What happens in Vegas? Where do we start?

Fontainebleau Las Vegas opened in December 2023, a major new luxury arrival on the north Strip. In August 2026, it hosted the inaugural MICHELIN Guide Southwest ceremony, which tells you a little about how seriously Las Vegas takes its food these days too.

Close by, Resorts World has been home to Crockfords and Conrad since opening in 2021. The Venetian has been making changes of its own, with a $1.5 billion reinvestment running through 2026. Its suites remain the largest standard rooms on the Strip, which is a nice fact to know when the luggage isn't travelling light.

And they're not variations on the same idea. Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas has no casino floor at all. Four Seasons Las Vegas is within Mandalay Bay, with its own private entrance and lobby. Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Curio Collection by Hilton, offers its own elevated experience within the resort via the suite-only Ruby Tower, complete with a dedicated entrance, check-in and valet, with Wynn and Encore known for their five-star service on the Strip.

There’s another major arrival on the horizon too. Hard Rock Las Vegas is expected to open in late 2027, making it one of the city’s biggest openings to watch over the next year.

The city’s restaurant scene has another reason to talk about it following the arrival of the MICHELIN Guide Southwest. Newer names to know include Maroon by Chef Kwame Onwuachi at SAHARA, alongside Gymkhana, Carbone and Best Friend. Head to Spring Mountain Road in Chinatown and there’s more to explore again, including Kabuto, Kame Omakase, Lamaii and Yen Viet Kitchen.

Over in the Arts District, Esther’s Kitchen has a MICHELIN Bib Gourmand, but it’s part of a much bigger neighbourhood food scene, with independent restaurants, bars, breweries and cafés giving agents far more than a single address to recommend.

Dinner can go further than the table too. Chef’s tables and tasting menus can be arranged in advance, there are chef’s counters and off-menu dishes to find, and the speakeasy scene comes with secret bars that aren’t necessarily obvious to someone planning alone. There are even experiences combining dinner with a helicopter flight.

Las Vegas does food halls, late-night eats and hole-in-the-wall tacos very well too. There’s a time for tasting menus. There’s a time for tacos.

Las Vegas is the residency capital of the world, with artists playing multi-night runs in purpose-built venues instead of dropping in for a single arena date. It means a favourite artist can provide the date for the holiday, with everything else fitted around it.

Current and upcoming acts include Metallica, Eagles and Backstreet Boys, with dates stretching into 2027. The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Dolby Live at Park MGM, Resorts World Theatre, Planet Hollywood, T-Mobile Arena and Allegiant Stadium are all part of a very long venue list, alongside Cirque du Soleil shows across the city. Programmes change, so it’s always one to check when an enquiry comes in.

The newest addition looks like nothing else in the city. Sphere is the enormous spherical entertainment venue just off the Strip, covered in LEDs on the outside with an immersive screen wrapping around the auditorium inside. Extended artist runs share the programme with The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

The Arts District is walkable and low-rise, with old warehouses now home to galleries, vintage shops, independent restaurants, breweries and bars. Time it for the first Friday of the month and First Friday brings art, food and music into the streets. Esther’s Kitchen is one of the best-known names here, but the wider neighbourhood has a strong independent food and drink scene of its own.

Downtown, Fremont Street is the famous name, but there are murals to find around the area too. The Mob Museum explores the history of organised crime and law enforcement and is one of Downtown’s major attractions. The Smith Center is over in Symphony Park, while the Neon Museum tells the story of Las Vegas through the signs that once lit the city.

About 20 minutes from the Strip, Summerlin sits beside Red Rock Canyon, where private guiding can be arranged for hiking and exploring the desert landscape. Valley of Fire can be explored with a private guide too. Henderson and Lake Las Vegas bring golf, water and more open space into the mix, while Boulder City has its preserved 1930s centre and easy access to Hoover Dam and Lake Mead.

The Grand Canyon can be part of a Las Vegas stay too, and there’s a very Vegas way to do it. Guests can leave the Strip by private helicopter, land on the canyon floor and be back in the city for dinner. Not a bad day out.

We suggest around four to five nights for travellers who want time for more than the Strip, with a show or sporting event, dinner somewhere they might not have found themselves, a few hours by the pool and perhaps a day further afield.

Every Las Vegas itinerary will look different. It might begin with concert tickets, a restaurant they’ve been desperate to try, a Formula 1 fan in the family or a few nights before heading on through the Southwest.

Tell our USA specialists who you’re booking for and what they’d love to get out of Las Vegas. We’ll take it from there.

Take a look through our latest USA & Canada brochure.