By Dionne Aiken
By Rob Kachelriess
Las Vegas visitors don’t have to roll the dice to have a good time anymore. These days, Sin City has a lot more to offer than gambling. The Strip is booming with entertainment, attractions, and ingenuity. Get ready to have fun — because Las Vegas is more exciting than ever.
A Land of Entertainment
Las Vegas may be a flash of neon in the middle of the desert, but it regularly draws attention from the eyes of the world. The latest example is Sphere, a groundbreaking venue that stretches the boundaries of on-screen entertainment with a towering 16K video wall. It’s already changed the way we view concerts, beginning with U2, Phish, and Dead & Company, and continuing into 2025 with an extended run by the Eagles.
In recent months, Sphere has experimented with sports (UFC, the NHL Draft) and introduced outdoor audio effects to complement the animated visuals on the venue’s circular Exosphere shell that’s dramatically changed the Las Vegas skyline.
Overall — and beyond Sphere — residencies come and go more frequently these days, but there’s never any shortage of shows on the Strip. Bruno Mars is one of the most consistent headliners with near-guaranteed sellouts at Dolby Live inside Park MGM. The same theater is also home to regular appearances by Maroon 5 and Mariah Carey, giving fans a rare opportunity to see arena headliners in a venue with just over 5,000 seats. Meanwhile, the more intimately scaled Voltaire at The Venetian is hosting residencies by the self-proclaimed Queen of Burlesque, Dita Von Teese, and other performers.
Country music has an enduring presence in Las Vegas, often coinciding with annual events like the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in December. Garth Brooks is wrapping up his latest run of shows at Caesars Palace in 2025 and Shania Twain is doing the same at Planet Hollywood, but neither megastar stays away from Vegas for long. Meanwhile, Carrie Underwood has been the longest-running headliner at Resorts World Theatre and George Strait plays recurring concerts at Allegiant Stadium.
In downtown Las Vegas, the world-class performance hall at The Smith Center offers something for every taste, from touring productions of Broadway shows to classical music and dance performances. Appearances by jazz, pop, and blues acts add to the mix. For some traditional Vegas-style razzle-dazzle, stop by the Fremont Street Experience, a pedestrian mall with an overhead video canopy spanning 1,375 feet long and 90 feet wide that lets you walk among the neon glow of casinos old and new while saluting Vegas Vic, the iconic smoking cowboy marquee. Free concerts are also offered here throughout the year.
Nonstop Parties
The Las Vegas party scene is showing no signs of slowing down. Nightclubs on the Strip welcome the world’s top DJs with high-energy dance floors. Stay up late and order bottle service with the likes of The Chainsmokers and Marshmello at XS or Encore Beach Club at Wynn; Martin Garrix and Steve Aoki at Omnia (a dazzling sight with its famous animated chandelier) inside Caesars Palace; and Calvin Harris, John Summit, and James Kennedy at LIV, the newest nightclub in Vegas and a great excuse to wander the sparkling floor of the new Fontainebleau resort.
Dayclubs offer a different kind of party scene during the summer months, whether it’s the panoramic rooftop views of the Strip from Drai’s at The Cromwell or the champagne showers and special effects of Wet Republic at MGM Grand.
Day or night, Las Vegas is a mecca for electronic dance music, culminating with the Electric Daisy Carnival every spring. The annual event typically takes place during a long weekend at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway with hundreds of performers on at least nine stages from dusk to dawn. In between those dance beats, you can sample food and drinks, art, and carnival rides.
A Sports Revolution
One of the greatest signs of the Las Vegas evolution is the introduction of major league sports teams. There’s no pro sports experience quite like a Vegas Golden Knights home hockey game at T-Mobile Arena, which packs in plenty of Vegas-worthy show-and-sizzle in the pregame festivities. The NHL franchise made the finals in its 2017 – 2018 debut season and became even more beloved by winning the Stanley Cup in just six years.
The WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces are near and dear to local hearts, too, winning back-to-back championships. The NFL’s Raiders continue to pack Allegiant Stadium after a high-profile move from Oakland, but it’s not uncommon for a big chunk of the audience to be vacationers in town to root for the opposing team.
Another Oakland import, the A’s, is planning a new stadium on the Strip at the Tropicana site, giving Las Vegas its first-ever Major League Baseball team in 2028. You can bide the time with games by the A’s minor league affiliate — the Las Vegas Aviators — at the Las Vegas Ballpark in Downtown Summerlin. It’s a low-key experience with great food and a communal atmosphere, which is really what America’s favorite pastime is all about.
Mind-Bending Attractions
Whether or not you subscribe to the well-known what-happens-here-stays-here ethos, there’s no doubt Las Vegas built its reputation on the allure of escaping reality. So, it’s no surprise that the city has seen an influx of immersive experiences in recent years.
AREA15 is a fascinating warehouse of attractions, anchored by Omega Mart — an art installation by Meow Wolf that turns the traditional American grocery store upside down. Think of it as a place where things aren’t always as they appear. Similarly, the Museum of Illusions and Paradox Museum offer walk-through collections of exhibits and photo stations that play tricks with the mind. (These are similar experiences, so you may want to pick one or the other.)
In other words, whether you’re looking for real-world thrills or the virtual kind, Las Vegas will keep you entertained and then some.
Odds Are Good You’ll Want Some Fresh Air, Too
The Great Outdoors Las Vegas is known for its desert landscapes as much as its bright lights and casino culture. Visit when the weather is mild and spend some extra time exploring the great outdoors.
The Grand Canyon The Grand Canyon is an Arizona icon, but a popular destination for those spending time in Las Vegas. The national park is about 275 miles away by car, and the West Rim of the canyon is closest to Vegas and home to the famous Skywalk, a glass-bottomed bridge that loops over the canyon itself.
The Hoover Dam The iconic Hoover Dam, located less than 40 miles from Las Vegas, cuts off the same Colorado River that carves through the Grand Canyon, forming Lake Mead, a popular recreational area. The best way to experience it: Walk or bike the Historic Railroad Trail that overlooks the lake. You’ll pass through old train tunnels that lead to the dam itself, where tours and photo ops await.
The Valley of Fire Situated about 45 miles from downtown Las Vegas, the first official state park in Nevada is a jaw-dropping landscape of towering sandstone rock formations that dazzle in shades of red, pink, and cream. Hike your way through Mars-like terrain and come across petroglyphs — ancient carvings by Indigenous tribes who called Las Vegas home long before pioneers and casino moguls came along.
Rob Kachelriess is a full-time writer and photographer who covers travel, dining, and entertainment in Las Vegas. He’s an avid explorer of the Southwest United States, but always happy to hang out at home with his wife, Mary, and their three dogs.
