Keep exploring

Take a short break in your visit to discover a few other places around Las Vegas that are well worth seeing. The “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign is one of the city’s most famous symbols. Located at the southern end of the Strip, it was installed in 1959 to greet visitors arriving by road. With its glowing neon lights and retro design, it has become a classic stop where tourists almost always pause to take a souvenir photo. Not far from the Strip, Area 15 offers something completely different. This large complex dedicated to art, entertainment, and innovation brings together immersive experiences, interactive exhibitions, and virtual reality attractions in a creative and futuristic setting. In the same spirit of discovering another side of the city, the Arts District, located between the Strip and Downtown Las Vegas, is home to art galleries, vintage shops, independent cafés, craft breweries, and colorful street murals, all set in former warehouses that have been transformed into creative spaces. A few minutes west of the city, Red Rock Canyon provides a first glimpse of Nevada’s desert landscapes, with impressive red cliffs and a scenic drive that winds through the canyon. About an hour away by car, Valley of Fire State Park reveals spectacular rock formations shaped by erosion, along with petroglyphs carved more than two thousand years ago by the region’s early inhabitants. To the east of Las Vegas stands the Hoover Dam, one of the most famous engineering achievements in the United States, responsible for the creation of Lake Mead, which remains the largest man-made reservoir in the country. At higher elevation, Mount Charleston offers a complete contrast with the surrounding desert thanks to its pine forests and cooler temperatures, a welcome escape during the summer months. Farther south, Seven Magic Mountains immediately catches the eye with its towering stacks of brightly colored rocks, a contemporary art installation that stands out sharply against the natural landscape. Not far from the Hoover Dam, the small town of Boulder City offers a quieter and more historic atmosphere, as it was originally built in the 1930s to house the workers who constructed the dam. Finally, if you are curious to explore another side of Las Vegas history, the Neon Museum displays historic neon signs from legendary hotels and casinos, preserving an important part of the city’s visual identity and cultural heritage.