• Skyfall Lounge, The Delano

You could pick any one of Las Vegas' many (many) top-floor-with-a-Strip-view casino-resort-bar-lounges and pay $20 per drink and have a consistently unremarkable experience: VEGAS, BABY. Or, you could head up to Skyfall, a more sophisticated establishment (meaning the headlining DJ goes on before 2am) with a cocktail list that might actually earn Vegas its reputation as a cocktail city (a reputation, mind you, built on market and myth). The newly remodeled Skyfall Lounge, formerly Mix Lounge, sits atop the 64-floor Delano Las Vegas and rocks a solid view of the Strip. And it offers a refreshing departure from the usual Grey Goose-and-Bacardi drinks (although, yes, it still has those -- it is Vegas) with cocktails like the Kentucky Colada, made with Elijah Craig bourbon and Appleton rum with coconut, lime juice, and Tiki spices.

• Aces & Ales

Any serious beer collector has big, beautiful whales sitting in the cellar, until that special day when they're cracked open. Aces & Ales is the rare beer bar that's also a serious beer collector, hoarding beauties like a 2006 Stone Vertical Epic Ale and Firestone Walker's Parabola. And both of its Vegas locations are beer snob-approved, partly because there aren't that many beer bars open 24/7. Only in Vegas (and NOLA). Pro tip: the Tenaya spot has 30 more beers on tap than the Nellis one, and a much wider bottle selection.

• Find the secret pizza parlor at The Cosmopolitan

In addition to hosting some of the best new restaurants on the Strip, The Cosmopolitan has an unnamed standing-room-only pizza parlor down a random corridor in the hotel. While you might have to ask a few people where to find it, the payoff is insanely delicious pizza and the adventure it took to find it. There are some old school arcade games to keep you entertained while you wait for your fresh slices.

• See Absinthe at Caesars Palace

Largely credited for bringing about the Las Vegas burlesque revival, Absinthe has been running on the forecourt of Caesar’s Palace under a legitimate circus tent since 2011. It’s a small theatre-in-the-round making for an intimate, sexy, gravity-defying, hilarious, and unique show that is worth every single penny. If you have budgeted enough to see only one show, be sure it’s Absinthe.

• Snag some Insta-worthy shots at Las Vegas Springs Preserve

Between the massive succulent and Mojave cacti collection, the botanical gardens, and the butterfly habitat, there are plenty of places to pose in this oft-unknown oasis in the Las Vegas desert. If you need a break from the overload of artificial atmosphere of the casinos, take a breather and a few selfies here.

• Have an indulgent day at Qua Baths & Spa in Caesars Palace

Atone for your many Las Vegas sins by rejuvenating mind, body, and spirit at the highly awarded Qua Baths & Spa. You can access 50,000 square feet worth of Roman style baths, tea lounges, dry saunas, and what they call the Arctic Ice Room that features actual snow flurries. Set aside a good chunk of time — this is a Vegas experience you won’t want to rush through.

• Eat a hot dog topped with fried pickles at Beer Park

Paris Las Vegas is home to Beer Park, a massive rooftop bar overlooking the Strip equipped with plenty of misters to keep you cool, 36 craft beers to keep you hydrated (sort of), and bar games like beer pong and giant Jenga to complete your day drinking experience. Bonus tip: Beer Park offers a perfect view of the famous Bellagio Fountains, so make a point to be there at sunset for an especially beautiful show.

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