LAS VEGAS

Cool summer getaways: 9 reasons to visit Las Vegas in summer

Las Vegas is a summer hotspot despite the unending heat

Dawn Gilbertson
The Republic | azcentral.com
Welcome to Las Vegas sign on the Las Vegas Strip.

Las Vegas is the antithesis of a cool summer getaway. Triple-digit temperatures bake tourists strolling The Strip, making water a wiser choice than those giant souvenir frozen-drink glasses rookies strap around their necks like jewelry. It's so hot that Norwegian Air decided to suspend summer service after just one year.

And yet the gambling capital is a sizzling summer-vacation spot year after year. Last summer, more than 3.8 million visitors visited in July, making it the busiest month on record. Hotel occupancy on The Strip tops 90 percent in May, June and July.

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9 reasons to visit Las Vegas in summer

1. It's cheaper. Las Vegas has nearly 150,000 hotel rooms, so there's usually something for every budget year-round. But some of the best deals can be found in summer because — as in Phoenix, Palm Springs and other desert destinations — rates drop as temperatures soar. The average daily room rate at Strip hotels in summer is about $109, compared with more than $135 in January and October. That mean travelers can stay at a plusher place than they could otherwise afford. Visitors can nab a room at the swank Bellagio for as little as $160 on select summer dates. That won't even get you a  last-minute room at the much lower-brow Circus Circus during peak March weekends.

2. Practically all you need to pack is a bathing suit.

Unless your gambling budget is unlimited or you're allergic to the sun, a Las Vegas summer day is best spent lounging at the pool. It's hard to find a resort without a water playground. The best ones have multiple attractions and a water-park feel. Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino is at the top of the list, with a lazy river, wave pool, beach and summer concerts. MGM Grand's pool complex is huge, too, and includes a lazy river. Downtown, kids will love the three-story shark-tank water slide at the Golden Nugget on Fremont Street, which is expected to reopen in late April after renovations. You don't have to be a guest at some resorts to use their pools. Call to ask about day passes. Some require the rental of a pricey cabana, but several just have a cover charge. Golden Nugget's Tank pool has passes starting at $25.

A general view of the Wet Republic pool at the MGM Grand Hotel/Casino July 17, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

3. You don't have to stay up all night to go clubbing. Las Vegas invented the pool-party scene, with elaborate "dayclubs'' featuring all the trappings of a nightclub: cover charges, VIP lines, throbbing music, day beds and cabanas with expensive liquor service, scantily clad guests and even dress codes. Among the most popular: Wet Republic at MGM Grand, Rehab Beach Club at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Marquee Dayclub at Cosmopolitan Las Vegas and Encore Beach Club at Wynn Las Vegas.

4. Surf it up. Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino opened The Strip's first FlowRider wave machine in 2015, following in the steps of the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Phoenix and a handful of other resorts. Royal Caribbean has had FlowRiders on some of its ships for several years. The fee is $25 per person per 30-minute session. Riders must be 42 inches tall to boogie board on the FlowRider and 48 inches to surf. You don't have to be a hotel guest to try it out.

5. Gambling is an indoor sport. You don't have to go outside if blackjack, slots, craps and other casino games are the main item on your vacation agenda. Those places so cold year-round that you'll need a sweater or jacket. Visitors can even hop from air-conditioned casino to air-conditioned casino without going outside. Free trams connect some neighbor hotels, including Mandalay Bay, Luxor and Excalibur. The Aria Express tram connects Monte Carlo, Aria and Bellagio. There's also the Las Vegas Monorail, which runs almost the length of The Strip from MGM Grand north to SLS Las Vegas. A variety of monorail passes can be purchased.

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6. Shop in cool comfort. Shopping is big business in Las Vegas. The average visitor spent $123 shopping in 2015, more than they did on shows ($62) and sightseeing ($15.) Options abound, from premium outlet stores to the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace and Fashion Show Mall at the north end of The Strip. For high-end shopping, check out The Shops at Crystals at City Center.

An aerial photo shows the golf course behind the Wynn Las Vegas Resort October 19, 2005 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

7. Cheap golf. Greens fees go down as the temperatures rise. A round at the country-club-like Wynn Golf Club at the swank Wynn Las Vegas resort is about $350 in the summer compared with $500 in March. That includes a cart, caddie and rental clubs and shoes. Still too rich for you? Revere Golf Club charges rates as low as $55 in the summer, compared with about $170 in March. Make reservations well ahead so you can score an early morning tee time. Just want to hit a few balls? Check out the new Top Golf Las Vegas, a luxury driving range with bars, restaurants, pools and great Vegas views. The hitting bays are air-conditioned.

8. Shows galore. This is a good reason to visit Las Vegas any time, but especially in summer because it means another couple hours indoors. All the better if those hours are during daylight. Cirque du Soleil and major headliners don't offer matinees, but an assortment of afternoon shows are available Blue Man Group adds a 4 p.m. show in the summer for families and offers a four-pack of tickets at discounted rates. The long-running Mac King Comedy Show at Harrah's Las Vegas has shows at 1 and 3 p.m. Visiting in early June? Check out matinee performances of "Phantom of the Opera" at the opulent Smith Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Las Vegas.

9. Chill out in an Ice bar. Feed your inner Eskimo with a visit to the igloo-like Minus 5 Degrees ice bar. Visitors are given coats and other winter clothes as they enter. The chairs and drinks are made of ice. There are locations at Mandalay Bay and Monte Carlo.

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