Las Vegas is globally known as The Entertainment Capital of the World. It's also called the Sin City, but it is less-known that it has the highest number of churches per citizens than any major city in the U.S.
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Spanish explorers stopped to drink from the springs in the desert between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles in the early 19th century. They named springs surrounded by grasses, willows and cottonwoods, "Las Vegas" - "The Meadows". In the middle of the 19th century Mormons made the first farm in the Las Vegas Valley. Due to the Mormon background, the U.S. state Nevada banned gambling in 1909 and that, along with the lack of attractions, affected growth until the 1928. At the beginning of the Great Depression more than 40,000 unemployed workers went to Las Vegas seeking jobs at the Boulder Dam project. At the same time the Nevada legislature lifted that the gambling ban: the modern Las Vegas was born in the middle of the desert.
There are many attractions in and around Las Vegas, and he major attractions are the casinos. The most famous hotels are located on Las Vegas Boulevard, also known as the Las Vegas Strip. Many of these hotels are huge, such as famous Bellagio, with thousands of rooms and large casino areas. There are also many hotel casinos in the downtown area which was the origin of the gaming industry in city's early days. Just to get the picture, total number of hotel rooms in Las Vegas is more than 140,000, more than 37.5 million people visit Las Vegas each year, and 17 of the 20 biggest hotels in the U.S. are in Las Vegas.
But Las Vegas is more than just gambling, Elvis wedding and shows of every kind. Let us walk you through just a few of the Vegas attraction because you can spend months in Las Vegas exploring it and enjoying its miracles. The money brought the world in Vegas, the citizens will say, and it's true: there is Paris in France, Paris in Texas and Paris in Las Vegas. You will see glimpses of Paris when you visit the Hotel Paris with its replicas of the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triumph. Enjoy the real French marketplace feel at the unique shoppers' paradise, dive into French architecture and you will be in Europe in a moment.
Since the brave and adventurous come to Vegas, and you are certainly one of them, visit Shark tunnels in Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay, a unique water attraction. Check out 2,500 specimens of sea life in that huge aquarium, 12 types of sharks, turtles, and reptiles. Many of the fish won't flee as you reach out to touch them. Walk through a tunnel with the sea animals are around you for an up-close-and-personal-encounter that you can't experience elsewhere in the world.
There are many shows in the city but one is not to be missed: music, comedy, acrobatics and dance show performed by members of Cirque du Soleil. There is a theatre built specifically for them and that was a good decision. When you those artists, any other circus will look poor and humble.
If you like nature and sport then try Bali Hai Golf Course. It's a tough course for an amateur golfer but the view of 100,000 tropical plants and the beautiful landscape is the real reason you are here. If that's not enough, near the city is another spectacle: the famous Grand Canyon. You can take a helicopter tour into the Canyon for a picnic followed by a guided air tour of Lake Mead, magnificent Hoover Dam, and the surrounding area. The perfect tour for the perfect photos.
Before you go home reserve some time for a photo session with Brad Pitt or Gorge Clooney. The address is: Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. The two-story, 2800 square meters attraction is one of seven in the world and features stars from the worlds of sports, music, movies and more. And if you like television more than film, Vegas has something for you. "CSI: The Experience" is established to educate the public about forensic procedures and you can investigate a crime scene and interact via video with characters from the television show as well as real-life forensic experts. ■
