Las Vegas offers some phenomenal action and entertainment, but sometimes it is the simple things that make a vacation great. Something as simple as people watching can be a great way to spend an hour or a day. LasVegasMichael examines some of his favorite places to kick back.

Perhaps one of the greatest simple pleasures of idle time and free time are opportunities to people watch. Las Vegas offers such a diverse mix of different visitors and locals alike that I thought it would be fitting to discuss some great options for those seeking relaxing people watching and lounging in Vegas. Of course there are always shows, lounges, gaming tables, and slot machines to keep you occupied in the traditional sense in Vegas, but today’s article will discuss some great lounging and people watching spots for those interested in just sitting back, and enjoying some time. It is so easy to just watch life in Vegas pass you by at a table with green felt and a dealer wishing she wasn’t there, but checking out some other relaxing options in this city and perhaps you will view Vegas in a different way. It is such a cosmopolitan mix of people from around the world, where cultures truly collide. The places on my list aren’t necessarily gambling paradises or even that scintillating. It is simply a personal list of places in and around Vegas that I find interesting, relaxing, and comfortable. Maybe you will too.

Mystic Falls Park at Sam’s Town: Though it may seem a bit odd that I chose an off-Strip local’s casino as my first choice in my breakdown of great relaxing spots, but this is a guilty pleasure spot of mine that I have loved for many years. The premise behind it is admittedly cheesy. It is an indoor fake forest park, with trees, pathways, and a fake rock formation that has animatronic animals. There is a laser light show occasionally, and there is a waterfall and meandering water creeks throughout the park. The courtyard is surrounded by the casino and hotel lobby, underneath a large domed skylight. Several benches align the pathways and allow visitors to just sit back and relax for a few minutes listening to the water flow down the creeks. This place is best experienced late at night, when the subtle moonlight and soft fluorescents keep the park illuminated. Though it is rather cheesy to most, this is easily one of my absolute best kept secrets of simple relaxation in Las Vegas.

The Sports Book Lounge at Mirage: This are is probably known to most poker players that smoke, as it is a very popular place for players to sit and puff while stepping away from their poker game. This elevated mini lounge is connected by stairway to the race and sports book, the poker room, and the sports book bar. It offers several tables, chairs, and couches. This is really more of a people watching spot than a relaxation spot, as it is very busy during sporting events and busy weekends. However, late at night, or early in the morning, when it is possible to just sit on the couch and enjoy a cigar or cigarette and take a load off, this is really a great place to be.

Town Square: Though there are many great shopping centers in Vegas (with Forum Shops really taking the cake for opulence), Town Square mall is truly a unique venue that breaks the Vegas tradition of all retail shopping being an indoor activity. Town Square was constructed a few years ago under the direction of Turnberry, the company best known for its high luxury high-rise condominiums on the Strip. It is an outdoor mall with several boutique shops and some larger stores. At the center of the semi-luxury shopping center is a large park with a small lake, a kid’s playground, and a large grass area where concerts, movies in the park, and car shows are held every week. The mall also offers very old fashioned and classic Christmas theming, with Sants Claus having his own heated house for the kids to take pictures. Horse drawn carriages take guests on rides through the outdoor mall, and people often visit there just to sit down and relax in any of the many park and restaurant venues. Town Square is certainly a unique shopping venue in Las Vegas, and worth a visit by anyone, even those that hate shopping.

Breeze Bar at Treasure Island: This is the only straight up casino bar that will make my list, and will probably surprise a few considering how many great casino bars exist out there in Las Vegas. This particular bar is located right at one of the busiest intersections in the casino, at the juncture between the lobby, the front entrance, the coffee shop, and the casino. It joins together all parts of the casino and welcomes guests with a sizeable bar, and a wonderful seating area that includes overstuffed chairs and couches for relaxing and people watching. This is probably the best people watching spot on my list due to the great mix of walk by traffic that exists in this reasonably sized bar.

Bellagio Gardens: This spot is actually not the best place to people watch due to the high traffic that the beautiful seasonal gardens bring to the resort, but sometimes at the late night hours, you can actually just wander and enjoy the serenity and the smell of the fresh flowers and the ever changing displays. The displays rotate seasonally, and the dome surrounded by the shops and café make for a truly beautiful experience.

Fashion Show Mall: This is the most traditional mall on my list, but it is also one of the most unique. The mall is one of the most luxurious in the world when it comes to the shop names and anchor stores such as Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdales, Nordstroms, and Macy’s, but it also includes boutiques such as Tiffany & Co and Louis Vuitton. The highlight of this mall, however, is not the luxury boutiques or the window shopping, but the full scale fashion shows that run every day down the center of the mall. There is a full scale professional runway that rises from the flat mall floor and allows professional models to show off the most recent fashion trends from various retailers located within the mall itself. This is a very expansive shopping mecca that connects directly to Treasure Island through a walkway bridge and offers great people watching and casual entertainment and dining.

Though this list is just six of my personal favorites, there are literally thousands of other nooks and crannies of Las Vegas that make great comfortable people watching spots. In a future article, I will examine more great relaxation areas in and around town, and I encourage everyone to please post their favorite kickback spots in the thread located at the link below!

Thank you for reading and good luck everyone!

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--LasVegasMichael