What to do, where to stay, and where to eat in Las Vegas

No city in the world has the power to transform itself like Las Vegas, a sales-savvy amusement park that unapologetically changes themes whenever it likes. When entertainment revenue began to eclipse gambling proceeds in the 90’s, the city’s marketing gurus declared it the ultimate family destination. When celebrity chefs moved in, it became the world’s culinary hot spot. Its nightclubs, once borrowed from more cosmopolitan cities like Los Angeles and New York, now serve as the nightlife templates for the rest of the country. And then there’s the new (but already iconic) skyline, a four-mile stretch of neon and borrowed architecture. But beyond the Strip, an entire city exists. This is where to find some of Vegas’s most transformative experiences: the mammoth new Las Vegas Springs Preserve, legendary local restaurants like Lotus of Siam, and events like First Friday, when gritty downtown turns into a giant art party.