Weekend: Las Vegas

Las Vegas tends to spark strong opinions—you either love it or hate it. Personally, I’m somewhere in the middle. While it’s not my top travel destination, I’ve had some unforgettable experiences both on and off the Las Vegas Strip.

As an gay traveler, I’ve learned that focusing on your interests—not what others might think about Vegas—makes a huge difference. Vegas can be overwhelming, but if you dial in what excites you—whether it’s drag brunches and shows, pool parties, LGBTQ bars, or people watching—you’ll find that Sin City has something for everyone. Skip what doesn’t resonate with you, and lean into what makes your weekend in Vegas feel fabulous and affirming.

Know Before You Go

Las Vegas is what it is, so there’s not a ton for me to list here that most folks aren’t already aware of. But there are a few things I try to remind myself of before each trip:

• Check the weather before you pack and arrive. Las Vegas is in the desert so it can get H.O.T. But being in the desert, it can also get pretty cool and/or windy at other times. And it does get monsoon type rains once in a while. None of this is necessarily a deal-breaker for a trip, but can definitely impact what you’d want to pack.
• Bring good walking shoes (that can also get dirty), especially if you’re spending time on the strip. The scale of the resorts on the strip can be deceiving and it can be a long walk from place to place. For example, the walk one way from my hotel room to the elevator to the parking garage at the MGM Grand was 1/3 of a mile. And the walk from one resort to another on the strip is further than you might think.
• For most casinos, if you’re spending time on the gaming floor, expect cigarette smoke and for your clothes to smell like it too. I bring an extra change of clothes or two because of this. The good news is that there are now a few hotel/casino properties that are fully non-smoking, such as the Park MGM.
• Prices are exponentially higher on the strip than they are away from it. Plan your travel budget accordingly.
• Vegas is a car city, for what that’s worth (also: sprawl). While I have ridden the bus (once) and it was easy, safe, and clean, I wouldn’t rely on it to get around on vacation. But taxis and ride shares are plentiful, so it’s not necessarily important to rent a car unless you’re doing a lot of exploring or going further afield (Also: see my getting there notes below about rental cars in Vegas).

LGBTQ Safety

Las Vegas earns a perfect 100 in HRC’s database of LGBTQ legal protections and statewide, Nevada gets a B grade for the top U.S. states for LGBTQ safety, from Safehome.org—their rating is a mix of legal protections and reported hate crime statistics (the data available to them and the fact that it’s statewide mean the ranking is imperfect, but few other resources include hate crime statistics in their formulas). As well, Nevada is listed as a moderately safe state in terms of transgender protections and a relative lack of anti-trans legislation being advanced presently.

Within the city of Las Vegas, there may be strong protections and representation, including pride celebrations and the annual LGBTQ sports festival, the Sin City Classic, but I’d advise some caution as you venture into less tourist-focused areas. North Las Vegas, for example, only scores 58 in the above-mentioned HRC database. While legal protections aren’t a comprehensive measure of safety, their presence or absence can be indicators overall.

Sightseeing Highlights

The Las Vegas Strip is Las Vegas, if you ask me. The resorts. The restaurants. The casinos. The sidewalk along Las Vegas Boulevard. The bars. The people watching. The spectacle. Many of the resorts on the strip has rotating exhibits and displays inside. As well, some of my regular favorites include:

• The Fountains at the Bellagio, which the property appropriately refers to as their calling card. Seriously one of my favorite parts of Las Vegas, which I’m happy is free. I could (and have) spent hours watching the choreographed waterworks of the Bellagio. While the Las Vegas Boulevard sidewalk area may be closed in preparation for and during the Formula 1 races, the fountain shows can still be seen from the walkways on the property. Check out the schedule for more info.
• The Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in the Bellagio are also an impressive (and free) display that changes regularly, so it’s likely to be new since the last visit. As far as I can tell, the Chihuly glass in the hotel lobby hasn’t changed since the Bellagio opened, but it’s still striking and worth checking out if you haven’t seen it before. Be forewarned that the Conservatory can get busy, so if you’re not a fan of crowds, visiting early or late is recommended.
• The Park Las Vegas, the promenade outside New York New York casino, is another great place to stroll and people watch, especially when it’s abuzz with activity before events at T-Mobile Arena. You already know that I love beer and taprooms, so it’ll come as no surprise that Beerhaus is a favorite place of mine to land (though it takes second place after Beer Park, below), as is the adjacent Eataly food hall. The outdoor art and Brooklyn Bridge are also fun.
• The Canals in the Venetian are a little bit corny, but I think the space is fun. Yes, the canals and gondolas, but also look up to the ceiling. Sign up for a gondola if you want. They’re not cheap and I’d say it isn’t a long trip, but it’s fun. And if you engage your gondolier a little, you might be a good and some great stories. Of course, be sure to tip for good service!
• Beer Park at the front of Paris Las Vegas is another of my favorite spots to the strip. If you’re trying to catch a game, chances are it on one of the many screens. And if you’re not watching a game, there’s great people watching. There can be a bit of a wait when they’re busy, but reservations may be available in OpenTable with a little foresight.

I know I already mentioned people watching, but it’s if you have as much fun doing it as I do, Vegas is a treasure trove. The sidewalks along Las Vegas Boulevard are a great place for it (#protip: the street-side counters at Beer Park are a great place to gawk and literally sit above it all).

But the casino floors are really the best. In my opinion, the people watching is at its pinnacle in the casinos right when a show lets out: it’s late enough that there’s a fascinating dichotomy of sober and inebriated folks. People leaving a show have often dressed up from the event and serve up everything from haute couture classy to (my words) hooker chic. But it’s not just show-goers walking through the casino floors, and that’s where it really gets fun to see the melting pot of fancy and, well, not fancy. I love it. Park at a slot machine near the main walkway and very slowly play out whatever you invested. Not only will you be rewarded with the human entertainment, you can probably get a free drink while you’ve got money in the machine. Oh, and tip your server.

Beyond the casinos, Las Vegas also has all the shows. To be fair, I haven’t caught many. They’re usually a little more expensive than I feel like paying, so my lack of attendance or recommendations shouldn’t deter others from partaking. One thing I really do like about shows in Vegas is that most of the theaters are modestly-sized. Especially for music, it’s great to see top-name performers in a venue that’s not a massive arena.

But Las Vegas isn’t just the strip. There’s a lot more in—and out of—Las Vegas as well.

• Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is about 17 miles west of Las Vegas. The rocky desert landscape is beautiful, in my opinion. Great spots to hike, bike, or off-road (my first experience in the area). And it’s so close distance-wise, but a world away from the lights and bells of the casinos.
• Hoover Dam is about 45 minutes east of Las Vegas. It’s fascinating to think that it’s probably the most well known hydroelectric project in the U.S. But it’s also really awesome, including the art deco details in its design.
• Fremont Street, the oldest paved street in Las Vegas is now a pedestrian thoroughfare, as well as being another entertainment destination in the city. Sure, there are requisite casinos, but also zip lining, street performers, and other events.
• There’s also the Mob Museum. It’s been a few years since I’ve visited, and since I was there last they’ve added a distillery, so there’s that. It’s not quite as interactive as I might hope, but it’s a fun afternoon with a dose of history that you don’t get elsewhere.
• And then there’s the National Parks. There are so many National Parks near Vegas! Zion. Bryce Canyon. Death Valley. Grand Canyon. Joshua Tree. Great Basin. The first three are less than 3 hours away and all are within 5 hours. Where else is that true?

Eating and Drinking

Las Vegas is, I would argue, an underrated city for dining, or at least one most people don’t recognize fully. It is true that nearly any celebrity chef who has made it has a restaurant on the strip. And these spots are good, but they’re expensive. But what I think doesn’t get enough credit in Las Vegas is that the diversity of residents and visitors lends itself to a surprising diversity of restaurants, especially off the strip. I have a long list of places I’d like to check out, and each trip manage to check out a few new ones. Some of my favorites from my last few trips included:

• Tacos El Gordo has a couple Las Vegas locations, including one about 3 miles from the strip that was delicious. They’re not super cheap, but I thought they were a pretty decent value given all the meat they load on, and it’s probably still cheaper to get a Lyft/Uber and eat here versus eating on the strip. And they’re open late (2am Sunday-Thursday and 4am on Friday and Saturday).
• Cugino’s Italian Deli is probably my nephew’s favorite (or at least most frequent) go-to in Las Vegas. It’s across the street from UNLV, where he went to school, so it’s probably too far to walk from the strip, but is relatively close and easy to get there otherwise. Pasta is good and my meatball sub was really tasty.
• As noted above, Beer Park at the front of Paris Las Vegas is great for people watching. They have an extensive tap list, as you might expect, as well as cocktails and food (nachos are good, FYI!). And skee ball inside – ha!
• Brew Dog (speaking of beer), a Scottish brewery, has a big tap room between MGM Grand and Planet Hollywood (the lobby and elevators are shared with Olive Garden, but they’re totally distinct spaces). Not only do they have a bunch of beers I liked and a large indoor space, they also have a really big rooftop deck where you can definitely kick back and relax.
• All you can eat sushi is another highlight for me in Vegas and there are a ton of spots to find it—enough that Eater has an entire post dedicated to it. Sapporo Revolving Sushi was one of my favorites, which isn’t on Eater’s list. Sakana Suchi (which is on Eater’s list) was another great one. Fans of Korean BBQ and sushi might also find their way to Biwon Korean BBQ and Sushi, where for $41.95 per person, you can get your fill of all the meat you care to cook on the grill at the center of your table, plus all the sushi, bulgogi fries, and everything else your gut can hold. (#protip: keep in mind that for the all you can eat menu, ALL diners at a table have to partake or no one gets to.)

There are a bunch of places that are on my to-visit list that I haven’t yet made it to as well. I’ll be sure to make updates when I check these off the list, but for now, they’re shared without any specific endorsement:

• The Taco Stand is also supposed to have great tacos and be less expensive than Tacos el Gordo.
• The Bagel Nook is a lot more than just bagels, but all of it’s supposed to be amazing.
• The Black Sheep, an “upscale American-Vietnamese” spot is mostly on my list because of Chef Jamie Tran’s stint on Top Chef Portland, but it also gets rave reviews.
• Twisted Sourdough Pizza not only has delicious looking pizza cones, but also cooks up massive fried mozzarella sticks.
• Olé Churros is in the shopping center across the street from Tacos El Gordo. They’re supposed to be super fresh, big and delicious.
• What’s Crepe is said to have the most delicious creme brûlée waffles. Oddly, they’re not open in the mornings, though …
• Calabash African Kitchen serves up West African food that’s apparently completely mouth watering.

Nightlife

Much of Las Vegas’ nightlife is centered on the strip, but the primary area of the strip hasn’t historically had much in terms of gay nightlife. For that, you’ll have to venture out to one of a few other bars, including a few I’ve been to:

• Piranha Nighclub is the closest to the strip. It’s described as “a compact but lush gay nightclub” or an “intimate indoor-outdoor gay dance club”. Both are probably accurate, though my take on it was that it was a really fun place with great music (when I was there) despite being an eclectic collection of broken-up small spaces.
• Gipsy is immediately across the street from Piranha and is a decidedly different vibe with a swanky, open, and shiny indoor area and a big open patio just outside.
• There’s also The Garage, which is low key bar and hang out spot with food, tables, pool, and darts. It’s been fun and busy whenever I’ve been there, though I can’t vouch for the food.

Lodging

Pricing for hotels in Las Vegas, probably more than any place I can recall, varies wildly based on the day of the week you’re there. Friday and Saturday nights are peak, and you’ll pay for it, especially on the strip. If you can flex your days, there’s a much better chance of finding a deal. As well, if you’re off the strip, prices dive drastically. A few of the places I’ve stayed (mostly on or near the strip):

• MGM Grand: relatively convenient location on the strip with spacious rooms and it’s close to the airport. Rooms on lower floors have (expectedly) lame views. Guest rooms are non-smoking, but the casino floor can get pretty smoky at times.
• Park MGM: tucked behind New York New York and is a fully non-smoking hotel and casino. Rooms are spacious and nice and the location is generally convenient.
• Planet Hollywood: is slightly more central on the strip than the MGM properties and the rooms are hip and bright, some with great views of the strip and The Sphere.
• Polo Towers: also slightly more central on the strip and (from what I recall, but it’s been a few years) it’s pretty tired, but more affordable than other places.
• Aria: somewhat more central on the strip as well. Nice rooms with big windows and many with lovely views. A great place to stay if you want to pay the premium for it.
• Hampton Inn Tropicana: just across the freeway from the strip (including T-Mobile Arena, where the Golden Knights play hockey), it’s walkable if you don’t mind a hike. And you’ll be rewarded

Getting There

I’m excited to see high-speed rail as a future reality from Southern California to Las Vegas, but for now, most folks will arrive by car or by air. Las Vegas is an international tourist destination, so there are nonstop flights to the city’s Harry Reid (formerly McCarran) International Airport (code: LAS) from everywhere ranging from Seoul to Mexico City to Missoula. I’ve most typically flown into the airport’s Terminal 3, which also includes most of the airport’s international flights. It’s a really easy terminal to get in and out of, though the ride share and passenger pick up areas located in an area of the parking garage get really crowded and aren’t completely intuitive. Taxis, however, are generally plentiful and the taxi pick up area is just outside baggage claim, where you’d expect it to be.

But if you thought the ride share areas were a mess, you’ll be really dismayed at the airport’s disaster of a rental car setup. The rental car facility itself is fine, with most rental agencies consolidated into a single facility, but the facility is about 5 miles from the airport terminal and is served by busses that are a 10-minute ride to and from the terminal. To make matters worse, the every 5-minutes or so cadence for the busses isn’t frequent enough at busy times, so most passengers will end up waiting for the second or third bus before there’s room to board. Give yourself extra time if you’re renting a car.