Best Las Vegas Souvenirs: What to Bring Home Besides a Shot Glass

Quick answer: The best Las Vegas souvenirs come from the real city, not the Strip's souvenir superstores: retired dice or chips from a casino gift shop, Ethel M chocolate from Henderson, something from the Neon Museum, a piece featuring the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign, and a 3D Las Vegas skyline sculpture with the STRAT, the High Roller and the Luxor ($54.99 to $74.99).

The souvenir problem in Vegas

No city sells more souvenirs, and no city sells more forgettable ones. Every block of the Strip has a store full of shot glasses, slot-machine magnets and T-shirts with jokes about what happens here. Almost all of it ends up in a drawer by the time the tan fades.

The good Las Vegas souvenirs are the ones with a real connection to the city: its casinos, its neon, its sign, and its skyline.

Eight real Las Vegas souvenirs

1. A 3D Las Vegas skyline sculpture

The Las Vegas skyline is like no other: the STRAT's needle, a half-scale Eiffel Tower, the High Roller wheel, a glass pyramid with a sphinx, castle turrets, and the Welcome sign out front. Hand-printed in matte black with brushed gold lettering, in Medium (7.5 inches) or Large (9 inches). It ships in 3 to 5 days, so you can order it after the trip instead of carrying it through the airport.

2. Retired casino dice or chips

Many casino gift shops sell dice that were used on the tables, often with the casino's name and a cancellation mark. They cost a few dollars, they're real, and they come from the place you actually played.

3. Ethel M Chocolates

Made in Henderson since 1981, with a cactus garden at the factory that's worth the drive. Better than any chocolate sold in a slot-machine-shaped box.

4. Something from the Neon Museum

The Neon Museum preserves the old signs of Las Vegas in its Boneyard. Its gift shop sells prints and books about the signs, a souvenir of the city's real design history.

5. A Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas piece

The sign was designed in 1959 by Betty Willis, who never copyrighted it, which is why it appears on everything. Pick a well-made print or model rather than the cheapest magnet you see.

6. A Hoover Dam or Red Rock Canyon find

The best day trips from Vegas leave the Strip entirely. A book or print from the Hoover Dam visitor center or the Red Rock Canyon shop covers the side of Nevada most visitors forget.

7. A show program or poster

If you saw a show, keep the program or buy the poster. It's dated, personal and specific to your trip.

8. Local hot sauce or spice blends

Small Las Vegas makers sell sauces and rubs at local markets. Light, cheap and easy to pack.

What to skip

• Anything with a joke about what happens in Vegas
• Novelty slot machines that break by Christmas
• Oversized items you'll have to check in

More ideas in Las Vegas souvenirs that aren't tacky.

FAQ

What is the most iconic Las Vegas souvenir?

Something with the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign or the skyline of the Strip. A Las Vegas skyline sculpture includes both.

What souvenirs can I take on the plane?

Anything small and solid: dice, chips, chocolate, prints, and the skyline sculpture, which fits in a carry-on at both sizes.

What sizes does the Las Vegas skyline come in?

Medium (7.5 inches wide, $54.99) and Large (9 inches wide, $74.99, ships free).

Shop the Las Vegas skyline · hand-printed in the USA, ships in 3 to 5 days.