Bring chains before driving up Mount Charleston in winter

On the first Friday of each month, the 18b Arts District turns into a free street festival along Boulder Avenue and First Street, with 100 or more artists, 20 or more food trucks, live painting and a main stage. It has run since 2002. Go around early evening to see artists setting up, then drift to galleries that stay…

El Cortez opened in November 1941 and is on the National Register of Historic Places, a block from the Fremont Street Experience on East Fremont. It is one of the oldest casino hotels in the city and its hotel mix includes an Original 47 room set. Staying here puts you in Fremont East and an easy walk from bars and…

Myron's is the 240-seat cabaret room at The Smith Center in Symphony Park, near downtown. Where the main hall hosts touring shows, this smaller room books singers, jazz and cabaret acts, with calendars full through late 2026. Check the schedule, pick a night and book a table, since the room is intimate and tickets…

Downtown Container Park on Fremont East is built from more than 40 shipping containers and holds local shops, food stops and an event stage. Look for work by local artists at the Art Box, and watch the calendar for market nights where 20 or more local vendors sell handmade goods, fashion and art. Come in the afternoon…

Three murals by Shepard Fairey, D*Face and Faile cover the North Tower of the Plaza Hotel and Casino downtown, each about 21 stories tall. They were unveiled in 2017 for the Life is Beautiful festival. Step back several blocks along Main Street or Fremont Street to fit a full mural in the frame, and shoot in the light…

Springs Preserve is a 110-acre campus west of downtown with the Origen Museum, a Mojave botanical garden, Boomtown 1905, a streetscape of early Las Vegas, and 3.6 miles of trails. The Nevada State Museum sits on the same grounds and admission is through the Preserve. A seasonal butterfly habitat runs from early…

The Mob Museum fills the former 1933 federal courthouse and post office on Stewart Avenue, steps from Fremont Street. The restored second-floor courtroom hosted a 1950 Kefauver hearing on organized crime in casinos. Buy tickets online to skip the line, since the museum recommends it, and allow about two and a half…

Taxis in Las Vegas are not meant to be flagged on the street, and cabs generally will not stop for you. Use the taxi line outside your hotel or casino, usually near the valet or main entrance. Away from hotels, ask a shop or bar to call a cab or use a ride app. Some cabs with a red plaque on the rear fender are…