Shake off those winter blues and head outside. Spring in Las Vegas means the best weather of the year and an excuse to explore pools, dining, shopping, parks and more. Make the most of the season by hitting the great outdoors with these fun adventures.
Bare Pool Lounge
1. Revel in the return of pool season
The pools of Vegas make a splash with an early debut. Bare Pool Lounge at The Mirage, Liquid Pool Lounge at Aria, Rehab at the Hard Rock Hotel, Wet Republic at MGM Grand and Palms Pool & Dayclub have already opened their doors. The newest, Foxtail Pool Club at SLS Las Vegas, unveils on March 20 with 43,000 square feet of retro-inspired pool space. And Tao Beach at The Venetian opens in April.
2. Make a reservation for al fresco dining
Before the heat of summer arrives, head to some of Las Vegas’ best al fresco dining spots. Mon Ami Gabi at Paris gives you some of the best people-watching in town in a French bistro setting across the street from the Fountains of Bellagio. Bouchon’s view at The Venetian is surrounded by a garden setting next to one of the resort’s pools on the 10th floor. Yellowtail’s patio at the Bellagio may be small, seating 28, but it includes a lakeside view of the fountains and their dances every 15 minutes.
Town Square Las Vegas
3. Take a stroll through outdoor shopping centers
Make it a day by shopping at one of the outdoor malls here. Grab a new hat at Goorin Bros. and sunglasses at Chilli Beans at The Linq Promenade. Do some discount shopping at Las Vegas North Premium Outlets. Or stray down the Strip to Town Square Las Vegas with its citylike shopping setting.
4. Explore some of the area’s natural wonders
Drive out to some of the natural beauty of the Southwest. Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area sits 16 miles west of the Strip with a 13-mile scenic drive and dozens of hiking trails. Valley of Fire State Park, 55 miles northeast of Las Vegas, includes petrified wood and 3,000-year-old Indian petroglyphs. Go all out at the Grand Canyon National Park via car, bus, helicopter or plane tours and see the incredible 2 billion-year-old canyon flanking the Colorado River.
Grand Canyon Skywalk
5. Experience flora in its (un)natural environment
Las Vegas’ favorite free attraction gets gussied up for spring. Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens goes all out with an authentic Japanese-inspired garden, on display from March 20 through May 11.
6. Enjoy an outdoor concert
Sammy Hagar rolls into the Downtown Las Vegas Events Center with his band, The Circle, on April 11 to play hits from his career. Wait until May and dig your toes into the sand of Mandalay Bay Beach when Sublime with Rome kicks off the mayhem May 22.
Big Shot
7. Let your hair blow back on a thrill ride
Get an adrenaline rush on the Big Apple Coaster, zooming at 67 mph as it zips around a replica of the Statue of Liberty in a two-minute, 45-second ride at New York-New York. Really test your nerves on the 108th floor of the Stratosphere with its three thrill rides—Insanity, with its claw dangling riders over the edge of the resort, X-Scream, with its teeter-totter roller coaster dropping riders over the side, and Big Shot, shooting up 160 feet at 45 mph.
8. See the city from a different view
Get a different perspective on Las Vegas by heading up, up, up. The Foundation Room on the 63rd floor of Mandalay Bay not only has a lounge with a patio but seven additional hideaways. On the 51st floor of the Rio, VooDoo Lounge has two floors of outdoor party space. Ghostbar on the 55th floor of the Palms even has a section on the patio where the flooring is transparent, looking all the way down to the street below.
9. Grab a cocktail in the open air
Find yourself in a Caribbean retreat decked in teals and greens at Rhumbar at The Mirage, where you can sip on one of the city’s best collections of rum. Take your drinking outdoors on the patio overlooking the Fremont Street Experience at Gold Diggers at the Golden Nugget. You can also listen to the sounds coming from the bands playing the First Street Stage.
