Getting Around Las Vegas with Big Bus Las Vegas

By Casey Makovich

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The Big Bus Las Vegas Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour is one of the best ways to get around and see all the top sites in Las Vegas. Big Bus provides a means of transportation to and from various points of interest along the Strip, Downtown, and beyond and features entertaining and educational information about the sites along the way. We put together a list of all the stops along the three bus routes and included several points of interest to help you plan your itinerary and make the most of your time in Las Vegas. Big Bus Las Vegas runs along two routes included in the Go Las Vegas Card that cover all points of interest along the Strip and Downtown. (Please note: Big Bus Las Vegas operates a third line, the Las Vegas Night tour (Green), but it is not included in the Go Las Vegas Card.) Each stop is listed below with suggested points of interest for your itinerary. Download the bus route map here, pull it up on your phone, or print it at home to follow along as you go.

Strip Route (Red) (buses run every 20-30 minutes):

  • Big Bus Tours Welcome Center
  • Circus Circus Resort & Casino (catch a free circus show, one of the many free things to do in Las Vegas)
  • Fashion Show Mall (with over 250 shops, this is a shopper's paradise)
  • Treasure Island (get off here and take some photos with your favorite celebrities at Madame Tussauds and grab a bite to eat at the Planet Hollywood restaurant)
  • Caesar's Palace
  • Park MGM
  • Excalibur Hotel & Casino (be sure to check out their Tournament of Kings dinner show if you're traveling with kids)
  • Welcome to Las Vegas Sign/ Harley Davidson
  • Tropicana Hotel & Casino

Old Vegas Tour Route (Blue) (buses run every 20-30 minutes):

  • Big Bus Tours Welcome Center
  • Hawaiian Marketplace (here is also where you'll find the CityCenter Fine Art Collection -- a must visit for art lovers)
  • LINQ (explore this outdoor shopping and entertainment area and then take a 30 minute ride on the High Roller Observation Wheel)
  • SLS Hotel
  • Arts & Antiques District (featuring funky shops with great finds; many will ship your purchases so you don't have to try to find a way to bring them on the plane)
  • Las Vegas Premium Outlets (an excellent shopping destination for the die-hards)
  • Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino (hop-off here to experience Fremont Street, or, take a Fremont Street Walking Tour)
  • The Mob Museum (our regional manager's favorite attraction in Las Vegas!)
  • Gold & Silver Pawn Shop (Pawn Stars)
  • Stratosphere Hotel & Casino (head to the Stratosphere Observation Deck for amazing views of downtown and the Strip)
  • Circus Circus Hotel (be sure to check out their theme park and whimsical circus acts)
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Get discount tickets to the Big Bus Las Vegas Hop-On Hop-Off Day Tour and save up to 55% on combined admission to your choice of lots of top museums, tours, attractions, and more with a Go City Card Las Vegas Explorer Pass®.

Casey Makovich
Go City Travel Expert

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Las Vegas
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Things to Do in Las Vegas in Summer - Attractions, Activities & More

Las Vegas is a hot destination in the summer – both literally and figuratively. If you’re planning a visit and looking for things to do in Las Vegas in the summer, check out our list of the top attractions and activities going on this year, including: Madame Tussauds Las Vegas Hop-on Hop-off Las Vegas Tour Hoover Dam Tour Grand Canyon South Rim Tour LINQ Promenade & High Roller Observation Wheel Local Summer Festivals Heading to the area to celebrate Independence Day? Then check out our post on things to do in Las Vegas 4th of July Weekend. If you are in Sin City for Labor Day, here are some things to do in Las Vegas Labor Day Weekend. Save on Summertime Activities Regular admission to a number of these attractions are available on the Go Las Vegas Card. Choose as you go from popular attractions and save up to 60% on combined admission vs paying at the gate. Check out all Las Vegas tourist passes, attractions and prices. Please note, some of these special Summer events may be separately ticketed and not available on the Go Las Vegas Card. Madame Tussauds Las Vegas If you're looking for a fun museum to take the kids to, or just an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon while soaking up some culture, visit Madame Tussauds Las Vegas. This iconic wax museum is filled with informative exhibits and fascinating replicas of famous individuals from many areas of public life. Some of their featured exhibits include "Viva Las Vegas," "The Hangover Experience," "Marvel Superheroes," and more. Getting In: Madame Tussauds Las Vegas tickets are included with the Go Las Vegas Card. Hop-on Hop-off Big Bus Las Vegas Tour Hoover Dam Tour Grand Canyon South Rim Tour Blue Man Group Show & Other Shows There's nothing more Las Vegas than taking in a show or three. Swing for the fences with the Blue Man Group, one of the most iconic acts in recent history. You'll enjoy their musical stylings alongside their signature makeup and costumes. If you're looking for other options, V Theater is another great venue that offers everything from a variety show to zombie burlesque to pet comedy shows. A perfect choice for families! Getting In: Blue Man Group Show tickets are available as a premium attraction option with the 3-, 4-, and 5-Day Go Las Vegas Cards. Additional shows at V Theater are also included with the pass -consult our website for more details. LINQ Promenade & High Roller Observation Wheel CSI: The Experience If you’re a fan of the TV franchise and have an interest in criminal forensics, then CSI: The Experience is a great thing to do in Vegas in the summer (or anytime really). Learn all about the real techniques and technologies behind CSI’s depiction of a criminal investigation, and even embark on some crime-solving of your own! Getting In: CSI: The Experience tickets are included with the Go Las Vegas Card. The Mob Museum This delightful experience is a hit with visitors of all ages. Explore interactive exhibits and fascinating artifacts. Learn about the significant role that organized crime has played in American history, and focus on the stories of some of the most famous criminals in the country. They also host a number of special events throughout the summer, ranging from community safety events to book signings and beyond. Check out their website for specifics. Getting In: Mob Museum tickets are included with the Go Las Vegas Card. Summer Stage Concert Series Summerlin Every Wednesday (except July 4) This delightful summer concert series on Summerlin's Lawn takes place every Wednesday evening from early June - mid July. Nightly entertainment includes a varied schedule of events beginning at 5 pm with a DJ and kid-friendly activities and concluding at 9 pm with a band performance. A tentative lineup for these events might include Rockie Brown and Jase Neron, likemelikeyou and Cameron Calloway, and several more. Getting In: Summer Stage Concert Series events are free. Amazing Las Vegas ComicCon Las Vegas Convention Center June A fan of comic books and all things pop culture? Then spend some time at this multi-day convention dedicated to the “best and brightest” of contemporary and classic pop culture. Enjoy an exhibition hall, an artists’ gallery, a video game arena, costumed attendees, and much more. Some of the highlights of this year's con include Rob Liefeld (creator of DEADPOOL, CABLE, DOMINO, and X-FORCE), Charlie Cox as DAREDEVIL, Jason David Frank as Green Power Ranger, Brianna Hildebrand from DEADPOOL 2, and lots more! Getting In: Amazing Las Vegas ComicCon tickets are separately ticketed and are not included with the Go Las Vegas Card. Hamilton The Smith Center May to June Curious what all the Hamilton fuss is about? You're in luck if you're planning a trip to Las Vegas this summer. And, you won't be disappointed. Snag some tickets for when this Broadway smash is coming to Las Vegas and experience one of the most entertaining accounts of important American history at this Tony Award-winning musical. Getting In: Hamilton tickets in Las Vegas are separately ticketed and not included with the Go Las Vegas Card. Las Vegas Golden Knights T-Mobile Arena (or any sports bar) May to June Who would have bet that the newest expansion team, the Las Vegas Golden Knights, would make it all the way to the NHL Stanley Cup Finals during their first year as an established team? If you did bet on them to go all the way, your bet would definitely have paid off! If you're not lucky enough to score tickets to the actual games, place your bet at a casino and belly up to a sports bar and cheer on the local team during the Stanley Cup Finals, the locals are sure to do some partying to celebrate their team! Getting In: NHL Stanley Cup Finals tickets are separately sold and not included on the Go Las Vegas Card. Let's Recap So there you have it. Our picks for some of the top things to do in Las Vegas in the summer. Please note, the summer events taking place at some of these attractions may be separately ticketed and not included with the Go Las Vegas Card. Plan to visit some of these top attractions during your trip. Whether you are traveling with your family or a couple of friends, we're sure you will have a great time.
Katie Sagal
Las Vegas
Blog

10+ Things to Do in Las Vegas in Winter

Are you not entertained? Despite being in the desert, Sin City has winter activities galore, from fascinating circus shows to unique museums and side trips to the stunning Hoover Dam.
Casey Makovich
Casino croupier shuffling cards
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The Best Casino Hotels in Las Vegas

There are over 100 casinos in Las Vegas, from Downtown to the Sin City limits, with the majority (nearly 50 of ‘em) congregated in and around the mega-resorts that line Las Vegas Boulevard, aka the all-singing, all-dancing, all-neon Strip. Most visitors to Vegas will want to experience at least one of these glitzy gambling dens, with their cavernous interiors and enticing range of games that runs the gamut from 20c slots to significantly higher stakes at the blackjack, roulette and poker tables. But which are the best casino hotels in Las Vegas, and what sets them apart from the rest? We took a deep dive to find out… Best Las Vegas Casino Hotels for Beginners Never played blackjack before? Fear not: many casinos in Las Vegas have tables for beginners, where the minimum stakes are lower (generally around $5) and staff are on hand to help you understand the rules of each game and provide tips and guidance on potentially winning strategies. Medieval meets modern at Excalibur, located near Harry Reid Airport at the Strip’s southern end. Like many Sin City hotels, Excalibur is not without its gimmicks, in this case eye-catching technicolor turrets and an epic dinner show complete with knights, kings, horses and a medieval banquet. As well as having some of the most beginner-friendly casino tables in town (including free lessons), there are also – deep breath – four pools, a spa, several shows, and more bars and restaurants than you can shake a very large jousting lance at. Honorable mention: Further into the heart of the Strip, the Bellagio mega-resort is a rather more glamorous and upscale cousin to Excalibur, and offers free lessons as well as other discounts and bonuses for novice players. Best Las Vegas Casino Hotels for Old-School Charm Opened in the swinging sixties, Caesars Palace has been a Rat Pack haunt, a blockbuster boxing venue and a movie set in its time. In other words, you can expect some real old-school vibes here. And we mean really old-school: as the name suggests the theme is seriously Roman, all flamboyant Corinthian columns, winged cherubs and – yup – a 20-foot statue of Augustus Caesar. The Garden of the Gods pool complex is fit for an emperor; likewise the Qua Baths & Spa (24-karat gold collagen facial massage, anyone?). Guests can have a flutter at the Fortuna pool’s swim-up tables or make for the glitzy casino proper, where well over a thousand slot machines and nearly 200 tables await. This is a resort that has hosted names including Sinatra, Liberace and Madonna down the years, so you just know the caliber of entertainment is going to be high. Dine in decadent restos including Gordon Ramsay and Nobu and decimate your blackjack winnings at the Forum shops, where over 200 luxury boutiques sport the kind of price tags that might make Caligula himself blush. Honorable mention: The oldest continuously operating resort on the Strip, the Flamingo promises old-school charm by the bucketload, plus plenty of pink neon and real-live flamingoes. Best Las Vegas Casino Hotels for Glamming it Up Bellagio is where it's at if you want to go full Bond and sashay onto the floor in your finest designer three-piece suits and cocktail dresses. Steel your nerves over a classic martini in the plush Lily Lounge, with views of the gaming floor, then head down to hit the tables or – for seasoned high rollers only – make for the exclusive high-limit poker lounge. Of course, the Bellagio is known as much for its spectacular fountain display as its poker tables. Get ringside seats for this epic show at Wolfgang Puck’s flagship Spago restaurant or head over to upscale PRIME for a perfectly seared wagyu filet. And that’s not all. Of course it isn’t! Bellagio also counts a gallery of fine art, a botanical garden, five swimming pools, a Cirque du Soleil show and boutiques from the likes of Bulgari, Cartier and Dior among its many attractions. Glam or what? Honorable mention: Mandalay Bay ain’t no slouch in the glamor stakes either, boasting 20+ ritzy restaurants and cocktail lounges, a nightclub, an 11-acre pool complex and – natch – a sprawling casino. Best Las Vegas Casino Hotels for the Pool Scene Should you happen to be in Vegas during party season (March to October) – and, frankly, why wouldn’t you be? – you’ll likely want to spend at least some of your time lounging by the pool, pina colada in hand. Glitzy Mandalay Bay is the daddy when it comes to the Sin City pool scene. We’re talking a whopping 11-acre complex that includes a man-made beach, an absolutely enormous wave pool, the laziest of lazy rivers and oodles of private cabanas and gazebos to rent for your day out. A beach bar and grill and several cocktail bars mean you’ll never be far from your next burger or margarita, and the people-watching opportunities here are pretty much second-to-none. Honorable mention: the legendary Golden Nugget. Sure, there are bigger and better pool complexes all over Vegas, but do any of them have a water slide that goes right through the middle of a 200,000-gallon shark tank? No, dear reader, they do not. Best Las Vegas Casino Hotels for Entertainment Entertainment in Las Vegas often seems to be a supersized game of one-upmanship. Dancing fountains not spectacular enough for ya? Fear not: there’s an exploding volcano out front of the Mirage, a replica of the Eiffel Tower at Paris, and a recreation of Venice’s Grand Canal – complete with singing gondoliers at The Venetian. It’s the last of these sprawling mega-resorts that nabs our entertainment crown, largely thanks to the 2023 addition of Sphere, an eye-popping globe-shaped venue that, with the ever-changing motion graphics that ripple across its facade, is a show all by itself. Sphere’s immersive experiences coupled with A-list names at Voltaire (Willie Nelson, Diana Ross, Steely Dan and Kylie, to name just a few) make for quite the roster of top-flight entertainment. Honorable mention: Wynn Encore. Superb theatrical performances, legendary musicians, celebrity DJs, and direct access to the Las Vegas High Roller for the win/Wynn. Save on Popular Las Vegas Tours, Activities and Attractions Save on admission to Las Vegas attractions with Go City, and check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest pics, tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak

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