13 Best Sights in Las Vegas, Nevada

The flowers, trees, and other plants in Bellagio's soaring atrium are fresh and alive, many of them grown in a 5-acre greenhouse. The artistic floral arrangements and ornamental landscaping here is breathtaking and in some cases monumental in scale. Displays change each season, and the holiday displays in December (for Christmas) and January (for Chinese New Year) are particularly dramatic.

The "mountains" of Seven Magic Mountains aren't actually mountains at all; instead they're towers of multicolor stacked boulders standing more than 30 feet high. The art installation from renowned Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone is a commentary about human presence in the desert, and it stands tall about 10 miles south of town near Jean Dry Lake. Visitors to the site can walk right up and pose with the towers. As such, the spot has become a popular place for selfies. The exhibit opened in 2016 and was only scheduled to run until 2018, but due to public demand, it's been extended. Watch for signs on I-15 directing you to the parking area. 

An intriguing concentration of antiques shops and galleries is found on East Charleston Boulevard and Casino Center Drive, anchored by The Arts Factory. This former warehouse with a colorful mural on the front houses studios and galleries for art of all types, including painting, photography, and sculpture. There's also a bistro on-site and a drop-in yoga studio. The Arts Factory comes alive on First Friday every month with gallery openings, exhibits, receptions, and special events. Preview Thursday, the day before First Friday, offers the same artwork with fewer crowds. Guided tours are available on request (and with a reservation).

This neon-and-incandescent sign, in a median of Las Vegas Boulevard south of Mandalay Bay, is one of Sin City's most enduring icons. The landmark dates back to 1959 and was approved for listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. Young Electric Sign Company leases the sign to Clark County, but the design itself was never copyrighted and currently exists in the public domain. (This, of course, explains why you see so many likenesses all over town.) The parking lot in the median just south of the sign was expanded in 2015. If you prefer to go on foot, expect a 10-minute walk from Mandalay Bay.

The hotel's collection of antiques, artifacts, and collectibles includes Louisa May Alcott's private railcar, stained glass from the Lillian Russell mansion, bronze doors and the facade from the Kuwait Royal Bank, and a variety of Victorian chandeliers. There's even a piece of the Berlin Wall—where else—in the men's room off the lobby. And if you prefer your wild outdoors very tame (and indoors), a bronze wild boar statue should stir your adventuresome spirit. Pick up a detailed brochure and map of the collection at the front desk or bell desk.

As Las Vegas grew, so did the amount of treated water released by its wastewater treatment plant. Recycled water making its way back to Lake Mead carved out a "wash" that needed to be constrained by a series of porous dams (known as weirs). The resulting wetlands eventually hosted so much plant- and wildlife, the county turned it into a 2,900-acre refuge in 1999. No one would consider Wetlands an essential Las Vegas visit compared to the marvels of Hoover Dam or Red Rock Canyon, but the park saw a big jump in popularity during the pandemic, when locals gravitated to its wide-open spaces and the unique charm of being able to see the Strip one minute, then be completely disoriented as you descend down winding paths surrounded by tall grass. All sorts of birds and critters call the place home, from great blue herons to beavers. There's an impressive Nature Center complete with a small museum and children's area. But plan to picnic or eat later—there's no restaurant or food service beyond a few bags of chips in the gift shop. Dogs and bicycles are allowed on the outer loop trail, but not in the inner core of the preserve.

It turns out shipping containers—the same kinds you see on cargo ships and tractor trailers—can be pretty versatile. At this open-air mall, for instance, on the outskirts of the Fremont East neighborhood, the structures have been repurposed into food stalls, bars (try Oak & Ivy), boutiques, offices, and even a three-story "tree house" complete with grown-up-friendly slides. The place also has an amphitheater stage fronted by real grass. Although the tree house is fun (especially with young kids), the highlight of the attraction is the large, fire-spewing praying mantis, which was originally constructed for use at the Burning Man festival in northern Nevada.

The Experience was originally the name for the 1,450-foot arched canopy that was built 90 feet above "Glitter Gulch," downtown's main drag, to revive its sadly fading epicenter. The plan worked, slowly but spectacularly—now the whole street is an "experience." The Viva Vision synchronized light shows, which run the length of the canopy, got a $32-million makeover in 2019 and now sparkle with LED lights (officially touted as "16.4 million brilliant pixels") to create displays that are seven times brighter and four times sharper than previous versions. The brief shows are themed, such as the salutes to homegrown rockers The Killers and Las Vegas–based music producer Steve Aoki. They play five to seven times a night, depending on the time of year, and the six-minute presentations change regularly.

The upgrades to the overhead show were necessary to keep up with the carnival atmosphere on the street. Costumed characters and street performers vie for attention with the live bands playing on two stages, and outdoor bars now line the fronts of the historic casinos, the bar tops doubling as stages for dancing showgirls. Thrill-seekers can ride one of two zip lines beneath the length of the canopy; the zips emerge from the face of the world's largest slot machine, appropriately dubbed SlotZilla.

The Roman Catholic cathedral often has standing-room only on Saturday afternoon, as visitors pray for luck—and sometimes drop casino chips into the collection cups during the tourist-friendly mass. According to tradition, a priest known as the "chip monk" periodically collects the chips and takes them to the respective casinos to cash them in. There are daily masses, with three on Sundays.

The massive Harley-Davidson dealership on the south end of the Strip is mecca for hog lovers. You can shop, rent, or even buy a bike right off the showroom floor. There’s also a specialized service department and a riding academy for newbies. And if you’re looking for Harley merchandise—from vests to T-shirts to onesies for babies—you aren’t likely to find a better selection anyplace else. Check out the Recharge Zone, a convenience store within a store.

The emergence of the offbeat Las Vegas Arts District (which comprises 18 blocks bounded by South 7th, Main, Bonneville, and Charleston Streets on Downtown's southeastern corner) continues to generate excitement in the city's arts community and, increasingly, among visitors. With a number of funky, independent art galleries in its confines, the area is a growing, thriving cultural hub—think of it as the Anti-Strip. In addition to the galleries—some of which contain impressive collections of locally known and world-famous artists—you'll find interesting eateries and dive bars to serve the alternative artists, musicians, and writers who have gravitated to the neighborhood. Each month the district hosts a First Friday gallery walk from 5 to 11 pm, with gallery openings, street performers, and entertainment. It's an excellent time to come check out the still nascent but steadily improving scene for yourself.

This museum on the University of Nevada Las Vegas campus has a growing collection of works by artists with ties to Southern Nevada. The exhibits are largely held in one cavernous space, with an adjacent auditorium hosting lectures focused on art. The Xeric Garden in front of the museum, which dates to 1988, was the first xeriscape demonstration garden in town. It usually doesn't take too long to see the museum, but the free attraction provides a good reason to stroll the campus grounds and see the nearby Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery or visit the student union. The Barrick Museum closes completely for several weeks at a time when new exhibits are installed, two or three times a year.

The 50-foot-tall neon cowboy outside the Pioneer Club has been waving to Las Vegas visitors since 1947 (though, truth be told, he was actually replaced by a newer version in 1951). His neon sidekick, Vegas Vicki, went up across the street in 1980, was retired in 2017, then unretired—complete with her own lounge—in Downtown's new Circa Resort & Casino.