5 Best Things To Do In Las Vegas

Whether you’re here for a shotgun wedding, a wild weekend or a family trip, you're in for the best experience. From major attractions to the best shows and the best restaurants to eat when you need to refuel, Las Vegas is full of amazing make-your-mouth-drop happenings. So let's go on and explore the city both on and off the Strip when tackling the very best things to do in Las Vegas.

Casinos

The Gamblers General Store in Downtown Vegas has a library of “how to” gaming books as well as gifts. If poker’s your game, head to the Bellagio, where you might see some of the world’s top players in action, or Downtown’s legendary Golden Nugget, where you can match your skills with anonymous, grizzled veterans who look like they haven’t left their seat at the table in decades. If you’d rather stick to slots or video poker, head to the Palms, where the payouts are above average, or the off-Strip Gold Coast or Circus Circus, both of which offer glimpses into Vegas’ vintage past.

Concerts

Changing entertainment trends mean that, today, the Strip is populated with less production shows and more resident headliners—A-list musicians and bands that set up shop in casino showrooms for extended runs that translate all the production value of a massive tour into a far more intimate experience. Whenever you visit, somebody will be putting on a show, so check the calendar then book your tickets to see Celine Dion, Elton John, Cher, Bruno Mars, Backstreet Boys or Reba, Brooks & Dunn in concert.

Mini-World in Vegas

Many of the more preposterously themed hotels in Vegas pay homage to notable locales around the world that would seem tacky anywhere else. You want Paris and the Eiffel Tower? Try Paris Las Vegas. Venice? There are gondolas and a St. Mark’s Square at the Venetian. Head to Bellagio for an erupting replica of Italy’s Lake Como. The Big Apple? New York-New York has a Statue of Liberty so convincing it once ended up on a stamp by mistake. Even Detroit gets a themed casino, courtesy of Fremont Street’s the D, where you can grab a hot dog at American Coney Island or coffee from Michigan landmark Zingerman’s. Such is the magic of Las Vegas.

Outdoor Art Galleries

When Life Is Beautiful Festival launched in Downtown Las Vegas in 2013, it brought with it a team of international street artists and muralists who blanketed the city’s walls with colorful, evocative paintings. That program has continued each year, with new works added and old pieces refreshed or replaced. Exploring Downtown feels like wandering through an epic art gallery scaled for giants.

Steakhouses

Today, most people have heard of kobe beef, but, despite what your local bistro would you have believe, few people have tasted it. That’s because only a handful restaurants in the entire U.S. are permitted to sell the good stuff, and three of them are in Vegas. You can find certified, melt-in-your-mouth Japanese kobe at José Andrés’ Bazaar Meat at SLS, SWS Steakhouse at the Wynn and Jean Georges Steakhouse at Aria. If you’re an aficionado of fine meat, the best steakhouses in Las Vegas will surely rock your world.