Running Game at the LINQ

If there was an award for most dramatic transformation among Las Vegas Strip resorts, The LINQ Hotel & Casino would be the current title holder. While Vegas used to be known for grand-scale demolitions and epic rebuilds, lately the trend has moved toward reshaping what’s already there, with the Sahara becoming the SLS Las Vegas; Monte Carlo Resort and Casino switching to Park MGM/NoMad; Tropicana being reworked as… Tropicana Las Vegas; and what was once the Imperial Palace, briefly The Quad, now finding its own as The LINQ.

The hotel is barely recognizable from its former self. Everything from the casino floor to the pool deck to the rooms (some with bunk beds) is totally fresh. The rooftop pool is for those 21 and older and features DJs, games, and a ton of daybeds. You can chill out at the spa, play trivia at TAG Sports Bar, check out The Auto Collection’s amazing classic cars, or freshen up your ink game at Club Tattoo. Let’s make memories!

A lot of the excitement at The LINQ, and where you might end up spending most of your time, is in the outdoor area leading to The High Roller, the world’s tallest observation wheel. Forget your preconceived notions of a “Ferris wheel”; The High Roller is way beyond, with climate-controlled capsules doing a half-hour rotation that offer amazing views in every direction. This being Vegas, of course there’s an open bar option, as well as group packages. They even do chocolate tastings and yoga sessions up there!

Back down on terra firma, The LINQ Promenade has become a pretty solid collection of eating, drinking and shopping spots. Wake up and get yourself a fresh-squeezed juice blend at Squeeze, then peruse the shopping from Harley-Davidson gear to Havaianas flip-flops. You can work up an appetite chasing aliens at VR Adventures and then study your food options closely. It’s hard to deny the draw of In-N-Out Burger (order that double-double Animal® Style), especially for those who’ve never experienced the legendary SoCal chain. But you can also get a fresh-wrapped sushi burrito (yes, that’s a thing—go for the Rockport) at Jaburritos Sushi Burritos, barbecue at Virgil’s Real Barbecue (solid pulled pork), real brick-oven pizza at Flour & Barley, and you-know-what at Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips (enter through the classic British phone boxes).

You’ll notice a dramatic entrance to the Flamingo Hotel next door on the Promenade, too. If you feel like you’ve had enough cityscape, tuck in here and sneak over to their wildlife habitat (true story: actual live flamingos, as well as other fowl and fish), or check out the beach club and high-energy GO pool here. Good vibes.

Finish off with a visit to Amorino Gelato, with a selection of elegant European flavors like organic Sicilian citrus, biscotto, lime and basil. Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of chocolate, too. Then succumb to the draw of the tourist vibe—grab a drink and some more grub at Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, Guy Fieri’s Vegas Kitchen & Bar, or O’Sheas Casino. Or switch it up to a Vegas classic: Just steps from the LINQ Hotel entrance, at Harrah’s next door, is Carnaval Court—a flair bar that is permanently on spring break.

Really, though, you should end any good evening at what’s arguably the centerpiece of The LINQ (besides The High Roller): Brooklyn Bowl, where you can catch some legendary bands, DJs and comedians in a great room, bowl a few games (really!) and yeah, eat some more (fried chicken is the thing here).

And here’s a pro tip: There’s an Amazon Locker on the promenade, so order your gear and have it meet you there. Pretty dope.

This is Vegas next-gen.

Conveniently for EDC-goers, the LINQ is an official shuttle stop.