As a seasoned traveler and wine enthusiast, I can confidently say that the dining and drinking experiences in Las Vegas are truly exceptional. The city offers unique opportunities to savor some of the world’s rarest and most exclusive vintages, like Wynn’s three liters of Screaming Eagle, Harlan, and Bond at SW Steakhouse. Sourcing these directly from the winery or sake brewery not only ensures perfect provenance but also adds an extra layer of sophistication to your dining experience.
In Las Vegas, the motto “What happens here stays here” is more than just a catchphrase, as numerous unique experiences waiting along and near The Strip seem to validate this sentiment.
Every year, approximately 40 million people flock to the globally recognized city known as the “entertainment capital,” seeking indulgence, luxury, and unique adventures. This vibrant metropolis caters to these desires, offering a setting where ordinary folks and high-living enthusiasts can immerse themselves in the extraordinary, the opulent, and the extravagantly over-the-top. Iconic Vegas raises the bar on “one-of-a-kind” experiences with its exclusive cultural establishments, unforgettable moments, world-renowned performers, premium beverages, and other hard-to-find leisure activities. If you’re searching for a memorable escapade to boast about later, here are seven extraordinary Vegas adventures.
Bright lights, Big city
Las Vegas boasts an intriguing past, transforming from a railway town to a gambling hotspot due to influential figures like Bugsy Siegel, the creator of mega-resorts such as the Desert Inn. This city also served as a refuge for aviation pioneer Howard Hughes who stayed indefinitely at the Desert Inn. Additionally, Las Vegas is renowned as the wedding capital, with Elvis and Priscilla Presley being among its many famous couples. Two unique museums, The Neon Museum and The Mob Museum, narrate Las Vegas’s story from their perspectives. The Neon Museum gathers, protects, researches, and displays iconic Vegas signs. To some, these vintage symbols might appear as rusted, twisted debris, but upon closer inspection, they reveal themselves to be large-scale works of tech-driven land art, seamlessly blending typography, light, and design. Several have been refurbished, re-lit, and integrated into the city’s memory or practicality through nostalgia or necessity.
Right in the heart of downtown, I find myself drawn to The Mob Museum – a place that whisks me away on an exhilarating journey through the dark underbelly of local and global organized crime. Once serving as Las Vegas’s first federal office, this historical site houses a courtroom from the legendary 1950 Kefauver Committee hearings, which exposed the existence of a national crime syndicate and highlighted the need for stricter law enforcement.
The Right Puff
Instead of staying at any random accommodation in Las Vegas, cigar aficionados may want to think twice about their choice of hotel. The allure of the Aria Sky Villas enclave lies not only in its exclusivity but also in a unique service: The Cigar Cart. This personalized service brings a Cigar Sommelier straight to your villa, equipped with rare and exquisite blends such as Fuente Opus X, Padron 40th, Davidoff Oro, among others. In collaboration with a cigar producer, Aria Sky Villas crafts an exclusive series of luxurious rolls specifically for the enjoyment of Sky Villas guests. These premium cigars are perfectly complemented by high-end spirits like Macallan single malt whiskeys and Louis XIII cognac, expertly chosen to cater to each guest’s individual preferences and delivered directly to their mega-suites.
Sphere of Influence
As U2 concluded their performances at Sphere Las Vegas this past spring, five days a week, they continue to showcase their best hits through the film V-U2, directed by The Edge and his wife Morleigh Steinberg. This film was shot over three nights of the band’s sold-out residency at Sphere and is part of the expanding lineup for Sphere Experiences, which operate almost daily and enhance the residency shows by demonstrating the capabilities of the venue. In addition to the U2 residency performances, Sphere Experiences also feature the Darren Aronofsky film “Postcard from Earth”. The Sphere team developed the Sphere’s unique Big Sky camera system in 2021, which captured the content for these experiences. This camera, lens, and all its components are cutting-edge technology, with the team holding 10 patents on this internal technology.
Visit the Birthplace of Disco
The iconic Disco era is making a comeback! Pioneers in live entertainment and hospitality, Spiegelworld and Caesars Entertainment, are spearheading this resurgence by launching Discoshow – an all-encompassing production, restaurant (Diner Ross), and bars (99 Prince and Glitterloft) that take you on a trip back to 1970s New York City. Located at 3535 Las Vegas Boulevard (The Linq resort), you’ll first encounter the 1970s-styled bar, 99 Prince, designed to resemble a New York City subway station of that era, where countless disco nights originated.
This venue, named after the address of legendary disco pioneer David Mancuso’s parties, is located at Via 99 Prince. Ascend to the Glitterloft, adorned with improvised furniture, industrial ceilings, and DJs spinning vinyl, all drawing inspiration from Mancuso’s Loft. Next door, you’ll find Diner Ross, which has created a unique culinary style they call “New York American,” inspired by the all-night Manhattan eatery, Florent. Inside, experience a 70-minute show where artists and audience merge as one. The environment immerses you in the disco era’s sound and rhythm, allowing you to appreciate its anthems as they were intended in a club setting.
Special Spirits
At casinos like Vegas, they pull out all the stops to attract high-rollers, from delivering pizza at the craps table to offering exclusive, top-tier items such as a $55,000+ bottle of 2016 Screaming Eagle during dinner. Such unique offerings are not found anywhere else, and the extensive wine cellars and bars in Vegas are no exception. Brian Weitzman, Director of Wine at Wynn Las Vegas, is spearheading this exclusive collection, continuously seeking out prestigious bottle acquisitions. At Mizumi, their Japanese restaurant, you can find Dassai Beyond the Beyond selections, which are exclusive to the U.S., with prices ranging from $15,888 to $47,988. Similarly, at SW Steakhouse, they offer three liters of Screaming Eagle, Harlan, and Bond, priced between $8,048 to $16,876. All these bottles are sourced directly from the winery or sake brewery, making them one-of-a-kind. According to Weitzman, it’s more impressive to obtain bottles directly from the winery because this ensures a flawless provenance. Other restaurants might be able to buy three liters of Harlan at auction and list it on their menu, but sourcing directly from the winery adds an extra layer of exclusivity to the experience.
At Aria’s Lobby Bar, The Macallan is commemorating its 200th anniversary with the TIME : SPACE collection on display in an interactive pop-up exhibit, open until January 2025. This exclusive Macallan lounge is the sole venue where you can sample some of the brand’s most coveted items, usually reserved for private buyers. Furthermore, you can delve into cocktails crafted with rare vintages such as the Retrograde blended with TIME : SPACE Mastery, a one-of-a-kind single malt that showcases 200 years of heritage through its intricate layers of flavor.
Dine Like De Niro
In the year 2025, Martin Scorsese’s classic film Casino, which turns thirty, features two restaurants that were used as filming locations where you can still enjoy a meal, much like characters Ace (Robert DeNiro) and Ginger (Sharon Stone). Piero’s on Convention Center Drive was portrayed as the restaurant of Nicky Santoro (Joe Pesci), mirroring the real-life mobster Tony Spilotro’s association with the Las Vegas Tower of Pizza restaurant in the 1960s. The owner of Piero’s, Freddie Glusman, a Las Vegas icon himself, allowed filming on his establishment for six days. Since 1982, Piero’s has been hosting nightly diners, welcoming local and visiting celebrities such as George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Frank Sinatra, Rolling Stones, Jerry Lewis, Blake Shelton, Carrie Underwood, and Justin Timberlake.
As a gamer, I’ve stepped into some amazing virtual worlds, but nothing compares to the authenticity of old-school Las Vegas, a place that’s not just cinematic magic, it’s real. And the proof? The mouthwatering veal parm at Piero’s. Known as the “Switzerland of Las Vegas,” this spot is where legends, real-life characters if you will, often have their final meals before embarking on a federal journey.
In the heart of downtown, you’ll find Oscar’s Steakhouse, located within the Plaza Hotel & Casino. This steakhouse is named after former mayor Oscar Goodman, who was also a real-life figure for Anthony Spilotro in films like “Casino”, where the characters Sam and Ginger had their dramatic dinner dispute. Interestingly, The Plaza has graced the screens of numerous movies, TV shows, and music videos, such as “Diamonds Are Forever” and “Back to the Future”.
Catch a Concert
Unlike some cities that occasionally host A-list artists’ performances every few weeks, Las Vegas consistently plays host to top entertainers night after night, earning its title as the “entertainment capital of the world.” On November 8 and 9, Adele will perform two of her final six shows at The Colosseum in Caesars Palace. Meanwhile, on the same day, November 8, the Las Vegas Convention Center grounds will host SEMA Fest, featuring performances by Cage The Elephant and Sublime, along with Fitz And The Tantrums and Petey, during the world’s largest automotive aftermarket trade event (SEMA). Additionally, Babyface, Pitbull, Lionel Richice, and the Eagles will be in town during the American Film Market.
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2024-11-05 18:25