Las Vegas is one of the United States’ most popular cities, bringing in more than 42 million tourists in 2024. Many come to gamble, party, and light up the city with their raucous energy. With all the hustle and bustle of the Strip, it can feel impossible to escape the crowds. But if you follow the locals, you can craft an exciting itinerary that defies expectations. Trade the craps tables and clubs for relaxing spas, outdoor adventure, and vegan fine dining. Here, several locals share their ideas for connecting with the surprising sides of Sin City.
Enjoy Vegas’s best vegan cuisine
Las Vegas isn’t known for its vegan food scene, but it should be. Take it from Diana Edelman, the founder of Vegansbaby.com, a website and media company that celebrates vegan cuisine. Edelman lived in the city for more than seven years and has worked to change Vegas’s reputation with plant-based eaters. “The old idea of Vegas is often steaks, celebrity chefs, shrimp cocktails, and the prime-rib specials, but Vegas is actually very plant-based friendly,” Edelman says. “When people tell me they didn’t find anything, I’m just like, ‘Well, then you don’t know where to look because it’s everywhere.’”
One of Edelman’s favorite restaurants in Las Vegas is in Chinatown. There, you’ll find chef Oscar Amador Edo’s Edo Tapas & Wine, a sultry Spanish restaurant with imaginative shared plates and a wine list sourced from Spain. The restaurant’s plant-based tasting menu innovatively plays with Spanish cuisine, resulting in dishes such as roasted sunchokes with Thai basil gremolata and shishito peppers, and mushrooms à la plancha, a grilled mushroom dish with chili crisp and puffed wild rice.
Vegans in households with mixed dietary restrictions should check out chef Gina Marinelli’s restaurants, Harlo and La Strega. Edelman says they have fantastic plant-based options, such as butternut squash medallions and maitake mushroom orecchiette, and the chef’s comforting Italian dishes have made her a kind of celebrity among locals in Las Vegas. Tucked in away in a corner of the Wynn resort, Japanese-fusion restaurant Mizumi serves plant-based sushi rolls in an upscale bar setting.
For vegan fine dining, Edelman recommends Crossroads Kitchen in Resorts World. The Italian-Mediterranean restaurant features an entirely plant-based menu by celebrity chef Tal Ronnen. While the restaurant has a great dinner program, Edelman says you can’t miss its weekend brunch. For more casual plant-based meals, check out Tacotarian in downtown Las Vegas, a vegan taco spot that’s beloved by locals.
Ada’s Food & Wine serves Mediterranean-inspired light bites and has an extensive wine program.
Photos by Jose Salinas
Ditch the Strip and head to Tivoli Village for a taste of local life
Addie Bell is the founder and CEO of Jetset & Travel, an affiliate of SmartFlyer, a Virtuoso travel agency. Bell and her husband lived in Las Vegas for more than a decade, on and off. She recommends Tivoli Village in the Summerlin neighborhood, 11 miles from downtown, an area of Las Vegas that’s usually only visited by locals. The unique shopping center features dining options; shopping, including a store by Nevada’s only established couture designer David Tupaz; and other local businesses, such as Basner Fine Art, an experiential photography gallery.
While you’re there, Bell suggests you check out Al Solito Posto for upscale Italian cuisine. The space has a romantic patio and offers a reprieve from the Las Vegas noise. Tivoli Village is also home to Ada’s Food & Wine, which Bell recommends for “excellent light bites and a great selection of wines by the glass.”
Red Rock Canyon State Park encompasses 195,819 acres within the Mojave Desert.
Courtesy of Adnorf/Pexels
Enjoy outdoor adventure just out of town
There’s something for everyone in Nevada’s many parks and preserves, whether you’re a novice hiker or an adventurous off-roader. Bell recommends visiting Springs Preserve, a 20-minute drive from the Strip. There, you’ll find 3.5-mile-long walking trails across 110 acres of desert terrain, as well as botanical gardens of desert-adapted flora like Mojave cacti and date palm trees. Or take a hike at Red Rock Canyon, a state park a 30-minute drive out of town that’s known for rock climbing and brightly colored stones. “The views from there are unreal,” Bell says. “It’s a totally different side of Vegas.”
Hillary Austin is the director of VIP and Premier Access at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. She recommends visiting Goodsprings, a 30-minute car ride from the Strip, for adventurous off-roaders. “My husband has an ATV, so we’ll go riding [there].” At Goodsprings, you can rent a buggy with Vegas ATV Adventures. You can also jump back in time at the Goodsprings Ghost Town, a nicely preserved relic of an 1860s Nevada mining town. Spend a few hours learning about Nevada’s mining history on a walking tour with the Goodsprings Historical Society, or quench your thirst at Pioneer Saloon, one of the oldest bars in the state.
In the winter, Bell suggests skiers head an hour away to Mount Charleston, where they can hit the slopes at Lee Canyon. During summer, Lee Canyon is best for hiking and mountain biking—and is usually 20 degrees cooler than the city.
Explore lesser-known arts districts
Las Vegas is home to unique arts and culture experiences, if you know where to find them. Start your Strip trip with a distinctive take on nightlife at a SpiegelWorld show. Bell often tells her clients to go to these shows because they blend Las Vegas’s artistry and quirky charm. Her favorite shows to recommend are Absinthe, an adults-only show that fuses circus, comedy, and burlesque art forms, and Atomic Saloon Show, billed as a “racy, ridiculous romp through the Wild West as it never was.”
Bell and Edelman often suggest a visit to the Arts District because it’s close to the Strip but is a respite from the tourists. You can find local galleries like Antique Alley Mall, a 12,000-square-foot gallery selling thousands of vintage art pieces, and the Arts Factory, a massive warehouse space with more than 30 galleries filled with art by local artists such as Gem Jaxx and Nic James.
Just five miles away from the Arts District is AREA15, an immersive entertainment and arts region with several interactive art galleries and exhibits. It includes the world-famous Meow Wolf Omega Mart maximalist museum with inventive installations that distort all of the senses, and Museum Fiasco, a Kunsthalle-style showcase of audiovisual experiences using inventive lighting cues in dark rooms to tell one-of-a-kind stories.
When many tourists flock to the Las Vegas Sphere for shows and entertainment, they end up missing out on some of the city’s best performances. Brian Gullbrants, the chief operating officer for Wynn Resorts, North America, says that the Smith Center has Las Vegas’s most underrated performance venues: “It’s an amazing facility with great programming.” There, visitors can catch performances by pop artists like Amy Grant, theatrical stagings of musicals like Hamilton and Kimberly Akimbo, and dances by troupes such as the Ballet Folklórico de México de Amalia Hernández.
Motor-sports fans will appreciate Vegas for its racing culture. Thrill seekers should check out SpeedVegas, which Bell says is an “adrenaline-packed experience where you can drive luxury supercars like Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Porsches on a professional racetrack.” Later this year, Formula 1 fans will be able to try racing simulators, watch races, and learn more about Formula 1 history at the F1 Arcade opening on the Strip in the fall of 2025. It will be the largest Formula 1 Lounge in the nation.
Find peace and relaxation in spas and over tea
If the energy and hustle of Las Vegas have taken a toll, head to one of its many wellness offerings. For Bell, Vegas’s spas hold some of the best experiences for visitors looking to escape the city’s lively energy. “So many spas in Vegas are incredible,” she tells Afar, “but the spas at the Wynn are my favorite because of the broad array of amenities, amazing therapists, and extravagant decor.” Indulge in one of eight different specialty massage therapy treatments, reset your skincare with a Kansa wand facial, or receive a full body Dead Sea salt exfoliation.
Bell also encourages clients to visit the Tea Lounge at the Waldorf Astoria for afternoon tea. “It’s such a peaceful way to enjoy stunning Strip views without the noise or crowds,” she says. There, guests can snack on desserts like pumpkin tarts and chai macarons while enjoying the quiet reprieve and views from the hotel’s 23rd-floor bar.
Planning your Vegas trip like a pro
There are a few more ways to ensure a memorable trip to Sin City. Diana Edelman recommends consulting the Las Vegas events calendar before booking a trip. “You want to stay away when there’s really big conventions because it won’t be fun,” she says. CES in early January, ConExpo in early April, and SEMA in late October usually boast the biggest crowds. “It’ll be really crowded everywhere. You won’t be able to get into restaurants or do much of anything because the city’s just overrun.” She also recommends taking a trip between Thanksgiving and Christmas, when the city experiences its lowest levels of tourism.
“Don’t try to fit your entire Las Vegas trip into one day, or even one weekend,” adds Hillary Austin. “You’ll need more time to fit in all of the incredible experiences. I would recommend curating a trip based on one of your prime interests—whether it’s food or art or music—and make that your reason for visiting.”
Addie Bell acknowledges that a trip to Las Vegas can seem overwhelming. She often encourages her clients to give themselves permission to slow down. If you can’t get away from the hustle and bustle of the Strip, Bell says that you can “embrace some elements of it and learn something new in the process.” One of her go-to suggestions? “Take a free morning craps class at one of the casinos! It’s such a fun, low-pressure way to learn how to play while the city is still waking up.”
