These Reality TV Shows Put Las Vegas In The Spotlight

What happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas; sometimes it ends up on your TV screen. 

Vegas has never met drama it didn’t like, so naturally, reality TV and Sin City were bound to become a match made in entertainment heaven. From “Pawn Stars” and “The Real World” to “Love Island” and “The Ultimatum,” some of reality TV’s biggest moments have played out in Las Vegas. If you’ve ever visited Vegas, chances are you’ve walked past more than just a few of the spots featured in reality TV shows. 

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In 2025, Netflix’s hit reality show “The Ultimatum: Marry of Move On” made Ariva Luxury Residences in Southwest Las Vegas its temporary reality TV hub. From mid-March to mid-May, the luxury apartment complex was homebase for the cast and crew, with many moments in the show being filmed there. From custom cast residences to the various amenities on property, Ariva was heavily featured in the season 4 of the reality show. 

“Viewers will see many different areas throughout Ariva. Nearly all of our amenity spaces were utilized, including our pools, fitness areas, lounges, and outdoor gathering spaces,” Jessie Boskamp, Duty Manager of Ariva Luxury Residences told The Blast previously. “The cast also lived in our fully furnished, serviced residences, so those apartments became a major part of the filming as well.” 

In addition to Ariva, the show filmed in a variety of locations around the valley, including at Skyjump at The STRAT, Lake Las Vegas, various restaurants, South Point, and other spots. 

‘Pawn Stars’

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Back in the ’80s, a pawn shop called Gold & Silver Pawn Shop opened up on Las Vegas Blvd. by Richard “The Old Man” Harrison. Little did he know, but his business would become a hit reality show years later.

In July 2009, “Pawn Stars” debuted, highlighting the family business buying, selling, and pawning unique items. Alongside Richard, his son Rick Harrison, Rick’s son Corey “Big Hoss” Harrison, and Corey’s friend Austin “Chumlee” Russell, starred in the popular series. 

The pawn shop itself served as the show’s primary filming location, and because it’s still open for business, fans can step inside and experience the setting that made “Pawn Stars” a television phenomenon. If you’re lucky, you may even catch one of the guys in the store for a meet-and-greet event. In fact, Rick has a few coming up this month and next month. 

‘The Real World: Las Vegas’

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Back in 2002, the 28th floor of The Palms Casino Resort became the backdrop for a season of “The Real World Las Vegas.” The cast reportedly lived in a custom-built penthouse from February through June 2002. That season became one of the most popular seasons of the series.

MTV brought the cast back to Vegas five years later for “Reunited: The Real World Las Vegas” and filmed in the same Palms suite that was said to be nearly 3,000-square-feet. After the show, the suite was converted into a luxury accommodation.

Then in 2011, MTV decided to revisit Vegas for the 25th season of “The Real World.” This time, they filmed at the then Hard Rock Hotel & Casino with the cast living in a custom four-bedroom suite with a hot tub, bar, and bowling alley. 

The suite was Room 1168 in the Hard Rock’s Casino Tower and was more than 4,000-square-feet. The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is no more, as the property was rebranded as Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in 2021. 

‘Vanderpump Rules: Lisa Las Vegas’

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While reality star Lisa Vanderpump has had ties in Las Vegas for many years, she’s now even more prominent with her brand new Vanderpump Hotel that opened a few months ago.

While renovating The Cromwell into the Vanderpump Hotel, Bravo filmed “Vanderpump Rules: Lisa Las Vegas” to show the process of opening the new hotel. The reality show was announced around the time the hotel opened in May 2026. No air date has been given yet for the limited time series.

The official description reads, “Lisa Vanderpump has been ruling over the Las Vegas Strip for years now, with three hotspot restaurants serving up chic cocktails in her signature whimsical settings. Now, she is expanding her Vegas empire through the opening of her high-profile namesake hotel. In this limited series, we follow the behind-the-scenes dash to make the property worthy of the Vanderpump brand. LVP shares what inspired her newest enterprise and pulls back the curtain on the down-to-the-wire drama. The series will culminate at the Vanderpump Hotel’s lavish opening party, with fan favorite Bravolebrities celebrating the launch.” 

Other Reality Shows Filmed In Las Vegas

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This list was only the tip of the reality TV iceberg for Sin City. Many other shows have filmed either entire seasons or parts of a season in and around Vegas.

Other well-known reality shows that filmed in Vegas include “America Ninja Warrior” at South Point, “Penn & Teller: Fool Us” at the Rio, “Double Shot at Love” at Drai’s, “Storage Wars” at StorageOne Facilities, “Counting Cars” at Count’s Kustoms, “Love Island USA” at the rooftop of The Cromwell (now Vanderpump Hotel) and Drai’s, and many others. 

Be sure to check out The Blast’s social media pages to see a video of some spots in Vegas where reality shows have filmed. And be sure to follow along for more Vegas stories, including spots seen in “The Hangover,” “Casino,” and other hit movies, as well as celebrity owned businesses, rooftop bars with great views, and more.