They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. But this city of glitz has serious staying power. Long after you get home, the amusements, thrills and unique tastes you treated yourself linger in the imagination.
Consider that Vegas has been named the No. 1 trade-show destination for the 20th consecutive year, per the Trade Show News Network. In fact, this is where 53 of the top 250 trade shows held in the United States last year took place.
A big part of the allure is the area’s ability to continually revitalize itself in the form of new hotels, shows, dining and retail hotspots, and exciting attractions opening every year. Whether it’s catching one of eight Cirque du Soleil shows running in 2014, braving the 90-degree drop aboard the El Loco roller coaster at the Adventuredome, mingling with nightlifers at the Chandelier Bar in the Cosmopolitan hotel or partaking in a high-stakes game of European roulette now offered at Caesars Palace, the options are endless.
And that’s where this guide comes in handy. We’ve highlighted some of the best attractions for you to explore, from freshly minted amenities to can’t-miss performances and freebie fascinations that conveniently coincide with your Vegas stay. So plan, partake and party hearty with aplomb—compliments of CSP.
Brand New Gifts
Think you’ve seen it all in gambling mecca of the universe? There’s plenty new on the scene in 2014, including:
SLS Las Vegas: Downtown Vegas’ newest shining star—which opened its doors in August on the previous site of the legendary Sahara Hotel—offers more than 1,600 rooms and suites, the culinary talents of acclaimed chefs such as José Andrés and Katsuya Uechi, The Sayers Club, Life nightclub and rooftop pool, Foxtail lounge, Ciel spa, and ample gaming opportunities via 800 slot machines and 80 game tables. (2535 S. Las Vegas Blvd., 855-761-7757)
Da Vinci The Exhibition at The Venetian: Renaissance man, inventor extraordinaire, master painter, and creative genius Leonardo da Vinci continues to captivate the imagination, as evidenced by this incredible presentation. In addition to 65 fully built, life-size inventions, you’ll experience 20 fine art studies and dozens of memorable displays as you learn more about the history and achievements of the man responsible for the “Mona Lisa,” “The Last Supper” and numerous other master - pieces of art, architecture and engineering. (3355 S Las Vegas Blvd., 702-492-3960; tickets from $27.50)
VooDoo Zip Line at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino: Shoot across The Strip at more than 400 feet in the air and speeds up to 33 miles an hour, covering one- third of a mile in 70 seconds, including an exhilarating backwards return trip at 20 miles per hour. (3700 W. Flamingo Road, 866-746-7671; tickets from $28)
Lipshtick: The world’s best comediennes have gathered to perform in a riotously funny new stand-up series at The Venetian that marks the first time in Vegas history that the comedy stage is dominated exclusively by female per - formers. During the NACS Show, you can catch funny girls Lisa Lampanelli (Oct. 3, 10 p.m.; and Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m.) and Loni Love (Oct. 10, 10 p.m.; Oct. 11, 7:30 p.m.). (3355 S Las Vegas Blvd., 866- 641-7469; tickets from $74)
High Roller at The LINQ: Soak in a panoramic, bird’s-eye view of the downtown district aboard the brand-new High Roller, the world’s tallest observation wheel, which takes you 550 feet up. This attraction consists of 28 spherical, Italian- handcrafted glass-enclosed cabins that can hold up to 1,120 people. If you want a breathtaking vista of the city that lasts 30 minutes (the length of time it takes for the wheel to rotate), this is one experience you won’t want to miss. (3545 Las Vegas Blvd. South, 866-328-1888; tickets from $20)
The Cromwell: One of Vegas’ newest resorts—and the first stand-alone boutique hotel on The Strip—The Cromwell features 188 rooms and 19 suites. But even if you’re not planning on lodging there, you’ll want to explore its 40,000-square-foot casino featuring 66 table games and 440 slot machines, the exquisite Italian restaurant Giada, indoor and outdoor rooftop partying at Drai’s Beach Club/Nightclub, the Interlude lounge and Curios retail shop. (3595 Las Vegas Blvd. South, 855-895-3002)
Downtown Container Park: This family-friendly outdoor destination, composed entirely of stacked shipping containers, boasts entertainment, dining and shopping allures as well as a kids’ play space with a 30-foot slide and water area. Located only blocks away from Fremont Street and Las Vegas Boulevard, this site also includes an amphitheater where free musical acts and other performances are staged. (707 Fremont St., 702-637-4244)
CONTINUED: In-Demand Entertainers
All the World’s a Stage
Cocktails and casinos aren’t the only dominant temptations in the town that never sleeps. Some of the most in-demand entertainers on the planet perform, often exclusively, throughout the area. Here’s a rundown of several must-see live acts slated to occur before, after and evenings of the NACS Show. (Visit tinyurl.com/k8bjmhh for a list of all paid shows and events Oct. 3-12.)
Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil at Mandalay Bay: The King of Pop comes alive again in this magical gig featuring top-notch dancers, immersive video displays and remastered renditions of hits including “Billie Jean,” “Smooth Criminal,” “Beat It,” “Thriller” and “Black or White.” Recorded projections of Jackson steal the show as he performs along with the cast in a spectacle that pays fitting tribute to one of the most talented artists of the past 50 years. (3950 S. Las Vegas Blvd., 702-632-7200; shows at 7 and 9 p.m.; various dates and times; tickets from $120)
Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition at the Luxor: Interact with a priceless exhibit that will take you back more than 102 years to a time before the ship of broken dreams met its demise in the waters of the North Atlantic. Many recovered items from the vessel are on display, including the ship’s whistles, a felt bowler hat, a suitcase, glassware etched with the White Star Line logo, and a giant portion of the ship itself. Among the re-creations are the Grand Staircase, newly expanded outer Promenade Deck, and first- and third-class rooms with furnishings from the original manufacturers. (3900 S. Las Vegas Blvd., 702-262-4000; various dates and times; tickets from $35)
Illusions Starring Jan Rouven at the Riviera: You’ve seen magic shows before, but nothing quite like the edgy, mesmerizing act of master illusionist Jan Rouven, who continues to defy death and rivet audiences with every performance. Backed by dancers, colorful costumes and infectious music, Rouven will astound you with one- of-a-kind stunts such as Fire Spiker, the Bed of Death, the Water Tank and Hand Stab. (2901 S. Las Vegas Blvd., 702-734-5110; various dates and times; tickets from $55)
Donny & Marie at The Flamingo: You remember them from their early hits, their prime-time network TV series and daytime talk show and their various comebacks. Now the famous Osmond siblings are back with a bang to sing the pop and country favorites their fans have been savoring for four decades. (3555 S. Las Vegas Blvd., 702-733-3111; Oct. 3-4, 7:30 p.m.; tickets from $91)
The Rat Pack Is Back at the Rio: Relive the glory days when Frankie, Sammy, Joey and Dean ruled the roost at legendary locales such as the Sands Hotel. Now, backed by a 12-piece band, the Rat Pack is reborn a la four spot-on impersonators who croon plenty of crowd favorites, from “Luck Be a Lady” and “New York New York” to “Lady Is a Tramp” and “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head.” (3700 W. Flamingo Road, 866-746-7671; various dates and times; tickets from $46)
Rod Stewart at Caesars Palace: The man with five decades of hits in his repertoire is back to entertain fans young and old in his desert home away from home. You know the tunes—“Maggie May,” “Tonight’s the Night,” “Reason to Believe,” “Stay With Me,” “First Cut Is the Deepest”—now, enjoy them live around an intimate stage that allows Rod and his band to interact with the audience. (3570 S. Las Vegas Blvd., 702-731-7110; Oct. 4-5, 7:30 p.m.; tickets from $74)
The King Starring Trent Carlini at LHV-Las Vegas Hotel & Casino: No visit to Vegas is complete without an Elvis sighting. You’ll swear the King has come back to reclaim his rock ’n roll throne in this can’t-miss concert by a royal tribute artist in his own right. Trent Carlini’s performance spotlights Elvis’ silver-screen era, and Carlini’s wife co-stars in multiple roles as Presley’s leading ladies. (3000 Paradise Road, 702-732-5111; Oct. 3-6, 8-12, 6:30 p.m.; tickets from $63)
Bill Maher at The Palms Hotel & Casino: Whip-smart, articulate and irreverent as ever, Bill Maher commands the stage as few stand-up comedians can. After honing his skills in the New York club scene in the 1980s, he earned bit roles in movies and sitcoms before taking the talk-show world by storm with “Politically Incorrect” and, later, his series for HBO. Hear him rant on politics, celebrities, current events and more. (4321 W. Flamingo Road, 702-942-7777; Oct. 10-11, 8 p.m.; tickets from $68)
Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay: If “Jaws” is the closest you’ve ever come to seeing a shark, you owe it to yourself to experience the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay. Take a 14-exhibit journey through a jungle environment into a sunken shipwreck populated by 2,000 incredible animals—among them sandbar sharks, sand tiger sharks, sawfish sharks, piranhas, crocodiles and even a Komodo dragon. (3950 S. Las Vegas Blvd., 702-632-7777 various dates and times; tickets from $18)
“Evil Dead The Musical” at Planet Hollywood: Inspired by the Sam Raimi series of cult classic horror films, this is one musical that will tingle your spine and tickle your funny bone. Along with singing zombies and dancing demons, it features a “splatter zone” that showers audiences with fake blood. (3667 S. Las Vegas Blvd., 877-333-9474; Oct. 3-4 and Oct. 7-12, 10 p.m. or 11:30 p.m.; tickets from $50)
CONTINUED: Finding the Freebies
Compliments of the House
Looking for entertainment and recreational alternatives that won’t bleed your wallet dry? Consider visiting these free events and attractions. (For a more complete list, visit tinyurl.com/lazctcc.)
Fountains of Bellagio: No sojourn to Sin City is complete without witnessing the Fountains of Bellagio, an unparalleled music and light show choreographed in time with shooting and dancing streams of playful H2O. (3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 702-693-7111; weekdays 3 p.m.-midnight every 15-30 minutes; weekends noon-midnight every 15-30 minutes)
Fremont Street Experience: What happens when you combine an unforgettable light show, concert venue and shopping mall? You get the Fremont Street Experience, the highlight of which is a barrel-vault canopy decked with 12.5 million LED lights that illuminate your path to area casinos. (The westernmost 5 blocks of Fremont Street; 702-678-5600)
CBS Television City Research Center at MGM Grand: Sample new TV shows and graze on prospective pilots during a free hourlong screening, then offer your opinions on what you see via a test monitor at this fun laboratory where tomorrow’s TV programs are test-driven by viewers. (3799 S. Las Vegas Blvd., 702- 891-5753; daily 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m.)
First Friday in the Arts District: Experience an array of artists and street vendors as well as live music and attractions, such as an interactive science lab and an exotic petting zoo. (Bounded by Hoover Ave., Colorado Ave., Las Vegas Blvd. and Commerce St.; Oct. 3, 5-11 p.m.)
Aquarium at Silverton Casino: Voted one of the best free attractions in all of Vegas, this colossal saltwater aquarium will astound you with its assortment of fish and reef plants—4,000 living inhabitants in all, including six species of stingray and shark. (3333 Blue Diamond Road, 702-263-7777)
Fall of Atlantis Fountain Show at Caesars Palace: Be transported to a magical underwater realm as you witness the fall of Atlantis, an incomparable fountain spectacle involving amazingly lifelike animatronic figures and water effects. (3570 S Las Vegas Blvd., 702-731-7110; hourly from 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday)
Hoover Dam: Located approximately 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas, this major tourist attraction and marvel of modern engineering is worth the ride and is open year-round except for Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. A free parking lot can be found on the Arizona side; guided tours of the power plant are also available for $15 each. (On the Nevada/Arizona border; 866-730-9097)
Wildlife Habitat at the Flamingo: It’s not every day that you can feast your eyes on a flock of live Chilean flamingos, not to mention the swans, ducks, koi and turtles populating the grounds of this picture-perfect animal sanctuary, which is accentuated by sparkling waterfalls and lush foliage. (3555 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 702-733-3349; daily, 8 a.m.-dusk)
The Auto Collections at the Quad Resort and Casino: Car lovers and gearheads alike converge on this attraction, which features a 125,000-square-foot showroom and more than 250 vehicles on display and available for sale, including Johnny Carson’s 1939 Chrysler Royal Sedan and the 1962 Lincoln Continental Towne Limousine used by President John F. Kennedy. (3535 Las Vegas Blvd. South, 702-794-3174; daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m.)
Pinball Hall of Fame: The planet’s largest collection of pinball machines is waiting to be discovered at this nonprofit museum, which encourages hands-on participation from patrons (25 or 50 cents per play). Check out more than 200 old-school machines and arcade games from 50 years of gaming history. (1610 E. Tropicana Ave., 702-597-2627; daily 11 a.m.-11 p.m.)
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