Las Vegas

Vistor Information

Overview
Las Vegas is iconic as it is infamous. And while people typically associate sequined showgirls, neon lights and gambling with Las Vegas, the four million families who visit Las Vegas every year are discovering that there is still plenty of clean, family fun available.

Where is it and how do I get there?
Las Vegas is the Capital of Nevada, it is around four hours drive or one hour flight from Los Angeles. It is an ideal base for the Grand Canyon, Lake Mead and Hoover Dam which are all within half a days drive. 

When to go/Weather
Las Vegas averages almost 320 days of sunshine per year, has an annual rainfall of 10.5 centimeters and humidity around 29 percent all of which make it fantastic holiday weather. Although many people think Las Vegas is hot year round the seasons do vary.

Winters generally offer crisp, blue-skied days suitable for long-sleeved shirts and light jumpers, while winter nights can get cold.

Autumn and spring are glorious, with warm days. Once again, it can get quite cool in the evenings.

Las Vegas summers are hot so schedule outdoor activities for early mornings.

Where to stay
While there are a range of family friendly hotels in Las Vegas they do not all offer child friendly facilities. For up-to-date information on child friendly and non-gaming properties click on the ‘Accommodation’ and ‘Childcare’ links at www.visitlasvegas.com.au

Hilton Grand Vacations
For families with five or more people, staying in apartment hotels may be the cheapest option. The Hilton Grand Vacations Club is located at the heart of the Las Vegas Strip but unlike most Las Vegas hotels the suites feature pull-out sofas and microwaves.

Circus Circus
This hotel offers some of the best family value in Las Vegas. Free circus acts, cheap buffet meals and an adventure park keep smiles on the kids’ faces.

Food and Drink
Las Vegas has restaurants to suit all budgets and tastes. Most hotels on the Las Vegas Strip will offer a range of restaurants, buffets and food courts. There are also lots of unique eateries the kids will love.

Rainforest Café
Diners at this MGM Grand restaurant are surrounded by lush vegetation, cascading waterfalls and animals.

Harley Davidson Café
Fans of the iconic motorcycle shouldn’t miss the chance to eat amongst authentic and rare Harley paraphernalia.

Nascar Café
This restaurant at the Sahara Hotel features two levels of car racing entertainment and a giant projection television screen.

Shopping for families
Shopping is quickly becoming one of the main reasons Americans visit Las Vegas.

M&M’s World
Chocoholics beware; this appropriately named store features a massive range of chocolates. Choose a packaged product off the shelves or mix and match your colour and type of M&M from the colourful ‘wall of M&Ms’. To quench your thirst head next door to the Coca Cola store where you can buy a huge range of merchandise or sit down for a range of Coca Cola drinks.

Factory Outlets
Las Vegas has three factory outlet malls (Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas, Las Vegas Premium Outlet Mall and Las Vegas Outlet Centre) offering brand names such as Gap, Nine West, Levi and Osh Kosh all selling goods at 25 to 65 percent below retail price.

Themed shopping
You don’t have to be buying to enjoy a day of shopping in Las Vegas. Just as many of the hotels of Las Vegas are themed, so too are many of the shopping centres. The kids will love the cobblestone walkways and gondola ride at the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian.  At Caesars Forum Shops light, fire, smoke and special effects are used to tell the story of Atlantis every hour after 10:00am.

Transport
McCarran International Airport
McCarran Airport is the main airport serving Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Airport is ranked among the 10 busiest airports in the world based on the amount of passenger activity. It serves over 40 air carriers and has over 950 flights arriving and departing daily.
Services include:
- A 24 hour Fitness Centre, the first of its kind located inside a major US airport with a cardiovascular workout area, showers, locker room facilities, a steam room and dry sauna.
- An unsupervised aviation-themed Kids Play Area with interactive mini control tower and mock jet engine.
- A wide range of dining options.

Transfers from Airport
McCarran Airport is located 1 mile (1.6km) or ten minutes from the Las Vegas Strip and 5 miles (8km) from Downtown Las Vegas. A wide range of transfer options are available including buses, taxis, limousines, car rental and shuttle buses.  The average taxi fare from the airport to a Strip hotel is $US11. If you have more people than can fit in one taxi-cab a limousine may be a cheaper option. Further information is available on the website www.mccarran.com

Getting around for families
Driving
For those driving, most hotels offer free car parks and valet parking.

Las Vegas Monorail
The Las Vegas monorail is an option for those wanting to travel between the MGM Grand, along the Strip and out to the Las Vegas Convention Centre. Various ride passes are available and the monorail runs between 7:00am and 2:00am.

Las Vegas Strip Trolley
Trolleys run every 15 minutes and stop at the following properties. Stratosphere, Circus-Circus, Slots of Fun, Stardust, Fashion Show Mall, The Mirage, Boardwalk, New York New York, Excalibur, Mandalay Bay, Tropicana, MGM Grand, Bally's, Imperial Palace, Harrah's, Riviera, Sahara, and Las Vegas Hilton. Trolleys run from 9:30am – 1:30am the fare is $1.75

Taxi-Cabs
The Las Vegas Strip is well serviced by cabs.

What to wear
There is no dress code in Las Vegas however most people dress fairly casual although some restaurants may have dress restrictions. In summer it can be very hot so wear cool clothing, but be aware that in can get surprisingly cool in the winter months so a jacket is recommended. Remember to bring comfortable shoes for sightseeing; it is easy to cover a lot of group while strolling between the properties. 

FAST FACTS
- Las Vegas is the fastest growing city in the United States, current population estimates are between 1.5 and 2 million depending on the areas included. 

- Although there are over 130,000 hotel rooms in Las Vegas they can book out so don’t rely on getting accommodation at the last minute. You will increase your chances of getting a room and lower costs if you visit during the week, stay away during US public holidays and steer clear of big conventions. 

- You must be at least 21 years of age to drink alcohol and gamble in Las Vegas. People under the age of 21 are prohibited from loitering in the casino area of hotels.

- The iconic neon sign, Vegas Vic is the world’s largest mechanical neon sign.

- The MGM Grand is the largest hotel in the world with over 5,000 rooms.

- There are over 60 golf courses in the Las Vegas region.

- Las Vegas celebrated its Centenary in 2005 -100 years since the city was founded.

Time
Las Vegas is 18 hours behind Australia (AEST) although this can vary depending on daylight savings.

Currency
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Tipping
Tipping is customary in the USA. This is because base salaries in the US are very low, and hospitality workers rely heavily on their tips to make a living. Even more importantly, the government taxes hospitability workers on a predicted level of tips for the year. It is important that Australians respect the culture of tipping when in the USA.

The following guide outlines normal tipping levels:
- 15% to 20% for table service with food and drink.
- A token tip for food or drink where you serve yourself.
- While gambling in Las Vegas, all drinks are free. A $1 tip per drink for the waitress would be the norm.
- Hotel personnel – $1 to $2 per bag taken to your room. (You can opt to carry your own bags.)
- Maids – a $2 tip per day is generally left in the room for your room maid.
- Dealers and poker machine attendants – a small bet made for them is the standard reward. If the bet is successful, the attendant keeps the winnings. If not, your tip is still considered paid.
- Taxicab drivers – taxi drivers usually receive a tip of $1 to $2.
- Tour guides receive $1 to $2 per person for tours with a lot of people, 10 per cent for more individualised tours.
- Valet parking – this service is free but a $2 tip is usual.

Electricity
The USA uses type A and Type B electrical sockets

Tap water
It is safe to drink the tap water in Las Vegas

Passport and Visa Requirements
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Places of interest and things to see and do
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Free Options in Las Vegas
- Flamingo Wildlife Habitat – Flamingo Las Vegas.
3555 Las Vegas Blvd. Open 24 hours.
Home to Chilean Flamingos, African Penguins, swans, pheasants, quail, crane, turtles, Foi and goldfish.

- Lion Habitat – MGM Grand
3799 Las Vegas Blvd. Open 24 hours.
Home to several African lions and Cubs.

- Sirens of TI – Treasure Island.
3300 Las Vegas Blvd.
Witness a full-scale pirate battle with cannons firing, building exploding and sinking ships.

- L’Arc De Triomphe – Paris Las Vegas.
3655 Las Vegas Blvd.
See this 2/3 replica of the original in Paris.
Options with an Entrance Fee (adult prices listed, child and family prices available at most attractions)

- Star Trek: The Experience – The Las Vegas Hilton.  US$25
3000 Paradise Rd. 10:00am - late
Bean aboard the Star Ship Enterprise for an experience that takes you into the 24th Century and right on to the bridge of the Star Ship.

- Eiffel Tower – Paris Las Vegas. US$9.00
3655 Las Vegas Blvd.
Take a guided tour up this 50 storey, ½ replica of the Eiffel Tower.

- Big Shot & Roller Coaster - Stratosphere Hotel Casio & Tower.
Be catapulted 160 feet in the air by the Big Shot or circle the stratospheres 1,149 ft tower on the roller coaster.

- Liberace Museum. US$12.00
See the glittering costumes, dazzling jewels, spectacular pianos, exotic cars and rare antiques of the famous Liberace.

- Imperial Auto Museum – Imperial Palace Hotel & Casino.
The Imperial Auto museum is a car lovers dream and has more than 300 antique and special interest vehicles on display.

- Guggenheim Museum & Guggenheim Hermitage Museum – The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casio. US$12.50
The Guggenheim & Guggenheim Hermitage museums bring culture to the masses with there 63,700 sq foot of exhibition space. The ‘Art of the Motorcycle’ is currently on display at the Guggenheim with Picasso, Cézanne and Matisse, among others, features at the Guggenheim Hermitage.

- Secret Garden of Siegfried & Roy – The Mirage. US$10.00
Home to 9 Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins and six rare animal breeds including White and Royal White Tigers.

TOP TEN things to do
1. Shark Reef - Mandalay Bay Resort & Casio. US$14.95 www.mandalaybay.com/entertainment/shark_reef.aspx
Visit an ocean of fantastic sights, sounds and encounters. More than 2,000 animals and 100 different species in 1.6 million gallons of water.

2. The Volcano – The Mirage www.mirage.com
3400 Las Vegas Blvd. Every few minutes after dusk
The Mirage volcano erupts every few minutes after dusk spewing smoke and fire.

3. Fountains of Bellagio www.bellagio.com
3600 Las Vegas Blvd. Every ½ hour from sunset to midnight
See 1,000 fountains dance to music in front of the Bellagio Hotel.

4. Elvis-A-Rama Museum. US$9.95 www.elvisarama.com
Fan of Elvis? Then see over $5 million of original memorability and live hourly Elvis impersonations.

5. Manhattan Express Roller Coaster – New York-New York www.nynyhotel.com
This exciting ride loops, twists and dives around the perimeter of New York New York.

6. Madame Tussauds – The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino. US$12.50 www.mtvegas.com/
3355 Las Vegas Blvd. Open 10:00am - 8:00pm
Icons of Las Vegas’ past and present including Frank Sinatra, Elvis and Tom Jones are featured in this American version of London’s top attraction.

7. Fremont St Experience www.vegasexperience.com
425 Freemont St. Every ½ hour from sunset to midnight
See more than 2 million lights and 540,000 watts of sound in this fantastic one of a kind light show.

8. Circus Acts – Circus Circus Hotel Casio & Theme Park. www.circuscircus.com
3600 Las Vegas Blvd. Every 30mins from 11:00am - midnight
World-renowned circus acts performed free every day

9. Pink Jeep Tours www.pinkjeep.com
Escape Las Vegas for a day and take a tour to some of the scenic areas surrounding Las Vegas such as Mt Charleston, Hoover Dam or the stunning Red Rock Canyon

10. Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art www.bgfa.biz
Give the kids a taste of culture in Las Vegas’ premier art gallery which presents world-class exhibitions of artworks and objects drawn from internationally acclaimed museums and private collections.

11. Legends in Concert www.imperialpalace.com
See you favourite superstars including Madonna, The Temptations, Shania Twain and   Elvis in this multimillion-dollar extravaganza performed by authentic look alikes.

FURTHER INFORMATION