Yes, summer in Las Vegas is hot. Very hot. Sometimes super hot. Yet there are reasons why a short, zippy trip in July or August can be a fun choice. Hear me out.
Since, in fact, Vegas summers are always really hot, the city is set up for it. Some fun things to do when it isn’t hot will not be on the table, i.e., anything outdoors. I’d save the excursion to Red Rock Canyon for the next visit. But even if dashing from air conditioning to air conditioning is mandatory, the crowds of tourists will be much diminished. Hotel deals and lower entrance fees abound.
Where to stay: Although the big hotel/casinos offer low rates, I prefer staying off the Strip at the remodeled, mid-century-modern Downtowner. Close to everything and just groovy. downtownerlv.com
Where to eat: Choices in Vegas are endless, but an amazing number of outstanding restaurants are in unassuming strip malls. My favorites include Aroma Latin American Cocina (actually in Henderson, but easily accessible), a small, lovely dining room with outstanding food for both carnivores and non-carnivores. Yums to the Peruvian ceviche and the white chocolate roasted corn. Reservations recommended. aromacocinalv.com
Izakayas, Japanese restaurants that serve the equivalent of tapas, are very popular in Vegas, partly because many stay open until 2am. The tale is that they were invented so Japanese businessmen could eat while indulging in various forms of liquor. In any case, the well-known ones usually have a wait list. I like IT’s Izakaya, again off the beaten track in a strip mall. Welcoming staff, tasty bits such as spicy poke crispy bites and blue crab meat sushi tacos, and honey toast. Each table has a buzzer to alert the waitstaff. its-izakaya.cuba-cafe.com
For a special dinner, superb, personal service and stylish atmosphere, chef Brian Howard’s award-winning Sparrow + Wolf is the place. The menu, kept simple, features items such as Castelvetrano olives with smoked butter, yuzu and marcona almond; dry-aged “madai” sea bream; and occasional offerings such as a 32-ounce almond-smoked porterhouse steak aged in white miso.The four-course chef’s tasting menu is a bargain at $135, and the clever, original cocktails are delightful. sparrowandwolflv.com
Total Tiki Time: Vegas is the world capital of tiki bars. My recommendations include low-key (and a bit smokey, but not awful) Frankie’s Tiki Room, frankiestikiroom.com; the hilariously kitschy Tiki Di Amore (located behind Italian restaurant Casa Di Amore), tikidiamore.com; and the most fabulous tiki bar I have ever been in—which is saying something—The Golden Tiki, thegoldentiki.com. It’s open 24 hours, but I prepare to stand in line to get in if going at a “normal” time.
Things to Do:
- Omega Mart. From June 21-Aug. 9, on select days, this impossible-to-describe surreal supermarket/art installation will brim with Phenomenomaly, an immersive performance in which explorers “are invited to witness the mysterious migration of an interdimensional-traversing, bioluminescent creature known as the Flickerwerm.” It features a cast of dancers, clowns, puppeteers and a featured weekly act showcasing a variety of local talent. meowwolf.com/visit/las-vegas
- Mob Museum. Vegas’ mob history can’t be hidden, and the Mob Museum doesn’t try. But it doesn’t celebrate it either—its full name is “The National Museum of Organized Crime & Law Enforcement.” Four floors contain artifacts like Bugsy Seigel’s sunglasses, and a valise with hidden flasks for hooch. Interactive exhibits include the forensic Crime Lab, and on the lighter side, the Speakeasy & Distillery. themobmuseum.org
- Arts District. The flourishing downtown Arts District is an entertaining, walkable area with many restaurants, clubs and fun retailers, such as gallery/store Recycled Propaganda and vintage/new clothier For the Love LV, both on Main Street. I enjoy just strolling the area—with stops to hydrate—and a visit to a satellite location of a famous Vegas bakery, Freed’s, on East California Avenue.
- Miss Behave’s Mavericks. A wild, raucous variety show in an original Vegas showroom at the Plaza Hotel & Casino. Never the same twice—and not for the prudish. Hostess Miss Behave ensures everyone has a good time whether they like it or not. mavericksdtlv.com
- Buy a couture hat. Visiting Louisa Voisine’s “hat parlor” is a trip to another time. Her gorgeous chapeaus reveal the expertise acquired from study in France with master milliners. Only open on Thursdays and by appointment. Book through [email protected].
- Artists in town summer ’25 include Lady Gaga (July 16-19, T-Mobile Arena), Beyonce (July 25-26, Allegiant Stadium) and Bruno Mars (Aug. 22-Sept. 6, Park MGM), among many, many others.
Orbi: The enormous Sphere, now a Vegas landmark, is officially named “Orbi.” It is fantastic. Checking out ever-changing Orbi as I drive around Vegas never gets old.
Getting there: Southwest has multiple, less-than-90 minutes flights out of its exclusive terminal at OAK.
