The Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign is an iconic Vegas landmark that is one of the most photographed sites in the city.
The 25-foot-tall roadside sign is a diamond shape stretched horizontally and is lit up with bright neon lights that offer both a welcome greeting as well as a “Drive Carefully Come Back Soon” goodbye on the backside.
Welcome to Las Vegas Sign Location/Address:
5100 Las Vegas Boulevard, South.
The Welcome to Las Vegas sign is just north of the stone pillars at McCarran International Airport and right across from the Bali Hai Golf Club and the now-closed Klondike Hotel and Casino.
The sign is considered by some to be the southernmost part of the Las Vegas Strip, but it is actually four miles outside of the Las Vegas city limits.
Welcome to Las Vegas Sign Parking
A Parking lot on site is available with more than 40 spaces and two bus and limo unloading zones.
Welcome to Las Vegas Sign History
Betty Willis designed the Welcome to Las Vegas sign as her gift to the city and a piece of public domain artwork. The Young Electric Sign Company is the current owner of the sign and leases it Clark County.
The sign is not copyrighted, which is why it is used in so many different types of Las Vegas Souvenirs.
In 2009 the sign was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and in 2013 it made it onto the State Register of Historic Places as well.
Before 2008, access to the site was limited and risky, with no legal places to park and many lanes of traffic needing to be crossed to reach the site. Site improvements in 2008 added a median to allow official public access safely.
The parking lot was added as well as a path that helps visitors get to the sign viewing area.
The parking lot was expanded several times over the last decade and now includes more than 40 spaces and traffic signals to help large groups of pedestrians get across the lanes of traffic on Las Vegas Boulevard safely.
Las Vegas Sign Events
Several notable events have happened at the Welcome to Las Vegas Sign, including being host of the largest bikini parade, which made it into the Guinness Book of World Records.
In October 2017, following the terrible Las Vegas mass shooting, artist Greg Zanis made 58 crosses with hearts that were then placed behind the sign.
Each of the crosses represented one of the victims of the massacre.
Las Vegas Sign – Replica Signs
There have been a few different replicas created of the sign over the years.
In 2002 a replica sign that read “Welcome to Downtown Las Vegas” was put up on Las Vegas Boulevard and 4th Street but was destroyed four years later when it was hit by a pickup truck.
Another replica sign for Downtown Las Vegas currently hands on the Fremont Street Experience SlotZilla Zipline.
A third replica was created in 2007 and installed on Boulder Highway to mark the entrance to the line of casinos off Tropicana Boulevard and Boulder Highway.
Brian Eller - Vegas Local
I am a Las Vegas local looking to bring you inside tips and information that can't be found anywhere else. I'll dive into hidden gems and some of the best places to eat and visit in Las Vegas from a local's perspective.
I hope my tips and information can help people plan an enjoyable vacation and do so while saving money.
