Las Vegas Date Ideas
On + Off Strip
I find that most visitors don’t know much about the city of Las Vegas other than the Strip, and even then, maybe they are only familiar with the drinking and gambling aspects. Not to mention there are a lot of overpriced restaurants on the Strip that are flashy, but not actually very good. Las Vegas can be quite surface level and touristy unless you know where to go for quality food and experiences. I’ve made this list of on-Strip and off-Strip places to go and things to do for those who would like to explore the city while spending quality time with me on an extended date. I’ve only lived in Las Vegas for 3 years, so although all of the restaurants I’ve listed are ones that I’ve been to and can vouch for, some of the attractions will be brand new for me (we can explore together!!).
My rates do not include the cost of the activities, so all expenses will be taken care of by you. All dates can be curated to accommodate your preferences and can include activities in different areas of the city (for example on-Strip and off-Strip) as long as you don’t mind the travel time. All of the activities below are just examples, and I am open to other places/events/activities that you have interest in. Feel free to make suggestions! Either I will drive us or we can Uber/Lyft/Taxi depending on the itinerary.
Off-Strip Experience - Summerlin
Recommended hotels in the area:
These are just suggestions if you’d like them, but it’s not required that you stay in the Summerlin area.
Red Rock Resort: has lots of great food options & nice rooms (you might get a view of the mountains!), but the casino portion is quite cigarette-smoky b/c their main floor ventilation is terrible.
JW Marriott: decent rooms, less busy than Red Rock Resort if you want somewhere more mellow. Very few food options, but we can always eat outside of the hotel.
Durango Casino & Resort: this is not in Summerlin but it’s a brand new hotel (same ownership as Red Rock Resort) that just opened Dec 2023 in the SW neighborhood of LV. Plenty of great restaurants in this area and it’s a 10 minute drive to Summerlin.
Date ideas:
Breakfast/lunch options:
Leoné Café - has a great outdoor patio
Snooze AM - national chain with a creative brunch menu
Americana - a restaurant with beautiful water views (of a manmade lake). There is patio seating as well as indoor window seating. We can also walk over to the lake and see all the ducks! There are so many hybrids of Pekin, Mallard, Ancona, and Muscovy ducks and they are all different colors and will walk right up to you as long as it’s not their nap time or bath time :)
Hiking Red Rock Canyon (fall/winter) or Mt. Charleston (spring/summer). Red Rock Canyon National Park contains beautiful, rocky, desert terrain, but it gets too hot to hike during the warmer months, which is why we would hike Mt. Charleston during the spring/summer, where it is higher in elevation, more lush with trees, generally 20 degrees cooler than the city (it snows in the winter up there!).
The Las Vegas Farm/Barn Buddies Rescue Farmers Market (Sat/Sun): A farm & barn animal rescue that has a farmers market every Sat/Sun 9am-4pm. The market is free and to visit the animals is $10. You can also buy a bag of hay to feed them for $2. There are sheep, peacocks, cows, alpacas, llamas, chickens, ducks, goats, tortoises, turtles, and bunnies. Located 20 min north of Summerlin, a block away from Gilcrease Orchard.
Gilcrease Orchard (Spring/Summer/Fall): a beautiful orchard that has various crops in season to pick directly from as well as sunflowers and chickens. Located 20 min north of Summerlin, a block away from the Las Vegas Farm.
Dinner options:
Blue Ribbon Sushi - great sushi restaurant inside Red Rock Resort & Casino
Lotus of Siam - amazing Thai food inside Red Rock Resort & Casino
Harlo - incredible steakhouse; table service can be pretentious, while bar service is excellent — choose at your own risk! (same chef as La Strega below)
La Strega - Italian food; stellar food/service/ambiance (same chef as Harlo above)
True Food Kitchen - national chain for health-conscious food, more casual vibe
Off-Strip Experience - Downtown/Chinatown
Recommended hotels in the area:
These are listed in case you want suggestions for some off-Strip locations, away from the hustle & bustle, but please stay where ever you’re most comfortable. If you want to be on-Strip, many of those hotels are also pretty close to all of the activities listed below, so feel free to choose whichever location is most convenient for your travels.
Virgin Hotels (Hilton’s Curio Collection): Located about a mile east of the Strip. Modern, spunky, artsy vibe.
The English Hotel (Arts District): The Arts District is part of Downtown. This is a fairly new boutique hotel affiliated with Marriott that opened in 2022 and has no casino. It’s walkable to a bunch of local cafés/restaurants/bars/shops in the Arts District. I personally haven’t seen their rooms, but have read good things. It also houses The Pepper Club, an asian fusion restaurant that serves brunch & dinner 7 days/week.
Date ideas:
Breakfast/lunch/snack/tea/coffee options (none of them take reservations except for The Pepper Club):
PublicUs (downtown) - counter service & self-seat hipster brunch cafe & bakery
The Pepper Club (inside the English Hotel in the Arts District) - Modern sit down restaurant. Offer American style breakfast/brunch options along with some Asian fusion options.
Cornish Pasty (Arts District) - Awesome pasties! Casual tavern vibe. Opens at 11am and serves dinner as well.
Gabi Coffee & Bakery (Chinatown) - cute café w/ lots of tea/coffee/pastry/dessert options; also has sandwiches/soups/salads/quiches.
New Asian BBQ (Chinatown) - authentic dim sum in the morning hours!!! So many carts. So much yum. Best to show up around 10-10:30am right after they open b/c it gets busy daily & they don’t take reservations.
Meepleville Board Game Cafe - I’ve been once, it’s super mellow. Located not too far from downtown, they have over 2600 games. I’ll be honest, I don’t know many games outside of the classics like Monopoly and Scrabble, but I would be down to try any of your suggestions if you’re into games! The only types I don’t like are trivia and role play (like D&D). Costs $10/person.
The Mob Museum: located downtown not too far from the Fremont St Experience, this is a great place to check out if you’re interested in history! There are 4 floors of exhibits & a lot of reading. If you prefer not to read all the details, you can buy the audio tour which gives you the more interesting snippets. If you’re ok with the reading, then skip the audio tour; I tried both and found it to be redundant. I actually preferred just doing the reading b/c the plaques had short paragraphs (nothing daunting) and it was easier to follow the timeline of the history that way, whereas the audio tour seemed more like random bits of info. It’s typical for people to take 3+ hours to get through the museum, but we can stay for as little or as long as you want. The museum gets packed everyday, which makes it hard to look at all the exhibits, so it’s best to go right when they open at 9am OR after 5pm (they close at 9pm). Peak hours are 11am-4pm. There is a $7 discount if you go after 5pm Sun-Fri or before 11am Sat.
The Neon Museum Double the Glow Experience: the Neon Museum houses iconic vintage signs that represent Las Vegas history and culture. This ticket option includes a 45 minute guided group tour of the Main Boneyard (where all the lit up signs will look really pretty at night!) followed by a 45 minute "Brilliant” show in the North Gallery where old, out of commission signs are creatively displayed with light projection and music, along with some history. We can also do the tour by itself if you’re not interested in the “Brilliant” show. I’ve only experienced the tour and haven’t seen the show myself.
First Friday Art Walk: scheduled every 1st Friday of the month 5pm-11pm is a celebration with local artists, live music and food trucks. A great way to walk around and explore the downtown Arts District (more of a local scene).
Arts Factory: a building that houses 30 galleries of local art. Popular during the First Friday Art Walk and Preview Thursday (the evening before 1st Friday, the galleries are all open 6pm-9pm for those who want a more mellow experience). The building is also open everyday 9am-8pm, but not sure if all the galleries will be open.
Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart at Area15: Meow Wolf is the company name. They put on surreal and trippy interactive immersive art experiences. They currently have 3 exhibits: the original one is in Santa Fe, NM; the 2nd one is in Las Vegas; and the newest one is in Denver, CO. They are all different. The one in LV is called Omega Mart — it is a bizarre and wacky supermarket that contains a portal into a sci-fi-like world where there is art to explore and mysteries to solve if you have the wherewithal to figure out all the clues. I’ve been 3 times. You can spend 2-8 hours in there depending on your goals/interests. We’ll probably spend 2. The location is inside of Area15 which is a building that houses many other interactive immersive art exhibits.
Dinner options:
The Pepper Club (inside the English Hotel in the Arts District) - sushi & Asian fusion, has patio & indoor seating.
Cornish Pasty (Arts District) - Awesome pasties! Casual tavern vibe. Does not take reservations.
Raku (Chinatown) - sushi (omakase would be the best bet here); must call for a reservation - no online system.
Sparrow + Wolf (Chinatown) - creative American & Asian inspired dishes; gets loud & packed after 7pm.
LaMoon (Chinatown) - Asian eatery with mostly Thai & Japanese inspired dishes; good food in a casual setting.
Jinya Ramen Bar (Chinatown) - my fav ramen spot in LV; more casual setting; they have 3 locations, we’d go to the one on W Flamingo Rd. Does not take reservations.
On-Strip Experience
Recommended hotels in the area:
You’re not required to stay in any of the recommendations below if you already have a hotel of choice in mind. I’ve only provided the list for those who need suggestions. All of these properties have great restaurants and shows as well:
Wynn/Encore: Located at the northern end of the Strip. I’ve seen both the Wynn rooms and the Encore rooms; they are all great. Customer service is top notch in both properties. The general vibe is more classic, sophisticated and a bit more mellow than the hotels right in the middle of the Strip (like Cosmo or Bellagio). It can still get crowded when there’s a convention though. Note that Encore houses XS Nightclub & pool parties in the Spring/Summer (Encore Beach Club), so if you’re worried about being able to hear the noise from your room, be sure to request a quieter room (needs to be facing a certain direction away from the clubs or on a higher floor).
Cosmopolitan: More centrally located on the Strip. The rooms here are great, and the Cosmo probably has the best suites for the price as far as views and spaciousness (the wraparound terrace is incredible; some suites even come with two full bathrooms - both containing showers). Vibe is swanky, sexy, eclectic. Gets quite busy.
Bellagio: More centrally located on the Strip. Their suites rival the Cosmo’s as far as spaciousness. The bathrooms and closet space were impressive. I’m not sure if any of the suites come with an outdoor terrace like Cosmo though. The vibe is very old school with lots of earth tones and in my opinion, feels a little drab/outdated. That said, this is an iconic Strip property with its breathtaking gardens that change seasonally, daily fountain shows, and great restaurants. The property gets quite busy.
Resorts World: Located on the most northern part of the Strip (past Wynn/Encore). This is a fairly new property that opened in 2021 and houses 3 hotels. In order of increasing “upscale” factor, there is Hilton, Conrad, and Crockfords. It is more on the mellow side due to its location, but can still get quite busy if there is a convention. Compared to the Wynn/Encore, the customer service is not nearly as good. That said, the property itself is still pretty amazing with all that it has to offer (events/bars/restaurants/unique asian market inspired food court).
Date ideas:
Breakfast/lunch options:
Jardin (Encore) or Tableau (Wynn) - sit down restaurants; indoor seating as well as patio seating
True Food Kitchen (Caesars) - sit down restaurant; national chain for health-conscious food. I haven’t been to the Caesars locations, but all other locations I’ve been to have been great. Open for dinner as well.
Brunch places I haven't been to but would love to try:
Crossroads Kitchen (Resorts World): They do an all vegan brunch buffet Sundays 10am-2pm that I’ve been wanting to check out. I’ve had dinner here (it’s vegan Italian fine dining at dinnertime) and it’s incredible.
Terrace Pointe Cafe (Wynn)
Truth & Tonic (a vegan cafe in Venetian)
Awana Spa (Resorts World): This is one of two co-ed spas on the Strip & is such a relaxing experience! For $140/person, you’ll get 2 hours to relax in their spa which consists of 3 jacuzzis of different temperatures, 1 cold plunge pool, heated lounge chairs, a crystal room and sauna. For booking, you can find this under Reservations -> View Activities -> Fountain of Youth.
Lapis Spa & Wellness (Fontainebleau): This is one of two co-ed spas on the Strip. I personally think the one at Resorts World has a more relaxing vibe (plus, I really like that it has 3 jacuzzis of different temperatures, whereas Lapis only has 1 large jacuzzi in the co-ed area), but Lapis has a larger variety of amenities if that’s what you’re looking for. For $150/person, you’ll get up to 4 hours to relax in their spa. For booking, you can find this under View Spa Treatments -> Celestial Waters Passport.
Topgolf (next to MGM): I’ve been several times and it’s super fun! You’re assigned to a hitting bay and they provide all the golf clubs/balls. There are 4 floors and you get charged by the hour. Pricing varies depending on the time of day and which floor you want. You can either reserve a bay up to a week in advance for an additional fee or walk-in (there might be a wait if you walk-in depending on the time of day). The only climate control they have is fans, so during the summer it can get pretty hot during afternoon hours. Best to go in the morning when it’s still cool and more peaceful or at night (I think nights are much more busy/crowded & also more expensive).
Indoor Glow in the Dark Mini Golf!
Twilight Zone Mini Golf in the Horseshoe: 18 hole course, various other arcade games & art gallery. I haven’t been but read that it takes about an hour. Around $12/person, must book a time slot online.
KISS Mini Golf in the Rio: 18 hole course, various other arcade games & a KISS museum. Option to buy tickets for either the mini golf or the museum or a combo ticket for both. Around $12/person for just golf, must book a time slot online.
The Midway (Circus Circus): The Midway is a super cool, comprehensive indoor carnival/arcade. Circus Circus also houses the AdventureDome, their own theme park, which is free to enter and pay to ride. There is also a free circus show daily. Locals say their old school steakhouse is a hidden gem. I’ve only walked through the property and would love to experience all of this :D
Shark Reef Aquarium in Mandalay Bay: I have not been and read that it’s on the smaller side and takes about 30 minutes to get through. About $30/person.
Pinball Hall of Fame: located near the airport at the end of the Strip, just south of Mandalay Bay. Nonprofit that houses a huge collection of pinball machines dating back to the 1950s in a 25,000 sq ft building. About half of them are functional and you can change your cash for quarters to play. There are also a handful of other arcade games. I’ve been once and although I’m not that into pinball, thought it was sooo much fun! I’d say it would take 1-2 hours depending on how much you like playing. No entrance fee.
A Golden Knights hockey game at T-Mobile Arena!! It’s so fun :)
A Cirque du Soleil show! Best to book seats around the 5th row or farther back. Rows 1-4 or seats right next to the aisle, you risk having the spotlight on you & being picked on by the performers (as an introvert, this would be a nightmare for me!). I’ve seen almost all of the current Cirque shows in LV & here are the ones I would recommend (there is a trailer in each website link):
“O” in the Bellagio: this is Cirque’s highest grossing show in LV - filled with acrobatics & water diving feats. I’ve seen it twice.
Mad Apple at New York New York - this is Cirque’s newest show in LV (it replaced Zumanity) & is my favorite of all the Cirque shows I’ve seen in LV. It’s a mix of acrobatics, dance, live music & comedy (A LOT of audience roasting). I’ve seen it once, but the acts sometimes change because of its variety show format.
Michael Jackson ONE at Mandalay Bay - I have not seen this one and would love to experience it! It’s a mix of dance & acrobatics.
I also love standup comedy! Here are some comics I like (in no particular order): Hasan Minhaj, Anthony Jeselnik, Romesh Ranganathan, John Mulaney, Taylor Tomlinson, Tig Notaro, Leanne Morgan, Fortune Feimster, Tom Segura, Patton Oswalt, Aziz Ansari, Demetri Martin, Mike Birbiglia, Nate Bargatze, Ricky Gervais, Kevin Hart, Jim Gaffigan, Russell Peters, Neal Brennan, Dave Chappelle
Any other show you’re interested in!
Bellagio Gardens + Fountain Show (both free): the Bellagio Gardens are breathtakingly beautiful and change every season. They are located inside near the hotel lobby. The Water Fountain Show lasts 5 minutes and is synced to lights and music. It’s located outside of the Bellagio and is fun to watch.
Dinner options:
Allē Lounge on 66 (Resorts World) - classy lounge with a breathtaking view of the Strip from the 66th floor. Request a window table when making a reservation (it’s not guaranteed to get one, but you can still walk up to the 360 degree windows to enjoy the view). For a guaranteed window seat, make the reservation for 5pm when they open - this would be ideal during the winter when the sun goes down early so we can see all the pretty lights; all other seasons 5pm will still be daylight so the view will look different, albeit still cool. There is a 2 drink minimum per person, but they let you order food or non-alcoholic items to meet the minimum. Their food menu is mostly small share plates, but they do have a few main courses. Both food and cocktails/mocktails are great here.
Crossroads Kitchen (Resorts World) - amazing vegan fine dining!
Mayfair Supper Club (Bellagio) - gorgeous restaurant with a 1940s/jazz/under-the-sea vibe. They serve mostly steak/seafood (but they also have an delicious vegan cauliflower steak option). Making a reservation for 5pm right when they open will ensure we can get a window table with a beautiful view of the Bellagio Fountains. If we have a later reservation, we can definitely still request a window table, but it won’t be guaranteed. Take note that in the winter, the sun goes down around 5pm whereas all other seasons, sunset is later so the type of view you see will depend on the time of the reservation. They have a pianist starting around 6pm and then a jazz band/singer starting around 7pm daily.
Lakeside (Wynn) - amazing seafood. There is indoor seating as well as patio seating on their “lake.” Requesting an outdoor table doesn’t guarantee one unless the reservation is for right when they open at 5:30pm. During certain hours, there is a free Lake of Dreams show which consists of 3 minute long animatronic/projection/special effects/somewhat tacky but novelty music videos on the water. One “music video” plays every half hour, it’s not a continuous show. Spring/Summer show hours are 8pm-10pm. Fall/Winter show hours may extend due to it getting dark earlier in the evening.
Wakuda (Palazzo) - along with Nobu listed below, this is the best sushi I’ve had on the Strip, but I’m open to trying other places if you have one in mind :)
Nobu (Caesar’s Palace) - along with Wakuda listed above, this is the best sushi I’ve had on the Strip, but I’m open to trying other places if you have one in mind :)
Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab (Caesar’s Palace) - solid classic steakhouse
True Food Kitchen (Caesars) - more casual vibe; national chain for health-conscious food. I haven’t been to the Caesars locations, but all other locations I’ve been to have been great.
Hakkasan (MGM Grand) - elevated dim sum
Red Plate (Cosmo) - elevated Chinese food (best Char Siu I’ve had in LV!)
Beauty & Essex (Cosmo) - New American food served tapas style (small plates for sharing)
Restaurants I haven’t been to and would love to try:
The X-Pot (Palazzo) - elevated hotpot in an immersive art experience involving light shows/soundscapes
Estiatorio Milos (Venetian) - Seafood, Greek
Joël Robuchon (MGM Grand) - French; tasting menus only
NoMad Library (Park MGM) - New American
Eiffel Tower Restaurant (Paris) - for dinner, not brunch; ideally reserve a window table (which costs extra); the whole point of dining here is for the view!
Gordon Ramsay Steak (Paris)
SW Steakhouse (Wynn) - There is indoor seating as well as patio seating on their “lake.” Requesting an outdoor table doesn’t guarantee one unless the reservation is for right when they open at 5:30pm. During certain hours, there is a free Lake of Dreams show which consists of 3 minute long animatronic/projection/special effects/somewhat tacky but novelty music videos on the water. One “music video” plays every half hour, it’s not a continuous show. Spring/Summer show hours are 8pm-10pm. Fall/Winter show hours may extend due to it getting dark earlier in the evening.
Viva (Resorts World) - Latin
Aqua (Resorts World) - Seafood & Caviar
Carversteak (Resorts World) - Steakhouse
Brezza (Resorts World) - Italian
Fuhu (Resorts World) - Asian Fusion
Open to trying other restaurants too :)