Casino croupier taking bets at the roulette wheel

Las Vegas in March

By Stuart Bak

March marks the start of spring and kicks off Sin City’s popular shoulder season in earnest. Neither as chilly as deepest, darkest winter nor as intolerably sweaty as June and July, it’s a fine time to vacation here. Read on for our expert guide to visiting Las Vegas in March.

Visiting Las Vegas in March

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Average Temperature: 57°F • Average Rainfall: 5 days/mth • Average Sunshine: 10 hours/day

The period between March and May is among the very best times of year to visit Vegas, thanks to increasingly summery days and balmy evenings, though perhaps 'balmy' is a little optimistic for March. Still, what you can expect from a March Vegas vacation is highs in the upper 60s and lower 70s and clear blue skies stretching all the way to the horizon; cloud and rain at this time of year is rare, if not entirely unheard of. But hey, there’s plenty to keep you entertained indoors in this huge desert playground in the unlikely event you’re dealt a poor hand with the weather.

Milder weather does of course go hand in hand with rising hotel prices though there are bargains to be had if you're willing to shop around. Vegas is traditionally a weekend destination but, frankly, the party here doesn’t stop just because it's Tuesday, so it’s worth considering a mid-week trip if you want to bag the best room rates. Prices also tend to start rising mid-month due to upcoming Easter holidays and increasingly pleasant temperatures. It’s also a good idea to do some research to find out about any major conventions taking place in or around specific hotels that might be pushing prices up.

Things to do in March

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March means one thing in Vegas: it’s time for pool season, baby! Sure, the weather may still be a little too chilly for some. Nevertheless, March is when the vast majority of pools that closed down for winter begin to reopen again. You know what to do: claim your cabana, order a pina colada and peer over the tops of your dark glasses as the beautiful people emerge butterfly-like from hibernation and the pool decks of Sin City begin to throng with party people once again. Among the first to open will be Mandalay Bay’s sprawling Daylight Beach Club with its enormo 4,400 square foot pool, Wet Republic at the MGM Grand, and Flamingo’s Go Pool Dayclub. Dive in! (Or use the steps if the signs say ‘no diving’, obvs).

If you prefer your entertainment a little... weirder, try Area15. The play on ‘Area51’ is deliberate as what goes on inside this massive warehouse is kept largely under wraps until after you’ve entered. What we do know is you can expect supersize art installations, VR experiences, altered universes, thrill rides and fantastical immersive experiences like the Illuminarium, an epic out-of-this-world space adventure where you can cruise through technicolor nebulae and asteroid belts to infinity (and beyond!).

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March is also prime time to visit the Neon Museum, an organization dedicated to preserving and exhibiting that most Vegas of art forms: the neon sign. Because the whole thing is outdoors it becomes somewhat less enjoyable to visit when temperatures start to soar, so March’s milder temperatures are ideal for wandering among these hulking relics that so deftly evoke Sin City’s gaudy history. Visit at night to enjoy the full impact and to feel like you’ve walked straight into a scene from Blade Runner.

Las Vegas (or, at least, the mountains and canyons that surround it) are an absolute paradise for hikers. You can (and must) take a trip out to the Grand Canyon, whether by helicopter (spectacular) or coach (long). There are many variations of tours that depart Vegas for the West and South rims, but most include a bit of rambling among the wildflowers and distinctive red rocks. Bolt on posh picnics, champagne lunches and Hoover Dam excursions at your leisure.

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Or why not hire a car yourself and swing by the Red Rock Canyon? Much closer to Vegas – just a few miles west in the Mojave Desert, in fact – it offers many attractions along well-worn trails that weave past towering sandstone stacks, rushing waterfalls and caves daubed with Native American petroglyphs. You can find a comprehensive guide to the canyon’s marked hikes and trails here.

Finally, in March as in every month in Vegas, you’ll find casinos that are open 24/7 and more magnificent magic shows, comedy acts, visual spectaculars and music concerts than you can shake a very large stick at. Take in a classic Cirque du Soleil performance or check listings at the MGM, Colosseum and T-Mobile Arena for some of the biggest names in rock and pop.

What’s on in March?

St Patrick’s Day

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Paint the town green on this special day, when revelers the world over honor the world’s most celebrated saint in the traditional manner: by dressing up as leprechauns, downing pint after pint of Guinness, attempting a dodgy Irish accent, then falling over. Vegas is no different, with major landmarks including the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign and the High Roller lit up in bright green and Patrick-lovin’ parties running the length and breadth of the Strip. Head to O’Sheas at the LINQ for the ultimate St Paddy’s party pub. Here, lurid green drinks accompany high-energy beer pong and classic casino table games including blackjack and roulette. Don’t forget your novelty green hat!

March Madness

March Madness is the nickname given to the fantastically popular NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament that sees cavernous Vegas sports bars full to bursting for much of the second half of the month. Sports fans and gamblers alike pour into town for a piece of the action, with giant screens showing the games in many of the major casinos, including the Venetian, MGM Grand and Caesars Palace. Difficult to avoid completely and occasionally overwhelming, it can feel like the whole town’s gone, well, basketball crazy. Head to the relative calm of downtown if you fancy a bit of respite away from the fanatics.

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Boulder City Beerfest

A mere 20-odd miles south of Vegas is where you’ll find this annual mecca for beer lovers. Ok ok, so it’s a little out of town, but you managed to make it all the way out to the Grand Canyon, didn’t you? And that’s in Arizona! Expect award-winning ales and more from dozens of top Nevada brewers, soaked up with hearty fare from local food trucks.

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Las Vegas in September

September is a fine month to visit Las Vegas: kids are (mostly) back in school, pool season is in full glorious swing and, while still very hot, much of the sting has gone out of the tail of the brutal Mojave Desert summer. Read on to discover why you should visit Las Vegas in September. Visiting Las Vegas in September Average Temperature: 81°F • Average Rainfall: 3 days/mth • Average Sunshine: 12 hours/day If you’ve ever visited a desert city in summer, you’ll know it’s not always much fun, with a blazing sun and blistering temperatures driving all but the most hardy (or dumb) indoors. September in Las Vegas is the best of both worlds, with pleasant mornings, hot (sometimes incredibly hot) afternoons and balmy evenings ideal for al fresco dining. You’ll likely still want to avoid the midday sun, particularly in the first half of the month, but hey, it’s not as if Vegas is lacking in fantastic indoor lunching opportunities! Temperatures have been known to hover in the high 90s at this time of day and into the middle of the afternoon so, if you are going to be outdoors, stay smart by wearing loose linens, a wide-brimmed floppy hat and lashings of sunscreen. That goes for most times of day in September, but particularly between the hours of 11am and 3pm. These variations in Vegas weather throughout the day (and across the month) mean superb conditions for hiking the canyons (morning), hitting the pools (afternoon) and exploring the Strip (evening). Pricewise, the first half of September is where you’ll find the highest hotel rates, especially around the Labor Day celebrations, with better deals to be had as the temperatures continue to ease off. As ever with Vegas, it’s worth noting that the party doesn’t wait for the weekend so nor necessarily should you. Room rates are always cheaper on weekdays but the city is never any less fun. Things to do in September If you can rise early enough after a boozy night on the roulette and blackjack tables, September mornings are perfect for short hiking trips and tours of the nearby Red Rock Canyon, an epic natural wonder that spans more than 200,000 acres of the Mojave Desert, and happens to be conveniently located just a few miles west of Vegas. A fine alternative if you don’t have time for a day trip to the Grand Canyon, this prehistoric landscape of rust-colored sandstone stacks and deep, cacti-crammed valleys is chock-full of marked trails, ranging from short jaunts for the casual rambler to strenuous ascents for dedicated climbers. You can cruise there – with the top down and Viva Las Vegas blaring out of the car stereo, natch – in a mere 25–30 minutes. Incurable Instagrammers can take Interstate 15 south out of Vegas for the half-hour drive through movie-set Mojave to the Seven Magic Mountains. This utterly incongruous desert art installation by Swiss sculptor Ugo Rondinone consists of seven gravity-defying stacks of boulders, some as high as 35 feet! The vivid rainbow colors of these beautifully painted totems are pretty much guaranteed to look picture-perfect, whatever the weather. And if that’s made you thirsty for more art and culture, there’s plenty to keep you out of the hot midday sun in and around the Strip back in Sin City. The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art has an ever-changing program and has hosted exhibitions of the work of Lichtenstein, Warhol, Picasso and more. The Immersive Van Gogh experience lets you step inside the Dutch master’s best-loved paintings, with spectacular set designs by Tony-nominated David Korins of Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen fame. Vegas is also home to some pretty awesome museums. Try your luck on over 150 fully operational old-school arcade classics at the Pinball Hall of Fame and head out to the Neon Museum to explore Vegas’s lurid past via hundreds of retired (but still working) signs from in and around the city. The Mob Museum charts the history of organized crime in the US and is worth a visit for the underground speakeasy alone, which serves up a range of Prohibition-themed cocktails to thirsty visitors. An afternoon spent sipping pina coladas and people-watching by the pool should be considered all but essential on any September Vegas vacation. Warm your toes in the sand (all 2,700 tons of it) and float gently down the lazy river at Mandalay Bay’s supersize Daylight Beach Club, get the party started with live DJs at the MGM Grand’s Wet Republic and discover the Bellagio’s other fountains in its elegant five-pool complex. Looking for something a little more laidback? ARIA’s palm-fringed pool and The Cosmopolitan's rooftop tend to be a little quieter, just in case the full-on Vegas party scene isn’t your bag. Note that if you want a cabana or daybed it pays to book in advance, but be prepared to dig deep for the privilege. Like many things in Vegas, they don’t come cheap. What’s on in September? Labor Day in Las Vegas marks the unofficial end of summer and kicks off a long weekend of wild pool parties and all-night clubbing. Expect large crowds for big-name international DJs and superstars of the electronic dance music scene. For more laidback vibes and a bit of classic rock, hit the free concerts downtown on Fremont Street. But just because summer’s over, doesn’t mean the partying stops when Labor Day weekend ends. Life is Beautiful is a three-day festival of music, comedy and arts held annually in downtown with – this being Vegas – more big name stars than you can count. Performers this decade have included Billie Eilish, HAIM, Arctic Monkeys and A$AP Rocky. The iHeartRadio Music Festival takes place at the T-Mobile Arena on the Strip in the same month and promises more of the same. Gourmands will be in clover at September’s Great American Foodie Fest. It’s the biggest annual food festival on the west coast with dozens of food stalls serving up tacos, Thai, fried chicken, funnel cakes and everything else in between. Live pop, rock and tribute acts of course come as standard and your wristband allows you to come and go as often as you please over the three days. 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
Bright red baubles hanging from a cactus in the Mojave Desert near Las Vegas
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Christmas in Las Vegas

Towering fir trees festooned with tinsel and shiny baubles, magical festive scenes and nearly as many fairy lights as there are stars in the sky. Christmas in Las Vegas is every bit as flamboyant and OTT as you’d expect from the neon capital of the world. And here, as every day in Sin City, you’ll find everything (and we mean everything) open as usual: that includes all shops, restaurants, bars, casinos and thrill rides. As the song says: ‘Christmas in Las Vegas, it’s a trip!’ So dive in and check out our guide to some of the best things to do in Vegas during holiday season, including: Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Ice skating at The Cosmopolitan Glittering Lights at Las Vegas Speedway Flamingo and LINQ Promenade Ethel M Botanical Cactus Garden The Magical Forest The Great Santa Run The Bellagio at Christmas The Bellagio’s dazzling dancing fountains are a spectacle at any time of year, but be sure to catch them during December when the huge water plumes soar and sway to Mariah, Bing, Wham! and other Christmas party bangers. Inside, the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens gets a marvelous festive makeover, with decorations made from plants and flowers and supersize displays featuring sparkly polar bears, massive Christmas baubles, thousands of lights, and that all-important skyscraping Christmas tree. Best of all, it’s completely free and – unlike elsewhere in the Bellagio – children are welcome. Ice Skating at the Cosmopolitan High above the Strip lies a winter wonderland par excellence in the shape of the Cosmopolitan’s rooftop which – glitzy enough at the best of times – really ramps up the tinsel factor in December. Expect cozy Christmas vibes aplenty thanks to sparkling trees, blazing firepits, gooey s’mores, festive cocktails (snowball, anyone?) and romantic views of the neon-lit Eiffel Tower over at Paris Las Vegas. Better yet, a 4,200 square foot ice rink replaces the pool up here during the holiday season, complete with fake snowflakes. So pull on your mittens, wrap your scarf tight, strap on your skates, hit the ice and let it snow! Drive-Through Light Show Rev up your engine and hit the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for Glittering Lights, one of the biggest and best light shows in the country. Every December, the 2-5-mile course is festooned with somewhere in the region of five million – yep, that’s five MILLION – lights, each contributing to spectacular festive scenes and other Vegas-themed displays, meaning you’re as likely to see a hip-wiggling house-sized Elvis as a jolly Santa Claus. Pile the family into the car (with a hot chocolate each), tune into the custom radio station that plays carols and other Christmas favorites, and brace yourselves for the light show of a lifetime. Winter Parq Have you been dreaming of a... pink Christmas? Look no further than the Winter Parq – the promenade connecting the Flamingo and LINQ hotels where, by the Flamingo at least, bright pink decorations are de rigueur. Take in the glittering lights, giant snow globe and kitschy Christmas ornaments at the Flamingo Wildlife Habitat before strolling to the LINQ for live entertainment and Christmassy cocktails under the towering tree. Afterwards, warm up and take in panoramic views of the Neon City aboard the High Roller Observation Wheel which (you’ll be unsurprised to learn) is, at 550 feet, one of the tallest on the planet (second only to the Ain Dubai). Those who suffer from vertigo need not apply. Ethel M Cactus Garden If there’s anything more ubiquitous than Christmas trees in Vegas in December, it’s Christmas cacti. You’ll see these bristly beauties bedecked with festive baubles nearly everywhere you go, but nowhere more so than in the grounds of the legendary Ethel M Chocolate Factory. Here, the three-acre cactus garden receives an annual festive revamp that incorporates hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights, Christmassy scenes aplenty, and even a family of animated reindeer. We recommend visiting in the evening when the garden's at its most magical and, of course, combining your visit with a chocolate-tasting experience. It would be almost rude not to! Take in a Show There can be few quicker ways of getting right into the Christmas spirit than an evening spent watching classic Las Vegas shows that have been tweaked for the holiday season. Think classic Christmas rock and pop hits (as well as a few carols) from the Legends in Concert, immersive performances of The Nutcracker, and Christmas-themed magic and comedy shows. As Christmassy as your dad’s Rudolph sweater. Christmas Tree Trail December in Las Vegas sees Christmas trees sprouting up here, there and everywhere, each more fantastically bejeweled than the last. Take advantage of this free spectacle by visiting some of the major hotels to see how many stops have been pulled out to get one up on their neighbors. At over 40 feet, the Bellagio’s is inevitably among the most spectacular but the trees at Wynn’s Winter Wonderland, the Fashion Show Mall and the Venetian are no slouches either. Take a tour with your camera and make your Instagram feed the envy of all your Christmas-loving buddies back home. The Magical Forest A stalwart of the Vegas Christmas scene, the Magical Forest is just that: a woodland wonderland crammed with twinkling lights and festive decorations. This one is a must-do if you’re traveling with kids: they’re going to absolutely love the carousel, giant slide and cute train rides on the Forest Express. Plenty of live performances, food trucks and funnel cakes should keep the grown-ups happy too. Santa Claus! A visit to Las Vegas in December might almost make you believe there's more than one Father Christmas. He certainly gets around. Meet him at the aforementioned Magical Forest or head to Tivoli Village for a few memorable family snaps in his beautifully decorated grotto. You can even see the man in red swimming with sharks at the Mandalay Bay Shipwreck! If that’s not enough for you, go all in and dress up as Santa yourself: the Great Santa Run takes place in downtown Vegas and sees thousands of wannabe Santas take to the streets for a 5k fun run (or walk, if you prefer) every December. Ho ho ho and viva Las Vegas! 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

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