Las Vegas is a city full of
twists, turns and surprises. It’s not just the casinos and the entertainment
either: the city itself is full of surprising facts. Here are seven shockers
that you probably didn't know about Las Vegas.
Fact #1: The Misplaced Strip
Las Vegas is most famously known
for its strip of casinos and world class hotels. Most commonly referred to as
the Vegas Strip, it’s easily the most notorious few miles in the United States.
The surprise? The strip (the
whole thing) isn’t actually in Las Vegas.
It’s actually in the Township of Paradise, in Clark County. It’s simply named
the Vegas Strip for convenience and for marketing.
Fact #2: “I’m Not Going to Gamble”
One of the most common lies told
in Las Vegas is “I’m not going to gamble.” In a fairly comprehensive survey,
researchers found that only 13% of the people who came to Las Vegas came to
gamble. By the end of their stay
however, 87% ended up gambling.
Think you’re going to Vegas and
don’t plan to gamble? It might be wise to set a budget for yourself, just in
case.
Fact #3: Shrimp, Shrimp and More Shrimp
Last Vegas is the shrimp capital
of the states. Though most people don’t think “shrimp” when they think Vegas,
the reality is that Las Vegas consumes more
shrimp than the rest of the United States combined.
In a single day, more than 60,000
pounds of shrimp is consumed by the denizens of Las Vegas. Some of it goes into
shrimp cocktails, some into $0.99 cent shrimps and others into exotic and extravagant
dishes.
Fact #4: Will You Marry Me?
Las Vegas is widely known for its
impromptu weddings. People from all over the country come to Las Vegas to have
fast, cheap and fun weddings. Though this comes as no surprise to people, some
of the actual numbers can be quite shocking.
First, there are more than 310
weddings every day in Vegas. That
means there’s about one person getting married every 5 minutes.
A marriage license in Vegas only
costs $60, much lower than you’d find anywhere else in the country. There’s no
waiting period and no blood test required. Churches and chapels have all kinds
of standard packages and special deals you can choose from.
Fact #5: The Hangover
A lot of the movie “The Hangover”
was filmed in Las Vegas. The lights, the insane nights, the strippers. But one
of the most famous aspects of the movie doesn’t exist at all.
The hotel room where the cast
first work up in, along with a live tiger and a mysterious woman, does not
actually exist. Supposedly filmed in Caesar’s Palace, the room was actually
constructed specifically to film the scene.
That said, all the scenes
involving going up elevators or down stairs were actually shot in Caesar’s
Palace. You can even find the door # used in the movie – Door #2452 – In the
hotel.
Fact #6: The 15 Year Hotel Stay
The MGM Grand in Las Vegas has an
incredible 5,690 room complex, with just about every amenity you can imagine.
There are rooms starting in the $100 - $200 range, as well as rooms in the
several thousand dollar range.
If you decided to stay a night in
every room the MGM Grand has to offer, you’ll be spending around 15 years
there.
Fact #7: The New Bellagio
The Bellagio hotel, one of the
most famous hotels on the strip, equipped with one of the world’s most
elaborate water shows, was first named after a town in Italy. When it was first
purchased and renovated by billionaire Steve Wynn, he was going to call it the Beau Rivage. But after taking a vacation
to Italy and having an amazing time in the city of Bellagio, be decided the town’s name would be more apt.
The kicker? Today, the Bellagio
hotel has more rooms than the number of residents in Bellagio, Italy.
These are just some of the many
surprising facts you probably didn’t know about Las Vegas. Every casino, every
bar, every corner likely has some strange and eye opening story to tell. Even
the streets you walk on likely have some unknown history. Want to learn more?
Try asking a few of the locals about the little known facts of your area.
Author Bio – This is a guest post by Leah Boon from
hotelandflightdeals.com. For some amazing last minute deals on cheap hotels or if you’re looking to
make reservations for casinos, buffets and neon lights at Las
Vegas hotels, do make it a point to visit their portal today.