The Best Things to do in Las Vegas!

I had one disappointment after my trip to Las Vegas. Once I reached LA, my new phone was stolen! 😭 Furthermore, I did not know that (unlike Google backup) Huawei is automatically set to only backup every seven days. Subsequently, I was unlucky because it was on the seventh night that it was stolen. Thus, I missed out on the entire week of photos from Las Vegas on my phone! Nevertheless, I guess what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!!! 😂

The below sections are included in this post (click to navigate directly to the section):

• When to Visit
• Hotel Tips/Where to Stay
• Best Swimming Pools of Vegas
• Where to Party
• Vegas Shows
• Hotel Interiors
• Shopping in Vegas
• Sightseeing Areas/Activities
• Day Tours from Vegas

WHEN TO VISIT LAS VEGAS

There are many large conventions held in Vegas hotels. Thus, it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for any happening during your visit (they may push hotel rates up in the hotels with the conventions).

Winter/Summer

I’ve found that many people seem to be under the impression that it’s always super sunny in Vegas – I mean, it is in the desert, right?! 🤭 However, it does have cooler weather during the Winter season. During Winter, it ranges from low -2°/-3° to high 15°/19°. Nonetheless, Winter can still be a popular time for visitors. Notably, there are many Holiday/New Year parties. However, bear in mind that many of the Vegas pool parties do not occur during the cooler season.

Mid Summer (June – August) gets extremely warm with temperatures up to and into the 40°s! For me, and my pale Irish skin, I find this sort of heat unbearable! 🙈 Still, Summer is a popular time to visit! It tends to be the holiday season when families and students are off work and college. Another thing to note for the Summer period is that, due to the intense heat, tours to the desert may not operate. For example, mid-Summer tends to be too warm to visit Death Valley.

Spring/Autumn

My favourite time to visit Vegas is Spring (March-May) or Autumn (September – November). I visited Vegas both in early April and early September. While September temperatures reached 40°, April stayed around 19°- 22°. Indeed, we even had sleet and snow on our trip to the Grand Canyon in April!! However, locals advised us that this weather is not very common for April in Vegas. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that if you want sunshine, closer to the Summer period is best (May or September). The Summer Pool parties tend to kick off at the end of March.

1. HOTEL TIPS/WHERE TO STAY

HOTEL TIPS

Discount Card

Many Vegas hotels have Club Cards. For example, the M Card (which covers over 10 MGM Resorts along the strip) and the Red Card (Wynn hotel). Thus, you can sign up for these cards and avail of deals and hotel discounts. The M Card also offers discount codes on its MGM website.

Monorail Connecting Hotels

A simple google image search for ‘Vegas Strip map’ will result in several maps of the hotels along the strip. These may be useful to download/print off as a reference point. Though the hotels may look close to each other, it is important to remember how large these hotels are! Thus it tends to be a longer walk between some of them than you first think when reviewing a map! Especially a difficult trek if you are walking in the summer heat! However, there is a monorail service that connects several of the hotels. Therefore, you could stop off along some of its stations to explore hotels along its route. Check out the monorail map here. Furthermore, you could also just Uber a taxi (if there are a few of you to split the fare, an uber may be cheaper).

Visiting Other Hotels

Staying in a cheap hotel will not limit you from seeing the more luxurious hotels too! You can still visit the malls, casinos, impressive interiors, and gardens of other hotels. Therefore, don’t feel like you are constrained to your hotel! However, one limitation will likely be pool access. Indeed, many of the pools require hotel cards to access them. Thus, if the hotel pool is important to you, read on for my section on Pools in Vegas. Also, research pictures of the hotel pools before booking. The impressive pool area in MGM Grand is one of the reasons why we chose to stay here. It has multiple pools and hosts some of the best pool parties. Thankfully, you can still buy tickets to these parties even if you are not staying at the MGM!

WHERE TO STAY

Expensive Hotels

The Bellagio, Aria Sky Suites, The Wynn, and The Venetian & Palazzo are more luxurious hotels. A bit cheaper (but still on the pricey side) is the MGM Grand. The MGM is where I stayed on both of my trips. However, its rates can very much fluctuate. Therefore, it is worthwhile keeping an eye on prices. A good deal may come up!

Reasonable Hotels

The likes of The Excalibur, New York New York, and The Flamingo are reasonably priced. I stayed in The Excalibur on my own for two nights after my friends left Vegas. It was EXTREMELY cheap! You can also get good deals for Circus Circus and The Stratosphere. However, unlike the prior three hotels just mentioned, these two hotels are towards the end of the Strip. Therefore, it can be a bit of a walk to travel to other hotels from them.

2. BEST SWIMMING POOLS

Las Vegas is famous for its impressive swimming pools! Perfect if you want a holiday to lounge and sunbathe by a bar. Indeed, you can attend top pool parties with world-famous DJs! Also, many of the pools are impressive. For example, having waterfalls to swim under, and you can even play swim-up blackjack at Caesars Palace Fortuna Pool!! The following lists some of the more impressive pools. However, most hotels in Vegas offer good pool areas too!

We stayed in The MGM Grand, where you will find the Grand Pool Complex. Here, there’s a 6.5 acre Grand Pool Complex with four pools, three whirlpools, swim under waterfalls, a lazy river, five bars, and a restaurant! The MGM hosts the infamous Wet Republic Pool party. Many famous Guest DJs play at this party. Even if you are staying at MGM, you will still need to buy tickets to the parties at the Wet Republic. Other popular pools for partying include The Marque at The Cosmopolitan. It is both a Marque Dayclub and a Nightclub. Also, check out the Encore Beach Club at Wynn (which hosts major parties by its pool area with some top DJs).

Not so big and chaotic (but still with live DJs) is Liquid Pool Lounge at Aria. However, this pool has not achieved as good reviews as the prior ones mentioned here.

BEACH POOL

If you love the beach, the popular Beach at Mandalay Bay is where you need to go!! This pool has brought in tons of sand and even has a wave machine to enjoy a beach-like experience!

A MIXTURE OF POOLS

A more relaxing pool area is the impressive Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis at Caesars Palace. It has a Roman Architecture theme. The Pools at the Bellagio are also fantastic for relaxing.

If it’s a mixture you are after, The Flamingo offers both a Beach Club Pool (family oriented with a kids pool) plus it also has GO POOL (which is an adults-only day club with DJs performing). Also, the beautiful Venetian pools offer several different pool areas too. For example, the Aquatic Club offers a sporty twist and, for clubbers, there is a Day club at TAO Beach. Special guests often frequent these parties too.

3. WHERE TO PARTY

CLUB PROMOTERS

You can do Vegas very expensive! Or, you can hustle and party for cheap! We were lucky because our friend had visited Vegas many times. Therefore, she had a Promoter contact based there. This Promoter looked after us with free drinks and free admission into some nightclubs. For example, one of the most popular Pool Parties is the Wet Republic. The Wet Republic often has famous guest DJs/guest appearances. Tickets can go for circa $100! Again, our Promoter got us free admission here. Furthermore, they gave us several free drink vouchers too!

Similarly, we got into the MGM nightclub (Hakkasan) for free. Also, we had a table saved for us by a Promoter we met during our trip! People at the reserved table just by us even offered us free drinks for the night. Thus, we didn’t end up spending any money on drinks – where it was circa $20 per drink in the nightclub bar!!! 😲

I suggest finding and contacting Promoters on social media. For example, once I started tagging Vegas in my pictures, several Promoters reached out to me! Subsequently, they offered my friends and I free entry to several nightclubs. For example, at Encore at Wynn to see the Chainsmokers! Secondly, once you get to Las Vegas, you will spot many Promoters offering/selling tickets. You could try to forge contact with one of them and even get their number if you can! If not, if you want to do some of the best nightclubs and pool parties in Vegas, it can cost you a LOT of money.

Las Vegas Guest List is a website to sign up for nightclub deals!

POOL PARTIES

As mentioned, we were lucky and got free entry into the MGM Grand’s popular Wet Republic pool party. I’m not a huge clubber. However, I’ve got to say that it ended up being one of the highlights of my trip! It’s more of a relaxed atmosphere than a nightclub. There was a nice chilled-out vibe with everyone mixing, chatting, and dancing together. Nothing too messy! 🙊 Steve Aoki was the guest DJ on the date that we attended. It tends to get many famous guests and DJs (as do many popular Pool clubs along the Strip).

NIGHTCLUBS

Haakasan is rated highly as a nightclub. It is part of the MGM Grand too. As we were staying in the MGM and had gained free entry to the club through a Promoter, we went here on one of our nights. However, maybe I’m too old, but I didn’t love it! The queue to get in was quite long (even if you are on the guestlist). Also, the staff were not very nice to us. Once inside, it was pretty packed. Some girls had already taken over a lot of our reserved table. They even tried to shoo us away when we got there!!

We ended up making friends with some others at another reserved table and had a great night with them. They seemed to have unlimited free drinks with a server for their table! The main dance floor was pretty small and cramped, and the interior was not too amazing either. Still, it was handy for us as it was right in our hotel. However, it was expensive if you had to pay $20 a pop for a drink!

Other popular Nightclubs include:

• XS (Wynn)
• Marquee (The Cosmopolitan)
• KAOS (Palms)
• Tao (The Venetian)
• Encore Beach Club at Night (Wynn)
• Jewel (Aria)
• Light (Mandalay Bay)

BARS

Skybar (Waldorf Astoria Hotel) is a great spot to have some cocktails while enjoying a fantastic view over the Las Vegas Strip from 23 floors up!

If you are more in the mood for a sing-along and laid-back bar, check out The Bar at Times Square (New York New York Hotel). We visited here and, though it was a little crowded, the piano songs were great! It is a piano bar with a duel piano show, taking song requests from the audience. It consistently gains fantastic reviews! If you arrive early, you may miss the cover charge. The pianists are very engaging and get the crowd involved!

4. VEGAS SHOWS

Vegas is famous for its extravagant shows! It attracts some huge acts. On my first trip to Vegas, I went to a show (‘Phantom of the Opera’). It was on in The Venetian Hotel. As much as I love NYC, the show was more impressively extravagant than most of the shows I’ve caught in NYC! They go big in Vegas! You could see this in the production setting. Impressively, at one stage during the show, an actor flew over our heads, out over the audience!

Vegas has a huge selection of shows ranging from Comedy, Concerts, Magic, Production, adult shows, and the popular Cirque Du Soleil. A lot of famous people perform in Vegas too. Therefore, keep an eye out for what is on when you intend to visit. This Vegas shows website lists many of the different types of shows on offer. 

5. HOTEL INTERIORS

The extravagant hotels of Vegas are open for all to explore! It is worth visiting a few of them. The majority have impressive interiors. You can find everything from indoor garden areas, shopping malls, and replica street settings. You will even see gondolas sailing the water inside the Palazzo! I visited many hotels during my trip. I took loads of pictures, thus I was very upset when my camera was stolen! 😭 Nonetheless, I will list some of my favourite hotels that I visited.

NEW YORK NEW YORK

If you love New York or Paris, visit New York New York and Paris Hotel. Their interiors are like you are stepping right into the streets of these cities! New York New York consists of hugely impressive architecture. Outside of it, you will see a model of The Statue of Liberty (standing at 150 feet high). Also, replicas of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, the Main Immigration Building on Ellis Island, and Grand Central Terminal. If you are an adventure seeker, the Big Apple roller coaster is another activity to do here. Inside the New York theme continues. It has a scaled-down version of the streets of NYC and miniature landmarks scattered around the streets.

PARIS

Similarly, Paris Hotel is modelled to feel like you are stepping onto the pretty cobbled streets of Paris. The smell from the French bakeries is amazing too! Outside stands a replica of The Eiffel Tower (standing at 540 feet high. Also, a version of the Arc de Triomphe (two-thirds the size of the actual one!). I was disappointed on my last trip to discover that the pretty fountain (see above gallery) outside of the Paris Hotel is no longer there. Inside The Eiffel Tower, you can enjoy a meal at Eiffel Tower Restaurant. It is 46 stories high with views overlooking Vegas from the Eiffel Tower Viewing Deck.

BELLAGIO & WYNN

The indoor Gardens in The Bellagio Hotel and the gardens of Wynn Hotel are stunning and worth a visit too! The Dancing Fountain water show at the front of The Bellagio is another must-see. Check out Bellagio Dancing Fountain times for details and times of the show (it’s free to watch). The Venetian and Palazzo are not too far from The Bellagio. It is a beautiful hotel/s – Palazzo Square is a sight to behold! It even has a miniature bridge to walk over. Here, you will find gondolas (real ones!) floating inside the hotel. Also, the ceiling (similar to the Paris hotel) is painted to look like the sky. It does almost feel like you are outdoors!

6. SHOPPING IN VEGAS

Vegas is very popular for its selection of shopping. It has some top luxury shops and also offers outlet shopping.

BUDGET/OUTLET

Premium Outlets are just a short bus ride from the main Strip area of Vegas. There are two Premium Outlets, one at each end of the strip. Both are similar in size but vary depending on the type of shops on offer. Check out the following links for more information and a list of stores found at each location:

• North Premium Outlets (more upscale and an outdoor outlet)
• South Premium Outlets (more affordable and an indoor outlet)

LUXURY

The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace have more than 160 speciality shops and restaurants. Though considerably smaller (circa 26 stores), the Bellagio stores also offer luxury stores such as Chanel, Dior, and Fendi. Not too far from the Bellagio, you will find The Shops at Crystals (Aria Hotel). This offers over 50 world-class shops, such as Gucci and Hermès. Furthermore, you could also make an appointment to see the James Turrell installation hidden inside the Louis Vuitton store. Close by The Bellagio, you will find over 100 stores in the Grand Canal Shoppes (inside the Venetian and Palazzo Hotel). The Shops at Wynn and Encore offer circa 50 stores. Also, the Wynn’s Promenade boasts Alexander McQueen, Chloé, Cartier, and Chanel.

For sweet lovers, check out M&Ms World along the strip too.

7. SIGHTSEEING

If you want to do more than just party and gamble, don’t fear, there are plenty more fun attractions in Vegas! As mentioned, the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Garden and Wynn Gardens are super pretty and impressive. They are free to wander around inside the hotels. Other activities include the below.

‘WELCOME TO FABULOUS LAS VEGAS’ SIGN

This sign is at the very beginning of the Strip. Numerous tourists flock to it for their ‘gram pic! 😂 It can be quite a bit of a walk to the sign (depending on where you are along the Strip). I walked about 25 minutes over. Unfortunately, I was not ready for the queue of people in line to get a picture! There was a guy there to help take your photo once you got to the top (for a tip). However, you will have to have your pose ready to go! Because you may only have a minute or two to get the picture while everyone else waits in line! You can, of course, opt-out of queuing and take photos by the side of the sign. Undeniably, they do not look as good as in front of it.

FREMONT STREET

Fremont Street is where you can take the Slotzilla Zipline Ride. Fremont Street is becoming more of an up-and-coming neighbourhood in Downtown Vegas. It offers live street music and a lot of street performers (some of whom are not wearing many clothes!). It’s a bit dodgier and dive bar-ish than the Strip. Therefore, people seem to love or hate it depending on what they are after. Nevertheless, it was extremely busy during the evening I passed through. The popular Slotzilla Zipline Ride is in Fremont, it offers you the chance to zip line up through Fremont Street! Also, you will find popular street art in the Downtown area.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

• Stratosphere Hotel Observation Deck, Sky Jump and Thrill Rides (including Big Shot)
• The High Roller Observation Wheel at The LINQ
• The Mob Museum
• Las Vegas Natural History Museum
• Eiffel Tower Viewing Deck at Paris Hotel
• Car Racing: Such as at Dream Racing and Speed Vegas
• Madame Tussauds
• Gondola Ride at The Venetian
• Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay
• James Turrell installation (hidden inside the Louis Vuitton store)
• Wynn Lake of Dreams light show
• Bellagio Dancing Fountain show
• Pinball Hall of Fame (more than 150 Pinball machines lined up to play)
• Axe Monkeys (indoor axe throwing)

8. DAY TOURS

From Vegas, I took a tour of both the south and north Rim of the Grand Canyon (check out my Grand Canyon blog post). I also took a day trip to Death Valley (check out my Death Valley blog post). A stop-off at Hoover Dam tends to be included in the Grand Canyon tours. However, you can also make a separate trip out to Hoover Dam and take a tour of it.

Other tours on my list for the next time I visit include:

• Red Rock Canyon
• Valley of Fire
• Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend
• Bryce Canyon National Park
• Zion National Park
• Bootleg Canyon Flightlinez. Take a tour up towards Boulder City. The trip to the top of Red Mountain kicks off a 1.5-mile descent over four different zip lines that can reach speeds of up to 60 miles per hour!

Have you been to Vegas? Anything else that you suggest doing while there (comment below)? Thanks for reading!

Anita xx