After the ceremony concludes on Saturday, there will be about 4–5 hours of downtime before the reception begins. We hope you use a little of that time to enjoy Las Vegas and its surroundings! Here are some of our favorite things to do and places to eat:
Things to Do
The Neon Museum (Downtown, $20–28 per person)
A short 10–15 minute taxi ride from Caesars, the Neon Museum is one of our all-time favorite places in Las Vegas. The open-air neon boneyard contains restored neon signs from casinos and establishments throughout Las Vegas’s rich history, and can be explored during the day at your own pace ($20), or at night via a guided tour ($28).
Afternoon Tea (The Waldorf Astoria, $58 per person)
The Tea Lounge at the Waldorf Astoria is one of our favorite escapes from the often chaotic energy of Las Vegas. Located on the 23rd floor, the Tea Lounge offers gorgeous views of the Las Vegas Strip, with a wide selection of delicious teas, scones, finger sandwiches, and pastries. The full afternoon tea costs $58 per person, though smaller a la carte options are also available (and recommended—the full tea service is a lot of food, so make sure you save room for Nobu!).
The Waldorf Astoria is located adjacent to ARIA and Park MGM, and is a short taxi ride from Caesars, though we usually access it by walking through Bellagio to the tram; the ARIA stop takes you very close to the Waldorf, and the entire trip takes about 30 minutes.
The High Roller (The LINQ, $23.50+ per person)
If you’ve never been to Las Vegas or are looking to fill a little extra time, the High Roller observation wheel is worth a visit. For $23.50 per person before 5 PM or $34.75 per person after, you’ll spend 30 minutes inside a glass observation ball as it makes a leisurely rotation that tops out at 550 feet, offering fantastic views of Las Vegas and its surroundings.
Qua Baths & Spa (Caesars Palace, $35 and up)
The spa at Caesars Palace is a great option for anyone looking for a truly restful weekend afternoon. Access to the spa starts at $35, and treatments range in price (be warned, they can get costly!). Book early, as reservations go fast.
The Pool (Caesars Palace, free for hotel guests)
The Garden of the Gods pool area at Caesars Palace contains 7 beautiful pools, and is a great place to spend a warm afternoon in the desert. Cabanas are available to reserve for large groups.
Places to Eat
Nobu and Yardbird (the locations of our reception and Sunday brunch, respectively) are two of our all-time favorites, but there’s no shortage of excellent dining in Las Vegas. The restaurants below are all outstanding, though they are listed in a rough “can’t miss” order.
Best Friend by Roy Choi (Park MGM, LA-style Korean Street Food)
If you have time for another dinner during your stay, make it Best Friend. Sincerely, this is an experience not to be missed. Everything about Best Friend is loud, pure fun; if you like Korean food (even a little), you owe it to yourself to go. Just order the chef’s menu and don’t ask questions.
Estiatorio Milos (The Venetian, Greek)
Delicious Greek cuisine, especially the seafood. If you’re looking for a light meal, the Greek Spreads and the Milos Special make a lovely combination (and don’t sleep on the Greek yogurt for dessert, Kythirian honey is no joke).
Hell’s Kitchen (Caesars Palace, American)
Four words: Gordon Ramsay’s Beef Wellington. Have it as a half portion (note: not small) in the lunch prix fixe with a Caesar salad to start and sticky toffee pudding for dessert (or have a full portion at dinner time, and pair it with the seared scallops).
La Pizza e La Pasta (Eataly at Park MGM, Italian)
Whether you choose la pizza or la pasta, you can’t go wrong. If you don’t have time for a proper sit-down meal, Eataly also has a fancy-pants Italian food court of sorts with a la carte items available most of the day.
Bavette’s Steakhouse & Bar (Park MGM, Steak & Seafood)
This Chicago-classic steakhouse manifests as a 1920s-style speakeasy at Park MGM. The steaks are excellent, but so is the baked crab cake, and—controversially—the house bread, which may just be worth filling up on a little. (Some appetizers come with bread, so if they ask if you want to skip the ordinary bread service… yeah don’t.)
Chica (The Venetian, Modern Latin)
Chica is a sister restaurant to next-door Yardbird, and does for Latin American cuisine what Yardbird does for southern. I’m a fan of the Cubano sandwich, and if you happen to stop in when they’re serving brunch (perhaps on a future visit), get the buñuelos and thank me later.
Lago (Bellagio, Italian Tapas)
Lago is a great lunch and brunch spot, with beautiful views of the Bellagio fountains. The small plates are super shareable, so order a few; if you want something all to yourself, the agnolotti is a great option.
Spago (Bellagio, Californian)
Spago was the first celebrity restaurant to open in Las Vegas nearly 30 years ago, and its current incarnation at the Bellagio dishes up cuisine on par with its famous Beverly Hills location. If they offer truffles on any of your dishes, go for it (they will do an abundantly silly presentation with a bell jar, do your best to keep a straight face and just focus on how delicious it tastes).
Julian Serrano Tapas (ARIA, Spanish Tapas)
One of the best options when dining with a group of mixed hunger levels (or palates), the eclectic Spanish menu at Julian Serrano is full of delicious and authentic shareable tapas. I would humbly submit the Iberico ham, stuffed dates, pulpo a la gallega (octopus), and albondigas (tenderloin meatballs) for your consideration.
Lemongrass (ARIA, Thai)
Lemongrass serves solid Thai food and pan-Asian staples, but one of its biggest assets (with no disrespect intended) is that it’s open late—until 11 PM on weeknights, and 1 AM Fridays & Saturdays. It’s probably some of the best food you can get on the Strip past 10:30 PM, and is a near constant feature of our Friday night arrivals in Vegas. The chicken satay, pot stickers, pad see ew, sesame chicken, and pineapple fried rice are crowd favorites.