Las Vegas is a great destination for nightlife. The casinos, showrooms, lounges and nightclubs are usually bustling with activity until the wee hours of the morning. But what if you're out and about at noon? What can you do in the Entertainment Capital of the World before the sun goes down? Here are a few ideas for afternoon delight that range from shopping and seeing shows to visiting museums and touring Hoover Dam.
If you're a shopaholic, Las Vegas has shopping options galore to fill your afternoon. Several themed malls are located right on the Strip. They offer a fine selection of stores, as well as spectacular settings, free attractions and special events like fashion shows. If you want the latest styles and greatest designer names, visit the Fashion Show mall, The Forum Shops at Caesars, The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian, The Miracle Mile Shops at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino and The Shoppes at The Palazzo. Bargain hunters will find paradise at the southern end of the Strip, where the Las Vegas Outlet Center is located. Most stores open daily at 10 a.m.
Fashion Show
3200 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 369-8382
The Forum Shops at Caesars
3500 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 893-4800
The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian
3355 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 414-4500
Las Vegas Outlet Center
7400 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702) 896-5599
Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino
3663 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 862-8030
The Shoppes at The Palazzo
3327 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 414-4525
As you would expect from the Entertainment Capital of the World, Las Vegas offers something for the show-seeking afternoon crawler. Illusionists Nathan Burton at the Flamingo and Mac King at Harrah's offer eclectic presentations of comedy and mind-blowing magic. Gregory Popovich's "Comedy Pet Theater" at V Theater in the Miracle Mile Shops will delight animal lovers of all ages. You can catch a matinee showing of one of the Strip's hottest musicals "The Lion King" at Mandalay Bay on weekends. Plus, game show fans can actually compete for prizes at "The Price Is Right--Live" at Bally's.
Gregory Popovich's "Comedy Pet Theater"
3663 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
(702) 260-7200
"The Lion King"
Mandalay Bay
3950 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, Nevada 89119
(702) 632-7777
"The Mac King Comedy Magic Show"
Harrah's
3475 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
(702) 369-5111
Nathan Burton's "Comedy Magic"
Flamingo
3555 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
(702) 733-3333
"The Price Is Right--Live"
Bally's
3645 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
(702) 967-4567
Afternoons are a perfect time to enlighten your mind with local history. Las Vegas is home to several museums. In fact, there are two you shouldn't miss. The Liberace Museum features the sequined costumes, rare pianos and glitzy cars of the late entertainer fondly known as Mr. Showmanship. The Atomic Testing Museum, on the other hand, has exhibits covering the Nevada Test Site and its role in the history of nuclear testing.
Atomic Testing Museum
755 E. Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702) 794-5161
Liberace Museum
1775 E. Tropicana Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702) 798-5595
One of the top sightseeing attractions in the Las Vegas area is Hoover Dam. A marvel of human ingenuity, the Bureau of Reclamation completed this public works project in 1935. Today, it's still regarded as a "modern wonder of the world." Several tour operators offer excursions to Hoover Dam. In fact, the Hoover Dam Tour Company features a variety of packages, including an express bus tour, a deluxe bus tour, a combined bus tour and cruise on Lake Mead, and a combined ground and helicopter tour. All tours depart between 8:30 and 10 a.m. They range in duration from 4.5 to 7.5 hours.
Hoover Dam Tour Co.
4343 N. Rancho Drive, Suite 230
Las Vegas, NV 89130
(888) 512-0075 or (702) 655-6060
