Las Vegas Neighborhoods: Where to Go and Where to Live

The main Las Vegas neighborhoods are the Strip, Downtown Las Vegas, the Arts District, Chinatown, Symphony Park, Summerlin, Henderson and North Las Vegas. They split into the tourist core (Strip and Downtown), the creative and cultural pockets near Downtown, the food corridor west of the Strip, and the suburban areas around the edges. Some of the names people say as "Las Vegas" are not in the City of Las Vegas at all, and we flag that below.

This guide is for visitors deciding where to spend a day and for newcomers deciding where to look around. It gives you the feel of each area, one place to try, and a link to the full area page. It does not rank neighborhoods on safety, price or schools, because we can't source those claims here. For those, check city, county and school-district sources directly.

Is the Strip actually in Las Vegas?

No. According to Clark County, the Las Vegas Strip is in unincorporated Clark County, not inside the City of Las Vegas, so the county rather than the city provides its municipal services. It still carries the Las Vegas name and a Las Vegas mailing address, and it is where most first-time visitors start.

Henderson and North Las Vegas are also separate cities. Spring Valley and Enterprise are unincorporated towns run by Clark County. If a place's jurisdiction matters to you (taxes, services, schools, permits), confirm it with the city or county before you commit.

The Strip: for first visits and big-scale sightseeing

The Strip runs along Las Vegas Boulevard, and walking it end to end from The STRAT to Mandalay Bay is about 4.5 miles, per Visit Las Vegas. Two small MGM trams shorten the middle: one links Bellagio, Aria and Park MGM, and the other runs from the Excalibur and New York-New York corner to Luxor, Mandalay Bay and the Four Seasons.

It suits you if you want resorts, shows and walking-distance spectacle. It is a place to visit more than a place most people choose for quiet daily life. Like the Strip itself, both picks below are in unincorporated Clark County, just outside the City of Las Vegas.

Try: Peppermill Restaurant and Fireside Lounge. At 2985 Las Vegas Boulevard South, the Peppermill has served the Strip since 1972. Its official site lists French Toast Ambrosia and a 64-ounce Scorpion cocktail at the Fireside Lounge. It is typically open 24 hours Thursday through Sunday and 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Wednesday; check the official site before you go.

Try: Lotus of Siam, just east of the Strip. At 620 East Flamingo Road, Lotus of Siam is known for Northern Thai cooking, and its site features the Crispy Duck Panang. Hours on the site vary, so check first. It is a good reason to leave the casino floor for dinner.

Downtown Las Vegas: for neon, walkability and old Vegas

Downtown Las Vegas is the city's historic center, built around Fremont Street. The City of Las Vegas describes the Fremont East Entertainment District as a pedestrian-friendly, multi-block area of retro neon, dining and retail, and the Fremont Street Experience as a pedestrian mall under what the city calls the world's largest LED screen.

It suits you if you like walking between things and want a more compact, older-school feel than the Strip.

Try: Fremont Street Experience. The pedestrian mall on Fremont Street is listed on its official site as open 24 hours, with free live concerts on three stages and the SlotZilla zipline. Show times are on its calendar page.

Try: The Neon Museum. At 770 Las Vegas Boulevard North, The Neon Museum keeps retired Las Vegas signs in its Neon Boneyard and shows the Brilliant! audiovisual show in the North Gallery. Hours have varied by season on its site, so check before you plan an evening there.

The Arts District: for galleries, coffee and a long lunch

The Arts District is officially the 18b Las Vegas Arts District, named for its original 18 blocks of downtown between Las Vegas Boulevard and Interstate 15, from Hoover Avenue to Colorado Avenue. It holds galleries, artist studios, antique shops, boutiques and restaurants. If you want to time a visit to the monthly First Friday event, check the First Friday Foundation's site for its current status before you plan around it.

It suits you if you would rather browse a studio than a slot floor.

Try: Esther's Kitchen. At 1131 South Main Street, Esther's Kitchen builds an Italian menu around sourdough: the official menu lists wood-fired pizzas such as a Margherita with local mozzarella. It takes online reservations.

Symphony Park: for culture and kids

Symphony Park is the City of Las Vegas' downtown cultural hub, anchored by The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, with apartment towers and retail growing up around it. Check The Smith Center's own calendar for what is playing.

It suits you if you want a new-build, walkable downtown address with performances nearby.

Try: DISCOVERY Children's Museum. At 360 Promenade Place, the museum is typically open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 5 p.m., according to its official site. Exhibits rotate and sections sometimes close for rebuilds, so check what is open before taking kids.

Chinatown: for eating your way west

Las Vegas Chinatown runs along Spring Mountain Road west of the Strip, in unincorporated Clark County rather than the City of Las Vegas. Visit Las Vegas says it began as a handful of Chinese restaurants in the 1990s and now counts more than 200 spots, from omakase counters and izakayas to Korean dining rooms and Filipino grills.

It suits you if eating is the plan. Park once and walk between plazas.

Try: Sparrow + Wolf. At 4480 Spring Mountain Road, Suite 100, Sparrow + Wolf cooks much of its menu on a custom hearth grill and serves shared plates and craft cocktails. Its site lists daily dinner hours of roughly 5 to 10 p.m. and takes reservations.

Summerlin: for trails, parks and suburban space

Summerlin is a 22,500-acre master-planned community on the western edge of the valley, named for Jean Amelia Summerlin, Howard Hughes' grandmother, per Summerlin's own history page. A 1988 land exchange with the Bureau of Land Management set a permanent boundary protecting Red Rock Canyon, and the community lists about 127,000 residents, 300-plus parks and 200-plus miles of trails. Summerlin is a community, not a city of its own, and only part of it lies within the City of Las Vegas.

It suits you if you want a suburban setting close to the canyon.

Try: Downtown Summerlin. The open-air center's official page lists typical hours of Monday through Thursday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., varying by tenant, and promotes the Rock Rink for ice skating.

Try: Las Vegas Ballpark. At 1650 South Pavilion Center Drive, Las Vegas Ballpark in Downtown Summerlin is the home of the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators. Its Las Vegas address is a postal designation. Official sources do not say whether Downtown Summerlin and the ballpark are inside city limits, so treat both Summerlin picks as possibly just outside the City of Las Vegas.

Henderson: a separate city, southeast of Las Vegas

Henderson is its own city. It grew from the Basic Townsite, begun in 1942 to house families of the almost 15,000 people who came to work at the Basic Magnesium plant, then the world's largest magnesium plant, according to the City of Henderson. It was incorporated in 1953, is now the second-largest city in Nevada, and covers more than 103 square miles.

It suits you if you want a distinct city government and a quieter pace than the Strip corridor.

Try: Clark County Museum. At 1830 South Boulder Highway, the museum carries a Henderson mailing address but is run by Clark County Parks and Recreation, so it is a county facility rather than a City of Henderson one. Its official page lists daily hours of 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and free admission, and features Heritage Street, a row of restored historic homes.

North Las Vegas: another separate city

North Las Vegas was incorporated on May 1, 1946, and describes itself as the largest minority-majority city in Nevada. We did not confirm a specific attraction to recommend here, so start with the city's own parks and recreation pages.

It suits you if you are weighing a different city government than Las Vegas proper.

What about Springs Preserve?

Springs Preserve, at 333 South Valley View Boulevard in Las Vegas, sits on the springs and meadows that gave the city its name. Its official site describes about 180 acres with an eight-acre botanical garden, the Nevada State Museum and Boomtown 1905. The name Las Vegas means "the meadows" in Spanish, and scout Rafael Rivera reached the springs here in 1829. It is a good first stop if you want to understand why a desert city exists.

How we chose

We started from the eight areas named in the title and checked 16 candidate places against official sites. We kept only those whose official pages showed them open, and dropped places we could not confirm. We use jurisdiction facts from the City of Las Vegas, Clark County, the City of Henderson and the City of North Las Vegas. We make no safety, price or school claims, and hours are typical, so check each site before you go.

Save this: a one-day neighborhood sampler

1. Morning: Springs Preserve for the origin story.
2. Late morning: Esther's Kitchen in the Arts District.
3. Afternoon: Fremont Street Experience, then The Neon Museum.
4. Evening: dinner at Sparrow + Wolf in Chinatown.
5. Late night: a booth at the Peppermill on the Strip.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What are the main neighborhoods in Las Vegas?

The main areas are the Strip, Downtown Las Vegas, the Arts District, Symphony Park, Chinatown and Summerlin. Henderson and North Las Vegas are separate cities in the same valley.

Is the Las Vegas Strip in the city of Las Vegas?

No. Clark County says the Las Vegas Strip is in unincorporated Clark County, so the county rather than the City of Las Vegas provides municipal services.

Is Henderson part of Las Vegas?

No. Henderson is its own city, incorporated in 1953, southeast of Las Vegas. It is the second-largest city in Nevada according to the City of Henderson.

Where is Chinatown in Las Vegas?

Las Vegas Chinatown runs along Spring Mountain Road, west of the Strip. It is in unincorporated Clark County, and Visit Las Vegas counts more than 200 spots there.

What is the Arts District in Las Vegas?

The 18b Las Vegas Arts District is an area of downtown between Las Vegas Boulevard and Interstate 15, from Hoover Avenue to Colorado Avenue. It has galleries, studios, antique shops and restaurants.