The Calico Hills, on the park's 13-mile Scenic Loop, remain a popular destination for local rock climbers and hikers. The park is famous for its sandstone outcroppings, prehistoric sand dunes and dramatic cliffs along the 65-million-year-old Keystone Thrust. Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, west of Las Vegas on State Route 160, is so close to the city the skyline is visible from a number of overlooks. Located in the Mojave Desert, Las Vegas is within striking distance of some of the Southwest's most dramatic landscapes, and some gay and gay-friendly companies offer comfortable and convenient ways to explore them. Sponsored projects have included the Queerotica Competition, and the Tickles My Fancy installation from the collection of gay artist Jerry Zientara. Curator Laura Henkel presents sexual freedom as artistic, spiritual and political imperatives.
Drive is another option for those with a couple of hours to kill. The Erotic Heritage Museum on Sammy Davis Jr. Both the Fruit Loop and the Village Square Commercial Center are a short taxi ride (or a 15-20 minute walk) from the Strip. Crowds can be thin during the week, but the bars and clubs are usually packed on Friday and Saturday nights. Although there isn't really a gay neighborhood, the majority of the city's gay bars and clubs are clustered around the Fruit Loop, on Paradise Road near East Harmon Avenue, and the Village Square Commercial Center, on Sahara Avenue near Maryland Parkway. Locals are quick (and some are even proud) to point out that gays have successfully integrated into mainstream Las Vegas. Now called the Fremont Street Experience, it features a four-block canopy covered with twinkling lights. Here you can gawk at many of the city's original casinos along pedestrian-only Fremont Street. This is where you'll find the massive resorts that feature battling pirate ships, exploding volcanoes and roller coasters that whiz around scale models of the New York skyline.Ī couple of miles north of the Strip is downtown Las Vegas, a throwback to the city's early days. The majority of the Strip's attractions stretch along Las Vegas Boulevard from Sahara Avenue to Russell Road.
Las Vegas itself is quite spread out, so a car is necessary for any excursions beyond the Strip, downtown and their immediate surroundings. Single fare tickets are $5, and they offer 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7-day passes. Tickets may be bought online or from machines located at the stations. The Las Vegas Monorail will convey you in cool comfort back and forth along the Strip between 7am and 2am (until 3am Fri/Sat/Sun and until midnight Mon). It costs $6 for two hours, or $8 for a day pass, and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The double-decker Deuce Bus is a great way to travel between the Strip and downtown. A number of walkways take pedestrians over busy Las Vegas Boulevard and nearby streets.
The best way to take in The Strip's many attractions is by foot. Bus routes 1 08 and 109 provide direct service to and from the airport. Most hotels offer a shuttle bus to and from the airport.Īnother option to get downtown is the fleet of buses operated by the RTC, or Regional Transportation Commission. Many taxi companies serve LAS and fares are set by the Nevada Taxicab Authority. McCarran International Airport, is roughly three miles southeast of the Las Vegas Strip and about five miles from downtown. Much of the city's gay nightlife centers around two strip malls - the Fruit Loop and the Village Square Commercial Center - off the Strip, but residents are scattered across the whole valley. Las Vegas doesn't have one gay neighborhood. Same-sex couples holding hands in the glittery casinos and well-built gay men dancing the night away at the most popular bars and clubs are increasingly common sights on the Strip. But Sin City is constantly reinventing itself, touting family-friendly resorts one year and its massive concert venues and outreach to the gay market the next.Īttractions continue to satisfy the growing number of gays who flock here each year. See the Visit Las Vegas, City of Las Vegas, and Southern Nevada Health District websites for local updates.Ī hedonistic reputation, flashing neon lights and over-the-top spectacles make Las Vegas one of the world's most popular tourist destinations. See the CDC website for details and updates. There are restrictions on the entry of some travelers into the United States in an effort to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Emergency measures in the wake of Covid-19: