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When you’re planning a trip to Las Vegas, there’s no shortage of things to get your attention. The Strip is literally glittering with signs all pulling you in a million different directions. Sure, there are buffets to hit up, casinos to lose (or, hopefully, win) money in, and shows to watch, but what’s really worth your time? Here are the ones we’re talking about weeks after our last visit.
FOOD:
Rosina
The Venetian, 3325 S Las Vegas Blvd
When in Vegas, you might as well have one night — or one drink — where you go all out. This is that place. With an art deco, Great Gatsby vibe, this glam bar features velvet-curtained cabanas with their own champagne-on-demand buttons (press and bubbly’s delivered to your table). But the real gem is its seasonal secret menu. Every four months, the bar chooses an underappreciated cocktail and offers several riffs on the treat, like the six takes on mint juleps currently offered. All of its syrups are made from scratch in-house, using fresh fruit, meaning they’re more flavorful without being overly sweet. Just be warned: It’s pricey.
Truffles & Bacon
8872 S Eastern Ave #100
This restaurant’s about 20 minutes away from the strip, but it’s worth the journey. Truffles & Bacon’s become famous for its Belly Of The Beast burger, a whopping 10-pound wonder that’s loaded with two 2-lb beef patties, 2-inch-thick strips of pork belly, four fried eggs, and a glorious hash made out of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, tater tots, tomatoes and jalapenos. There’s a single-serving version (The Hot Beast), as well as tons of other creative twists on favorites, like its purple Ube French Toast.
Paris Le Village Buffet
Paris, 3655 S Las Vegas Blvd
You’ll feel like you’re stepping onto the set of Beauty & The Beast at this buffet, with its cobblestone streets and dining stations designed like quaint, turn-of-the-century French shops. Each station’s themed like a different part of France, serving roast duck, made-to-order crepes and penne alla puttanesca, though they also offer other fare, like mac and cheese and crab legs. For $13, you can add on all-you-can-drink beer, wine, and bloody marys.
FUN:
Baz musical
The Venetian, 3325 S Las Vegas Blvd
If you love Baz Luhrmann’s movies, you’ve got to see this musical tribute to three of his cinematic hits: Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge, and The Great Gatsby. The singing, dancing, and acting are all Broadway-caliber, and it’s right next to Rosina, so you can grab a drink, catch the show, and party the night away.
Hotel Hopping
The Las Vegas Strip
C’mon, this is Vegas. Every hotel on the Strip is worth gawking at, particularly Paris, Bellagio, Wynn, New York New York, Venetian, Luxor, Caesars Palace, and the Cosmopolitan. Several are themed and have their own exhibits and diversions within them. You can go for a gondola ride inside the Venetian, vacation-within-a-vacation in Paris, check out the musical fountain show at Bellagio, ride a Big Apple-themed rollercoaster at New York New York, and stop and smell the (millions of) flowers on display at the Wynn.
FULFILLMENT:
The Neon Museum
770 N Las Vegas Blvd
Check out the graveyard tour to see all of Vegas’s most famous (and okay, even many of the lesser-known) neon signs. A guide will tell you the stories behind all of them, like the Ugly Duckling, which cost its owners — a used car dealership — a whopping $250,000 … and put them out of business six months later. Not all of the stories are so grim, but it’s an enlightening look at the city’s history and culture.
Downtown Container Park
707 Fremont St
Zappos CEO Tony Hseih poured $350 million into revitalizing downtown Las Vegas, helping create a home for 165 new businesses. There’s a whole shopping center built out of shipping containers, featuring bars, restaurants, clothing and tchotchke stores. Part of the budget went toward local art, and it’s a great way to scope out all kinds of mom & pop businesses and learn their stories, rather than hitting up the same old chains on the Strip that you see everywhere else in the U.S.