I’ve spent more than 10 years living in Las Vegas so it’s only appropriate I do a Las Vegas City Guide. In contrary to popular opinions that Vegas is just a city to spend your money on the black jack table, hit the beach club and party all night, there’s actually a lot more to this city than you would think.
Here are my favorite things to do in Las Vegas coming from a true Las Vegas local:
Dining
Caesar Salad at Wally’s
Appetizers at Kassi Beach House
Tomato dumpling soup at Beauty and Essex
Vegas is one of the restaurant capitals of the world and their service is pretty exceptional. It was really hard for me to narrow down my choices so here is a vast list of options for you guys.
Thai food: Satay and Pin Kaow are my top two choices. Although not on the strip and their ambience is average, their food definitely makes up for it.
Seafood: CATCH Las Vegas is my one and only choice. I love almost everything off of their menu.
Steak house: Prime Bellagio, Nusr-et steak house, STK, Wally’s at Resort World, Echo and Rig, Anthony’s Prime steakhouse and seafood are my favorite choices!
Prime Bellagio will have THE best view, Nusr-et has the best atmosphere, STK is a good option for celebrations and their creamed corn and donuts are to die for. I’m not a donut kinda girl but their donuts are a MUST. Although Wally’s is a steakhouse, I go there for their salads and cheese boards. Anthony’s is my favorite off the strip option.
Sushi: Me and family LOVE our sushi nights and schedule them monthly. We couldn’t find better sushi restaurants than Samurai Japanese Steakhouse and I love Sushi. Both options are affordable and off the strip. If you are looking for a sushi option on the strip then I would recommend Sushi Samba at the Venetian Casino and Hotel.
Italian: I don’t necessary crave Italian food but my daughter loves her pasta and pizza so my favorite family friendly Italian lunch spot that is off the strip would be Trattoria Reggiano. If i’m looking for a night out with my girls, Kassi beach house is always our top choice! It will definitely give you Tulum vibes and their food is good as well!
American: Beauty and Essex always wins me over when looking for an American cuisine in Vegas. I highly recommend you order their Tomato soup dumplings. For an off the strip location, check out Honey Salt. It’s a farm-to-table inspired restaurant in Summerlin which is about 25 minutes away from the Las Vegas strip. It’s most suitable as a brunch option. If you are in downtown Las Vegas, Carson kitchen and Park on freemont are delicious!
Shopping
You’ll find the widest range of stores and department stores at the Fashion Show Mall but if you are looking for luxury shopping, The Shops at the Wynn and the Crystal mall at the ARIA are my favorite options!
I also love that both of these malls have extended shopping hours. They are open until 11pm while the Fashion show mall is open until 9pm. If you are shopping at the Wynn, make sure to stop by Urth cafe for a cup of coffee or a quick lunch.
Hotels
If I had to pick my favorite hotels to stay at in Las Vegas it would be: Encore, The Wynn, and Crockford at Resort World. I used to love the cosmopolitan but in the past 2 years, I don’t feel like the quality is the same anymore so I just enjoy going there for dinner.
If you are looking to stay off the strip then check out Green Valley Ranch hotel and the Four Seasons Las Vegas. Although the Four Seasons is at the beginning of the Las Vegas strip, it is a hotel ONLY option. So if you are looking to avoid the casino completely while in Vegas, it would be your best option. I did a whole review of their hotel on my blog. You can read the article right here
Sight-seeing
Dining and shopping are my favorite things to do in Vegas but if you are visiting and wanting to explore the city I recommend you visit the following places:
Bellagio Gardens – they change up the garden every season and it’s always so stunning
Tivoli Village in Summerlin – an outdoor mall with cute coffee shops and lifestyle stores
Hike at the Red Rock Canyon – I love my red rock hikes!
Watch a Cirque du Soleil show – so many show options to pick from.
Walk the freemont street experience – a different kind of experience you’d want to try. If you are feeling adventurous, try their zipling!
Drive to Seven magic mountains for some photos – Do it for the photos.
Watch a game or concert at Allegiant stadium – One of Vegas’s newest attractions
Drive up to the Hoover Dam – worth the drive.
Kid-Friendly Activities
Being a mom of two I have checked out almost every kid friendly place in Vegas! Here are some places worth mentioning:
Discovery Children’s Museum – a 3 story interactive and educational museum
Indoor skydiving – Loved taking my brother here for his birthday
Topgolf – Good family friendly outing that everyone will enjoy
Shark Reef Aquarium – Appropriate for toddlers and young kids
Secret garden and dolphin habitat – A mini zoo experience
Kids Town – An indoor child sized town
Wet n Wild or Cowabunga bay – Two water park options for some fun in the sun
Adventuredome Theme Park – The OG of theme parks in Vegas
Other Favorite Vegas Spots:
Elegance Hair Care and Salon for all my hair needs
Encore Spa for a relaxing spa day
Malishka or Polished on Rainbow for my nails
P.S: I’m so excited to be one of Google’s paid early testers for their Thank with Google pilot program! Thank with Google is an experimental feature that allows you to purchase a virtual sticker and directly show your appreciation for the content I’m creating on this website. There are a variety of stickers to select from, and every time you send a paid sticker you can add a personal message! The virtual stickers translate into direct revenue that supports my work as a blogger.
You can find the Thank with Google feature in multiple places on my site. If you try it out, let me know what you think and thank you as always for your support.
