Contrary to popular belief, Las Vegas is more than just a recreational spot for gambling and casinos. The biggest city in Nevada has something for everyone, and for that reason, it is one of the top tourist-attracting cities in the United States. The city received 42 million visitors in 2019 alone ̶ a record high.
The Las Vegas Boulevard or Strip is one of the key tourist attractants of Sin City. The Strip entertains a range of interests with its casinos, restaurants, museums, nightlife, shows, etc. This blog will discuss some interesting facts about the Las Vegas Strip and its unique position as a tourist attraction.
1. Heart Of The City
Initially, the Strip was little more than a two-way lane in 1906. It remained obscure despite come casinos operating there until the opening of El Rancho Vegas, which shot up the popularity of the street. Soon other businesses followed, and the road became a major tourist attractant of the country.
Since the Strip has the most number of casinos and recreational spots in the whole of Nevada, it has become the biggest tourist spot for visitors as most tourists come to Vegas to gamble.
2. Enjoys Several Names
An interesting fact about the Las Vegas Strip is that it was not always called that. Before it became a 4.2 miles road, the lane was part of Arrowhead Highway, a railroad connecting Los Angeles to Las Vegas and going to Salt Lake City in Utah in the 1910s.
Later, the highway was renamed Route 91 upon the introduction of the U.S. numbered highway system. The Strip was just an extension in the south of the city until then. After the legalization of gambling in Nevada in the 1930s, the Strip became home to several casinos and was finally called the Las Vegas Boulevard or Strip.
3. A Key Tourist Spot
The Strip offers visitors access to the world’s most famous casinos, including The Bellagio and Flamingo ̶ named so by the owner to pay tribute to his long-legged partner. It has a mini-Venice, mini-Paris, circuses, marine aquariums, botanical gardens, high rollers, etc., all in one street. The fact that the Las Vegas Strip is Sin City’s main tourist attraction is unsurprising.
4. Brightest Place From Outer Space
The Strip is a bright place, no doubt. Any place that has as much concentrated human activity as this lane is expected to be so. However, the fact that the lights here make the landmark visible in outer space is fascinating.
In 2010, a NASA crew took pictures using a digital camera from International Space Station and spotted the brightest spot in the world, i.e., the Las Vegas Strip, from outer space, with the surrounding airport and military bases appearing like dim specks in comparison.
5. Home To Several Famous Hotels
Las Vegas has about 150,000 hotel rooms to accommodate visitors and tourists. About 62,000 of these are situated in the Las Vegas Strip alone. In fact, the biggest hotels in the city are situated in this single lane.
MGM Grand, Excalibur, and Flamingo have about 5000, 4000, and 3500 rooms, respectively. For comparison, it will take you 170 years to sleep in every single hotel room on the Strip at least once. This statistic alone makes the Las Vegas Strip a symbol of American magnificence.
6. The Strip Is Technically Not In Las Vegas!
After all the talk about the city’s value tied to this lane, this fact about the Las Vegas Strip may come as a surprise. However, the lane is indeed not a part of the main city ̶ technically. The Strip is a part of the nearby Clark County. In 1975, the state’s judiciary annulled the Nevada state law, which incorporated part of the Clark Country into Las Vegas’ land. So, most tourists that visit Las Vegas for the Strip alone technically never visit the main city.
7. Has A Very Expensive Estate
With tourism and gambling making a big chunk of the state’s economy, it is no surprise that setting up a business in the gambling center of the city is not easy.
One acre of land is approximately priced at a whopping USD 6 million. Setting up a shop near industry sharks like the Bellagio or the Caesars Palace comes with its price. Do not let this fact about the Las Vegas Strip discourage you, however, because this lane also gives business owners access to a big clientele worldwide.
8. A Cultural Hub
The Strip does not only have casinos and hotels, as previously stated. It contains artifact museums and the famous Madame Tussauds waxwork exhibition in Las Vegas.
The Luxor hotel on the strip has an Egyptian-themed space with the Great Pyramid of Giza that is almost as big as the original, a replica of the Sphinx, and King Tut’s tomb.
Shows like the Volcano of the Mirage, with grand spectacles and music, can be found every few steps on the Strip. Similarly, Cirque du Soleil’s is just one of the several circuses found on the strip.
With such diverse, entertaining, and informative shows happening on the lane, it is a fact that the Las Vegas Strip is a cultural and economic hub for Nevada,
The Strip is a long lane with plenty of activities available to visitors. It is not easy to explore the entire strip in one go, and neither do we recommend it. For the best experience, enjoy the entire Las Vegas and surrounding areas to get a holistic experience of Nevada’s unique city.
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