Las Vegas Beaches: Yes, There Are Beaches in the Desert
Wow, beaches in Las Vegas. Who knew? In Las Vegas, you won’t watch seagulls disappear into the vastness of the great blue ocean, but you can still rock a Hawaiian shirt, feel the sand between your toes, and take a dip to cool off from that Vegas heat.
Las Vegas is a hot destination — literally. It averages 104 degrees in the summer. That’s just one of the reasons to love the beaches there. While the beaches in Las Vegas are man-made, they are some of the grandest man-made beaches in the world. Could you expect anything less from Las Vegas?
Read on to find out more about Las Vegas beaches, the most exuberant examples, and how to chill at the beach Las Vegas style.
What Are the Top Las Vegas Beaches?
Mandalay Bay Beach
Mandalay Bay is definitely one of the top desert beaches in Las Vegas, if not the world. The pool is gigantic. It’s not an ocean, but it’s big enough for its sandy “shore” to have a good space to stretch out a bit. This is one stretch of sand in the Nevada desert that is free from cacti and perfect for laying out.
What sets Mandalay Bay Beach apart from other Las Vegas beaches is the waves. The pool has a wave machine that adds another element to the experience.
Paired with the sandy bottom, you might forget you’re in the desert and think you’re on the coast. Bring along your pool float with a wavy ’70s design, and you’ll be set for hours of floating to the rhythm of Mandalay Bay’s beachy waves.
And just in case the sand and waves aren’t enough, they’ve also got fish, sea turtles, sharks, and more. Yes, actual sharks, but not in the same water you’ll be swimming in — Mandalay Bay Resort has an aquarium on display that showcases marine life in a giant 1.3 million gallon tank.
Tahiti Village
For a tranquil beach experience in the middle of the Las Vegas excitement, escape to Tahiti Village. It’s a fun way to mix up your trip to Vegas and take a break from the neon signs, electrifying clubs, and commotion of the strip. The sandy beach, palm trees, and tiki vibes allow you to escape to a beach paradise without leaving the strip.
While the sandy pool is certainly relaxing and the Tahitian theme makes it unique, the best part of the Tahiti Village beach experience is the lazy river. You can float off into infinity. The resort provides tubes for the lazy river to all guests, but you could one-up them and ride in style on a giant inflatable swan.
Where Is the Best Beach Party in Las Vegas?
Some seek the beach to relax. Others seek the beach because it’s a great place to knock back some drinks and get your party on. These next recommendations are the Las Vegas beaches with the most outrageous parties.
Rehab at the Hard Rock Hotel
One of the best day parties in Las Vegas is the beach party at the Hard Rock Hotel. It is affectionately known as Rehab, where you can rehabilitate yourself from a typical day in Vegas. That’s what they say, anyway. While you can rent a cabana and layout on your fringey beach towel, it’s a Vegas party through and through.
A rockin’ theme, a rotating lineup of DJs, and a bar never more than half a pool’s length away—you might have flashbacks to that one spring break in Panama City Beach.
Elia Beach Club
Elia Beach Club is one of the best beach parties in Vegas. The centerpiece of it all is a crystal clear sand bottom pool. Luxurious stonework and exotic wooden cabanas surround, with state-of-the-art audio and visual equipment bumping music from world-renowned DJs and guest performers.
Elia prides itself on global design influences. It curates its own beach paradise by choosing elements from the most beautiful beach destinations around the world.
Another place you’ll find this global influence is the Kassi Beach House restaurant. When you get hungry after a day of beach partying, the Kassi Beach house will hit the spot with high-end cuisine that follows their beach theme.
Why Beaches Belong in Las Vegas
Vegas Plays by Its Own Rules
Vegas isn’t real life. It’s a fantasy playland that welcomes your wildest dreams and goes over the top to show you a good time. Anything can happen in Las Vegas, and there are countless examples of Las Vegas doing things out of the ordinary just because it can.
Everyone knows that the Statue of Liberty belongs in New York — Vegas doesn’t care. Vegas has its own Statue of Liberty. In case that’s not enough, they have their own Eiffel Tower as well.
The MGM Grand has lions in its hotel lobby. You can take a gondola through canals and under bridges at the Venetian, stay in a castle tower at Excalibur, or see a volcano erupt at The Mirage.
The point is: Las Vegas is all about going above and beyond what is normally considered possible, conventional, and logical. Beaches belong in Las Vegas because it’s a desert playground where anything is possible. Why not have a beach?
Relax Away From the Lights and Noise of the Casino
Vegas is full of sights and sounds. It never stops — 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Neon lights glowing bright, slot machines sounding off, club sound systems blasting; it’s stimulating to the max. That’s a large bit of the excitement.
But what should you do when you need a break? Where do you go if you want to spend the afternoon relaxing outdoors without leaving the strip? If only there was a beach oasis to escape to, right?
That’s part of what makes beaches in Las Vegas so fitting. It's a relaxing vibe that compliments the non-stop activity of the town.
You don’t have to do anything at the beach if you don’t want to. You don’t even have to stand up or open your eyes. Pop a squat on an inflatable chaise lounger, and you’re doing what the beach was made for.
Are Day Clubs Overtaking Night Clubs?
Nightclubs have been a Vegas staple for ages, but is it still that way? In recent years there has been a shift in the party ecosystem that shows people are less likely to go to traditional nightclubs and instead opting for smaller venues like cocktail bars and speakeasies.
This shift has had another effect: The day club scene is as poppin’ as ever. Day clubs are the new way to party in Las Vegas. What better way to get your daytime party on than by hitting one of Las Vegas’ beach clubs?
Vegas has no shortage of beach parties. If you’re looking for a way to keep the party going throughout the day, a beach club is your answer.
Recover From/Rest Up for a Night on the Town
But even if day clubs really are becoming preferred more often over night clubs, that doesn’t mean you’re gonna go to Vegas and not live it up at night. Vegas is a party never ending with a list of activities just as long.
You can hit up a nightclub and dance into the wee hours of the morning. You can catch an unforgettable show, whether it be a circus act or a pirate ship battle. Or you can try your luck at the casinos and enjoy the free drinks while you’re at the table.
However you spend the night in Vegas, you’ll need a place to rest and recover the next day. And that’s, in part, what the beaches are there for!
Conclusion
Vegas is full of iconic sights and larger-than-life experiences. It’s the only place in the world where you can visit a Roman Coliseum, party with Afrojack, and get married by Elvis on the same day. Then, naturally, fit in a trip to the beach as well!
Las Vegas beaches are a special combination of excitement and relaxation. They can teleport you to a tropical beach island without ever leaving the Las Vegas strip. They’re the best of the best when it comes to beaches located within desert hotels, and they should definitely be on your Vegas agenda.
Pack your bathing suit and flip-flops—you’re headed to Las Vegas! And bring a party-ready beach float to help capture Las Vegas pictures that rival the photos at the end of 2009’s The Hangover.
Sources:
Summer Weather in Las Vegas Nevada, United States | Weather Spark
Venetian Gondola Ride: Prices, Hours, Tips | 1 Oak Las Vegas
Las Vegas nightclub scene evolves into dayclubs | Business Press
