On your trip to Las Vegas, one attraction you probably want to visit is the iconic “Welcome To Las Vegas” sign. One of the most well-known landmarks in the world, this deco sign, built back in 1959, attracts millions of visitors every year and is a must-do in Sin City. The sign stands 25-feet-tall and its iconic design includes seven white neon circles representing silver dollars as a nod to the Nevada state nickname, “Silver State.” The Las Vegas sign has been photographed far and wide for over 60 years. It’s still one of the best selfie spots in all of Las Vegas! Here are five tips for visiting.
1. Visit In The Morning For Fewer Crowds
I know — it’s Vegas — time to party the night away and sleep in. But, if you want to avoid crowds, get to the Las Vegas sign early. We went around 8 a.m. and there was literally no one there when we arrived. Since we had the place to ourselves, we felt free to pose for all kinds of dorky pictures. And with no line of people waiting, we were free to take our time and snap a whole lot of photos. With people waiting, I’d have been pressed to hurry and take a couple of pictures and let the next person have their turn. But by going early, we felt no pressure to get in and out quickly. Another huge benefit to going early is you’ll beat the Vegas heat. There is no shade at the sign and Las Vegas is typically hot and sunny. If you go early, you won’t have to worry about excessive heat or sun.
2. It Is Free To Visit
As the saying goes, not many things in life are free. But visiting the Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas sign won’t cost you a cent. Along with the Bellagio fountains and the Fremont Street Experience, this is another spectacular Vegas freebie. That’s right, there is no charge to visit the Las Vegas sign.
3. Visit From The Airport
The Las Vegas sign is located in the median on the south end of the famous Las Vegas Strip, just south of Mandalay Bay Casino. The exact address is 5100 Las Vegas Boulevard South. The sign is less than 10 minutes from Harry Reid International Airport. We decided to make the visit to the Las Vegas sign our first stop after landing. The drive from the airport to the sign was super easy and since our flight landed around 7 a.m., we knew the sign wouldn’t be crowded.
Try to plan your visit to the sign around your flight arrival. Even if you’re not landing early, you can do a drive-by on the way to your hotel to check out the line situation, and if it’s not busy, stop in. There is a small parking lot right within the median that fills up fast. But if you go early like we did, you won’t have any problems finding a parking spot.
4. You Don’t Necessarily Have To Drive To The Sign
If you don’t have a car in Las Vegas, you can still visit the Las Vegas sign. The Las Vegas city bus system is a good one. The Deuce runs from downtown to the Strip and vice versa, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Both the northbound and southbound routes offer stops at the Las Vegas sign. The Deuce also makes stops at almost every other tourist destination up and down the Strip. We’ve ridden the Deuce numerous times and it’s a good alternative to renting a car. The 3-day bus pass is only around $20, so it’s much cheaper than renting a car and not having to deal with traffic saves my sanity. But, of course, you’re dependent on the bus schedule. The Deuce will get you to the Las Vegas sign and many other hot spots around town, but it won’t do it quickly. So you’re basically trading time for money. Still, it’s interesting to ride around with other tourists and locals, and the convenience of not having to find parking or pay for an Uber might be worth it.
At the other end of the spectrum is renting a limo. We’ve had friends that grabbed a limo when they landed at Harry Reid International Airport, booked it for an hour, and had the driver go straight to the sign. After taking all the amazing photos they wanted, they jumped back into the limo and were dropped off at their hotel. Considering they were all done in less than an hour, this could be a super-fun, not-too-over-the-top way to begin a Vegas trip.
5. Bring Your Camera Or Phone For Photos
There is no professional photographer on site at the Las Vegas sign. So, you will be taking your own photos. If you made the effort to get to the Las Vegas sign, you might as well take a ton of photos while you’re there. It can take a few snaps to get that perfect shot. I brought my selfie stick and was glad I did. Using the selfie stick is so much better than trying to cram your group into the photo while someone tries to stretch their arm a mile out to hold the phone. Just grab your portable selfie stick, set the timer on your phone, and you’ll get a great shot of your group. You can always ask another tourist to snap your photo, and most will be glad to assist, but if there’s no one around, you’ll be happy to have your selfie stick.
Unless you’re an experienced photographer, you may want to avoid taking photos of the Las Vegas sign at night. It’s tricky to get a good photo with the glare of the lights from the sign, although, it is cool to see the fabulous sign all lit up at night. If you want to try nighttime photography, I’d recommend going a little earlier than sunset so you can take pictures before it’s dark, just in case your after-dark shots don’t turn out as good as you expected.
Next time you’re in Las Vegas, stop at the Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas sign. Along with a gondola ride at the Venetian, the fountain show at the Bellagio, and one of the many buffets on the Strip, a visit to the iconic Las Vegas sign is one of the most noteworthy things you can do in Sin City.