The best things to do in Las Vegas at night

A bus tour is one of the best ways to get a flavor of Sin City at any time of day. But it’s particularly special after dark, when the desert city transmits its bright neon glow out into the stratosphere and the streets are abuzz with party people. Ride the Strip and marvel at the flamboyant mega-resorts, eye-popping hotel gimmickry, and sheer scale of it all. Peepers peeled for Vegas icons including the ‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas’ sign and famous Golden Nugget casino, part of the landscape here since 1946.

Bus tour not thrilling enough for ya? We’ve got your back. Take a night flight by helicopter that takes in the bright lights of the Strip and the sparkle of downtown instead! You’ll spot Vegas giants including the STRAT’s rooftop roller coasters, Paris’s replica Eiffel Tower, the High Roller, and the ever-changing facade of the Sphere.

You can find all the night time entertainment you’ll ever need with an after-dark stroll along Las Vegas Boulevard, aka the Strip, where mega-hotels vie for your attention with increasingly flamboyant live spectacles, perfect for setting your Insta reels on fire. Chief among these must-sees are the Bellagio fountains: great skyscraping jets of balletic water that sways in time to classical music belters and modern pop bangers. 

Then there’s the hallucinatory Lake of Dreams at the Wynn, complete with 45-foot waterfall, deafening music and an absolutely massive animatronic frog. Only in Las Vegas. Both shows run at regular intervals throughout the evening, right up until midnight.

Soaring a casual 550 feet above the Strip, the Las Vegas High Roller is second only in height to the Ain Dubai in the hotly contested observation wheel world league. As the sun sets over Sin City, the High Roller is illuminated with 2,000 LED lights, creating an eye-popping display that stands out superbly against the night sky even in this perpetually neon-lit metropolis. Step aboard at the LINQ Promenade for a smooth 30-minute ride that soars over the streets, affording dizzying views along the Strip and beyond. Over 21? Steady vertigo-induced nerves with a Dirty Martini in one of the open-bar cabins. 

You can get daytime entry to the Roller with a Go City Las Vegas pass, but if it’s nighttime views you covet above all else, try the Tower at the STRAT, which has both indoor and outdoor observation platforms and takes you even higher: more than 800 feet above terra firma, since you’re asking. Knee-knocking stuff, but nothing compared to the high-altitude thrill rides right at the top of the tower. Try Big Shot, Sky Jump and the aptly named X-Scream… if you dare. 

Jeepers, you guys really are gluttons for punishment. But if it’s further thrills and spills you seek, well, you’ve come to the right place. Daredevils should make straight for the Fly LINQ Zipline, which stays open late into the evening on weekends and bags you some stupendous views of the Strip, albeit fleetingly, as you swoop over 1,100 feet from the launch tower straight towards the High Roller Observation Wheel.

Or, if you prefer your fear factor cranked all the way up to 11, try escape rooms themed around the Blair Witch and SAW movie franchises. Both come with head-scratching puzzles, creepy creaking doors, genuine jump scares and actual props from the movies. Live or die, make your choice.

Can you even say you’ve been to Vegas if you haven’t spent time in one of the city’s cavernous mega-casinos? No, dear reader, you cannot. Take your pick of the slots or try your luck on the poker, craps, roulette and blackjack tables. There are (obvs) dozens of casinos to choose from (it’s Vegas, baby!) but for pure old-school charm, Caesars Palace and the Golden Nugget are tough to beat. Good luck, and don’t forget to gamble responsibly, kids.

Easily one of the coolest things to do in Las Vegas at night time, the Fremont Street Experience is an epic downtown entertainment complex that includes fine-dining restaurants, trendy cocktail bars and – because this is Las Vegas – a 1,700-foot-long zip wire with a launch platform that’s designed to look like a slot machine and comes complete with 35-foot showgirls. Highlight of the complex is the utterly bonkers LED canopy; essentially a wraparound video screen that’s the length of five football pitches. Don’t miss its mesmerizing nightly Viva Vision light show every hour between 6PM and 2AM.

Pro-tip: you can take a fun guided walking tour of the Fremont Street area with your Las Vegas pass.

Looking to impress your date? A night ride along the Venetian’s replica Grand Canal, complete with singing gondolier, is sure to set hearts aflutter. Afterwards, head over to the Paris resort’s glitzy half-sized Eiffel Tower facsimile, where a ride up in the great glass elevator to the viewing platform is rewarded with stellar views along the Strip. And if you really want to up the ante, book in for fine French dining at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant far above the Strip. Foie gras and whole dover sole for the win. Bon appetit!

The Neon Museum is a quite astonishing al fresco boneyard that preserves and showcases that most Las Vegas of art forms: the neon sign. Check out retired masterpieces of the Sin City skyline including signage from Sassy Sally’s, the Stardust, the Hard Rock Cafe and the Lucky Cuss Motel. This is a favorite night time activity in Las Vegas, so be prepared to queue for those all-important Instagrammable photo opportunities, as the signs light up against the desert sky in all their technicolor glory.

Las Vegas doesn’t half know how to put on a show. Magicians, musical icons, comedians, theatrical groups: there’s something for everyone here. Check out one of the many spectacular Cirque shows at resorts including the MGM Grand and Mandalay Bay, catch the legendary Blue Man Group at the Luxor, or go old school at the Coliseum in Caesars Palace, where mega stars including Cher, Adele, Mariah and Elton have held long-running residencies.

You can also catch top-tier tribute acts, conjurors, gravity-defying acrobatics and saucy cabaret spectaculars, all with your Las Vegas pass.

The club scene in Las Vegas is legendary, from night time pool parties to cavernous clubs like Hakkasan at the MGM Grand where superstar DJs such as Calvin Harris and Tiesto bring the beats. Hit up Omnia in Caesars Palace with its huge outdoor terrace, or enjoy some of the best people-watching in town at Mandalay Bay’s upscale LIGHT venue. It’s Vegas, so naturally there’s also the option of joining a VIP nightclub tour, an ideal taster for the uninitiated.