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Las Vegas has long been synonymous with good times and good stories—famously nicknamed “Sin City,” it markets itself as the destination for indulgence and escape. But when a mass shooting on October 1, 2017, at a country music festival off the Strip resulted in the loss of 58 lives and widespread injuries, the city eschewed its party reputation and came together to face the tragedy.
Visit Las Vegas put the “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas” slogan on hold. Billboards around the city that once advertised restaurants and nightclubs now share dedicated phone lines for victims and their families, along with words of appreciation for first responders, the Chicago Tribune reported.
A new message now appears on promotional materials for the city: “We’ve been there for you during the good times. Thank you for being there for us now,” accompanied by the hashtag #VegasStrong.
We celebrate the city’s resilience—as do our readers, who enthusiastically voted for the city's top hotels in this year’s Reader’s Choice Awards. To show our appreciation for all that Vegas has done for travelers, we highlight some of our favorite things to do in this unforgettable Nevada destination.
You should still come here and ride on a real gondola inside The Venetian: Those oarsmen have undergone 40 hours of training at Gondola University to finesse their technique. The fountains at the Bellagio will keep dancing to the music—and, of course, you can spend a cool $250,000 for the chance to personally control them, iPad in hand, from the balcony of the hotel. Book tickets to Planet Hollywood’s AXIS arena simply so you can compare whether J.Lo or Britney deserves the title of Strip’s best performer. Now that Cher has a new residency at the Monte Carlo, however, it may not be a contest.
Hunt down that secret pizza joint inside the Cosmopolitan that everyone recommends in stage whispers. It’s tucked away on the third floor, but you’ll find it if you keep your eyes out for guests savoring thin-crust slices. Relish the cabanas at Aria’s VIP Sky Pool, dance the day away at Encore’s XS or book a personalized tasting menu on the patio inside the Mansion at MGM.
Come and party until it’s 2018 on December 31, when the Strip shuts down for a giant street celebration. Whether you want an EDM New Year's Eve with Calvin Harris at Caesars Palace or a showy chanteuse like Céline, the city that made nightlife famous has you covered.
It’s vital to remember that entertainment in all its forms is central to Las Vegas’s economy and culture: Some 100,000 jobs—roughly 44 percent of the work force—rely on tourism dollars.
Keep coming and focus on the best Las Vegas has to offer. Revel in how it resembles a city playing itself on TV, dazzling with real-life escapism for visitors from every corner of the globe. In a fractious, spat-prone world, we need Las Vegas more than ever. And now, Las Vegas needs us, too.