Las Vegas features more than just casinos

By Kang Seung-woo

• Published Mar 5, 2020 4:59 PM KST
• Updated Mar 5, 2020 9:07 PM KST

Gambling city offers various entertainment options

By Kang Seung-woo

LAS VEGAS ― The very first glimmering images of Las Vegas that spring to mind might be bright lights, enormous hotels and visitors flocking to busy casinos.

However, for those uninterested in gambling, Las Vegas offers plenty of other options, living up to its nickname “The Entertainment Capital of the World.”

Restaurants and bars

Las Vegas is famous for its extensive collection of casual and fine-dining restaurants and bars. From brunch hotspots to upscale restaurants, it is easy to find something to meet every culinary need.

CATCH, located at the Aria Resort and Casino, is a great, Instagram-friendly restaurant featuring an amazing picturesque entryway and beautiful dining room with an olive tree in the center. However, the picture-perfect environment is not CATCH's lone bragging right. The go-to dining destination offers delectable Asian-inspired seafood such as the Truffle Sashimi dressed with caviar and the Hellfire Roll, a spicy tuna sushi roll with Asian pear and balsamic vinegar. Something visitors should not miss is the restaurant's “Hit Me” chocolate cake; a four-level tower made of a brownie, cake, and ice cream, and a liquid Klondike bar that oozes melted white ganache when the top layer is hit with a spoon.

For those looking for farm-fresh ingredients and sustainable products, Harvest by Roy Ellamar at the Bellagio Hotel is the best option. Chef Ellamar's veggie-forward menu is a breath of fresh air in Las Vegas, meeting the health-conscious demands of today's travelers and diners while simultaneously delivering fresh, creative dishes that are full of flavor. However, the chef, a staunch advocate of local agriculture and sustainably produced proteins, also offers a range of great dishes for omnivores using sustainable seafood, grass-fed beef and organic poultry. The farm-to-table freshness continues throughout its dessert menu, which includes a raspberry panna cotta and the Harvest apple pie.

Like many Las Vegas eateries, the NoMad Restaurant at NoMad Las Vegas, inside the Park MGM, is not exclusive to the city ― it's actually the second location of the NoMad Restaurant New York on Broadway ― but that does not mean it should be overlooked. The dimly-lit restaurant is located in a two-story library containing over 25,000 books from the Rockefeller Collection, giving it a high-class atmosphere and making for an exquisite dining experience. Its robust menu celebrates American classics in a grand and continental way by striking a distinct balance between accessibility, theatricality and luxury. Communal courses are served alongside a selection of salads, pastas, and entrees, complemented by large-format dishes for two, including the signature NoMad Roast Chicken with a foie gras and black truffle stuffing and porcini-rubbed American Wagyu Prime Rib. Its bar also showcases an extensive wine list of more than 800 choices.

Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck's Spago, overlooking the Bellagio fountains, features his signature California fare. At lunch and dinner, the menu features handmade pasta dishes, wood-oven pizzas, fresh seafood and prime steaks, along with handcrafted cocktails and a robust wine list.

Jardin at the Encore Las Vegas showcases dishes ranging from health-conscious to indulgent with an emphasis on impeccably fresh produce.

The Strip is not the only place that offers unique Vegas dining experiences.

EDO Gastro Tapas & Wine in Chinatown is the best place for authentic Spanish tapas, offering classic recipes created using modern and avant-garde techniques, while the Golden Tiki, also in a Chinatown strip mall, is a local favorite that boasts a 24-hour pirate-themed bar featuring handcrafted cocktails, a massive rum list and craft beer.

La Belle Terre Bakery & Cafe, located 15 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip, provides the tastes of a classic European cafe, allowing people to enjoy a vast selection of European-inspired bites, exquisite pastries, homemade Artisan bread and more.

Activities

For some travelers to Las Vegas, the attractions on the Strip, including the “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign, might be enough. However, upon a closer look, this vibrant city has a whole lot more to experience, including the breathtaking opportunity to see Grand Canyon National Park from the air.

Sundance Helicopters, an experienced and highly-rated tour company in Las Vegas, offers a 90-minute round-trip allowing tourists to witness the sunrise over the city and spectacular aerial views of the Hoover Dam, the Mojave Desert, Lake Mead, and the Colorado River, with a pilot sharing historical facts and commentary in 11 languages, including Korean. Halfway through the journey,?the chopper lands at the bottom of the valley, and a light snack and champagne is served. Sundance also partners with a limousine service to pick up passengers at their hotels.

When people think of Las Vegas, a workout might be the last thing that comes to mind. However, having indulged in delicacies and booze into the small hours, SoulCycle, an indoor cycling class at the Wynn Plaza, may be worth a visit. The class features 45 minutes of high-intensity cardio, muscle-sculpting strength training and rhythm-based choreography, in a candlelit studio.

Dig This, a hands-on excavating experience in Las Vegas, is a heavy equipment playground, allowing non-industry folks the opportunity to experience the thrill and rush of playing with colossal excavators, bulldozers and skid steer loaders. After an equipment and safety orientation, visitors operate heavy metal yellow toys just as if they were on a real construction site. Depending on which machinery they control, participants will experience different programs such as digging deep trenches, building a tire pyramid, or playing 'excavator basketball'.

Shows

There are so many shows in Las Vegas to see, and “O” by Cirque du Soleil is certainly one that visitors should add to their Vegas bucket list. The name “O” is derived from the pronunciation of "eau", the French word for water.

A permanent fixture at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino since 1998, the iconic aquatic-themed show has proven to be one of the most powerful entertainment brands Las Vegas has ever seen, attracting more than 17 million guests since it opened and continuing to dazzle audiences nightly. The 90-minute show features synchronized swimming and 60-foot high dives into a 1.5 million-gallon, 25-foot-deep pool as well as aerial and ground performances. The performance is perfect for families, couples and anyone craving a break from the blackjack table.

For those who are not uncomfortable with crude humor and in-your-face sexy acts, ABSINTHE on the Roman Plaza in front of Caesars Palace is a great entertainment choice. The raunchy circus-like show involves a fair amount of skin on display, but it is hilarious and the performers are fantastic, offering a show that can only be found in Vegas. It is performed on an intimate, circular stage, where the audience is as close to the action as they can possibly get. Plus, audience participation is allowed and encouraged.

Accommodation

There are a number of high-profile hotels on the Strip, each with their own distinctive and unique features. The Roman-themed Caesars Palace Las Vegas offers an empire of entertainment, fine dining, gaming and nightlife with a central Strip location. The time-honored property, established in 1966, has undergone dozens of renovations, currently offering 4,000 guest rooms in six distinct towers. Despite its history, the hotel's rooms have a modern and relaxing atmosphere with giant beds and marble bathrooms, as well as spectacular views of the Strip. Caesars Palace has also been the location of a number of performances from high-profile artists including Celine Dion and Elton John. Plus, it houses the Qua Baths and Spa ― a megaplex of baths, saunas and other spa experiences ― and the Vanderpump Cocktail Garden, Caesars Palace's newest hot-spot featuring craft cocktails and small bites. Other attractions here include celebrity chef spots and the Forum Shops upscale shopping mall, which offers a luxury shopping experience.