15 things to do at Area15

A state-of-the-art skull the size of an earthmover’s tire.

That’s the first thing you see upon entering the place, once you pass the statues of two red dogs in sneakers guarding the door alongside a futuristic vehicle that seemingly answers the oft-posed question: What would it look like if H.R. Giger did set design for the “Mad Max” filmography?

And then you’re in Area15 and all its buzzing, glowing, “What did I just see again?” glory.

Since opening in September 2020, the “immersive entertainment district” has become one of the city’s most far-out attractions, a labyrinth of art and all things high-tech, capable of swallowing an afternoon or evening whole.

How to navigate it all?

Here are 15 things to get you started at Area15.

Explore the Illuminarium

By now the word “immersive” has become so overused when it comes to modern-day attractions that it tests gag reflexes like digital ipecac.

What distinguishes the Illuminarium, where the term certainly applies thanks to luminous video walls that surround you on all sides, is the immersive set of games that can be played in unison with the visuals by scanning QR codes and more.

Or, you can just sit back, open your eyes wide and let it all wash over you like the oceanic landscapes featured in one of the presentations here.

Throw sharp projectiles

There’s just something primally satisfying about hurling an ax at Dueling Axes.

As we grip one of said implements, we imagine we’re on a wind-swept plain, bravely taking down a massive wildebeest to feed our clan.

Really, though, we’ve only slain a few $5 Fireball shots at the bar.

Get a bird’s-eye view of Vegas

Think of it as a steampunk “Around the World in 80 Days,” with craft cocktails and 360-degree panoramic views of the Strip in place of transcontinental flight.

That’s Liftoff in a nutshell.

At the base of the outdoor attraction is a themed bar made to look like a lost desert hang for wayward aviators.

After grabbing a drink, you board the ride and enjoy a gradual climb. When Liftoff reaches its peak, the 16-seat gondola spins slowly so you can take everything in without turning your head, your feet dangling above the parking lot 13 stories below.

It’s a mix of sophistication and simplicity, a space-age structure housing hot-air balloon technology that dates back nearly 250 years; a futuristic ride posited on the primal thrill of being really, really high up in the air.

Get a bird’s-eye view of Area15

“Hang gliding meets free falling” meets maybe-don’t-eat-a-big-lunch before boarding Haley’s Comet, a zip line that runs along The Spine, Area15’s nerve center.

And if you’re feeling competitive, you can race a friend on the world’s first dual-track roller glider.

Catch a concert at the Portal

This midsize room has hosted some great acts, from garage rockers Surf Curse to soul boundary-pusher Yves Tumor to indie rock duo Quasi.

The venue is just the right size: big enough for bands that can draw 500-plus while still maintaining a more intimate, in-your-face vibe.

Play a game of Pac-Man pool

You can do so at the Asylum Bar + Arcade, where there are themed pool tables featuring the power-pellet gobbling ’80s video game staple in addition to a dozen pinball machines and over 30 classic and new arcade games.

And now, we hereby challenge you to a game of Joust.

Loser buys the next round of Metroid Margaritas.

Wash down some ranch-flavored cotton candy with an enchilada soda

You’ll find both at Rocket Fizz, a far-out candy shop where the offerings range from the gnarly (see: above) to time-tested standards like a large taffy selection to, of course, some Mac & Cheese gummies and Gross Gus’s Bloody Nose flavored pop.

Murder zombies in the face

Area15’s The Army of the Dead VR Experience is based on the 2021 Netflix horror flick of the same name, which opens with some truly gnarly scenes of Vegas getting ravaged and savaged by zombie Elvis impersonators, undead showgirls and more in a geyser of gore like Old Faithful spewing blood and entrails in place of water and steam.

It’s in this landscape that Army of the Dead takes place.

The action begins when players board the Las Vengeance Tactical Taco Truck, where — VR headset on, gun in hand — we travel down a decimated Strip and wage war on fast-charging brain eaters.

Yes, there will be blood.

Hurl an AR dodgeball

Make Patches O’Houlihan proud and dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge all high-tech-like with AR Dodgeball, in which you pummel foes with digital blasting balls.

AR Dodgeball is located in The Lab, which boasts a range of VR experiences, including the Grand Prix Racing Sim, the Birdly flight simulator, the giant-robot-blasting Bot Breach and more.

Save on Slimeapples at Omega Mart

Punch your brain in the face by attempting to puzzle-piece together the 60-plus experiences that make up “America’s Most Exceptional Grocery Store,” Omega Mart, into a coherent whole.

How to describe this labyrinth of perception-warping interactive art and consumer culture satire?

It’s unsettling, beautiful, captivating and confounding all at once.

Sure, your cerebellum will feel like the goop in a lava lamp afterward, but then again, that’s kind of the point.

One word: rave

Plunge down a rave rabbit hole at “We’re All Mad Here,” an “Alice in Wonderland”-themed massive that’s among numerous large-scale dance parties that Area15 holds annually. (Others include the Secret Garden, Galactic Zoo and Halloween’s “ScAREA15.”)

The massives merge a festival-style vibe with interactive art, live music and costumes — lots and lots of costumes.

If “imagination is the only weapon in the war with reality,” as the Lewis Carroll classic contends, this one packs a mushroom cloud.

Get weird at Museum Fiasco

It’s kind of like entering a pulsating, mirrored, walk-in subwoofer, such is the Museum Fiasco experience.

Then, imagine being caught in a massive thunderstorm without an umbrella, the kind of tempest that knocks over mailboxes with gale-force gusts and floods streets — only replace the wind and rain with light and sound.

Take a Radiance Wellness Course

So, uh, what’s a Radiance Wellness Course?

Well, Area15 currently hosts two of them: Ecstatic Dance and Ascendant Breathwork.

The former includes a 30-minute guided movement warmup featuring different movement artists followed by a two-hour live dance DJ set. The event concludes with a 15-minute sound healing and closing circle.

Ascendant Breathwork is designed to be a deep psychedelic experience in which attendees focus on breath work while surrounded by visuals projected throughout the room to heighten the effect of it all.

To quote Jeffrey Lebowski, “Far out.”

People-watch at Oddwood

Look for the two-story Japanese maple tree with more than 5,000 LED lights.

You can’t miss it, really.

Distilling luminescence in place of sap, it’s the distinguishing feature of Oddwood, a 2,500-square-foot open-space bar with state-of-the-art sound positioned at the heart of Area15.

Grab a Mexican Candy Margarita and gaze at all of the passersby, who can be as colorful as the decor they’re passing by.

Open the doors of perception at Wink World

“The doors are opening, and hopefully your mind is, too.”

So says the disembodied voice that serves as a tour guide as we make our way through the “psychedelic art house” that is Wink World.

Conceptualized by Blue Man Group co-founder Chris Wink, the experience spans six infinity-mirror rooms, each one featuring a different production with radiant springs, energy balls, expanding spheres and more.

Pro tip: Don’t forget to breathe.

Contact Jason Bracelin at jbracelin@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0476. Follow @jbracelin76 on Instagram.