Sin City, the City that never sleeps. It’s no wonder that this has been a popular destination for weekend getaways for decades. But how do you spend the perfect weekend in Las Vegas (and still manage to get a bit of sleep in)? We’ve put together this 2 day Las Vegas itinerary that is perfect for first time visitors, weekend getaways, or ends to southwest roadtrips.
And while we aren’t huge Vegas fans, we’ve visited the southwest so many times as it is full of amazing National Parks. And every time we visit the southwest, we tend to fly in to Vegas because of the cheap prices. So we feel like we’ve really narrowed down this weekend in Las Vegas to only include the best things to do in Vegas. If you’re interested in visiting Vegas for longer, check out our list of the best things to do in Vegas to add to your trip.
A Weekend in Las Vegas Itinerary
For this weekend in Las Vegas, we arrived in mid-morning.
Day 1 – The Strip
Afternoon – The Strip
On our first day in Las Vegas, we spent it exploring the Strip from end to end and we think you should too. Get your luggage stored at your hotel or check in early and take the bus/monorail to one end of the strip. We started at the north end. So for this weekend in Las Vegas itinerary, we’re traveling south on the west side of The Strip on the first day. We’ll explore the east side of the strip on day 2. The Strip is 4 miles long so make sure to wear your comfy shoes for your walk.
While walking the Strip, stop to see or do anything that interests you. While the Strip would probably only take 2 hours to walk, plan on spending your day here. We’ve included some things we think are worth stopping for along the Strip in this Vegas itinerary but it does not include everything there is.
First, one of our goals was to wander every hotel on the Strip. While we got tired at the end, this was a really fun thing to do. Every hotel has a theme and they spare no expense when decorating the hotels according to theme. We think it is a fun way to spend the day and it gives you a scope of the town and hints on places you may want to come back to visit. Our favorite hotels to wander were Paris and The Luxor.
Make sure to stop and wander The Bellagio. First, stop outside for a fountain show. Enjoy the fountains choreographed to music every 30 minutes. Next, head inside to the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Here you’ll find gorgeous floral sculptures decorated for the season. Have you seen these before? Yes or no, make sure you visit again as they change with the seasons.
Next, consider stopping at either New York New York to ride the roller coaster or Mandalay Bay to walk through the Shark Reef Tunnel.
Lastly, end you walk along the Strip with a visit to the Welcome to Las Vegas sign. The line here will probably be long. You can wait in it for the perfect shot or take one from the side like we did. Once you’re done, take the bus to your dinner arrangements as it’s probably a fair walk from the sign.
Dinner – Buffet
Now it’s time for dinner! For dining in Las Vegas, we recommend getting in the Vegas spirit and embrace the excess. After having some fine dining experiences in Vegas, I’d pick the touristy dining experiences (you can get fine dining elsewhere). And what is more touristy than the Las Vegas all you can eat buffets!
Our favorite was the buffet at The Wynn. Buffets are pricy so come hungry and eat only the best of the foods as there is no way you’ll be able to try all of the foods. After multiple buffets, I can firmly recommend the strategy of eating copious amounts of prime rib and crab legs before moving on to the dessert bar. For your Vegas buffet, make sure to make a reservation at least a week in advance if you’re visiting on the weekend and a few days in advance for the weekdays. If you don’t make a reservation, you may still be able to get in to a buffet but you may have to wait in a VERY long line or dine at an off time of day.
Night – Shows and Clubs
After diner, see a Cirque du Soleil show. It doesn’t really matter what you see, you probably won’t understand the actual show. But you should see a show as it is just plain impressive.
If you want to stay up really late and party in Vegas, consider heading to a nightclub. I really enjoy sleep and didn’t think I’d be interested in this. However, there are some top notch DJs that play at these clubs. Check the club websites to see if a favorite DJ is playing. Some clubs charge a cover and some are free. All recommend getting on the guest list ahead of time. And all have strict dress codes. Have a general plan of what club you plan on going to and check the website for the dress code.
Stay overnight near the Strip.
Day 2 – The Strip and Fremont Street
Morning – The Strip
Start your morning on the southeast side of The Strip at the Flamingo. Continue your exploration of The Strip by heading north this morning.
First, visit The Flamingo and the Flamingo Wildlife habitat. Continue heading north stopping at anything fun.
Make another definite stop at The Venetian. Even if you don’t take a gondola ride, stop and watch others.
Have lunch as you wander. Some options we can recommend are tacos at Tacos El Gordo, giant milkshakes at Black Tap and a tall frozen alcohol slushie from really anywhere. All of these things pair very well together and make an excellent progressive style lunch as you make your way north.
Afternoon – Freemont Street
Once you’ve see what you want to see on The Strip, take the bus to Fremont Street. Fremont Street is the older, grittier, cheaper version of Vegas. Walk around this much shorter version of the strip and explore. The street performers here are entertaining and people watching is just MORE.
Don’t forget to look up at the worlds largest LED ceiling display screen, which puts on a show each hour. If you love adventure, take a ride on the SlotZilla Zipline which will shoot you over Fremont Street.
Next, if you’re interested in history, head to the Mob Museum. You’ll explore the history of Las Vegas and organized crime in the U.S.
Night – Dinner With a View and A Show
Eat your last meal in Las Vegas at any restaurant you choose. If you are interested in dinner with a view, consider booking a reservation at the top of the Eiffel Tower or in the Stratsosphere. Both of these attractions have restaurants. You’ll be paying a high price for dinner but you’ll get the view included – and really all meals in Vegas are pricy.
After diner take in one last Vegas show. We recommend seeing a magician because we love magic. You can find some very cheap magic shows in Vegas too or see some long time residents like Penn and Teller.
Sleep one more night in Vegas and head home in the morning. So ends one perfect weekend in Las Vegas.
Want to Adjust the Las Vegas Itinerary?
If you have more time in Las Vegas, consider taking a day trip outside of the city. Popular day trips include visiting the Grand Canyon and going to the Hoover Dam. Another option is to just pack in more Vegas activities into your time there.
If you have less time in Vegas, stick to The Strip. Wander around just like on day one of this weekend in Las Vegas itinerary but at a faster pace. Don’t forget to go to a buffet and a show though. Those really are the absolutely must-dos when visiting Las Vegas.
We hope you’ve found our weekend in Las Vegas itinerary helpful. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below.
