Intergalactic Field Trip
On Wednesday night, October 5th, we are taking our Naughty Vegas attendees on a trippy, spaced-out field trip to Area 15. No, not Area 51, the Air Force facility within the Nevada Test and Training Range, but Area 15, the Immersive entertainment venue offering art shows, Meowolf, Virtual Reality (VR) experiences, ax throwing & a flight simulator.
It’s gonna be so much fun.
I have personally been to Area 15 three times. Once for a late-night dance party, where I checked out two really cool exhibits, and two other times where I checked out Meowolf and another to see the immersive Van Gogh experience.
I wanted to take a minute to give you a review of some of the experiences I have already enjoyed, so you will know what to expect (and hopefully consider joining us). I included a lot of links, so you can check out the menus, and see videos and additional photos of each experience.
We recommend dressing in our Intergalactic Space theme, so it is easier to find other Naughty Vegas attendees. Make sure you check into the event on Wednesday, so you will have your Naughty Vegas VIP Pass, which you can wear with the provided lanyard to make sure you connect with others while exploring this amazing complex.
What is Area 15?
It is a HUGE immersive playground, all rolled into a vast and vibrant space. Throw an ax, wander through a bamboo volcano, race on a zip line, or explore other mesmerizing realms. From the futuristic to the thrill-seeking, there's an experience for everyone here. Just look at the map below to see how big this place is:
It’s part Burning Man, part art exhibit, part arcade with lots of immersive options, bars, music, and entertainers. Sound like fun? Well here is a list of the exhibits I have been to, with my personal reviews.
The Main Hall
When you enter the main Area 15 entrance, you are met by a multi-colored LED scull that you could easily find at Burning Man. From this large room, there are many entrances to the variety of exhibits and experiences.
I recommend taking a minute to simply walk around, get a feel for the place and use the map (above) to get your bearings. You may run into some unique performers, you may want to check out the store (they have lots of great costumes and accessories) or grab a drink at the bar while you soak it all in.
Oddwood
In the center is a large bar under a giant LED tree called Oddwood with more than 50,000 individually programmed LED lights on 5,000 leaves that fill its branches.
This is a great meet-up place when trying to find friends.
They have craft cocktails, craft beers, and two cool options: Guinness Nitro and their signature Oddwood Michelada.
They have a cocktail called the Fiasco Cluster with Deep Eddy Peach vodka, strawberry puree, and fresh lemon juice. It is light, refreshing, and delicious. For the full menu, go here.
The Beast
I didn’t eat here, but I wanted you to know that you can skip going out and grab a bite here while on your Intergalactic field trip. Why waste time, spend the entire evening inside Area 15 and you’ll be glad you did.
The restaurant has a lot of what you would consider Pub Grub, but it’s done by Todd English, so you know it’ll be good.
One thing that stood out on the menu is their hamburger called The Kraken. It has five (5), yes five beef patties and another five (5) slices of chees, plus lettuce, tomatoes, and grilled onions and is topped with Todd English’s house-made special sauce and comes with a mini- Octo Dog.
You can see the entire menu here.
Omega Mart: MeoWolf
MeowWolf is an arts and entertainment company based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. They create immersive and interactive experiences that transport audiences of all ages into fantastic realms of story and exploration. Their first installation was in Sante Fe, NM, then they opened up the Mega Mart in Las Vegas, at Area 15, and recently opened up their third location in Denver, CO.
You start out in what looks like a grocery store, but as you look around, you will find secret passages that will take you into a very different, sometimes psychedelic, playground. You will end up climbing up through caves, sliding down slides, and interacting and exploring areas that are wildly different from each other.
There is a theme that goes through the entire experience, if you like playing games, there are puzzles to solve and a story to unfold. Or, you can simply wander around and simply enjoy the visuals and cool interactive scenes.
For our field trip, there is no way you can see everything, so I recommend just heading into one of the secret passages beyond the storefront and seeing as much as you can so you can hit up some of the other exhibits. You could literally spend hours inside this one section of Area 15.
Datomash (hidden speakeasy bar)
Spoiler alert: There is a secret bar inside the Omega Mart. If you want to find it on your own, then skip this section and read about the other exhibits inside Area 15. Note: A ticket to Omega Mart is required to get to Datamash.
Once you get inside the Omega Mart shopping area, you will need to go to the far back right corner and head down the hall, you will think you are heading into the back of the house of a supermarket, but this is where the bar is located. It is down the hall, on your right. It’s on the first floor on the other side of the pharmacy.
This is a very cool bar with some very innovative and creative drinks. My personal favorite was the Happle Juice (for flavor) and the Source for an amazing visual experience (plus, living in Oaxaca Mexico, I like Mezcal). Here is a list of the specialty cocktails and what’s in them:
MEOWJITO
White Rum, Golden Rum, Guava, Lemongrass, Lime, Sugar, Mint
OMEGARITA
Tequila Blanco, Mezcal, Ginger, Agave, Citrus, Bitter Blend, Fire Water
HAPPLE JUICE
Vodka, Chareau Aloe Liqueur, Apple Liqueur, Happle Juice, Citrus, Apple Blossom Bitters, Buzz Button
OLD FASHIONED SPRAY
Rye Whiskey, Blue Razz Simple Syrup, Orange Bitters
THE SOURCE
Mezcal, Lillet Blanc, Shiso, Tarragon Syrup, Citrus, Rosemary Bubble
PALOMA POP!!
Tequila, Grapefruit Juice, Grilled Grapefruit, Pink Peppercorn, Champagne
ORANGE DREAM
Orange Juice, Vanilla, Non-Dairy Vanilla Whip, Ginger Ale, Mezcal, or Vodka
We recommend this bar as a great place to hang out with Naughty Vegas attendees. Make sure your badges are easily visible, and your Intergalactic Space costume is on point. Head to the far back of the bar and order a cocktail. You can come and go from the bar, but once you leave Mega Mart, you cannot re-enter.
I would give the Omega Mart 4.5 stars out of 5.
Van Gogh Experience
The Van Gogh experience is one of many that are traveling the country right now. It features video mapping of Vincent Van Gogh’s artwork on the four walls while music plays. You can grab a seat around the edges or stand in the middle. You can order drinks (we had some decent glasses of wine while we watched).
The total experience takes about 35 minutes and then it repeats itself. I am a huge fan of Van Gogh, I’ve even been to the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam, and I thought this was just OK. There is a VR experience on the 2nd floor and I actually liked this better, although it was shorter.
I just felt that there could have been more than just 4 walls. They could have used the ceiling or objects with video mapping inside the room.
Either way, since I’m a fan, I would give the main experience 3 out of 5 stars and the VR experience 3.5 stars out of 5.
Wink World
Wink World was actually one of my favorite experiences. It lasts about 20 minutes and comprises 6 different rooms. They are all infinity mirror-themed with different music, lighting, and visuals. Some of the rooms are really bright and some are very psychedelic.
I would def do this exhibit, as well as the Museum Fiasco since they are right next to each other. I’d give this one a 4.5 out of 5 (or 5 out of 5 if you are on psychedelics).
Museum Fiasco
Museum Fiasco is another cool experience, especially if you liked Wink World. Unlike that experience, where you move through six small rooms, this is one large room, with columns and mirrors on the wall.
Once you are in the center of the room, you will feel like you entered the Matrix. The sounds and music are really good and the overall effect is great. What I like about this particular experience is that you can come back an unlimited amount of times. Most experiences are a one and you are done option.
I’d rate this one the same as above (Wink World).
Lost Spirits
This is a Rum Tour and I just happen to love rum! (lucky me!).
This tour starts out in the main Area 15 building, where you have a tasting of a few different rums before leaving the building to board a steampunk-looking horseless carriage so you can go to the actual distillery, located nearby.
The website describes the experience better than I could: “Called the “Willy Wonka of Booze” by Playboy Magazine and “Disneyland for Liquor” by WIRED, Lost Spirit’s is an immersive distillery tour and Las Vegas show that resembles a surreal amusement park. Come sip critically acclaimed spirits alongside acrobats, burlesque performances, live music, and submarine rides.“
It is like the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, but you get to drink Rum, Whisky, and Brandy along the way. Each tasting takes place in a really cool-themed room. The Submarine and the Dorian Grey room were my favorite rooms, but the entire experience was really cool.
Do I recommend this tour? YES! Especially if you like rum or bourbon. I think this tour is a great value (because of all the tastings, and you get to see a new process for distilling spirits. It’s interesting, theatrical, has some beautiful sets and you will not be sober by the time you are finished.
I’d give this a 4 out of 5 for most people and a 5 out of 5 for rum drinkers and spirits connoisseurs.
O.K., these are the only exhibits I have been to, but there are other Virtual Reality (VR) options, including a free roam, full body tracking experiences (go here to see what I mean). There’s a new bar that goes up 100 feet for those that want to get a glimpse of Vegas as well as an outdoor venue that sometimes has bands or DJs and some really cool Mad Max cars on display.
Pricing
To go to MeoWolf’s Mega Mart, tickets are $55 (seniors over 65 and military members are $50). Wink World is $18 ($14 for seniors and the Military). Museum Fiasco is $18 ($12 for seniors and the Military). The Van Gogh experience is $35 per person or $45 with the Virtual Reality experience added on.
The Lost Spirits Rum Tour is $55 ($49 for Nevada residents) and includes lots of tastings.
They have experience tickets where you can get more than one experience as a bundle. Just go to the Area 15 website and at least buy tickets for Wednesday Night. We will have shuttles heading over between 7:30 and 9:30 pm. You will be on your own (Uber & Lyft work great) getting back to the hotel (it’s not very far away).
You don’t have to buy all of your tickets in advance, you can buy tickets for optional experiences when you get there. You can throw axes, head to the arcade, or just hang out in one of the cool bars and look for other Naughty Vegas people. No matter what, this will be a really fun experience for our guests and a great way to kick off our event.
See you in Area 15.
Bob