The Ultimate Guide to Golden Knights Hockey in Las Vegas

The National Hockey League has a home in Las Vegas and the Vegas Golden Knights might be your new second favorite team. It's time to leave the cold of the north and head south to the balmy Las Vegas strip to watch a hockey game instead of enduring winter at home.

The Team: The Vegas Golden Knights

Expansion has come to the NHL and the Las Vegas Golden Knights joined the Pacific division for the 2017/2018 season. Owner Bill Foley has committed to growing hockey in the Las Vegas region and along with three-time Stanley Cup Winner Marc Andre Flurry the new home team is set to bring NHL Hockey to the Las Vegas strip. The expansion draft loaded the roster with promising young talent and a few veteran leaders that should make for not only entertaining hockey but a competitive team. While your favorite team back home might be part of your soul, you might need to find a brand new team to satisfy your hockey urges while on vacation.

The Arena: T-Mobile Arena

The modern era of sports arenas has arrived and with it comes quality food and beverage options. In Las Vegas, it also means a VIP lounge, luxury boxes and a cocktail program designed by the same people that are making your drinks at the very best restaurants on the Las Vegas strip.

The T-Mobile Arena holds 17,500 for hockey, but feels very intimate—designers incorporated every trick in the book to make the crowd feel like they are right in the game. Forty-four luxury suites surround the lower bowl while eight event suites house a little bit more Vegas style hospitality. A mobile App allows you to navigate all the T-Mobile Arena amenities from the palm of your hand. The app lets you access maps, dining options and all the info required when you have spent the afternoon sampling what Las Vegas is known for and your senses are a bit muted. 

Hyde Lounge is perched high above the ice and while this may not be the best place to watch a hockey game it is definitely the best spot to begin and end your Las Vegas hockey experience. The plush lounge is a nightclub in a hockey arena so expect bottle service, crafted cocktails and a few VIP sections for your hockey viewing pleasure. There is a DJ and a few spots where the sight lines are worthy of watching the power play develop. Walk over to the edges of this level and you’ll encounter the Stella Artois Lounge and the Grey Goose Lounge each with plenty of drinks on hand to make your game watching a Vegas experience.

Food options include Shake Shack, Pink’s Hot Dogs, Chronic Tacos, Pizza Forte as well as additional concessions by Levy Restaurants.

The Tailgate Party: The Park Las Vegas

Just outside the T-Mobile Arena is The Park Las Vegas and all of its options for a party. The atmosphere in the Toshiba Plaza directly in front of the arena will include live music and the opportunity to imbibe, but find a seat at BeerHaus, Sake Rok or even the outdoor bar at California Pizza Kitchen for a pre-game drink. Around the corner at New York–New York Resort, your options include Tom’s Urban and Nine Fine Irishmen. Each of these spots offers patio seating and the right high-energy atmosphere for a pregame celebration. If you walk out of the Park Las Vegas and head north Double Barrel Saloon is also a good spot for a pre-national anthem toast.

Dinner options near the arena are in abundance, you are in Las Vegas after all. For quick and easy meals, The Park Las Vegas offers Bruxie for chicken and waffles in the form of a sandwich, Sake Rok for sushi and some fun, Beerhaus for beer-friendly dining and California Pizza kitchen for past pizza, burgers, and salads. If you want a special meal head into Aria for French at Bardot, Steak at Jean Georges or Italian at Carbone.

How to Get Tickets for the Vegas Golden Knights

Hockey in Las Vegas has become a hot ticket and single game tickets are available on their website. Also, they have partnered with some Las Vegas hotels to get you a great deal on accommodations when you come into Las Vegas for NHL Hockey. Check out the Vegas Golden Knights schedule to find a game that works for your Vegas vacation.

Parking at T-Mobile Arena Las Vegas

Las Vegas was once the home of free parking, but that is no longer the case. The most convenient parking lot is the New York–New York Arena event parking garage located directly next door to the arena. It might make for a difficult departure because the crowds leaving at the same time will impede your progress. Some good alternatives nearby are the Aria and Monte Carlo event parking garages. They don’t require a long walk and are a 5-minute walk to the arena. If you are already at a Las Vegas hotel your best bet is to walk to the arena or summon an Uber or Lyft. Walk along Las Vegas Blvd until getting to The Park Las Vegas which is located right next to the New York-New York Resort.

Post Game Activities

Just because the final buzzer sounds does not mean that your Las Vegas hockey experience will end. T-Mobile Arena’s proximity to so many places to have a nightcap make hockey in Las Vegas more of a draw. You already know about the bars and restaurants at The Park Las Vegas, but venturing just another couple of minutes away opens up the landscape of Las Vegas nightlife for the casual hockey fan.

Walk north along Las Vegas Boulevard and sample the cocktails at Cosmopolitan Resort. Stop into their lounge, that doubles as the Race & Sports Book, right off the front entrance complete with billiard tables and large screen televisions to watch the highlights of the day’s games. The large bar is ideal for a post game wrap up and for placing bets on upcoming games or collecting your winnings on the game you just attended. Nearby is the Chandelier Bar and Bond Bar to satisfy your need for craft cocktails and the Vegas lounge scene.

At MGM Grand Las Vegas across Las Vegas Boulevard from the Park Las Vegas, Level Up Lounge is an extension of the party from the hockey game. Interactive gaming, pool tables, and even laser golf welcome you to extend your casual nightlife experience. This large bar invites you to spend the rest of your evening talking hockey, acting flirtatious and generally refining your Vegas behavior.