Everyone comes to Las Vegas, sees the huge signs for the newest restaurant, the newest club, the newest bar, and always probably wonder to themselves where those “in the know” go. While sometimes the hottest, sexiest place for those with money or connections is in fact the huge flashy club being advertised on the billboard, it’s often places and locations that you’d never consider, where both the cool kid, the fantastic artists and even the king makers come together and chat. Here’s six wonderful places you might never have known about, let alone have visited in Las Vegas
Get Titillated at the Burlesque Hall of Fame
520 Fremont Street, #120 Las Vegas, NV 89101 (MAP)
The seductive art of risqué dancing has always been associated with back smoky rooms, guys with money making deals, while watching Betty swing her appropriately covered twins. Founder Dixie Evans, known as the “Marilyn Monroe of Burlesque” died in 2013, but her legacy continues with a board of experts and fans of Burlesque that ensure anyone over 18 can enjoy thousands of historical costumes from the an art form that has never really died. While it’s free to visit, donations are appreciated.
Who you will met: Sexy Burlesque fans and curious tourists.
Eat Secret Pizza Slices Reserved for Locals
3708 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109 (MAP)
No one is quite sure if the Cosmopolitan’s Secret Pizza joint was planned, or one of the mega-resort’s designers had a coke-binge one weekend and added a secret corridor with no signs for one of the best pizzas in Las Vegas. Located between a glass elevator and the sushi joint, you can see guys who probably were just shipped in from Brooklyn, throw pizza in the air like a pro. The pizza just isn’t fun to watch being made, but it is amazingly tasty, crispy and perfect to hold slightly bent and folded like a boy from Brooklyn. Who you will meet: Drunk tourists who thought hallway led to bathroom and hot clubbers pigging on pizza.
Brings Kids to Shipping Containers and Get Amazing Chocolate
707 Fremont St, Las Vegas, NV 89101 (MAP)
If you’re looking for something really fun for the kids, plus a little bit of an escape from the strip, come downtown to the Downtown Container Park. Made from a bunch of shipping containers, this unique little shopping area features a fire-breathing praying mantis that guards the entrance. When inside there is an one-of-a-kind interactive play area for kids that includes a life-sized treehouse that you can climb with your kids after taking in lunch and shopping a little. While there find the best chocolate store in Las Vegas, and one of the best on the West Coast. JinJu Chocolates is owned by award winning Master chocolatier Jin Caldwell, who supplies some of the top hand Chocolates to some of the best Casinos in Las Vegas. Who you will meet: Young Downtown families and Zappos Employees.
Find an Oasis in the Desert at Las Vegas Springs Preserve
333 S Valley View Blvd, Las Vegas, NV, 89107 (MAP)
Just three miles away from downtown Las Vegas, is the Las Vegas Springs Preserve, a 180 acre nature preserve and museum that is owned and operated by the Las Vegas Water District. With over 300 interactive exhibits, it’s a learning experience both for children and parents. Two indoor air-conditioned galleries contain exhibits that tell the story of Las Vegas past, present and future and introduce a menagerie of the live bats, foxes, snakes, spiders and lizards that call the desert home.
Who you will meet: Kids and Families, and lots of desert creatures.
Play with Lions at the Lion Habit Ranch
382 Bruner Ave, Henderson, NV 89044 (MAP)
40 Lions hang out in this nine acre ranch just 12 miles from the Las Vegas Strip. Right behind the M resort in Henderson, visitors can get up close and persona with them, and even watch them be fed raw meat.Most of the Lions (or their descendant) come from the MGM Grand Lion Habitat that closed in 2011, leaving them with no place to go. You can upgrade to a private guided tour and get behind-the-scenes special treatment from the trailers.
Who you will meet: Everyone, especially Men on Tinder.
Drink with Local Legends at the Golden Tiki
3939 Spring Mountain Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89102 (MAP)
While barely even 6 months old, the Golden Tiki is becoming the place where local legends of Vegas come to chat it up and relive the last amazing few decades. Owned by legendary raver producer, and local self-proclaimed “weirdo” Branden Powers, this bar is so strange and unique that Eater Las Vegas’ Editor Susan Stapleton called it “the most interesting bar in Las Vegas.” Whatever is happening there, it’s full of secrets that everyone from a sexy limo driver named Gonzo Jenny to local columnist Corey Levitan comes there to unload the contents of their day.
Who you will meet: Long time locals sharing where bodies are buried.
[supsystic-gallery id=’25’ position=’center’]
