Coming for a trip? Check out a list of fun things to do in Vegas…

  • Put gowalla on your phone and do the slots-a-fun trip there, 14 spots that represent both the touristy and local stuff. Lots of bars, restaurants, and attractions.  My favorite place on there is probably the Double Down Saloon, but it can get pretty funky sometimes.
  • Bellagio has a fine arts gallery, and the Venetian does too.  Get some culture, usually for less than $20 per ticket.
  • Stop by a bar or convenience store and pick up a City Life, Seven, or other local magazine for free, this will have all of the current and special events listed.  Food festivals, concerts, art shows, and more will all be listed there for the current week and the near future.
  • Go see one of the naughty hypnotists, they’re all kind of bad but very funny, especially if you can get one of your friends or loved ones on stage.
  • Go have drinks in a real Rainforest in the Mirage.
  • Madame Toussaud’s wax museum offers a myriad of opportunities to lick or otherwise defile a celebrity that can easily pass as an actual event if you apply some basic blur in Photoshop.
  • There are some great outdoor public shows on the Strip.  The volcano in front of Mirage is really great, and seeing the mini Eiffel Tower in front of the Paris are pretty cool.  There is also a huge black pyramid with a light beam that can be seen from SPACE called the Luxor.  Amazing!
  • The Tournament of Kings is a bit of campy fun in the Excalibur, comes with free dinner, and you’ll be hoarse from yelling when you’re done if you get into the spirit.  There is also a greatly funny dragon battle that happens in the Excalibur’s moat, magic motion rides, and a carnival style midway downstairs.
  • Wake up early (or stay up late) and watch the sun rise in the desert.  The colors are so vivid and varied, and you rarely see such intensity in the sky anywhere else in the world.
  • In the Forum Shops in Caesar’s Palace there is an ever changing sky on the ceiling and a cool animatronic show starring many old gods and kings!
  • Did you come with your significant other?  Renew your marriage with Elvis, or take a limo to the drive through chapel.
  • Our newest addition, City Center, is a BILLION dollar collection of properties on the strip that has the most beautiful architecture and design in Las Vegas.  The first time I went there, I was stunned by the art collection scattered throughout.  The Skybar here is gorgeous.
  • At the Luxor, there is an exhibition called “Bodies” that has real dead Chinese people, with no skin.  It is fascinating, humbling, and beautiful.  One of the best $11 I’ve ever spent.
  • The Rio Hotel and Casino has Mardi Gras celebrations all day complete with blimps flying across the casino floor filled with beautiful people throwing down bead necklaces…they also have some amazing flair bartenders that can do more tricks than Tom Cruise in Cocktail.
  • Two of the winners of Gordon Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen are in Vegas, and though they’re off strip, the food isn’t bad and its actually inexpensive.
  • Take a gondola ride at the Venetian. If you aren’t bringing a date with you, then ask one on the spot if they want to go with you, its a great ice breaker, is public so its not TOO creepy, and its long enough so that you can work your charm.
  • If you’ve got money, rent a Lambo or Ferrari for a day, it costs about $1500.
  • Sports books can be really fun if you like sports. Make a small bet on an underdog, get into a screaming match with fans of the opposing teams, and watch the whole thing on huge ass screens while drinking free beers and sitting in comfy leather seats.
  • Go see a local cover band in a casino lounge, they’re usually really good musicians, and you’re quite likely to get some attention from locals looking to party with some fun new out of towners.
  • Head about an hour North out of town to Mesquite Nevada and get packages for Golf and Spa DAYS for as low as $100.
  • The Las Vegas Motor Speedway has some really fun racing classes where you can drive at 180 MPH, take a ride with a pro driver, or simply watch some amazing racing.
  • If you like poker, hit some poker rooms and see if you can spot Scotty Nguyen or Daniel Negreanu. I’ve seen a bunch of pros playing here.  The Wynn, Bellagio, and Binions have amazing poker rooms.
  • If you don’t know how to play some of the casino games, take one of the free classes available in almost any casino.
  • Get drunk and play some war. Its basically a kids game with decent odds and you don’t even have to be good at it, its pure luck and tons of fun when you’re too wasted to do anything else.
  • Drive out to Area 51, a secret air base that some say has crashed alien technology in it.  See if you can spot a UFO, and commune with all the weirdos who stand out on the edge of the base every day.
  • Check out the classic cars collection at the Imperial Palace and while you’re there stop and get some of the best Asian food in the city.
  • Chinatown in Vegas, Vietnamese Pho…that is all.
  • Strip clubs…WOW there are a lot of them here.  Spearmint Rhino has a great reputation, and the Olympic Garden has men on the second floor!
  • The Hard Rock Cafe has a great collection of rock and roll memorabilia, and some of the best looking cocktail waitresses in town.
  • Get a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon or visit Redrock loop and have a hike or take a long ride on a rented motorcycle or bicycle.
  • Rent a jet-ski or a boat and check out Lake Mead.  Don’t just go to the lake on foot, as its pretty dirty near the city.  You’ve got to do some traveling before you reach a nice clean outdoors experience.
  • See the Hoover Dam.  Its HUGE, and some people who worked on the thing are encased in the concrete still.
  • Go to one of the daytime pool parties like Rehab, more 10s(male AND female) than you will likely see anywhere else in Vegas, and they’re barely wearing anything!
  • Catch a 3d movie at Town Square, 100 foot screens with unbelievable sound and video quality AND the seats are as comfortable as easy chairs!
  • Visit some of the world class restaurants. Zagat has all the info you’ll need to choose, but if its named after a painter  like Picasso its world class.  Don’t ever waste your time with room service, its horrible food and CRAZY expensive.  You can eat at the best restaurants in the world nearly every night, so do your homework and hit the best restaurant in 5 or 10 properties while you’re here.  Lotus of Siam was proclaimed the best Thai restaurant in the USA by Zagat, and its not even on the strip.  Picasso, Renoir, Craftsteak, Shibuya, and more…Vegas dining is on par with our greatest cities.
  • Go clubbing at least once. Its Vegas, you must.  Pure is lots of fun, and if you’re gay there are some great gay clubs on Paradise Road.
  • If you’re from the East Coast, you can drive to LA in about four hours, and get some of the best Sushi you’ve had in your life and still have time during your day trip to see Hollywood.
  • Circus circus has trapeze shows every 45 minutes, AND they have a giant concrete gorilla in front that is great for posing in front of with strangers.
  • If you like beer, check out a local place called the Crown and Anchor. Its close to the strip and has an amazing selection of stuff on tap that you can’t get anywhere else.
  • Get a room with a sick view, and have a party in it, this works even better if you have a balcony. The suites in Venetian’s sister property The Palazzo are over 1K per night but are awesome. Do this post clubbing and bring a bachelor/bachelorette party with you.  If you need something cheaper, go downtown and get something at the Golden Nugget.  The rooms can go as low as $100 a night for a suite!
  • Winter is nice during the day, but a little chilly at night.  Summer gets cool enough at night, but the spring and fall are beautiful all day and night.  Rooms will be significantly cheaper on non-holiday weeks, but there will be fewer people around and partying, so its a trade off.
  • Go check out the white tigers, huge aquariums, sharks, dolphins, etc. that are all over the town.
  • Many of the best MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) camps in the world are based in Vegas.  Pre-arrange and you might be able to sit in on a training session with some of the best fighters in the world.
  • See the light show in the Fremont Street Experience. For bonus points do a shot for every bum you see downtown.
  • Ride the rollercoaster on top of the Stratosphere and eat at the “Top of the World” restaurant, the view is incredible.
  • Spend at least a few hours walking the strip. Its really fun when you’ve got a buzz on and you can just walk into a casino when you get tired.
  • If you like shopping there are great malls in Planet Hollywood, Bellagio, Fashion Show Mall, Belz Factory Outlet, Ceaser’s Forum Shopps and more.
  • Get the Saturday Sterling buffet at Bally’s for brunch. Its perfect for hangovers.
  • The Palms has a club called Ghostbar that has a 360 degree panoramic view of Vegas from 550 feet in the air.  Dance on a glass/see through floor in the clouds.
  • The Hard Rock Hotel and the Palms both have themed suites with amenities like basketball courts and bowling lanes.  Every hotel has an amazing suite for the right price, but these two properties do something really special.
  • The offstrip property Silverton has a really great aquarium and is one of the best things for small kids in Vegas.
  • VIDEO GAMES!!  If you like video games, spend some time in Gameworks where you can play classic games from the 70s, or brand new games…all for hourly rates.  Also check out the Pinball Hall of Fame, the largest collection of classic pinball machines in the world.  It is literally a warehouse filled with Pinball and its a blast and also super cheap.
  • Of course, you’ve got to do some gambling. Blackjack is awesome fun and you can “learn” how to play well enough to win in a few days of study pre-trip. Craps is hands down the most “fun” game since you’ll have the whole table cheering if someone is hot. Slots can be fun if you’re betting big (pool your funds) and having everyone take turns on like a $5 machine. Sitting there and playing your own machine is boring as hell, don’t do it.
  • Check out the concert listings before you come…there may be a good show at the Joint in the Hard Rock or the House of Blues in the Mandalay Bay.
  • If you’re going to go clubbing get on their mailing list before you go, they often give out free VIP passes, free entry, etc.
  • Always be sure to tip the valet and bell boys well. They will hook you up for your whole trip for a few 20 dollar tips. Once you’ve got that good tipper reputation, the whole staff will bend to any desire you’ve got. Use these employees to get hookups for clubs, etc.
  • The best shows in Vegas are : Any Cirque Du Soleil show besides Ka, the Blue Man Group, Sin City Comedy, Penn and Teller, and Terry Fator.
  • Also, definitely check out the gardens and the fountains at the Bellagio, they’re really beautiful and can get you some great pics to show your family when you get home.
  • There is an indoor skydiving place near the Las Vegas Convention Center that is CRAZY fun and makes for some hilarious videos. Don’t go when you’re drunk.

If you’re native, did I miss anything?  If you used this list, leave me a comment!  It’d make my day to know it helped someone plan a great time in my beloved hometown.

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