Las Vegas, USA: 29 Things to See Beyond the Strip in 2026

Back in September 2012, I set off on a big American road trip from Los Angeles through Death Valley and Las Vegas, USA, all the way to San Francisco. I was only twenty at the time, and because Nevada enforces a strict age limit of 21 for both gambling and alcohol, I knew in advance I wouldn’t be playing at the tables. So I bought myself a gorgeous dress and high heels, secretly hoping the security guards would at least let me sneak a peek inside a casino.

My friends and I used to meet up at the luxurious Bellagio hotel, and that’s exactly where something happened that I’ll probably never forget. One morning I got stuck in the hotel elevator, which simply refused to move without the right room key card. I banged on the doors and shouted for help, but nobody could hear me at all, which fully confirmed my terror of enclosed spaces.

These days I know very well that this Nevada city hasn’t been just about gambling and endless parties for a long time. For international visitors it works as an absolutely ideal and affordable base for exploring the American West. Within just two hours’ drive you’ll find some of the most beautiful national parks, and on top of that, a large share of the most interesting attractions right in the city are completely free for everyone.

TL;DR

• A base for day trips: Las Vegas is a strategic starting point for visiting the Grand Canyon, Valley of Fire or Zion.
• The best free attractions: The famous Bellagio fountains, the botanical garden and Fremont Street won’t cost you a cent.
• Age limit of 21: ID checks are uncompromising, and anyone younger can’t even enter the gaming zones as a spectator.
• Hidden resort fees: Most big hotels on the Strip charge a mandatory daily fee on top of the room price, so budget for it in advance.
• When to go: The best weather comes in spring and autumn; in summer temperatures regularly climb past an extreme 40 °C.

💡 Almost everywhere on the Strip a daily resort fee is added on top of the room price, so it pays to compare only the final totals. On this map you’ll see options across the Strip and beyond — accommodation a bit further from the Bellagio tends to be significantly cheaper and just a few minutes away by car.

🧭 The full destination guide: North America — guide and what to see

When to visit Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Getting the timing right is absolutely crucial when visiting Nevada, because this city sits nowhere else but right in the middle of the merciless Mojave Desert. In practice that means the summer months here are literally scorching and being outside turns into a fight for survival. In July and August daytime temperatures routinely soar well above 40 °C. Such extreme heat makes longer walks around the city impossible, and any trips into the surrounding nature, like Valley of Fire, become downright dangerous.

The ideal time to visit is therefore spring or autumn, when the weather is very pleasant. Months like March, April, October and November offer absolutely perfect conditions for wandering the Strip as well as for long road trips to the surrounding national parks. During these months temperatures hover around a fantastic 20 to 25 °C, so you can enjoy outdoor attractions in peace without having to duck into an air-conditioned casino every five minutes.

The winter months from December to February bring cooler days, but also cold desert nights, when temperatures drop surprisingly fast towards freezing. If you don’t mind wearing a light jacket, though, the city tends to be noticeably quieter in winter and accommodation prices often fall to very friendly figures, which is handy for travellers on a tight budget. I’d only recommend avoiding major public holidays and long weekends, when the whole city fills to bursting with weekenders from nearby California who come here for a good time.

Where to stay in Las Vegas, NV, USA

When choosing where to stay you’ll most likely be deciding between the buzzing Strip boulevard and the historic Downtown. Staying right on the Strip guarantees you’ll be at the very heart of all the action, but expect correspondingly higher prices. Downtown around Fremont Street, by contrast, tends to be noticeably cheaper and offers a much more authentic retro atmosphere, though you’ll have to commute to the main modern resorts by car or bus every time.

When booking through the popular portals, watch out very carefully for the so-called resort fees, a rather annoying local speciality. These are hidden daily charges that most big hotels add firmly on top of the advertised room rate. These fees can amount to a not-insignificant 45 to 55 dollars per night and cover trifles like Wi-Fi or plain access to the pool. They’re usually paid on the spot at check-in and unfortunately there’s no way to avoid them.

If you’re after the absolute top and don’t mind paying extra, I’d recommend Wynn Las Vegas, which boasts the best rating of all the big resorts on the boulevard. Another very popular choice in the middle of the action is the legendary Bellagio Hotel & Casino, which has an enormous number of excellent reviews. On the other hand, you’d be better off giving the Circus Circus hotel a wide berth — according to guest experiences it’s the worst big hotel on the Strip, and people very often complain about how dated it is.

💡 Tip for accommodation and experiences: We compare places to stay right here, so you can see what’s available and for how much. We prefer to look for it on Booking.com, which usually has the best cancellation terms. Tickets, tours and activities are then worth comparing and buying through GetYourGuide.

We’ve got a full overview in a separate article — Where to stay in Las Vegas: 22 hotels and resorts. There you’ll find specific Las Vegas hotels by neighbourhood, verified ratings and what to add to the room price.

29 things to see and do in Las Vegas, USA

I’ve put together a detailed list of the most interesting spots worth exploring. It covers both iconic landmarks right on the Strip and hidden gems around the city.

1. Fountains of Bellagio

The water dance in front of the iconic Bellagio hotel is an absolute classic that you simply must not skip under any circumstances when visiting the city. This world-famous water show is completely free and puts on a breathtaking spectacle where water shoots up in time with the music to an incredible height of one hundred and forty metres. The whole choreography changes regularly, so you’ll be surprised by a different soundtrack every time and a different weave of water jets.

According to the maps, this attraction has a fantastic 4.8 stars from more than 60,906 reviews, which just proves its enormous worldwide popularity. The show runs every half hour from the afternoon, and as evening comes the frequency shortens to just fifteen minutes. It’s simply an ideal place to pause for a moment, rest and just soak up the unique energy of the buzzing Strip.

💡 Tip: If you want the best possible view without needlessly squeezing through the crowd, arrive at the artificial lake a little early. Many people also agree that after dark the whole show takes on a far more magical feel thanks to the gorgeous lighting than it does during the day.

2. Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens

Just a few steps from the famous fountains, hidden inside the Bellagio hotel, you’ll find another huge draw you won’t pay a cent for. It’s a stunning indoor botanical garden, where dozens of skilled gardeners create breathtaking floral installations. The décor changes completely with the seasons and celebrates all kinds of occasions, such as Chinese New Year, the spring awakening of nature or Christmas.

The garden boasts a wonderful rating of 4.8 stars from 41,635 visitors, who admire above all the incredibly precise attention to detail. You’ll find huge animal sculptures made entirely of living flowers and babbling brooks flowing between the beds. Each new display requires thousands of fresh plants, which are rotated regularly during the exhibition to keep everything looking absolutely perfect.

💡 Tip: The garden is open around the clock and is accessible completely free to all visitors. During the day it does get really busy, though, so if you’re longing for a calmer visit and better photos without strangers, come early in the morning or, conversely, very late at night.

3. The Venetian

A walk through the enormous Venetian hotel instantly transports you to the romantic alleyways of Venice, Italy. This giant complex is famous for its artificial water canals and singing gondoliers, who ferry delighted tourists both inside the building and outdoors in the sun. Overhead you’ll also see a perfectly painted sky, which creates an incredible illusion of a beautiful sunny day even at midnight.

The whole complex holds an excellent score of 4.6 stars based on 121,788 reviews, which makes it one of the absolutely most popular spots on the boulevard. Besides the gondola rides, you’ll find plenty of luxury boutiques scattered across a replica of St Mark’s Square. You can wander here for hours and admire the incredibly elaborate architecture, which very faithfully copies the Italian originals.

💡 Tip: The walk along the artificial canals and bridges won’t cost you anything at all. If you’d like to ride a traditional gondola while the boatman sings, though, I recommend buying tickets in advance, because this attraction is hugely popular with couples. check prices and availability

4. Caesars Palace

This huge resort inspired by ancient Rome is one of the most famous and oldest majestic buildings in the entire city. Inside you’ll find beautiful marble statues, grand columns and enormous fountains that make you feel like you’ve suddenly stepped into antiquity. The complex is also so incredibly sprawling that it’s very easy to get lost in it completely by accident.

The hotel has a very solid overall rating of 4.5 stars from a respectable 137,895 reviewers. Besides its sprawling casino, it’s renowned far and wide for its luxury shopping mall, the Forum Shops, where you can pick up goods from the world’s best-known brands. You’ll come across countless restaurants and beautiful replicas of famous Roman landmarks, in front of which someone is always taking photos.

💡 Tip: Even if you’re not planning to shop for any pricey brands, the Forum Shops arcade is definitely worth a leisurely visit. Every hour there’s a free animatronic show called the Fall of Atlantis, which cleverly combines fire and spouting water right in front of the audience. check prices and availability

5. Paris Las Vegas

A slice of charming Europe right in the Nevada desert is offered by the Paris resort, dominated even from afar by an impressive replica of the Parisian Eiffel Tower. This cleverly designed structure reaches roughly half the height of the original and perfectly completes the city’s unmistakable and much-photographed skyline. Right next to it stands a replica of the famous Arc de Triomphe, which you pass under on your way to the main casino entrances.

Visitors give this romantic spot a very good grade of 4.3 stars out of a total 83,258 reviews. From the observation deck at the very top of the tower you get one of the absolute best views of the Bellagio fountains across the road. The hotel interior is then designed in the style of old cobbled Parisian streets full of bakeries and little cafés.

💡 Tip: While a walk through the hotel is free, the elevator to the top of the tower is paid, and tickets can very easily be bought in advance online. Try to time your visit to the viewpoint just before sunset, so you see the city in daylight and beautifully lit up after dark. check prices and availability

6. New York-New York

You’ll reliably recognise this popular resort from a great distance thanks to its unmistakable façade, which recreates the famous skyscrapers of the Manhattan skyline. In front of the hotel stands a huge Statue of Liberty, and a red roller coaster weaves around the whole building, luring lovers of adrenaline and speed from literally all over the world.

The whole complex has a solid rating of 4.4 stars from 80,663 enthusiastic visitors. A ride on the aforementioned Big Apple Coaster offers, besides high speed and wild loops, a fantastic view of the surrounding resorts. Inside the hotel you’ll then find winding streets reminiscent of various New York neighbourhoods, where you can enjoy a slice of real New York cheese pizza.

💡 Tip: Roller coaster tickets are bought right on the spot, and while the ride lasts only a few minutes, it leaves a very strong impression. If you have a sweet tooth, definitely don’t miss the huge two-storey Hershey’s Chocolate World shop inside, located right on site. check prices and availability

7. Luxor Hotel & Casino

At the very southern end of the Strip stands an utterly unmissable structure in the shape of a huge black pyramid complete with a massive sphinx statue. Luxor is known worldwide above all for its powerful beam of light, which shines from the tip of the pyramid straight into space every night and is reliably visible from an enormous distance across the desert.

With a rating of 4.1 stars from 105,255 reviews, it’s a popular and very often affordable accommodation option. The inside of the pyramid offers a huge open space, and all the rooms are set along the sloping outer walls. That’s why special elevators called inclinators run here — they don’t climb vertically but at an unusual angle of 39 degrees.

💡 Tip: Besides its spacious casino, Luxor also hosts some very interesting exhibitions, such as the permanent and popular display of objects recovered from the wreck of the Titanic. It’s a great and educational alternative for a lazy afternoon when you want to hide from the outdoor desert heat.

8. Excalibur Hotel & Casino

Right next to the dark Luxor stands a huge, colourful castle that looks at first glance as if it fell straight out of an old fairy tale or a child’s plastic building set. Excalibur is styled from top to bottom around the era of King Arthur, and its turrets with brightly coloured roofs appeal above all to families and visitors travelling with children.

This themed hotel has earned 4.1 stars from 86,018 reviewers. Although it now belongs among the somewhat older and simpler complexes on the boulevard, it still offers very tempting overnight prices. You’ll even find jousting tournaments, arcades full of gaming machines for kids and adults, and plenty of themed restaurants.

💡 Tip: Between the neighbouring Excalibur, Luxor and Mandalay Bay hotels there’s a handy free elevated tram that saves you a lot of needless steps. Especially in the hot summer months, this air-conditioned and fast transfer is absolutely priceless.

9. MGM Grand

With its iconic and enormous golden lion statue set right in front of the main entrance, the MGM Grand ranks among the most massive hotel complexes on the planet. The building glows a striking emerald green and hides one of the largest and busiest casinos on the entire boulevard. It also routinely hosts huge boxing matches and concerts by the very biggest stars.

Out of a total of 112,751 reviews, this giant scores 4.3 stars. The grounds are so incredibly vast that just the ordinary walk from your room to the main entrance can take a good fifteen minutes of pure walking. You’ll find an amazing enormous pool complex with an artificial lazy river and dozens of dining options from all over the world.

💡 Tip: Finding your way around this huge labyrinth can be quite demanding and exhausting at first. So always make a good mental note of which specific elevator tower you’re heading for, so you don’t wander the endless corridors for dozens of minutes. check prices and availability

10. The Cosmopolitan

This modern and very elegant resort is one of the somewhat newer landmarks of the whole boulevard and clearly targets a younger, trendier crowd. Unlike many of the older surrounding buildings, it has a vertical design, so it doesn’t take up as much space widthways, and thanks to that it offers absolutely stunning views from its outdoor terraces straight onto the city’s main artery.

With a very high rating of 4.6 stars from 78,827 reviews, it rightly ranks among the absolute best. The interior is dominated by an absolutely enormous crystal chandelier that spans several floors and hides a stylish multi-storey bar inside. You’ll also find renowned restaurants and top-notch cocktail bars overlooking the city at night.

💡 Tip: Definitely seek out the famous hidden Secret Pizza, which deliberately has no big sign at all and sits at the very end of an inconspicuous corridor on the third floor. It’s an absolutely great spot for a quick bite after a long day. check prices and availability

11. ARIA Resort & Casino

ARIA is the notional centrepiece of the modern CityCenter complex, and at first glance it reliably grabs your attention with its stunning curved glass façade. The resort places enormous emphasis on modern technology and very elegant design without any over-the-top themed elements, which sets it apart pleasantly from the older casinos on the Strip.

This luxury project earned an excellent 4.5 stars from 47,512 satisfied visitors. All the rooms are fully equipped with smart technology, and the whole space feels very airy, clean and luxurious. It’s an ideal spot for anyone who loves modern architecture and top-tier culinary artistry in a quieter setting.

💡 Tip: Around the ARIA hotel you’ll find a huge number of artworks and interesting sculptures scattered right through the public space. Take a moment and stroll the whole calm CityCenter promenade, which works like a beautiful open-air gallery. check prices and availability

12. Wynn Las Vegas

If you’re after the absolute pinnacle of luxury and refined elegance, the Wynn resort is the one true choice for you. This gorgeous complex, built in the shape of a curved bronze tower, has the very best rating of all the big resorts and is renowned worldwide for its immaculate cleanliness and utterly first-class service.

It boasts a wonderful rating of 4.7 stars from a respectable 66,205 reviews. Inside you’ll find gorgeous, fragrant floral displays, sun-drenched corridors and boutiques of the most prestigious fashion brands. Everything here is taken to absolute, uncompromising perfection, from the manicured pools to the luxurious relaxation spa.

💡 Tip: Right behind the hotel lies the beautiful artificial Lake of Dreams, where very short multimedia shows are held every evening after dark, full of colourful lights and music, which you can watch for free from the comfortable adjacent terraces. check prices and availability

13. The STRAT Hotel, Casino & Tower

This huge observation tower rises unmissably at the northern end of the Strip and offers the very highest vantage point in the whole city. The tower is over an incredible 350 metres tall and provides an absolutely unrivalled panoramic view of the entire Nevada basin as well as the distant surrounding desert mountains.

The rating of this spot holds steady at 4.0 stars from 64,242 daredevils. If you love real adrenaline, the very top of the tower has some of the craziest rides in the world waiting for you. You can, for example, be shot high into the air on the Big Shot ride or spin on a terrifying carousel hanging out over the edge of the abyss.

💡 Tip: If you book a table in advance at the revolving Top of the World restaurant here, you get access to the observation deck completely free. The restaurant slowly rotates around its axis roughly once every hour and a half, so you’ll see the city from every side. check prices and availability

14. Sphere

One of the newest and most talked-about giant attractions in the city is the spherical structure simply called the Sphere. From the outside it’s entirely covered in millions of bright LEDs, which constantly project stunning animations from a blinking human eye to a giant basketball. This fascinating visual show is easily seen from a distance and is completely free for everyone.

Inside hides an ultra-modern auditorium with absolutely perfect acoustics, which has a very good rating of 4.5 stars from 35,771 reviews. Although people hugely praise the indoor projections as an unrepeatable, out-of-this-world experience, the reviews also repeatedly and very loudly mention the extremely high ticket prices and very expensive refreshments inside the hall.

💡 Tip: To enjoy the breathtaking outdoor projections on the surface of the sphere, all you need to do is simply stroll along the nearby streets after dark. The best and unobstructed view of the flickering façade is offered by the elevated parking garage and the adjacent pavements around the Venetian hotel.

15. High Roller

The unmissable landmark of the LINQ Promenade is the High Roller, one of the tallest observation wheels in the entire world. During a slow thirty-minute ride in a huge glass-enclosed, air-conditioned cabin you’ll reach a height of more than 160 metres, from where you’ll see the whole glowing city laid out below you.

This popular attraction holds a great score of 4.6 stars from 31,934 reviews. The cabins are so incredibly huge that dozens of people fit in at once, and the movement of the whole wheel is so smooth you barely notice it while riding. It’s a great and much calmer alternative to the observation towers, ideal even for people who are otherwise wary of great heights.

💡 Tip: The very best view from the cabin comes just before sunset and just after dark, when the whole boulevard lights up with thousands of neons. Tickets tend to be a bit cheaper when bought online in advance, and it definitely pays to avoid the weekend rush.

16. Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign

A visit to this city definitely wouldn’t be complete without snapping a photo by this legendary welcome sign. It sits at the very southern end of the boulevard near the airport and has proudly greeted all arriving travellers since 1959 with its utterly unmistakable retro design.

This spot is historically utterly iconic and, what’s more, accessible completely free around the clock. The city fairly recently built a small car park right next to the sign, so thankfully you no longer have to risk dashing across a busy road. The sign is, however, constantly surrounded by people patiently waiting for their dream shot.

💡 Tip: Prepare yourself mentally for the fact that you could stand in the photo queue for a good half hour, especially if you arrive on weekends. If you want to avoid the crowds, head to the sign very early in the morning together with the sunrise.

17. Fremont Street Experience

If you want to experience the true atmosphere of the old days firsthand, you have to head to Downtown to the famous Fremont Street. This street was once the beating heart of all the gambling, and today it’s roofed over with a huge light canopy, on which wild music and visual projections play out regularly after dark.

This spot is renowned far and wide for its very distinctive spirit and street performers of absolutely every kind. Above the tourists’ heads you can even ride the SlotZilla zipline, while down on the street loud live bands play. It’s simply a much more laid-back, louder and generally cheaper alternative to the classy, polished Strip.

💡 Tip: The main Viva Vision light show starts every evening right after dark and is projected on the hour, every hour. The whole experience on the pedestrian zone is completely free, so it’s a great tip for travellers looking to save some money.

18. The Mob Museum

Right in the historic heart of the city you’ll find one of the absolute best museums in the country, dedicated in detail to the history of organised crime and law enforcement. The museum fittingly resides in a former historic federal courthouse building, where major mafia hearings actually once took place, which lends all the exhibits incredible authenticity.

It has earned an absolutely fantastic and well-deserved rating of 4.7 stars from 20,138 visitors. Inside you’ll see plenty of fascinating original artefacts, including the original brick wall from the so-called St Valentine’s Day Massacre. The exhibits are very interactive and instantly pull you into the gritty stories of the underworld.

💡 Tip: In the museum’s inconspicuous basement hides a stylish Prohibition-era bar called The Underground. To visit it you often need to know a special secret password, which you’ll usually find tucked away somewhere on the museum’s official website.

19. The Neon Museum

When old famous hotels and casinos disappear, their huge glowing signs very often end up right here. The Neon Museum works as a fascinating graveyard of famous neon signs, which rest here stacked out in the open. A walk among the huge rusting letters is an amazing journey into the city’s very colourful history.

Visitors give this absolutely unique spot a lovely 4.4 stars from 13,442 ratings. The area, called the Neon Boneyard, offers an absolutely great and unconventional backdrop for photography, and at each sign the guides vividly tell you the story of the rise and fall of the famous establishments that once wrote the history of gambling.

💡 Tip: The absolute best experience is offered by the evening tours, when some of the rescued neons are beautifully lit up. Tickets for the evening slots do tend to sell out in a flash, though, so book them online really well in advance.

20. Pinball Hall of Fame

Just a short walk from the main zone sits a huge and fairly inconspicuous hall that’s guaranteed to delight the heart of every retro-game lover. You’ll find hundreds of old pinball and arcade machines here, ranging from historic wooden pieces from the 1950s to the very newest machines full of blinking lights.

This playful spot boasts a great rating of 4.5 stars from 13,847 enthusiasts. The very best thing about this place is that entry itself is completely free and you only pay for the machines you actually want to play on. Most of the machines still run on classic quarters, too, which you can conveniently change right at the entrance.

💡 Tip: This is an absolutely ideal spot for families with kids and people who want to save money. With just ten dollars in your pocket you can have a great time here for hours, unlike the pricey attractions on the main boulevard.

21. Downtown Container Park

In the old part of the city an incredibly creative and fresh project has sprung up, which brilliantly revived formerly abandoned lots. This original outdoor shopping and entertainment complex is built entirely from old, decommissioned shipping containers. Right at the entrance you’re greeted by a huge metal praying mantis, which shoots fire from its antennae after dark.

Visitors rate the atmosphere of this place a respectable 4.5 stars from 11,358 reviews. Inside you’ll find independent little boutiques, art galleries and stalls with local refreshments. In the middle of the park there’s also a great interactive playground for kids, so parents can enjoy a coffee in peace while the little ones run around.

💡 Tip: Entry to the whole area is free, but watch out and don’t forget that in the evening hours only people over 21 are strictly allowed in. During the day, though, it’s a very pleasant and unexpectedly calm oasis amid the urban concrete.

22. Springs Preserve

If you’re looking for a quick escape from the ever-present neons and the constant din of the machines, head to this sprawling nature and culture complex. Springs Preserve is a beautiful oasis of calm spread out near the centre, which maps the history of settlement in the Nevada desert and shows the original water springs thanks to which the city actually came into being in the first place.

This immensely peaceful spot has an excellent rating of 4.7 stars from 5,776 reviewers and is a bit of a hidden gem, because it’s probably the least touristy of all the sights. It offers beautiful botanical gardens, displays of desert animals and several very interesting museums focused on sustainability and history, which for many visitors is a very unexpected and welcome contrast to the busy Strip.

💡 Tip: Definitely save your visit for a cooler morning, because a large part of the exhibits is outdoors in the sun. There are also pleasant shaded trails and, for kids, fantastic interactive water features where they can cool off.

23. Atomic Museum

Nevada is historically inseparably linked with the era of nuclear testing, and this fascinating museum brings that whole period to life in the smallest detail. The exhibits guide you from the first tentative tests in the desert, through the Cold War, up to the present day and show you how incredibly close bombs were once detonated to populated areas.

The museum earned a lovely 4.6 stars from 4,392 reviews and offers a very deep, educational and at times downright chilling experience. You’ll see huge models of bombs, replicas of underground bunkers, and learn the bizarre fact that in the 1950s tourists routinely watched mushroom clouds straight from the rooftops of hotels on the Strip, cocktail in hand.

💡 Tip: The exhibits contain a huge amount of written text and rare historical documents to read, so I recommend setting aside at least two hours for the whole visit. It’s an absolutely great tip for all lovers of military and modern American history.

24. AREA15

This is an absolutely unique experience complex that’s very hard to describe in words, because more than anything it resembles a cross between a strange art gallery, an amusement park and a giant neon playground. The whole space is filled from floor to ceiling with bizarre sculptures, fluorescent lights and interactive exhibits that constantly play on all your senses.

Visitors rate this wild and visually stunning spot 4.4 stars based on 23,231 reviews. The main draw is the massive and very popular Omega Mart installation by the art collective Meow Wolf, which looks at first glance like a totally ordinary supermarket, but actually hides secret passages leading to surreal worlds full of puzzles.

💡 Tip: Entry to the giant AREA15 hall itself is mostly free during the day, but for all the main installations like Omega Mart you have to buy tickets separately. In the evening hours the whole complex then turns into an adults-only zone.

25. Seven Magic Mountains

About twenty-five minutes’ drive south of the city, in the middle of the dry brown desert, you come across an absolutely unexpected sight. The Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone built seven huge towers made of brightly coloured limestone boulders here, rising up to ten metres high and creating a stunning visual contrast with the parched surrounding landscape.

This unique and very photogenic installation has 4.5 stars from 17,904 reviews and over the years has become a huge hit on social media. The absolute best thing about it all is that this spot is accessible completely free and even has a free car park. The colourful totems were originally meant to stand in the desert for just two years, but thanks to their huge success they’ve remained here to this day.

💡 Tip: Around the installation there’s no shade at all and no refreshment stalls, so definitely bring plenty of drinking water for the trip. Try to arrive early in the morning or just before sunset, when the colours of the stones show up most vividly in photos.

26. Red Rock Canyon

If you desperately need a rest from the ever-present din of the machines and the flashing lights, just drive not quite half an hour out of the city and you’ll find yourself in gorgeous nature. Red Rock Canyon offers dramatic red sandstone cliffs and classic desert scenery, which are made for hiking or just for comfortably taking it all in right from the car.

This gorgeous natural area has earned a top-tier 4.8 stars from 25,849 reviewers. A very handy one-way scenic road around twenty kilometres long runs through the whole park, from which you can comfortably stop at many maintained viewpoints. You’ll find both easy flat walks and quite demanding climbing terrain here.

💡 Tip: During the main tourist season, which runs from autumn to spring, you need a timed reservation to drive in by car. So sort out your tickets in good time via the official website, otherwise the park rangers at the gate will unfortunately turn you back to the city without mercy.

27. Valley of Fire State Park

Roughly just an hour’s drive to the northeast lies one of the most beautiful state parks in the entire country. The amazing Valley of Fire is renowned for its fiery red sandstone formations, which in the right light look as if the whole landscape were on fire. You’ll come across ancient petroglyphs carved into the rocks and, with a bit of luck, even spot herds of wild bighorn sheep.

This park has an incredible 4.8 stars from 18,555 reviews and offers plenty of very short but extremely visually rewarding hiking trails. Photos from this spot really look as if you’d suddenly landed on the dusty surface of the planet Mars, and the contrast with the casinos couldn’t be greater.

💡 Tip: Visitor reviews constantly and emphatically warn about the extreme summer heat, which reflects off the rocks and can be deadly dangerous on a longer walk. So bring huge supplies of water, and in summer explore the park preferably only from the comfort of an air-conditioned car.

28. Hoover Dam

On your way to the Grand Canyon, definitely don’t skip a stop at this huge engineering marvel. The massive concrete Hoover Dam successfully tames the wild Colorado River and was built back in the 1930s. To this day it reliably supplies a huge amount of electricity and water to millions of people across several neighbouring states.

This stunning and historically significant structure boasts a great rating of 4.7 stars from a respectable 51,616 visitors. You can simply stroll along its wide crest and stare down into the enormous depths, or pay for a guided tour that takes you by elevator deep into the heart of the power plant right up to the gigantic humming turbines.

💡 Tip: Parking right at the dam fills up very quickly and is also paid. But if you don’t mind a short walk, park instead in the higher free car parks on the Arizona side, which also offer an absolutely gorgeous view of the whole dam from above.

29. Casinos and the age limit of 21

Maybe you’re planning a relaxed family holiday or travelling with younger siblings — in that case you have to watch out very carefully for the strict local laws. As I already mentioned in the intro from my own amusing experience, the age limit of 21 applies here both to drinking alcohol and to any gambling. And it’s checked absolutely uncompromisingly at every table and every blinking machine.

If anyone in your group is under 21, they’re not allowed to linger in the gaming zones at all, unfortunately not even as a spectator. You can only walk briskly through these spaces along the marked main aisles, but the moment you stop with the kids even just behind someone who’s playing, security will very politely but firmly usher you away within a minute.

💡 Tip: Despite these tough, uncompromising rules, the city offers plenty of great fun for families with kids. You’ll find giant underwater aquariums, roller coasters, interesting exhibitions and lots of free attractions, so you’ll definitely enjoy your stay even without spending money at the gaming tables.

Where to go next from Las Vegas

As I stressed at the start, this Nevada city is an absolutely phenomenal starting line for American road trips. You can easily rent a car here and set off to explore the surrounding states. If you’re planning a longer journey, take a look at our detailed Road trip across the American West.

In roughly two hours’ drive by car you’ll reach the borders of the famous national park in Utah, which you can read about in the Zion National Park guide. From there an amazing journey to the red spires beckons, described in the Bryce Canyon article. In the opposite direction, to the hottest point in California, our Death Valley guide will take you.

If you’re interested in one of the greatest natural wonders in the world, which lies just a few hours’ journey to the east, definitely check out our tip on the Grand Canyon. And if you’re looking for more inspiration on interesting spots across the whole country, you might like the list of 10 beautiful places in the USA or tips on what to see in New York, whatever onward flight you have planned.

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