Nellis AFB & The Speedway ~ North Las Vegas

North Las Vegas has plenty to offer in the way of entertainment off the Las Vegas Strip, even though Las Vegas Boulevard actually runs all the way through the north end of the valley. The City Of North Las Vegas begins just north of Fremont Street and it covers the ground along the I-15 corridor all the way to Nellis Air Force Base, so this is a sizable chunk of land. Most of North Las Vegas is composed of working class neighborhoods and local hangouts, so the experience is low key when compared to the primary tourism areas. The casino resorts in this end of the valley cater to the locals and visitors attending events at the Las Vegas Speedway or Nellis AFB, which is good to keep in mind.

The two main attractions in North Las Vegas are Nellis Air Force Base and the Las Vegas Speedway. The Nellis Air Force Base Visitor Center is located at the intersection of North Las Vegas Boulevard and Craig Road, so this destination is easy to find. Nellis AFB is the home of the Thunderbirds so this is an exciting place to be! The fun really starts when the USAF Thunderbirds practice tight formation aerobatics within view or when an air show is taking place. Nellis Air Force Base hosts many great events that include antique air shows and the general public is welcome to attend. The visitor center offers  plenty of information about upcoming events, so be sure to check it out!

The Las Vegas Speedway in North Las Vegas is literally located right across the street from Nellis AFB. NASCAR organizes the biggest race in Las Vegas and this city is flooded with stock car fans during NASCAR weekend. The NASCAR parties on the Las Vegas Strip and Fremont Street do get wild, so there is never a dull moment to be found! Nearly every major casino resort books top country western music acts during NASCAR week just to make the race fans feel right at home.  

Local racing, dirt track racing and NHRA Drag Racing events also take place at the Las Vegas Speedway. Exotic Racing is the name of a local company that rents sports cars and track time for those who wish to do a little bit of racing while visiting town. Booking track time with this company in advance is the way to go, because this is a popular attraction.  

The Electric Daisy Carnival is yet another famous event that takes place at the Las Vegas Speedway. Hundreds of thousands of party animals attended the three day EDC concert event, so this is quite a big extravaganza! Tickets for EDC usually sell out the first day, so it pays to keep an eye out for the event date.    

There are a few old classic casinos from the golden age of Las Vegas that can be found in the north end of the valley and they are now local hangouts. The old Poker Palace, Jerry’s Nugget and the Silver Nugget Bowling Alley Casino are all lined up in this section of town. There are a few new modern casinos in North Las Vegas that offer good value too. 

North Las Vegas is well worth checking out, especially if there is a big event going on at Nellis AFB or the Las Vegas Speedway! North Las Vegas development has lagged behind the rest of the valley in recent years, but this is starting to change. For the time being, North Las Vegas still is a place to mingle in the local casinos and some good south of the border food can be found in this end of town, which is like a dream come true for tourists that crave the real flavors of the west!