Las Vegas

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

By Katie Sagal

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

bus-interior-straight-front-rear-view

If you're new to the city this summer, then you should seriously consider a ride on Big Bus Las Vegas. This informative tour will give you the ins and outs of the city's most iconic cultural sites, from famous casinos to landmarks and beyond. The flexibility of a hop-on hop-off option can't be underestimated, either -- it's perfect for those spontaneous summer afternoons when you find a restaurant or bar that strikes your fancy. Getting In: Big Bus Las Vegas tickets are included with the Go Las Vegas Card.

Hoover Dam Tour

hoover-dam-close-shot-lake

Looking to get out of the city and into the gorgeous southwestern desert? Take a bus trip out to the Hoover Dam and tour this iconic architectural marvel. Take a guided tour to avoid the hassle of driving yourself, and enjoy an informative excursion to this signature attraction. You'll also enjoy mini-tours of Henderson, NV and Boulder City while en route -- a pretty great deal! Do keep in mind that summer is one of the busiest times to visit the Hoover Dam, so expect some crowds. Getting In: Hoover Dam Tour tickets are included with the Go Las Vegas Card.

Grand Canyon South Rim Tour

amazing-view-grand-canyon-nevada-usa

Another absolutely must-do activity for those visiting Las Vegas with extra time on their hands is a voyage out to the inimitable Grand Canyon. Take a guided tour of the South Rim -- the most visited area of the National Park, with the most distinctive lookout points and Native American heritage sites. You'll be treated to an air-conditioned bus ride all the way out to the canyon (with an all-you-can-eat buffet lunch stop along the way), then a stop at most of the major landmarks like Mather Point, the Grand Canyon Railway, Hopi House Museum, and more. Getting In: Grand Canyon South Rim Tour tickets are available as a premium attraction option with the 3-, 4-, and 5-Day Go Las Vegas Cards.

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

high-roller-ferris-wheel-las-vegas

A fun area of the Strip to explore is the LINQ Promenade. This shopping and dining mecca is filled with plenty to explore and much to enjoy, including bars, concert venues, a bowling alley, and more. Another neat thing to do in the area is to ascend to the top of the High Roller Observation Wheel, which will provide excellent views of the Strip below and all the hectic glory of Las Vegas. Getting In: High Roller Observation Wheel tickets are included with the Go Las Vegas Card.

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.

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Panorama of the Las Vegas Strip
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4 Days in Las Vegas - Perfect Itinerary

Las Vegas is the entertainment capital of the world, so believe us when we say you’ll have zero trouble filling four days with high-octane, dice-rolling, Strip-tastic fun. Your only difficulty will be deciding what to do first. And that's where we come in! Read on for our perfect 4-day Las Vegas itinerary, including: High Roller Observation Wheel Fremont Street Experience Grand Canyon Mandalay Bay Beach Club Bellagio fountains, gallery and gardens Colosseum theater Las Vegas Arts District Hoover Dam Red Rock Canyon Day 1: Viva Las Vegas! Kickstart your Sin City adventure by getting the lay of the land aboard the open-top hop-on hop-off bus. There’s really no better way to get an overview of this sizzling city’s must-see landmarks. Tick off the bucket-list classics, including that essential selfie stop at the ‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas’ sign, and marvel at how the Strip's flamboyant hotels vie for the tourist dollar with their increasingly outlandish gimmicks.  We’re talking Paris’s replica Eiffel Tower, the Bellagio’s legendary dancing fountains, and the exploding volcano at The Mirage, to name just a few. You’ll also get to whiz around the OG downtown area, home of the glitzy Fremont Street Experience (of which more later). There’s even a nighttime version of the bus tour that gives you an opportunity to experience the Strip in all its neon glory, all without having to lift a finger (or indeed a foot). Having experienced Vegas’s uniquely surreal atmosphere at arm’s length, it’s now time to go full immersion mode in the city’s legendary casinos. So put on your best poker face, cram your pockets full of dollar bills and get lucky. Take your pick from dozens of casinos, from old-school giants like Caesars Palace, the MGM Grand and the Bellagio to beloved downtown faves including the famous Golden Nugget. Expect hundreds of classic table games like like roulette, blackjack and Texas hold ‘em poker plus thousands of slot machines in these cavernous, money-guzzling twilight zones of capitalism. Day 2: Strip Highlights Ok, day 2 of your awesome 4-day Vegas experience and it's time to get up close and personal with some of the Strip’s main attractions. And you really could fill a whole day or more exploring this vast thoroughfare, with its supersize hotels, monster malls and hundreds of bars and restaurants, from fast food to fine dining. Top tip: the Strip is much longer than it looks. Avoid aching calves and pesky blisters by taking full advantage of the Las Vegas Monorail, which connects a number of major hotels and casinos along the Strip’s eastern side, running for nearly four miles. But what to see and do? Bit of an art fiend? Good news: Vegas does high culture every bit as well as it does low culture. Case in point: the ever-rotating exhibitions at the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art have included works by household names including Warhol, Picasso and Lichtenstein; the horticultural marvel that is the resort’s botanical gardens is also something of a work of art in itself. Here during pool party season (March-October)? Hit up Mandalay Bay’s epic Daylight Beach Club, home to a ridiculously large pool (4,400 square feet, fact fans), a man-made beach and a seemingly endless lazy river. You could sip bubbly aboard the knee-knocking High Roller Observation Wheel at the LINQ Hotel, which soars 550 feet over the Strip. Or catch a show at the legendary Colosseum theater at Caesars Palace – superstars from Sinatra to Madonna have graced the glittering stage here down the years. Ride the glass elevator up Paris’s replica Eiffel Tower or cruise the Venetian’s faithful replica of Venice’s Grand Canal in a gondola. The possibilities are almost literally endless. Day 3: You can always go… Downtown! It would be easy to overlook Las Vegas’s laidback downtown area for the considerable thrills and spills of the Strip, but that would be to miss out on Sin City most old-school enclave, home of the boho Arts District and terrific Neon Museum, a sort of retirement home for Vegas signage of yore. Best visited in early evening, this is the place to nab Insta-perfect selfies bathed in the neon glow of such iconic signs as the Stardust and Lucky Cuss Motel. Check out the nearby Arts District for the best of Vegas’s indie scene, including galleries, boutiques, vintage clothing emporia and hipper-than-thou craft breweries like Hop Nuts Brewing and the Nevada Brew Works. There’s nothing old school about the Fremont Street Experience. Easily Vegas’s most popular attraction outside the Strip, this huge complex features a video-screen canopy the length of five football pitches, beneath which tourists and locals browse stores galore and sip colorful cocktails in the chi-chi bars. Eye-popping hourly light shows and live music across three stages every evening means there’s never a dull moment here in Glitter Gulch. Day 4: The Great Outdoors Sure, Las Vegas is terrific fun, but three sinful days of sensory saturnalia can be more than enough for most people. What better way then to round out your perfect 4-day Las Vegas itinerary than swapping the noise, neon lights and general chaos of the Strip for the wide open spaces of the Nevada and Arizona deserts? You can take a helicopter ride over the awe-inspiring Hoover Dam to the enchanting South Rim of the Grand Canyon, where a restorative stroll among rust-red rocks and vibrant wildflowers is pure manna for the soul. Opt for an afternoon trip that will time your return descent along the Strip around sundown, for some of the most spectacular skies and Sin City views you’re likely to find. Helicopters not your bag? Rent a soft-top instead and strike out south along Interstate 15 to Red Rock Canyon deep in the Mojave Desert. This relatively diminutive sibling of the Grand Canyon promises equally otherworldly landscapes, characterized by soaring sandstone crags and towering cacti. Don’t miss sculptor Ugo Rondinone’s hallucinatory art installation on the way there. Seven Magic Mountains is a series of gravity-defying boulder stacks painted in a kaleidoscope of vivid colors – essential eye candy for any Insta addict worthy of the name. Save on attractions in Las Vegas  Save on admission to Las Vegas attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
LOVE
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Las Vegas Spring Break - Things to Do in March During Your Vacation

A spring break spent in Las Vegas has a great reputation among friends and college kids, but did you know that it can also be an excellent family destination? There are plenty of fun attractions, ranging from tours to museums and beyond. While some things may be appropriate for older folks only, there's plenty to do to fill up a wonderful, energizing vacation that all will enjoy. Check out a few of our recommended attractions and activities, including: Madame Tussauds Las Vegas Comedy Shows City Observation Decks Big Bus Las Vegas Art Museums The Grand Canyon And more! To keep your amazing vacation on a budget, pick up a pass for Las Vegas and save big on admission to some top local attractions. Choose as you go from dozens of top Las Vegas attractions and save up to 60% off combined admission vs paying at the gate. See all available passes, attractions & prices – Learn more. Take in a Show See the Strip From Above Explore the City   Of course, there’s much more to the city than just the Strip. Explore more of this fantastic town with a Hop-On Hop-Off Big Bus Las Vegas tour. There are a few different routes to choose from, so review your options and then pick what you want to see. Popular stops along these bus tours include Treasure Island, several hotels/casinos like Wyndham, Circus Circus, the Tropicana, and Excalibur, the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop (of Pawn Stars fame), and more. If you want to explore on your own but want to avoid the steep cost of parking fees (which can definitely add up), try out the Monorail with a 24-hour Monorail pass. It only runs the length of the Strip, but it’s speedy and incredibly handy. Visit Some Fun Museums Soak Up Some Nature Take the Kids to Paris... in Las Vegas Play Around with Pop Culture If you really prefer contemporary pop culture to anything historic, then why not stop by Madame Tussauds Las Vegas to get a look at some astonishingly lifelike wax sculptures? It’s a great chance to “meet” your favorite celebrities, and to pose for those funny pictures you’ll love later. Another popular kid-friendly option is the exciting and innovative Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N, which offers an in-depth, nuanced look at the world of this fascinating comic book world that has inspired many movies. Both attractions are ideal choices for families with younger kids, because there's a lot to keep them interested and occupied in a way that sometimes more formal art-type museums can't accomplish. Explore Outside the City Explore Local Shopping Save on Admission So whether you want to add several additional attractions to a busy itinerary of theatrical performances and casinos, or just sprinkle in a few to change things up, our pass for Las Vegas is a great way to make the most of your Las Vegas Spring Break. Choose from many of these activities to enjoy on your Las Vegas spring break, and then you’re set to save!
Katie Sagal
Las Vegas
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Things to Do in Las Vegas for Couples

The best Las Vegas attractions for adults.
Lindsay Eagan

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