22 Fun Facts About Las Vegas, NV, You Should Know
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Las Vegas is one of the world's most loved and well-known tourist destinations. The city is traditionally known for its many casinos, luxury hotels, and amazing nightlife. However, it's also an ideal location for those who enjoy shopping, dining at high-quality restaurants, and visiting a range of attractions.
Due to Las Vegas being such a unique place, with an out-of-this-world atmosphere, it's no surprise that there are an array of fun facts about Las Vegas, NV.
For example, did you know that Vegas is home to many of the world's largest hotels? Or that The Luxor Hotel's Sphinx is bigger than the original in Egypt? To learn even more mind-blowing facts about Las Vegas, read on!
- 22 Las Vegas facts
22 Fun Las Vegas Facts
- McCarran International Airport is the US' seventh busiest airport
- Vegas is no longer the gambling capital of the world
- The Las Vegas Strip isn't in Las Vegas!
- The Golden Gate Hotel and Casino is the oldest in Las Vegas
- Fremont Street was the first paved street in Las Vegas
- There's one slot machine for every four Las Vegas residents
- An abandoned city lies below Lake Mead
- The Moulin Rouge was Vegas' first racially integrated casino
- Red Rock Canyon National Park was Nevada's first National Conservation Area
- Las Vegas receives an average of 42 million visitors annually
- The Venetian is the world's second-largest hotel
- California sends the most US tourists to Las Vegas
- Las Vegas has over 150,000 hotel rooms
- Approximately 300 weddings are held per day in Las Vegas
- You can visit vineyards and wineries close to Las Vegas
- The world's largest gold nugget is at the Golden Nugget Casino
- The Paris Hotel's Eiffel Tower was supposed to be to scale
- Vegas' Smith Center for the Performing Arts is one of the world's best theaters
- Canada sends the most international visitors to to Las Vegas
- The Luxor's sphinx is bigger than the original in Egypt
- Las Vegas receives less than five inches of rainfall per year
- The MGM Grand's lion is the largest bronze sculpture in the US
Las Vegas Facts Highlights Video
Check out our highlights video of Las Vegas facts.
McCarran International Airport is the US' seventh busiest airport
Neavda's McCarran International Airport is the seventh busiest airport in the US. McCarran sees approximately 22 million passengers pass through each year.
Interestingly, the airport is located in Paradise, Nevada, not Las Vegas. However, with the "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign, slot machines, and other Vegas-related imagery found in the airport, you wouldn't know it!
Vegas is no longer the gambling capital of the world
It will be no surprise that one of the facts on Las Vegas is that the city is one of the world's gambling capitals. However, it's no longer the gambling capital of the world. Despite holding the title until 2007, Macau is now known as the world's gambling capital, with gambling revenues exceeding Vegas each year.
The Las Vegas Strip isn't in Las Vegas!
One of the crazy facts about Las Vegas is that the iconic Las Vegas strip isn't in Las Vegas at all. The strip actually falls outside of the city limits and is instead in Winchester and Paradise, which are both part of Clark County.
Despite this, the area is right in the middle of what is traditionally known as Las Vegas from a tourist's perspective.
The Golden Gate Hotel and Casino is the oldest in Las Vegas
Las Vegas is home to an array of amazing hotels and casinos. But the oldest hotel and casino in the city is the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino, located on Fremont Street.
The land for the hotel was purchased in 1905, and the establishment opened in 1906, making it over 100 years old! The hotel has had gambling facilities for most of its existence, except between 1910 and 1931, when gambling was outlawed.
Fremont Street was the first paved street in Las Vegas
Fremont Street is a fun place to visit off of the Las Vegas strip. Being part of "Old Las Vegas," it also has a rich history. For example, Fremont Street became Vegas' first paved street in 1925. It's also home to the oldest hotel and casino in Las Vegas and was the city's first gambling hotspot.
There's one slot machine for every four Las Vegas residents
Another of the interesting facts about Las Vegas, Nevada, is that with approximately 164,000 slot machines in the city of about 635,000 residents, there's one slot machine per every four people that live there.
Red Rock Casino has the most slot machines of any Las Vegas hotel and casino, but you can find slot machines to try your luck at in most Vegas casinos.
An abandoned city lies below Lake Mead
Lake Mead is a reservoir that provides the majority of Las Vegas' water supply. Interestingly, there is also an abandoned town underneath Lake Mead.
In the 1930s, the US government asked residents of St. Thomas to leave so they could flood the area to create the lake. While the residents left, the town was not demolished and was instead submerged below the lake.
The Moulin Rouge was Vegas' first racially integrated casino
Opened in May 1955, the Moulin Rouge was Las Vegas' first racially integrated casino and hotel. The venue only lasted six months, closing its doors in October 1955 due to poor management.
However, due to its efforts in desegregation, the venue is still known today and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.
Red Rock Canyon National Park was Nevada's first National Conservation Area
Red Rock Canyon National Park is just a 20-minute drive from Las Vegas Boulevard, and interestingly, was Nevada's first National Conservation Area. The park is one of the most stunning National Parks in the United States and features geologically fascinating red rock mountains.
Las Vegas receives an average of 42 million visitors annually
Las Vegas is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world and receives millions of visitors each year. In 2019, approximately 42 million tourists entered Las Vegas.
Although those numbers dropped in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic, the number of visitors is expected to start reaching tens of millions again soon.
The Venetian is the world's second-largest hotel
Being such a tourist hotspot, it's no surprise that Las Vegas is home to some of the world's biggest hotels. The Venetian takes the spot as second-largest hotel in the world, while the MGM Grand gets third place. In fact, of the 12 US hotels on the list of the 20 biggest hotels in the world, all but one are in Las Vegas.
California sends the most US tourists to Las Vegas
Being so close to Nevada and housing such a large population, it's not too surprising that California sends the most US visitors to Las Vegas. California, sends almost half of the tourists from the Western United States. However, the number of tourists from California to Las Vegas has been dropping slightly.
Las Vegas has over 150,000 hotel rooms
Of all the places in the United States, the Las Vegas Valley area has the most hotel rooms. Sin City features approximately 150,000 hotel rooms, with 11 of Vegas' hotels landing on the list of the world's largest hotels.
Earnings from these rooms is one of the big revenue drivers in Vegas. Earnings from casinos, dining, and shopping contribute significant amounts too.
Approximately 300 weddings are held per day in Las Vegas
Las Vegas has long been known as an ideal location to elope to. In the last decade or so, it's also become a top destination for planned weddings. As a result, there are approximately 120,000 weddings a year, equating to an average of 300 weddings per day.
The wedding industry in Las Vegas rakes in approximately $2 billion a year thanks to a range of ceremonies, from "in-and-out" chapel weddings to expensive lavish celebrations.
You can visit vineyards and wineries close to Las Vegas
While you may associate drinking wine with Las Vegas, you probably wouldn't think that the drink gets produced in the area. However, another of the fun facts about Vegas is that there is a wine region, with vineyards and multiple wineries, just one hour away from the strip.
Visiting one of these wineries is a unique activity to try, especially for couples visiting Las Vegas!
The world's largest gold nugget is at the Golden Nugget Casino
Located on Fremont Street, Vegas' Golden Nugget Hotel is home to the world's largest gold nugget. The Hand of Faith Golden Nugget weighs 61-pounds and was discovered in Australia in 1980.
Along with being the largest golden nugget knowingly in existence, it's the second-largest ever discovered. Best of all, seeing the gold nugget is one of the many fun free things to do in Las Vegas.
The Paris Hotel's Eiffel Tower was supposed to be to scale
The iconic Eiffel Tower replica at the Paris Hotel is half the size of the original in Paris, France. However, that was not the plan.
The original developers wanted the tower to be to scale. At this height, the structure would have been a danger to planes flying in and out of nearby McCarran International Airport, hence the size reduction.
Vegas' Smith Center for the Performing Arts is one of the world's best theaters
Located in Symphony Park, Las Vegas' Smith Center for the Performing Arts was ranked as one of the top ten theaters in the world by a respected trade publication.
The venue hosts a range of performing arts shows, including theater productions, dance shows, and concerts. The Smith Center hosts about 400 performances a year and is a much-loved cultural landmark in Vegas.
Canada sends the most international visitors to to Las Vegas
The United State's neighbor to the North, Canada, sends the most international tourists to Las Vegas. Approximately 1.5 million tourists from Canada entered Las Vegas in 2019.
The US' other neighbor, Mexico, sent the second most visitors, just over 1.1 million in 2019. The United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan, take the third, fourth, and fifth spots, respectively.
The Luxor's sphinx is bigger than the original in Egypt
The Sphinx at the Luxor Hotel is a Nevada landmark on the strip and is a replica of the Great Sphinx in Giza, Egypt. One of the little known facts about Las Vegas is that the Luxor's sphinx is taller than the original.
The Vegas replica is about 35-feet taller than Giza's Great Sphinx. Along with adding a visit to the Luxor Sphinx to your Vegas itinerary, be sure to check out the Luxor's Pyramid, which is one of the tallest in the world.
Las Vegas receives less than five inches of rainfall per year
Due to being located in a desert, this fun fact about Vegas is to be expected. Las Vegas sees an average of 4.2 inches of rainfall each year. Even during a "rainy" year, the city saw just 4.5 inches of rain. Luckily, this means that you'll likely enjoy a trip free from downpours whenever you choose to visit Las Vegas!
The MGM Grand's lion is the largest bronze sculpture in the US
The MGM Grand features a large bronze statue of a lion outside of its front entrance. Interestingly, this statue is the largest bronze statue in the United States. The lion weighs 100,000-pounds, stands at 45-feet tall, and sits on a 25-foot tall pedestal. When in the city, visiting this record-breaking Las Vegas landmark is a must!
In Summary
Las Vegas is one of the most exciting destinations in the world. There's also lots to learn about this vibrant and iconic city. Hopefully, this list of 22 fun Nevada facts has taught you some new information and got you looking forward to your next trip to Sin City.
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- Best Time to Visit Las Vegas for Weather, Prices, and Crowds
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- 51 Best Free & Cheap Things to Do in Vegas
- 60 Most Romantic Things to Do in Vegas for Couples
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Written by Alli Sewell
allisewell WRITER Currently based in Canada, Alli has also lived and worked in the UK and Brazil and traveled in North and South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. She loves finding the best photo-ops and food and drink locations wherever she goes.
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