Tips for a Vegas Vacation

It is fun to watch a kid grow up, but it is rare to watch a city mature. A few years ago Vegas was a randy teenager, trying to be sexy, cool and sophisticated, but often slightly missing the mark. All of the sudden, however, it’s like Vegas came home from college, all polished and full of youthful confidence. Still not as culturally rich as other cities, the town seems to be hitting its stride. Michelin just published it’s first-ever Las Vegas guide, along with its first guide for LA – and Vegas is the city with a three star chef.

Sleep, eat, watch

Luxury accommodations have also taken a leap forward. Wynn Las Vegas hit a home run with five Michelin pavilions, Mobil Five Star (Vegas’ first) and the AAA Five Diamond ratings, becoming the only casino resort in the world to hold the Mobil Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond awards for both hotel and fine dining.

Of the 39-million visitors who came to Vegas last year, more than half said they came for entertainment, with food and wine at the apex of the list.

Not only has Vegas popped to the top of the culinary scene (we have more master sommeliers than any other city in the country), Vegas is raising the bar for entertainment. Now a must-stop for any touring band or comedian, performers of all styles fill huge showrooms like the MGM Grand Garden Arena and intimate venues like the House of Blues or the Railhead in Boulder Station.

• A red rock window in the Valley of Fire, a state park northeast of Las Vegas.
• James Phelps

But it isn’t just music. Top named sports competitions and Tony Award-winning shows also fill thousands of seats per year. The Producers, Spamalot, Phantom of the Opera and the upcoming Jersey Boys vie with the new Vegas showgirls (and boys) who perform in the surreal, fantastical productions of Cirque du Soleil. Vegas’ love affair with magic and spectacle is far from over. From comedy magic to giant illusions and mesmerists, Vegas’s illusionists enchant kids of all ages.

Off the beaten track

For those willing to venture off the Strip, another kind of magic awaits. Red Rock Canyon is a fifteen minute drive away. There world-class rock climbing, horseback riding, mountain and street biking, hiking, photography and petroglyphs await the intrepid traveler. Kids love to stop by the Desert Tortoise Habitat to see palm-size newborns along with their parents. Valley of Fire, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, The Spring Mountains and Death Valley National Park all lie within a two-hour drive, with many tour companies happy to provide the transportation, lunch and narrative.

And for those really willing to take a risk, the valley is filled with small museums, cultural festivals, little-known artists’ groups, parks, biking trails and restaurants run by chefs looking to escape the Strip frenzy. We may not have huge natural history museums and art museums that have benefited from a hundred years of patronage, but if you want to observe culture in its exciting, unfettered infancy, few cities can compete with Vegas.