Journalist Raoul Duke (Depp) and his attorney Dr. Gonzo (del Toro) travel to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1971 to cover the Mint 400 motorcycle race for a sports magazine, and experience a haphazardly-planned vacation. The working vacation is experienced while the two consume copious amounts of illegal drugs and alcohol, commit various acts of fraud, and generally wreak havoc upon the citizens of Las Vegas.