10 Best Spots on the Las Vegas Strip
ANY TRIP TO SIN CITY IS UNDOUBTEDLY GOING TO INCLUDE THE INFAMOUS STRIP.
As with everything in Vegas, it can be challenging sifting through the garbage things to do to find the absolute gems. When you find them, though, they are as glitzy as the casino lights themselves. Having been to Vegas several times for both work and pleasure, we have tried many different restaurants, shows, and activities. Below, we lay out the best stops along the Las Vegas Strip, from north to south.
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01
The Spa At Encore
Sure, there are many beautiful spas in the world (especially in Vegas), but there is something unique and special about the breathtaking spa at Encore. From the moment you walk in, relaxation and opulence exude from the space. This Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Award-winning spa offers a full menu of favorite treatments, including the Desert Stone Massage, their exclusive Fire and Ice Stone Massage meant to reduce inflammation, a whole host of facials, body treatments, and even personal training. For those who love a good couples’ massage, the Spa at Encore has rooms specifically catered to couples’ treatments!
02
FASHION SHOW
Located across the Strip from the Wynn Las Vegas, this mall has everything you might need to prep for a night out on the town! My personal favorites for affordable glam are Nordstrom and Zara. However, with fifty-eight women's clothing stores and forty catering to men, everyone should be able to pick up a treasure. On weekends, you may stumble upon a fashion show taking place on the atrium's retractable runway.
Depending on the season, the mall's air-conditioning might prove a pleasant reprieve from the desert heat.
Hours can change, so be sure to check on their official website to confirm the hours of operation for the day you visit.
03
BLACK TAP
What do you get when you put an entire slice of cake, cotton candy, or whole cookies on top of a milkshake? The answer is one of Black Tap's Crazyshakes! Seriously, is there a better place in the world for something like that than Las Vegas?
In addition to artisan milkshakes, Black Tap serves up craft burgers and drafts. Grab a seat at the counter overlooking the Venetian Resort Hotel & Casino canals, and settle in for one of the best meals on the Strip.
04
CONSERVATORY and botanical gardens at the bellagio
Not many things on the Las Vegas Strip are free, and this one is a doozy! Each season, a team of skilled horticulturalist designers transforms a 14,000-square-foot area off the Bellagio lobby into a garden of spectacular proportions. They have a new display every quarter - for spring, summer, fall, and winter - and a very special showcase of the Chinese New Year. Be sure to check their website for pictures of the new and past displays!
For those who want to pay for their art, the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art is a good option. Originally located next to the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens when it opened in 1998, it was moved to the pool promenade in 2003. The gallery was featured in 2001 in the feature film Ocean’s 11 as the art gallery curated by Tess Ocean (Julia Roberts). Now, the entrance is quite a bit less opulent than showcased in the movie, so don’t be disappointed if you decide to visit.
05
O at the Bellagio
I’ve seen many Cirque du Soleil shows over the years (some good, some bad - be glad if you missed their traveling show Quidam…), and the one constant is that O is hands-down the best. If you want an introduction to the world of Cirque du Soleil, this is the one you want to see! It all takes place over a large pool with moving platforms. There are divers, synchronized swimmers, fire dancers, clowns (but not the scary kind) - and often it’s all taking place at the same time! I’ve seen it twice, and it never ceases to amaze. The theatre housing O is located in the Bellagio toward the back of the casino floor.
06
Hexx Kitchen + Bar
Hexx is an American eatery smack dab in the middle of the Strip. You can’t go wrong with Hexx at any time of day - they have bottomless mimosas at brunch time and amazing craft cocktails at night. Ask for a patio seat for unparalleled people watching opportunities and a spectacular view of the Bellagio fountains.
07
LINQ PROMENADE
This walkway accessed from the Strip is one of the newer additions, and it is continually getting better! You can ride on the world's tallest observation wheel, the Highroller, satisfy your sweet tooth with a stop at Ghirardelli Ice Cream & Chocolate Shop, or sip a frosty cocktail at ICEBAR.
The highlight is definitely the In-N-Out Burger. Until 2017, anyone wanting to partake in the West Coast staple had to ascertain a way off the Strip and into the heart of local Las Vegas. Now, In-N-Out serves up their animal fries and affordable burgers right on the Strip in the LINQ Promenade. We recommend In-N-Out for lunch your first day after checking into your hotel, or late-night on your way home from the casinos and clubs.
08
Rao's at Caesar's Palace
If you want a reservation at one of New York's most exclusive restaurants, the insider secret is to catch a flight to Sin City. While it might seem like a drastic approach, the original restaurant has only four tables and six booths, where its sister establishment in Vegas has an enormous bar and several rooms with traditional seating.
The restaurant is located in Caesar's Palace, just off the casino floor. The menu features traditional Southern Italian fare, with San Marzano tomatoes, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses, olive oil, and other fresh ingredients. Try one of Rao's famous meatballs - a delightful mix of veal, pork, beef, cheese, spices, and herbs. If going by myself, I usually make the meatballs my entree - they are that good!
Request a table in the New York replica room when making your reservation for an experience as similar to the original as achievable for most people!
09
ARIA CASINO
Located near the middle of the length of the Strip, Aria Casino is considered one of the best (and most paying) casinos in Las Vegas. Opened in 2009, it is one of the newer casinos in town and caters to the beautiful 20-something crowd.
It serves every type of gambler - it not only boasts one of the largest slot-machine collections on the Strip (nearly 2,000 machines), but also hosts one of the most exclusive high-limit rooms in the state of Nevada. Have you ever heard of a high-limit slots room? SPIN can cost you as much as $5,000 per pull. There are plenty of low-limit tables and friendly dealers for those of us on more of a budget.
10
The “Welcome to FABULOUS Las Vegas” sign
Did you even go to Vegas if you didn't strike a funny pose in front of the world-famous "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" Sign? Grab your camera and head to the far south end of the Strip!
It is walkable if you have comfortable shoes and aren't opposed to covering some distance, but we recommend hopping on public transit. The Sign promenade is located in the middle of the road, and bus stops serve the Sign just across the street. There isn't a pay box at the sign stop, so you'll need to purchase a roundtrip ticket on your way to the Sign, or have enough $1 bills to pay for a cash ticket when you board the bus.
There is also a small parking lot where you can temporarily ditch your rental car for a quick photo. If you are heading out of town, like toward the Seven Magic Mountain art installation, you can kill two birds with one stone by making a stop at the Sign.
If you don't want to wait or want to avoid the crowds, we recommend going early. From the late morning through until late in the night, the Sign is a crowd magnet.
