The Open Road Travel

Trying to narrow down the 10 best things to do in Las Vegas is like asking a parent to choose their favourite child. With so many fabulous options on offer, selecting just a chosen few out of the sea of opportunities in front of you can seem overwhelming.

However, with a little more in depth examination, there are some options that provide more value than others. That is why we have compiled the following, unbiased list, to try and help you plan the perfect travel itinerary during your stay in Las Vegas.

So, if you plan to visit Las Vegas and want to ensure you have the most amazing vacation possible, this is the article for you.

Las Vegas is the largest, most populous city in the state of Nevada, located near its southern point, close to the borders with Arizona and California.

Las Vegas was first established as a city in 1905, in a remote Mojave Desert basin. However, it started to receive true notoriety in the late 1930s.

With legal casino gambling, and a constant flow of tourists and workers travelling to the Grand Canyon and newly built Hoover Dam, it was deemed a perfect place for businesses like hotels and entertainment establishments to take advantage and fill a gap in the market.

Its popularity grew quickly, as did the size and spectacle of the resorts, while factors like the lowest standards for divorce in the country brought in even more people and helped Las Vegas to develop the moniker “Sin City”.

Having continued to grow through the years into a place known for hosting endless streams of international artists, 24 hour entertainment options, unique attractions, and year round warm weather, Las Vegas is a hugely popular destination, visited by over 42 million people each year.

When it comes to choosing the best time to visit Las Vegas, most people will want to go between March and October. That is because this is known as “Pool Season” and is when all of the pools and outdoor facilities in Las Vegas will be open for you to enjoy.

While the weather is generally nice and warm all year in Las Vegas, mid-May to late September is the window with the highest temperatures, with it rarely dropping below 70 F°, even at night.

However, if you would like to avoid the hottest, busiest times of the year, when Las Vegas can get a little too much for some, mid-May to the end of June and the month of September are both periods you should consider giving a try.

As we move to our list of the 10 best things to do in Las Vegas, I am going to suggest a broad range of options. These will include things to appeal to travellers of all different interests, while ensuring you have something to cover everything that Las Vegas is known for.

One of the most iconic sights in Las Vegas, The Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas Sign lies as the very southern point of the Las Vegas Strip, and has done since it was constructed in 1959.

While technically located in Paradise, as opposed to Las Vegas, a stop at the legendary sign is a rite of passage for anyone visiting Las Vegas.

While there are likely to be queues no matter what time of day or night you visit, this free attraction is one you simply must stop at and take a picture with during your stay.

Located outside the world-famous Bellagio Hotel & Casino, The Fountains Of Bellagio have been a staple of the Las Vegas Strip since the resort opened in 1998.

With the water shooting high into the air in front of the stunning building, they are a big part of the aesthetic appeal of The Strip. However, those looking to see them in all their glory will want to stop by and watch a Bellagio Fountain Show in full.

Taking place every 30 minutes in the afternoon and early evening, then every 15 minutes from 8pm to midnight, the Bellagio Fountain Show is said by many to be the best free show in Las Vegas.

Water spurting from the fountain’s 1,200 nozzles are choreographed with over 4,500 lights and legendary pieces of music. The result is a spectacle that is able to entertain, while simultaneously immersing you in the spirit of Las Vegas.

Las Vegas is filled with mega resorts, each of which attempts to do all it can to encourage you to spend all of your time and money within its walls.

While many go about this in their own unique ways, one option almost all of the resorts use is to appeal to tourists through their stomachs.

As a result, Las Vegas offers some of the greatest dining options you will find, with countless restaurants run by some of the greatest chefs on Earth.

Gordon Ramsay has his iconic Hell’s Kitchen, as well as the Burger, Steak, Fish & Chips, and Pub & Grill restaurants. Wolfgang Puck has his eponymous restaurant, as well as CUT, Lupo, Riva, and Spago, as well as the Puck Express and Puck Player’s Lounge.

There is even the El Burro Borracho, Tailgate, and Vegas Kitchen by Guy Fieri, plus two of his Flavortown Kitchens, which offer a delivery service for those who want to enjoy gourmet cuisine in their room.

With these and other establishments by the likes of Bobby Flay, Giada De Laurentiis, Guy Savoy, Mr Chow, and Nobu, your stay in Las Vegas can be filled from start to finish by some of the finest, best prepared and cooked dishes in the world, if you so choose.

Considered the northern point of the Las Vegas Strip by many, The Strat is located at the south edge of Las Vegas.

A hotel and casino resort in the lower floors, The Strat is an observation tower that, at 1,149 feet (350.2 metres) is the tallest in the U.S. and second tallest in the Western Hemisphere.

This allows it to offer stunning views of Las Vegas, The Strip, and the surrounding Nevada desert. However, what makes The Strat truly unique is the collection of rides located atop it.

You have the Big Shot, a vertical drop ride that runs up and down The Strat’s needle. Then there is Sky Jump Las Vegas, a Guinness World Record holder that offers a bungee experience, allowing guests to plummet over 855 feet (261 metres).

The X-Scream combines a roller coaster with a see-saw, to hang riders over the edge of the tower and tip them back and forth. Meanwhile, Insanity suspends guests over the edge from above and spins them in a circular fashion.

With all of this, The Strat is a must visit location for thrill seekers, fans of amusement parks who want a truly unique experience, or even just though who want to see the city from another vantage.

Built between 1931 and 1936, the Hoover Dam is located around 30 miles west of Las Vegas, on the border with Arizona.

Set in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, the concrete gravity-arch dam is one of the largest in the world, at 726 feet (221 metres) high and 1,244 feet (379 metres) long.

The Hoover Dam impounds the United States’ largest reservoir, Lake Mead, and uses it to fuel a hydroelectric plant that is responsible for producing 29% of the electricity for southern California, 23% of Nevada’s electricity, and 19% of Arizona’s.

With its iconic architecture, infamous construction cycle, and importance to the American way of life in the southwestern United States, the Hoover Dam has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in the country.

With stunning views, guided tours, informational plaques explaining its history, and memorials dedicated to those who lost their lives while building it, the Hoover Dam is an attraction that simply has to be seen to be truly appreciated.

While The Grand Canyon is largely located in the neighbouring state of Arizona, its western end stretches all the way to the Hoover Dam, just outside the city.

With Las Vegas being the closest major city to this natural wonder, it has made it an attraction that is synonymous with Vegas.

While there are plenty of companies dotted around the city offering tours to the Grand Canyon, those who want a truly once in a lifetime view of the Grand Canyon should look at taking a helicopter ride over it.

This unique tour will give you an alternate view of one of the world’s most popular natural attractions, and allow you to soak in all its glory, without having to hike through one of the hottest parts of the United States.

Also known as Glitter Gulch, the Fremont Street Experience is a collection of shopping, dining, and amusement attractions, located beneath an illuminated, 90 foot (27 metre) high barrel vault canopy.

Containing over 49 million LED lights and 220 speakers, the canopy is used to present light and sound displays every day, from 6 pm to 2 am. Beneath the canopy there are also 3 stages, which regularly host concerts and performances that guests can experience free of charge.

A unique attraction in its own right, the area is also popular for offering goods, drinks, food, services, and more, for much cheaper than you will find on The Strip. However, the main draw of the Fremont Street Experience is the SlotZilla Zip Line, located up in its canopy.

Visitors who want to take the ride will climb a launch tower designed like a slot machine, complete with a giant operating arm, martini glass, and pink flamingo, massive dice and showgirls, and a range of simulated video reels.

The lower “Zipline” will transport guests half the length of the canopy at 77 feet (23.5 metres) up, while the higher “Zoomline” will shoot them in a prone position the entire 1,750 foot (533 metre) length of the canopy at a height of 114 feet (35 metres).

Either option will give you both a stunning view of the area, as well as an exhilarating experience you will remember for years to come.

First opened in 1966, the Roman themed Caesar’s Place is one of the oldest and most famous hotels on the Las Vegas Strip.

Now, while all of the themed hotels in Las Vegas have their own quirks and selling points, the one that truly sets Caesar’s Palace apart from the others is its pool. Known as the Garden Of The Gods Pool Oasis, the Caesar’s Palace pool is themed after traditional Roman baths.

The Garden features 7 individually themed pools, surrounded by fountains, sculptures, cabanas, daybeds, canopies, and even swim up blackjack tables and food and drink services.

The main pool is designed in the style of a Roman temple, while the other 6 are styled after the Roman gods Apollo, Bacchus, Fortuna, Jupiter, Neptune, and Venus.

Each boasts a different style and selling point, such as being adults only, designed for relaxation, or hosting events or gambling.

This wonderful combination ensures that no matter how you like to spend a day at the pool, you will be able to do it while being treated like a Roman god at Caesar’s Palace.

It should be noted though, that the pools in Las Vegas are only open during “Pool Season”, which runs from March to October.

Las Vegas is known as the entertainment capital of the world, and there are countless international artists and performers coming in and out of the city on a daily basis that you can make the most of.

However, you also have those who are more than just performers, and have evolved into the realm of Las Vegas royalty. From Cirque Du Soleil, David Copperfield, and Penn and Teller to Wayne Newton and The Osmonds, some acts are truly synonymous with the city.

While not all the options will be to everyone’s taste, catching one of these legendary Las Vegas acts during your stay is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the history and spirit of the city.

Las Vegas is a city with a long, rich, unique history, yet also one that prioritises entertainment above all else. That can lead to many people leaving without ever truly finding out much above the history of this incredible destination.

With no one museum dedicated to the entire history and development of the city (although there are some great options, like The Mob Museum and The Neon Museum), that leaves a walking tour as the best option for those wanting to learn a little more.

Knowledgeable guides will take you around the city, to some of the most historic and important locations, while regaling you with stories and information on its birth and development.

With the option to experience a different side of Las Vegas, and some even including complimentary cocktails at a bar when the tour is over, this lesser known attraction is definitely one you should consider during your stay in Las Vegas.

While countless resorts with unique themes can make it hard to choose the best hotel to stay in Las Vegas, The Bellagio is one that will tick all the boxes for the majority of people.

A casino designed purely with elegant style, as opposed to a theme, it will suit people of almost all tastes. Being set right at the centre of The Strip makes it easy to explore Las Vegas on foot.

Meanwhile, being set a little back from the street allows it to offer a slightly quieter, more refined environment, as well as spectacular views of The Bellagio Fountain Show and Las Vegas Strip itself.

Each of the elegant rooms boast a marble, en suite bathroom, comfortable, stylish furniture and linens, stunning views of your iconic surroundings, and luxury amenities like flat screen satellite TVs, electric drapes, plush bathrobes, an iPod docking station, and a minibar.

The Bellagio also boasts all of the luxuries that Las Vegas is known for, such as a choice of 5 pools, a range of bars, shops, and restaurants, a casino, and even a botanical garden and conference rooms, ensuring you get to enjoy the complete experience during your stay in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas is a city with perhaps more to do and see than anywhere else on Earth, and a place where it’s almost impossible to experience it all without moving there.

That said, this guide will hopefully have helped you determine the best things to do in Las Vegas, to ensure your trip is a success.

Whether you want to relax by the pool, try your luck in a casino, enjoy a wild party, or experience some of the region’s more natural attractions, you should now have plenty to fill out the ideal travel itinerary for your own wants and needs.

For those worried about things like price or location, we even have articles on how to experience Las Vegas on a budget and the best areas to stay in Las Vegas to help you out there as well.

So, all there is left is to start getting things booked, so you can experience it for yourself, as soon as possible.