Las Vegas

Rolling into Vegas behind the wheel as a Sin City first-timer is a classic experience – arrive after dark and approach from the south for maximum 'wows' and the iconic Welcome to Las Vegas Sign, then cruise the 4.2-mile section of Las Vegas Blvd between Russell Rd and Sahara Ave, known the world over as 'the Strip.' Take in Luxor's glowing beacon, New York–New York's Statue of Liberty, Bellagio's dancing fountains, Paris' Eiffel Tower, Mirage's erupting volcano and the gleaming beacon of the Stratosphere Tower.

Vegas is synonymous with world-class entertainment. The residency universe was shaken in 2019 with the retirement of Queen Celine and King Elton, replaced by a bevy of pop divas including Lady Gaga and Gwen Stefani, and dad rockers Journey and Aerosmith. The hottest ticket in town, though, remains Cirque du Soleil. Whimsical costumes, aerial acrobatics and synchronized swimming create an electrifying atmosphere. Splash out on the original aquatic spectacular O, Chinese martial-arts-inspired Kà, musical tributes to the Beatles (LOVE), circus spectacular Mystère or the racy, adults-only cabaret Zumanity.

In Las Vegas, celebrity chefs share star status with top entertainers, but few casino resorts feature as revered a culinary line-up as Palazzo and Venetian, whose lauded dining rooms include Napa Valley wunderkind Thomas Keller's bistro Bouchon, LA trendsetter Wolfgang Puck's steakhouse Cut, and original Food Network personality Emeril Lagasse's Delmonico Steakhouse (with a Cajun twist). A selection of more casual offerings, including B&B Burger & Beer and Sushisamba, are accessible even to those who haven’t won big at the tables.

In 2011, when Vegas hosted the Electric Daisy Carnival (giant of the EDM world), attendance exceeded 230,000. Casino operators soon seized a long-sought opportunity to reverse the visitor slump Vegas had endured since the 2008 economic meltdown: the everyday punter didn't have cash to burn on blackjack or risk on slot machines anymore, but wanted to escape the stresses of life more than ever. Post-festival, MGM Grand's megaclub Hakkasan coaxed world heavyweight DJs Calvin Harris, Tiësto and Steve Aoki into residencies, and today Vegas rivals Ibiza as a dance-party destination.

In the race for the best resort swimming pool in Las Vegas, Mandalay Bay's impressive 'beach,' featuring 2700 tons of imported southern Californian sand, artificial 6ft-high waves, a 'beachfront' casino and a lazy river you can float down before catching a summertime concert under the stars, wins hands down. But don't let that stop you from attempting to sample every one of Vegas' ubiquitous pool-bars, from MGM Grand's Wet Republic, to Encore's ultra-chic Beach Club and Caesars Palace's time-tested Garden of the Gods.

Anchoring the Strip's northern extent, the Stratosphere's glitzy, three-legged tower is the tallest of its kind in the USA. There's no better place to get a bird's-eye perspective on Las Vegas than from this vertical metropolis resembling a flying saucer on a pole. Ride the country's fastest elevators up to the observation deck (869ft) at sunset or have a cocktail in the slowly revolving 107 SkyLounge. Nighttime is best for the biggest scares on the tower's thrill rides, or be a daredevil in the daylight and do a SkyJump free-fall.

This is a town where they tear down perfectly good buildings for no reason. The wrecking balls of the Strip swing ceaselessly, which is precisely why a trip to retro Downtown is so satisfying. Antique neon signs are given pride of place along Fremont St, and old-school casinos like the Golden Nugget and the El Cortez harken back to the Rat Pack era. Don't miss the Neon Museum, where even more Vegas history is lovingly preserved.

After cocktails on the Strip have stripped you of some serious cash, head to Downtown's buzzing Fremont East Entertainment District. Start at Container Park to browse the stalls with an open container of IPA, chat with tatted-up locals and get your bearings amid trippy industrial art. From here, happily spill out into the messy late-night bars along Fremont St. First Fridays 'round these parts are local legend: community-arts-festival-cum-street-parties, which give the nearby Arts District a mini-Carnival makeover on…you guessed it…the first Friday of the month.

Tired of smoky casinos? Detour from the Strip for a breath of fresh air and a fix of eco-conscious design at this educational museum complex. The Springs Preserve is situated on the site where now-dry natural springs once fed las vegas (Spanish for 'the meadows'), and southern Paiutes and Old Spanish Trail traders set up camp. Family-oriented attractions include the Origen Museum, the Nevada State Museum and the Desert Living Center, plus hiking trails, wildlife viewing, botanic gardens, a healthy-living cafe and a weekly farmers market.

Recalling an era when the word 'atomic' conjured modernity and mystery, the Smithsonian-affiliated National Atomic Testing Museum is a testament to the period in US history when the fantastical – and destructive – power of nuclear energy was tested just outside Las Vegas. After visiting the museum, it's almost possible to imagine 1950s gamblers and tourists picnicking on Downtown casino rooftops while mushroom clouds rose on the horizon. Step down into the deafening Ground Zero Theater, which mimics a concrete test bunker.