Las Vegas: Unique Ways to Explore the City Beyond the Slots or Clubs

I’m officially in my 40s and way past my years of on purpose late nights. And truthfully, my short stint of “bad decisions” in college wasn’t for me. Call me boring, but I’d rather get a good night’s sleep, remember everything the next day, and spend my money on food/activities. If you are headed to Las Vegas for a work trip, friend trip, couples trip, or cruising through on a road trip (and you want to explore the city beyond the slots or clubs) here are some unique things to do.

Ways to Explore Las Vegas

• Go on a walking food tour with Secret Food Tours Las Vegas. I enjoyed exploring the city on foot, and our tour guide was great! The stops along the tour are a secret until you go on the tour, but we loved every dish we tried at each location. Here’s a post about our day.
• Go off-roading in a UTV in the desert with Desert Off Road Adventures. What an adrenaline rush! My husband drove us around the desert (following an experienced guide and in a group) for 2 hours. Wear grubby clothes – you WILL get dirty!
• Become a race car driver at Dream Racing Las Vegas. Another adrenaline activity. Have you ever dreamed of driving an exotic supercar?! Dream Racing has the largest selection of supercars and race cars in the world. You can drive or be a passenger for 2 to 40 laps, depending on the car and experience you book. This one was hard to watch, as my husband flew around the track. I rode along with a driver, and my stomach might have dropped to the ground when he took off! Here is a blog post about our experience.
• My husband and I aren’t really into concerts, but I love going to shows! Here are some of the shows I’d recommend in Las Vegas:
  • Cirque du Soleil – There are several Cirque shows running in Vegas at any moment. My favorite Cirque shows are Michael Jackson ONE (Mandalay Bay) and O (Bellagio).
  • America’s Got Talent presents Superstars Live (Luxor) – we took our kids to this show on one of our trips to Vegas and everyone loved it! The acts were all so engaging.
  • Blue Man Group (Luxor) – it’s been years since I’ve seen this show in Vegas, but there’s a reason it’s still running!
  • Terry Fator (The Strat) is a funny show – he is a ventriloquist who got popular from winning America’s Got Talent.
• Walk through the different hotels and casinos. My favorites are:
  • Gondola ride and walk through the Grand Canal Shops at The Venetian
  • The fountains and botanical gardens at Bellagio
  • Big Apple Coaster and walk through New York-New York
  • Adventuredome indoor theme park and carnival games at Circus Circus
  • Eiffel Tower Viewing Deck at Paris
  • Wildlife habitat at Flamingo
  • If you’re Vegasing with the kids, ours loved walking through the pyramid at Luxor. We’ve stayed here with the kids before too!
• Eat at one of the many buffets – our favorite is the breakfast buffet at The Wicked Spoon (The Cosmopolitan). Make a reservation, especially if you’re wanting to go mid-morning on a weekend!
• High Roller Observation Wheel
• Sphere Las Vegas

Images top (L to R): Secret Food Tours walking The Strip, cocktail at a food tour stop, UTV desert driving with Desert Off Road Adventures. Images bottom: Dream Racing Las Vegas

Images L to R: Cirque’s Michael Jackson ONE, AGT Superstas Live, Terry Fator

Images top (L to R): inside New York-New York, New York-New York with Big Apple Coaster, New York-New York inside the hotel. Images bottom: outside The Venetian with gondola in background, Paris Vegas, Luxor Hotel pyramid

Images: Wicked Spoon buffet

Where to Stay in Las Vegas

There’s a plethora of hotels to choose from when visiting Las Vegas. How do you choose? The first time I visited Las Vegas I tagged along with my parents. My step-dad was going to a big work conference. My mom & I got to explore Vegas together! We stayed at The Venetian. I loved it so much that the next four times I went to Vegas (a couple of trips with my husband, a girls trip, and we brought the kids here) I stayed at The Venetian. Since then I’ve stayed at other hotels along the strip, but The Venetian is still my favorite. Below are some recommendations, all on The Strip, to suit different budgets.

The Venetian – This resort brings Venice, Italy to life with canals, gondola rides, and Italian-inspired gondola rides. A variety of food options from casual to fine dining. Multiple pools. Rooms are spacious with sunken seating areas and would be a good family option.

Vdara Hotel & Spa – when you arrive, request a room with a Bellagio Fountain view! We watched the Bellagio fountain show at night in a corner suite at Vdara. It was mesmerizing. Vdara is smoke-free with modern spacious suites, a spa, and rooftop pool. Not directly on The Strip, but half a block away.

Bellagio – elegance and sophistication, luxurious rooms, fine dining, botanical gardens, multiple pools, and a Mediterranean-style shopping village.

Waldorf Astoria – a serene retreat with elegant rooms and breathtaking views of The Strip, floor to ceiling windows in rooms, non-smoking and non-gaming hotel if you want to escape the hustle and bustle.

Caesars Palace – Roman architecture, food court, celebrity chef restaurants.

Wynn – elegant design, lush gardens, golf course, award winning spa, luxury shopping, beach club.

The Cosmopolitan – chic rooms – some with wraparound balconies, rooftop pools, in the heart of The Strip, art deco style, three level chandelier, and multiple pools.

Luxor – Egyptian-themed hotel with a glass pyramid and the world’s largest atrium, many dining options, and multiple pools. We stayed in a king suite connected to a queen room. The king suite was very spacious with a living room, dining area, bar, separate bedroom, and huge bathroom with soaking tub. The king room connected to a queen room with a large bathroom with soaking tub. Luxor seems more dated than the other hotels mentioned, but it was comfortable for our family of 5 to stretch out. Luxor also had the AGT Superstars Live show conveniently located here.

What to Pack for Las Vegas

Wondering what to pack when visiting Las Vegas? Here is my Las Vegas Amazon List with some ideas!

Happy planning & I hope you have a memorable time in Las Vegas!

Related posts:

Dream Racing Las Vegas: Know Before You Go

Secret Food Tours Las Vegas: How to spend an afternoon in Vegas