Vegas skyline with fireworks

Las Vegas in July

Who’s feeling hot, hot, hot? If you find yourself heading to this den of decadence this month, expect to be spending most of your time indoors, because Vegas in July is a scorcher. You’ll also be competing with the crowds and paying premium rates, especially if you’re here on a weekend – but that’s no reason to stay away, as the pool parties are still rocking and one of the biggest holidays of the year happens this month. So grab a portable fan and some no-melt flip flops, because it’s time for summer in Sin City.

Visiting Vegas in July

Las Vegas in July

Visiting Vegas in July

Average temperature: 104oF • Average rainfall: 3 days/mth • Average Sunshine: 14.5 hours/day

If you plan to venture outside this month, try and plan to go early in the morning or later in the evening, as the mercury hits three figures most days and the sun is at its fiercest between 11am and 4pm. Try to limit your exposure to 20 or 25 minutes at a time as you go from one air-conditioned venue to another – unless you’re lounging by a pool all day, of course, in which case just slather yourself in SPF and we’ll let you get on with it. It’s possible that an isolated thunderstorm may roll into Vegas in July – but they usually only last a few minutes, so duck into the nearest hotel or museum and wait for it to pass. Light, loose clothing is best, but keep in mind that indoor temperatures can get quite chilly, and some evening venues and restaurants do have dress codes, so check before you head out.

 

What’s on in Vegas in July?

Las Vegas in July

What’s on in Vegas in July?

Wherever you end up on July 4th, there’s going to be a party – but nowhere does Independence Day quite like Las Vegas. And since you’re here on this particular weekend, we’re going to assume you’re not trying to avoid the crowds and recommend you find a pool party somewhere, let your hair down and experience the day properly. All the hotels host special themed parties with guest DJs, and though the backdrops vary significantly they’re all equal in their extravagance. Some of the most famous are Wet Republic at MGM, the Encore Beach Club at Wynn, the Marquee Day Club at the Cosmopolitan and the Daylight Beach Club at Mandalay Bay. In the evening, head to the strip early and find a good spot to wait for the fireworks, as it will get very crowded. And since there are already a gazillion photos of this show on the internet, why not put your phone away and simply watch – it’s a spectacle of light and color unlike anything you’ll see anywhere else for the rest of the year.

Escaping the heat

Las Vegas in July

Escaping the heat

If you’ve been partying hard, you could always take a nap in the afternoon, but if you don’t want to miss a minute then use this time for indoor activities, when you’ll want to make the most of the 24-hour climate control.

Casinos & hotels

For those who fancy a flutter, then one of the city’s iconic casinos has to be your first stop. For those who don’t, the casinos are still worth seeing for their opulent foyers and interactive displays – plus they’re a handy way to break up a sizzling stroll along the Strip. There’s Italian opulence at the Venetian, the Planet Hollywood Café on the roof of Caesar’s Palace, LED mind-trippiness in the lobby of the Cosmopolitan or an exotic wonderland at the Wynn. If you head into the Bellagio, be sure to check out the world’s largest chocolate fountain and stop for some macarons on your way to the indoor botanical gardens.

Marvelous museums

Don’t worry, it’s not a typo – there are in fact a bunch of museums in Vegas for you to get your intellectual teeth into, and like the casinos they are many and varied. If you’re a fan of Marvel superheroes, the Marvel Avengers Station is an immersive experience that lets you see props and weapons from the movies; or if you prefer dystopian dramas you can explore film sets at the Hunger Games Exhibition at the MGM Grand. On the other hand, if you like your museums in a more traditional format, you’ll find the Mob Museum, the Natural History Museum, the National Atomic Testing Museum, the Hollywood Cars Museum, a Madame Tussauds and even an Erotic Heritage Museum. Who says casinos and culture can’t go together?

Cooler climes

Las Vegas in July

Cooler climes

In the heat of summer, it can be a welcome relief to get out of the city and escape the concrete and bright lights for a few hours. Ideally, go out very early in the morning, so you can be back – or at least back in the air-conditioned coach – before the sun reaches its peak. Lake Mead and Hoover Dam make an excellent combined trip, and Red Rock Canyon is quite spectacular in the morning light. If you need to stretch your legs, Zion National Park has plenty of opportunities for hiking through cool valleys and over mountain passes, or you can cool off completely on a kayak tour of Black Canyon and Emerald Cave on the Colorado River. Any excuse for a dip, right?

Sultry summer nights

Las Vegas in July

Sultry summer nights

Vegas may be too hot for some in July, but if you like warm evenings then this is the perfect time to head out and about. Stroll up the strip, photograph the ‘Fabulous Las Vegas’ sign and check Fremont Street and Downtown – use the Hop-On Hop-Off bus if you want to save your legs. If you’re in the mood for fun, go for a ride on the Big Apple Roller Coaster or even on a helicopter, or if you prefer a steady surface under your feet, get some perspective from the STRAT, the highest building in the city (you can even jump off it if you want). There are plenty of themed restaurants to head to for dinner, or if you just want to be entertained try catching a drag, talent or tribute show or even catch some comedy if you’re in the mood for a laugh. If you’re feeling sociable, you could always jump on a Rockstar Nightclub Tour; if not, you can simply stroll the streets all night and when it’s quiet, sit somewhere and watch the sun come up over the desert.

Turn up the heat with Go City

With so many unmissable Las Vegas attractions to check out this summer, see them all with a Las Vegas Pass

Karleen Stevens
Go City Travel Expert

Continue reading

The 'Welcome to Fabulous Downtown Las Vegas' sign at night
Blog

Things to do in Downtown Las Vegas

Seeking a little respite from the non-stop sensory assault that is the Las Vegas Strip? Then Downtown may be for you. The city’s historic heart promises much the same in terms of top-flight dining, high-stakes casinos and flashing neon signs, but is a much more laid back affair, with street eats, free live shows and an artsy enclave that feels more NYC than Vegas Strip. There are stacks of things of things to do in Downtown Las Vegas, too, and we’ve put together a few of our favorites below, including: Fremont Street Experience Golden Nugget casino Mob Museum Container Park SlotZilla Zipline Neon Museum Las Vegas Arts District Fremont Street Tour A tour of historic Fremont Street is hands-down the best way to find your bearings on your first visit to Downtown Las Vegas (and a great way to discover things to do on Fremont Street once the tour is over). During the tour you’ll follow in the footsteps of the first settlers, see where the Rat Pack used to hang out and learn about Sin City’s past links to organized crime. Your guide will also point out old-school Downtown icons like the Golden Nugget casino and Neonopolis wedding chapel, where you can – should you so desire – be married by Elvis and Gene Simmons impersonators. You’ll also discover the iconic Main Street Station hotel and casino which promises, among its many treasures, chandeliers from the Coca-Cola building in Texas and the Figaro Opera House in Paris, and a section of the Berlin Wall in the, um, gentlemen’s conveniences. Fremont Street Experience The undisputed highlight of the Fremont Street Experience is its absolutely humongous vaulted canopy. At 1,500 feet in length (that’s about four blocks or five football pitches, fact fans) and containing nearly 50 million LED lights, this unashamedly decadent wraparound video screen is the world’s largest. Grab a drink at one of the many bars in this (mostly) pedestrianized part of town and settle in for the mesmerizing light shows that burst out of the big screen every hour. There’s also free live music across three stages here, starting at 6pm every single evening. The Golden Nugget You’ll recognize The Golden Nugget from its cameos in dozens of Hollywood flicks down the years, perhaps most notably Bond classic Diamonds are Forever and Elvis fave (yup, you guessed it) Viva Las Vegas. Enter beneath the iconic neon sign and check out the huge Hand of Faith nugget on display in the lobby before trying your luck at the roulette and blackjack tables or just grabbing a cocktail and soaking up the distinctly old-school vibes of this, Las Vegas’s oldest large casino. SlotZilla Zipline From high stakes to high wires, the SlotZilla Zipline is pure Vegas, with an 11-story launch deck that’s designed to look like a giant slot machine, complete with cascading coins and a pair of 35-foot showgirls. Incurable thrill-seekers can fly, Superman-style, along the epic (and appropriately named) Superhero-Zoom, which traverses the length of the Fremont Street Experience. The Zip-Zilla is a somewhat less frightening half-length option that flies a little lower and allows you to travel in an upright seated position, for those not feeling quite so dare-devilish. The Mob Museum Practise your best Al Capone impersonations on a visit to the quite excellent Mob Museum, with its plethora of interactive exhibits that chart the history of organized crime in the US, with a focus on mob activity in Las Vegas. See if you can hit the target in the firearms training simulator and visit the rogues’ gallery charting over a century of made men. There’s even an underground speakeasy here serving Prohibition-inspired cocktails to thirsty visitors. Enter via the secret door by the parking lot, but watch out for shady-looking gentlemen in fedoras and pinstripe suits! Container Park A giant metal mantis with flaming antennae and an ear-shattering sound system marks the somewhat apocalyptic entrance to the Container Park, a Downtown shopping and entertainment mecca built out of old shipping containers. It’s a pretty cool hangout, with a little something for people of old ages: there are independent boutiques, bars and live music for the grown-ups, while a huge slide and water-play area in the central courtyard keeps the kids happy. The Neon Museum This huge outdoor museum preserves and exhibits that most Las Vegas of art forms: the neon sign. It’s a kind of retirement home for neon signs, giving these masterpieces of the Nevada skyline a second lease of life as part of a major tourist attraction. This is where you’ll find classic old-school signage including sparkling examples from the Stardust, Sassy Sally’s, Lucky Cuss Motel and the Hard Rock Cafe. We recommend visiting the Neon Boneyard at sundown for the most Instagrammable photo opportunities, when the signs are lit up against the fiery desert sky in all their technicolor glory. SkyPod at the Strat Ok ok, so it’s not strictly part of Downtown, but it does command some of the best views of Fremont Street you’ll find anywhere in the city, so we say it counts! Another bonus is that this is one attraction you really can’t miss: just look for the skyscraping observation tower south of Downtown in the direction of the Strip; it's only the second-tallest of its kind in the entire Western Hemisphere! And, should your nerves be able to withstand the head-spinning super-speed elevator ride up to the 108th floor, there are plenty of attractions up here, nearly 1,000 feet above the Strip, to keep adrenaline-seekers occupied for hours. Board the aptly-named Insanity ride, a giant metal claw that dangles (and spins) its victims passengers over the edge of the building and into thin air. Or get even higher on the Big Shot, the vertical drop ride that goes up (and down) the tower’s needle, reaching a gut-churning height of 1,081 feet. Eek, eek and, furthermore, eeeeeeeeeek! Save on attractions in Las Vegas Save on admission to Las Vegas attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Couple kissing in front of the 'Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas' sign
Blog

Las Vegas in February

Nothing says romance like gazing into your partner’s eyes over a tense game of roulette. Yes, it’s Valentine’s month in Las Vegas and temperatures are rising in all the right places, whether you’re here for a sizzling weekend of romance or simply to come in from the cold in the rest of the Western Hemisphere, as Sin City declares winter well and truly over (well, nearly). Check out our guide to what’s hot in Las Vegas in February. Visiting Las Vegas in February Average Temperature: 53°F • Average Rainfall: 6 days/mth • Average Sunshine: 9 hours/day February is a fine time to visit Las Vegas, with daytime highs in the low 60s meaning you might even get away with shorts and tees outdoors, if only during the mild afternoons. The city’s relative warmth makes for busy flights and full hotels, but there are still good deals to be had, particularly in the latter half of the month once the excitement of Valentine’s Day and the Super Bowl has died down. Clear, sunny days with cool mornings and cooler evenings are still par for the course here as winter ebbs away, so make sure to pack layers: jumpers, jeans and light jackets remain essential gear if you’re planning to spend time exploring the Strip’s many brightly illuminated attractions after dark. Likewise if you plan to go hiking out in the desert canyons, where warm, sturdy footwear is also a must. Top tip: falling on the third Monday in February, Presidents’ Day is one of Vegas’s least crowded holiday weekends, meaning there are plenty of good deals to be bagged from the hotels, leaving you with plenty of pocket change for the one-armed bandits! Things to do in February “I’m just the devil with love to spare... viva Las Vegas!” So sang Elvis on his hip-wiggling ode to the city that never sleeps. And, whether you’re a little devil or an old romantic, there are plenty of activities in Vegas that will ignite the flames of passion. What better time to give them a spin than in February, the month when Valentine’s Day sends the whole planet gaga with grand romantic gestures. Sweep your better half of their feet (literally in some cases) with Sin City’s dizzying plethora of mile-high activities. A private pod on the High Roller Observation Wheel is a great place to start. Book yours with a glass of bubby to add some serious sparkle as you watch the sun set over the Neon City and desert beyond from a heart-fluttering 500 feet up. Not high enough for ya? Attractions at the top of the Strat hotel’s SkyPod tower include the aptly named Insanity ride, in which a giant metal claw dangles and spins you out into mid air 900 feet above the Strip. You can also bungee jump from way up here on the 108th floor. Or perhaps just take in the views from the observation tower as helicopter tours zip past at frighteningly close range. You could also hop aboard one of those helicopter rides yourself. After all, cruising the Strip’s neon-lit length by chopper at nightfall is arguably way more romantic than hurling yourself off the top of a skyscraper. As romantic as Vegas may be, you’ll be hard-pushed to find anyone who’d claim it’s a patch on Paris or Venice. Yet, not to be outdone, Vegas of course comes with its very own Paris-themed resort, complete with replica Eiffel Tower. Take your beau or belle on a thrill ride to the top in the glass elevator, before gorging on caviar, steak tartare and escargots in the tower’s panoramic restaurant 100 feet above the Strip. Ooh la la! Then head over to the Venetian for a neon-lit gondola ride along the resort's swoonsome replica of Venice’s Grand Canal. Layer up and take a walk to see some of Vegas’s most impressive free spectacles. There’s the dancing fountains out front of the Bellagio – a must-see on any Vegas bucket list – as well as the Mirage’s incredible exploding volcano. But it’s also worth getting ‘off Strip’ and into downtown Vegas for the Fremont Street light show. Here, millions of LED lights hang over the street’s pedestrianized section, creating an eye-popping display when the sun goes down. There’s also (free) live music and some fine bars and restaurants to explore down this way. And if all that fails to impress, there’s always the Erotic Heritage Museum, where thousands of curious artifacts chart the history of sex across the centuries. Think lingerie, celebrity sex tapes, erotic Peruvian smoking pipes and, um, an interactive 10-foot vulva. What’s on in February? Sporting Events Local heroes the Golden Knights’ hockey season is in full swing in February, attracting sports fans to Sin City in their droves. Catch them in action at the Strip’s huge T-Mobile Arena. February is also, of course, Super Bowl month, when venues across the city (including hotels and casinos) screen the big event, bringing a real party spirit back to the city for the first time since the Strip’s OTT New Year pyrotechnics. Expect it to be off-the-scale in 2024, when the Super Bowl takes place in Vegas itself! Taste and Sounds of Soul Festival This free event takes place downtown at the Fremont Street Experience and is one of the biggest Black History Month events in Nevada. The three-day party fuses live music from local bands and DJs with banging BBQ and Creole flavors from the Deep South. Chinese New Year Las Vegas celebrates Chinese New Year with the same restraint it does every major festival. So expect a city-wide extravaganza complete with parades, floats, enormous dragons and, naturally, some of the best Chinese food on the planet. There will also be themed displays in major hotels including the Bellagio, Venetian and MGM Grand as well as most of the major shopping malls. Save on attractions in Las Vegas Save on admission to Las Vegas attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak

Have a 5% discount, on us!

Sign up to our newsletter and receive exclusive discounts, trip inspiration and attraction updates straight to your inbox.

Thick check Icon