Love it or hate it, this astonishing US city is impossible to ignore

So, does what happen in Vegas still stay in Vegas? That’s entirely up to you, but whatever you do, don’t leave home without this special Traveller guide to the city.

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Las Vegas is home to some of the most exciting hotels in the US. Fontainebleau Las Vegas (fontainebleaulasvegas.com) made its splashy debut two months ago, swinging open the doors in December with great fanfare and a headliner performance by Justin Timberlake.

The unveiling of the 67-storey luxury resort is a big deal for Vegas – the last major hotel opening was Resorts World in 2021 – an occasion 16 years in the making.

Construction began in 2007, funding was lost in 2009 due to the global recession and the project changed ownership and names several times.

It’s finally launched now with 3644 rooms, a high-tech casino, massive convention centre, hyped-up nightclub and a theatre that seats 3800.

Book in advance for buzzy restaurants Mother Wolf, a homage to a Roman cucina, and Pappi Steak.

Elsewhere and also making news is the December opening of Durango Casino & Resort (durangoresort.com) in the Southwest Valley.

The 209-room hotel features the Eat Your Heart Out food hall. Now in full swing after a pandemic-era launch, Virgin Hotels Las Vegas (virginhotelslv.com) occupies the remodelled premises of what was the Hard Rock Hotel.

The giant neon guitar at the entrance has been replaced with the trademark Virgin red signage. The off-Strip location, close to the airport, contributes to a luxurious, modern desert vibe.

After a 2014 rebrand to the SLS, SAHARA Las Vegas (saharalasvegas.com) returned to its former name five years later. The North Strip property’s theatre is home to Magic Mike Live.

Fans of the legendary Tropicana Hotel (casinos.ballys.com) may be saddened to learn it will close its doors forever on April 2. Demolition is planned to make way for a Major League Baseball stadium. The silver lining, if you hurry, is the deals to be had on room rates, from $US59 ($91), a night, during March, 2024.

Headliners and showstoppers

It was hard to miss the September launch of The Sphere (thespherevegas.com), the world’s largest spherical structure and a cutting-edge concert venue many have already named the best on the planet. Irish rockers U2 christened the 18,600-seat auditorium with a 40-show sold-out residency.

Connected to The Venetian Las Vegas (venetianlasvegas.com), the Sphere’s wraparound LED screen (111 metres tall and 157 metres wide) can be seen from space when lit up, according to the venue’s website. It’s a concept you’ll either love or hate.

So what comes next for the $US2.3 billion shiny dome? There’s a 50-minute Postcards from Earth movie, big-ticket sports events from the NHL and UFC, and performances by rockers Phish and Grateful Dead spin-off band, Dead & Company.

You can still nab tickets for U2 shows in February and March 2024 on re-seller sites, including stubhub.com.

Usher and Katy Perry have left Las Vegas after celebrated multi-year residencies, replaced by artists with eclectic styles. Think Shania Twain, Wu-Tang Clan, New Edition and Kylie Minogue, whose residency at The Venetian is on now until May 2024.

Adele continues her run at Caesars Palace (caesars.com) until June, while Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will play T-Mobile Arena on 22 March, their first time performing in Vegas in more than 20 years.

Take a bite and sip on The Strip

Players flock to Las Vegas for the world-class dining and bars that stay open all night (vegas.eater.com). You only live once, right? Expect to see new restaurants by celebrity chefs Wolfgang Puck, Michael Mina, Gordon Ramsay and Bobby Flay make a mark this year in some of the most celebrated hotels.

Singer/songwriter/showman Bruno Mars now has his own cocktail and jazz lounge at the Bellagio, where he once rode a jet ski through the resort’s fountain while filming a music video.

The Pinky Ring opened earlier this month, with Mars describing it as a place that feels “like my personal penthouse suite, with live music and sensational cocktails”. A DJ booth is set up for spinning vinyl and the audio system is on point.

Country singer Blake Shelton has opened a Sin City location of his Ole Red chain of restaurants (olered.com). The four-storey bar and restaurant features live music, Western memorabilia and a menu of barbecue classics (brisket, burgers, ribs and everything fried).

Nearby, a planned location of the Bottled Blonde pizzeria chain (bottledblondepizzeria.com) will offer bottle service and mimosa towers for patrons seeking to be separated from their savings. Both venues will offer prime views of the Bellagio fountains across the street.

Food halls continue to sprout in Vegas, albeit under creative new names. The Fontainebleau, for example, has opted to call its collection of fast-casual counters a “promenade”. A “food collective”, Miracle Eats, is coming to Planet Hollywood (caesars.com/planet-hollywood).

The Rio is keeping the designation simple, opening the Canteen Food Hall (riolasvegas.com) in early 2024.

Remember the 2014 cult classic film, Chef? Writer, director and actor Jon Favreau and chef Roy Choi have quietly opened The Chef Truck (parkmgm.mgmresorts.com), a grab-and-go counter serving affordable street food inspired by the film’s most popular dishes. A Cuban sandwich will set you back $US15.

Get into the swing of it

Forget boring walks around crumbling cathedrals. None of those exist in Vegas, with the nearest thing to it an Elvis-themed wedding chapel.

Take a specialty organised tour and choose from helicopter flight-seeing rides and arts district walks with a brewery stop. The Tour Guy (thetourguy.com) has fascinating stories to tell and who are we to disagree?

Launched almost a year ago in Vegas is the GoCar experience (gocartours.com), an all-electric fleet of two-seater vehicles. Hire one and you’ll set the pace, stopping wherever you want to and exploring your way.

The GPS and audio commentary is like a tour guide in your pocket, telling stories about the places you pass, cracking jokes and providing recommendations.

Golf is having a moment in Vegas, positioning the city as a top destination for enthusiastic swingers. Atomic Golf (atomicgolf.com) will soon open at The STRAT (thestrat.com), featuring more than a 100 driving bays over four levels, eight digital putting bays, luxury suites, bars and floor-to-ceiling sports screens.

Ground has broken on a planned two-level PopStroke (popstroke.com) golfing venue at Town Square, a joint venture with golfer Tiger Woods that will have something for all ages and skill levels. Meanwhile, Swingers (swingers.club/us), a three-storey mini-golf complex with an unexpected English countryside theme, will open this year at Mandalay Bay.

Give The Strip the slip

The bright lights and iconic hotels of the Las Vegas Strip grab the lion’s share of visitor attention and accommodation bookings, but there are several good reasons to venture off and explore the revitalised Downtown Las Vegas district, where locals like to go.

A mix of new and vintage Vegas, Downtown (travelnevada.com) is more affordable in many ways and has an artsy charm, featuring massive murals and thought-provoking public art.

Fremont Street’s five-block stretch is the historic heart of the city, a bustling thoroughfare that’s been around since before the first showgirl donned a feathered tassel on the Strip.

Don’t miss Downtown Container Park (downtowncontainerpark.com), an open-air shopping centre housed in shipping containers, where you can buy locally made gifts and vintage treasures. There are street performers, cool bars and a zipline ride soaring 11 storeys above street level.

Eat your way around the area on the Downtown Lip Smacking Tour (lipsmackingfoodietours.com), a 2.5-hour dive into the dynamic local food scene. You’ll find the flair of old Vegas at Golden Gate Hotel & Casino (goldengatecasino.com), a fixture on Fremont Street since 1906.

If these walls could talk, they’d tell of witnessing the birth of Las Vegas, the wild Rat Pack days and the transition to today.

Nearby Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino (goldennugget.com), built in 1946 as the largest casino in the world at the time, is now home to The Tank, a $US30 million pool and real shark tank.

Wait. There’s even more

When you’ve been to Las Vegas a few times and you know The Strip better than a blackjack dealer does, it’s time to venture off the well-lit path.

Ascend The Tower at The STRAT Hotel, Casino & Tower for spectacular 360-degree views. Looming 350 metres above The Strip, it’s claimed to be the highest free-standing observation tower deck in the US. Thrill-seekers will enjoy an adrenaline rush on the Big Shot and X-Scream rides up high.

Many visitors never make it to Thomas & Mack Center (thomasandmack.com) but locals will tell you it’s where the country comes to the city for the annual National Finals Rodeo. It’s also the place to watch NBA Summer League, athletics and music festivals.

Play in an adult sandbox at Dig This Vegas (digthisvegas.com) and drive huge bulldozers around an enormous playground. If you loved playing with toy trucks as a kid, this one’s for you.

Do you feel the need, the need for speed? Live out your Fast & Furious fantasy in one of the Dream Racing (dreamracing.com) exotic supercars at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Get behind the wheel of a Lamborghini, Ferrari or Porsche GT at speeds of up to 240 kilometres an hour.

If museums are more your speed, dive into the unique collections found in Vegas. At the Mob Museum (themobmuseum.org), the history of gangsters and the battles between organised crime syndicates and law enforcement are explored.

Outta here and outta sight

Dazzled by all those bright lights, it’s easy to overlook the fact that Las Vegas is a terrifically well-located departure point for epic road trips through the great state of Nevada and into the surrounding states Arizona, Utah and California.

Central to many spectacular US national parks and state parks, it’s possible to do day trips to the Grand Canyon, the Valley of Fire and Death Valley. Access to the stunning hiking trails of Red Rock Canyon is less than a 30-minute drive from the Vegas sign.

The trip out to Antelope Canyon (visitarizona.com) is longer, at about four-and-a-half hours, but it’s well worth it to see one of the most photographed slot canyons in the world. Rafting and houseboat adventures await at Lake Mead. And the all-new Ice Age Fossils State Park (stateparks.com) is just 20 minutes’ drive north of The Strip.

For an out-of-this-world adventure, follow the conspiracists to Nevada’s Extraterrestrial Highway. It passes by the Nevada National Security Site and the infamous Area 51 (a highly classified section of an Air Force base the US government didn’t even admit was real until 2013), as well as the Alien Research Centre.

Look out for UFOs in the night sky and lean into the weirdness of UFO-themed bars, museums and souvenir shops.

Hit the open road along the Free-Range Art Highway (travelnevada.com) from Vegas to Reno, the “biggest little city in the world”. Featuring a seemingly random collection of oddball attractions, it’s home to a forest of old junk cars, a ghost town sculpture garden and a spooky clown-themed motel.

To avoid driver fatigue, split the journey over a few days and allow plenty of time for photos at Goldwell Open Air Museum and Seven Magic Mountains, an art installation of towering neon-coloured rocks.

The writer was a guest of Bellagio Las Vegas and the Neon Museum.

Brush up on the Vegas classics

Caesars Palace

Thinking about the Roman Empire? Immerse yourself in the fantasy at Caesars Palace, an opulent (some might say glitzy) hotel and casino on the west side of the Las Vegas Strip. Opened in 1966, its concert spaces have played host to Frank Sinatra, Liberace, Diana Ross, Tony Bennett and 1141 shows by Celine Dion. See caesars.com

Golden Steer Steakhouse

This legendary steakhouse has served filet mignon and more to celebrities, politicians and mobsters since 1958. Diners can now request the booths once reserved for famous regulars, including Muhammad Ali and the Rat Pack’s Cranky Frankie, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. See goldensteerlasvegas.com

Neon Museum

Wander around the Neon Boneyard for a fascinating look at signs from the past. The incredible collection of retired neon signage includes pieces from Flamingo, a hotel and casino that opened on the Strip in 1946, and Stardust, Las Vegas’ homage to the space-age era. Book ahead for evening tours and immersive light displays. See neonmuseum.org

Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino

Opened as the International Hotel in 1969, this was Elvis’ home away from home during his seven-year Vegas sold-out residency. Today, high rollers book the Sky Villa penthouse where he often stayed, and they pose for photos with the statue of The King in the lobby. Featuring some of the most spacious rooms in the city, guests are on to a winning stay. See westgateresorts.com

Little Church of the West

Immortalised in the 1964 romantic comedy Viva Las Vegas, this quaint chapel was where Elvis “married” Ann-Margret. Little has changed in the more than 80 years since it opened as a memorable wedding venue beloved by locals, visitors and celebrities alike. Those tying the knot can arrange for an Elvis impersonator to do the honours. See littlechurchofthewest.com

Don’t lose your shirt: Saving money in Vegas

It’s all in the timing

Travel outside peak times to save a lot of cash on hotel room rates. Avoid major holidays, three-day weekends and peak summer party season. Best deals are on Mondays to Wednesdays.

Be prepared to Strip off

Stay off the Strip or in downtown Las Vegas for more affordable accommodation and a less frenetic pace, but do factor in the cost of Ubers or taxis to get around.

Bar the in-room minibar

Skip the expensive minibar and buy water, drinks and snacks from convenience stores. US drug stores CVS and Walgreens have multiple locations along the Strip.

Court those food courts

If you want to fuel up without spending a fortune, eat at one of the fun and frugal food courts inside hotels including The Cosmopolitan, Park MGM and The Venetian.

Up the ante with an upgrade

Vegas is a city that loves celebrations, so your chances are high of scoring a hotel room upgrade or free goodies for a milestone birthday, anniversary or wedding party.

The details

Fly

United Airlines, Delta and American Airlines operate regular flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Harry Reid International Airport (formerly McCarran International Airport) in Las Vegas, via Los Angeles. See united.com, delta.com and americanairlines.com.au

Stay

When it opened in 1998 at a cost of $US1.6 billion, Bellagio Las Vegas was the world’s most expensive resort. As well as the above accommodation suggestions, more than 25 years later, it continues to dazzle. Rooms from $US189 a night and a $US50 resort fee. See bellagio.mgmresorts.com

Play

Stay up-to-date with the superstar headliners playing Vegas in 2024. For tickets to U2, Bruno Mars, Adele, Kylie Minogue and more. See concerts.vegas

More

visitlasvegas.com, travelnevada.com