Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
Easter Island, Machu Picchu, and other celebrated wonders of the world are certainly impressive. But Las Vegas…Las Vegas is a land where jungles thrive and fountains dance in the middle of the desert. It's a place that unites medieval England and ancient Egypt with modern-day Venice, Paris, and New York. It's a never-ending source of irony and improbability where you can turn a chip and a chair into a million dollars, or celebrate your shotgun wedding by shooting machine guns. Where else does such a wonderland exist? Nowhere. But. Vegas.
The smallish city (geographically) is larger than life, with a collective energy (and excess) that somehow feels intimate. Maybe it's the agreeable chimes and intermittent cheers from the casino floor that fade to tranquillity when you enter a sumptuous spa. Maybe it’s the fish flown in nightly from the Mediterranean that lands on your plate. For each individual, Vegas is an equation where you + more = more of you: more chances to explore aspects of your personality that may be confined by the routine of daily life. It's for this reason alone that the "what happens here stays here" phenomenon is shared by so many visitors.
The city itself has a number of different faces. For a dose of history, head Downtown and explore everything from old casinos to a museum that pays homage to the mobsters who built them. For fun, glitz, and glamour, head to the Strip, which itself has three distinct sections (South, Center, North). For outdoor adventure, head west and south, either to the Spring Mountains beyond Summerlin or out to Hoover Dam and Lake Mead—man-made accomplishments of an entirely different sort. Along the way, you can pamper yourself at world-class spas and restaurants, engage in retail therapy at some of the best shopping spots in the world, dance the night away at rocking nightclubs, or—of course—court Lady Luck long enough to strike it rich. With the right itinerary, Vegas even can work for families with young kids.
The museum also offers virtual tours of the 1,375-square-mile Nevada National Security Site (larger than the state of Rhode Island) and is the starting point for occasional in-person group tours of the test site, which is still operational 65 miles northwest of Downtown. These tours book as much as a year ahead, with museum donors getting first chance.
While admission to the facility is technically free—though advance reservations can get you in faster on busy nights—almost all of the attractions require you to pay a separate admission: Omega Mart is an otherworldly convenience store, which leads into a walk-through funhouse full of immersive art from the Santa Fe–based arts collective Meow Wolf (it's also the most expensive individual experience); Wink World is full of art and tech surprises courtesy of Chris Wink, a co-founder and original member of the Blue Man Group; Museum Fiasco is an immersive, disorienting clublike bombardment of light and sound. Peripheral attractions include axe-throwing, golf and racing simulators, and rides on ski-lift chairs suspended from a ceiling track. You can also simply chill out with a cocktail under a canopy in The Sanctuary lounge or beneath a luminescent tree in the Oddwood Bar in the center of it all. Food choices include burgers at The Beast or sushi at Kaia. If you are just looking to visit Omega Mart, you can avoid the more expensive "Experience" tickets by buying a general admission ticket on the Meow Wolf site ( meowwolf.com).
The original building is joined by other attractions just to the west, the latest being an interactive experience themed after the John Wick movie franchise. The Illuminarium offers a Rolling Stone magazine-branded history of rock and pop music called Amplified, including a montage of every single Rolling Stone cover on a projection surface that is 20 feet tall.
And that's all just in the main, original building. AREA15 was so instantly popular that a massive 20-acre expansion to the north was set to begin unveiling new attractions by the end of 2025. The anchor will be Universal Horror Unleashed, centered around four themed haunted houses (the classic Universal monsters, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Scarecrow: The Reaping, and The Exorcist: Believer) from the folks behind the Halloween attractions at Universal Studios. New retail and a non-gaming hotel will be part of the expansion. Admission to the building is free, but online reservations let you skip lines out front and may be required on busy nights.
An intriguing concentration of antiques shops and galleries is found on East Charleston Boulevard and Casino Center Drive, anchored by The Arts Factory. This former warehouse with a colorful mural on the front houses studios and galleries for art of all types, including painting, photography, and sculpture. There's also a bistro on-site and a drop-in yoga studio. The Arts Factory comes alive on First Friday every month with gallery openings, exhibits, receptions, and special events. Preview Thursday, the day before First Friday, offers the same artwork with fewer crowds. Guided tours are available on request (and with a reservation).
The opulent entrance, fountains, Roman statuary, bas-reliefs, and roaming centurions all add up to the iconic, over-the-top Las Vegas hotel. Here you can get your picture taken with Caesar, Cleopatra, and the centurion guard; find the reproduction of Michelangelo's David; or amble along Roman streetscapes in The Forum Shops to see replicas of famous fountains in Italy. Vegas history is alive and well here, too, with the prominent main porte cochere and the old-school casino with crystal chandeliers. Several renovations and the addition of Nobu Hotel have ensured the resort remains current. Shopping here at The Forum Shops is among the best in the city. The hotel's pool complex, dubbed Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis, is arguably the nicest set-up on the Strip.
This attraction is perfect for individuals and groups who like to play in a life-size sandbox—and use big toys to do it. In this case, the toys are heavy construction machinery: bulldozers, excavators, wheel loaders, backhoes, mini-excavators, and skid-steer track loaders. Guests don hard hats and spend 90 minutes or more driving the equipment on a big dirt lot, moving around giant tires, digging holes, and more. You can even crush a car, in an Aggression Session, and you can request specific equipment. There are experiences for kids starting as young as age 2 (15 minutes), up to 2 1/2 hours for teen-agers. Or book a group session, to give team-building a whole new meaning.
The acres taken up by the mega-resorts mean that open space is a premium on the Strip, which makes The Park a refreshing departure. Roughly situated between New York–New York and Park MGM, it reaches from the Strip itself west to T-Mobile Arena, home to the city's first professional sports franchise, the Vegas Golden Knights hockey team. Along the way, The Park offers natural touches such as desert vegetation and rock from local quarries. It also has features such as a water wall, shade structures made to look like trees, and a 40-foot-tall statue of a dancing naked woman named "Bliss Dance." Restaurants offer outdoor seating and games for patrons to play while they relax.
If the sun is blazing, the kids are antsy, and you need a place to while away a few hours, make for the big pink dome behind Circus Circus. The 5-acre amusement park has more than 25 rides and attractions for all age levels and is kept at a constant cool temperature. The El Loco roller coaster ride includes a barrel roll and a number of G-force drops. Also check out the Canyon Blaster, the world's only indoor double-loop, double-corkscrew roller coaster, a huge swinging pirate ship, bumper cars, kiddie rides, two Bank Heist Laser Challenges, and much more. Families looking for gentler experiences will find them on the B.C. Bus, Drifters, Circus Carousel, and Road Runner. Catch a presentation of "Ice Age 4D: No Time for Nuts" or the Scooby Doo in "Scoob!4D Experience," or computer-generated iterations of the Angry Birds. There also are arcade and midway games, and Circus Circus clowns roam throughout the area. Neon Nights after dark on Friday and Saturday give everything a whole new glow. Kids under 33 inches ride free with a paying adult.
Glistening like a futuristic oasis in the heart of the Strip, ARIA is a modern spin on the Las Vegas casino of old. Its soaring, three-story atrium is bathed in natural light (a novel concept in this town). The casino has windows, too. Many onlookers come to marvel at the artwork in the atrium, including Maya Lin's Silver River, an 84-foot sculpture of reclaimed silver that mirrors the route of the Colorado River and hangs in the lobby behind the check-in desk. Much like the gardens at properties such as Bellagio and Wynn, the floral arrangements here change with the seasons. Other remarkable attractions include restaurant offerings on the mezzanine, as well as the design of the high-limit rooms, which are masked from the rest of the casino by opaque stained glass. ARIA remains one of the largest buildings in the world to achieve LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
\nARIA boasts more than $42 million in public art by 15 artists. Pieces range from sculptures to paintings and elaborate fountains. Our favorite: Big Edge, an amalgam of kayaks and canoes by Nancy Rubins in the adjacent mall, The Shops at Crystals.
Step into the past (quite literally) at this modest museum, a 30-acre site that features a small exhibit hall with a time-line exhibit about southern Nevada from prehistoric to modern times. The facility also offers a collection of restored historic buildings that depict daily life from different decades in Las Vegas, Boulder City, Henderson, and Goldfield. Other attractions include a replica of a 19th-century frontier print shop and a 1960s wedding chapel that once stood on the Las Vegas Strip. There are also buildings and machinery dating from the turn of the 20th century, a nature trail, and a small ghost town. The museum also hosts a memorial to the 58 people killed in the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting. If you can't get to the Las Vegas Springs Preserve, west of the Strip, this is a worthwhile substitute.
As Las Vegas grew, so did the amount of treated water released by its wastewater treatment plant. Recycled water making its way back to Lake Mead carved out a "wash" that needed to be constrained by a series of porous dams (known as weirs); the county turned it into a 2,900-acre refuge in 1999. Its wide-open spaces offer the unique charm of being able to see the Strip one minute, then be completely disoriented as you descend down winding paths surrounded by tall grass. All sorts of birds and critters call the place home, from great blue herons to beavers. The area is open daily from dawn to dusk; there's an impressive Nature Center (open from 9 to 3) complete with a small museum and children's area. But there's no restaurant or food service beyond a few bags of chips in the gift shop. Dogs and bicycles are allowed on the outer loop trail, but not in the inner core of the preserve.
The DISCOVERY Children's Museum is one of the most technologically sophisticated children's museums in the entire country. The facility comprises nine theme exhibition halls, all of which are designed to inspire visitors—both children and adults—to learn through play. The star of the show: a 12-story exhibit dubbed "The Summit," with education stations on every level and a lookout that peeks through the building's roof. Parents of the smallest visitors will also love "Toddler Town," an area designed for those who are still crawling or just learning how to walk. "Fantasy Festival," another exhibit, comprises a life-size pirate ship (yes, really), and ample clothes for kiddos to dress up.
This open-air shopping mall with more than 125 stores and restaurants sits at the center of the Summerlin planned community, and, since it opened in 2014, has become the very heart of town. Locals are delighted to have name-brand stores such as lululemon and Sur la Table around the corner, and on-site restaurants are always packed. On Saturday, the mall hosts a farmers' market from 9 am to 2 pm; other events are scheduled throughout the year. The mall has its own movie theater with luxury seats and a full bar, and is a short walk from Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa. In spring 2019, Downtown Summerlin welcomed another tenant: the Las Vegas Ballpark, home to the Las Vegas Aviators, the AAA affiliate of the Oakland Athletics.
Ethel M celebrated its 35th anniversary in 2016 and renovated its Henderson factory to commemorate the occasion. Today, watching gourmet chocolates being made on one of the daily tours will make your mouth water; fortunately the self-guided tour is brief, and there are free samples at the end. You can buy more of your favorites in the store. There are also chocolate tasting experiences beginning at $25, where you will learn about how chocolate is sourced and produced and become an honorary chocolatier complete with certificate afterward. Randomly, the factory also happens to be home to the largest cactus garden in the southwestern United States, and hosts spectacular light displays at Christmas, Easter, and Halloween.
Just next to the pool area at the Flamingo Las Vegas, a flamboyance of live Chilean flamingos lives on islands and in streams surrounded by sparkling waterfalls and lush foliage. Other animals on-site include swans, ducks, koi, sturgeons, brown pelicans, hummingbirds, and turtles. The 4-acre habitat makes for a fun, brief stroll. Learn more during the Keeper Talks at 10 am.
Formerly known as Pole Position, this electric miniature race car track is now part of a chain with locations all over the country. If it's no longer a uniquely Las Vegas experience, it's still likely the only location next door to a casino (The Palms). And the appeal of souped-up carts that reach up to 45 mph is undeniable on a hot summer day. You and up to 12 competitors zip around the ¼-mile indoor track full of twists and turns. Computers track your overall performance from race to race, and over multiple visits. You'll get a score sheet giving a detailed score breakdown to compare with your friends. There's a pizza lounge with beer and wine for spectators.
This 320-acre, man-made lake outside Henderson is regarded for its golf courses, boating, fishing, and hotels. Two resorts sit on the lake shore: Hilton Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa and The Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa. The lake was created by an earthen dam in 1991.
If your kids are into animals (or taxidermy), they'll love this museum, where every continent and geological age is represented. You're greeted by a 35-foot-tall roaring T. rex in the dinosaur gallery that features Shonisaurus, Nevada's state fossil. From there, you can enjoy rooms full of sharks (including live ones, swimming in a 3,000-gallon reef tank), birds, cavemen, and scenes from the African savanna. Kids especially enjoy the various hands-on exhibits; the Young Scientist Center offers youngsters the opportunity to investigate fossils and animal tracks up close. After that, tour the Wild Nevada Gallery, where kids can see, smell, and even touch Nevada wildlife. Two-for-one ticket coupons are available online.
See several different sports franchises under one roof. This indoor events center (formerly The Dollar Loan Center) is home to the Henderson Silver Knights of the American Hockey League, the Vegas Knight Hawks of the Indoor Football League, the Vegas Thrill women's pro volleyball team, and the Las Vegas Desert Dogs lacrosse squad. The arena also houses the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame and the Craggy Range Sports Bar & Grill, which is open when there's an event at the venue.
Welcome to the land of the Egyptians—Vegas-style. This modern-world wonder is topped with a xenon light beam that burns brighter than any other in the world and can be seen from nearly anywhere in the Valley at night; it's supposedly visible even from space. The exterior is made with 13 acres of black glass, and you won't easily forget elevators; climbing the slanted walls of the Luxor pyramid requires four "inclinators" to reach guest rooms. Above the casino is the world's largest atrium—you get the full impact of the space from the second floor, where the 13 whole-body specimens and 260 organs and partial body specimens of Bodies ... The Exhibition offers a look at what makes us tick. Or take in Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, or Discovering King Tut's Tomb; if you're 21 and older, you can play around on the physical, memory, and puzzle games in the Play Playground bar. And you may be interested in the new e-sports arena HyperX (the only one currently in Las Vegas), which replaced the hotel's dance club and offers gaming opportunities when it's not in use for scheduled competitions. This also is the site of one of the city's remaining buffets. For something entirely unique, head outside the casino, walk past the porte cochere, and follow the sidewalk inside a replica of the Great Sphinx of Giza. Only in Vegas.
Revel in the fabulousness of Demi Lovato, Post Malone, Travis Barker, and Bad Bunny as you explore the open showroom filled with an ever-changing array of uncanny celebrity wax portrayals of people from the worlds of show business, sports, politics, and everywhere in between. Crowd-pleasers include Lizzo, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Jack Harlow, Megan Thee Stallion, Steve Aoki, Snoop Dog, Captain America, and Miley Cyrus. In the Marvel Universe 4-D film, you can actually feel (as well as watch and hear) your heroes save the world. Hit the bar at The Hangover Experience to immerse yourself in a storied Las Vegas romp and enjoy a cocktail while you're at it. Or get a wax model of your very own hand for a truly unique souvenir.
Mandalay Bay is famous for a few things: the House of Blues, which brings in some epic concerts throughout the year; the Shark Reef Aquarium, which boasts a 1.6-million-gallon saltwater tank and more than 2,000 animals; and an A-list series of restaurants. A pastiche of flavors is the attraction there, including StripSteak and the Mediterranean Orla from internationally acclaimed chef Michael Mina and the more casual Border Grill from Chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger of TV's Two Hot Tamales fame. Technically the complex hosts three separate hotel brands: Mandalay, W Las Vegas, and the Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas. If you're into views, W's rooftop Rivea, from French culinary lion Alain Ducasse, Skyfall Panoramic Bar & Lounge, and House of Blues Foundation Room on the 64th floor can make you the equal of any bird.
\nAlso worth noting: minus5° Ice Bar, which is located in the Mandalay Place shopping corridor that connects Mandalay Bay with Luxor; for the price of admission you get to borrow a parka, waltz into a sub-zero drinking establishment, and throw back vodka from a glass made of ice.
A regal bronze rendering of the roaring MGM lion mascot fronts the four emerald-green, fortress-like towers of the MGM Grand, one of the largest hotels in the world. Over the years, the property has become synonymous with big fights, most of which take place in the hotel's Grand Garden Arena, and big entertainment from the likes of David Copperfield and Papa Roach, plus Cirque du Soleil's Ka. In recent years, the property also has added Hakkasan, an upscale restaurant and nightclub; Topgolf Las Vegas, a state-of-the-art driving range; and Brad Garrett's Comedy Club, where the beloved comic from Everybody Loves Raymond performs regularly. The hotel also has its share of celebrity restaurants, from the elegance of the late Joel Robuchon to the innovation of Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto to the comforting Nellie's Southern Kitchen from the Jonas Brothers family.
If you can't win the jackpot at the casino, try winning your sweetheart a teddy bear instead. Here you can play, from a selection of 200, the latest up-to-date video games and old-time midway games like the dime toss, milk can, bushel basket, Skee-Ball, and Pop-A-Shot. Cash is no longer accepted for the games; load up a Midway Playcard and play away—or turn the kids loose. Beginning at 1:30 pm daily, acrobats, high-wire walkers, jugglers, and trapeze artists perform free shows on the circus stage.
Southern Nevada's oldest historic site was built by Mormons in 1855 to give refuge to travelers along the Salt Lake–Los Angeles trail, many of whom were bound for the California goldfields. Left to Native Americans after the gold rush, the adobe fort was later revitalized by a miner and his partners. In 1895 it was turned into a resort, and the city's first swimming pool was constructed by damming Las Vegas Creek. Today the restored fort contains more than half the original bricks. Antiques and artifacts help to re-create a turn-of-the-20th-century Mormon living room.
At this homage to the City of Light, replicas of the Arc de Triomphe, Paris Opera House, Hôtel de Ville, and Louvre, along with an Around the World in Eighty Days balloon marquee, are magnifique, but the crowning achievement is the 50-story, half-scale replica of the Eiffel Tower, where guests are whisked 460 feet to the top for spectacular views of the Valley. Need more near-authenticity? Look up at the ceiling painted like a sky with clouds and pretend you're actually in France.
It's hard to miss this place; the "Pinball" sign is so big, we swear it can be seen from space. This fun facility has more than 25,000 square feet filled with games created between the 1940s and the 1990s, including old wood-rail models, and all of them are available for play for 25 to 50 cents a game. There are more than 350 games, catalogued and mapped on the museum's website. Though this may sound more like an arcade than a museum, it's under the auspices of the Las Vegas Pinball Collectors Club and is a nonprofit with the goal of preserving these pieces of Americana and sharing the joy of the silver ball. All excess revenues go to the Salvation Army.
