The Famous Las Vegas Sign

One of the must-do free attractions in Las Vegas

Opening Hours of the Famous Las Vegas Sign: All day, every day.
Cost: Free

Location:
The Median
5100 Las Vegas Blvd South
LV, Nevada
(Just South of the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel and Casino)

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The Welcome to Vegas Sign

Having your picture taken by the Famous Las Vegas Sign is one of those things you have to do! This is us,above, by the iconic Las Vegas welcome sign which has been a landmark of the City since 1959.

How do you get there?

In recent years they’ve made it easier to get to with or without a car. We hopped on the Deuce going south and got off just beyond the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel and Casino by the Bali Hai Golf Club.

Because we came by bus we still had to wait for a gap in the traffic to nick across the road to get to the median where the sign is. If you’re driving you can park in the car park by the sign and don’t need to dice with death. (OK maybe that’s being a bit dramatic!)

Does it get busy?

It can get fairly busy at the Welcome Sign. When we arrived in the afternoon there was quite a queue but it moved really fast and there was a friendly atmosphere as people chatted to their neighbours and asked them to take their photos followed by explaining how their cameras worked. So waiting in line didn’t feel like a chore and it’s entertaining watching other people posing for their pictures.

We met a really nice couple in the queue. They insisted that my husband Martyn took their picture over anyone else because they thought his shot would be professional because he had a big camera lens.

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The cost of visiting all the great attractions Las Vegas has to offer can really add to the cost of your trip. To help keep costs down we usually get a Las Vegas Power Pass

With it you’ll have access to over 20 attractions, tours, rides etc. The Power Pass is worth more than $500 in admissions and discounts.

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And behind us were a couple who’d come straight from the wedding chapel in their full wedding get-up with their photographer who came up with a range of creative poses for them to do in front of the sign.

History of the Sign

A lady called Betty Willis designed the sign when she worked at the Western Neon Company. As you can see in the pictures the sign is a sideways diamond with a yellow border (which flashes at night.)

The word ‘Welcome’ is spelled out in red letters within individual white circles which represent silver dollars to honour Nevada’s nickname as ‘the Silver State.’ The remaining words, ‘to fabulous Las Vegas Nevada,’ are in red and blue. A red star sits on top of the sign. It recently made it on to the National Register of Historic Places.

Back of the Welcome to Vegas Sign

We were familiar with the image of the Famous Las Vegas Sign but didn’t realize there was text on the back until we were there. The back reads, ‘Drive Carefully Come Back Soon.’

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