Las Vegas Travel Guide 2024: Sin City's Most Popular Attractions

Las Vegas is a town with something for everyone. There's amazing natural landscapes in Red Rock Canyon. Monumental engineering at the Hoover Dam. Big-name stars performing nightly in Las Vegas shows. And of course, the glitz and glamor of the world's swankiest casinos. Are you ready to let it all ride? We're going to double-down and place our bets that you'll find each of these sights every bit as memorable as we did. Here are the top-10 Las Vegas attractions to see.

South Las Vegas Boulevard, known locally as The Strip, is where you'll find all the best casinos and entertainment in Las Vegas. Anyone who visits Vegas is going to spend time along the Strip. Head for the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign near the Bali Hai Golf Club. This throwback to the classic freeway marker once heralded arrival in Las Vegas. Casinos line both sides of the boulevard as you head north. Snap some photos of the Luxor Pyramid and maybe check out Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition. Afterwards make for the Statue of Liberty at New York-New York and ride the roller coaster. ARIA has luxury shopping or you can visit the Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas. Across the Strip are the famed Fountains of Bellagio, which dazzle onlookers with their synchronized ballet and powerful jets. Follow the Strip towards the Venetian where you can float in a gondola through the canals and marvel at the luxuries in the Palazzo. The buffet at the Wynn is top-notch and neighboring Encore is a great spot to game. Yep, it’s hard to go wrong on the Strip so enjoy yourself and watch out for cars.

During its heyday, Downtown Las Vegas was where the action happened. Today, you can experience this legacy at the Fremont Street Experience. Once known as Glitter Gulch, Fremont Street is a popular performance and entertainment venue. Under a barrel vault canopy, visitors can take a ride on the zip line or hunt for souvenirs. Plenty of bars and restaurants serve up food and drinks all hours day and night. Classic facades from old casinos bathe visitors in neon lighting. It all harkens back to those glory days in the 1970s. This is the place to wander after getting your fill up on the Strip. Fremont’s pedestrian areas are free from vehicular traffic and a welcome reprieve from the motorized madness on Las Vegas Boulevard.

In the 1950s, the United States tested nuclear weapons at the Nevada Test Site. The test range was so close it was possible to see the mushroom clouds in Las Vegas and to feel the seismic shocks created when the bombs detonated. The National Atomic Testing Museum documents the history of US nuclear testing. The museum even has a replica of the control room where physicists would monitor the countdown during each test. The National Atomic Testing Museum does a great job highlighting the history and legacy of US nuclear testing in the Nevada desert. A fun and educational attraction, this place definitely ranks among the best things to do in Las Vegas.

The Bellagio Hotel & Casino is where you’ll find the spectacular Fountains of Bellagio. At regular intervals throughout the day and into the night, the fountains send great jets of water skyward in magnificent arching displays as they sway and tilt in unison to a range of classic and contemporary music. Make sure to visit at night when the lights are easier to see and make for a more romantic feeling. Afterwards head inside to explore the luxury shopping levels and massive gaming floor. The Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens host a rotating display of flowers curated to celebrate major holidays and festivals throughout the year. Stop by the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art to see an impressive range of artwork on loan from museums around the world. Among all the hotels and casinos in Las Vegas, the Bellagio stands near the pinnacle.

The star attraction at the Mirage is arguably the casino’s famous Volcano. Erupting several times each night, this attraction is hot…literally! Fire shoots high in the air and accompanies a powerful soundtrack featuring legendary Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart. Once you’re warmed up, head inside where you can see the acclaimed performance of The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil. If you’re feeling a need to cool off, make for the Mirage pool where you can relax, swim through the waterfalls, or just allow your worries to float away. Get up close and personal with white tigers, bottlenose dolphins, and other exotic animals at Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, which is fun for the whole family. Throughout the Mirage’s gaming floors you can enjoy fine dining and upscale shopping. The casino is popular and always lively. Come find out why exploring the Mirage is one of the best things to do in Las Vegas.

Okay, let’s face it, there’s only so much time one can spend in a casino listening to the tedious chirping of slot machines and the clack-clack-clack of people shuffling poker chips. Fortunately, Las Vegas is smackdab in the middle of some of the most incredible natural landscapes in the entire United States. Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is only about 15 mi west of the city, easily reachable by car or with one of the many tour operators in town. The park features bicycling and hiking trails, in addition to a 13 mi one-way loop road that winds past stunning vistas. Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy rock climbing and bouldering routes at various spots in the park. Do yourself a favor and make the trip out to Red Rock Canyon and you’ll agree this is one of the best things to do in Las Vegas.

When it comes to modern engineering marvels, few are as well known and beloved as Hoover Dam. Situated along the Colorado River a mere 30 mi from downtown Las Vegas, Hoover Dam is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the region. Constructed during the depths of the Great Depression in the early 1930s, Hoover Dam is an elegant structural marvel. Visitors can tour the dam and learn about its history and importance as the prime source of electricity powering Las Vegas. The dam sits on the border between Nevada and Arizona. Curiously, these two states are in different time zones. In winter when Nevada reverts to Pacific Standard Time, the clocks on the dam’s twin intake towers show different times.

Lake Mead is the enormous reservoir created by Hoover Dam. It is in fact the largest reservoir in the United States by overall capacity. The lake itself and surrounding shoreline constitute the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Sport fishing is a highly popular and the waters here are some of the best fishing grounds in the United States. Largemouth bass, striped bass, crappie, rainbow trout, and more are prevalent. Boating and charter fishing tours are possible to arrange from Las Vegas. Various hiking trails snake through the hills and canyons around Lake Mead, attracting outdoor and rock climbing enthusiasts to the area. The contrast between the blue lake waters and surrounding desert scenery make for phenomenal pictures.

Further up the Colorado River from Lake Mead is Grand Canyon National Park. The canyon areas are large split into several sections. The main national park is a roughly 4.5 hour drive from Las Vegas. Your best bet is to camp or stay there at least one night before returning. Be sure to see the park’s well-known scenic areas such as Mather Point and other locations around the Visitor Center. Collectively this section is known as the South Rim and you will want to verify with tour operators that they travel here. The famous West Rim Skywalk is not located in Grand Canyon National Park. Rather it is part of Grand Canyon West and operated by Hualapai Indian Tribe. Tours companies also arrange visits to this section of the canyon, so you can easily decide where you want to go based on what you want to see.

Las Vegas is an entertainment town. Lounge acts have long been a staple affair with the likes of Tom Jones, Celine Dion, the Rat Pack, and Liberace all performing here at one time or another. As casinos have improved their entertainment options and incorporated the latest in digital projection technology, lighting, and sound effects, Vegas shows have become enormous spectacles that will leave you in awe. Big touring acts typically play limited runs so plan ahead. There are also a number of Cirque du Soleil shows and other regular performances running at the different casino resorts. If you’ve never been to a Cirque performance, do you yourself a favor a book a ticket. This is amazing entertainment and one of the absolute best things to do in Las Vegas.

Come discover what makes Las Vegas such a popular destination. There's must to choose from so don't just confine yourself to the Strip. If you're in need of a vacation after all the stress from this past year but aren’t quite sure where to go, give Las Vegas a try. You’ll be glad you did.