Sweet Side of Vegas: Chocolate and Candy Tour with Free Samples

Las Vegas has no shortage of big spectacles, but this tour’s best trick is simple: it turns the Strip into a candy trail. In about two hours, you ride the free tram, hear odd stories about Baby Ruth and Tootsie Roll, visit Hershey’s, Coca-Cola, and M&M’S, and leave with more than three pounds of chocolate, candy, and other sweets.

I like the generous take-home haul, which comes with an insulated bag to help keep it from melting. I also like the way the guide ties each treat to a Strip landmark, from the Luxor Sphinx and its Milky Way advertising past to the Brooklyn Bridge and the origins of Tootsie Roll.

The main drawback is that this is a fast-moving walking and tram tour, not a long tasting class. You get short visits at the major shops, and Las Vegas heat, crowds, and candy allergies can affect the experience.

Key points to know before you book

• More than three pounds of candy: Your gifts include chocolate, sweets, themed snacks, and an insulated thermal bag.
• Two hours on the south Strip: The route starts at Excalibur North Tram Station and ends at M&M’S Las Vegas.
• Several major candy stops: You enter Hershey’s Chocolate World, Coca-Cola Store Las Vegas, and M&M’S Las Vegas.
• Free tram use during the tour: The tram helps connect parts of the route and saves some walking.
• Stories behind familiar brands: Expect tales about Hershey’s, Baby Ruth, Tootsie Roll, Coca-Cola, M&M’S, and 3 Musketeers.
• Small-group format: The maximum group size is 15 people, and the tour is offered in English.

Why this candy tour works on the Las Vegas Strip

The tour is built around a clever idea: the south end of the Strip already contains a chain of oversized candy shops, famous statues, themed hotels, and easy photo stops. Instead of treating these places as isolated stores, your guide connects them with food history and small surprises.

That makes the experience more than a shopping run. You are not simply sent into a store to buy sweets. Your guide hands out samples along the way, points out details you might otherwise miss, and explains how candy brands became part of American popular culture.

The guide is central to the fun. Kevin is identified as a guide and operator, and his style includes jokes, candy facts, and an easygoing approach. If he leads your departure, expect plenty of conversation rather than a formal lecture. The guide is also described as accommodating, which matters when the group includes children, adults, and people with different levels of interest in candy history.

The tour has a maximum of 15 people. That is small enough to make it easier to hear the guide and keep track of your treats, though the Strip itself can still be crowded.

Starting at Excalibur with a gift bag in hand

Meet your guide outside the Excalibur North Tram Station at 3806 South Las Vegas Boulevard. This is a practical starting point because the route immediately uses the tram and heads toward several large resort properties.

At the beginning, you receive initial gifts and an insulated bag for the rest of your sweets. That bag is not just a souvenir. Chocolate can become soft quickly in Las Vegas, especially if you are walking outside during the warmer months, so the thermal carrier is a useful part of the package.

You should arrive ready to carry your bag for the full tour. The exact amount of candy is generous, and the package may become heavier as the stops continue. Comfortable shoes also make sense because the tour combines tram rides, indoor shop visits, and short outdoor stretches.

Mandalay Bay and the first themed treats

The tram passes Mandalay Bay, home to the House of Blues and the Shark Reef Aquarium. This part of the route gives you a quick orientation to the southern Strip while the guide adds a sweet-themed treat.

The stop is brief, so think of it as a moving introduction rather than a chance to explore Mandalay Bay. You will not have time to visit the aquarium or settle in at the House of Blues. The value here is the connection between the resort scenery and the candy theme, plus another item for your bag.

The tram is included at no extra charge during the tour. That helps keep the pace manageable and reduces the amount of outdoor walking between resorts. Still, you should expect some walking at stations and around the properties.

The Luxor Sphinx and Hershey’s chocolate stories

As the route passes the Luxor, you see the giant Sphinx outside the pyramid-shaped resort. Your guide explains that the Sphinx appeared in advertisements for Milky Way chocolate bars in the 1950s, then hands out more sweets and shares background about Hershey’s.

This is one of the tour’s strongest ideas. The landmark is already familiar to anyone exploring the Strip, but the candy connection gives you a fresh reason to look at it. The story also helps turn a standard resort photo stop into part of a larger history of American advertising and brand recognition.

The tour does not ask you to sit through a long presentation. Information arrives in small pieces while you move, which suits Las Vegas. If you enjoy quick facts and unusual links between places and products, this approach will keep your attention. If you prefer a detailed museum-style account, the explanations may feel short.

Hershey’s Chocolate World in 15 minutes

Hershey’s Chocolate World is the first major indoor stop. This two-story shop is filled with large candy sculptures, branded merchandise, photo opportunities, and displays connected to Hershey’s.

A chocolate Statue of Liberty is one of the main visual attractions. Your guide also points out candy-themed art and explains some of Hershey’s connection to Las Vegas. You have about 15 minutes here, with admission included.

That time is enough to take photos, look through the displays, and browse the souvenirs. It is not enough for a slow shopping session if you want to inspect every shelf. You may want to decide in advance whether your priority is photos, browsing, or buying something extra, since the clock moves quickly.

The free entry is important when judging the $89 price. You are not paying separately for each shop or attraction, and the tour gives you a guided reason to enter places you might otherwise treat as retail stops. Still, most of the experience takes place in public resort spaces and stores rather than behind-the-scenes areas.

Hello Kitty, Elvis, and quick photo stops

After Hershey’s, the guide shows you the Hello Kitty Cafe. It is mainly a photo opportunity, paired with Hello Kitty candy. This stop adds a different style to the route, shifting from classic American chocolate brands to a character-driven cafe and merchandise setting.

The tour then makes a short stop at the Hard Rock Cafe, where the guide points out memorabilia connected with Elvis Presley. This visit lasts about five minutes and includes another candy handout.

The Hard Rock stop is not a full music-history visit. You should view it as a quick look at a famous piece of Las Vegas entertainment culture, with a candy connection layered on top. Families may enjoy the quick pace, while serious Elvis fans should not expect a full exhibit tour.

A cold glass bottle at Coca-Cola Store Las Vegas

The Coca-Cola Store is one of the more substantial stops, with about 15 minutes inside. The giant glass Coke bottle above the entrance makes an easy meeting point and a strong photo backdrop.

Your guide gives you a cold glass bottle of Coca-Cola Classic. That is a welcome break from chocolate, particularly in warm weather, and it gives the tour some variety. Inside, you can see Coca-Cola memorabilia, exclusive merchandise, and colorful photo areas while hearing facts about the brand’s worldwide reach and pop culture role.

There is also a separate soda-related highlight associated with the tour: a Coca-Cola around-the-world tasting experience is described as a particularly fun part of the day. Because the provided details do not specify its exact format or timing, you should treat it as a featured soda moment rather than assume a certain number of samples.

The shop is also a retail stop, so extra purchases are optional. The tour price includes the glass bottle, but not additional merchandise.

M&M’S Las Vegas and the finish at the giant candy wall

M&M’S Las Vegas is both a stop and the tour’s endpoint. Your guide gives you another sweet package as you approach the store, then points out the colorful displays, photo spots, unusual merchandise, and a replica NASCAR race car.

You will see walls covered with M&M’S in many colors and hear how the brand became one of America’s best-known candies. The guide also points out design details that are easy to miss when you are focused on the enormous selection.

The scheduled visit lasts about 15 minutes. Like Hershey’s and Coca-Cola, that is enough for a quick look and some photos, but not a leisurely shopping trip. Ending here makes sense because you can continue exploring the store after the official tour if you wish. The tour itself finishes at 3785 South Las Vegas Boulevard, so you are already near other south Strip attractions.

A practical point: the tour ends with your candy bag full and your route complete, but it does not include transportation back to Excalibur. Since the start and finish are close in the same general Strip area, this is usually easy to manage, but you should plan your next stop from M&M’S rather than assuming you will return to the starting station.

Baby Ruth, Tootsie Roll, and the stranger candy facts

The walking portions carry some of the most unusual stories. At the Las Vegas replica of the Statue of Liberty, the guide explains how the United States Postal Service lost millions in a lawsuit after using the Las Vegas statue on postage stamps instead of the original New York statue.

The guide also covers the strange and creepy history associated with the Baby Ruth bar, followed by more candy. The exact details are part of the live storytelling, so this section works best if you enjoy odd brand lore rather than only famous landmarks.

The route later passes a replica of the Brooklyn Bridge. Your guide connects it with Tootsie Roll, which was invented in Brooklyn, and gives you a package of the candy. This is a good example of the tour’s basic method: take a familiar object, add a brand connection, and make the next treat feel earned rather than random.

You also pass the former site of a Netflix Stranger Things exhibit. Here, the guide gives you a 3 Musketeers bar, a snack featured in the show as one of the monster’s favorites. Since the exhibit is no longer there, this is a passing reference rather than a full attraction.

MGM’s lion and a final candy-themed photo

The final landmark is MGM’s Leon the Lion, described as the largest bronze statue in the Western Hemisphere. The guide shares more history, offers a photo opportunity, and gives out sweets inspired by MGM’s movie tradition.

This ending keeps the focus on Las Vegas show business, but it also gives you a strong final picture before the group reaches M&M’S. It is a fitting last stop for a tour that mixes candy brands with movie studios, resort architecture, advertising, and pop culture.

The route is not designed as a full sightseeing tour of every resort. You will see selected exteriors and interiors, then move on. That is a benefit if you want a themed outing without spending a full day on the Strip, but a limitation if your main goal is architecture or casino exploration.

Is $89 a good value?

At $89 per person, the price needs more thought than a simple chocolate tasting comparison. The package includes more than three pounds of sweets, a thermal bag, a cold glass bottle of Coca-Cola Classic, guided storytelling, and tram use during the tour. Those included items make the cost easier to justify for people who genuinely enjoy candy and would otherwise buy several treats and souvenirs on their own.

You also receive access to several branded venues without separate admission charges. Hershey’s Chocolate World, Coca-Cola Store Las Vegas, and M&M’S Las Vegas are retail and display spaces, not ticketed museums, so the main value comes from the guide, the samples, the gift bag, and the structure of the route.

I would not book this solely to save money on candy. The tour makes sense when you want an organized experience, a guide who keeps the group moving, and stories that add meaning to the Strip. If you dislike sweets, avoid shopping, or prefer independent sightseeing, $89 may feel high.

The strong feedback about the generous candy bags, the soda tasting, and Kevin’s funny storytelling supports the idea that the tour’s value is in the combination. The bag is a major part of the experience, but the guide is what turns a pile of candy into a two-hour activity.

Who will enjoy this most?

Families are a natural fit. The stops are short, the route offers constant visual changes, and the treats give children something to look forward to. Adults who enjoy brand history, Las Vegas oddities, and nostalgic snacks should also find plenty to like.

It can work well as a lighter activity between major attractions. You get indoor breaks at the shops, tram rides between parts of the route, and plenty of photo opportunities. The two-hour length also makes it easier to fit into a busy Strip schedule.

People with food allergies need to take extra care. Gifts may contain peanuts and other allergens, so read every ingredient label and tell the guide about allergies before accepting or eating anything. The available information does not promise allergy-free substitutions.

The tour is offered in English. Service animals are allowed, and most people can participate, but the experience still involves walking, tram use, and moving through large resort areas. Good weather is required, and poor conditions can lead to a different date or a full refund.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations or changes made inside that window are not refunded or accepted.

My advice before you go

Wear comfortable shoes and bring a way to keep your hands free. The insulated bag helps with melting, but it does not eliminate the need to protect chocolate from heat after the tour ends.

Tell the guide about allergies at the start, and inspect labels before eating anything. If you are visiting with children, set expectations that some shop stops are short and that the group will keep moving.

Bring a camera or phone. The chocolate Statue of Liberty, Hello Kitty Cafe, giant Coke bottle, M&M’S displays, NASCAR replica, Strip statues, and Leon the Lion all give you easy photo subjects.

Do not expect a formal tasting menu. This is a lively, story-led route with free samples, gifts, retail stops, and quick history. The more you enjoy playful facts and recognizable brands, the better the format will suit you.

Should you book the Sweet Side of Vegas tour?

Book it if you want a family-friendly Strip activity with a very generous candy package, short walking sections, free tram transportation, and a guide who brings humor to brand history. The combination of Hershey’s, Coca-Cola, M&M’S, Hello Kitty, Elvis, and Las Vegas landmarks gives the outing a clear theme and plenty of variety.

Skip it if you want a serious food tour, an in-depth museum visit, or a slow afternoon at each shop. The $89 cost is easiest to justify when you value the more than three pounds of sweets, the thermal bag, the included soda, and the guide’s stories as one package. For a sweet tooth, it is a playful way to see the south Strip from a different angle.

FAQ

How long does the chocolate and candy tour last?

The tour lasts approximately two hours.

Where does the tour begin?

It begins at the Excalibur North Tram Station, at 3806 South Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas, Nevada 89109.

Where does the tour end?

The tour ends at M&M’S Las Vegas, at 3785 South Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas, Nevada 89109.

How much candy is included?

The experience includes more than three pounds of chocolate, candy, and other sweets.

Is a bag provided for the candy?

Yes. You receive an insulated thermal bag to help keep the sweets from melting.

Is transportation included?

Yes. Public tram use during the tour is provided at no extra charge.

What language is the tour offered in?

The tour is offered in English.

Can people with food allergies join?

Most people can participate, but gifts may contain peanuts and other allergens. Read the ingredients and tell the guide about any food allergies.

What happens if I need to cancel?

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the experience for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded or accepted.