A notorious reputation, but here’s why ‘the Strip’ is genuinely good

Seven wonders of the Las Vegas Strip

Steer clear of the pokies and enjoy genuine entertainment and legitimately great food on this notorious tourist strip.

1 Go to an ice hockey game

The Golden Knights, on their way to the 2023 Stanley Cup.Credit: NHLI via Getty Images

It might sound like Jamaica having a bobsled team, but Las Vegas has an ice hockey team – and they’re very good. The Vegas Golden Knights were established in 2017, and won the Stanley Cup, the biggest prize in North American hockey, in 2023; their home base on the Strip has become wildly popular among desert-dwelling locals. Tickets to see the Golden Knights in action are expensive, but the experience is incredible, and one of the few places you will be surrounded by genuine Vegas residents. See nhl.com

2 Take in Sphere

See a show or simply take in the spectacle at Sphere.Credit: iStock

Take note: one of the newest and most popular attractions is not even “The Sphere” – it’s just “Sphere”. Sounds very important, and it is, really. Just take a look at the numbers for this spherical concert, film and theatre venue: Sphere has a 15,000-square-metre LED video screen in its interior, a 54,000-square-metre LED screen wrapped around its exterior, a 2000-speaker sound system, and seating for 18,600 people. U2 played a series of concerts here, and the Eagles are now doing a residency. Purpose-made films are screened regularly. You have to go. See thespherevegas.com

3 Drink at Peppermill Restaurant

If the walls at Peppermill Restaurant could talk, they would be sued by just about every celebrity in North America. Or forced to sign an NDA. This old-school diner at the northern end of the Strip is a blast from the past, a way to experience the sometimes-sleazy glamour of 1970s Vegas without a time machine. The bar and restaurant open 24 hours a day from Thursday to Sunday, so you can just imagine the things that have taken place over the years. Grab a booth seat, order a Bloody Mary and just take it all in. See peppermilllasvegas.com

4 Go to a show

Adele, on stage in Vegas.Credit: Getty Images

These are among the most underrated attractions in Las Vegas: the concerts, theatre performances and other shows. The biggest names in music regularly play at venues on the Strip: this year alone you’ve had the likes of Adele, Bruno Mars, Christina Aguilera, the Killers, the Eagles, Shania Twain, Ice Cube and Boyz II Men. And then you have multiple Cirque du Soleil shows being performed concurrently, plus comedy (Jerry Seinfeld, Kevin Hart), tribute shows (Prince, the Beatles), magic (Penn & Teller), and more. See visitlasvegas.com

5 Stroll Bellagio Conservatory and Art Gallery

Inside Bellagio Conservatory.

Go to Vegas and look at a garden? Travel to Sin City and view works of art? These might not be the attractions that spring to mind when you think of the Las Vegas Strip, but they’re worth looking into. The Bellagio, one of the area’s ritziest hotels, has a 4300-square-metre space dedicated to horticultural exhibitions, with four spectacular garden displays unveiled annually. The Bellagio also has a renowned fine art gallery, which hosts temporary exhibitions of works borrowed from museums and private art collections around the world. See bellagiolasvegas.com

6 Eat at Tacos el Gordo

Tacos el Gordo – low on frills and high on flavour.Credit: Alamy

Forget the celebrity-chef restaurants and themed eateries in the big casinos. If you want delicious food on the Strip, head up just past the Wynn resort to Tacos el Gordo. This Tijuana-style taco joint is low on frills and high on flavour – diners line up at various counters for the likes of chorizo tacos, beef tongue, brisket and “cabeza”, or head, which are loaded with all the trimmings and slung across with minimal fanfare. And the taste? As close to Mexico as you’ll get. See tacoselgordobc.com

7 Shoot zombies at AREA15

The other world that is Area 15.

We’re cheating here; AREA15 isn’t on the Strip exactly, but a few blocks west. Still, you’ll forgive the duplicity as AREA15 is like nothing else in Vegas. This place bills itself as an “immersive entertainment district”, offering a series of virtual reality experiences that give you the chance to do everything from hunt zombies to fly an aircraft to work on your golf swing. There’s also a laser maze, a flying fox, a dodgeball game and an old-school arcade. See area51.com

The writer travelled as a guest of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. See visitlasvegas.com