9 Un-Vegas-Y Things To Do In Vegas

Bet you didn't know about these gems. Why not see them all when you can book a Vegas package with Expedia.ca and save up to 40% on your stay?

1. Joël Robuchon at the MGM Grand

Courtesy of Joel Robuchon

When you book a table at Joël Robuchon, you come for the 16-course degustation menu (yes, there is caviar, and yes, the joint is Michelin starred — three of them). Then you stay to enjoy the luxe purple velvet and lush garden that make it feel like the classiest art deco townhouse you've never stepped foot in.

2. The Art of Richard MacDonald

Courtesy of Richard MacDonald

Actually two hotels in Las Vegas feature the work of iconic figurative sculptor Richard MacDonald -- over 50 pieces at the O theatre lobby at the Bellagio and over 100 bronze sculptures at Aria's The Shops at Crystal. Both are presented by Cirque du Soleil, naturally.

3. Gondola Rides at the Venetian

Courtesy of the Venetian

Can't get as far as Italy? Take a gondola ride in the Venetian instead. These indoor and outdoor rides take you down the "Grand Canal" in an actual Venetian gondola. There, your gondolier will serenade you as you glide past bridges, cafés, and balconies.

4. Picasso at the Bellagio

Courtesy of Picasso

Much like the artist Picasso's own influences, his namesake restaurant offers a menu with French and Spanish flavors. And, of course, you can check out some actual Picasso masterpieces — paintings and sculptures — while you're devouring your four-course, two-Michelin-star meal.

5. Cirque du Soleil's Kà at the MGM Grand

Courtesy of Cirque du Soleil

Of the eight Cirque shows one can see in Vegas, Kà offers a truly cultural experience you won’t see elsewhere. Any performance art you can name, it's probably in Kà — acrobatics, pyrotechnics, aerial arts, and both Chinese and Brazilian martial arts. Eighty talented performers tell the story of twins separated by war in a show the Los Angeles Times called "the most lavish production in the history of Western theater."

6. Streetmosphere at the Venetian

Courtesy of the Venetian

Shopping is seriously high-key Vegas. But while you're perusing the goods at the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian, you can watch performances by classically trained musicians, singers, and actors. Stop by St. Mark's Square to catch one of the 30 small shows throughout any given day.

7. Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art

Courtesy of Bellagio's Gallery of Fine Art

Bellagio's intimate gallery hosts extended exhibitions of legendary artists, from Warhol to Picasso. Their current exhibit, "Yousuf Karsh: Icons of the Twentieth Century," features 60 portraits, from Winston Churchill and Pablo Picasso to Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly.

8. The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace

Courtesy of Caesars Palace

If a regular ol’ mall doesn’t appeal to you, try the Forum Shops. This Ancient Greece–inspired luxury shopping destination has approximately 160 stores, including Louis Vuitton, Versace, Giorgio Armani, Valentino, and Gucci. It’s also got talking statues, an exotic fish aquarium, and a special, private Burberry showroom.

9. The Wine Cellar and Tasting Room at the Rio

Courtesy of the Wine Cellar and Tasting Room

With approximately 10,000 bottles (valued at over $10 million), the Wine Cellar will probably have everything you’ve ever wanted in terms of vino. They even have a wine from Thomas Jefferson’s cellar. You probably won’t get to sip that one, but they have more than 100 wines by the glass (and cheeses to go with it), so you can get your wino on.

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