Las Vegas is built for unforgettable nights, and “The Hangover” gave us one nobody in the movie could remember (and many Vegas visitors want to reproduce).
From Caesars Palace to the middle of the desert, Las Vegas provided the perfect backdrop for some unforgettable misadventures in the wildly popular 2009 film “The Hangover” and parts of “The Hangover III.” The Blast rounded up some of the real Vegas spots featured in the hit comedy, including the spots you can still visit today for some great photo recreations and the iconic locations that have since disappeared.
This story is accompanied by a reel of the popular movie locations on The Blast’s social media pages, and is part of a weekly Vegas TV, movie, and celebrity series called “The Vegas Files.”
One of the most iconic lines in “The Hangover” has to be when Alan is standing inside Caesars Palace and asks, “You probably get this a lot. This isn’t the real Caesars Palace, is it? Did Caesar live here?”
Caesars Palace practically became a character in “The Hangover,” with the Wolf Pack checking in, stumbling through the lobby and elevators, and making plenty of questionable decisions along the way.
From the valet entrance and front desk to the hallways, pools, and rooftop, the movie used Caesars Palace as its backdrop often. According to Casino.org, the hallway and elevator scenes were shot on the 24th floor of the Augustus Tower. One thing many might not realize is the trashed hotel suite was one of Hollywood magic, as it was a Burbank soundstage set. But the rest of the guys’ Caesars adventure was filmed on property on the world-famous Las Vegas Strip.
According to Casino.org, many people still call Caesars Palace in the hopes of renting “The Hangover Suite,” but sadly for them, it doesn’t exist. While you can’t visit a suite named “The Hangover Suite,” there are plenty of well-known “Hangover” locations in and around Caesars that you can visit.
Atomic Liquors Downtown Las Vegas
One of Downtown Las Vegas’ oldest bars got a brief but memorable cameo in “The Hangover.”
Atomic Liquors makes an appearance during the chaotic car-crash sequence, when Mr. Chow’s Cadillac Escalade comes barreling into the Wolf Pack’s Mercedes.
The bar’s iconic exterior and sign can be spotted in the scene, giving this historic Fremont Street watering hole a fun connection to one of Vegas’ most famous comedy films.
You can visit this iconic Downtown Las Vegas spot! Check out their website for more information.
Jean Dry Lake Just Outside Of Las Vegas
The Wolf Pack’s Vegas adventure eventually takes them far beyond the Strip and into the middle of the desert. (It’s really not that far away — about 30 minutes by car, depending on what part of the Strip you are coming from.)
Jean Dry Lake, just outside of the tiny town Jean, Nevada, provided the perfect backdrop for the scene where Phil, Stu, and Alan meet Mr. Chow to swap money for their friend Doug, only to find out he has the wrong Doug. The barren landscape makes the scene feel like it could be literally anywhere in the middle of nowhere, but this filming location is actually just a short drive south of Vegas.
Jean Dry Lake remains a popular location for filming and photo shoots, and has been seen in other movies, such as “Casino.”
Gone But Not Forgotten
Not every iconic Vegas spot in “The Hangover” is still around. Some didn’t survive Sin City’s glow-up over the years.
A few of the most notable spots in the movie that no longer exist include the Riviera, where Alan counts cards, the Wild Wild West, which doubled as Jade’s apartment, and Hostel Cat, former Bungalows Hostel facade, which was the fictional Best Little Chapel for the film. Another spot that no longer exists is outside of Vegas – the Chevron gas station in Jean.
Vegas Spots In ‘Hangover III’
The Wolf Pack returned to Vegas in “The Hangover Part III” and of course, there were plenty of familiar spots featured in the movie. They returned to Caesars Palace, where Phil and Alan sneak into Mr. Chow’s penthouse, as well as visited Planet Hollywood, Paris Las Vegas, and Bally’s, which is now Horseshoe Las Vegas.
Another well-known spot in the third movie was Main Street Peddlers Antique Mall in the Arts District. This is where Alan meets Cassie, the pawn shop clerk who ends up being his love interest.
FYI…Main Street Peddlers Antique Mall is open, so if you want to check out where scenes from “The Hangover III” were filmed, this is a great spot to visit.
The Hangover Movie Bar Inside Madame Tussauds
If you’re looking for more Wolf Pack fun, head on over to Madame Tussauds at The Venetian and step into some scenes from the movie for photo ops and laughs.
Explore immersive sets including the wedding chapel, the guys’ trashed suite, and don’t forget to take a peek in the bathroom behind Mike Tyson! This area of the famed wax museum also has a functioning bar offering cocktails with interesting “Hangover” themed names such as “What Happened Last Night,” “Mr. Chow’s Mai Tai,” “Baby Carlos Margarita,” “Royal Flush,” and of course, “Wolf Pack.”
For more information about The Hangover Movie Bar at Madame Tussauds, visit the website.
