8 places every Elvis Presley fan must visit in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – To many, he was known as “The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” to others, “The Hillbilly Cat,” “The Memphis Flash,” “Elvis the Pelvis,” or simply “The King.” In Las Vegas, the Entertainment Capital of the World, Elvis Presley will always be remembered for the many years he spent performing to sold-out audiences from 1969 to 1977.

Now decades later, visitors still come to Las Vegas in search of any remnants of the Rock ‘n’ Roll singer’s spirit and the magic he left behind. The city holds many key milestone moments from the singer’s life.

In the 1950s, he tested out the mainstream waters by performing at the New Frontier Hotel and Casino on Las Vegas Boulevard. In the early 1960s, Presley shot one of his feature films, “Viva Las Vegas,” across the Las Vegas valley and married his wife Priscilla toward the later part of the 1960s at the iconic Aladdin Hotel on the Strip. In the 1970s, Presley made his return to Las Vegas at what is now the Westgate Las Vegas resort.

As “Vegas Elvis Fest” kicks off in the valley, 8 News Now looks back on Presley’s historic career by offering fans a guide through what is known as “Elvis’s Las Vegas” and the special spots that are still around decades after his passing.

1. UNLV

The 332-acre University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) campus is less than two miles east of the Las Vegas Strip. It is not only home to nearly 30,000 students but one particular campus building also played a major role in Presley’s “Viva Las Vegas” film, which began filming in 1963.

Decades later fans can still see and touch a piece of the old-Hollywood classic film free of cost on the university’s campus.

During the filming, the two lead actors Ann-Margaret and Elvis Presley spent time rehearsing a dance sequence for the song titled, “Come on Everybody,” inside the gymnasium which is now known as the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art Building on UNLV’s campus. The original flooring is still intact inside the museum with the former school logo still imprinted on the wood floor. The rehearsal scenes, though not originally intended to be used in the film, surprisingly made their way into the final cut, according to UNLV’s Dean of the College of Fine Arts Dr. Nancy Uscher.

“It turns out they did a dress rehearsal in what was then the gym on campus and then they went to L.A. and took more footage,” Dr. Uscher recalled. “But something that not everyone knows is that the footage in L.A. was somehow damaged so they ended up using the footage that was taken in Las Vegas as the footage that went into the movie.”

The Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art was one of a few buildings on campus at the time of the filming as UNLV didn’t officially become a university until 1969.

“I think it’s become kind of iconic, it’s an important song in the film which was itself iconic,” Uscher shared. “It gives us great joy to know that, that very scene was filmed so beautifully, even though it was rehearsal it was filmed so beautifully right in our own Barrick of Museum of Art when that building was indeed a gymnasium.”

Actress Ann-Margaret was inducted into the UNLV Hall of Fame in the Spring of 2021, and shortly after the university also presented her with an honorary doctorate certificate of arts and letters.

“She is officially an honorary alum of the university, we are very proud about that,” Uscher added. “She shared with the people at the Hall of Fame that she felt that she and Elvis had a lot in common and one way in which they were similar was they were both kind of shy people which was interesting because those of us who watched the movie and watch the stellar careers that both had over the years might not know that they were also somewhat shy.”

Uscher also told 8 News Now that “Viva Las Vegas” director George Sidney would also often come to visit UNLV as a guest lecturer at various film and theater courses years after the filming, giving students an insight into filmmaking.

Additionally, UNLV is also home to several pieces of memorabilia from the movie including a script, letters, and telegrams between the director and various people — including Al Freeman, who was instrumental in building the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas and also served as the promotion director the resort — and Lake Mead officials during the planning phase of the film. Those interested can view a great portion of the items through UNLV’s Special Collections and Archives Department.

2. Westgate Las Vegas

The Westgate’s iconic International Theater is home to where Presley performed 636 consecutive sold-out shows from 1969 to 1976. Now decades later visitors can enter through the lobby of the resort and find a statue of Presley as one of many photo-ops throughout the resort.

Not only can die-hard fans book a room at Elvis’s home away from home at the Westgate Las Vegas resort, but they can also hear from Presley’s step-brother, David Stanley, who spent much of the ’70s with the singer as his bodyguard. Stanley speaks to fans about his fond memories through a special monthly speaking engagement called “My Brother Elvis” at the resort.

Stanley grew up at Graceland starting at the age of 4 and then began working for Presley at the age of 16 in 1972 until 1977. Stanley said he worked hundreds of concerts with Elvis including his sold-out residency in Las Vegas.

The monthly speaking engagement also includes a backstage pass to see Presley’s dressing room giving fans a chance to walk through some of the hallways The King himself walked as he made his way up on stage. Special newspaper clippings and photos of Presley line the entryway as fans make their way inside the International Theatre.

Throughout the evening fans are also taken backstage for an up-close look at the place where the singer would stand and pray before taking to the stage. Photos and video clips are also displayed across a big screen showcasing the talented performer’s biggest milestones during his time in Las Vegas.

A special question and answer session with Stanley and fans concludes the memorable evening at the resort.

3. Neon Museum Las Vegas

The Neon Museum in Las Vegas gives tourists and locals alike a chance to step back into the past for a look at the glitz and glam that made the city unforgettable.

The rock ‘n’ roll singer’s spirit lives on at the museum which not only features the original signs to many resorts that were visible during his residency and film career, but there is also a star dedicated to Elvis Presley embedded in the electric promenade walkway on view to visitors.

The museum’s Boneyard is also home to the Flamingo sign where the pool scenes in “Viva Las Vegas” were shot. The Aladdin Hotel sign which was the resort where Elvis and Priscilla tied the knot is also on display. The resort is gone but Planet Hollywood now resides in the same lot along the Strip. The museum also has the Frontier Resort sign, which was the location of The King’s earliest appearance on a Las Vegas stage back in 1956.

The Neon Museum also features a tour called Viva Las Vegas Movies which explores the city’s presence on the big screen. The guided experience invites film enthusiasts and city explorers alike to delve into the iconic backdrops and neon-lit landscapes that have graced the silver screen. After the guided tour, guests can continue to explore the Museum’s Neon Boneyard collection at their own pace.

4. Site of former New Frontier Hotel

While the resort no longer stands at the site along Las Vegas Boulevard and near Fashion Show Drive, the lot still holds the memory of the first venue Presley played at in Las Vegas back in 1956. Presley was billed as the “Atomic Powered Singer,” opening in the New Frontier’s Venus Room. Although the initial performance at the resort did not play out as well as expected with a lukewarm response from the adult-aged crowd, a matinee show one day later received a stronger response from a much younger crowd.

“For the teenagers, the long, tall Memphis lad is a whiz; for the average Vegas spender or showgoer, a bore,” Las Vegas Sun reviewer Bill Willard wrote at the time.

The New Frontier initially began as a casino and dance club. Later the western-themed property included 105 rooms as well as the Little Church of the West. The property was eventually imploded in November 2007, however, fans can still walk by today and see the vacant site where it once stood at 3120 South Las Vegas Boulevard near Fashion Show Drive.

5. Little Church of the West

The Little Church of the West’s brown chapel was also used in “Viva Las Vegas” during the final scenes where Presley’s character Lucky weds Ann-Margaret’s character Rusty.

According to the chapel’s website, The Little Church of the West is the only chapel in which Elvis technically walked down a traditional aisle, although it was just for show for the final scenes in “Viva Las Vegas.” In reality, Elvis married Priscilla in Las Vegas’ Aladdin Hotel in 1967 just three years after the movie was released.

The chapel now sits further down South Las Vegas Boulevard (near the Welcome to Las Vegas Sign) than where it first stood during the filming of the movie near the New Frontier.

The chapel still holds several ceremonies each day and offers couples several options when creating their ceremony. Some of the options include adding an Elvis or mini Elvis impersonator to join the ceremony as an officiant, singer, and even escorting the bride down the aisle, according to the chapel’s website.

The most popular Elvis song chosen by couples at the chapel is “Viva Las Vegas” which is performed by an impersonator as the couple exits the chapel just after their first kiss, according to the chapel’s website.

6. Lake Mead Marina

A portion of the film “Viva Las Vegas” was shot on location at Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Ann-Margaret’s character “Rusty Martin” lived in a fictitious home in what is known as the Las Vegas Boat Harbor and Lake Mead Marina office area. The exteriors can still be seen to this day in the area.

A letter sent by Al Freeman (who was instrumental in building the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas) to Jim Corey at the Lake Mead Marina shows a conversation between the two regarding a request to install a ski ramp on Lake Mead for the movie back on July 9, 1963. The letter is part of UNLV’s Specials Collections and Archives Department within the Sands Hotel Public Relations Records.

7. Henderson

East of the Las Vegas Strip, Henderson also played a role in the film “Viva Las Vegas” during a race scene that was filmed at the Henderson Drag Strip, known as Thunderbird Field, which operated from 1958 to 1964, according to the Clark County Museum.

The drag strip was located on Boulder Highway, about a mile north of Lake Mead Drive between Warm Springs Avenue and Water Street. An article in the Henderson Home News in 1963 (shown below) featured more information about the filming at the drag strip with photos of the area and Presley’s body double during the making of the film.

8. Honoring Elvis in Las Vegas

It’s not uncommon when visiting the Las Vegas Strip to do a double-take when spotting someone wearing a colorful jumpsuit or strutting their stuff with an all too familiar sideburn ‘do. Impersonators of the late great King of Rock ‘n’ Roll in Las Vegas may not be as common as they once were however, there are still a lot of opportunities for fans to honor and relive Presley’s musical talents in the form of tribute shows.

All Shook Up: A Tribute to The King

The Alexis Park Resort honors Presley through special tribute performances on stage.

All Shook Up: A Tribute To The King is backed by a live band on stage and features several songs including “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Suspicious Minds.” Fans get to experience a 75-minute tribute show to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll in the heart of Las Vegas, according to its website.

“All Shook Up” recently celebrated its 10th anniversary and is the longest-running Elvis tribute show in Las Vegas, Admit.VIP CEO Pete Housley told 8 News Now.

Vegas Elvis Fest at Alexis Park Resort – June 13-15

“Vegas Elvis Fest,” which is officially licensed by Elvis Presley Enterprises and Graceland, is also set to be held at the resort for a three-day event from June 13-15. It will feature the best of the best Elvis impersonators in the world for competition rounds and headliner shows.  It will be a three-day takeover of the Modern Showrooms at Alexis Park Resort dedicated to Elvis Presley.

Kurt Brown produces “All Shook Up: A Tribute to The King” as well as the upcoming “Vegas Elvis Fest” at the Alexis Resort. The resort is located at 375 East Harmon Avenue in Las Vegas.

“The King Comes Home” Elvis Tribute Show at Westgate Las Vegas – Opening June 18, 2024

The Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino and DDM Productions, producers of the top-rated show “Soul of Motown,” have announced the opening of “The King Comes Home” at the Westgate Cabaret Theater starting on June 18, 2024, with performances for a limited time on Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. and Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.

The show will feature Elvis’ hits from his early recordings, his movies, his legendary 1968 television special, and his sold-out 7-year run at the International Hotel and Las Vegas Hilton, according to the resort’s website.

American Trilogy tribute concerts at Westgate Las Vegas – August 23-25, 2024

Honoring the King continues at the Westgate Las Vegas resort in August 2024 to celebrate the 55th Anniversary of his residency by hosting a tribute concert. Several entertainers will come together to remember Elvis by performing some of his biggest hits.

Las Vegas Tribute Festival will honor Presley with three concerts paying tribute to three special eras of music in The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s career. The special concert series will take place at the Westgate Las Vegas International Theater Aug. 23-25.

The first part of the trilogy concerts will focus on the music of the 50s during Presley’s early years. It is titled “1956: The Beginning” and chronicles when Presley went from being a local sensation in Tennessee to an international phenomenon. Through music and graphics, the show will tell the tale of Elvis’ ascension from “Hillbilly Cat” to The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. The concert will star Ben Thompson and introduce Jordan Poole.

The second concert titled “1968: The Comeback” will focus on the second chapter by taking the audience on a journey from the King’s military enlistment to his return to music dominance in 1968. The concert will star Jay Dupuis, Dwight Icenhower, with Ben Thompson, and Jordan Poole.

The third concert titled “1970s: The King” will begin by celebrating Presley in 1969 opening on stage at the International Hotel in Las Vegas and concluding with a classic set of 1970s hits representative of his iconic run of 636 consecutive sold-out performances in Las Vegas on the very stage where he performed. The third and final concert will star performers Dwight Icenhower and Jay Dupuis.

During your stay in Las Vegas, whether it’s just for a weekend getaway or a week-long vacation, make sure to explore the eight iconic Elvis spots scattered across the Las Vegas valley. These locations offer a comprehensive look into his legendary career within The City of Entertainment.

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