Top 10 things to do in Las Vegas
Ranked for a first visit. For each we name the one ticket or tour we would book, or say when you do not need one. Prices checked on 11 October 2026 and exclude tax.
Finding experiences…
1The Strip and the Bellagio fountains
The Bellagio fountains play every 30 minutes in the afternoon and every 15 minutes from 8pm to midnight (1am on Fridays and Saturdays); watch from the Las Vegas Boulevard sidewalk or the bridge. Inside, the Conservatory’s floral display changes five times a year. Further up the Strip, Wynn’s Lake of Dreams runs every 30 minutes in the evening.
2Sphere: The Wizard of Oz
The current film at Sphere, behind The Venetian, uses the giant screen with seat haptics, wind, fog and scents. It is for ages 6 and up, everyone needs a ticket, doors open 45 minutes before the show and there is no late seating. Sales are final, so pick your date carefully. Postcard from Earth has no showtimes at the moment.
See the options3A Cirque du Soleil show
Four Cirque shows are running: O (Bellagio, the water show, ages 5+), Mystère (Treasure Island, all ages, the original Las Vegas Cirque show from 1993), KÀ (MGM Grand) and Michael Jackson ONE (Mandalay Bay, ages 5+). Mad Apple has closed. Each runs about 90 minutes.
See the options4Grand Canyon West and the Skywalk
The closest part of the canyon, about two hours’ drive on Hualapai land outside the national park. General admission is $67 without the Skywalk; the All-Access Pass with the glass Skywalk is $99. In winter Arizona is one hour ahead of Las Vegas, which matters for last entry at 4:30pm. A tour with a Hoover Dam stop is the easiest way to do it in a day.
See the options5Hoover Dam
About 30 miles south-east of Las Vegas. Official tours cost $40 for the dam (sold on site only) and $25 for the powerplant, but the dam’s site says tour tickets are currently unavailable, so call before you go. Parking costs $10 in the Nevada garage; the lots on the Arizona side are free.
See the options6Red Rock Canyon
Red sandstone cliffs west of the city. Entry costs $20 per car, and from 1 October to 31 May you also need a timed-entry reservation on recreation.gov to drive the Scenic Loop between 8am and 5pm. The loop opens at 6am and closes at 5pm from November to February. A guided tour handles the booking for you.
See the options7Fremont Street and Downtown
Old Las Vegas under a five-block LED canopy, with free concerts nightly and the Viva Vision light show on the hour. SlotZilla zip lines fly overhead from $49 (Monday to Thursday). Nearby, the Mob Museum is open 9am to 9pm, and the Neon Museum’s sign boneyard costs from $25 by day and $35 in the evening.
See the options8Valley of Fire
Red sandstone formations north-east of the city. Entry costs $15 for cars from outside Nevada. The park closes entirely from 1 to 14 December every year, and many trails, including White Domes and the Fire Wave, close from 15 May to 30 September because of the heat.
See the options9The Venetian and the Strip’s free shows
Watch the indoor gondolas from the canal bridges for free, or ride for $39 per person (about 10–13 minutes). Other free sights include the Fall of Atlantis at the Forum Shops (hourly from noon), the Flamingo Wildlife Habitat, the circus acts at Circus Circus and the M&M’s store next to the MGM Grand.
10The STRAT tower
The 1,149 ft tower at the north end of the Strip, with the city’s highest views and Big Shot, which launches riders 160 ft up the mast. The thrill rides run from 2pm to 10pm and are closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays; X-Scream is currently closed.
See the options
Where available, you can reserve now and pay later. Payment dates and eligibility depend on the experience and the options shown at checkout.
Grand Canyon from Las Vegas: West Rim or South Rim?
The West Rim is the realistic day trip from Las Vegas; the South Rim is the national park, best on an overnight trip.
- The South Rim’s non-resident surcharge applies on top of the entrance fee; annual pass holders are exempt. Entrance stations accept cards only.
- Check the park’s alerts before going: in September 2026 the park suspended overnight lodging because of water restrictions.
- Helicopter and boat packages at the West Rim start at $418 on its official site.
| Compare | West Rim | South Rim |
|---|---|---|
| Run by | The Hualapai Tribe, outside the national park | The National Park Service |
| From Las Vegas | About 2 hours’ drive | A much longer drive; usually an overnight trip |
| Entry | $67 general admission; $99 with the Skywalk | $35 per vehicle, plus $100 per non-US resident aged 16+ |
| Highlights | The glass Skywalk | The classic canyon viewpoints |
Las Vegas itinerary for 1, 2 or 3 days
Mix one desert day with Strip evenings, and keep the hottest hours for indoor sights.
Not on the map (outside the city): Grand Canyon West and the Skywalk, Hoover Dam, Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire.
Day 1: the Strip
- Afternoon: walk the centre of the Strip, from the Bellagio Conservatory to The Venetian’s canals.
- Evening: the Bellagio fountains, then a Cirque du Soleil show or the Sphere.
Day 2: the Grand Canyon
- A full-day West Rim tour with a stop at Hoover Dam; tours usually leave early in the morning.
Day 3: Red Rock Canyon and Downtown
- Morning: Red Rock Canyon with a timed-entry reservation (October to May).
- Evening: Fremont Street, the Mob Museum or the Neon Museum.
With more time
Add Valley of Fire, Lake Mead or a ride up the STRAT tower.
When to visit Las Vegas: heat and big events
Spring and autumn are the most comfortable; summer is fierce, and big events fill hotels and close roads.
- Summer heat closes things: the Neon Museum cancels tours above 100°F, and many Valley of Fire trails close from mid-May to the end of September.
- Las Vegas gets only about 4 inches of rain a year.
- Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix: 19–21 November 2026, with the race at 8pm on 21 November; expect road closures and resorts asking for proof of booking.
- The National Finals Rodeo starts on 29 November 2026, CES runs from 6 to 9 January 2027 and the College Football Playoff final is on 25 January 2027.
- Valley of Fire closes from 1 to 14 December every year.
Getting around Las Vegas: airport taxis, the Monorail and walking
The airport is only about 2 miles from the Strip, and taxis charge flat fares by zone.
From the airport
- Taxi flat fares to the Strip: $22.25 to the south end (Sunset Road to Tropicana), $26.25 to the centre (Tropicana to Flamingo) and $30.25 to the north (Flamingo to the STRAT), plus a $3 card fee, a fuel surcharge and 3% tax. Any stop on the way switches to the meter.
- Rideshare pickups are on Level 2 of the Terminal 1 garage and the valet level at Terminal 3.
- The Monorail does not go to the airport.
On the Strip
- The Monorail runs behind the east side of the Strip from MGM Grand to SAHARA in about 15 minutes: $5.75 a ride or $13.95 for a day online.
- You cannot hail taxis in the street; use hotel taxi ranks or rideshare.
- Distances look short but are long on foot, so plan around the heat.
Money in Las Vegas: resort fees, tax and free fun
Hotel prices must now include mandatory resort fees, sales tax is 8.375%, and many of the Strip’s best shows are free.
- Since May 2025, US rules require hotels to show mandatory fees in the total price they advertise.
- Sales tax in Clark County is 8.375%, usually added at the till.
- You must be 21 to gamble.
- Free: the Bellagio fountains and Conservatory, Wynn’s Lake of Dreams, the Fall of Atlantis, Fremont Street, the Flamingo Wildlife Habitat and entry to AREA15.
Las Vegas with kids, on a hot day or as a couple
Free shows and Mystère for families, indoor attractions for the hottest hours, and gondolas and the fountains for couples.
With kids
- Mystère (all ages), the M&M’s store, Circus Circus acts and The Wizard of Oz at Sphere (ages 6+).
On a hot day
- The Sphere, the Mob Museum and a Cirque matinee, with the desert saved for early morning.
For couples
- A gondola at The Venetian, O at the Bellagio, then the fountains at night.
Las Vegas tours and tickets by type
Browse every bookable option by type, with live prices and availability for your dates.