Las Vegas is home to the greatest shows on earth, leave alone America. It has housed the forefathers of comedy, circus, magic-name it-bringing them to stardom and fame. In this case, what happens in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas. It not only leaves the city but explodes to the world! Every showman knows that if you want to make it big, land a gig in Vegas.
From the birth of famous tv acts and headlining shows like Penn and Teller and Criss Angel to Cirque du Soleil top performers, they all zero back to the strip.
Why? Because Vegas is not just a city; it is the city of fun and games. People come here to unwind from work, relationships, and the awfulness of their lives. And what do they get? They are served with a full course Vegas experience.
What to Do in Vegas?
This is a very vague question. If you ask a Nevada resident what you should be doing in Vegas, they will probably shake their head in disbelief, like did you ask that? You can’t blame them because Vegas is known for what it is, fun. You come here to do either of two things: performer or the audience.
For starters, you can start with daily life in Vegas. You will want to visit the legendary casinos, nightclubs as well as day clubs. Don’t gamble at all as it is very appealing at this time. You need money to eat too.
Go to as many food courts and restaurants as you can. In the strip, luxury is engraving in the middle. You will find fine dining as well as your favorite fish and fries or a burger as you go-talk of catering for every budget.
Showmanship and performance nights are massive in Vegas, so don’t leave yet. The good thing is that you can book most of these big headlining shows online or find a host to guide you through your Vegas night experience.
What Are the Best Shows in Vegas?
1. Comedy Shows
If you are looking for a good time in Vegas, what is better than cracking the ribs? Take your family or friends to one of these shows and be stitched by humor masters.
There are a variety of family-friendly comedy shows, or if you love the more mature content-you too are sorted. Some feature one-man shows, while others offer comedy from different comics altogether. In some setups, you will find comic routines that reserve you no tear of joy.
No matter what type of comedy you are into, a guarantee is you will find it here. Comedy magic, raw standup comedy, comedy routines, and plays, etc, you pick your tickle. The shows are in nightclubs and theaters in some of the biggest arenas like Excalibur and Flamingo.
Headliners in this category:
Established comics perform in halls and theaters, feeding thousands with laughter and enjoyment. Some of these comedy shows include:
| Show | Age | Ticket | Length | Location |
| Penn and Teller | 5+ | From $77 | 90 Minutes | Penn & Teller Theater, Rio |
| Terry Fator: Who’s the Dummy Now | 5+ | From $50 | 70 Minutes | Liberty Loft Theater, NYNY |
| Laugh Factory | 18+ | From $37 | 70 Minutes | Tropicana Las Vegas – A Doubletree by Hilton |
| Menopause The Musical | 14+ | From $56 | 85 Minutes | Harrah’s Cabaret |
| Carrot Top | 18+ | From $53 | 75 Minutes | Atrium Showroom, Luxor |
| Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club | 21+ | From $65 | 60 Minutes | MGM Grand |
| Eddie Griffin Experience | 21+ | From $65 | 60 Minutes | Sahara Theater |
| Tape Face | No | From $39 | 90 Minutes | Harrah’s Cabaret |
| Mike Hammer Comedy Magic Show | 13+ | From $27 | 70 Minutes | Canyon Club, Four Queens |
| Mac King Comedy Magic | 5+ | From $29 | 70 Minutes | Thunderland, Excalibur |
| Piff The Magic Dragon | 13+ | From $44 | 75 Minutes | Flamingo Showroom |
2. Magic Shows
A little magic makes the world awesome, and who doesn’t love to be wowed? Vegas has the prescribed dosage for all things magic, from the ecstatic card tricks to mind reading hypnotists and scary, explosive, and supernatural acts.
Vegas packs award-winning performances that have featured even on television all on a stage to stimulate your adrenaline and blank your mind. You may spot your favorite magician on the AGT reality talent show here, so be ready to get spirited.
Artists delving into comedy magic, hypnosis, teleportation, mind reading, and card magic are present. Shin Lim is an expert in closeup card magic that leaves you wondering how he made the card appear in your pocket without touching you. Shades of reality and magic flush in front of your eyes as Shin calmly makes things appear and disappear.
Other acts from Criss Angel are completely out of this world. Who can saw himself in half and bind again to be whole? Yes, you got it-Criss Angel the Mindfreak! You don’t want to watch if you are faint-hearted. Or David Copperfield, who made the statue of liberty disappear! If it is not supernatural, it is magical, won’t you agree?
Headliners in this category:
Some of the topliners in the Vegas magic scene include:
| Show | Age | Ticket | Length | Location |
| David Copperfield | 5+ | From $89 | 70 Minutes | David Copperfield Theatre, MGM Grand |
| Penn & Teller | 5+ | From $77 | 90 Minutes | Penn & Teller Theater, Rio |
| Shin Lim: Limitless | 5+ | From $77 | 75 Minutes | The Venetian |
| Mat Franco: Magic Reinvented | 5+ | From $50 | 80 Minutes | Mat Franco Theater, The LINQ Hotel + Experience |
| Criss Angel Mindfreak | 10+ | From $86 | 90 Minutes | Planet Hollywood |
| Nathan Burton Comedy Magic Show | No | From $29 | 75 Minutes | V Theater, Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood |
| Piff the Magic Dragon Show | 13+ | From $44 | 75 Minutes | Flamingo Showroom |
| Mac King Comedy Magic | 5+ | From $29 | 70 Minutes | Thunderland, Excalibur |
| Paranormal Mind Reading Magic | 5+ | From $28 | 75 Minutes | The Magic Attic, Horseshoe |
| Marc Savard Comedy Hypnosis | 18+ | From $34 | 75 Minutes | V Theater, Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood |
Related Read: The 7 Best Hypnosis Shows in Vegas
3. Drag Shows
Drag shows involve men trying out as women or women as men. They wear opposite-sex dresses, apply makeup, and catwalk, or would you call it showcase their gender might on the strip. It involves singing, modeling, and lip-synching to melodies played. Humor is an occurrence here, and you will get all this in one serving fashion, comedy, and dancing.
You may have heard of the RuPaul Drag Race or seen it on tv. Get some live action from the cast on RuPaul as they race to get the Drag Queen title. Drag shows are LGBTQ-friendly competitions and show what the community has to offer. You will find drag races in gay-friendly bars on the Vegas strip, eastside, or downtown Vegas.
If you love a good dance session and love to try your wife’s clothes-or sister-you got to invest in a drag show. Witness real drag queens parade their talent for you to marvel and learn if you want to be one of them. Or you can watch and quench your thirst.
Headliners in this category:
| Show | Age | Ticket | Length | Location |
| RuPaul’s Drag Race Live | No | From $61 | 90 Minutes | Flamingo Showroom |
| Drag Brunch | 21+ | From $90 | 75 Minutes | Senor Frogs, Treasure Island |
| X Burlesque | 18+ | From $70 | 75 Minutes | Bugsys Cabaret, Flamingo |
| Absinthe | 18+ | From $149 | 90 Minutes | Caesars Palace’s Roman Plaza |
4. Cirque du Soleil Shows
The thrill of hanging men and women flying and holding hands mid-air, then jumping to a rope- the adrenaline levels will skyrocket watching one of the Vegas Cirque du Soleil shows.
They are packed with choreographed dances, acrobatics, and puppetry to give one marvelous experience of a circus feel. They are modernized circus movements-or as they are known as contemporary circus shows.
Most are family-friendly, so you will not be worried if you can bring your family to the show. Before booking, ask for the show rating to know if you can bring your kids or respected kindred to the show. It is an absolute treat showing a human pushing the limits of the human body.
Headliners in this category:
| Show | Age | Ticket | Length |
| Mystère at Treasure Island | No | From $81 | 90 Minutes |
| Michael Jackson ONE at Mandalay Bay | 5+ | From $95 | 90 Minutes |
| O Show at the Bellagio | 5+ | From $118 | 105 Minutes |
| KÀ at MGM Grand | 5+ | From $69 | 90 Minutes |
Did you know: The Zumanity show is closed and will not be reopening.
5. Adult Shows
Whether it is for a bachelor or bachelorette party, or you and your spouse wanting to get that sexual thrill, sin city will provide all sorts of sexual stimulations. From stripteases on famous joints to private parties hosted in big clubs, you are going to have a blast.
Vegas has strippers, both men, and women, in bars and pubs to add that extra flare as you drain your drink. To enter such establishments, you have to be over eighteen years-legal age.
Dozen strip clubs offer party experiences for you and the boys to masquerade through and have lap dances as you ogle at the sheer beauty of the dancing naked or near-naked queens. These dancers, with their model-chiseled bodies, will leave your mouth wide as they tease and squeeze your androgens.
And for the ladies, if your town boys don’t like hitting the gym, you are in for a treat. Muscles, muscles, and more muscles! You can watch and bargain on touching, eh? These bodybuilders move in a sexy-tempting way that makes you want to lose it and throw yourself at their mercies.
Headliners in this category:
| Show | Age | Ticket | Length | Location |
| Stripper 101 | 18+ Ladies only | From $59 | 90 Minutes | Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood |
| Rock Candy: Male Revue | 21+ | From $40 | – | Pegasus Showroom, Alexis Park All Suite Resort |
| Chippendales | 18+ | From $62 | 75 Minutes | Chippendales Theater, Rio |
| Black Magic Live | 18+ | From $48 | 90 Minutes | Embassy Nightclub |
| X Country | 18+ | From $60 | 90 Minutes | Harrah’s Cabaret |
| Australia’s Thunder from Down Under | 18+ | From $63 | 70 Minutes | Thunderland, Excalibur |
| Fantasy | 18+ | From $52 | 75 Minutes | Atrium Showroom, Luxor |
6. Production Shows
Want to see a live Broadway musical? What about that coveted variety show? Vegas has all this in store for your amusement.
Productions featuring singing, dancing choreographies, and acrobatics are present and ready for your exploration. Get to see the wonders of the human body, some of the best vocals you can ever hear, and talent that is hidden from the plain eye.
The shows are prepared and revised, so you get that feeling like you are in a film feature. The music, the moves, and the dances move you to the extremes adjusting your body and spirit to feel the acts and be part of the moving experiential.
Headliners in this category
| Show | Age | Ticket | Length | Location |
| Blue Man Group | No | From $79 | 105 Minutes | Blue Man Theater, Luxor |
| Vegas! The Show | No | From $109 | 75 Minutes | Saxe Theater, Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood |
| MJ Live | 5+ | From $74 | 70 Minutes | The STRAT Theater, The STRAT Hotel |
| WOW – The Vegas Spectacular | 4+ | From $53 | 90 Minutes | Rio Showroom, Rio |
| Australian Bee Gees | 5+ | From $39 | 70 Minutes | Thunderland, Excalibur |
| Jabbawockeez | No | From $99 | 75 Minutes | MGM Grand |
| V – The Ultimate Variety | No | From $52 | 75 Minutes | V Theater, Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood |
Tips for Attending Shows in Las Vegas
So you’re going to Vegas for your favorite show now, but are you sure it is the right one? Whatever you get in Vegas is professionally cast and has a headline already in its specific class. You have to take appropriate measures to ensure that the show you choose is what you want to see.
Here are some tips to act as a checklist as you strive to feed your addiction.
1. Parking
Always do prior planning of parking available if you plan on bringing your car or motorcycle.
Lack of planning can lead to having reached a spot where parking spots have run out and now you are left wondering what on earth you should do. You may even end up missing the show, a grave incident.
To counter this, explore your options beforehand, and also come early to secure a spot. Explore other options to get around in Vegas like public transport, uber, or Lyft.
Related Read: 10 Free Parking Places on Las Vegas Strip
2. Ticketing
When ticketing, be sure to bring the required credentials like your identification documents. This is a requirement for night shows and 18+ shows.
Pay attention to the instructions after ticketing and double-check your tickets after they are printed out to confirm all information is fed correctly. You don’t want to get the wrong seats or the naming wrong. That can easily make your ticket void.
Arrive early to avoid those long lines that leave you exhausted even before you watch the show.
3. Sitting Arrangement
According to your ticket, you will find a seat number allocated to you. However, if you book a general admission ticket, don’t expect to get front-row seats. But fortunately, most venues have a “no-bad seat guarantee” so you will not strain much if you happen to get that corner seat.
4. Rules
Know what the rules and regulations of the venue and show that you are attending. Most have dress code rules, especially the restaurants and night/day clubs.
There are certain types of attire they do not allow, especially branded ones. Ask for the rules sheet, and make sure that you are agreeable to the non-negotiable prohibited items like weapons and cameras.
4. Safety
How safe are you? What about your property, i.e. your car, personal belongings like wallets, etc.? Better safe than sorry-ensure that you can count on yourself and your mates being safe. As they always say, safety first.
Final Words
Whether you are looking for the best magic shows or the drag queen’s experience, or you want to laugh the world out, Vegas has something for you. This city packs the world’s best shows in production and presentation.
You will be at the mercy of choice as you wow at the offerings these professionals have to offer. Get the full experience and enjoy the capacity of a fulfilling show at the many theaters and halls hosting these acts.
But don’t forget about you, and your property. You can have fun and come to a broken car, or a stolen wallet. Be sure to look after your belongings well, and avoid shady places that may lead to incidents. Maximize your fun in Vegas!
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