One of life’s great truths is that Las Vegas never rests on its laurels. It is constantly in a state of evolution and reinvention, unfurling ever brighter and more ambitious embellishments to enrich its entertainment arsenal. With Robotaxis on the march in the USA, Las Vegas is home to Zoox. It’s not a car, more like an autonomous glossy rectangular cabin on wheels that will zip you all over Sin City with precision. Its symmetrical body design allows it to move in either direction, eliminating the concept of a traditional front or rear. You can hail a Zoox for a free ride during the testing period this year. They seemed to be everywhere, when I was in town. 

No matter how you tackle Sin City, Las Vegas requires a suspension of disbelief, as you’re swallowed up within the whirling, swirling haze of escapist gratification. Blend the best of new and old Las Vegas, sampling the latest and greatest hits in town. Headlining the hit parade, the Sphere is the latest star specimen. The most talked-about new attraction in Vegas, this head-turning venue seamlessly melds state-of-the-art immersive technology with live performances into a futuristic realm. The world’s largest spherical structure contains the world’s largest high-resolution wraparound screen. Billed as the entertainment venue of the future, this multi-billion-dollar masterpiece can seat 18,000 guests. In addition to backing residencies by the Eagles, Backstreet Boys and Metallica with awe-inspiring visuals, its exterior skin, or exosphere, has become the greatest advertising billboard in the world. It’s the largest LED installation ever built. 

Exosphere lighting on The Sphere. Photo / Supplied

In recent years, there’s also been a concerted focus on luring the premium sports dollar to town, whether it be Allegiant Stadium hosting the NFL Super Bowl two years ago (definitely take a stadium tour) or becoming a permanent fixture on F1’s global roster, with its incredible street circuit down the Las Vegas Strip. It’s just been announced that Allegiant will host Super Bowl again in 2029. Meanwhile, a cutting-edge $4 billion basketball arena is currently under construction across from Mandalay Bay on the Strip, in the hopes of bagging a team to play in the expanded NBA league. 

Without being too judgey, the tourist mecca doesn’t seem as beholden in the past to the singlet and shorts brigade. The Strip is looking a lot smarter with far more premium offerings and openings, including the glittering CityCenter complex, flanked by the Aria Resort and its sublime art installations. The complex is home to The Shops at Crystals, a staggering collection of over 50 of the finest luxury brands in the world, alongside gourmet restaurants and bespoke art galleries. This is next-level window browsing.  

In addition to marvelling over the spree of architectural confections flanking the Strip, whether it be the nods to the Roman Empire at Caesar's Palace, New York New York Hotel’s iconic Manhattan skyline, or Paris Hotel’s half-size Eiffel Tower, there’s a stack of free attractions laid on by the hotels, including the gorgeous botanical delights at the Bellagio and Wynn.  It’s now been a signature feature on the Strip for over 25 years, but the Fountains of Bellagio are incomparable. There’s been plenty of imitations around the world —I’m looking at you Dubai— but you can’t beat the original. Performing every 15 minutes, these 1200 dancing jet fountains never cease to amaze me – not just for their sheer height and heft, but for their extraordinary array of choreographic tricks, which dramatically change in synchronised rhythm with every song belted out.  

Gazing at the Bellagio Fountains. Photo / Supplied

For more free thrills, enjoy the Fall of Atlantis animatronics show inside Caesars Palace; the mini-circus performances inside Circus Circus Hotel; the nightly Lake of Dreams light shows at Wynn Hotel and the mind-bending 3-D murals at LINQ Promenade. That’s just for starters. If you have previously admired the giant artificial volcano erupting in front of the Mirage Hotel, that was all sadly demolished a year ago. But check out what is taking its place – a brand-new Hard Rock Hotel, complete with a 700 foot tall guitar-shaped hotel tower. For old-school thrills, pop into the Flamingo Hotel, which is the oldest operating resort on the Strip, turning 80 this year. It was created by the notorious mobster Bugsy Siegal not long before his assassination. Check-out the hotel’s central garden, a tropical wildlife habitat complete with pink flamingos. Security was high when I visited, because a drunk Canadian tourist had just kidnapped two of the birds and taken them up to his room. And how could you possibly visit this city without getting a selfie in front of the iconic Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign, at the south end of the Strip?  

Flamingos at The Flamingo. Photo / Mike Yardley 

While I was there, an Elvis impersonator was busy working the crowd. He was actually quite good.  Speaking of which, if you want to check out the hotel where The King was notoriously shoe-horned into that interminably long residency by Colonel Tom Parker, not long before his death, head to the Westgate Hotel. Previously known as the International Hotel, you can even stay in the Elvis Suite, which is the same penthouse guestroom where the star resided, during his seven-year long residency. While I was having a squiz around the hotel, I noticed that another legendary showman is currently doing a residency at the Westgate – Barry Manilow. It sells-out every night.  

Beyond the blaze of thrills and temptations bracketing Las Vegas Boulevard, I ventured north to Fremont Street and the Downtown district, to dip into the Vegas of old, in search of the city’s golden age character. Fremont is where the city was established in 1905, spawning the first splashes of neon. Celebrating its 120th birthday, the Golden Gate is the city’s oldest hotel, holding the distinction of introducing Vegas to the shrimp cocktail in 1959 and popularising it to the world. The Golden Gate was also the first recipient of a telephone in Vegas. Its phone number was “1”.  

Encased within a soaring barrel vault canopy that stretches for four blocks, the Fremont Street Experience allows you to dabble and delight in the cluster of old-school casino hotels including the Golden Nugget, Four Queen’s, California and Binion’s. Betty Binion was quite the trailblazer, introducing seating and carpets to casinos. She also pioneered the insidious allure of complimentary drinks for casino patrons.  

Neon galore at the Fremont Street Experience. Photo / Supplied 

Within this bling-bling pedestrianised promenade, you’ll find the legendary neon cowboy, Vegas Vic and his cowgirl, Vegas Vicki, who was previously called Sassy Sally. The street erupts into technicoloured excess from dusk, with the Viva Vision sound and light extravaganza, powered by 12 million LED lamps and 220 speakers. Spanning 1500 feet, the trippy canopy light projections are a visual head swirl, which explode into life every hour from 6pm to 2am. There’s even a zip-line called SlotZilla, if you want to zoom your way across the entire high-wattage, head-blasting spectacle. From there, graze on some more heritage treasures, dotted around Las Vegas.

Just off Fremont St, I headed to the Mob Museum, for an enlightening warts-and-all look at the ruthless world of organised crime, which, at times, engulfed Las Vegas. Some say the Mob still calls the shots! The most engrossingly macabre feature is the photographic gallery of mob killings, which leave nothing to the imagination. Add to you check-list the Neon Museum and Boneyard, for an intimate stroll through Las Vegas history. Dedicated to saving and preserving vintage neon signs, there’s currently over 250 signs in their stash – many of which graced legendary establishments.  

The Neon Museum at night. Photo / Supplied 

Flush with fascinating anecdotes, volunteer guides will lead you through the open-air exhibition space. Stand-out specimens include the illuminated signage from the Stardust, Riviera, Sahara and Desert Inn hotels, while the gigantic skull that used to adorn the frontage of Treasure Island is now at the museum. It’s another lavish visual feast – history brought to light. 

For a complete change of scenery, another fascinating treasure- chest is the Hollywood Cars Museum.  Just off the Strip, there’s a stunning stash of star-power vehicles here, (mostly originals but some are replicas) - including a DeLorean from “Back to the Future,” Herbie the Love Bug, several Batmobiles, the “A-Team” Van, the General Lee from Dukes of Hazzard, Hornet from “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” and five James Bond cars. Liberace, the king of bling, also features here, with a dedicated collection of his luxury cars, including diamond-studded and mirror-balled Rolls-Royces, and a custom-made hot rod with a piano on top, adding to your retina burn!  

The Batmobile at the Hollywood Cars Museum. Photo / Mike Yardley 

From flights and car rental to accommodation and attractions, Booking.com is the one-stop-shop for your travel needs. With flexible booking features, free cancellation on many properties, and the ability to plan an entire trip in one place, Booking.com makes it easy to build a customised trip, on the website or user-friendly app.

I flew to the USA with Fiji Airways who have spread their wings with an extensive international network, including multiple American destinations. From New Zealand, fly to Nadi from Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch and enjoy seamless connections to the well-timed USA services. Fly your way with Fiji Airways with a flexible range of fares and add-ons, in Economy and Business class. If you fancy some extra comfort in Economy, opt for a Bula Space seat.  

Mike Yardley is Newstalk ZB’s resident traveller and can be heard every week on Jack Tame Saturday Mornings.