Whether you been to Las Vegas several times or looking to go your first time, you know there is a never ending list of things to do, see, and eat right in Vegas.
So what are some must dos in Vegas for first timers?
Luckily we recently just asked 15 Vegas experts and travel gurus:
What their favorite things to do in Vegas and why?
We hope these unique insights will help you plan your first or next Vegas vacation!
Scott Roeben at Vital Vegas Twitter: @VitalVegas
Naturally, my first thought goes to food. Pizza Rock is a must-do! I’d put Cleo at SLS right up there as well.
I’d also say the happy hour at 107 SkyLounge at Stratosphere. It’s a decent value, and that view is incomparable, obviously.
As far as a non food-and-drink option: I’d recommend the new “Brilliant” show at Neon Museum. It’s cool for so many reasons, including the fact it brings old signs back to life with projection mapping.
Marc at Edge Vegas Twitter: @MeltzVegas
Gamble at The Cromwell – It’s a fun casino with good gambling odds for blackjack, craps and video poker. The dealers and pit bosses are all nice and the Pai Gow Poker games are always fun. They also comp Basil Hayden at the tables.
Pizza Rock Happy Hour Double Header – I love grabbing some discount meatballs and discount beer at the early (3-6) and late (10-close) Happy Hours.
If I’m with a friend we’ll usually share a pizza or something else. In between eating and drinking we’ll visit one of the casinos to gamble for a little while. I’ll visit different casinos depending on the mood – Downtown Grand is chill, The D is fun, Fremont and El Cortez are cheap.
360 Vegas at 360 Vegas Podcast Twitter: @360vegas
I like to explore. Walk the strip, at least a significant portion of it and try and spot everything that has changed, especially the stuff that is too insignificant to report on by local media.
Gotta spend time on Fremont as well every trip.
Megan Edwards at Living Las Vegas Twitter: @MeganEdwards
For first-timers who’d like to see the natural splendor surrounding the city, I always recommend Red Rock Canyon, which takes only an hour or two to visit by car. It’s beautiful every day of the year, and if you have more time, offers plenty of hiking trails.
For indoor fun for all ages, I like the Pinball Hall of Fame, where visitors can play on hundreds of machines, new and old. There’s no admission charge, and the machines cost whatever they did when they were new. Take a lot of quarters!
Some other things to do in vegas:
The Clark County Museum in Henderson has a gallery of art and artifacts and also a street lined with houses and businesses from all the decades of Las Vegas history. You can go inside each one and see what it was like to live here when Hoover Dam was being built or when the city was first established. There’s a train depot, a print shop, and a wedding chapel, too. Nearby is a “ghost town” that displays old mining equipment and other artifacts that illustrate Nevada’s mining history.
Also offering a look at Las Vegas’s glittery past is the Neon Museum, where visitors can check out the old – and some not so old – neon signs from resorts, businesses, and casinos on the Strip and all over town.
I realize that there is another terrific spot that just opened in downtown Las Vegas: The Underground at the Mob Museum. It’s a new Speakeasy-style bar underneath the museum that serves Prohibition-era cocktails and has some cool displays of artifacts and clothing of the period. It also has a real still where they’re making moonshine.
VegasWine Chick at @Vegaswinechick Twitter: @Vegaswinechick
I get giddy trying to beat my friends to a new restaurant for the first time. And Vegas is one of the best cities for splurging on a staycation. Zuma is my current favorite restaurant and I enjoy Love and One.
Mark at Mark’s Las Vegas Twitter: @markslasvegas
I always visit the Brahma Shrine in front of Caesars Palace. It is a place where I can center and ground myself, which helps me focus better when playing poker. It is also a nice counter to all the noise, chaos and excitement of the Strip in general. I’m hoping that the proximity to the new Hell’s Kitchen doesn’t change that.
The Nibbles and Sips Happy Hour at the Foundation Room is also favorite stop for me. Hitting the happy hour gives you free access to the Foundation Room, with the best view of the Strip from the south. The Buddhist theming is welcoming, too. $5 house wine and vodka cocktails. 6p-8p Sunday through Thursday.
TFB at Travel Fan Boy Twitter: @TravelFanboy
I’d say a good bar with a great view is 1. Mandarin Bar or Skyfall top the list. 2. A fun craps game with a friendly crew. My fav spots are Golden Gate, Cromwell, or Downtown Grand.
Joe Filipowicz at Family Vacation Hub Twitter: @FVHub
While my favorite bucket list experience in Las Vegas was flying an aerobatic stunt plane at Sky Combat Ace, it seems to be too extreme to recommend for most folks. Ratcheting down the daredevil factor a notch, while keeping the excitement pretty high, the Slotzilla Zoomline is a must for thrill seekers.
SlotZilla stands at 12-stories and has two different ziplines. The zoomline is the uppermost zipline that sends riders flying over Fremont Street in a “Superman” position at speeds of up to 40 MPH. It is a thrilling experience flying high above Fremont Street and going at night with all of the glowing lights makes it even better.
Dune Buggy or UTV through the Mojave Desert – Leaving the glitz and glamor of Las Vegas and Downtown doesn’t limit your options of fun activities. One of our favorite things to do is head out to the desert that surrounds Las Vegas and have some outdoor fun.
While hiking in The Valley Of Fire State Park or Red Rock Canyon shouldn’t be missed, our favorite experience has been carving up the desert terrain in a dune buggies or UTVs. While each vehicle has you speeding through the desert, they are two different experiences.
The dune buggy chase has you on a flatter desert surface with a bit more speed and curves while the UTV has you following trails of rugged terrain that the huge shocks absorb and has you going where a dune buggy dare not go. It is a great way to have some thrills, get out of the city and get dirty (in a different way than usual in Vegas).
Summer Hull at The Points Guy Family Travel Twitter: @mommypoints
Good Cirque Show like O or Ka, Bellagio Fountains, play some cheap table games, Freemont Street, Red Rocks, nice dinner, I could go on and on
FacesAndAcesLV Pod at Face and Aces Las Vegas Twitter: @FacesAndAcesLV
1) Go to a steakhouse and spare no expense – My top 3 steakhouses are SW Steakhouse at the Wynn, Gordon Ramsay Steak at Paris and Gallagher’s Steakhouse at New York New York . There’s something about having a great meal in Vegas that leaves you feeling satisfied and like you own the town.
2) Cocktails and conversation – Vegas is a city that can be enjoyed solo or with a group of friends. However if you get the right mix of drinks and camaraderie, you’ve created a bond that can last a lifetime. Places like Mandarin Bar at the Mandarin Oriental, 107 SkyLounge at the Stratosphere, or Skyfall Lounge at Delano are great, chill locations to enjoy spectacular drinks, great views of the city and good company.
Vegas Locally at @LasVegasLocally Twitter: @LasVegasLocally
Hi. A couple of things more visitors should do are: 1) visit @SpringsPreserve and 2) have drinks at @GoldenTikiVegas. Springs Preserve really shows that Vegas isn’t just a barren wasteland and Golden Tiki is one of the best tiki bars you’ll find anywhere.
Matt & Brandy at We Know Vegas Twitter: @WeKnowLasVegas
Vegas Indoor Skydiving – “It was really such a fun rush! Remember to leave your jewelry at home and bring your closed toe shoes. Vegas Indoor Skydiving is a must on your next Vegas vacation. Kids love it too!” Hold on to your hats and get ready for a fun and unique experience at Vegas Indoor Skydiving.”
TopGolf – “Topgolf Las Vegas is four floors of entertainment and great food. While you do hit golf balls, Topgolf has incorporated technology to turn the experience into something unique and fun. The best way for us to describe it is golf, bowling and darts all into one game.
We really enjoyed our time and it was one of the highlights of our last trip. Such a fun activity for a group or a family.”
Kiersten at The Blonde Abroad Twitter: @theblondeabroad
See Las Vegas from the Sky: My breathtaking trip with Sundance Helicopters is easily one of my best memories from Vegas! I flew to the Grand Canyon, which was indescribably beautiful. Sundance Helicopters also does shorter trips over the Vegas Strip, which I highly recommend.
Grab a craft cocktail at Velveteen Rabbit: The drinks here are among the best I’ve ever had, and you have to love a Velveteen Rabbit theme!
Carole McCabe-Joy at I love Las Vegas Magazine Twitter: @Carole9073
LOVED @barrymanilow and the Tamales and Tequila course at @HussongsVegas !!
Vegas Confessions at Vegas Confessions Pod Twitter: @Vegasconfesspod
My main must do’s in Vegas are Ellis island chicken fried chicken and also venturing off downtown to check all the new spots and entertainment we usually go check out the fountains at Bellagio and always have a decent slice of pizza from pizza rock and some hot dogs at the container park place always so much to do…
Huge thanks to everyone involved, I really enjoyed the unique replies and will have to try some myself!
These are great must do’s,especially for visiting Vegas for the first time.
If you are looking for more things to do, check out our full list of 67 things to do in vegas for free.
Contact us if you would like to add to this list.
Leave a comment below with some of your favorite things to do in Las Vegas.
Tom Hamilton - Author
Hi, I am Tom, and I love Las Vegas. You may see me lounging at the pool, catching a late-night show, or trying my luck at craps while out in Las Vegas.
I hope my tips and information can help people plan an enjoyable vacation and do so while saving money.
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My must do thing in Vegas is going to the race tracks. As a car enthusiast Vegas is the perfect escape for me. The last time I was there, I rented a MacLaren when from LVC Exotic Rentals and it was hands down the best thing I’ve ever experienced.