Las Vegas Attractions Guide: Things To Do in the Las Vegas Area

Spotlight

Las Vegas

Attractions

Most people prefer to discover Vegas at their own pace, but several companies offer tours of both the city and its surroundings (from Hoover Dam/Lake Mead to Red Rock Canyon); you’ll find discount coupons galore in the town’s dozens of freebie magazines, including in the Yellow Pages. The most reliable tour outfit is Gray Line Tours (702/384-1234); we’re partial to their five-hour Neon & Lights Tour (Mon–Fri 6.30pm; $39.95). Advance reservations usually aren’t necessary, except during major holiday, conventions, and special-events (like Super Bowl weekend), but booking ahead can net some decent web-only discounts.

Once in the city, you’ll find that the vast casino-hotels are deceptively farther apart than they seem. While we do recommend walking the Strip, you can take a break by hopping on board the monorail (daily 7am—2am; $5/ticket or $15/full-day pass) that runs between the MGM Grand and The Sahara with a station at the Las Vegas Convention Center (just east of the Strip) and stops at nine casinos.

The Strip
Roughly four miles long, Las Vegas Boulevard South, AKA The Strip, is perhaps the planet’s most fabled piece of real estate, its many architectural recreations of the world’s wonders accented by neon artistry. Walking is the best way to drink it all in, keeping time with the various enthralling spectacles (free) along the route (arrive early for the most popular). We’ve listed our favorite stops here, to help you make the most of your visit.

Best of breed is the Bellagio (3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S.), the resort that redefined Vegas with public areas loaded with art masterpieces, including the world’s largest Dale Chihuly glass installation in the lobby, and a classy casino with leather chairs, famous faces, and the town’s cushiest Race and Sports Book and poker rooms (you’d better know how to play). Table action aside, the $40 million, intricately synchronized water ballet, Fountains of Bellagio (Mon–Fri 3pm–midnight, Sat–Sun noon–midnight, every half hour to 8pm; every 15 minutes thereafter; free), also makes a real splash, with over 1000 spouting multi-colored flumes kick-stepping like Rockettes to the inimitable accompaniment of Sinatra, Pavarotti, Gene Kelly “Singin’ in the Rain” and, fittingly for the sumptuous property, “Hey Big Spender!” This showstopper even stops cars and is best appreciated either from across Strip at the charming Mon Ami Gabi bistro at the Paris (where you can also ride the half-scale Eiffel Tower for a fee), or from Bellagio’s incomparably elegant Fontana Bar.

Running a close second is the Venetian (3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S.), another dazzling fantasy resort. The Venetian has a lot more than gambling to offer, mind you, as the "neighborhoods" lining both sides of the Grand Canal Shoppes boast genuine marble balconies and cobblestone streets. Street performers (opera singers, magicians, jugglers, and living statues) and artisans (like glass-blowers) parade in lavish costumes. No visit here is complete without a gondola ride (Sun–Thurs 10am–11pm, Fri–Sat 10am—midnight; $15) along the quarter-mile-long Grand Canal (above the casino, no less) in a gondola equipped with a tiny, whirring motor. You’ll also find the Guggenheim-Hermitage here (daily 9.30am–8.30pm; $19.50) the first long-term collaborative alliance between two of the world’s greatest museums. Some 40 artworks (the likes of Picasso, Renoir, Kandinsky, and Rauschenberg) are hung, somewhat controversially, with magnets on Cor-Ten steel walls.

Also not to miss is the newest contender on the scene, the gleaming-glass Wynn Las Vegas (3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S.). This most recent creation of Steve Wynn (the visionary behind the Bellagio and the Mirage) is the first (and only) hotel/casino to bear his name. With its $2.7 billion price tag and big-name chefs and boutiques, the hotel arguably sets the new Strip standard for opulence. But it scrupulously avoids any theme whatsoever, offering the sort of glossy, frosty elegance you’d expect of a top-tier New York hotel – the antithesis of the Vegas ethos/aesthetic Wynn helped fashion. Its showiest aspects are the curved brass-trimmed escalators that access a patio fronting the Lake of Dreams, a lagoon with a tiered 70-foot waterfall that transforms into a multimedia show. The place may augur the new Wynn-ing Vegas formula.

Caesars Palace (3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) isn’t far behind in the swank department, with its high-stake slots, high-roller areas, mirrors, and marble columns; its Sports Book remains the place for odds-making. Meanwhile, the onsite Forum Shops at Caesars patented the concept of shopping as entertainment with its trompe l’oeil design that melds fountain-and-statue filled Roman streetscapes with the arcades of Milan’s La Scala. The whole kit and kaboodle is set below a “sky” ceiling that switches from sunrise to sunset hourly.

Once done with ancient Rome, head to the Luxor (3900 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) for a glimpse of ancient Egypt. A black-glass pyramid, 10-story Sphinx (half as big as the original), and Cleopatra’s Needle obelisk are all remodeled here; the pyramid holds the casino and is actually one of only two man-made objects visible from space (the other is the Great Wall of China), thanks to its 315,000-watt laser beam (supposedly the most powerful light on earth). Inside is equally impressive, with a richly decorated sanctum that at almost captures the awe and majesty of the Pharaohs.

The Mirage (3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) also earns “magma” cum laude from first timers for the shooting steam, simulated lava (actually sprays of colored water), and flames that leap 100 feet into the air from its erupting Volcano (daily 6pm–midnight every hour; free). The Mirage’s exquisitely landscaped grounds also hold Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden/Dolphin Habitat (Mon–Fri 11am-5.30pm, Sat–Sun 10am–5.30pm; $15), which showcases truly magical white tigers, white lions of Timbavati, Bengal tigers, and even a snow leopard in an Asian-themed garden complete with pagodas, Buddhas, Hindu deity statues, and rock gardens.

Finally, the intersection of Tropicana and the Strip holds four major casino/hotels. Of these, New York-New York (3790 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) is photo-op worthy as it recreates Greenwich Village, not to mention both Wall Street and Central Park in its casino, while the MGM Grand (3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S.), one of the world’s largest hotels, is home to the superb Lion Habitat, where glass walkways allow lions (who carry on the legacy of the original MGM mascot, Metro) to prowl, groom, and sleep above and below visitors.

Off the Strip
It’s not all about The Strip in Vegas, though you’d certainly be forgiven for thinking as much. Some of our favorite places in Sin City are off this fabled piece of real-estate and are must stops for any visitor.

It’s impossible not to rub elbows with celebrities at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino (4455 Paradise Rd.), two blocks east of the Strip. Damon to Diddy to Diaz and Stiller to Spears to Stern perform, gamble, dine, booze, sunbathe, and/or guest star in the racy Beacher’s Madhouse late-night revue. The nifty circular casino sports rock-and-roll themed guitar-neck-handle slots, saxophone chandeliers, and purple or leopard-spot tables shaped like guitars and pianos (though, alas, the house rules aren’t as favorable as they’d been). When you’ve hit the jackpot, blow it on drinks and party favors at the Beach Club, a veritable voyeur’s and exhibitionist’s delight that seduces with lush landscaping, mini-beaches, lazy rivers, swim-up blackjack, an underwater sound system, and more.

Also off the Strip is downtown, AKA Glitter Gulch, the “historic” part of a town that continually implodes its landmark hotels to build ever more palatial fantasy-resorts. It was literally reenergized by the Fremont Street Experience, a seven-block pedestrian mall semi-enclosed by a 90-foot vaulted steel-mesh canopy sprinkled with 12 million LED lamps; the free shows here put the glitter back in Glitter Gulch with several mind-boggling (if neck-craning) and technically striking sound-and-light extravaganzas (nightly, every hour beginning at dusk).

Another downtown reclamation project, the $100 million Neonopolis mall (450 Fremont St.), is most noteworthy for its Neon Museum (Tue–Fri 11am–5pm by appointment only at 702/387-6366; prices vary), an exhibit that rescued neon-lit classics like the bygone Hacienda Hotel’s horse and cowboy (1967), the Flame Restaurant’s flickering signage (1961), and the original Aladdin resort’s lamp (1966).

Don’t leave the area without playing a hand in a downtown casino. The ones that maintain addresses here are down-and-dirtier (and more serious) than their Strip counterparts and you can expect to find some real character – and characters – in their smoky interiors. Our favorite by far is the El Cortez (600 E. Fremont St.), Bugsy Siegel’s first property, and one of the city's oldest hotel. It’s popular among curmudgeonly patrons who love the single-deck blackjack tables, low buy-ins, tournaments and low-stakes round-the-clock Texas Hold ‘Em.

Other Attractions
Crave Vegas excess? 2.5 miles east of the Strip along Tropicana, you can’t miss our top non-casino attraction: the Liberace Museum (1775 E. Tropicana Ave.; Mon–Sat 10am–5pm, Sun noon–4pm except major holidays; $12.50) A gaudy 40-foot neon pink piano graces this shrine to haute tackiness (surprisingly located in a bland strip mall). The first building contains Mr. Showmanship’s rhinestone-encrusted, gold-plated cars and pianos while the second building, entered via a giant rhinestone gateway, showcases flamboyant costumes (chinchilla robes to sequined hot pants), candelabras, and rings (including the world’s largest rhinestone, at 115,000 carats). There are videos, family photos, recreations of his bedroom, and marble statues of naked men (!).

Aficionados could also spend days at Elvis-a-Rama Museum (3401 S. Industrial Rd.; Mon–Sat 10am–6pm; $12.95, $25 including impersonator tribute;) studying the gold records; original movie posters; handwritten lyrics; documents (among them a letter accusing then-girlfriend Anita Wood of cheating on him – sent while he was dallying with Priscilla, that hound dog!); costumes; and cars. Every item is accompanied by anecdotes that expose the man behind the King.

South of Downtown along Las Vegas Boulevard, outside of the official Strip, the Stratosphere Hotel Tower and Thrill Rides (2000 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; Sun–Thurs 10am–1am, Fri–Sat 10am–2am; tower only $9.95, unlimited all-day package $29.95) ranks as the tallest structure west of the Mississippi. The rides here delivers the promised thrills, from 360-degree panoramas at the rotating Top of the World restaurant (splurge on drinks here, not dinner) to three rides 900+ feet above the ground.

Back on the Strip, at its very end, is one of the classiest casinos in town, Mandalay Bay, where you’ll also find the Shark Reef (3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 10am–11pm; $15.95), a sunken, ancient tropical city with faux ruins that forms a habitat for Burmese pythons and virtually extinct golden crocodiles. Look for the 360-degree, 1.3-gallon acrylic tunnel within a sunken treasure ship: several species of sharks are sure to glide by.

Finally, Las Vegas bills itself not only as the “World’s Entertainment Capital,” but also as the “World’s Marriage Capital.” Most top hotels offer one-stop wedding shopping (and spectacular chapels), but our two favorite chapels aren’t associated with any hotel or casino: the Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel (1205 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702/384-0771) ranks as the “King” of fantasy nuptials and the quaint, faux-pine 1942-constructed Little Church of the West (4617 Las Vegas Blvd. S.; 702/739-7971) stages cinematic and real-life ceremonies (Paul Newman, Cindy Crawford, Judy Garland, and Mickey Rooney – and all eight of his wives – have been married here). Note that if you’re thinking of getting married yourself, Clark County doesn’t require blood tests or a waiting period: if you’re at least 18 and unrelated, you can purchase a $55 license at the Clark County Courthouse Marriage License Bureau (201 Clark Ave.; daily 8am–midnight, holidays 24hrs; 702/671-0600).

Other Casinos
For dirt-cheap fun on the Strip, try dive-y Slots A Fun (2890 Las Vegas Blvd. S.), with $1 tables, penny slots, nickel progressive slots (tied in to several machines), bargain hot dogs and Heinekens, enthusiastic players, and a ambience best described as a cross between a honky tonk and a bus depot. Of the many friendly locals’ casinos, try Orleans (4500 W. Tropicana Ave.) for tournaments, fun promotions, some lower-stakes tables, and more; Sam’s Town (5111 Boulder Hwy.), for fair odds, plentiful 25-cent Video Poker, and knowledgeable dealers/patrons; and the Mediterranean-themed Sunset Station (1301 W. Sunset Rd., Henderson, NV), for great odds, well-paying machines, and martinis at the fabulous Gaudi Bar.

Day Trips
It’s easy to forget Vegas’s splendid setting between mountains and desert. In a city of phony horizons and simulated volcanic eruptions, you almost expect animatronic animals and landscapes beyond the city limits. But real wildlife exists past the Strip and, in Vegas, you can actually ski, golf, scuba dive, rock-climb, ride horseback, and/or hike on the same day.

The closer recreational attractions deserve a full day out. Red Rock Canyon is west of the northern Strip, and could be combined with Mount Charleston (also northwest of town), both spectacularly showcasing Vegas as both high desert and mountain location; downtown is a fun, convenient stop on the way back. Hoover Dam and Lake Mead lie in the opposite direction (southeast); take the morning to tour the Dam and the visitor center, then enjoy your choice of recreation (sailing, fishing, sunbathing, diving, et al) in the afternoon, perhaps staying for a sunset paddlewheel cruise on the lake. You’ll need a car to make the most ground in a day; Gray Line (702/384-1234) offers Hoover Dam/Lake Mead and Red Rock Canyon itineraries. Most package tours run between $55 and $140, though internet specials or those freebie magazines’ coupons net an average $10 discount.

The most famous out-of-town sight is Hoover Dam, one of the world’s finest man-made marvels; it formed the recreational wonderland of Lake Mead by stopping the mighty Colorado River. The stark Hoover Dam is an engineering marvel spanning 1244 feet and towering 726 feet above the Black Canyon. Its visitors center (U.S. 93, Boulder City; daily 9am–5pm; $11), 30 miles southeast of town, contains fascinating, funny factoids and historical videos. Meanwhile, all around is Lake Mead, a recreational oasis where locals and visitors alike sail, jetski, waterski, sunbathe on miles of sandy stretches, battle bass, river-raft, and even scuba dive. Delightful cruises on a Mississippi-style paddle wheeler, the Desert Princess, run through the canyon, past colorful rock formations nicknamed Paint Pots, up to the Hoover Dam itself, which is lit spectacularly at night. The Lake Mead Visitors Center (daily 8.30am–4.30pm; US 93 at NV 166) dispenses trail maps, schedules of National Park ranger-led hikes (from wetlands to vividly-hued eroded sandstone formations), and info on activities from bird-watching to boating.

Mt. Charleston is a verdant year-round oasis 60 miles northwest of town that tops out at just under 12,000 feet. The most unexpected recreational opportunity here is the altogether un-glitzy 10-run Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort (open late-Nov to Easter). Mount Charleston is also a welcome summer retreat, when it’s a good 30 degrees cooler than town. Hiking is spectacular here: the six-mile Bristlecone Trail meanders past limestone cliffs and clusters of 4,000-year old bristlecone pines – among the oldest living things in the world – while the Desert View Overlook Trail, where 1950s locals watched mushroom clouds emanate from atomic bomb tests in the nearby desert today offers majestic sunset and valley vistas. The Mt. Charleston Hotel (702/872-5500) and Mt. Charleston Lodge (702/872-5408) – the latter of which has a fab old-time lounge and cozy, romantic log cabins – act as unofficial tourism centers and can arrange grandly scenic horseback or sleigh/carriage rides to boot.

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area ($5/vehicle), 17 miles west of town, is a brilliant crimson splash of ancient sandstone stitched with black obsidian and milky limestone, making it a natural rival to Las Vegas’ neon glitter. The terrain encompasses natural arches and bridges, 3000-foot cliffs, and whimsically shaped boulders. Hiking (and biking along the 13-mile loop) ranges from mild to wild – just avoid the snakes, scorpions and cute-but-rabid roadside wild burros (who practically wear "Feed Me" signs).