What’s New in Las Vegas in 2023

Las Vegas is always changing and 2023 in Las Vegas will be no different. In this blog, we will walk you through what’s new in Las Vegas for 2023. If you are planning a trip to Las Vegas in 2023, we will let you know what is coming and what you can expect during your Las Vegas 2023 visit.

1. Las Vegas Formula 1 Grand Prix Racing on the Las Vegas Strip

If you have been following Las Vegas news this year, then you will likely already be aware that the Formula 1 Grand Prix is coming to Las Vegas in 2023. Expect massive amounts of F1 promotions, which have already started, to just ramp up even more as we move through 2023.  This is going to be an incredible Las Vegas event in 2023.

Photo credit Formula One

The F1 race will be held November 16th through the 18th  2023. The race’s 3.8-mile track will weave past world-famous landmarks, casinos and hotels along the Las Vegas Strip.  Tickets for the event, as well as packages with Las Vegas casinos, are on sale now. Don’t expect cheap tickets however, as prices are definitely on the high end.  3-Day general admission standing-room only tickets, for example, start at $500.  

2. The MSG Sphere Las Vegas opening and U2

The MSG Sphere in Las Vegas will be the world’s first of its kind, a $2 billion 17,500-seat performing-arts arena that will be among the most technologically advanced entertainment venues in the world. It has been reported that U2 will open the MSG Sphere. U2’s concerts at the venue will be part of a residency that will be spread out over several months and be performed on non-consecutive days.  The official MSG Sphere opening date and U2 performance dates have not yet been announced.

3. Fontainebleau may finally open in 2023

The long-awaited Fontainebleau is scheduled to open sometime in the fourth quarter of 2023. Our fingers are crossed that this long running Las Vegas hotel and casino development effort will in fact be ready by the end of 2023. We are excited to see the Fountainebleau when it does open. The hotel and casino resort will have about 3,700 rooms, a 173,000-square-foot casino and, of course, dining experiences. In addition, Fountainebleau will have over 90,000 square feet of retail space over two levels and will include 35 luxury retail shops.

4. Durango Station – A new Las Vegas local’s hotel and casino

Station Casinos' newest local’s property, Durango Station, has been under construction since early 2022 and is expected to open in the fall of 2023 or early 2024. Durango Station is a $750 million hotel-casino on a 71-acre site in southwest Las Vegas at the 215 Beltway and Durango Drive. The resort will include about 200 hotel rooms, 2,000 slot machines, 46 table games, a sports book, and four restaurants. 

5. Moon Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip? 

We have not heard much news about the so-called Moon Hotel in Las Vegas since late 2021. The initial plans described a $5 billion moon themed hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, with a massive 735-foot-tall moon. The Moon Hotel would become the second tallest building in Vegas and will reportedly be next to Resorts World across from the Wynn/Encore. Canadian company, Moon Based Resorts, has stated that the property will take 4 years to build and that they plan to open in 2027.  We will update you as we learn more throughout 2023. 

6. Las Vegas Loop by Boring Company (AKA the Tesla tunnel)

In 2022, the Las Vegas Loop opened its station at Resorts World providing a direct connection (via underground tunnels Tesla cars) to the Las Vegas Convention Center.  The Las Vegas Review-Journal has reported that they are working to get the Las Vegas Loop operational by February 11, 2024, for the Super Bowl. When complete, the Las Vegas Loop is expected to include a total of 55 stations from downtown to the Las Vegas Strip, Allegiant Stadium, and also the airport.  

7. Brightline West Las Vegas to Los Angeles high-speed rail connection to begin construction in 2023

BRIGHTLINE West says that it is hoping to begin construction on a Las Vegas to LA high-speed rail line next year.  The project is estimated to cost about $8B and would connect Las Vegas to Los Angeles via a route running alongside the Interstate 15 highway, and would include three stations in the high desert and San Bernardino County areas. If work proceeds as planned, the high-speed rail line could open in 2026 or 2027.

8. Taylor Swift at Allegiant Stadium 

Taylor Swift performs at Allegiant Stadium march 24, 25 and 2 shows added/ photo credit Allegiant Stadium

Taylor Swift is performing two nights at Allegiant Stadium in 2023 on March 24th and 25th. Demand for Taylor Swift tickets apparently crashed the Ticketmaster system. Resale tickets as of the date of this video are starting at $450 for upper level seats at Allegiant Stadium (i.e. the “nose-bleed seats”). Other notable artists coming to Allegiant Stadium in 2023 include Ed Sheeran and Pink. 

9. Garth Brooks new 27-show Las Vegas residency

Garth Brooks is coming to Las Vegas in 2023 for a 27-date residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace. The residency called, “Garth Brooks/Plus ONE” will also include Garth’s wife Trisha Yearwood. The residency will begin in May 2023 and continue through December. 

10. Depeche Mode at T-Mobile Arena

Depeche Mode is coming to the T-Mobile Arena on March 30, 2023. The tour will be the group’s first in over five years. It will also be the first tour for Depeche Mode since the death of founding member and keyboardist Andy Fletcher in May of 2022. Resale tickets are currently starting at about $225 and up.  Other notable performers coming to the T-Mobile Arena in 2023 include Muse and Maná.

11. Jerry Seinfeld at Caesars Palace

Jerry Seinfeld will be at Colosseum at Caesars Palace for six shows in Las Vegas beginning in April 2023. Tickets are on sale now and start at about $89. 

12. Beatles LOVE in Las Vegas continuing through 2023 

As previously announced, The Cirque Beatles LOVE show at the Mirage / Hard Rock will continue at least until the end of 2023. We don’t know yet whether LOVE will extend past 2023 but we will share any additional updates as soon as they are announced.

13. The Las Vegas Museum of Illusions at 63 Las Vegas

A Museum of Illusions is coming to Las Vegas. This new attraction will be located on the corner of Harmon Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard at 63 Las Vegas, between the Cosmo and Crystal Shops. The museum, which has already begun construction, will occupy a 15,000 sq. ft. space.  According to reports, the Las Vegas location will be the largest Museum of Illusions built to date and will feature over 70 different exhibits.

14. Emmitt’s Las Vegas at Fashion Show Mall

Emmitt’s Las Vegas has announced plans to finally open at the Fashion Show Mall by early 2023. Emmitt’s is a 30,000 sq ft. restaurant and event venue located at Fashion Show Las Vegas on the Las Vegas Strip. Occupying the former Sugar Factory, Emmitt’s bills itself as “a first-rate destination for fine dining, live concerts, watch parties and other elite events” in Las Vegas.

15. Ocean Prime at 63 Las Vegas

Ocean Prime, a steak and seafood-steak restaurant chain with 17 locations in most major U.S. cities, is investing a reported $20 million to open its 18th restaurant at 63 Las Vegas, the new complex currently under construction between the Cosmopolitan and Shops at Crystals. Ocean Prime will be the anchor restaurant and plans to open in the spring of 2023.

16. Blake Shelton’s Ole Red at Bally’s Bazaar Shops

Blake Shelton’s previously announced Ole Red in Las Vegas will be located in front of Bally's Grand Bazaar Shops at the intersection of the Las Vegas Strip and Flamingo Road. It will feature a four-story music venue and restaurant, with 700 seats, and a rooftop patio with its own music venue.  

17. Las Vegas Buffets – more reopening in 2023?

Wicked Spoon Buffet at the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas

We are big fans of Las Vegas buffets and have been quite frankly disappointed that many of the cheaper buffets (for example, the Station Casino Feast Buffets) and local favorites (such as Studio B at M Resorts) have not reopened. We also had high hopes for the return of the amazing Sterling Brunch at Bally’s but that appears to be permanently closed.

Some of our current favorite buffets in Las Vegas include The Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace, The Buffet at Wynn, The Wicked Spoon at Cosmo, The A.Y.C.E. Buffet at Palms (especially their all you can eat lobster night), the Garden Court Buffet at Main Street Station and the Garden Buffet at South Point.

We will update you throughout 2023, if and when, additional buffets open in Las  Vegas.

18. Major conventions and festivals are back in Las Vegas in 2023

Major conventions are back in Las Vegas and will kick-off 2023 with CES (influential tech conference) on January 5th – 8th at the Venetian Expo. The massive Electric Daisy Carnival, or EDC, that attracts upwards of a half-million festival-goers to Las Vegas Motor Speedway will take place May 19, 20, and 21. Life is Beautiful will be back for its 10-year anniversary September 22-24 spread across 18 Las Vegas city blocks.

These are just a few of the many conventions and festivals coming to Vegas in 2023. 

Quick pro trip: Make sure to be aware of the Las Vegas convention and festival calendar when planning your visit to Las Vegas because major conventions and festivals will bring larger crowds and likely more expensive hotel rooms.

We hope our update of what’s new in Las Vegas for 2023 will help you better plan your Las Vegas 2023 trip. Las Vegas is always an amazing place to visit and Las Vegas 2023 will be no different!

15 Exciting Things Every First Timer Must Do in Las Vegas

If you have never been to Las Vegas, your first time in Vegas is a big deal and knowing what to do during your Las Vegas visit can be confusing. Let’s be honest, it will either make you love Las Vegas or hate it. We want you to love it as much as we do. Even if you’re only spending a day or two in Las Vegas, you want to make the most of your Vegas visit and hit some key bucket list activities.

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That’s why we have put together some of the exciting top 15 things to do in Las Vegas when it’s your first time in Vegas.

The famous Las Vegas Sign on the North end of the Las Vegas Strip

Walk the Las Vegas Strip

For first timers, there is nothing quite like experiencing the energy on the Strip from the people, performers, and the sites, by just walking the Strip, especially the Center Strip area. We recommend that you head out in the early evening, as the sky is transitioning from day to night. It’s always an amazing site seeing the Las Vegas neon lights and skyline really come alive as the sun sets.  

Don’t miss the free Bellagio Fountain and Mirage Volcano shows.

The view of Bellagio Fountains from our corner balcony suite at The Cosmopolitan

We always enjoy watching these iconic free Las Vegas shows and, as first timers, you have got to check them out. The Bellagio Fountain Show is quite a show to behold and includes over a thousand individual fountains all timed to music and lights. The fountains run every 30 minutes from 3:00PM to 8:00PM Monday-Friday, and from 12:00 noon – 8:00PM Saturday, Sunday and Holidays, and runs daily every 15 minutes from 8:00PM through midnight 7 days a week. Quick pro tip, the Paris Eiffel Tower lights will flash in sync with the Bellagio fountains during the show, so, if you see the Eiffel Tower lights flashing like crazy, well, the Bellagio Fountain show is going on, or is about to kick-off!

The legendary Mirage Volcano Show.

While the Mirage Volcano Show is going to eventually be removed given that The Hard Rock Hotel has purchased the iconic Mirage, you should definitely check out this piece of Las Vegas history before it is gone.  The Volcano Show fires on the hour daily 4 times from 8:00PM – 11:00PM during the summer months and from 7:00PM – 10:00PM during the winter months. 

Visit Europe while you explore the Strip

Inside the Venetian Las Vegas

You need to check out the inside of the Venetian and the canals. The artwork and attention to detail will transport you to a different experience, well worth experiencing especially as a first timer. You can take a photo at the famous LOVE sign inside the Venetian, visit Saint Mark’s Square, listen to the gondoliers serenading their guests in the canal. And, after that, head over to Paris and enjoy the view of the Eiffel Tower and perhaps sit down for a crepe inside at a creperie along the Paris street.
Step inside with us and tour the Venetian Right here - FULL REVIEW OF VENETIAN LAS VEGAS

Enjoy the amazing free art displays

The casinos along the Strip also offer some incredible art, right out in the open free for all to see. A couple of our favorites and ones that you should not miss are the blown glass art blossoms on the ceiling in the Bellagio lobby and the intricately carved woolly mammoth tusk in TI (or Treasure Island).  You can even head downtown to really enjoy some of the incredible Life is Beautiful art murals.

Incredible Life is Beautiful Wall Art Mural in Downtown Las Vegas

Don’t miss the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens

The Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens are right across the Bellagio lobby from the front desk. Each season the conservatory is transformed into a new amazing experience and is a must see for first timers in Las Vegas.

Bellagio Las Vegas

Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens Christmas Display

Enjoy brunch or breakfast at one of the great restaurants on the Strip

There are many great brunch spots along the Strip to fit every visitors budget and tastes. Our favorite breakfast and brunch spot on the Las Vegas Strip is at Mon Ami Gabi at Paris, right across the street from the Bellagio Fountains. Mon Ami Gabi is a French bistro with excellent food and some of the best street views along the Strip when you sit outside on their patio.  FULL REVIEW OF MON AMI GABI

Outdoor Patio seating at Mon Ami Gabi at The Paris Las Vegas

A quick pro tip - we highly recommend requesting their patio seating, assuming you have the time to potentially wait a little bit. While you can make reservations for inside seating, you cannot for patio seating. We recommend arriving a bit early and getting your name on their patio waiting list. We have not found the waits all that long, and the outside seating is a special experience, especially for first timers.

Check out a true Las Vegas iconic show from Cirque du Soleil

 Las Vegas is the place to see Cirque du Soleil shows. In our opinion, the Cirque du Soleil shows in Las Vegas are simply better than what you will generally find from their traveling shows in other locations.  There are currently 6 Cirque du Soleil shows in Las Vegas each with different themes and storylines.  

1. O at Bellagio

2. Mystere at TI (Treasure Island) 

3. Michael Jackson ONE at Mandalay Bay 

4. Ka at MGM Grand

5. The Beatles: Love at Mirage, and 

6. Mad Apple at New York - New York

Spend time poolside at your resort pool or at a day club

Las Vegas resort pools and day clubs are legendary and there are options for every type of traveler. If you are looking for the party scene consider some of the popular dayclubs like the Encore Beach Club, Tao Beach Dayclub or the newer AYU Dayclub at Resorts World.  Alternatively, you can enjoy a more relaxing time at your resort pool enjoying a Margherita.  Just a word of caution regarding the Las Vegas Strip food and drink prices poolside, they are very expensive and can be upwards of $30 for a drink. TOP 10 POOLS IN LAS VEGAS

Explore the fascinating history of Las Vegas at the Neon Museum and the Mob Museum Downtown

An easy Uber ride from the Strip, the Neon Museum’s Neon Boneyard is home to many of the iconic neon lights that had lit up the Las Vegas Strip and Downtown in the past. One of our favorites is the famous Stardust sign, which continues to find a home at the museum. If the history of the mob in Las Vegas interests you, check out the Mob Museum downtown near Fremont Street and, if you go, don’t forget to have a drink at the Underground Speakeasy.

Don’t miss the craziness and fun that is Fremont Street

Enjoy the free shows and music, and perhaps soar over Fremont Street like Superman on the Slotzilla zipline. While there, we also recommend that you head over to East Fremont Street by the Container Park to check out the incredible street murals and the fire shooting Praying Mantis.  Perhaps while you are these, you can eat in one of the local hidden gem restaurants in the area.

Downtown Las Vegas on Fremont Street Experience

Visit the Las Vegas Arts District

The Las Vegas Arts District is full of indie art galleries and performance spaces in converted warehouses, and is just a short Uber ride from the Strip.  One of the more popular and coolest venues to check out is the Arts Factory. The Arts District also is home to our favorite BBQ spot in Las Vegas, Soulbelly BBQ so, if you love barbecue, this is even more of a must visit!

Enjoy a special dinner at one of the many great restaurants in Las Vegas

There are many amazing restaurants in Las Vegas and you should treat yourself to a special dinner at one of them. Some of our favorites include classic Las Vegas steakhouses with an old school vibe such as Barry’s Downtown Prime at Circa or Oscar’s at The Plaza, but there are options for everyone. 

Plaza Hotel & Casino Las Vegas

Oscar’s Steakhouse

Oscar's Steakhouse FULL Review

Try some great cheap eats on the Las Vegas Strip

Don’t just eat expensive meals while in Vegas, also save some money and take advantage of some of the best cheap eats on the Las Vegas Strip.  Whether it’s enjoying some tacos at Tacos El Gordo across from Resorts World, late night eats at Istanbul Mediterranean at Bally’s Bazaar Shops, or baby back ribs at Ellis Island, there are cheap eat options for everyone. CHECK OUT OUR TOP 10 LAS VEGAS CHEAP EATS RIGHT HERE

Check out an amazing Las Vegas magic show

Some of the best magicians are resident in Las Vegas and are well worth checking out during your first Vegas visit. Some notable options include: 

1. David Copperfield At MGM Grand

2. Shin Lim At Mirage

3. Penn & Teller At Rio

4. Criss Angel At Planet Hollywood (Mindfreak)

5. Piff The Magic Dragon Show At Flamingo, and

6. Nathan Burton Comedy Magic At Planet Hollywood

Go on an excursion outside of Las Vegas

 If you have time, consider heading outside of Las Vegas to visit some incredible sites such as the Hoover Dam, Valley of Fire, Red Rock Canyon, or even the Grand Canyon. You will never forget your first visit to these national treasures.

Now that you have an amazing list of must do Las Vegas activities for first time Vegas visitors, start planning and have a wonderful time in Las Vegas! Just remember, there is so much to see and do in Las Vegas that it would be impossible to do everything during one quick trip – so you may want to plan multiple trips!

10 Essentials To Prepare For The Best High Altitude Hike

What is it about high altitude hiking that excites those that love hiking? One obvious reason is the incredible view when you're above the world. Your body just feels serene and your mind feels free. The thing is, to get there, you need to be prepared. You need to understand just how hiking at high altitudes can effect your body.

It’s an absolute incredible experience, but being prepared for the environment is essential. So just an FYI, anything between 8,000 feet - 12,000 feet is considered high altitude. Anything between 12,000 Feet - 18,000 feet  is considered Very high altitude and anything above 18,000 Feet is considered Extreme high altitude. ( We are definitely not ready for that…yet! )

Dave and I have hiked for many years, but never have we experienced a hike like our recent, and let me point out, first high altitude hike. 

 We hiked up the beautiful volcano, Nevado de Toluca in Mexico.  The highest peak is 15,345 feet. Now we're headed to the 2 beautiful crater lakes that sit close to 14,000 feet. The larger of the two crater lakes is called Lago del Sol (Sun Lake) and the smaller one, but apparently is deeper is called Lago de la Luna (Moon Lake).

OMG..Let's just say, I REALLY felt the effects of going from sea level to high altitude in one day. 

It’s an absolute incredible experience, but being prepared for the environment is essential.

10 Essentials to Prepare for a high altitude hike.

1. Get Plenty of Rest The Night Before

It's important to give your body the rest it needs to prepare for such a hike.  It's important to get a good night sleep every night, just saying! 

2. Drink Plenty of Fluids

Gatorade is a very good hydration option. It has electrolytes which helps to combat dehydration because it has sugar and electrolytes like sodium and potassium. If you don't like Gatorade you can use the electrolyte tablets called Nuun in your water. They come in many different flavors and they work really well. 

We chose Gatorade. We love Gatorade. The only problem was we packed quite a few bottles which made our backpack pretty heavy. Lesson learned! Might go for the Nüün tablets next time to lighten the load. 

3. You Need to Slowly Acclimate to the High Altitude Levels

We would say this is one of the most important step when trekking up high altitudes. We had an incredible guide that demanded we take our time and ascend slowly. 

Now it might have been easier if it were a multi-day hike. Getting to a certain altitude then resting for the evening at that altitude or slightly lower, which might allow for your body to adapt. 

4. If Hiking Without A Guide, Invest In a Heart Rate & Oxygen Levels Monitor

This  device is called a Fingertip Pulse Oximeter Oximetry Blood Oxygen Saturation Monitor . It measures not only your heat rate but your oxygen levels. We had a guide and she had one of these devices, and all throughout our hike she would take our heart rate and observe our oxygen levels, making sure we were still in the safe zone to continue the hike. 

 It's a very inexpensive device, but in our opinion, it's a small investment for an important device to have on you. 

5. Portable Charger(s)

As travel vloggers, it's really important that we have fully charged devices or at least a portable charger(s) to keep the visuals alive. It would totally suck to be in a beautiful location and NOT be able to capture that moment because you have a dead camera or cellphone. Let's not forget, it's always important to have a charged phone in case of an emergency. 

We had a portable charger with us, which we only used at the end of the hike to refresh our almost dead cellphones.  We did have several extra charged batteries for our camera and gear. So we were pretty stocked. 

We have several but the one we like the most is the Sony CycleEnergy Dual Port. It's light and works very well. Allowing you to charge two devices at once.

These are a few that we have but we love this one the most.

6. Wear and Bring Sunblock

It's SOOOO important to cover your body and face in sunblock if you're doing a high altitude hike. Preferably a broad spectrum high SPF. You do realize your that much closer to the sun. Dave wore shorts and did put sunblock on his face and hands but totally missed his legs and back of his neck and he really got sunburned. Even his scalp was a bit sun burnt. 

So any part of your body that's not covered up should be lathered in sunblock. Perhaps even your scalp. Although, it might be a little weird and feel very greasy. You could wear one of those cool, or to some, not so cool hats, like the one Dave has, but didn't wear that day. He has am Original Outback Oilskin called 'Willis with Mesh hat that he picked up at Outback Trading Co.

This is Dave's hat. 

7. Bring Snacks and Lunch

Bringing things like a candy bar, or gummy bears,  a banana, or whatever sugar works for you, and of course lunch is important. Things that are rich in carbohydrates can really help reduce the risk of high altitude sickness. This definitely helped me. 

8. Bring Something Warm and a Windbreaker

I wore layers which for one helped so I didn’t have to pack it in my already stuffed bag. The thing is you don't know what to expect at high altitude. It could be pretty windy and the temperatures could be cold. So having those extra layers might be just the ticket to keep you happy. 

9. Bring Toilet Paper and a Small Trash Bag

What was interesting in Mexico. This was before we started the hike. We stopped at a gas station market to pick up a few snacks and while there we wanted to use the restroom. They actually charge you for toilet paper. This seemed to be common at a few places. So BYOTP (Bring Your Own Toilet Paper).

Now on the mountain, it's just you and nature. You're going to have to use the bathroom along the way. I had to use it like a million times. I was staying hydrated along the hike and I had to go. Also, there's just something about the high altitude that just makes a girl have to go. So thank goodness, Dave packed the toilet paper. 

10. Go Make Some Awesome Memories

Now that we gave you some awesome tips, we want you to just enjoy the thrill. Enjoy mother nature at her finest. Embrace the experience and make some lasting memories. 

It's taking amazing trips like this that brings Dave and I so much closer. 

If you're planning on doing a high altitude hike, we'd LOVE to hear where you're adventuring off to. Let us know in the comments below. We'd love to get some ideas to add to our upcoming travels.  Also, if you're interested in any of the great that we're wearing just click the link.

We are not sponsored by any of the products we mentioned. It's strictly our opinion, and products we enjoy using. The links attached to the items listed are affiliate links. We only use links of products we like and enjoy. If you like to try the items we suggest, please use the attached links. This helps keep us on the road. Thank you!