If you’re new to Vegas, I’m going to save you some time and trouble when it comes to the best place to stay and hangout.
Sure, you can stay at the Luxor, you can gamble at The Golden Nugget, you can get coffee at Grouchy John’s or Gabi in Chinatown or Mothership on Fremont, you can watch ducks at Sunset Park, you can bowl at Sam’s Town, you can catch a movie and shop at Town Square, you can go on a date at The Strat, you can grab a beer and shoot pool upstairs at The Stakeout, you can chill with friends on the patio at ReBar in the Arts District, you can have some fun at The Library, you can experience art at Area 15, you can eat the best burger you’ve ever had on The Strip at Gordon Ramsay’s Burger, you can learn about about the role Nevada played in developing the bomb at The Atomic Testing Museum, and you can eat a hot dog and drink a can of Yerba Mate while sitting at a table outside a Maverick convenience store.
After spending three years in Vegas and doing all those things and more, the most enjoyable experience I had was sitting on the wooden bench in front of this house, smoking a cigarette, drinking a beer, and talking with whoever happened to be sitting there.
So, buy the ticket, take the ride, and remember—Vegas is a place where people live before and after you leave, so try and leave it better than you found it.