The Strip
When one thinks of Sin City, it is immediately this district that one has in mind. In reality, it is a portion of approximately 9 km of Las Vegas Boulevard, included, from south to north, between the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign and The Strat Hotel. It is from the opening of the Flamingo, in 1946, that the places developed. Over time, more and more grandiose palaces appeared on both sides of the road. The rule of the Strip, governed by entrepreneurs with megalomaniac tendencies: what is too small cannot be profitable enough and therefore must disappear to be replaced. Thus, the history of this area is hardly visible: Howard Hughes' bedroom, Frank Sinatra's stage, or Elvis' wedding chapel no longer exist.
There are about forty hotels in the area, most of which are among the largest in the world. Most of them also house huge casinos, which all operate according to the same pattern: the rooms are divided into different "gaming areas " - slot machines, blackjack, poker room, roulette, craps, etc. - only the decor and themes change. - Only the decorations and themes change, depending on the standing of the establishment and the target clientele. Each one has a certain number of restaurants - fast-food as well as gastronomic - and night spots: bars, pubs, lounges and clubs. The shopping arcades, which are systematically located in the hotel corridors, are also an important element: they are called "forum", "esplanade"," corridor"," promenade"," via"... In short, under the apparent variety of the Strip hides an absolute similarity, even monotonous.
Downtown and Arts District
Downtown. Historic and retro, Downtown is the heart of Las Vegas. When gambling was legalized in the 1930s and the Hoover Dam was being built, the part of the neighborhood that housed the first casinos was nicknamed Glitter Gulch. It was the "glitter gulch" of the working class, a place of entertainment glowing with thousands of white and yellow light bulbs in the Nevada desert, as well as a pit of perdition where alcohol flowed freely and prostitution was commonplace. By the end of the 1980s, Downtown had run out of steam: with its behemoths of concrete and steel, the Strip had surpassed it in width, height, pomp and eccentricity. It wasn't until 1995 that the old-fashioned charm of Glitter Gulch was back. The Fremont Street Experience, a lighted archway built over Fremont Street, brought the area back to life.
Today, Downtown still plays the role of the old city, with its casinos and old-fashioned signs. However, the development of the Cultural Corridor and its museums, as well as the completion of major buildings since the early 2000s - such as the new City Hall and the Symphony Park complex - are evidence of its desire to modernize and remain attractive while preserving its heritage. As part of the development of Downtown, the city opened a new district in 2007: Fremont East District. In addition to concentrating many bars and new restaurants, these few blocks brilliantly extend the vintage image of historic Vegas by preserving one of the oldest hotel-casinos in the city: El Cortez, built in 1941.
Arts District. Located between the north side of the Strip and Downtown, this atypical neighborhood was born in 1998 and is nicknamed "18b", in memory of the 18 blocks of buildings that originally formed the neighborhood. The area has gradually been taken over by a community of bohemian artists who have marked their territory by painting large murals and joyfully decorating the few houses in the area. Many antique stores with a hipster or vintage look have gathered under the name of Antique Alley Mall, on Main Street. It's a great area to walk around, especially on First Friday. Every first Friday of the month, the Arts District organizes a big event where artists exhibit their creations in the streets that have become pedestrianized for an evening. Food trucks are set up next to their booths, while improvised bands liven up the alleys; the whole thing has a delightful good-natured atmosphere that contrasts radically with the Vegas of the collective imagination.
West and East Las Vegas
West Las Vegas. While this name officially applies only to a small neighborhood in Sin City, we'll use it here for addresses west of the Strip. Examples include the area around Springs Preserve, west of the heart of Downtown, and, most importantly, Chinatown with its Asian businesses with gaudy roofs, about 2 miles west of the Venetian.
East Las Vegas. Similarly, we will include here the eastern part of the Strip, with the unincorporated towns of Paradise, Winchester, Whitney and Sunrise Manor. The area covered by the former is the largest, occupying most of the Strip as well as Harry Reid International Airport. Similarly, as delineated in this guide, East Las Vegas is home to the massive Las Vegas Convention Center.
