Where to Go on a Date in Las Vegas This Winter
Thaw out your love life with 15 great date ideas in Sin City.
Winter isn't just sweater weather. It's snuggle weather. So put down the phone, brave the cold temperatures and hit the town with somebody special. Whether hooking up at a crowded nightclub or dining out at one of Sin City's most romantic restaurants, Las Vegas is a place where sizzle and sweetness often intersect. As the winter season continues, check out the following 15 date ideas to take your relationship up a notch.
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The Strip
After proving to be a hit in Mexico City, Fantasy Lab is now in Las Vegas with "Time to Dream'' at the Fashion Show mall. Give yourself at least an hour to roam between seven different rooms, which use lights, mirrors, video, music, set pieces and other effects to reflect a dream-like state. It's hard to explain Fantasy Lab without giving too much away. Rooms may be peaceful with lights dangling in the darkness or ominous like a nightmare. One has a circus theme. Another is best described as "acid trip bedroom." Phones and photos are encouraged and yes, you'll have plenty of time to get that perfect Instagram shot. Fantasy Lab has a bar and lounge that's full of its own whimsical decor and selfie stations. Hang out before or after the tour for a few bites and cocktails, including an Old Fashioned made with Nevada's own Frey Ranch.
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The Palms
Vetri Cucina is back open after a long closure of more than two years due to a change of ownership at the Palms plus the pandemic. Marc Vetri's restaurant hasn't lost a step in the downtime, staying true to a menu of Italian cuisine that skips heavy sauces in favor of light, crisp ingredients. Housemade pastas are perfect for dates to share, especially the almond tortellini with white truffles or spinach gnocchi in brown butter. Begin any meal with a doughnut-like zeppole, topped with honey and prosciutto di parma cured for 24 months for a rich, buttery flavor. The brown butter-infused Manhattan is exceptional, but it's hard to resist ordering a bottle of Italian wine to share while admiring the panoramic views of the Las Vegas Strip from the 56th floor of the Palms. The dining room has the right mix of rustic charm and modern decor, setting a tone that only gets better when the roaming amaro cart pulls up to your table.
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Resorts World
Resorts World is already home to Enchant, but the hotel is also bringing back one of its best winter traditions this season in Las Vegas. The Rose Rooftop outdoor space is now decked out in festive decor with fire pits and warm see-through igloos to enjoy Veuve Clicquot and cocktails while surrounded by the lights and sights of the Strip. Cozy up around a heater and mini television screen. You can even play a few board games or munch on a snack platter to pass the time. Book a reservation (5pm-midnight, Thurs-Sat) through Feb. 11, 2023.
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MGM Grand
Hakkasan Restaurant is one of the most romantic places for dinner in Las Vegas, but if your relationship is currently in "wait-and-see" mode, save a few dollars on happy hour when paying a visit. The restaurant recently launched Hakkatini Nights 5:30–7pm, Sun-Thurs. Sit at the bar and receive a choice of two vodka cocktails and a small bite—like a Shanghai dumpling or pork potsticker—from a special menu for $48 per person. Avoid the crowds and impress your date by using Hakkasan's private valet, allowing you to avoid the long walk from the MGM Grand parking garage.
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Venetian
Alcohol and sharp objects might seem like two things you don't want to mix together, but Flight Club finds a way to make it work. The new lounge gives visitors a chance to toss darts around in an environment that's more sophisticated and stylish than your average English boozer, with digital screens making it easy to keep score. The 16,000-square-foot space is beautifully decorated with Strip views and a 27-seat bar modeled after a vintage carousel. Even the dart boards are made of oak for an old-school touch. The lounge winds around corridors and corners with 20 bays (or "oches") for groups as small as two (for a private date night) and large as 12 (if your partner is either shy or open minded). Upgrade the experience with beer buckets, cookie towers, prime beef sliders and other options off the menu.
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The Cosmopolitan
Clique Bar & Lounge is now preparing cocktails tableside with playful glassware and inventive presentations. A bartender comes to the table with a mixology cart of spirits, liqueurs, house-made juices, and garnishes for a personalized, interactive experience. The Seal It With A Kiss is a colorful mix of Casamigos, Chambord, and lemon with a pine shrub and mint, while Another Day in Paradise mixes Bacardi Superior with orgeat, lime, pineapple vinegar, and bitters with a flaming pineapple on top. Each cocktail is $25, with the same recipes made for everyone at the table–a good way to test if you and your date are on the same page.
Cheer on sports teams in style
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The Strip
Sin City’s' two favorite sports teams are in the middle of high-stakes seasons and you can enjoy the games in grand fashion. Book a table at Hyde Lounge, a stylish lounge at the top of T-Mobile Arena to feel the energy of the venue and watch the Golden Knights in action. Guests can order bottle service or cocktails served in 60-ounce pitchers to go along with short rib sliders, BBQ chicken flatbreads and other game-day bites by chef Paul Pascua. Be sure to save room for a blondie toffee brownie dessert. Meanwhile, the Wynn Field Club remains one of the best vantage points to see a Raiders game at Allegiant Stadium. Enjoy new dishes like a buffalo cauliflower bowl, taco platters or (if you place a pre-order at a VIP table) a 40-ounce aged Porterhouse. Located on the floor level of the North End zone, the Wynn Field Club is also hosting post-game parties with DJs providing the entertainment. Both Wynn Field Club and Hyde Lounge have their own exclusive entrances, making it easy to avoid long waits and the rush of the crowd.
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Downtown
The Royal Crawl has two self-guided drinking tours to soak in the alcohol while soaking in the sights. The Downtown version at the Fremont Street Experience begins at Overhang and Mega Bar at Circa, continues at Bar Prohibition inside the Golden Gate, then wraps up at Bar Canada and Longbar at The D. The newer Strip crawl takes guests down The LINQ promenade with drinks at I Love Sugar, Chayo, Tilted Kilt, Flour & Barley and AmeriCAN. Go at your own pace while following the Royal Crawl app with a choice of beer, wine, or cocktail at each stop. Each drink earns a digital playing card with a prize for the day's best hand. Tickets are $89 and include five drinks. Use code HOLIDAY50 for 50% off at checkout.
Surround yourself in computer-generated visuals
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Multiple Locations
Immersive worlds of projection mapping are a growing trend in Las Vegas. Illuminarium at AREA15 has both "Wild: A Safari Experience," featuring African animals in their natural environments and "Space: A Journey to the Moon and Beyond" depicting a rocket liftoff and visit to the lunar surface with a replica of NASA's Apollo module. Both experiences are enhanced with surrounding high-def scenery, crystal-clear audio, vibrations, scents and even "footprints" for a truly compelling experience. The original Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit inside the Shops at Crystals brings Vincent Van Gogh's iconic art to life on a large scale with animated visuals. The venue is also hosting The Immersive Nutcracker: The Winter Miracle for the holiday season. Perception Las Vegas is billed as "the Strip's first permanent digital art museum" with a Leonardo Da Vinci presentation, but it's more of a graphics show than an educational tool, loosely based on imagery connected to the artist.
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Downtown
Snuggle up with someone special at the Legacy Club, a rooftop lounge at Circa, one of the new hotels making an impression in Las Vegas. The views from the 60th floor are especially engaging at sunset, whether sitting by floor-to-ceiling windows in the main lounge or warming up by a fire pit on the open-air patio. Like the rest of the hotel, the Legacy Club has its share of Old Vegas touches; most noticeably, busts and portraits of Vegas casino magnates and a tower of gold bars with its fluctuating market value consistently updated on a digital display. Admission is free with a reservation.
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Henderson
If you really want to impress a date, take control of an aircraft and prove you can navigate the skies above Las Vegas—with professional supervision of course. All In Aviation offers experiential flight lessons, beginning at $415 per person (and yes, you can bring a guest). Circle above landmarks like the Hoover Dam or travel to a destination like Zion National Park or Big Bear Lake before returning home. The lesson, conducted by a certified flight instructor, takes place in a Cessna 172 or if you really want to get fancy, a Cirrus SR22, departing from Henderson Executive Airport.
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Bellagio
Need a cheap date? Walking through the Bellagio's Conservatory & Botanical Garden is one of the best things you can do for free in Las Vegas. The new winter exhibit, "Gingerbread Dreams: A Holiday Confection," runs through New Year's Day, celebrating the season with brightly colored flowers and plants crafted into large-scale shapes and designs, including 140,000 poinsettias. A 42-foot-tall white fir tree is the centerpiece, but sweet treats are the theme with a 25-foot-tall, walk-through, aromatic gingerbread cottage decorated in candy and guarded by towering nutcracker soldiers. A Lunar New Year display launches Jan. 9, 2023, kicking off the Year of the Rabbit with an extravagant showcase.
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Downtown
One great photo op deserves another. The Neon Museum, where historic Vegas signs and marquees are preserved and restored, has a portrait hour for guests to bring their own photographer for a professional shoot in the North Gallery. It could be just the thing to celebrate an engagement or take your relationship up a level. If you're looking to simply hang around and absorb the history, that's cool too. The North gallery is also home to Brilliant!, an evening show that brings vintage casino signs back to life with sound, video and immersive projection mapping.
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Off the Strip
The entertainment, dining, and retail space known as AREA15 is a great place to bring a date. Omega Mart, a massive walkable art installation by Meow Wolf that's a trippy spoof of a superstore, is the main attraction. Otherwise, feel free to grab a cocktail at Oddwood, Emporium Arcade Bar, or Liftoff (which elevates guests 130 feet in the air). Ride the Haley's Comet motorized zip-line, play one of eight simulator bays at Five Iron Golf, and check out the Wink World hall of infinite mirrors. Todd English's The Beast is a great restaurant for barbecue, while Lost Spirits is a distillery with a Willy Wonka-style tour and a few fun surprises along the way, including an indulgent multi-course dinner menu that takes guests 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
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The Strip
Maverick Helicopters has a couple of sky-high ways to help plan a perfect night out in Las Vegas. The Savory Bites & Neon Lights Tour begins with a Lip Smacking Foodie Tour food crawl of top Strip restaurants followed by a helicopter ride above the lights of the Strip. The Savor & Soar experience is similar, but features a crawl of the restaurants at Virgin Hotels before taking flight. If you're a couple that prefers mountain scenery, the Neon & Nature tour flies from the Strip to the colorful sandstone cliffs of Red Rock Canyon with a 30-minute break on the ground that includes a champagne toast and panoramic views up on a private 2,900-foot-high vista.