4 Must-See Las Vegas Neighborhoods and How to Visit

Lined with towering casinos, flashing lights, and buzzy nightclubs, the Las Vegas Strip is the heart of the action—and it’s an essential stop even if you’re not in the city to gamble. This is where you’ll find Paris Las Vegas, the Luxor Hotel, and the famed Fountains of Bellagio. It’s also extra dramatic from above—get the big views on the High Roller observation wheel or a nighttime helicopter ride that swoops over the Strip.

If you’re yearning for vintage Las Vegas, you’ll find it at the Fremont Street Experience, a 5-block stretch of shops, restaurants, and casinos covered by a vaulted canopy that serves as a giant projection screen. This is Glitter Gulch, home of that giant neon cowboy you’ve seen in the movies, and it was also the site of historic casinos such as the Golden Nugget and Binion's Horseshoe.

With a cool, young vibe that’s a world away from the party hard vibe on the Strip, the Arts District is the place to go for edgy galleries, boutique shopping, and murals in fabulous colors. And if your trip to Las Vegas coincides with the first Friday of the month, join in at the neighborhood’s open-air festival, which draws food vendors, artists, and more.

Strictly speaking a separate city, Henderson is roughly 20 minutes from downtown Las Vegas, and it’s a popular spot to visit on a day trip. Beat the desert heat by swimming in nearby Lake Las Vegas, where you can enjoy boating, water sports, and gorgeous sunsets. If you’re hoping to go farther afield, use Henderson as a jumping-off point for trips to Lake Mead, Valley of Fire State Park, and the Hoover Dam.