The Lowdown on Las Vegas Nightlife

In the town that loves drinking, bar-hopping (choose between martini, beer, oxygen, cigar, bikini, singles, vodka bars and more), and casinos at every turn, you’ll find that Las Vegas nightlife has options for everyone. Take your pick of casino lounges, shows, restaurants, you name it and you’ll find an entertainment option of your choice. Most of the top dining options have fun-filled, party or even disco-like atmospheres as well as after-hours clubs. The Las Vegas nightlife scene wouldn’t be complete without beefy tourists and overly excited businessmen oogling cocktail waitresses and topless dancers, making for superb people watching for onlookers who choose a different type of view.

Heavily made-up divorcees lightly tap their long, painted nails while draped over bar stools in the lounge or piano bar of their choice. This is the typical (or was) picture of nightlife in Las Vegas. But the scene has changed into one of infinite possibilities, and the Strip now has a more modern, glamorous image that attracts a younger, trendier crowd of tourists who are fashion-forward and trendsetting. You’ll also find corporate executives of both sexes making eyes at each other in sleek microbreweries and edgy cigar bars. College frat boys and sorority girls along with their graduated, first-job, 20-something seniors, come to Vegas too, fists of rent-money cash in hand. The bass-thumping, flashing lights and music of the dance clubs, bars, and strip clubs have a risque feel that tourists of all ages seek out.

The club scene in Las Vegas used to be more sock-hop than hip-hop, but over the past few years, Las Vegas nightlife has taken on a new, trendier vibe that reveals that of New York and even Los Angeles. Casinos have actively been recruiting famous socialites and night-life influencers, along with flashy club promoters and international superstar DJs.

Venue-wise, the options are endless…and varied! New York-New York replicated Manhattan’s Coyote Ugly bar, where cheeky female bartenders perform sexy dance routines on bar tops. The Bellagio’s Hyde Nightclub is a popular venue as well, with its gorgeous terrace overlooking the famous fountains in front of the resort. It has 10,000 square feet of spectacular space and features sections both indoors and out.

There are also new venues at the Palms to choose from, including Scotch 80 Prime(with its rare and vintage whiskey options), Apex Social Club(with a rooftop 360-degree view of Vegas) and the newest nightlife venue on the strip just opening a few weeks ago. The Palms hotel has been going through construction and maybe the new hot spot once finished.

What will all of these entertainment options cost you? Covers and minimums vary according to the venue and if/what act is performing. Nightclub cover charge range from $40-$100 for men and most women get in free or for a much lesser charge. The strip clubs usually charge around a $20-$40 cover and sometimes have a drink minimum requirement as well, with lap dances running around $20 on average. Thankfully Nightlife Unlocked can offer a free limo pickup and reduced cover at the strip clubs.

Las Vegas nightlife starts later than most places, with 10 pm as the typical norm for starting the party. Most lounges and bars are open 24/7, and liquor laws also allow for 24/7 service, for those who crave a 4 am handle of vodka to keep the after party drinks flowing!

So for those people who still think Vegas is a touristy, family destination, take heed of the city’s catchphrase “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” The nightlife scene looks more like a group of attractive, stylish people seductively dancing together in a sleek nightclub with plans for a raging afterparty at a rooftop pool afterward. Sin is in, and it can be found all over the Las Vegas nightlife scene.