Neon Museum – Neon Boneyard

Las Vegas

　　This nonprofit project is doing what almost no one else does: saving Las Vegas' history. Book ahead for a fascinating guided walking tour of the ‘Neon Boneyard,' where irreplaceable vintage neon signs – Las Vegas' original art form – spend their retirement. Start exploring at the visitor center inside the...

Mirage

Las Vegas

　　Having partially shaken off its historically tropical theme, the Mirage retains its huge rain forest atrium of lush, tropical foliage and has updated the 20,000-gallon saltwater aquarium in the lobby. Its renovated casino floor features an updated sports book, huge new Center Bar, more than 100 tables and over 2000...

Wet Republic

Las Vegas

　　Think of Wet Republic, the city's biggest 'ultra pool,' as a nightclub brought out into the sunlight. The mostly 20- and 30-something crowd in stylish swimwear show up for EDM tunes spun by megawatt DJs like Calvin Harris, fruity cocktails and bobbing oh-so-coolly around saltwater pools while checking out the...

Luxor

Las Vegas

　　Named after Egypt's splendid ancient city, the landmark Luxor once had the biggest wow factor on the south Strip. While the theme easily could have produced a pyramid of gaudiness, instead it resulted in a relatively refined shrine to Egyptian art, architecture and antiquities. Luxor's casino floor has a slightly...

High Roller

Las Vegas

　　In Vegas parlance, a gambler who bets big is called a high roller. It's also the name of the world's tallest observation wheel, which tops out at 550ft above LINQ Promenade. Opened in 2014, the 28 air-conditioned passenger cabins are enclosed by handcrafted Italian glass, while outside LED light up...

Delmonico Steakhouse

Las Vegas

　　Designed by Emeril Lagasse, Delmonico Steakhouse is a reliable classic on the Venetian's restaurant row. Big oak doors open into a vaulted ceiling space and Creole-inflected appetizers include New Orleans–style shrimp and gumbo, although steaks are the real star. Cocktail and whiskey lists are for connoisseurs. Reservations essential. ...

Flamingo Wildlife Habitat

Las Vegas

　　Slip away from the madness inside the Flamingo’s wildlife habitat, out back behind the casino. Over a dozen acres of pools, gardens, waterfalls and water­ways are filled with swans, exotic birds and ornamental koi (carp). Here, Chilean flamingos and African penguins wander around, and palm trees and jungle plants flourish...

Welcome to Las Vegas Sign

Las Vegas

　　In a city famous for neon signs, one reigns supreme: the 'Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada' sign, facing south and straddling Las Vegas Blvd just south of Mandalay Bay, the unofficial beginning of the Strip. Designed by Betty Willis at the end of the 'Fabulous Fifties,' this sign is...

Hakkasan

Las Vegas

　　At this lavish Asian-inspired nightclub, international jet-set DJs such as Tiësto and Steve Aoki rule the jam-packed main dance floor bordered by VIP booths and floor-to-ceiling LED screens. More offbeat sounds spin in the intimate Ling Ling Club, revealing leather sofas and backlit amber glass. 　　Bouncers enforce the dress code:...

Nevada State Museum

Las Vegas

　　If you've got a hankering to see a stuffed Columbian mammoth or the Nevada state fossil (spoiler: it’s an ichthyosaur), you've come to the right place. However, the most interesting exhibits are the rotating displays covering local and regional history. 　　Admission includes adult entry into Springs Preserve; children will need...

Golden Nugget

Las Vegas

　　Check out the polished brass and white leather seats in the casino: day or night, the Golden Nugget is downtown's poshest address (not that there's a dress code or anything). With eateries and a swimming pool famous for its shark tank, the Golden Nugget draws a moneyed crowd with a...

National Atomic Testing Museum

Las Vegas

　　Fascinating multimedia exhibits focus on science, technology and the social history of the 'Atomic Age,' which lasted from WWII until a worldwide ban on nuclear testing was declared in 1992. Experience a (legitimately scary) simulation of witnessing an atomic test, and examine southern Nevada's nuclear past, present and future, from...

Encore Beach Club

Las Vegas

　　Soak up sunshine on a larger-than-life 'lilypad,' bob around the pool to DJ-spun tunes, play high-stakes blackjack by the pool or kick back in a private bungalow or cabana with its own hot tub. The club features three tiered pools (one with an island platform for dancing), plus a gaming...

New York–New York

Las Vegas

　　Opened in 1997, the mini-megalopolis of New York–New York remains a perennial hit with spring breakers. Tables in the casino's 'Party Pit' are set against a backdrop of go-go dancers and occasional live entertainers, while out front, perspective-warping replicas of the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, and Chrysler and Empire...

Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens

Las Vegas

　　Changing with the seasons, Bellagio’s conservatory displays ostentatious floral arrangements, installed by crane through a soaring 50ft-high ceiling. The effect is unnatural, but that doesn't stop crowds from gawking, and the aroma of fresh blooms is enchanting. Peek around the periphery of the conservatory for classic paintings re-created with buds...

Cut

Las Vegas

　　Peripatetic chef Wolfgang Puck strikes again and this time he's on fire – 1200°F (649°C) in the broiler, to be exact. Modern earth-toned furnishings with stainless-steel accents and dried-flower arrangements complement a smart menu, which dares to infuse Indian spices into Kobe beef and accompany Nebraska corn-fed steaks with Argentinean...

Springs Preserve

Las Vegas

　　On the site of the natural springs (which ran dry in 1962) that fed las vegas ('the meadows'), where southern Paiutes and Spanish Trail traders camped, and later Mormon missionaries and Western pioneers settled the valley, this educational complex is an incredible trip through historical, cultural and biological time. The...

El Cortez

Las Vegas

　　Head to the unabashedly retro El Cortez, Vegas' oldest continuously operating casino, on the National Register of Historic Places. Going strong since 1941, it's one of the only carpet joints left where the slot machines are the real thing. If you hit the jackpot, you'll enjoy the clatter of actual...

Bouchon

Las Vegas

　　Napa Valley wünderkind Thomas Keller's rendition of a Lyonnaise bistro features a seasonal menu of French classics. The poolside setting complements the oyster bar (open 3pm to 10pm daily) and an extensive raw seafood selection. Decadent breakfasts and brunches, imported cheeses, caviar, foie gras and a superb French and Californian...

Bellagio

Las Vegas

　　The Bellagio experience transcends its decadent casino floor of high-limit gaming tables and in excess of 2300 slot machines; locals say odds here are less than favorable. A stop on the World Poker Tour, Bellagio's tournament-worthy poker room offers kitchen-to-gaming-table delivery around the clock. Most, however, come for the property's...

Container Park

Las Vegas

　　An incubator for up-and-coming fashion designers and local artisans, the edgy Container Park, fronted by a giant metal grasshopper, stacks pop-up shops on top of one another. Wander along the sidewalks and catwalks while searching out handmade jewelry, contemporary art and clothing at a dozen or so specialty boutiques, eateries...

Cirque du Soleil

Las Vegas

　　Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil is the creator of the Strip's hottest shows. Seven heart-stopping displays of human artistry in dance, acrobatics and performance have residency and permanent theaters in as many casinos. Tickets can be purchased online, at the casinos or through any number of discount ticket outlets. ...

Sushisamba

Las Vegas

　　Done up with the colors of Rio and with martial-arts flicks projected onto the walls, Sushisamba is a chic integration of Peruvian, Brazilian and Japanese culinary traditions. Savor flawlessly grilled robata and churrasco meats, ceviche spiked with citrus and chilies, and delicate tempura with dipping sauces. Order caipirinhas during 'samba'...

Venetian

Las Vegas

　　The Venetian's regal 120,000-sq-ft casino has marble floors, hand-painted ceiling frescoes and 120 table games, including a high-limit lounge and an elegant nonsmoking poker room, where women are especially welcome (unlike at many other poker rooms in town). When combined with its younger, neighboring sibling Palazzo, the properties claim the...

Caesars Palace

Las Vegas

　　Caesars Palace claims that its smartly renovated casino floor has more million-dollar slots than anywhere in the world, but its claims to fame are far more numerous than that. Entertainment heavyweights Celine Dion and Elton John 'own' its custom-built Colosseum theater, fashionistas saunter around The Forum Shops, while Caesars' hotel...

Aria

Las Vegas

　　We’ve seen this symbiotic relationship before (think giant hotel anchored by a mall ‘concept’), but the way that this futuristic-feeling complex places a small galaxy of hypermodern, chichi hotels in orbit around the glitzy Shops at Crystals is a first. The upscale spread includes the subdued, stylish Vdara, the hush-hush...

Mob Museum

Las Vegas

　　The myth and mystique of mobsters from Bugsy Siegel to Al Capone get the museum treatment inside a hulking Downtown courthouse where real gangsters sat for federal hearings in 1950–51. 　　Thoughtfully curated exhibits chart the history of organized crime in America and feature hands-on FBI equipment and mob-related artifacts. An...

LINQ Promenade

Las Vegas

　　Running between The LINQ Hotel & Casino and the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, the LINQ Promenade is a partially-covered outdoor pedestrian walkway which brims with shopping opportunities and high-flying fun.  　　Browse hip LA fashions, gorge yourself on cupcakes or on fish & chips (by Gordon Ramsey), go bowling, ride...

Mandalay Bay

Las Vegas

　　Angular and glittering gold, massive Mandalay Bay flanks the far south end of the Strip. It's the first resort many visitors lay eyes on as they roll into Las Vegas – and what better introduction to Sin City than this gleaming tropics-in-the-desert themed, high-rise shrine to casino gaming and high-rolling,...

The STRAT Hotel, Casino and SkyPod

Las Vegas

　　Vegas has many buildings more than 20 storeys tall, but only Stratosphere (now officially The STRAT Hotel, Casino and SkyPod, but still 'the Strat' to locals) exceeds 100 and features the nation's highest thrill rides. Atop the 1149ft-high tapered tripod tower, vertiginous indoor and outdoor viewing decks afford Vegas' best...

MGM Grand

Las Vegas

　　Owned by the eponymous Hollywood studio, the MGM Grand casino and hotel liberally borrows Tinsel Town's themes. Flashing LED screens and computerized fountains add extra theatrics to the 100,000lb, 45ft-tall bronze lion statue at the casino's entrance. 　　Inside the labyrinthine casino bedecked with giant screens, you can get table-side massages...