Viva Las Vegas!

Las Vegas is all about over-the-top neon lights, polyester, flash and hustle & bustle. From the ‘Welcome to Las Vegas’ sign to the 12.5 million LED lights of the Fremont Experience this city defines the word tacky in a tactful way! Every year millions of people flock to Vegas to spend billions of dollars just to spin the wheel, roll the dice or pull the one armed bandit to hear the ding-ding-ding of the slots. Between the famous strip and the downtown area you will not be at a loss for things to see and do. It is a vibrant city filled with excitement and adventure for all ages.

Climate: Las Vegas was erected out of nowhere in the middle of the desert. Year round the city experiences hot temperatures. The average temperature during the summer months is 40 degrees celcius and humidity is low so be sure you’re always carrying a bottle of water. The city also gets an annual average 320 days of sunshine so be sure to pack your sunglasses and sunscreen!

Culture: Las Vegas is a culture unto itself! It was the building of the still famous Flamingo Hotel and Casino by mobster ‘Bugsy’ Siegel in the 1940s that really started off the gambling culture. Throughout the 1950s the building boom took over Vegas both on the strip and in the downtown Fremont Street area. The mega resort/casinos have been going up ever since and are only getting ‘bigger and better’!

Transportation: Las Vegas is a compact city that is quite easy to get around. The Strip and Fremont Street can easily be navigated on foot but be sure to have comfortable walking shoes as distance can be deceiving. The CAT (city wide, 24 hours a day) and the DEUCE (double-decker on the Strip) offer cheap day passes. The Vegas Monorail travels along the East side of the Strip from 7:00am – 2:00am daily. There is also a Strip trolley that offers day passes and operates from 9:30am – 1:30am daily.

There is no lack of jobs in the hospitality industry due to the amount of tourism in Las Vegas. A quick wander up the Strip, dressed in your finest interview clothes with a copy of your CV should have you working in no time! Short-term rental accommodation can be a little bit harder to find, but it isn’t impossible. There is an abundance of shared housing, you just have to know where to look.

http://www.lasvegasjobs.com/
http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/
http://www.lvrj.com  check the classifieds for jobs and housing
http://www.monster.com

Most people working for the summer in Las Vegas find their jobs through the ‘walk-in’ method and find accommodation by word-of-mouth. Our suggestion would be to look into employment and housing before arrival so that you are armed with the information you need to enjoy Vegas for all it has to offer.

As a city that never sleeps there is no shortage of places to go. Please keep in mind that the legal drinking and gambling age is 21 in Nevada!! Almost every Resort & Casino on the Strip offers nightly shows. From Music to Comedy to Dance to Theatre, there’s bound to be something of interest to you. Just strolling up and down the Strip you’ll see roller coasters, water/light shows, pirate ships, knights in shining armour and of course the slots and tables synonymous with Vegas. Another option for night time entertainment is ‘The Fremont Street Experience’ located in downtown Las Vegas, just a few miles from the Strip. Fremont Street offers the same casino / bar options as the Strip but with slightly less flash and grandeur. There is a covered pedestrian walk-way lined with shops, hotel casinos, restaurant and bars that offer cheap drinks in huge souvenir cups. The street is covered by the biggest screen on the planet, which shows epic scenes while a 550 000 watt sound system pulsates music. There are a number of shows per night for your viewing pleasure. Vegas also boasts a number of cinemas, bowling alleys, museums, galleries and pretty much anything else you could think of to do!

Aside from the obvious attractions that Las Vegas has to offer there are a number of attractions available nearby. Heading South on Las Vegas Blvd there are quite a few outlet malls for cheap brand name shopping. Red Rock, Mount Charlseton, Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam are all just a drive away and offer great scenery and many outdoor adventures. If you have a few days to spare then the Grand Canyon is at your disposal through a number of local tour companies.

The above tops provided by Go4Less are intended as a guide only. Go4Less accept no responsibility for any jobs or housing accepted by students through these contacts.