5 of Las Vegas’ best immersive hi-tech attractions

Las Vegas is – by definition and mission statement – an immersive experience. It wants all of you – your eyes, your ears, your stomach, your imagination and, of course, your wallet. It offers giant resorts with so many amenities and attractions that, once inside one of these complexes, you never really need to leave for the length of your stay. It is the type of place that comes at you the moment you enter the city limits. And then it just keeps right on coming – with concerts, roulette tables, celebrity chefs, showgirls, spa treatments and so much more. Still, Vegas is never content to stay stuck in its old ways. Instead, it has gone from Rat Pack to hi-tech as it embraces cutting-edge technologies – from virtual reality attractions to a giant 360-degree screen – that submerge you into an alternative world. You will basically find these newfangled immersive experiences around every corner, from The Strip to the revitalised downtown area. Here are five of the very best, all of which would take a Vegas itinerary to the next level. Area 15 Since opening in 2020, Area 15 has drawn well over 10 million visitors to its location just one mile off The Strip – and it is easy to see why. Area 15 is a mixed-use experiential playground, offering an impressive assortment of retail, dining, nightlife and immersive activities. One visit to this 40-acre (16-hectare) complex is not enough – at least not if you want to take in all the diversely appealing attractions found in both the original Zone 1 and the more recently opened Zone 2. But if you are only going to do one, definitely make sure it is the Interstellar Arc, which may well be the finest virtual reality attraction on the planet. Interstellar Arc The newly opened Interstellar Arc – located in Zone 2 – presents an hour-long virtual reality experience that puts you right in the middle of a Hollywood-style sci-fi epic. The plot goes something like this: you are a futuristic space traveller, just waking up from a 200-year nap, and you are on a mission to help colonise a new world, located some 11.4 light years from Earth. That means it is time to explore your massive ship – the Interstellar Arc – and get a good look at this new world from above. To be honest, I have never much cared for the basic VR-enhanced rides and such – in large part because they can leave me feeling a bit nauseated. So I was initially worried that spending 50-60 minutes with a VR headset on at the Arc would be rough. Yet, the experience turned out to be an absolute breeze – and delight – as I took in what is billed as the world’s largest free-roaming VR experience. You take VR space shuttles, walk across VR glass floors, peer over VR ledges to see VR spacescapes and so on, as you casually make your way along an easy, flat guided path in this 20,000 sq ft (1,860-square-metre) space. This is a true, can’t-miss Vegas experience. Details: Tickets start at US$54. For more information, visit interstellararc.com. Universal Horror Unleashed Another new Zone 2 attraction is Universal Horror Unleashed, which is a dream – or nightmare – come true for those who think Halloween fun should last all year long. As the name underscores, this chilling immersive experience comes courtesy of the same folks behind the popular Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios in Los Angeles, Orlando, Singapore and Osaka, Japan. Like the Halloween-season phenomenon, Universal Horror Unleashed also has multiple themed haunted houses filled with very convincing ghouls, axe murderers and other menaces who share the goal of making you shriek in terror. Its four attractions are Universal Monsters, Scarecrow: The Reaping, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Blumhouse’s The Exorcist: Believer. These experiences are at least as frightening as what you will find at Halloween Horror Nights. Plus, you can get your scare on 12 months a year here. Details: Tickets start at US$59. For more information, visit universalhorrorunleashed.com. John Wick Experience Leaving Zone 2 behind, let us venture back to Zone 1 to take in yet another great immersive attraction – one that will surely please John Wick fans. You can experience what it is like to be an assassin on the run. It is part escape room, part cinematic experience and part theatrical play, as you interact with actors – who refuse to break character – and make your way through rooms of the Continental Hotel from the Wick film franchise. Did I mention that there is a US$1.5 million contract on your head? That turns up the urgency – which the attraction designers have successfully built into the whole experience. Highly recommended for Wick-heads or anyone who likes a good Hollywood-style adrenaline rush. Details: Tickets start at US$63.98. For more information, visit johnwickexperience.com. Those are just three distinct highlights of the many Area 15 attractions. To explore more offerings, visit area15.com. Sphere Sphere is the hottest and most celebrated immersive attraction in Las Vegas. Since opening in late 2023, Sphere has become the must-see concert venue – not just in Vegas but also the entire world. Go there once and you will understand why. The exterior is amazing enough all on its own – a mammoth geodesic dome standing 366ft (112 metres) tall and projecting bright images that can be seen from miles away – as well as from the sky while you are flying in and out of Las Vegas. And it gets even more impressive once you enter and take your seat, allowing the giant wraparound floor-to-ceiling, 16K-resolution screen to take you on a musical trip you will not soon forget. U2 opened the venue in September 2023. Other acts to perform there include Dead & Company, Phish, the Eagles and Kenny Chesney. Phish are returning in April and May, No Doubt will make their Sphere debut in May and June, and Carin Leon is stopping by in September. Metal fans will be heading to Vegas to catch that highly anticipated Metallica residency, which kicks off in October. Of course, concerts are pricey, and the artist you most want to see may not be playing there when you are planning to be in Las Vegas. Those are two of the (many) reasons why I recommend catching the ongoing run of 1939’s The Wizard of Oz, which screens at Sphere several times a day, seven days a week. Oz is a great way to experience Sphere – one that takes advantage of the venue’s 4D capabilities in ways that even the concerts do not. The film’s tornado scene, in particular, is absolutely stunning. This is no ordinary movie ticket – with admission starting at around US$114 – but it is well worth the price. Screenings are currently scheduled through the end of 2026. Details: For more information, visit thesphere.com. Jim Harrington

5 of Las Vegas’ best immersive hi-tech attractions

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}From the world’s largest 360-degree screen to an epic VR odyssey and a John Wick experience, check out these attractions on a Vegas trip

Area 15

From the world’s largest 360-degree screen to an epic VR odyssey and a John Wick experience, check out these attractions on a Vegas trip