Las Vegas is an impressive city, built in the middle of a desert, close to indigenous tribes and miles away from any urban center. The main characteristics of the city are luxury, lights, colors, and a lot of fun.
It is considered the sin city that never sleeps. There is always something to do in Vegas. If it’s entertainment you’re looking for, this is the right place. There are many attractions, so enjoy the entertainment capital of the world and have fun because what happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas.
You can gamble in the big casinos, visit luxurious hotels, shop in designer stores, watch grand shows, and engage in various other activities. The casinos are irresistible. We witnessed some people gambling, and the bets are impressive.
Some casinos feature women in provocative lingerie dancing on countertops and gaming tables. In most Vegas casinos, whether alcoholic or non-alcoholic, drinks are complimentary, and the gambler only pays a tip to the waitresses.
In this post, we’ll go over a bit of what we experienced during our 7-day stay and share some tips.
I’ll try to mention in 10 points the main activities you can’t miss in Vegas.
What to do in Las Vegas?
1 – Take a photo at the ‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas’ sign.
Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign
This is a classic and one of the many postcards of the city. At the beginning of the Strip, you’ll find the famous ‘Welcome to Las Vegas’ sign, welcoming tourists, located just south of The Strip. Take your photo there, as it is a unique souvenir. There is a small parking lot near the sign. Behind the sign, it reads: ‘Drive Carefully – Come Back Soon’.
2-Visit the hotels on the Strip
Las Vegas-The Strip (photo http://jamesb.com/ )
One of the liveliest spots in Vegas is the area known as The Strip, a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard that boasts the world’s most famous casinos and themed hotels.
If you’ve never been to Vegas, don’t miss the chance to stay at a hotel on this avenue. This is an opportunity to stay in a 5-star hotel, of course, if it fits into your budget. Generally, hotel prices in Vegas are very affordable.
Each hotel has a particular attraction, and they all deserve a visit. The only issue is that they are gigantic, and it’s impossible to see everything in just a few days. If you’re short on time, plan accordingly and choose what interests you the most because, I repeat, you can’t see everything.
We visited several hotels on the Strip, including Bellagio, Paris, New York, MGM, Luxor, Excalibur, Planet Hollywood, Mandalay Bay, Caesar’s, Treasure Island, Venetian, Stratosphere, Aria, and Flamingo. Which one is the best? It’s hard to say because each one is more luxurious than the other.
We decided to break up our stay by staying in two different hotels. We first stayed at the Stratosphere, which is further away from the Strip but close to the Outlet and Fremont. Additionally, the price was more affordable, and guests at this hotel have the tower ascent included. However, we also wanted to stay on the Strip, so after 3 days, we went to the Flamingo. The Flamingo was the Strip hotel with the best cost-benefit.
Don’t forget to dine at one of the buffets in the major hotels. You can get discounts at the Tix4Tonight kiosks scattered throughout the Strip. Tix4Tonight sells discounts for dozens of restaurants in the city. We bought ours to go to the buffet at the Treasure Island hotel. We enjoyed the food a lot and took a break from fast food.
3-Meet the Fremont Street
Fremont Street is located north of Las Vegas in Downtown, where Vegas originated. This area is more bustling with tourists at night, as various live shows take place that are definitely worth enjoying. We were there during the day as well, and indeed the activity is much lower, but we took the opportunity to grab a snack at the famous Heart Attack Grill. More details here. The ceiling there is very interesting, as it features an LED screen that displays image effects and music to accompany them.
Fremont also has hotels and casinos, but not as luxurious as those on the Strip.
4-Visit the Pawn Stars’ Gold & Silver Pawn Shop
Pawn shop Deal program
Who has cable TV may have seen the History Channel show “Pawn Stars.” We visited the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, located near the old Vegas, which is the same shop featured in the show. Check out this post for details of our visit.
5- Explore the Grand Canyon, one of the Seven Wonders of Nature
Grand Canyon-Guano Point
A trip to the Grand Canyon can be arranged through various agencies departing from Vegas via helicopter, bus, and even airplane. Of these, the most affordable is the bus, but from what I’ve researched, people said the tour is quite rushed and doesn’t leave much time for activities. Another option is to go by car. There are various regions of the Grand Canyon, and the closest one is the Grand Canyon West. There’s also a helicopter tour there that is more affordable. However, when we arrived, the passes had sold out, so we only did the park tour. In this park, you’ll find the Skywalk, a horseshoe-shaped glass walkway where you can walk and feel like you’re on top of the Grand Canyon. Check out this post for more details on the Grand Canyon West. Before reaching the Grand Canyon, we passed by Hoover Dam (check out this post). The road is very calm and well-signaled. The landscapes are marvelous. We left in the morning and arrived at night in Vegas, making it a full day to enjoy these tours.
6-Attend a show or performance
Cirque Du Soleil-KÀ
Las Vegas has hundreds of shows and performances covering various themes and styles. There’s everything: adult, comedy, concerts, dance, hypnosis, illusionism, magic, musicals, and more. They are considered the biggest and best shows in the world. Among the most popular are the shows from Cirque du Soleil. The Cirque du Soleil shows are truly a dream for many tourists traveling to Las Vegas. There are several options. When we went, shows like “O,” “The Beatles Love,” “KÀ,” “Mystère,” “Zarkana,” “Zumanity,” and “Michael Jackson One” were in performance. I believe they are always on the playbill. If you’re set on attending a specific show, don’t wait until the last minute to buy tickets. Tickets can be purchased online on the official Las Vegas website or the Cirque du Soleil website, which sometimes offers ticket promotions (always check). If you’ve left it to the last minute, don’t worry, you can buy tickets on the same day of the show. There are various Tix4Tonight kiosks (http://www.tix4tonight.com/) scattered around the Strip that sell discounted tickets for the same day, but they only sell on-site. What’s the best show? Well, there isn’t a “best” or “worst”; it’s very personal. So, it’s ideal to research each show beforehand to make your decision. More details about each one can be found on the official Cirque du Soleil website.
7-Watch the water fountain show at the Bellagio Hotel
Show the sources of the Belágio-Las Vegas
The Bellagio Fountains present a show that can be enjoyed from various locations on the Strip and has a scheduled time: every 30 minutes during the afternoon and every 15 minutes during the night. It’s fantastic to see this show with dancing waters and synchronized music. A different and wonderful spectacle.
8- Gamble at a casino
Playing in Las Vegas roulette-Mandalay Bay
Even if you don’t like it, you have to try and spend at least $1 at the casino because you’re in Vegas. The detail is that drinks are free for those who keep gambling. But remember to leave a tip for the waitress to keep serving you.
9- Go to the top of the Stratosphere Tower
You can see the Stratosphere Tower from anywhere in the city because it’s very tall. At the top, there’s an observation deck where you can see the entire city. Guests at this hotel are entitled to a ticket to the observatory. The tower’s restaurant rotates 360º (slowly), and guests have the privilege of observing the landscape of the entire city of Las Vegas. In addition, the tower has the world’s tallest amusement park. I believe these are the most extreme rides in Vegas. There are four rides in total
Big Shot
It’s an elevator that goes up to the highest point of the tower, stops for a few seconds, and then plunges
X-Scream
It’s a cart similar to a roller coaster but with a back-and-forth motion on the track that extends out of the tower. It seems like the car won’t stop, giving the impression that it will fall.
Insanity
Several chairs start spinning at a speed of 65 km/h, opening at an angle of 70°, all of this, of course, outside the tower.
Skyjump
Similar to bungee jumping but with a controlled descent. People throw themselves into a free fall from 108 floors. Currently, SkyJump holds the Guinness World Record for the world’s highest commercial controlled descent with an official height of 829 feet (253m).
So, would you take on any of these?
10- Go shopping
Las Vegas Premium Outlets
Shopping Malls
The most sought-after shopping malls on the Strip are The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace and Fashion Show Mall. The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace are inside the Caesars Palace Hotel Casino, considered one of the most beautiful and luxurious shopping malls in Las Vegas, with several stores of famous brands. We visited some stores and bought some products at Victoria’s Secret. Fashion Show Mall is characterized by a flying saucer, it is in front of the Wynn hotel, has several stores, and restaurants. We visited the malls, even though we didn’t do much shopping there, I say the tour was worth it considering the beauty and luxury. We chose to shop at the outlet because the prices are cheaper.
Outlets
In Las Vegas, there are two outlets. The outlets in Las Vegas are far from each other. Our favorite was the North Outlet. It has a larger structure, more stores with more product and brand options. The North Outlet is located away from the Strip, and its structure is open, while the South Outlet is closer to the Strip with a closed structure and air-conditioned environment.
Tips: Don’t forget to buy the discount book, known as the “VIP Coupon Book,” at the information desk. You save money and get discounts on the purchase of products from some mentioned stores. You can also print your discount book for free. Access the Premium Outlets website and register. Remember that you can only use one coupon, check which one has the best discount.
Outlet Addresses:
- Las Vegas Premium Outlets – North: 875 S. Grand Central Parkway – Las Vegas, NV 89106
- Las Vegas Premium Outlets – South: 3663 Las Vegas Blvd South – Las Vegas, NV 89109
Other Stores:
- Ross: We found several Ross stores scattered around the city of Las Vegas. The store has goods from past collections and products discarded by major stores, including clothes, shoes, bedding, glasses, watches, among others. The best time to go to the store is in the morning when they open because the store is more organized.
- South Las Vegas, 3771 Las Vegas Blvd (huge store).
- Las Vegas Strip, 3001 Las Vegas Blvd S.
- Macy’s: Macy’s is a department store that sells various products at good prices. There is a store at 3200 Las Vegas Blvd that is in front of the Wynn Hotel. In addition to clothes, the store has perfumes, cosmetics, bags. A good tip is that Macy’s offers foreigners a card that grants a good discount on their purchases. To get it, just present your passport at the “Guest Relations.” The card is valid for 30 days and is available on the store’s website; it’s interesting to print it.
- Walmart: Walmart is a supermarket chain that, in addition to selling food, you can buy cosmetics, electronics, clothes, etc. The prices are excellent. We shopped at Walmart, especially for beauty products. We realized that we had forgotten some products at the supermarket, this one day later, imagine my despair. And there we go back to the same Walmart. We looked for the Customer Service, talked to the attendant, and presented the receipt. We waited a few minutes, then she asked us to pick up the products we had forgotten. And of course, we bought more products. We were very satisfied. This Walmart is huge, far from the Strip, we went by car.
And these were the 10 things you can’t miss in Las Vegas, in our opinion. And you? Have you been to Vegas? Leave your tips in the comments.
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