
Bugsy Siegel was one of the most influential mobsters during the 1940s and would forever change the face of Vegas. He would go on to create one of Las Vegas’s most iconic hotels, The Flamingo. He would also give us that Vegas glam, that feeling when the little guy can have the whole world for just a few bucks or win back and change his or her life forever.
DESERT CLIMATE
Las Vegas was built in the desert, as a hub between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. Originally settled by ranchers and railroad workers.
The city has a subtropical desert climate which makes it hot all year, but especially hot in the summer. Deserts can be super hot during the day and can be freezing at night once the sunsets and temperatures can drop to below freezing in some cases during certain times of the year.
Las Vegas is located just 100 miles or (160 km) from Death Valley one of the hottest and driest places in the United States and on earth.
The area around Las Vegas doesn’t receive much in the way of rain throughout the year, only receiving less than 5 inches of rain a year. This lack of rain makes Vegas one of the driest places in the United States.
GRAND CANYON
Not technically part of the city, but close enough. Las Vegas is known for its close proximity to the Grand Canyon. Throughout the city, you can find tours to take you out to parts of the Grand Canyon for day trips or even helicopter tours of it.
The Grand Canyon is one of the best-known geographical features in the United States and is one of the largest canyons in the world.
The Grand Canyon is one of the most visited national parks in the United States and draws in about 6 million visitors each year.
Find tours of the Grand Canyon here.
RED ROCK
One of the city’s top tourist attractions. Red Rock Canyon is a beautiful escape from the hustle and bustle of Vegas. The National Park is a breathtaking park that is situated right next to the city and provides great hiking, biking, running, and rock climbing.
The area is full of amazing sites and wildlife that provide visitors to the park with a little taste of nature. This provides a nice contrast to such an incredibly superficial city.
Red Rock Canyon has become well known around the world for its amazing natural beauty and lets visitors see how life in the desert is like.
Check out tours of Red Rock Canyon here.
THE HOOVER DAM
The Hoover dam is one of Las Vegas’ major tourist attractions, although the dam is outside the city limits. Many visitors to the dam start their journeys from Las Vegas and head out east to the Nevada and Arizona border.
The dam was once the tallest in the world but has long since lost that title.
The dam is important not only for the electricity that it produces but also because it stops flooding in parts of California and Nevada.
Check out tours of the Hoover Dam here.
SIN CITY
Vegas has gotten a few nicknames over its time, but one has stuck with us more than any other; Sin City.
Vegas is Sin City for all of the debaucheries that happen in the city; gambling, sex, drinking, partying, and anything else you can imagine the good lord would probably disapprove of.
Even with all of the bad press people continue to flock here in overwhelming numbers each year to participate in some sinful actions.
Find out more of the origins of how Las Vegas got the nickname Sin City here!
ADULT ENTERTAINMENT
Las Vegas has become even more of a family city with lots of hotels providing entertainment to those younger than 21.
But Las Vegas is still known and will be forever known as a city where Adults go to be entertained as if you were a child visiting Disneyland for the first time.
Las Vegas has been designed to provide adults with entertainment and get them away from their hard-earned cash.
The city is a playground for adults looking to have some fun. Drinking, smoking, sex, gambling, and partying are all part of daily life in Vegas.
Prostitution is legal in Nevada but only in counties with less than 400,000 residents. Making the closest brothel in Pahrump which is just over an hour away from Vegas.
SHOPPING
Vegas is well known for its casinos, but Vegas is also very well known as a shopping destination. Las Vegas is one of the best cities in the United States for shopping. The city is full of all the top luxury brands like Gucci, Chanel, Dior, Rolex, and Louis Vuitton as well as countless others.
Vegas also has its fair share of inexpensive shopping which can be found throughout the city.
With millions of tourists, the city has become a shopaholic’s mecca.
Some shopping areas to check out:
- Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian
- The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace
- Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino
- Fashion Show
- Town Square
- Las Vegas North Premium Outlet
- Las Vegas South Premium Outlet
DINING
Vegas was once world-famous for $1, $2, $3, and $5 meal deals, prime rib dinner for $2, lobster and steak dinner for $5. The days of cheap meals are pretty much gone from vegas now the cheapest meal deal you can find is around $12, with lots being around the $20 mark.
Las Vegas had been known for its cheap meals but these days the city is better known for its high-end and celebrity chef restaurants. The city has seen a boom in world-renowned chefs opening gourmet restaurants at just about every hotel.
Las Vegas is now considered one of the top dining destinations in the world. The city has 12 Michelin-Starred restaurants by some of the world’s most famous and celebrated chefs.
For deals and discounts on restaurants check out the best rates that Vegas.com has to offer here.
OLD VEGAS
Old Vegas is where people say you can find the best gambling and best hotel deals in the city. A little ways off the main strip you will find Old Vegas or Downtown Vegas a part of the city that seems to be stuck in time. This is a part of town that has some of the oldest casinos in the city.
They say you have better odds in the casinos in Old Vegas than you do along the Strip. Old Vegas has a good food scene, the neon museum, the world’s largest keno board, The Fremont Experience, and it’s a little less busy than the main drag of Vegas.
Old Vegas is a great part of town to slow things down, and people watch for a bit while enjoying some live entertainment while walking around The Fremont Experience.
THE FREMONT EXPERIENCE
The Fremont Experience is one of Las Vegas’s best-known attractions. It is a pedestrian-only street located in the middle of Old Vegas. The street has become world-famous for its canopy of lights, which have been updated for the 21st century with LED lights.
The LED lights allow for incredible detail and can be changed to showcase different images and clips above. The light shows are free and are one of the best free things to do in Vegas when you don’t want to gamble.
The Fremont Street Experience is full of shops, bars, and casinos.
Fremont Street is home to some of the city’s most iconic casinos and restaurants like the Golden Nugget Casino and the Plaza Hotel and Casino.
One of the most famous and well-known restaurants in the city is the Heart Attack Grill, located on Fremont street. The Heart Attack Grill has a promotion where people who weigh more than 350 lbs, can eat for free. The restaurant makes customers wear a hospital nightgown, and the servers wear nurse outfits. Making the restaurant fairly unique.
NEON MUSEUM
One of the city’s popular tours is the Neon Museum. The museum has become quite well known around the world. It is kind of like a graveyard for all of the signs that used to line the outsides of the hotels and businesses from decades past giving us a chance to see what the old vegas might have looked like.
They even have virtual tours if you aren’t in Vegas.
TOURISTS
Vegas is one of the world’s most well-known cities, and for a good reason, it is a massive tourist trap. The majority of the city is built just to bring people from around the country and world to play in America’s playground.
The city is a safe place and has cleaned up its act quite a bit since the mob has gotten out of the city. Vegas is now more than ever a family holiday where everyone in the family can have a great time.
Vegas is one of the United States’ most visited cities, with the cheap flights, the lure of riches, and the thrills that enthrall guests.
Vegas has long been a destination for tourists, in the 1950s Las Vegas saw about 8 million annual visitors and today the city draws in about 37 million visitors annually.
As long as Vegas keeps giving visitors more of what they want the city will continue to be a tourist hotspot.
EXPENSIVE & CHEAP AT THE SAME TIME
Las Vegas is both expensive and cheap at the same time.
Hotel rooms are among the cheapest in the country and the world. A 5-star hotel is usually only a few hundred dollars or so compared to other cities like New York where that could cost you over $1000.
There are also always deals on flights to the city making Vegas one of the cheapest destinations to fly to in the US.
The city’s casinos will also give you free drinks if you are gambling.
This is all how Vegas is cheap.
But pay for a drink, and it can set you back $30 for a single drink. Some of the clubs even charge $100+ for a pitcher.
You can get into almost any place for free, but once you’re in, you will realize that bar prices are extremely overpriced. Las Vegas is one of the most expensive cities in America to party.
Vegas has a great way of giving you a little taste that is just enough to make you come back and shell out huge amounts of money to get an even better bite of the action.
POOLS AND SPAS
Another well-known aspect of Vegas is its legendary pools and spas. There is no better way to beat the desert heat of Las Vegas than jumping into one of the many pools or spas that dot the city and can be found in every hotel.
The pools are a place where the party from last night continues into the daytime. The pools at the casinos hold some of the best parties in the city where big-name DJs play for hundreds of guests.
If partying in the water at a casino isn’t for you then look to pamper yourself at one of the city’s many well-known spas for a little R&R.
Some of the best places to enjoy the water.
- The Mirage Pool
- Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis a
- Spa at Encore
- Canyon Ranch Spa
- Sahra Spa, Salon & Hammam
- Mandalay Bay Beach
- Virgin Hotel and Casino Las Vegas
Get your spa on with a great deal from Vegas.com
WEDDING CHAPELS
Las Vegas has long been one of the wildest cities in America. A very well-known fact about Las Vegas is that you can get married at any time of day in one of the city’s many wedding chapels.
The wedding chapels in Vegas have become a hot spot for couples looking to get hitched quickly and oftentimes for a lot less money than traditional weddings.
It has become a place for couples looking to tie the knot without the pressure of booking an over-the-top wedding.
The city plays host to more than 120,000 weddings each year.
If your marriage was too quick or not well thought out, A.K.A. a mistake, they also offer lots of annulments for those who made some quick decisions while quite possibly under the influence of alcohol and/or other substances.
PARTYING
Las Vegas has been voted as one of the top party destinations in the world. The city is home to some of the biggest names in electronic music such as:
- Benny Benassi
- Diplo
- Calvin Harris
- DJ Snake
- Galantis
- Marshmello
- Martin Garrix
- Zedd
These are just a few of the many big names that have a residence in Las Vegas.
Check out the whole list of resident artists who play frequently in Las Vegas here!
The city is full of fun partying other than electronic dance music in massive nightclubs. The city offers something for everyone no matter what kind of party you are looking for.
Get on the guestlist here!
LUXURY
Vegas has a reputation as a city that is top class and all about everything flashy.
Las Vegas has put itself at the top of the list when it comes to luxurious vacations.
Competing with cities like Dubai, Geneva, New York, London, and other luxurious holiday destinations.
Las Vegas blows most of its competition out of the water with the most expensive single-night hotel room in the world.
A 1-night stay at the Palms Hotel and Casino in a high-end suite will set you back $100,000 per night. And they have a 2-night minimum stay required to boot! There is also a 24-hour butler and a chauffeur car service.
Besides the hotel rooms that are pretty much only available to Kings and Queens and the incredibly rich, Vegas does well at pampering even the little guy.
A normal night stay at a 5-star hotel almost anywhere else in the world will set you back hundreds of dollars or even thousands of dollars, while in Vegas, you can get the same room for a fraction of what it would cost you elsewhere.
Vegas hotels are subsidized by the casinos so rooms are cheaper in hopes that you will shell out more of your hard-earned cash at their casino’s gambling.
WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS STAYS IN VEGAS
One of the most famous things to come out of Las Vegas is a quote “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas”.
This quote was created by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and advertising agency R&R Partners.
The quote is created to move away from the other name of the city, Sin City.
Find out more of the history of where the quote came from and its origins in Vegas here!
CONFERENCES
Las Vegas brings in millions of visitors each year, not to gamble, but for conventions and trade shows.
The city is continuously cycling through conferences and exhibitions throughout the whole year.
Las Vegas is one of the top busiest cities in the United States for conferences, conventions, and trade shows.
Las Vegas has become well known for having the space and capability of hosting massive events which cater to hundreds of thousands of guests weekly. Thanks to the infrastructure of the city it has become a great city to hold major events.
Las Vegas holds roughly 20,000 events each year.
Some are just for a handful of people and others are open to hundreds of thousands of guests. Here are some of the biggest events in Las Vegas:
- DEF CON
- Star Trek convention
- LVL UP Expo
- Consumer Electronics Show (CES)
- Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA)
- ConExpo/ConAGG
- National Association of Broadcasters (NAB)
Las Vegas has become so well known for these events that they have become a welcomed arrival each and every year.
Conclusion
Las Vegas is a city that every adult should try and visit as the city truly is unique and offers something to almost every traveler that is looking for a good time. Las Vegas is so much more than just gambling and casinos.
The city has changed and it is now a place for families, couples, and single people alike looking to let loose and enjoy some of the sights and sounds of a city that truly never sleeps.
Remember what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!
Discover what else to do and see while in Nevada here!
Disclaimer: The below text contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission for purchases made through links in this post, at no extra clost to you.
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