In this article I am going to tell you everything to see in Las Vegas, one of the most famous cities on the planet and one of the essential places to see on the West Coast of the United States. Fundamentally, the plans to do in Las Vegas are based on nightlife and the theatrical and light and sound shows on its streets and museums. Another fundamental aspect of leisure in the city are the attractions offered by the different hotels in Las Vegas.
What to see in Las Vegas, what to visit and what to do in Vegas and its hotels
During my trip along the West Coast of the United States, Las Vegas was one of those mandatory stops. Although, while it is true, I did not spend much time in it (I preferred to dedicate more time to places like the Grand Canyon of the Colorado, Yosemite National Park or Yellowstone), I was able to enjoy some of the attractions of this city of Nevada (among which are the famous Las Vegas casinos).
In this guide I am going to try to list the main activities to do in Las Vegas and the places that are worth seeing.
What to see in Las Vegas, what to visit and what to do in Vegas
It’s paradoxical. There are many things to see in Las Vegas and, at the same time, very few. Let me explain: for those looking for strange experiences, casinos, poker games, nightlife and eye-catching shows, Las Vegas is paradise on earth. For those looking (on the West Coast, I say) natural spaces, tranquility and places with history, Las Vegas does not have much to offer (what little there is I will explain in this guide).
That’s Las Vegas. Unlike other cities in the United States such as New York, San Francisco or even Los Angeles, Las Vegas does not have much of a legacy of what it was in the past (except Fremont St). What makes it striking is its artificiality, its lights, its sounds, its extreme, strange, unheard of experiences (like driving a bulldozer, getting married with Elvis or shooting with a machine gun). A city built on dollars in the middle of the desert.
But it works. Las Vegas is one of the American cities that receives the most tourists. So, let’s see what (a lot/little) the city has to offer:
The Bellagio fountain show, one of the most famous Las Vegas hotels
The Bellagio fountain show has become one of the key events to see in Las Vegas. With its more than a thousand jets combined with light and sound, this show can be enjoyed from the Las Vegas Strip itself.
The Bellagio fountain show times are:
Monday to Friday
Every 30 minutes from 3:00 p.m. m. until 6:30 p.m. m.
Every 15 minutes from 7:00 p.m. m. until midnight.
Saturday, Sunday and holidays
Every 30 minutes from noon to 6:30 p.m. m.
Every 15 minutes from 7:00 p.m. m. until midnight
The show, by the way, is free (one of the few things to see in Las Vegas for free).
Fremont Street Experience, the historic center to visit in Las Vegas
Fremont Street is a pedestrian street in Downtown Las Vegas that corresponds to the oldest area of the city, although currently it has nothing to do with what would be considered the old part of the city. This is where the first Las Vegas hotel and the first casinos opened.
On Fremont Street there is a covered sector in the shape of a vault of almost half a kilometer that is, in turn, a screen (the largest in the world). This is where the Fremont Street Experience takes place, a light and sound show that can be visited daily between 8:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m.
Tour the Las Vegas Strip
The Strip is one of the most famous urban areas in the world. This is a section of Las Vegas Boulevard where the vast majority of hotels and casinos in Las Vegas are concentrated (in fact, the term Strip is used to refer to the casinos and resorts located on both sides of the street). With an extension of almost 5 kilometers, walking the Strip is an activity in itself to do in Las Vegas, thanks to the attractions and shows put on by the different hotels and casinos (such as the Bellagio fountain show).
Fly over Las Vegas by helicopter
If seeing the light show from the ground is already an attraction in itself, seeing it from the air multiplies the experience. That’s what you get by flying over Las Vegas in a helicopter, an expensive activity but one that, for lovers of panoramic views and different experiences, can be very worthwhile (I didn’t do it, although I did fly over the Grand Canyon in a helicopter …the best thing I’ve ever done in my life).
Enter their casinos
Las Vegas hotels and casinos are an attraction in themselves. Beyond the game itself (little more needs to be said about this), the interior of each establishment is visually crazy. Each hotel and casino behaves like a kind of theme park (especially those with a special theme, like New York, New York) where, suddenly, you find yourself walking the streets of a city within another city. There are so many and so varied that you can spend an entire night just browsing.
A wedding at Graceland chapel, with Elvis as a witness
Getting married in Las Vegas has become another attraction, especially doing so at Graceland, the chapel where Elvis, Magic Johnson and Pamela Anderson have already passed through. It is not one of the cheapest things to do in Las Vegas but if you want to celebrate a special wedding, this is undoubtedly one of the most bizarre ways. You can hire this experience at this link.
Area 15
Area 15 is a place that, if it is anywhere in the world, it has to be Las Vegas. It is an arts, entertainment and events complex that, broadly speaking, offers live performances, immersive experiences and art installations. Kind of crazy alternate universe with lots of little alternate universes inside.
Entry to Area 15 is free before 10:00 p.m., although tickets must be purchased to enter specific experiences (such as Wink World, a kind of psychedelic art gallery created by a founder of the Blue Man Group; or Museum Fiasco, an immersive audiovisual installation that explores the relationships between space, time and perception).
Also located here is the Lost Spirits Distillery, an immersive show and distillery tour that resembles a surreal amusement park.
Madame Tussauds Las Vegas
Unlike other wax museums in the world (such as the Madrid Wax Museum, which has somewhat debatable figures), Madame Tussauds is a benchmark when it comes to celebrity sculptures created in wax. One of these museums is located in Las Vegas, and tickets can be purchased through this link.
Drive an excavator
Yes. Drive an excavator. I never imagined that I would put this in an article, but when I read that this activity was offered, I remembered Adri, an engineer friend from Vigo who once told me that he would have liked to work driving heavy machinery, excavators…
If anyone else is like my friend Adri, know that through this link you can make his dream come true 😂😅
Shop at Las Vegas North Premium Outlets shopping mall
The Las Vegas outlets are another attraction that many tourists, eager to get Yankee clothing at a good price, want to visit in Las Vegas. From the central area of the Strip it is about 7 kilometers to Las Vegas North Premium Outlets, so a taxi or bus is necessary.
Mob Museum or Las Vegas Mafia Museum
The Las Vegas Mob Museum is located in the former Las Vegas Post Office and Courthouse. It is dedicated to the history of organized crime in the United States and displays various artifacts linked to the mafia.