(UPDATE: Mask were required when indoors again from July 30th, 2021 – February 10, 2022. The mask mandate is no longer in effect)
Vegas is back. Kind of.
The cab driver on my way from the airport said that Vegas was back. And on the surface, that’s believable. There are a lot of people on the Strip. Shows are reopening and most restaurants and clubs are open. The airport is crowded. That’s about as far as it goes. Even though the airport was busy, they have only 1 taxi line open and there wasn’t much of a wait when I landed.
Many restaurants have reopened, but not all of them. The ones that are open tend to require reservations. The lineup I saw waiting to get in to Catch at Aria right when they opened was comical. I considered going to the Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars, but all reservations were sold out for the duration of my last trip. Late night dining options are very limited (and you can expect long lines at the ones that are). It seems like more restaurants are reopening each week, though (like Fleur at Mandalay Bay reopening July 26th).
As a general rule, masks are not required if you are vaccinated.
If everyone is being honest, it looks like over 90% of the people in Las Vegas are vaccinated. I don’t believe that, though. I did get a few looks for wearing mine. Most staff members wore masks, but not all of them. I am guessing that some vaccinated staff may not be required to wear masks. I wasn’t happy that the Cosmo room service person came right into my room without a masks, though.
A lot of table game pits are still closed (although it is still fairly easy to find an open seat at a table). Most plexiglass barriers have been removed from table games, poker rooms, bartops and slot machines.
Resorts World has opened.
All MGM and Caesars properties have reopened. That still includes the Rio for now. Penn and Teller are back in action. Also, many of the shows are now allowing single ticket sales. There was a time when they were only selling tickets in pairs.
A number of Cirque du Soleil shows are back. ‘O’ and Mystere up and running again. Michael Jackson ONE reopens August 16th and The Beatles LOVE reopens on August 26th. Mac King is back and is now performing at Excalibur. A lot of comedy shows have reopened.
Absinthe has reopened in front of Caesars Palace. Opium returns to Cosmo on September 24th.
The Palms is still closed. It has also been sold to the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians in a deal that should be completed in late 2021. Texas Station, Fiesta Henderson, and Fiesta Rancho are still closed as well.
It is Hot.
Something else to be mindful of right now is the heat. The highs were over 110 for all of my last trip. I see a high of 118 with a low of 98 forecast a few days from now. That heat takes a lot out of you. I found it difficult to stay hydrated. It really cut down on my walking and any plans I had that would involve being outside for more than 30 minutes.
