10 best things to do in Las Vegas (apart from gambling)

Planning a visit to Sin City but don’t fancy risking losing your life’s savings at the blackjack table? You’re in luck.

Founded just 120 years ago, the legendary desert oasis of Las Vegas is known for   celebrating the wild side of life. With 24-hour gambling, all-you-can-eat buffets and hard-partying crowds, it gives many travellers a hangover they’d rather forget.

But there’s plenty more to do in this bucket-list destination outside of shotgun weddings and hedonistic antics (though you will certainly find those, too).

Next month Australia’s own NRL returns to the Nevadan city for another showcase of the sport, with eight teams playing in a festival of rugby league at Allegiant Stadium on March 1.

Here are 10 more things to do in the neon valley. But remember: what happens in Vegas still stays in Vegas.

1. See the Sphere

Rising from the concrete like a modern-day pyramid, the gobsmacking Sphere has made a huge impact on larger-than-life Las Vegas. Visible from across the city, the epic LED video dome seats over 18,000 people inside for a variety of immersive films and captivating concerts. Until April, classic rock band the Eagles (of “HotelCalifornia” fame) performs on weekends. You can also catch multiple daily sessions of the 4D film Postcard From Earth (by Oscar-nominated director Darren Aronofsky) that will blow you away. 

Adele performs in Las Vegas.

2. Catch a show

From Adele to Lady Gaga, Celine Dion to Britney Spears, Vegas is known for its glittering residencies fronted by famous divas. This year, stars such as Janet Jackson and Shania Twain roll into town for a marquee moment, plus AC/DC, Lenny Kravitz, Bryan Adams and New Kids on the Block (really). Splashy circus Cirque du Soleil is another a popular choice, with five different shows, including Michael Jackson ONE, playing every night of the week. Book ahead. 

The Bacchanal Buffet at Caesar's Palace is one of Las Vegas' best dining destinations.

3. Time to eat

Are you hungry? Bring stretchy pants. The buffets here are legendary, and we suggest the Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace for the premium experience, featuring 10 kitchens pumping out more than 250 dishes from steak to seafood. Vegas also hosts satellite locations for many celebrated international restaurants such as New York’s Peter Luger Steak House or the impossible-to-book Carbone, and Australia’s own Tetsuya Wakuda’s Japanese fine diner Wakuda at the Venetian Resort. No-frills Mexican spot Tacos el Gordo and classic diner the Peppermill are excellent budget-friendly options. 

The Bellagio Fountains are essential sightseeing.

4. Go casino hopping

Even if you don’t gamble, the casinos on the Las Vegas Strip are really something. The monstrous size and scale of the world’s most famous gambling houses is what the city is all about. The Bellagio – with its curved façade and grandiose fountains – is a great place to start for an Ocean’s 11 moment. The Wynn and sibling Encore are arguably the most lavish, Paris or Luxor the most ridiculously themed, the Cosmopolitan the most stylish, Caesars Palace another movie superstar.

The Fontainebleau is one of Las Vegas' newest hotels.

5. Stay somewhere new

Things are always changing in Vegas – the original Tropicana (opened in 1957) was recently imploded to make way for a new baseball stadium. The newest and shiniest place to stay is The Fontainebleau, a 67-storey, 3644-room luxury hotel and casino with an incredible pool area which opened at the end of 2023. Resorts World over the road is another sprawling newcomer, built for $US4.3 billion, making it the most expensive casino in LV. 

Inside the AREA15 complex. Picture: Jeremy Thompson/Flickr

6. Explore Area15

Close to the Fontainebleau, Area15 is attracting visitors off the Strip. Dubbed by The New York Times as “an urban Burning Man mall” after the desert festival, it’s a futuristic shopping centre with a trippy mix of retail, restaurants and art installations. Omega Mart is an offbeat “supermarket” stocked with bizarre items, and you can also find video game raves and goth burlesque performances. Later in 2025, Universal Studios is opening Horror Unleashed, a Halloween-themed amusement park with four permanent haunted houses. 

Historic Fremont Street is a Las Vegas icon.

7. Visit old Vegas

Speaking of getting off the Strip, the city is way more than just the main casino artery. The original downtown area is a retro flashback to the original Las Vegas, where Rat Packers Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr ruled the roost. The main drag of Fremont Street is where it all began, with the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino opening in 1906. A historic restaurant that’s worth visiting is the Golden Steer, founded in 1958 and where the Rat Pack, Elvis and Marilyn Monroe ate mammoth steaks and Caesar salads tossed tableside. Check out a guided tour of downtown for the full experience.

The Mob Museum is one of Las Vegas' unique attractions.

8. Get some culture

It comes as little surprise that Vegas was built on some criminal foundations. Continue your history lesson with a visit to The Mob Museum. Housed in the city’s old post office and courthouse, built in 1933, it’s an examination of organised crime in the US, which thrived in Vegas through the 20th century. There’s also a speak-easy and distillery onsite where you can hear about the prohibition era over some local moonshine. 

The High Roller Observation Wheel at The Linq Hotel, Las Vegas.

9. Raise your adrenaline

While putting it all on black may be the most heart-stopping thing many people do in Vegas, you can raise your pulse in other ways. The Big Apple Coaster at New York-New York scares more than 1.4 million people a year with its 60m-plus drop and 100km/h speeds. For a (slightly) slower ride, try the High Roller Observation Wheel at The Linq Hotel for its sweeping views across Nevada from 167m. 

The Skywalk at Grand Canyon West.

10. Dive into the desert

The Grand Canyon is about a two-hour drive from Las Vegas, attracting over five million visitors every year with an abundance of tours available to see the natural wonder from the ground, or the air if you’re feeling fancy.

The west rim of the canyon is closest to the city, and features the glass Skywalk, a horseshoe-shaped cantilever bridge suspended almost 1500m above sea level. In a place full of unnatural wonders, it’s undeniably impressive. 

Originally published as 10 best things to do in Las Vegas (apart from gambling)