9 reasons to love Las Vegas in the summer

Don’t let triple-digit temperatures scare you. Las Vegas gives you a lot of reasons to enjoy the summer. Here are nine things, from ice cream to Himalayan salt caves, that will make you a desert lizard who loves exploring the city this time of year.

1. BLVD Creamery (Monte Carlo)

Go for a crazy flavor of ice cream at BLVD Creamery at Monte Carlo. Among the 24 made in-house, find #WTJ, a watermelon sorbet infused with jalapeño; Suds Sorbet, making the most of Shock Top beer; or B.T.A., a mix of avocado, oven-roasted tomatoes and bacon. Then smash them between cookies, waffles, brownies or doughnuts.

2. FlowRider Wave-in-a-Box Double (Planet Hollywood Resort)

Surfs up at the new FlowRider, a novel way to surf without actually hitting the beach, at Planet Hollywood Resort. Dudes can “hang ten” while they catch waves on bodyboards, flow boards and surf boards. Newbies and pros alike can do aerials, kicks and other tricks and never worry about getting hurt; the waveform surface absorbs the energy of a crash.

3. Minus5 Ice Bar at The Shoppes (Mandalay Place and Monte Carlo)

Cool off with vodka cocktails served up in glasses made from ice at one of the two Minus5 Ice Bars in Las Vegas. The entire room is made from 80 tons of ice and kept at -5° Celsius (23° Fahrenheit). Put on a parka or faux fur coat and then belly up to one of the ice sculpted bars to shake off the triple digit temps. The newest features scenes from The Game of Thrones.

4. Himalayan salt therapy cave (Spa at The Linq)

The first new spa in Las Vegas since Qua Baths & Spa opened at Caesars Palace in 2007 features a Himalayan salt cave, a free service for anyone with a treatment or a day pass at the spa. The 45-minute European-style halotherapy session helps guests breathe easier and soothes skin ailments.

5. Mandalay Bay Beach concerts

Want to know a secret? You can hang out on the patio at Border Grill before concerts at the beach for backyard barbecue dishes such as oysters, ceviches and tortas. Drink down these $3 to $8 dishes with $5 beers and $7 margaritas before heading out to see reggae tunes from Ziggy Marley on July 31 or country hits from Randy Houser and Dustin Lynch on Aug. 28.

6. La Fruteria at Garden of the Gods (Caesars Palace)

Chef Johnny Hernandez out of San Antonio already brought his Mexican stand La Gloria to Caesars Palace, and now he keeps guests cool with La Fruteria, Spanish for green grocer. Pick up fresh fruit cups and licuados (smoothies) here while sunning beside one of the seven pools inside the Garden of the Gods.

7. Yardbird Southern Table & Bar (The Venetian)

Make it a picnic with some of the best fried chicken in town at Yardbird. We’ll let you in on a little secret: All summer, the restaurant has a seasonal blue plate special with two pieces of Lewellyn’s fine fried chicken, citrus pepper watermelon and a house-made buttermilk biscuit for $15. Add some deviled eggs with yolks piled up high for $11 and a Southern peach cocktail made with sweet tea for $13 to complete your picnic.

8. Grand Bazaar Shops (Bally’s)

Head to the newest shopping center on the Strip and try out some of the food trucks of the city at the Great American Foodie Fest. Bacon Boys has its Fluffernutter sandwich with toasted marshmallow, bacon and Nutella. Dragon Grille serves Korean and American fare. White Rabbit dishes out Filipino fusion fare. Or let the pranksters at Marash Authentic Turkish Ice Cream play their games as they try to keep your ice cream away from you.

9. Summer display (The Venetian and The Palazzo)

The resorts kick up their look with a floral display of traditionally dressed women during Carnivale di Venezia celebrations in front of the Waterfall Atrium outside Barneys New York and in the lobby of The Palazzo. Staff spent two years putting together this project that used a computer model, CG models and aluminum bodies decked out in thousands of flowers. It took about 1,200 hours to put together the July display with the 9-foot sculpture wearing jewel tones.