Things to Do in Las Vegas
Ten stops running from a sphere-shaped venue with the highest resolution screen ever built to a canyon 1,000 feet deep sitting just a short drive from the Strip's neon.
Las Vegas runs on more than just casinos, this list heads past what the quiz already covers toward an enormous canyon a short drive from the Strip, a fountain show that's become one of the most-watched free spectacles in the country, and a museum built entirely around the mob history that shaped the city's early decades. Ten stops below, plus a quiz elsewhere on this site if you fancy testing what stuck.
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
A dramatic sandstone canyon roughly 1,000 feet deep, less than 20 miles from the Strip, offering a striking contrast to the city's more famous neon landscape. A 13-mile scenic drive loops through the conservation area, several overlooks and short trails reachable without much walking, a good option if you're short on time between casino visits.
This gets hot even by Nevada standards through summer, an early morning visit helps specifically if you're here between May and September.
Best time October-April for cooler daytime temperatures
Address Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, NV
Bellagio Fountains
A choreographed water fountain show set to music, running on the Bellagio's man-made lake since 1998, over 1,200 fountains shoot water up to 460 feet in the air in time with the soundtrack, a spectacular free display that's become one of the most-watched attractions on the entire Strip. Shows run every 15 to 30 minutes throughout the evening, time a walk along the Strip specifically to catch one.
The best viewing spots fill up quickly before popular evening shows, arrive a few minutes early to secure a proper spot along the railing.
Hours Shows run continuously from roughly 3pm-midnight
Address 3600 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV
The Sphere
An unprecedented entertainment venue, a 366-foot spherical structure wrapped entirely in LED screens, both inside and out, the exterior display alone runs the highest resolution screen ever constructed. Immersive concert films and live performances run inside using haptic seating and a wraparound screen that surrounds the entire audience, a distinctly different experience from a standard theatre or arena.
Book tickets well ahead for popular shows, this venue draws serious crowds specifically for the technology alone, beyond whatever performance happens to be running.
Address 255 Sands Ave, Las Vegas, NV
The Mob Museum
Housed in a real former federal courthouse and post office, the museum covers organised crime's direct role in shaping Las Vegas's early development, real artefacts including actual bullet-riddled walls from the 1929 St. Valentine's Day Massacre sit alongside FBI wiretap recordings and law enforcement history. This is a thoroughly detailed, well-curated museum, considerably more substantial than the novelty theme might suggest.
The basement speakeasy and distillery, both fully licensed and operating, add a proper themed cocktail stop if you want to extend the visit into the evening.
Hours Daily, roughly 9am-9pm, hours vary
Address 300 Stewart Ave, Las Vegas, NV
Hoover Dam
One of the great engineering achievements of the 1930s, holding back the Colorado River to form Lake Mead, roughly a 45-minute drive from the Strip. Guided tours run down into the dam's interior, covering both the power plant and the seriously demanding construction process that claimed well over 100 workers' lives during the five-year build.
The visitor centre and bypass bridge both offer sweeping views over the dam and canyon below, a good, free option if you'd rather skip the full interior tour.
Hours Daily, roughly 9am-5pm
Address Hoover Dam, Boulder City, NV
High Roller Observation Wheel
One of the tallest observation wheels in the Western Hemisphere at 550 feet, a single rotation takes roughly 30 minutes, sweeping views over the Strip and the surrounding valley from climate-controlled cabins. Happy hour rides, running earlier in the day, include drinks as part of the ticket price, a proper way to combine the ride with a light cocktail experience.
Sunset rides run particularly well here, time a booking specifically for that window if the lighting matters to you for photos.
Hours Daily, roughly noon-midnight
Address 3545 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV
The Venetian's Grand Canal Shoppes
A shopping and dining complex built to replicate Venice's canals directly, complete with a painted sky ceiling that shifts through different times of day, and gondoliers who actually sing as they row real boats along the indoor canal. This is a free spectacle in its own right regardless of whether shopping is the priority, the detail and scale of the recreation hold up considerably better than most themed environments manage.
Gondola rides run as a paid add-on for anyone wanting the full experience, a good, novel activity distinct from anything else on the Strip.
Hours Daily, roughly 10am-11pm
Address 3355 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV
Shark Reef Aquarium
A proper aquarium housing over 2,000 animals, sharks and rays swim through a 1.3 million gallon tank crossed by a clear underwater tunnel, an unusually close viewing angle rarely available at aquariums of this scale. This works well as a family-friendly break from the Strip's more adult-oriented attractions, considerably calmer and more suited to younger kids than most other stops on this list.
This is a manageable size for a single visit, a couple of hours rather than a full day, a good add-on if you're staying at the connected resort specifically.
Hours Daily, roughly 10am-8pm
Address 3950 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV
Las Vegas's Prime Rib Tradition
Old-school Vegas steakhouses maintain a prime rib tradition dating back to the city's mid-century casino boom, thick-cut, slow-roasted beef served with a considerably more formal, old-fashioned service style than most modern restaurants attempt. The Golden Steer, operating since 1958, remains one of the most established spots for the classic Rat Pack-era steakhouse experience, several booths still marked with the names of the celebrities who once sat there regularly.
This is a sit-down dinner experience, book ahead for the more established, longer-running spots given how popular they remain with both locals and visitors.
Address The Golden Steer, 308 W Sahara Ave, Las Vegas, NV
The STRAT Tower
A 1,149-foot tower at the northern end of the Strip, once the tallest freestanding observation tower in the country, home to several thrill rides perched right at the top, including one that dangles riders directly off the tower's edge over 900 feet above the ground. This is one of the more intense stops on this list, worth knowing that if heights or fast drops aren't your thing.
The observation deck itself, without the thrill rides, offers sweeping views over the entire valley for anyone who'd rather skip the more extreme attractions.
Hours Daily, roughly 10am-1am
Address 2000 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV
Best time to visit Las Vegas
October through April covers the most comfortable window for the majority of this list, particularly Red Rock Canyon and Hoover Dam, where summer heat turns seriously dangerous rather than just uncomfortable. For the full month-by-month breakdown, see our Best Time to Visit Las Vegas guide.
Evening works well year-round for the Strip-focused stops on this list, the Bellagio fountains and the Sphere's exterior both run at their most striking after dark.
Getting around Las Vegas
The Strip itself is walkable, though distances between resorts are longer than they appear from a distance. A car or rideshare becomes necessary for Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam, and anywhere off the Strip specifically. If you're mapping out exactly how to spend your time, our 24 Hours in Las Vegas and 2 Day Las Vegas Itinerary guides lay out an hour-by-hour and day-by-day plan.
Keeping an eye on costs? Las Vegas on a Budget covers what's free and where the resort markup actually is. Travelling as a couple? Las Vegas for Couples covers the Eiffel Tower deck and the Bellagio Fountains. And once your dates are set, Where to Stay & Eat in Las Vegas breaks down the Strip versus Downtown.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Las Vegas worth visiting beyond the casinos?
- Yes, easily, Red Rock Canyon and Hoover Dam both offer landscapes and history that feel completely distinct from the Strip's neon and gaming floors.
- How many days do you need in Las Vegas?
- Four days gives a comfortable pace to cover the Strip's main attractions and a day trip to either Red Rock Canyon or Hoover Dam.
- Is Las Vegas expensive to visit?
- Moderate, several attractions on this list run free, though dining and shows can run considerably pricier depending on which resorts you choose.
- What's the best Las Vegas trip for kids?
- The Shark Reef Aquarium and the Venetian's Grand Canal Shoppes both rank as the most reliably kid-friendly stops on this list.
That's ten decent slices of a city that runs on considerably more than just the casino floor.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government's latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
