Sin City. Kitschy. Flashy. Tacky. Fabulous. Over the top. Regardless of how you describe Las Vegas, one thing we can all agree on is that it’s a city like no other. From the sweltering heat (especially in the summer), to the large crowds, and the promoters on the strip, it’s a sight to behold. Especially when it’s lit up at night. Paris may be the city of lights, but Vegas should at least be in the top 3.
Additionally, there’s something for everyone, whether you want a wild pool party, a relaxing spa getaway, or something in between. Sin City is designed to keep you entertained, satisfied, satiated, and distracted from the real world outside its glittering borders. So let’s get into the exciting things to do in Las Vegas.
Landmarks
Being such a unique and well-loved spot, you’ll find many famous landmarks in Vegas. These include the Strip’s replicas of landmarks from other popular cities, a museum dedicated to neon signage, and the classic Welcome to Las Vegas sign. If visiting this super fun city, make sure you don’t miss these must-see Vegas landmarks!
THE most well-known landmark in Las Vegas is the Fabulous Las Vegas sign. That sign is pretty much synonymous with Las Vegas. So you must stop in for a photo! While it does get crowded, there is an organized line and people were very respectful to take their photos and quickly leave. The line went by quick!
Other well-known landmarks are the Bellagio Fountains (and their conservatory & botanical garden), the fire show at The Mirage, and ‘The Strip.’ The Strip is essentially S Las Vegas Blvd lined with hotels, restaurants, bars, and houses the most fun things to do in Las Vegas.
The Eiffel Tower is also an incredible landmark. About half the size of the original, the Eiffel Tower at the Paris Hotel is still an impressive sight and one of the most famous places. Don’t miss the view from the Eiffel Tower Viewing Deck.
Attractions
There are so many fun things to do in this exciting city. With so many attractions and so little time, you’re probably wondering where to start. Want to drive Ferraris, shoot machine guns or go ziplining? Maybe other activities like taking in the best views of the Strip aboard the High Roller and checking out a museum are more your style. Las Vegas attractions are some of the best in the world, so come check out all the activities you can’t do at home.
See Las Vegas from an aerial viewpoint with a helicopter ride. Scared of heights? Exotics Racing Las Vegas lets you choose from over 50 exotic cars. Why not see Vegas from a gondola ride at The Venetian? Super romantic for couples!
History buffs can check out The Mob Museum, while pop fans will enjoy taking photos next to their favorite celebs’ wax figures at Madame Tussauds Las Vegas. Enjoy all you can drink for 30 minutes at the LINQ High Roller Happy Half Hour attraction.
Family-Friendly Attractions
For families, I recommend checking out the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay. See more than 2,000 animals, including sharks, giant rays, endangered green sea turtles, piranha and a Komodo dragon. This unique exhibit gives you the chance to dive with a higher concentration of exotic sharks than you’d ever find in the wild.
Furthermore, families can head to Discovery Children’s Museum, a nonprofit children’s museum dedicated to providing access to fun and exciting STEM educational experiences.
Shopping
Sin City specializes in making dreams come true. And isn’t it every shopaholic’s dream to have all of your favorite stores in one place? With an amazing variety of specialty shops, outstanding anchor stores, luxury brand boutiques and unprecedented dining, Las Vegas delivers nearly 7 million square feet of shopping bliss.
Before you shop your way through the city, be sure to print out or pick up the Shop Vegas Passport and watch below for some insider tips from Vegas ON about the great deals, complimentary gifts and/or discounts you can unlock with the passport at any of the Shop Vegas partner locations.
High-End Shopping
Part of ARIA Las Vegas, The Shops at Crystals is an amazing collection of 50 of the finest luxury brands in the world. Anchored by flagship stores including Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Tom Ford, Prada, Dior, Fendi, Tiffany & Co., and the largest Louis Vuitton in North America.
The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace is recognized worldwide as offering the premier combination of luxury retail and dining destinations; excellent location, entertainment and thematic ambient surroundings with more than 160 specialty shops and restaurants.
Discover Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian Resort, an enchanting shopping and dining destination in the heart of The Venetian Resort on the Las Vegas Strip. Stroll cobblestone walkways with illuminated, painted-sky ceilings, exploring award-winning flavors and signature shopping.
Budget Shopping
On a budget? Check out the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. Located right on The Strip, Miracle Mile Shops features 200 retail favorites. Shop at H&M, Sephora, GUESS, lululemon, Morphe, The Raider Image, Urban Outfitters and more, as well as affordable restaurants like Nacho Daddy and Cabo Wabo Cantina.
On the north and south end of the Strip, you’ll find two premium outlets.
Parties & Nightlife
Vegas is a 24-hour city, which means that when the sun goes down, the party is just getting started. No matter what kind of experience you’re looking for, from classy cocktails at high-end lounges to hardcore dance clubs perfect for busting your signature moves, you won’t want to stop until the sun comes up. Even then, you’ll have only enough time for a quick power nap before heading out to the nearest pool club to start the revelries all over again.
Daytime Fun
When in Vegas, I highly recommend the pool parties! Whether you are young, or young at heart, it was such a blast. Most of the hotels on The Strip offer onsite pool parties. Some of my personal recommendations are the Sapphire Pool & Day Club, Drai’s, Tao Beach Club, and the Flamingo GO! Pool Party.
Nighttime Fun
The nighttime fun opportunities are truly endless! You can go gambling at the various casinos, watch a sporting event at the MGM Grand, or watch your favorite singers in residency. Some of the most popular residencies of all time include Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, Chery, and one of the newest members Usher. Additionally, partygoers can head to the various nightclubs.
If you’re ready to leave The Strip for a night, enjoy The Fremont Street Experience. Ready to get to know Las Vegas’ original scene? Long before the towering mega-resorts, Cirque shows, and 24/7 nightlife and entertainment of the Strip came to define Las Vegas forever, there was Fremont Street. Situated north of the Las Vegas Strip in Downtown Las Vegas, Fremont Street was the city’s actual birthplace, famous for block after block of the city’s most iconic neon signs and marquees adorning some of Las Vegas’ first casinos, like Binion’s Horseshoe, the Golden Nugget, the Pioneer Club, and many more.
If you’re looking for something a little lower speed, check out the many shows such as Cirque du Soleil or Blue Man Group.
Food & Drinks
The dining scene has such a large range. From cheap In-N-Out burgers (a west-coast MUST!), to moderately priced chains like Bubba Gump, to the famous chef-named restaurants. Today, Las Vegas covers just about every genre of food imaginable at every price point. Here’s a guide to help you dig in where it matters.
Buffets
Whether you’re heading to a Las Vegas buffet because it’s a great value, because you can try a wide variety of delicious foods from around the world, or just because it’s a low-key Las Vegas must-do, there’s something for every hungry belly, at every time of the day. From Wicked Spoon buffet inside of The Cosmopolitan to the oppulent Bacchanal Buffet inside of Caesars Palace.
I can’t mention the dining scene here without include buffets as it is a large part of the dining scene here. It’s not your typical Golden Corral, so don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it!
Celeb Chefs
Nowhere in the world can you find as many celebrity chefs in one compact space as in Las Vegas. More than 40 big-name chefs have hung their shingles at one of the resorts along the Strip, giving tourists who visit Sin City every year an ample variety of very good and very splashy places to dine.
If you’re in the market for a fancy dinner, there’s sushi from Nobu Matsuhisa at Caesars Palace and Virgin Hotels. Grab truffle and artichoke soup at Guy Savoy’s namesake French restaurant at Caesars Palace. You can also go all in with steaks and a pre-nightclub party scene at STK at the Cosmopolitan. See what all the table-side service is about at Carbone at Aria. Enjoy Italian at either Bobby’s Flay restaurant “Amalfi” or Giada’s self-named restaurant.
Unique Restaurants
One of my personal favorite restaurants was the Top of the World restaurant, found at The Stratosphere. With a dining room that revolves 360 degrees every 80 minutes while showcasing spectacular views of the Las Vegas valley and an award-winning menu of steaks and seafood complemented by fresh, seasonal ingredients, Top of the World is unrivaled for the quintessential Las Vegas experience.
Another unique experience was grabbing post-dinner drinks at The Chandelier Bar within The Cosmopolitan. We ordered the famous “verbena” drink that numbs your mouth for a bit.
Nature & Outdoors
Las Vegas makes a great base for exploring the great outdoors. If you’re staying longer than 3 nights, I recommend taking a day trip to explore the beautiful terrain outside of Sin City.
The most popular locations to visit are the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Antelope Canyon, and Horseshoe Bend. My group ended up heading to Red Rock Canyon. Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area lies in Nevada’s Mojave Desert. It’s known for geological features such as towering red sandstone peaks and the Keystone Thrust Fault, as well as Native American petroglyphs. Panoramic viewing spots dot the 13-mile Scenic Drive. The sheltered Ice Box Canyon has seasonal waterfalls. To the south, Spring Mountain Ranch State Park features historic buildings and hiking trails.
We were able to combine that with a quick photo stop at Seven Magic Mountains. Desert art installation featuring 7 painted boulder totems up to 35 ft. high by Ugo Rondinone.
Las Vegas Hotel Highlights
ARIA Resort & Casino
Discover a world of illuminating experiences at AAA Five Diamond ARIA Resort & Casino, where world-class dining and five-star service converge with in-room technologies and award-winning rooms and suites.
Bellagio Las Vegas
Water is a centerpiece at Bellagio Resort & Casino. More than its iconic water show, there is the underwater story of “O” by Cirque du Soleil, fine dining restaurants, multiple pools, a luxury shopping center, and a casino space worthy of its Italian heritage.
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