What to eat, see and do in Las Vegas for first time visitors

It's the unofficial entertainment capital of the world - and now sport is also taking over Las Vegas.

Still on a high from the Superbowl and F1, the American city will see the Aussie NRL launch its season this weekend at the city's Allegiant Stadium.

City marketing people have even invented a new tag line.

No more is it "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" but "What happens here only happens here."

If you're inspired to go, here are our top tips and must do's on a first trip to Vegas.

COMPETITION: Win a $15,000 cruise holiday to see the Northern Lights

Visit the epic hotels

Vegas hotels are not your normal lodgings

While usually you'd rarely venture inside a hotel unless you were staying there, in Vegas, they do everything they can to get you through the door.

Of course that's because of the casinos which are huge and abundant.

But you do not have to be a gambler to have a great time.

Checking out as many of the mammoth hotels as possible is a must-do on a first visit. They're situated along 'The Strip', the almost 7km-long main street, AKA Las Vegas Boulevard.

Each is packed with restaurants, bars, shopping malls and other attractions from rollercoasters to exhibitions.

You must not miss the Venetian which has its own recreation of the Italian city complete with gondola rides. After that venture to Paris - Paris Las Vegas that is - for all things French.

READ MORE: The ultimate desert island 'holiday' with no shelter or running water

A scale replica of the Eiffel tower will guide your way, while once inside you can even hang out at celeb reality show restaurant Vanderpump À Paris.

Also pop inside the iconic Caesar's Palace and classy Bellagio - famous for the fountains.

Seen in films such as Oceans 11, they 'perform' from every 15 minutes or half an hour from 3pm on weekdays, 12 noon on Saturday and 11 am on Sunday and will likely bring a lump to your throat.

Go Clubbing

The hottest club of the moment is XS at the Wynn.

It's where Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce partied after the Superbowl.

For daytime raving check out the pool parties.

Wet Republic at the MGM and Tao Beach at the Venetian are popular.

View gallery

Qantas revamps in-flight freebies and menu ahead of Paris Olympics

If you want to combine sport and drinking head to Circa's Stadium Swim.

It's a sports bar where you can watch the action from the multiple pools.

Eat your way around the city

From lavish meals at celeb chef restaurants to fast food, Vegas has it all.

The famous Vegas buffets offer pretty much every kind of dish you could dream about on offer for a one-off price.

However they're not as affordable as they used to be, so if you're not a big eater, think carefully before splashing out.

READ MORE: Flight crew demand passengers pay for special meals

This biggest is Caesars Palaces' Bacchanal Buffet which has no less than 250 items and costs $100 for brunch.

Vegas is also famous for steakhouses.

Current top rated on Tripadvisor is Edge Steakhouse at the Westgate.

Other must-eats include the Trash Can Nachos at Guy Fieri's Vegas Kitchen and Bar at The Linq, for $38.

There's even a branch of cult bakery Milk Bar at the upscale Cosmopolitan hotel. Taylor Swift celebrated her most recent birthday with a cake from the NYC branch.

Venture Downtown

While once a bit of a no-go spot, the downtown area of Vegas has had an overhaul.

While still a bit seedy in parts, here you can try out some of the most local bars such as the hip Velveteen Rabbit and Atomic Liquors, the pub the where nuclear scientists used to hang out while setting off bombs in the desert.

It's also home to the Fremont Street Experience which features a canopy of 49 million lights.

READ MORE: Virgin Voyages axes second Australia season

You can even scream as you fly down the 11-storey high SlotZilla Zipline along the street.

Area 15 is also in this area. Dubbed an 'immersive' entertainment hub it includes Meow Wolf's Omega Mart which is a zany supermarket-come-art installation.

The Neon Museum is also a really interesting outdoor attraction which will educate you on the city's history via its mammoth old neon signs.

It's a great Instagram spot.

See a show

British songstress Adele might have postponed her latest gigs, but other acts currently resident in Vegas include Australia's own Kylie Minogue as well as pop queen Christina Aguilera and legendary crooner Barry Manilow.

Irish band U2 are headlining the new space-age venue the Sphere - which also has the 50 minute immersive film Postcards from Earth to see.

Then the are the renowned Cirque De Soleil shows and magic from the likes of David Copperfield.

Leave Las Vegas

You can take a helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon, or if you're not into flying you can visit it on a bus tour.

It takes about four hours to drive to the south rim.

Closer desert spots to visit include Red Rock Canyon.

Get married

If you want a fuss free wedding, this writer tied the knot in Vegas last year.In 2022, 80,000 couples got married there.

Other things to know

The Strip area is very walkable. There is also a monorail but coverage is not that extensive.

Ubers and taxis are easy to get.

If you hire a car beware - parking isn't always free and you don't really need one.

Meanwhile, Vegas hotels often add on 'resort fees' on top of the bill. You might have to pay these extra nightly fees when you check out.

READ MORE: How to visit Paris on the cheap

Save money on hotels by avoiding the weekends when prices usually shoot up. You can take kids to Vegas but under 21's can't go in the casino areas or to bars.

If you want to get away from the crowds choose a hotel without a casino.