Las Vegas Is Home To One Of The Best Food Tours In The Country

Often times when traveling to a new place one of the first questions we ask is about the best places to eat in that destination city. USA Today's 10BEST is here to make your life easier, highlighting the best food tours in the country, and Las Vegas made the list.

A typical food tour takes you on a culinary adventure while simultaneously introducing you to local culture. They can be focused on a particular food group (like infamous pizza tours) or a bit more well-rounded to give you a taste of many local flavors.

"Going on a food tour is not only a great way to discover the local culture, history, and flavors of a destination, but also a fun way to meet new people who share your passion for food and travel," 10BEST states.

In order to compile the most intriguing fan-favorite food tours, USA Today looked into all varieties available. This included everything from a Gumbo tour in New Orleans (ranking 6th) and Bobby's Bike Hike tours in Chicago where you can choose from different cuisine options.

Overall, Columbus, Ohio, ranked as the best food tour in the country with Columbus Food Adventures. However, let's focus on the entry that finished right before that.

Ranking number two overall was Taste Buzz Food Tours. Upon visiting their website, one of the first things you will notice is that they ask you to select which one you are interested in. That's because there are four customized routes that bring you to either the downtown area, the arts district, the Strip, or the "Very Vegas" foodie tour that combines tourist attractions with celebrity chef hotspots.

With so many renowned restaurants and buffet options, it's fair to think Las Vegas flies under the radar when it comes to great tour options for a meal.

"Taste Buzz Food Tours are designed to show people a part of Vegas that you would only taste and see if you knew somebody that lived here," they explain. Regardless of which tour you select, you are bound to stop at some of the best local establishments and even food trucks.

"You’ll drool over the delectable array of delicious dishes, learn about the history and culture of Las Vegas cuisine, and meet some of the local entrepreneurs and workers who make the city run, "Taste Buzz concludes.

Group reservations or private tour options are available. Each tour consists of four or five stops. The expected walking distance is approximately 1.5 to 2 miles per tour.

Sphere in Las Vegas is one of the coolest venues to open in decades. There truly hasn't been anything like it, especially when it comes to its many visual aspects.

To begin with, its sheer presence as a building just off the Vegas Strip is awe-inspiring. Your eyes are just drawn to it, regardless of what it projected on its external surface. Sphere's website notes the "Exosphere" features 580,000 sq feet of LEDs that are so bright they can be seen from space.

Its interior is also magical, and we don't just mean its spatial audio system. Sphere's website states, "Events at Sphere are immersive experiences that, depending on the event, may include elements such as seat haptics, movement sensations, flashing lights, intense lighting, visual effects, loud noises, and atmospheric simulations including fog, scent and wind."

In other words: There are seemingly few limits to what can be done with Sphere's remarkable technology.

After breaking ground in Sept. 2018, Sphere opened in Sept. 2023. U2, of course, was the first artist to perform a residency at the new Vegas venue, which cost $2.3 billion to build. In December 2023, The Hollywood Reporter noted the 17 shows U2 performed through Nov. 30 generated $30.7 million in revenue, which is an average of $1.8 million per show.

Additionally, Sphere has screened Darren Aronofsky's film Postcards From Earth. Through Nov. 30, the state-of-the-art venue has hosted 111 screenings of the film, which has resulted in $44.5 million in revenue. This averages to $400,000 per screening. Altogether, these two attractions have generated over $75 million in revenue for the new venue.

After U2 wraps their residency on March 2, Phish will be the next band to perform at The Sphere. Their show dates are currently April 18-21. After Phish, Dead & Company's "Dead Forever" residency will begin on May 16.

This all has us asking ourselves a very important question: Who should be next to occupy Sphere? After some thought, we think these five rock acts would make very interesting use of the unique space.

Gilmour doesn't perform much anymore, so having him do a Sphere residency would be really special. He undoubtedly has enough of a catalog to warrant such a grand venue. Also, you just know he could really bring an impressive visual experience, too. A Gilmour Sphere residency would continue to make the venue the most in-demand attraction in Vegas.

Let's just say it: Maynard James Keenan is a f---ing weirdo. (Yes, we do mean that in a positive way.) It would be fascinating to see how he would play to such a larger-than-life venue. As far as visuals go, their existing music videos could be projected on the massive screens, and it would be outstanding! The video for "Vicarious" alone would be trippy AF. Of course, Tool would likely create original visuals for the performance just because they could.

How do you make a larger-than-life rock figure even larger? Have them take on Sphere! If anyone could do it, it's obviously Sir Paul. Like with Gilmour, there's an ample catalog to play with. Plus, he'd be able to sell out countless nights at the venue. Nothing but wins all around for this one!

Giving Trent Reznor the kind of visual freedom Sphere could offer would be interesting, to say the least. It would just be fascinating to see what he would do with all of the technology. He would surely come up with a concept literally only he could dream up. Let's hope a NIN residency will eventually become a reality.

Remember how we noted Sphere is capable of "atmospheric simulations including fog, scent and wind"? Just imagine how Slipknot would utilize scent in a venue. Sure, there's a good chance it would be gross, but it's not like you'd want some earthy patchouli incense at a Slipknot show. Plus, their visuals are overwhelming at their shows already. Just think of what they would do with those screens!