Over 40 million visitors come to Las Vegas each year to enjoy the desert sun, and do some gambling perhaps. This oasis came into existence in the 20th century, first as a frontier town, then as an entertainment mecca. Gambling was legalized in 1931 to boost tax revenues and the city could not turn back. However, the city's fortunes were also tied to nearby Hoover Dam and the atomic testing site 145km to the north.
Las Vegas is also a good base to explore many beautiful national parks in the vicinty, including the Grand Canyon.
