Las Vegas was officially founded as a city on May 15, 1905. Its first settlers were Mormons from Salt Lake City in the mid 1800s.
When gangster Bugsy Siegel opened the Flamingo hotel in 1946, Las Vegas as we know it today was born.
About 38.6 million people visited Las Vegas in 2005. Quite impressive for a city that started off with 5,000 residents at the beginning of last century.
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The world famous Las Vegas Strip is only four miles long, but is home to the luxury hotels, casinos, restaurants and entertainment centers that make Las Vegas such an alluring destination.
The Scream Thrill Ride hurtles riders 800 feet (244 meters) into the air over the Strip on the north end of the boulevard.
Emeril Lagasse, Bobby Flay, Tom Colicchio and Wolfgang Puck have restaurants in Vegas. Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill is a popular hangout for celebrities.
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Las Vegas means "The Meadows" in Spanish. It is an oasis of buildings and greenery amongst a rocky, mountainous and arid desert.
Las Vegas prides itself on its security measures and as a result, it is considered to be a generally safe city. There is a strong police presence along The Strip, less so in the rest of the city, so exercise caution there.
Las Vegas has about 1.8 million residents, because of its great weather, abundant job supply and lack of sales tax.
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Las Vegas averages 310 sunny days a year, with average temperatures in the 60s and low humidity levels. So make sure to bring along your shades.
Although rainfall is generally at a low of 4.19 inches (10 cm) a year, flash flooding is common during June and July. If there are warnings, be careful when trekking in the surrounding desert.
From the airport, you could expect to pay $8 to $9.50 to the southern end of the strip, $9.50 to $12 to the center, $13 to the Stratosphere Hotel and $15 to $17 to get downtown.
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Lest you get honked at by an impatient local, remember that turning right on a red is permitted unless otherwise stated,.
There is an excellent shuttle service located close to the baggage claim area, which includes tourist friendly and informative drivers. The cost is about $4 per person.
The monorail, located on the west side of the boulevard, costs $5 per ride.
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The Luxor Hotel, at 3900 Las Vegas Boulevard, houses an authentic replication of Tutankhamen's tomb to exact measurement.
The Silverton Hotel hosts a 117,000 gallon salt water aquarium, complete with 5,000 exotic fish and three species of sting ray and shark. Best of all, it's free!
The volcano at the Mirage hotel spews fire every hour from 8p.m. to midnight. The best way to get a good view is to arrive ten minutes early and stand on the Strip side of the pond.
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The Bellagio's hotel water shooting fountains, with their 1,200 nozzles and 4,500 lights features at the end of Oceans Eleven.