Top things to do in Las Vegas

Whether it’s your first time in Sin City or you’re a seasoned regular, Las Vegas has something for everyone — nightlife and entertainment, world-renowned dining and drinking, shopping sprees and relaxing days at the spa, shotgun weddings or a quick night of fun before heading off into the beautiful red rock desert.

The near infinite options can make it difficult to decide where and how you spend your time in Nevada’s city of neon lights, but regardless of why you’re here — driving through, a (wild) weekend getaway with friends, a family vacation, a wedding or your bachelor/bachelorette party — there is something for you.

Snap a picture at the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign and explore the Strip

The “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” is an Instagram-worthy must for every first-time visitor. The sign is located in the center of the Las Vegas Strip and is the perfect starting point to see what the city’s hub has to offer.

The Strip is chalked full of entertainment beyond gambling and drinking, and people often say that it can take you around the world without ever leaving Vegas.

Ride in a gondola or scale a 40-foot rock climbing wall at The Venetian. Spend hours at the Forum shops at Caesars Palace, where you can find some of the best shopping in the world outside of Milan and Paris. And if you’re not done with your shopping spree, visit some of the other luxury shops in every casino and resort on the Strip.

Catch one of the free water shows that happen multiple times every night at the Bellagio’s fountains. See over 2,000 different animals — from Komodo dragons to 15 different species of sharks — in the middle of the Mojave Desert at Mandalay Bay. Take a picture of the Eiffel Tower at the Paris Las Vegas and the Luxor’s Egyptian-inspired Luxor Sky Beam and Great Sphinx of Giza.

If you are feeling a little more daring, you can leap 829 feet from the top of “the highest commercial decelerator descent facility in the world” at the Stratosphere Casino, Hotel & Tower. Or ride The Big Apple Coaster at the New York-New York, which was the first roller coaster to have a 180-degree “heartline” twist and dive.

Try your luck and place a bet at the casinos

Whether you are headed to Vegas to gamble or not, grab a drink and test your luck at one of the over 100 casinos. Every casino offers a unique ambiance and specializes in different types of gambling: head to Caesars Palace for sports betting, to the ARIA for slot machines and to the Bellagio for poker.

If you are with your family or if you want to learn how to gamble, head to the Circus Circus. While you place your bets or attend one of the free blackjack, craps or roulette lessons, your kids can run around the Adventuredome and ride roller coasters, play arcade games and watch acrobats dance in the air.

Head to the Stratosphere for the best views, where you can see all of Las Vegas from the tallest building in the city. And if you want to get off the strip and gamble with locals, head to Red Rock.

Catch a show

With dozens of musicals, magic shows, concerts, circus performances and stand-up acts happening every night of the week, catching a show in Las Vegas is a must.

Performances vary depending on the night of the week, and some performers only come once or twice a year. However, there are many regular shows; some of the more popular ones are Celine Dion at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, one of the seven Cirque Du Soleil acts at various casinos and resorts on the Strip and magician Criss Angel at the Luxor.

Las Vegas is also home to multiple festivals, including the Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), iHeartRadio Music Festival and the Life is Beautiful Music & Art Festival. These festivals provide the same, unique experience that all Vegas shows offer, while also allowing you to experience multiple performances at one time.

Eat your way through world-class buffets

Vegas is known for a lot of things, and eating your way through its seemingly never-ending buffets is one of the more popular things to do. Nearly every casino and resort has a buffet, and many start around $20 a meal.

The Paris’ weekend brunch buffet is one of the more well known and costs $30.99 for unlimited French cuisine. The Wynn’s buffet was voted the “Best Buffet” in Las Vegas by Southern Nevada Hotel Concierge Association and specializes in seafood, steak and pastries. It is considered one of the best resort and casino buffets for vegetarian options, as well. Prices start at $24.49 for adults.

The buffets don’t end once you’re off the Strip, and you will be able to find a buffet dedicated to any type of food that you are craving.

Step back in time and visit the Fremont Street Experience

The Fremont Street Experience, formerly known as Glitter Gulch, is a trip back to Vegas’ wild beginnings. The area between Main to Third Streets is downtown Las Vegas’ historic hub of casinos and resorts and was redeveloped into the glitzy Fremont Street Experience in 1994.

Enjoy free live music and light shows throughout the night while strolling along the covered street. Gamble at one of the classic casinos, like the Golden Nugget or the Fremont Casino. Explore the Neon Museum, where the neon signs from casinos past and present are retired.

“Hop over to Germany” and visit the Berlin Wall in the men’s restroom of the Main Street Station Casino; women can ask to be escorted in to see the infamous wall. Take a picture with Vegas Vic, the city’s official cartoon character that was commissioned in the ’40s. Or sip a craft beer and take a tour of Banger Brewery.

Take a day trip to the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam and Lake Mead
Two hours from Las Vegas lies one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Grand Canyon.

If you are ready to spend a full day in your car — roughly five hours each way — then drive to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon National Park, which is open year-round. At 277 miles long, 18 miles wide and one mile deep, the drive is worth it.

If you’re not up for a long day, hop in your car for a two-hour drive to the Grand Canyon West Skywalk. Though the West Rim of the Grand Canyon and the Skywalk aren’t within national park boundaries — it’s on the Hualapai reservation — the majestic views and awe-inspiring size can still be enjoyed from a glass bridge that hovers 4,000 feet over the canyon.

While on your way to the Grand Canyon, stop for pictures at Hoover Dam and one of the largest reservoirs in the nation, Lake Mead. The dam, which created Lake Mead, towers above the Colorado River at 726.4 feet and provides electricity to thousands of people in the Western United States.

Go skiing or snowboarding at the Las Vegas Ski Resort
The Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort (Lee Canyon) is roughly 50 miles northwest of the Las Vegas Strip. With up to 160 inches of annual snowfall, this desert escape is not a mirage.

Though the resort is perfect for intermediate skiers, there is plenty for both beginner and advanced level skiers to do, as well as snowboarders. If it’s your first time skiing or if you want to refine your skills, make sure you attend one of the resort’s complimentary lessons (ages 6 and up) held every day at Rabbit Peak.

If you’re not into skiing or snowboarding, hit the slopes with inner tubes or skip the crowds and snowshoe through the quiet, forested Old Mill Picnic Area.

Are you coming in the summer? Don’t worry, Lee Canyon still has plenty to do — including hiking through the ponderosa pines and quaking aspens, playing disc golf and taking scenic chairlift rides.

Whatever season, make sure to grab lunch or dinner and drinks while you’re there. And don’t forget to take a picture at the resort’s own “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign.

Drink craft brews at the Great Vegas Festival of Beer

The Great Vegas Festival of Beer hosts over 100 hundred of the world’s top craft breweries and features over 500 different brews. Held every April, the festival boasts “over-the-top culinary and craft beer creations.”

Though the festival spotlights local Nevada breweries, you can try brews from all over the United States, as well as a selection of wines and ciders.

You can enjoy your unlimited sample brews while dancing to a silent disco, singing your heart out at karaoke and eating beer-inspired meals from local food trucks and restaurants.

Cheer for your favorite racer during NASCAR season at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway The Las Vegas Motor Speedway regularly draws thousands of people for some of the biggest auto racing events of the year, NASCAR. Throughout the year, between 70,000–150,000 people watch some of the best racers in the world speed around the track again and again — reaching speeds of up to 200 mph.

The races take place over various weekends throughout the year.

Dance, eat and support artists at the Life is Beautiful Music & Art Festival
Every September, thousands gather in downtown Las Vegas for the Life Is Beautiful Music & Art Festival. The festival spans 18 city blocks of Downtown Las Vegas and includes musical acts, comedians, muralists, speakers and exclusive food and drink concoctions.

In the past, the festival has featured big names, like The Weekend, ODESZA and A$AP Ferg.

While listening to music, festivalgoers can learn how to make a variety of popular drinks at a cocktail school, eat something new every day at a cookout and view premier art exhibits, murals and installations.

Perfect the culinary arts at Vegas Uncork’d
Vegas Uncork’d is Bon Appétit’s premier culinary and drink festival. Held every May, celebrity chefs and mixologists offer exclusive classes, testings and dining experiences; it’s recommended that you come hungry and ready to eat.

Past Uncork’d events had appearances from chef Gordon Ramsay, who partnered with brewmasters to teach about pairing food with beer, and mixologist Tony Abou-Graham, who taught a class on vodka and caviar.

Vegas Uncork’d takes place over a weekend and is pay per event, which makes it the perfect festival for people who just want a short term commitment or a quick break from sightseeing.

Getting around town

With its countless dining and drinking choices, shopping and spa experiences, nightlife and entertainment options and outdoor activities, choosing the right transportation for your trip is essential.

Parking is often limited, especially during the holidays or when events are happening, and using a Las Vegas limo service to take you to your next destination is the easiest and most comfortable option.

WWLIMO is the lead Las Vegas limo company. Whether you need airport transportation from McCarran International Airport, a party bus to drive you around the Strip or a chauffeur to take you from one activity to another, see Las Vegas the right way — from the seats of Worldwide Limousine Service.

WWLIMO specializes in Las Vegas airport transportation, limo service Las Vegas and party bus Las Vegas.