I love Las Vegas, but it's been 20 years since I have been there. In 2002-2003 I went to Vegas 5 times but haven't been back since. I know there has been a lot of growth. Knowing how much there is to see in a short time, I would like to have suggestions on what not to miss. Hotels, restaurants, shows, shopping, tattoos, etc. Also, how many days in Vegas is recommended? So much to see and do, but don't want to feel like I stayed too long.

Also, how many days in Vegas is recommended?

Somewhere between zero and one...

Welcome, christine70. I'll be interested in reading more recent posts as it's been about the same time or more since my late DH and I visited. Had you attended any Cirque de Soleil performances? Check for musical acts as well. Looking forward to some positive feedback for you.

We flew into Vegas in December 2021 on a trip to use flight before it ran out of time. We were stunned with the change in highways in the eight or ten years since we had been there. Our trip was to visit Death Valley so our time in Vegas was only to pick up the car and stay the night before an early flight out, so not much to offer on the town itself. It did look like most of the major hotels were still there and the fountains at the Belagio were still lovely.

This will be a shocker than . Just the Las Vegas Boulevard by itself on the Strip...you'll not recognize it. I'd say 20 years ago, the casinos were packed, and the Las Vegas Boulevard was empty. Now, it's the opposite. Do not miss gondola ride in Venetian, fountains in Bellagio and the Paris piano bar.

No, I haven't seen Cirque de Soleil, only the shows they had at the Stratosphere. Viva Las Vegas and Superstars. I did see Elton John at Caeser's Palace which was great! Thanks for the reply.

Thanks andyg5056, I've been to the Venetian but didn't do the gondola rides. I agree the fountains and the floral gardens at the Bellagio are great. Went to the Paris but not the Piano Bar. I will keep that in mind. Do you know anything about all the newer hotels? We always stayed at the Stratosphere because my dad was a pretty big gambling man and that's where his casino host was. We were comped suites and meals, even Elton John tickets, etc so we just always stayed there. I hear it has really went downhill so looking for a new spot.

Christine, kind of like you, I had a big gap in Vegas stays. Been there Last spring, and a couple of months ago, and the last stay was in the Start Hotel. Kids has a soccer turnament and the Start was chosen for cheap rooms AND free parking. Hope you don't rent a car, they will charge you somewhere between $20~40 per night for , get this, a SELF parking! going back to Strat, Id did the job for us, but wouldn't stay there on my own. And, when we were leaving, they were installing self parking entrace/exit gates. Parking may not be free anymore.
Vegas kind of converted from fambling mecca to party destination. Lots of concerts, shoes, sporting events happening around, attracting different than gambling crowd. Onthe weekend, it'll be easier to fing a seat at the blackjack table rather than get a taxi/uber/lift. Sidewalks are packed.
And, since the gambling is not the main destination there, forget about freebies. You'll pay for your drinks in casino as well. Prepare to be nickled and dimed wherever you're at.

I'd try to stay somewhere within walking distance. Or near the Tram station. Like Sahara (newer casino) , next door to the Strat may be a cheaper alternative with the TRAM station on their property. Fairly new, with decent dining options insdie. Loved the Asian restaurant where they make their own fresh noodles).
Also, if yor're in a mood for an crafty but pricy drink, visit The Chandlier inside Comopolitan.

Try to stay mid strip, Bellagio, Mirage, Paris. Etc. We have seen Cirque du Soliel shows “O” and Mystere. Loved both. Friends have seen Terry Fator and said he was terrific.

I prefer a mid-strip location too. I like Nomad which is a boutique hotel that occupies the top 4 floors of the Park MGM (formerly Monte Carlo). The service is very good and they have their own separate pool area in season. For a large casino property the Palazzo is nice and is about as far north as I'll stay.

We saw Mad Apple in December and it was a lot of fun. It's a Cirque du Soleil show but not a traditional one. It has comedy and other variety acts interspersed with acrobatics. The other two Cirque shows I've seen are Michael Jackson One and Mystere. Both were good.

in addition to the already mentioned Cirque du Soleil shows -- The Beatles Love at the Mirage. Great fun.

Thanks for the information. New Sahara next to the Strat? When I was there in 2003 there was a Sahara next to the Strat, and it had the Speed roller coaster that weaved in and out of it. I did hear they tore it down after, so I guess they rebuilt a new one to replace it. Speaking of roller coasters, has anyone gone on any of the rides on top of the Strat? I went on the Big Shot or whatever its called. Back then it was only that one and the roller coaster that went around the outside. Just curious what they are like. Is Freemont Street about the same as it's been?

Freemont is alive and well. There's a new Circa hotel/casino there, it's adult only. unfortunately I didn't have time to go inside and see.
The old Sahara's speed roller coaster was shot down in 2011, so no more. Strat has some, learn about them here:
https://tourscanner.com/s/las-vegas/...tosphere-tower
The Jump is like around $140 now.
There are quite a few of newly build hotels around, like Aria, the Cosmopolitan, Wynn, Circa, Sahara etc. Google it, see what you like and how much you're willing to pay for it. And if you get borred, visit Valley of Fire State Park. Not sure if renting a car is cheaper than booking a tour, depends how many of you will go there. What you pay for the rental, plus parking, may not be worth it anymore.
Valley of Fire thread:
Be prepared to pay few dollars per bottle of water at your hotel. But, the Strip is loaded now with stores like CVS or Walgreens and many fast food places. You can always buy a case of water and bring it to your room.
Also, all those free shows on the Strip you do remember? No more, no Volcano at Mirage, no pirate fights at Treasure Island...

blackjack now pays 6 to 5, not 3 to 2, even on a 7-deck shoe
pay to park
resort fees
buffets are going away
food and drink prices are jacked up, to a silly level in some cases
taxi line at the airport seemed shorter now as a lot of people are using ride share
crime is an issue downtown
i would not stay north of the Wynn
the Rio apparently has become a dump, Circus Circus too, i think
i think the Strat has gone downhill, the neighborhood nearby is bad.
they added some sucker bets on the blackjack and craps tables. Bally's, now named the Horseshoe, changed the craps table layout, iirc it was the come area was smaller and the field area was larger (the casino would prefer you to play the field), and it just looked so wrong..
It might have been more than 20 years since they changed the hard ways payouts (craps), e.g. from 10-to-1 to 10-for-1.

But the big thing is the 6/5 on a blackjack. I could put up with the other money grabs, but that is over the top.

We were there recently to see Adele's show which we really enjoyed. We also saw the Beatles Cirque du Soleil LOVE show which was terrific. A tip for the LOVE show: if you book the cheapest seats we saw that those areas were closed off and those ticket holders were given complimentary upgrades to better seats.

We stayed at the Flamingo as it was relatively cheap and across from Cesar's, where we had tickets to see Adele. However, I am not a Vegas person and we were initially overwhelmed by the noise, lights and crowds in the lobby. The room was fine but I would stay elsewhere next time. We walked through several hotels and I liked the Aria and Palazzo probably because they were the quietest (which may not be what you are looking for) but still seemed well located.

"We stayed at the Flamingo . . . The room was fine but I would stay elsewhere next time. We walked through several hotels and I liked the Aria and Palazzo probably because they were the quietest . . . but still seemed well located"

. . . and both probably charge 2-3 times (or more) what the Flamingo costs.

Yes, janisj, you are likely correct!

I had a similar 15+ year layoff from Vegas until right before the pandemic. I had grown bored with Vegas, but returned in 2019 for a trial "Old Man Trip" with my buddies. We loved it and planned to return, but 2020 got in the way.

I've been back multiple times in the past month for work and here are the main things I've noticed.

1. It's become much more than gambling and partying, though there is certainly still an abundance of that. There's also pro sports now with the F1 race, Knights, Raiders and very likely the Athletics. (Sorry, Oakland. SF may have stolen the Warriors but Vegas ransacked you.)
2. Eating is great, and there are some great local finds off strip, too. Eater Vegas is one of the many available guides that I frequently use.
3. Follow up to above, buffets are getting phased out. Some only have dinner available on weekends. Bacchanal and Wicked Spoon are still great. Food Halls at Resorts World, Aria, Cosmo and Eataly are basically the new thing.
4. Everything is a profit center on the Strip. Comps are data driven in real time these days! There are also multiple malls in between casinos, not to mention the shopping wings within the casinos.
5. Not a change, but in 2019 I discovered hiking in Red Rock and taking day trips to Valley of Fire and silver mines. There's some great outdoor activities.
6. Most strip hotels charge $30-$40 daily resort fee, so even a $15 room can be $50.

I've also brought along my two school aged kids on their first Vegas trip recently and they've indicated they would like to return. Having said all that, I'm hesitant to stay more than three consecutive nights on the Strip unless I'm required to stay for work. As much variety they have on offer, I somehow get bored. For example, I'd break up a week long trip with an overnight to the Grand Canyon or something similar.

Hope this helps!