1. Best Nevada Casinos Outside Las Vegas
2. Best Casinos Outside Of Las Vegas
3. Las Vegas Off Strip Resorts
4. Top Resorts Outside Of Vegas
5. Casinos Outside Of Las Vegas

The Hacienda casino is a quaint hotel and casino situated just outside Las Vegas in the small town of Boulder City, Nev. Dine on-site at one of four restaurants that including a large buffet with a. Neither may be new, but they’re getting more publicity than usual, in part because there’s not much happening outside of people driving into Las Vegas for the weekend and getting wild. Las Vegas casinos are still reopening. Most, but not all, Las Vegas casinos reopened in June. Park MGM, Planet Hollywood and Tropicana all recently reopened. New Englanders flock to the 2 cities in Connecticut with casinos on a regular basis to. Hopefully, you will allow me a little liberty on defining “near the Strip” since Fremont.

February 16, 2021 update:

It’s been a slow roll for Las Vegas since November. After going through various “pauses,” extensions and tight capacity restrictions due to rapidly escalating COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, things may finally be on an upswing. Cases have now decreased and NV Governor Sisolak has laid out a safe reopening plan. As of February 15, the following rules are in effect. These will remain until March 15, when capacity goes up to 50%:

• All restaurants must be capped at 35% capacity. This includes both indoor and outdoor dining. The former rule of required restaurant reservations has been lifted, so walk-ins are allowed. There is a strict limit of 6 persons per table. Some Strip favorites, such as Wicked Spoon buffet at The Cosmopolitan, have temporarily closed so it’s a good idea to check on restaurant status and availability beforehand, as well as secure a reservation due to demand. Note that walk-up and quick-serve places to eat are still operational but with mask and distancing requirements.
• Tourists and locals are required to wear a mask both indoors and outdoors if they are not near-immediate members of their households.
• Capacity for shows is 35% or 100 people – whichever is lower. Many MGM Resorts shows are beginning to re-open, including Brad Garrett Comedy Club, Carrot Top and “Fantasy.” “Piff The Magic Dragon” at Flamingo and “Tape Face” at Harrah’s are continuing.
• Capacity for casinos is 35%.
• For public gatherings and events, 100 people or 35% of fire code capacity (whichever is lower) are allowed. Large Gathering Plans may be submitted for March 1 dates and beyond.
• The following hotels have an adjusted weekday schedule, with many only being open Thursday-Sunday: Encore, The Linq, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, The Park MGM and Planet Hollywood. The Rio recently reopened Thursdays through Mondays only.
• Four Seasons and Delano at Mandalay Bay and NoMad at Park MGM are open all week long. The Palazzo has closed hotel rooms seven days per week for now.
• Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, the former Hard Rock Hotel that had to delay its grand opening due to COVID, has announced it will open March 25.

Sisolak also stated there are plans to transition authority on such restrictions from state level to local level beginning May 1. Nightclubs, adult clubs and day clubs remain closed until May 1, but keep in mind some of these venues are operating right now, but with a sort of watered-down version that may or may not be what you’re looking for. It’s best to contact your venues of choice first.

September 29, 2020

A slow return for Las Vegas

Las Vegas is (very) slowly returning to a place so many love and remember. The latest return to normal is the reopening of all bars. Nevada’s COVID-19 task force recently announced that all Las Vegas bars could reopen for business.

“All bars” is the key part of the key change as the city continues to reopen. Previously, bars that serve food could be open as restaurants. The actual bars remained closed, but the dining tables in the restaurant and around the bars could be used. Now all bars in Las Vegas are allowed to open.

Bars are different in Las Vegas than most cities. These are more than a place to grab a drink. Every casino in Las Vegas has at least one gaming bar. While the returns for video poker and slot machines aren’t the best, easy access to complimentary beverages for players is a large part of the Vegas experience.

Casino bars aren’t the only bars to reopen. Local taverns and bars around Las Vegas are also open, whether or not they serve food. Bartop gaming machines like Buffalo Grand Slots are a massive revenue generator for these venues. While locals mostly frequent bars off the Strip, there are plenty of tourists who enjoy playing the machines outside of the traditional casino environment.

Allowing all bars to be open again will lessen some of the confusion for both tourists and locals. Previously, some bars were open while others were closed or only partially open, with complex reasoning. Additionally, restrictions on the size of gatherings have been loosened.

A Cliff’s Notes guide to what’s open in Vegas

Most visitors come to take advantage of a good room deal, treat themselves to some cocktails and a great meal, take in a show and perhaps gamble. If you need to know what’s open in Vegas, here’s a quick-scan guide:

• Casino capacity limit: Fifty percent of the entire building, including hotel rooms, restaurants, bars and gaming areas. This may be confusing, as hotel room capacity may be greater than 50% of rooms available. However, this doesn’t mean the building is above 50%. Most of the signature properties on the Strip are open, but, for example, Encore is only open for hotel stays Thursdays through Mondays beginning Oct. 19. Additionally, Planet Hollywood just reopened on Oct. 8, and The Cromwell is still closed. Every casino-resort is doing things differently. As for gaming, aside from some social distancing spacing and plexiglass, there will be plenty of options.
• Restaurant capacity limit: Restaurants in Las Vegas are open for both indoor and outdoor dining. Indoor dining must be at 50% capacity. That said, many restaurants on the Strip have chosen to operate at reduced days and hours due to slower demand, if they’re open at all. Some restaurants and bars will take walkup customers and others won’t. Please check with your desired restaurant in advance for the latest information; it might be easier to make a reservation in advance just to be safe.
• Bar capacity limit: Fifty percent of capacity for the room. Again, just because bars can open doesn’t mean your favorite Vegas bar is open. A majority of them are, especially popular ones like Chandelier Bar, but it’s best to check in advance to make sure a bar will be open when you’re looking for where to go. Nightclubs are still closed.
• Show capacity limit: Fifty percent of capacity for the room. While ambient entertainment (by musicians, singers or otherwise) is becoming slightly more prevalent, the good news is Vegas entertainment companies are figuring out how tobring back some signature shows in a safe way.

For those debating whether or not it’s worth it to book a trip to Las Vegas right now, let’s take a look at the status of these openings in more detail.

Vegas is dead … or long live Vegas?!

Casinos reopening in June was just the beginning. Opening all bars is another step forward. Las Vegas returning to the original Sin City that so many people love is still a while away, as with all tourist hub destinations.

Having said that, regional visitors are still driving in to take advantage of cheap hotel rooms and enjoy what the city has to offer. An analyst from JP Morgansaid that Caesars’ Las Vegas properties were at 95% capacity on Labor Day weekend. That’s close to normal without the usual fly-in traffic.

Hotels being busy might sound good, but the revenue generated for each available hotel room in Las Vegas is way down from last year. According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitor Authority (LVCVA), RevPAR (revenue per available room) was down 61.6% in July from the previous year.

Generating $44.37 per room isn’t great, but it’s a start. Much like hotel room occupancy, an increase in hotel room rates should be seen when the LVCVA releases more recent data.

Hotel occupancy in July was particularly low during the weekdays since there was no convention traffic. Midweek occupancy was only 36.9%. Weekends were busier, with 54.4% occupancy rates. While not great, the news from Labor Day weekend is a sign that visitors within driving distance are still visiting Las Vegas while room rates are lower than usual.

Still, Las Vegas isn’t the same with the emerging (and odd) trend of random able-bodied people riding scooters around the Vegas Strip. There has also been some increased crime on the Vegas Strip. Neither may be new, but they’re getting more publicity than usual, in part because there’s not much happening outside of people driving into Las Vegas for the weekend and getting wild.

Las Vegas casinos are still reopening

Most, but not all, Las Vegas casinos reopened in June. Park MGM, Planet Hollywood and Tropicana all recently reopened. The Planet Hollywood casino will operate 24/7, but the hotel will only take weekend reservations from Thursday to Sunday. The property is slowly reopening restaurants. For now, guests might not find their favorite eatery ready when they visit.

Caesars reopened The Linq hotel for weekends to accommodate the high traffic from people driving to Las Vegas for those days. The Cromwell is the only Caesars property on the Vegas Strip that hasn’t reopened yet. Layoffs have hit the Las Vegas casino industry particularly hard.

Most Las Vegas buffets remain closed

Buffets have long been a staple of visiting Las Vegas. That’s not quite the case right now. In fact, buffets may no longer be a Vegas tradition — especially for those who only stay on the Strip.

COVID-19 might have been the beginning of the end for buffets in Las Vegas. Wicked Spoon at the Cosmopolitan — which has always been popular due to its format that involves less self-serving and more small plates — is currently the only buffet open on the Strip.

The Buffet at Wynn has always been one of the more popular ones, and the team behind the scenes had to get creative when opening amid the pandemic. It reopened as an all-you-can-eat concept with waitstaff delivering food. The high price point ($40 for lunch/brunch) and lack of interest in the concept led to Wynn closing the buffet again.

Prior to buffets in Las Vegas closing due to COVID-19, Caesars Entertainment was already discussing closing some or all of its buffets in Las Vegas and around the country. Caesars CEO Tom Reegsays buffets are inefficient and wasteful and casts doubt that buffets will return. Even Station Casinos CEO Tilman Fertitta doubts the future of buffets, saying “Buffets generate traffic, but they were definitely loss leaders.”

Casino operators are reevaluating everything about their business as they reopen. Buffets may not make the cut in a post-COVID-19 casino in Las Vegas.

Smaller, less spectacular entertainment

Las Vegas is an event-driven town. Big concerts, residencies and live sports help make Sin City the entertainment capital of the world. That’s not the case right now. The Las Vegas Raiders played their very first game to an empty Allegiant Stadium.

The capacity limit for gatherings in Las Vegas was only 50 people, but that changed when Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak announced on Sept. 29 that beginning Oct. 1, the number would increase to 250 people max or 50% capacity, whichever is fewer.

Additionally, Sisolak announced that if groups want to hold larger events in larger venues, including indoor entertainment showrooms, they can present a COVID-19 plan with proper protocols and subsequently get approved if it meets a list of strict requirements. This could mean some shows will come back sooner rather than later. Not coincidentally, MGM Resorts already has a public plan for meetings and conventions.

It’s going to take some time before the biggest and most popular forms of entertainment return to Las Vegas to play in front of thousands of fans.

Some entertainment in Las Vegas exists, but it is much less spectacular than visitors may be used to. While arenas and theaters are closed, there are more intimate forms of entertainment. Supper clubs like Rose.Rabbit.Lie at the Cosmopolitan and Mayfair at Bellagio continue to bring some entertainment to guests eating dinner.

Lounge acts like “Big Elvis” Pete Vallee at Harrah’s perform for relatively modest-sized crowds around Las Vegas. The Cosmopolitan is beginning to have bands perform at one of its hidden lounges, Barbershop Cuts & Cocktails. Caesars recently reopened a handful of smaller shows like Absinthe. MGM Resorts will reopen shows like Carrot Top for up to 250 people in November.

This is all ambient entertainment from people singing or playing an instrument far from the crowds (in which people are six feet apart.) The slow return of real robust entertainment is part of the long road back to Las Vegas becoming the vacation destination so many remember.

Spas, salons and pools are open

Social distancing is in effect throughout the state of Nevada. In Las Vegas, guests stand six feet from one another at the Bellagio conservatory and botanical garden display. Gamblers are separated by plexiglass at the table games inside of the casino. With that in mind, it might come as a surprise to many visitors that spas and salons are open.

Visitors to Las Vegas can enjoy massage treatments at a spa or get their hair and nails done in the salon. Larger spa companies like Canyon Ranch at The Venetian detail health and safety protocols online.

Not all spas and salons in Las Vegas casinos are open yet. Caesars Palace and Paris Las Vegas are the only two Caesars Las Vegas properties with open spas and salons. And the amenities are open for limited hours. The company details its health and safety plan for spas, salons and pools along with the other amenities at its properties.

Pool parties never opened this year. Some dayclubs reopened with mellow, reimagined concepts. Hotel pools are also open. Guests must wear a mask and remain socially distanced from others outside of their travel party before getting into the water.

Weekdays are slower than ever

There are two different Las Vegas experiences. The weekends (Thursday-Saturday) have always been when most tourists visit to party. Meanwhile, weekdays (Sunday-Thursday) are a bit more chill, with mostly business travelers in Las Vegas for meetings and conventions.

This remains the case as Las Vegas continues to reopen; however, there’s a major difference during the weekdays. Tourists continue to drive in for weekends, but the slow days during the week are much slower than usual.

The 50-person capacity limit has brought conventions, conferences and meetings to a screeching halt. For reference, according to the LVCVA, 0% of all guests in Las Vegas were visiting for a convention in July. With Sisolak largely lessening restrictions on gatherings beginning Oct. 1, perhaps some meetings, conventions and events can be preserved within the next year.

Hotel room capacity is much lower from Sunday through Thursday. Some venues and amenities aren’t even open during the weekdays. The two Caesars spas and salons are only open on the weekend. Restaurants at casinos all over Las Vegas might have reduced days and hours. All in all, if you want to visit and get the most out of your trip, come on the weekends, as this is when the majority of venues are open.

Less smoke in the casinos

Everyone inside of a casino must wear a mask. That makes it difficult but not impossible for guests to smoke. In a move to help reduce possible transmission of COVID-19 by smokers, the Cosmopolitan recently banned smoking in public walkways and resort corridors.

That sounds like a bigger deal than it really is. Guests can still smoke in the following locations:

• Sportsbook
• Video poker and slot machines
• Table games with plexiglass barriers
• Lounges

Think of this as a baby step to help keep some staff and guests healthy and safe.

The Cosmopolitan’s efforts to reduce smoking are dwarfed by those at one MGM Resorts property. Park MGM and NoMad Las Vegasreopened as the only 100% nonsmoking property on the Vegas Strip. Unlike at the Cosmopolitan, no smoking is allowed anywhere inside the property. Smokers can walk across the street to get some fresh air and smoke outside at The Park.

There have been rumors of more casinos following one of the two properties’ smoking policies, but nothing has been announced yet.

The Las Vegas Strip is nothing short of a marvel where ingenuity, creativity, and innovation are combined with a lot of money and a huge electric bill. The end result is a place that would be called the most magical place on Earth if Disney wouldn’t sue over copyright laws.

In all seriousness, there are few places in the world that can rival the blend of excitement, cuisine, entertainment, shopping, and crazy cocktails that one finds on the Las Vegas Strip. It’s like a one-stop shop for everything you ever wanted (whether you knew it or not).

Still, the Strip isn’t the only place where one can find similar excitement, cuisine, shopping, etc. Las Vegas, and indeed the entire state of Nevada, is filled with casinos doing their best to offer the same thrills as you would find on the Strip, usually at a fraction of the cost.

Best Nevada Casinos Outside Las Vegas

Therefore, next time you’re in Las Vegas, feel free to spend plenty of time on the Strip, but don’t be afraid to explore. Who knows what excitement you might find?

1 – Golden Nugget

Hopefully, you will allow me a little liberty on defining “near the Strip” since Fremont Street in Las Vegas isn’t exactly a long distance away. Still, the whole point is to remind Vegas vacationers that there are places to go outside the relatively narrow confines of the Strip and that there are plenty of good reasons to do so.

One of the best places one can go off the Strip is the Golden Nugget. If you harken back to the Las Vegas of olde, more than likely, you’ll be thinking about the Golden Nugget. This fine casino used to be the place to go when you want to gamble in the desert and is steeped in the history of the city.

Part of being steeped in Las Vegas history is the fact that the Golden Nugget has really kept up its charm. While Fremont street has been cleaned up and is a much nicer place to spend time than it was a decade ago, it has the Golden Nugget to really class it up with golden façade, modern décor, and all the touches you expect from a hotel on the Strip.

What you don’t expect are Golden Nugget prices, which don’t appear to have changed too much in the course of Vegas history. For instance, you want a room for less than 60 bucks? Stay at the Golden Nugget, because you can find it there.

Of course, it lacks some of the chic finish of newer casinos, but at the end of the day, it’s a great place. The Golden Nugget offers unique character at a decent price. For many, that is perfectly golden.

2 – Buffalo Bill’s Hotel and Casino

If you’re in Las Vegas, you have a car, and you love rollercoasters along with your gambling, get in your vehicle and head south. After a few hours, you will arrive in Primm, Nevada, near the California border. It’s home to the Buffalo Bill’s Hotel and Casino and the Desperado roller coaster.

Desperado was declared the tallest rollercoaster in the world in 1996, and it offers riders the opportunity to make crazy faces while experiencing 80 mph speeds. All of this is to be experienced while traveling around the casino and hotel and going high enough to clearly be able to see into California.

For some, that roller coaster is enough of a reason to make the drive to Primm. For others, they may be looking for the additional thrill of doing some gambling. Fortunately, Buffalo Bill’s offers a range of casino games, card games, and a lot of slot machines. It also offers room rates at some of the lowest prices in Nevada, a full spa, and seven restaurants.

Buffalo Bill’s is definitely an out-of-the-norm venue. For some, the drive to Primm might be a bit much. For those who make the journey, they are in for an experience they won’t soon forget.

3 – Railroad Pass Hotel, Casino and Travel Center

Best Casinos Outside Of Las Vegas

Railroad Pass Hotel, Casino and Travel Center is the spot of Nevada’s oldest licensed running casino. Started in 1931, Railroad Pass sits between Henderson, Nevada, (a suburb of Las Vegas) and Boulder City. It can be seen clearly on the drive from Las Vegas to Hoover Dam and is a great place to stop for a meal if you are driving rather than taking a tour.

Part of the reason it’s such a great place to stop for food is the Iron Rail Café, one of three places to get food at Railroad Pass Hotel. The Iron Rail Café is open 24 hours a day, seven days per week and offers a menu that could easily be called diner food at prices that make the drive from Las Vegas worth it.

These prices include $12 for a prime rib dinner, $16 T-bones, burgers for less than $7 and pancakes for less than $4.50. At some level, one wonders how they are able to maintain these prices. At another level, it’s probably best not to think about that and just enjoy the food.

On top of the cheap eats, rooms can be found for less than $60 a night and there’s enough gaming action to keep anyone occupied. This is another nice, out-of-the-way spot that can be a great place to do some gambling away from the sharks and the crowd.

4 – Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa

Located roughly 10 miles from the Strip (roughly a 20-minute car ride), you will find the Red Rock Casino Resort and Spa. It’s hard to describe the Red Rock, but in many ways, it is a microcosm of the entire Vegas experience in one area. There’s shopping, gaming, luxury, and food. The only thing missing is proximity to the Strip.

Still, for the owners of the Red Rock Casino, that’s not a bad thing. They look at their casino as a place where travelers go when they are still interested in the glamour of Las Vegas without having to deal with the hassles of the Strip.

Therefore, next time you want something different, check out the sportsbook, the 70 table games, and nearly 3,000 slot machines. Next time you want something different, try Red Rock, especially after it has recently undergone a $35 million-dollar upgrade, the goal of which was to keep it the premier off-Strip hotel in the Las Vegas area.

5 – Green Valley Ranch Resort

Green Valley Ranch Resort in Henderson, Nevada is about eleven miles and twenty minutes by car away from the Las Vegas Strip. However, when you step foot into the Mediterranean-themed resort hotel, the Strip could be hundreds of miles away and you won’t care one bit.

The calling card of the Green Valley Ranch Resort is luxury. Its pools look as nice or nicer than anything you would find on the Strip. The eight restaurants offered on site feature a wide variety of different flavors and options, including the ubiquitous Las Vegas buffet. Plus, there is a full spa and salon, entertainment venue, movie theatre, etc.

There’s also gaming, too, because this is a resort and casino. With the Green Valley Ranch, there are numerous ways to gamble: slots, poker, bingo, sports betting, etc. The Green Valley Ranch really is everything one would need from the Vegas experience, just away from the Las Vegas crowds and away from the Strip.

Also, did we mention shopping? The Green Valley Ranch offers The District, a shopping and dining area with a good mix of upscale stores, family friendly shops, and everything in between.

What makes the Green Valley Ranch the most impressive is the off-Strip pricing. Rooms can be found on sale for less than $100 per night, which makes it the perfect mix of upscale accommodations and price.

Conclusion

Las Vegas Off Strip Resorts

This list scratches the surface of off-Strip casinos and resorts. Nevada is famous for its gambling, so it’s really no surprise that there would be a lot of places you can go to find a good game or a good hotel that are a little off the beaten path.

Of course, all of this is not to say that there’s anything wrong with the Strip. I love spending time there and marveling at what the casinos have built. On the other hand, I’m not always the biggest fan of paying prices on the Strip. That’s why it’s refreshing to be able to board a shuttle or get in my rental car and explore the options that exist around Las Vegas.

Top Resorts Outside Of Vegas

Ultimately, I encourage you to do the same. Just don’t blame me when you suddenly decide you’d rather stay off the Strip in a place that’s just as nice.

Casinos Outside Of Las Vegas

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