20 Best Instagram Spots in Las Vegas – A Local’s Guide!

Every inch of the Las Vegas strip is so picturesque and just waiting to be captured! Out of all the amazing spots this city has to offer, where can you find the best ones? Lucky for you, I am a local who was born and raised in Las Vegas! I have searched and found the crème de la crème of Instagram spots in Las Vegas.

These Las Vegas photo shoot locations are good options for staged shoots or just the perfect Instagram capture for your vacation! Because no one knows you were in Vegas until you captured the perfect shot, am I right?! If you are planning all the best places for you and your friends to take pictures at, don’t forget to check out my Ultimate Girl’s Guide to Las Vegas with tons of fun things to do!

Not only will I share the location of the best Instagram spots in Las Vegas, but photography tips & best times to capture the shot! These are my tops choices, but not all my favorite locations! If you want more inspiration, you can follow along on my Instagram. 🙂

TIP: Before we dive into the guide, I recommend two things to take your photos to the next level: “MPI Presets Pack” One-Click Presets & a wide angle clip on lens for your I-Phone! 

Want more guides on Las Vegas? Don’t forget to read these:

• Vegas Packing List – For Ladies!
• Best Things to do in Vegas Besides Gambling!
• 10 BIG Mistakes to Avoid in Las Vegas!
• Best Bars in Downtown Las Vegas
• 15 Best Day Trips from Las Vegas
• 40 FREE Things to do in Las Vegas
• Girls Guide to Las Vegas
• How to spend your 21st Birthday in Las Vegas
• 3 Days in Las Vegas Itinerary!

There’s a chance this post contains affiliate links. I may receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you), that goes directly towards little Rosie’s dog treats!

1. Excalibur

The Excalibur is less than a five minute walk from the Luxor hotel, so this could easily be done in one trip. The area I captured these photos were right by the valet near Dick’s Las Resort restaurant. You will get a lot of cars and taxi drivers watching you take your shots, but hey…. do it for the gram! Click here for the Excalibur location.

Best time to go to The Excalibur?

Again, earlier is always better, but I don’t think you will have a horrible problem getting a good shot. This area does not seem to be high-traffic, because people are closer to the valet/hotel entrance than where I was standing near the moat area.

Photography Tips?

Try switching up your lens and aperture settings. As you can see from the photos below, changing these two things gives your shot two COMPLETELY different looks! This area is also very colorful and fun, so I think wearing colorful clothes will really compliment the entire photo.

These pictures were edited with my one-click presets! Click here to check them out!

2. Ethel M Cactus Garden

Ethel M is located off the beaten path and in a local area of town. This is a great spot to walk around and get some souvenirs for back home! They also offer free chocolate tasting and a free tour of their chocolate factory. A lot of tour buses travel here daily, so you could easily hop on one of the buses. Outside of the chocolate shop, you will see a large cactus garden with all types of cacti. If you like this spot, don’t forget to check out my other FREE things to do in Las Vegas!

Click here for the Ethel M Cactus Garden Location

Best time to go to Ethel M Cactus Garden?

If possible, I would recommend going on a weekday to avoid crowds. Because of the winding walkways in the gardens, I think no matter how busy it is you could easily get a picture without anyone in your backdrop. As for time of day, I would HIGHLY recommend going for golden hour (hour before sunset), because it makes the cactus and your skin look amazing! 

Photography Tips?

There are so many different types of cacti in this garden, so mix it up! Stand in front of a really tall one and get a low angle shot, walk through a walkway of cacti, or step into the garden so you are right in the center of the action! If you’re wondering what to wear, I would wear a sage green sundress like the one I am wearing below! Otherwise, anything neutral would look great.

Like how I edited this photo?! Click here to check out my Lightroom presets!

3. New York New York

Out of this entire list of best Instagram spots in Las Vegas, this one is my ultimate favorite! I found this spot at the Tropicana Hotel, where the front of the hotel meets Las Vegas Blvd. You will see short white fencing and fake green lawns along the front of the hotel. If you sit down at this spot, you get the entire NY NY Hotel in your backdrop, and the Las Vegas Blvd sign too! Click here for the Tropicana location.

Best time to go to The New York New York?

I don’t think the time of day will matter too much with this shot, because these lawns are not made for picnicking, so you will not have a ton of people directly in your backdrop. Plus, the main scene is the New York New York hotel, and people walking in the background won’t effect it.

Photography Tips?

I didn’t think of this until after, but I think props would make this photo so much fun! Get a box of pizza and pose with pizza slices, or make a picnic set up with a friend! I think this would give the photo an extra pop, but not needed. As you can see below, this spot is so magical!!

4. Paris Hotel

The best spot to capture the entire Paris Hotel is at the Bellagio across the street. If you are at the Bellagio valet facing Las Vegas Blvd, head to the left along the fountain pools. If you continue walking, you will see plenty of great places to take a picture with the lake and Eiffel tower in your backdrop! Click here for the Bellagio Valet Location.

Best time to go to the Paris Hotel?

Again, golden hours (hour after sunrise or hour before sunset) are going to be the best for flattering lighting. I don’t think this place get’s too busy because it’s still pretty hidden from tourists and locals! I think this spot is a true hidden gem and even if you have people walking along the pathway, you will still easily get a picture without anyone in your backdrop.

Photography Tips?

I would not recommend sitting on the railing, because the drop on the other side is very high! You can get plenty of cute pictures just standing along the railing. Put on a bold red lip and order a black beret from Amazon, and your Instagram followers will think you are in actual Paris!

Having your “Instagram Husband” take your photos for you? Be sure to reward him with a fun date night! Check out my guide on Romantic things to do in Vegas for couples for some ideas! 🙂

5. Linq Promenade 

Next up, the Linq Promenade! This is located right on the Las Vegas strip at the Linq hotel (the hotel with the large ferris wheel). If you walk into the hotel, you should see signs pointing you to their promenade, which is an adorable area filled with shopping, restaurants and bars. This cobblestone street has twinkly lights, colorful storefronts and the large ferris wheel in the backdrop. Click here for the Linq Promenade location.

Best time to go to the Linq Promenade?

This place gets crowded around happy hour, so I would recommend going before lunch hour where the restaurants start to fill up. The weekends can be busy with tourists, but if you go on a weekday, you should easily be able to capture a shot without anyone in your backdrop. 

Photography Tips?

Definitely have your photographer bend down to get an upward angle shot, so you can capture the entire ferris wheel in the shot! I would recommend wearing casual clothes, a colorful pastel top would look great in front of any of the storefronts!

BONUS: Don’t forget to get a sprinkles cupcake and take a picture in front of their cupcake ATM!

6. Venetian

The Venetian is my all-time favorite hotel on the strip! The vibrant turquoise water that wraps inside and outside of the hotel is so neat to me! Located right in the middle of the trip, you can walk right up to the outside lagoon right from Las Vegas Blvd. While you’re at the Venetian, don’t forget to get an extravagant milkshake from Blacktap! Click here for the Blacktap location.

Best time to go to the Venetian Lagoon?

This area is HUGE so you can easily grab a picture without anyone in your backdrop. I took my pictures right next to the pole by Blacktap and you can snap a picture with a gondola going by in the background. Lighting is going to be harsh during the middle of the day, but there are a few spots along the lagoon that have shade.

Photography Tips?

Wait for the gondola to get in your backdrop so really take your shot to the next level! Also grab a Blacktap milkshake to use as a prop for your pictures (and to eat of course, they are SO yummy!). If you are going in the middle of the day, I would take your photos under the many shaded spots along the lagoon so there aren’t shadows on your face.

7. Seven Magic Mountains

The Seven Magic Mountains is one of the newer and most popular Instagram spots in Las Vegas that is located just outside of the city limits. If you are driving in from California, this will be on your right when you are driving into Vegas. These are painted boulders stacked in groups of six. They tower extremely tall and will make you feel extremely small, especially being out in the middle of the desert! They keep extending this “temporary” art piece, but I can’t see it staying forever so see it before it’s gone! Click here for the Seven Magic Mountains location.

Best time to go to the Seven Magic Mountains?

EARLY!! These things get so crowded with tour buses around 8-9am. If you can make it for sunrise, I highly recommend for a few reasons. First, you won’t have tons of people in your backdrop. Second, because if you are going any season except for summer, it is going to be so hot! You are literally in the middle of the desert without any shade, so taking pictures won’t be very enjoyable.

Photography Tips?

There are so many different angles you can capture with these art pieces. You can get close up in front of one stack, you can walk between them when they are staggered so you get multiple in your shot, or my ultimate favorite… If you keep walking past the Seven Magic Mountains, you will see Joshua Trees. Stop by one of them and get the entire art piece in your backdrop!

8. Luxor

The Luxor is an Egyptian themed hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. I am sure you will notice it right away by its unique pyramid shape and light beam shining after the sun sets. I personally feel this hotel is so underrated and does not have the hype it deserves! This was one of the first places I thought of when deciding to make this, “Best Instagram Spots in Las Vegas,” guide.

And the best part is you get two Instagram spots at one locations! The first is the large Sphinx and second is the Luxor sign on Las Vegas Blvd. The large Sphinx is the entrance to the hotel from Las Vegas Blvd, right by the tram station. The Luxor sign is best captured on the sidewalk on Las Vegas Blvd, right in front of the hotel entrance. You can easily capture both of these shots in one stop! Click here for the Luxor location.

Best time to go to The Luxor?

Since these are both high-traffic areas, it would be best to wake up early to get your shot. All of my photos were taking just after sunrise (around 6:30am in the summer). It will be very difficult to get a good shot to the entrance of a large hotel, but I had it all to myself for about an hour at this time.

Photography Tips?

The sphinx is HUGE. Play around with where you stand to get the best shot. I stood on the concrete pad by the railing and was able to easily capture the entire sphinx head in my shots. For the Luxor sign, my photographer was practically laying on the floor and angling the camera upwards to get the entire sign in the shot.

TIP: Get a flowy skirt to add movement to your photos like I did below!

9. Symphony Park

Symphony park is located off the Las Vegas strip but in the downtown area. Which if you are visiting Las Vegas for the first time, downtown is not an area you want to miss! This small grass area is lined with a rainbow art piece perfect for your Instagram shot. Click here to see the exact address of Symphony Park!

Best time to go to Symphony Park?

Anytime of day on the weekday & you will have the entire place to yourself! On the weekends, they sometimes host events at the park, so it will be difficult to capture the shot without multiple people in your backdrop. 

Photography Tips?

You have the opportunity to get so many unique shots with different perspectives. Try having your photographer bend down to get an upward angle or step back to get the full art piece in the backdrop! I recommend either wearing a colorful top to blend in to your backdrop, or a white dress would also look great!

10. Las Vegas Sign

This is easily the most popular Las Vegas Instagram spot, and for good reason! It is featured in so many movies and TV Shows, everyone wants their picture in front of this iconic landmark! With popularity comes crowds though, so be prepared to wait in line for a shot without anyone in your backdrop. Click here for the Las Vegas Sign Location.

Best time to go to The Las Vegas Sign?

Obviously, the earlier you go the less crowds you will have to face! This place gets insanely busy, especially in the middle of the day. There is also no shade, so going in the middle of the day will not be very flattering on your face. If you can only go during the day, I would face away from the camera (like I did below). It makes your hair looks vibrant and shiny too!

Photography Tips?

Have some poses in mind before walking up to take your picture! There will most likely be a long line waiting on you and will make you feel extremely pressured. There aren’t too many different perspectives you can capture with this shot, so I would just focus on changing up your poses.

11. Valley Of Fire State Park

Even though Valley of Fire is not located on the Las Vegas Strip, this is by far the most-liked Instagram spot so I had to throw it on this list! If you drive less than an hour outside of the city into Valley of Fire State park, you will be greeted with vibrant red rock formations. This exact location is located on the main road driving into the park between the Mouses Tank Trail and Rainbow Vista Trail. When driving into the park, this beautiful view will be behind you!

Best time to go to Valley of Fire?

SUPER IMPORTANT! If you want to replicate this shot, you will need to go extremely early to get their before all the crowds. It is unsafe to stand in the middle of the road when there are people driving up. I took this shot just after sunrise on a weekday and didn’t have any issues. This will be best for lighting as well!

Photography Tips?

Change up your perspective! For the first shot, my photographer (AKA my boyfriend hehe) hiked up onto the rocks to get an aerial perspective. This allowed you to see the scenery surrounding me a lot better! For the second photo he shot at eye level on the road, which makes for two completely different photos!

12. New York New York Brooklyn Bridge

This is a second Instagram spot at the NYNY Hotel, but instead of across the street capturing the entire hotel, head to Las Vegas Blvd directly in front of the hotel. On the side where the hotel meets The Park, you will see a massive replica of the Brooklyn Bridge. The replica stretches along the front of  the hotel on Las Vegas Blvd!

Best time to go to the Brooklyn Bridge Replica?

You could honestly do this at any time of the day, just be aware that this is a very busy sidewalk! Going anytime other than sunrise will leave you with tons of people in your backdrop.

Photography Tips?

Use your surroundings to make this photo interesting! Use the little cafe tables and chairs that are under the bridge, hang off the railings, use the nearby trees to frame the photo, or whatever you can to make the photo unique! 🙂

13. Rainbow Stairs at the Fashion Show Mall

I honestly can’t believe these stairs aren’t the number one Instagram spot in Vegas because they are so cute! Located at the Fashion Show mall, you can see this massive staircase entrance from Las Vegas Blvd. This mall is massive, so I would recommend typing out the restaurant, Maggianos, into your maps and heading there since it is right next to it.

Best time to go to the Rainbow Stairs?

There is a big escalator next to the rainbow staircase, so surprisingly the staircase is fairly empty most of the time. I took these photos at around 1pm on a Friday and had no people in my backdrop! This area is fairly shaded from the tall building that surround it, so I don’t think that going for Sunrise / sunset would really matter too much.

Photography Tips?

The rainbow stairs have an ombre of colors that go up the staircase. Make sure you move around on the staircase to play around with having different colors in your backdrop!

14. Fremont Street

Fremont Street is one of the most unique areas of the city and will give you the “old Vegas” vibe! Located in Downtown Las Vegas, Fremont street is the main road that is covered by a lit up dome, zip lines, fat Tuesday bars and street performers! This exact photo was taken in front of the Slotzilla Zipline on Fremont Street!

Best time to go to Fremont Street?

For actually experiencing Fremont Street, go at night! The flashing lights, street performers and abundance of bars is such a fun night out! Which, be sure to check out my guide to Best Bars in downtown Las Vegas for a fun bar-hopping night!

As for photos, Fremont street is very crowded at night so it would be extremely difficult to not get anyone in your backdrop. If you want to avoid the crowds in your photos, I would definitely go in the morning!

Photography Tips?

This tower is TALL! Make sure you either use your wide angle lens or buy this inexpensive, wide angle clip on lens for your I-Phone! Make your photographer get the camera close to the ground and angle upward to capture the entire tower in the shot.

15. Crystals Shops

The shops at the Crystals is a very expensive and luxurious shopping mall located on the Las Vegas Strip. Inside the mall near the Starbucks, you will see this beautiful, lit up staircase! Very similar to the Rainbow Staircase the Fashion Show, there is an escalator right next to the staircase, which means most people take that instead of the stairs! I took these photos in the middle of the day and had no problem avoiding people in my backdrop.

Best time to go to the Crystals?

This Las Vegas Instagram spot is located inside, so it doesn’t really matter what time of day you shoot! If you go in the middle of the day or at night, you may have to be patient waiting for crowds to get out of your shot, but again.. I didn’t have a major problem!

Photography Tips?

Bring a shopping bag as a prop for your photo to make it more interesting! Also try switching up the perspective in this unique mall. There are two stories, so try having your photographer stand on the second floor and shoot down at you as if you were walking through the shopping mall!

16. Caesars Palace Pool Entrance

So the Caesars Palace pool is not actually open to the public, unless you pay their entrance fee ($20) or are staying at the hotel. If you go before they open and ask the security if you can just take a quick photo, they don’t usually have an issue with that! This pretty staircase is located at the back of the pool, on your right side if you are walking in from the casino.

Best time to go to Caesars Palace Pool?

These stairs are not extremely busy during the day, so if you plan on spending the day at the pool, then you can go anytime during their open hours. If you just want to snag a picture at the steps without having to pay the fee to get in, you will need to go early before they open.

Photography Tips?

If you go early in the morning before the pool opens, there will be uneven light casting on the steps. If you are using a DSLR or Mirrorless camera, make sure you underexpose your photo so you don’t loose any detail! Remember, you can always brighten the photo to bring back detail, but if you over-expose in camera, it will be hard to darken the photo and bring the detail back! 🙂

17. Spanish Steps Bar

This was a very unexpected Instagram spot where my friend and I were actually walking back to are car after a long morning of shooting. When we saw this place, we dropped our camera bags immediately and started shooting! If you type “Spanish Steps Bar” into your Google Maps (located at Caesars Palace) and if you are facing Las Vegas Blvd at the bar, walk to the left and you will see this large staircase.

Best time to go to the Spanish Steps Bar?

This spot is located right on Las Vegas Blvd, which means it will be busy most of the day and night. If you want to get a shot without tourists filling the staircase, you will want to go early in the morning.

Photography Tips?

See that beautiful light flare coming through the staircase? That is the beautiful morning light that is peering through! This photo was shot a few hours after sunrise, so I got no crowds and beautiful light for the photo! 🙂

18. Trevi Fountain

I absolutely love this spot! It is located at the Forum Shops entrance on the side closest to the Mirage Hotel, right on Las Vegas Blvd. There is also a restaurant / bar right next to the fountain, so make sure you stop for a drink after your photo.

Best time to go to the Trevi Fountain?

This is another Vegas Instagram Location that is located right on Las Vegas Blvd, which means it will be crowded most of the time! I also took this photo early in the morning, just after sunrise so I didn’t have to worry about people being in my shot.

Photography Tips?

Even though the water is truly that blue in real life, when you take a photo of this spot, it makes the water look very dull! Make sure you edit the photo in Lightroom to make the color of that water POP like it does in real life! If you don’t know how to edit in Lightroom, be sure to check out my Lightroom Mobile Presets for one click edits!

19. The Pool at the Bellagio

The entire Bellagio hotel is extremely picturesque, so you could easily spend all day photographing this location. My favorite spot in the Bellagio is located outside by the pool. Similar to the Caesars Pool, you will need to ask security to get in before they open if you want to avoid paying the fee to enter. This exact photo spot is the large walkway between the pools, which you will see immediately when you walk in!

TIP: There are a lot of other Instagram Spots at the Bellagio that are listed on my 40 FREE things to do in Las Vegas guide!

Best time to go to the Pool at the Bellagio?

If you want to pay the entrance fee and enjoy the day at this beautiful pool, you can go anytime during open hours. If you just want to take your photo “for the gram” and not have to pay the fee, you will need to go early before they open!

Photography Tips?

Make sure you switch up your angle to capture the rows of greenery in the photo! You can do this by having your photographer hold the camera close to the ground and angle upward!

20. Treasure Island Ship Wreck

An extremely underrated spot is located at the Treasure Island Casino along Las Vegas Blvd. This large entrance will have two ship wrecks, a bridge linking the two, a moat underneath the ships, and the Treasure Island Hotel in the background! If you type in Senior Frogs into your Google Maps, it will be right in front of that!

TIP: If you are planning a Bachelorette party or 21st Birthday in Vegas, Senior Frogs has a really fun Drag Brunch!

Best time to go to the Treasure Island?

Sunset is going to be the best time to take photos here so the sun is shining right on you and the building! I went early in the morning and, honestly, the lighting wasn’t great! This is also located along Las Vegas Blvd though, so you might have to be patient getting a good photo without anyone in it.

Photography Tips?

This is another location I would recommend bringing your wide angle lens or buying a wide angle clip on lens for your I-Phone! To capture both you and the hotel in your photo, you will need a very wide angle lens!

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Okay, that’s a wrap! These are my top choices for best Instagram spots in Las Vegas. I think it gives you a good mix of different sites and most are so close together, so you can do them in one day. If you want more inspiration on places to take pictures in Las Vegas, you can follow along on Instagram! 

If you like how I edit all these photos, don’t forget to check out my Lightroom Presets! This pack comes with 15 (yes, FIFTEEN) photo filters to take your photos to the next level! 🙂

Want more guides on Las Vegas? Don’t forget to read these:

• Vegas Packing List – For Ladies!
• Best Things to do in Vegas Besides Gambling!
• 10 BIG Mistakes to Avoid in Las Vegas!
• Best Bars in Downtown Las Vegas
• 15 Best Day Trips from Las Vegas
• 40 FREE Things to do in Las Vegas
• Girls Guide to Las Vegas
• How to spend your 21st Birthday in Las Vegas
• 3 Days in Las Vegas Itinerary!

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