MGM Grand Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas (must see)

The MGM Grand Las Vegas is one of the most instantly recognizable landmarks on the Las Vegas Strip, known as much for its scale as for its constant buzz of activity. With 6,852 rooms, it remains one of the largest single building hotels in the US. When it opened in 1993, it set a global record, briefly redefining what a mega-resort could be.

Owned by Vici Properties and operated by MGM Resorts International, the main hotel tower rises 30 stories and reaches a height of 293 feet. The resort unfolds across a vast footprint, anchored by a 6.6-acre outdoor pool complex featuring multiple swimming areas, a lazy river, waterfalls, and cabanas that feel closer to a water park than a traditional hotel pool.

Inside, the convention center positions the MGM Grand as a major venue for international conferences and trade shows, while the MGM Grand Garden Arena regularly hosts headline concerts, championship boxing matches, and large-scale sporting events. The Grand Spa adds a quieter counterpoint, offering a full menu of treatments away from the casino floor.

Entertainment and nightlife are central to the MGM Grand’s identity. The casino, the largest in Clark County at 171,500 square feet, forms the energetic core of the resort, surrounded by a dense mix of restaurants, bars, lounges, and nightclubs. Over the years, the property has also been home to long-running stage productions, high-profile residencies, and rotating live shows, reinforcing its role as both a hotel and an entertainment hub. Connected to neighboring resorts by overhead pedestrian bridges, the MGM Grand allows visitors to move easily toward the Tropicana to the south and New York-New York to the west, keeping foot traffic flowing without crossing the busy intersection below.