For years Las Vegas developers and designers have been charged with funneling people through casinos rather than around them. The “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” activities the city is known for usually take place inside, often behind closed doors. (We’ll leave it at that.) But things are changing in Vegas as visitors spend more money on non-gambling activities. In fact, revenue from gaming at casinos in Las Vegas has steadily decreased in recent years as younger people spend more time and money on fine dining, entertainment, special events and other open-air activities.

Naturally, as a result, Las Vegas developers are reinventing the Strip and moving the party outdoors. MGM Resorts International, parent company of MGM Grand, Bellagio, New York-New York and Monte Carlo, among others, opened (or will soon open) a number of new outdoor spaces. MGM recently debuted BLVD Plaza, a pedestrian-friendly promenade at Monte Carlo Resort that features restaurants and entertainment, including street performers, along busy Las Vegas Boulevard.

Yoga outside on the BLVD Plaza at Monte Carlo Resort © Monte
Carlo Resort and
Casino

“Visitors to Las Vegas are seeking dynamic social experiences and don’t necessarily want to be encumbered by four walls,” says Stacy Hamilton, director of public relations, MGM Resorts. “So we’ve created several open-air environments to encourage this type of experience.”

In 2016, MGM will unveil The Park, an eight-acre outdoor collection of dining, shopping and entertainment venues that will connect Monte Carlo Resort and New York-New York. It will also provide a walkway to the new Toshiba Plaza, a 20,000-seat arena — the largest in Las Vegas — that will anchor a new entertainment district currently taking shape. The Park and the arena both expect to open in April 2016.

Caesars Entertainment also got in on the action. The LINQ Promenade, alongside the LINQ Hotel across from Caesars Palace, features an outdoor square with food (including Sprinkles Cupcakes), shopping and entertainment. Its biggest attraction is the High Roller, an observation wheel — the world’s tallest — which slowly rotates 28 air-conditioned cabins with up to 40 people each to heights of 550 feet.

LINQ Promenade © Caesars Entertainment

Shopping continues to be a big source of recreation among younger travelers, and that has not been ignored on the development front. The Grand Bazaar Shops, intended to mimic the outdoor markets and bazaars of İstanbul, opened earlier this year in front of Bally’s.

Another factor driving visitors outside is the growing festival scene in Las Vegas. A number of festivals — including iHeartRadio, Rock in Rio and the Academy of Country Music’s three-day Party for a Cause Festival — will take place on recently updated grounds at north and south ends of the Strip. MGM now offers two festival sites, the smaller MGM Resorts Village and the 50-acre Festival Grounds, the largest festival space on the Strip. Promoters expect some events to draw hundreds of thousands of attendees.

“Most of the recent development has been about creating new experiences and keeping Las Vegas fresh,” Hamilton adds. “There’s always something new to discover.” And that approach appears to be working. Las Vegas expects a record number of visitors — more than 40 million — this year, and most of them will likely be strolling along the Las Vegas Strip.

SCENIC DRIVES

Despite the city’s desert location, there are worthwhile side trips that can provide a nice break from the sensory overload that is Las Vegas. High on the list is a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon. Papillon Air Tours, the world’s largest aerial sightseeing company, operates multiple flights a day over the rocky Arizona landscape and spectacular Grand Canyon. Papillon’s red helicopters land on the canyon floor, allowing guests to not only spend some time exploring but also enjoy lunch with Champagne.

Another dramatic site worthy of a visit is the iconic Hoover Dam, a National Historic Landmark since 1937. The dam, providing power to Arizona, Nevada and California, is rated by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of America’s seven modern civil engineering wonders. Hoover Dam lies about 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas at the Nevada-Arizona border. Take U.S. 93 South and continue about 20 miles to Boulder City. In Boulder City, take a left at the second stoplight in town and continue on U.S. 93 for about five miles to Nevada State Route 172. Take NV 172 for about two miles to the dam. Head to the visitor center to gather information or sign up for a guided hour-long tour. Note that children under age 8 cannot participate in the tours, which fill up quickly. Go early if you’re interested in a tour and you’ll also avoid the heat of midday in the desert. Several charter companies also offer Hoover Dam bus tours from Las Vegas.