Category Archives: Las Vegas

From A-list entertainers and big-budget stage shows to celebrity chef fine dining experiences andluxury hotels, pools and casinos to breathtaking canyons, plains, forests and mountains, Las Vegas offers an experience like no other city. Here are some of the best things to do on your next visit.

Rolling into Las Vegas (Spanish for "the meadows") behind the wheel as a Sin City first-timer is a classic experience arrive after dark and approach from the south for maximum "wows" and the iconic Welcome to Las Vegas Sign, then cruise the 4.2-mile section of Las Vegas Blvd between Russell Rd and Sahara Ave, known the world over as "The Strip."

Take in Luxor's glowing beacon, New YorkNew York's Statue of Liberty, Bellagio's dancing fountains, Paris' Eiffel Tower, theMirage's erupting volcano and the gleaming beacon of The STRATtower.

Then visit ancient Rome at Caesars Palace and stroll down the LINQ Promenade, with its eclectic selection of fun boutiques, pubs and eateries, and the world's largest Ferris wheel, the High Roller.

Where to get tickets for the STRAT, the High Roller and the LINQ Zipline

Vegas is synonymous with world-class entertainment. Queen Celineaka Celine Dion, who previously retired,is making a comeback beginning in November 2021, and a host of big-name artists take up residencies here.

The hottest ticket in town, though, remains Cirque du Soleil. Whimsical costumes, aerial acrobatics and synchronized swimming create an electrifying atmosphere. Splash out on the original aquatic spectacular "O",Chinese martial-arts-inspired "K", musical tributes to the Beatles (LOVE), circus spectacular "Mystre".

Find out more about shows at the MGM Grand

In Las Vegas, celebrity chefs share star status with top entertainers, but few casino resorts feature as revered a culinary line-up as Palazzo and Venetian, whose lauded dining rooms include Napa Valley wunderkind Thomas Keller's bistro Bouchon, LA trendsetter Wolfgang Puck's steakhouse Cut, and original Food Network personality Emeril Lagasse's Delmonico Steakhouse (with a Cajun twist).

A selection of more casual offerings, including B&B Burger & Beer and Sushisamba, are accessible even to those who havent won big at the tables.

In 2011, when Vegas hosted the Electric Daisy Carnival (giant of the EDM world), attendance exceeded 230,000.

Casino operators soon seized a long-sought opportunity to reverse the visitor slump Vegas had endured since the 2008 economic meltdown: the everyday punter didn't have cash to burn on blackjack or risk on slot machines anymore, but wanted to escape the stresses of life more than ever.

Post-festival, MGM Grand's megaclub Hakkasan coaxed world heavyweight DJs Calvin Harris, Tisto and Steve Aoki into residencies, and today Vegas rivals Ibiza as a dance-party destination.

The 8 best parks in Las Vegas

In the race for the best resort swimming pool in Las Vegas, Mandalay Bay's impressive "beach,"featuring 2700 tons of imported southern Californian sand, artificial 6ft-high waves, a "beachfront"casino and a lazy river you can float down before catching a summertime concert under the stars, wins hands down.

But don't let that stop you from attempting to sample every one of Vegas' ubiquitous pool-bars, from MGM Grand's Wet Republicto Encore's ultra-chic Beach Club and Caesars Palace's time-tested Garden of the Gods.

What to see and do at Mandalay Bay

Anchoring The Strip's northern extent, The STRATs glitzy, three-legged tower is the tallest of its kind in the USA. There's no better place to get a bird's-eye perspective on Las Vegas than from this vertical metropolis resembling a flying saucer on a pole.

Ride the country's fastest elevators up to the observation deck (869ft) at sunset or have a cocktail in the slowly revolving 107 SkyLounge. Nighttime is best for the biggest scares on the tower's thrill rides, or be a daredevil in the daylight and do a SkyJump free-fall.

Everything you need to know about the STRAT

This is a town where they tear down perfectly good buildings for no reason. The wrecking balls of The Strip swing ceaselessly, which is precisely why a trip to retro downtown is so satisfying.

Antique neon signs are given pride of place along Fremont St, and old-school casinos like the Golden Nugget and the El Cortez harken back to the Rat Pack era. Don't miss the Neon Museum, where even more Vegas history is lovingly preserved.

After cocktails on The Strip have stripped you of some serious cash, head to downtown's buzzing Fremont East Entertainment District. Start at Container Park to browse the stalls with an open container of IPA, chat with tatted-up locals and get your bearings amid trippy industrial art.

From here, happily spill out into the messy late-night bars along Fremont St. First Fridays 'round these parts are local legend: community-arts-festival-turned-street-parties, which give the nearby Arts District a mini-Carnival makeover onyou guessed itthe first Friday of the month.

Tired of smoky casinos? Detour from The Strip for a breath of fresh air and a fix of eco-conscious design at this educational museum complex.

The Springs Preserve is situated on the site where now-dry natural springs once fed Las Vegas and wheresouthern Paiutes and Old Spanish Trail traders set up camp.

Family-oriented attractions include the Origen Museum, the Nevada State Museum and the Desert Living Center, plus hiking trails, wildlife viewing, botanic gardens, a healthy-living cafe and a weekly farmers market.

How to survive a trip to Las Vegas

Recalling an era when the word "atomic"conjured modernity and mystery, the Smithsonian-affiliated National Atomic Testing Museum is a testament to the period in US history when the fantastical and destructive power of nuclear energy was tested just outside Las Vegas.

After visiting the museum, it's almost possible to imagine 1950s gamblers and tourists picnicking on Downtown casino rooftops while mushroom clouds rose on the horizon. Step down into the deafening Ground Zero Theater, which mimics a concrete test bunker.

Changing with the seasons, Bellagios conservatory displays ostentatious floral arrangements, installed by crane through a soaring 50ft-high ceiling.

Streaking down the center of Vegas' Glitter Gulch historical district Downtown, this five-blockpedestrian mallis lined with old-school casinos and topped by an arched steel canopy.

Hourly from dusk until midnight, the 1400ft-long canopy turns on a six-minute light-and-sound show. The shows are ridiculously cheesy but mesmerizing if you're drunk.

It's even more exhilarating if you happen to be zooming by on the zip-line cables attached to the 12-storySlotzilla, a slot-machine-themed platform at the mall's eastern end.

Slip away from the madness inside theFlamingoswildlife 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 in the middle of the desert.Glimpse pink feathers at the Tropicana (attached to birds, not an exotic dancer).

Just a short drive (13 miles) from The Strip,Red Rock's dramatic vistas are revered by Las Vegas locals and adored by visitors from around the world.

Formed by extreme tectonic forces, it's thought the canyon, whose 3000ft red rock escarpment rises sharply from the valley floor, was formed around 65 million years ago.

A 13-mile, one-way scenic loop drive offers mesmerizing vistas of the canyon's most striking features. Hiking trails and rock-climbing routes radiate from roadside parking areas.

The 8 best day trips from Las Vegas

It's hard to say what's more impressive: the museum's physical location in a historic federal courthouse where mobsters sat for federal hearings in 195051, the fact that the board of directors is headed up by a former FBI special agent, or the thoughtfully curated exhibits telling the story of organized crime in America.

The museum features hands-on FBI equipment and mob-related artifacts, as well as interviews with real-life Tony Sopranos.

What to expect at the Mob Museum

The boys from Las Vegas' very own minor league team theAviators hit fastballs here during the summer months, aiming for the Spring Mountains visible beyond the stadium.

Soar above West Las Vegas, with The Strip on one hand and Red Rock Canyon on the other with a one-of-a-kindballoon ride.

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The 17 Best Things to do in Las Vegas, Nevada - Lonely Planet

Coroners in Las Vegas have identified human remains found in Lake Mead as its waters recede as those of a 39-year-old man who drowned nearly half a century ago.

The Clark county coroner said the remains were those of Donald Smith, a 39-year-old Las Vegas resident who drowned in April 1974. Officials ruled the death accidental.

The identification was based on DNA analysis and reports from the original incident, the coroner said.

A human bone was discovered last October in Calville Bay, by a diver who directed officials to the area.

It was the sixth set of remains discovered since May 2022, when a severe drought started to lower water levels dramatically.

Families boating, paddling and picnicking have come across haunting remains as the water reaches historic lows.

Along with human remains, the receding waters have revealed a second world war-era boat and a B-29 plane.

Three sets of partial remains come from a body found in May, when a couple boating on the lake came across a barrel with a body in it.

Intact clothing helped officials determine those remains dated back to the late 1970s or early 1980s. Local historians have speculated that the remains may be evidence of a victim of the mafia, who were known to dispose of bodies by cramming them into barrels.

One other set of remains has been identified. Thomas Erndt, a 42-year-old father, drowned in 2002 while swimming late at night. His remains were found on the popular Boulder Beach last summer.

Melanie Rouse, the Clark county coroner, told the Guardian in December Erndts family expressed gratitude over the recovery and identification as it gave them a sense of closure.

Thats one of the reasons why we continue to do what we do being able to provide closure and being able to return these unidentified individuals back to their families and provide them with a name, Rouse said.

Regarding the identification of Donald Smith, Las Vegas police said they did not have family contacts, the Associated Press reported.

Last year was one of the driest years on record in Las Vegas, as the American west experienced an unprecedented drought. Lake Mead, the largest US reservoir and a key water source for 25 million people, was just 26% full.

A giant bathtub ring could be seen along the lakes perimeter, showing just how low the level had fallen.

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Human remains revealed by shrinking Lake Mead identified half a century ...

FBI documents reveal details about Las Vegas mass shooter including possible motive that led to 60 people dying  KLAS - 8 News Now

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FBI documents reveal details about Las Vegas mass shooter including possible motive that led to 60 people dying - KLAS - 8 News Now

Las Vegas saw 38.8 million visitors last year, a 20.5 percent boost compared with 2021. But the double digit percentage increase was not enough to beat the citys 2016 record of 42.9 million visitors.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority also reported Tuesday that the city had more than twice the number of convention attendees in 2022 than in the year prior, hosting nearly 5 million people.

Overall hotel occupancy led the nation at 79.2 percent rate for the year, while the national average was at 63 percent, according to the LVCVA. Even though a room occupancy rate of 79.2 percent is good compared to its peers, it is well below the citys record 90.4 percent achieved in 1996 and again in 2007.

Clark County reported an average daily room rate of $170.98, up 28.9 percent from pre-COVID 2019. Gaming win in the county was $12.79 billion, beating 2021s record of $11.45 billion.

One more record could land the number of passengers using Harry Reid International Airport.

Reid officials havent yet reported December figures, but the 11-month total of 48.3 million passengers is just 3.2 million shy of the 2019 record of 51.5 million.

Kevin Bagger, vice president of the LVCVA Research Center, chalked up 2022 as a good year.

From the initial shadow of the omicron variant to record-shattering room rates later in the year, Las Vegas enjoyed a robust recovery trajectory across core tourism indicators in 2022, Bagger said. With December 2022 visitation just 4.6 percent shy of December 2019, the year closed out with 38.8 million visitors, 20.5 percent ahead of 2021 and 8.7 percent under 2019s tally.

But he added occupancy and room rates were what shined the most.

For the year, weekend occupancy reached 89.3 percent, 8 points over 2021, and 5.6 points below 2019, he said. While midweek occupancy reached 74.7 percent, up 14.2 points vs. 2021 but down 11.6 points vs. 2019.

The annual average daily room rate hit $171, he said, 24.5 percent higher than 2021 and 28.9 percent ahead of 2019. RevPAR revenue per available room reached about $135 for the year, 47.6 percent higher year over year and 14.9 percent ahead of 2019.

Travel to Las Vegas was boosted by several major sporting events such as the NFL Pro Bowl in February, the NFL draft in April, a full season of the Raiders and international soccer games that featured global giants Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus and Chelsea, among others.

Travel to the destination also became more accessible with the lifting of international travel restrictions paired with the addition of three new airlines and 36 new markets at Reid International.

Big year ahead

Bagger and the LVCVA believe the strong finish to 2022 portends a big year in 2023.

He said the city is facing $3.2 billion in major development planned throughout the resort corridor. Fontainebleau Las Vegas is expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2023 with 3,700 rooms and 550,000 square feet of meeting and convention space.

The $2.17 billion MSG Sphere at The Venetian is under construction and scheduled to open the second half of 2023. It will feature 17,500 seats, an exosphere with 580,000 square feet of programmable lighting and the largest and highest-resolution LED screen on earth.

Several renovations and reinvestments will also occur this year, including room remodels at New York-New York and The Mirage rebranding to Hard Rock Hotel as well as renovations to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center.

Major international sporting events are also on tap for what the LVCVA refers to as the Greatest Arena on Earth this year, including the NFL Pro Bowl on Sunday, LEtape by Tour de France on May 7 and the inaugural Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix on Nov. 16-18.

Gaming industry analyst John DeCree of Las Vegas-based CBRE Equity Research said in a Tuesday report to investors that his company expects favorable trends to continue.

The Strip is now firing on all cylinders, with continued growth in gaming volumes, including signs of an early recovery in international play, such as baccarat, and higher room pricing as the rebound in group and convention business accelerates, DeCree said. We remain bullish on the fiscal year 23 outlook, particularly in first-quarter 2023 as the comps remain easy.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.

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Las Vegas casinos, tourism got a big boost in 2022