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It seems like now’a’days everyone is focused on creating Trip Itineraries for Long weekends. And sure, you’ll definitely benefit from adding an extra day to your weekend, but what about all those other weekends that are only two days long? You might be tempted to sit at home and watch Netflix all weekend, but wouldn’t you rather spend two days in Las Vegas? It might seem like an unattainable trip to do in a weekend, but with proper planning, you can make this weekend trip a reality!
Our trips to Las Vegas have ranged from a 4-night stay to 36 hours of hustle. Luckily, Vegas is one of those cities that is always on so time really isn’t an obstacle here! If you’re looking for a quick weekend in Vegas, here’s exactly what you need to do.
Table of Contents
Saturday in Las Vegas
I told you this was a weekend trip and I meant it! This weekend itinerary will cost you zero vacation days. It seriously is two days in Las Vegas. You’re going to want to grab an early morning flight to Las Vegas to get the most out of your trip. Like so early you won’t even want to make coffee before you leave your house so that you can sleep for an extra five minutes. There will be plenty of time to grab coffee at the airport. Hop in a ride-share and just get to Vegas already!
One of the most overwhelming things about Las Vegas is that you can never go anywhere without seeing a slot machine. When you land in the airport, you’ll be greeted with hundreds of them. If you’ve never been to Las Vegas before, go ahead and stick a $5 bill into one of the airport slot machines, just for fun!
Las Vegas Hotels
If you have an early morning flight and make it to Las Vegas before check-in, you might think that you have to hang onto your bags until your room is available. That might be true most places, but it is absolutely not the case in Las Vegas! As soon as you land, you should head straight to your hotel. You can check your bags in with the bellhop or front desk (free of charge!) at every hotel on the Las Vegas Strip.
It is easiest to go straight for the hotel you plan on staying at, that way you can just keep your bags there until it is time to check in, but if you’d prefer to move them from hotel-to-hotel, you don’t have to be a guest to check your bags. The Casinos want to make spending money as easy as possible, they’d gladly hold all your stuff while you explore!
Where to Stay in Las Vegas
There are a lot of different types of hotels in Las Vegas. Some are kitschy or reminiscent of the classic Las Vegas feel. Others are high end and elegant and make you feel like a queen.
My favorite hotel on the Las Vegas Strip is Park MGM. Park MGM is different than the MGM Grand Resort, and many people get the two confused. Park MGM is a brand new hotel to the Las Vegas Strip and it has a very classy vibe. The best part about it is that they will soon be completely smoke free! The only hotel on the Las Vegas Strip to make this move. I love everything about this hotel!
Where to Eat in Las Vegas
If you have decided to stay at the Park MGM, there are tons of options there. They have a sports bar inside the casino, a restaurant, and their very own “Eataly.” If you’re not familiar with Eataly, it’s a small farmer’s-market-styled eatery where you can grab freshly made Italian food. Don’t put too much stake in it’s street-market style, though. Eataly is a chain franchise. There are also plenty of quick-bite options at New York New York right next door to the Park MGM.
If you’re ready to dive into Vegas headfirst, you might even want to hit up a buffet! The MGM Grand Hotel & Casino has a great buffet and it is right across the street from Park MGM.
If you’re looking to try something a little more locally grown, check out Bruxie, just outside of the New York New York.
The Bellagio Fountain Show
Once you have your luggage checked in at a hotel, it’s time to explore the iconic Las Vegas stops. The first place you should check out is the Bellagio Fountain. This iconic Las Vegas landmark will get you excited for everything else Las Vegas has in store or you. You can walk down the strip to the fountain or you can jump on the Tram!
There is a free tram from Park MGM to Bellagio, called the Aria Express Tram. The tram doesn’t save you a ton of time, but it will save you some energy. One thing that surprised me about walking down the Las Vegas Strip is how many stair cases there are to climb! The street is lined with pedestrian walkways to keep everyone safe, and walking down the strip means you’re constantly climbing stairs up and down. Taking the tram will save you a bit of that so early into your trip.
The Bellagio Fountain runs every half hour in the afternoons, so be sure to check your clock to make sure you’ll time it out right! There’s nothing worse than finding your spot at the fountain only to realize you’ve got 27 minutes to go until the next show.
Visit the Eiffel Tower
Once you’re at Bellagio, the next best stop to check out would be the Paris Hotel. (Look for the Eiffel Tower and head that way!) You can go up into the Eiffel Tower if you’d like. Tickets are $16 during the day, or $22 at night. You might be able to find a better price on Groupon, so be sure to check that before you buy! I love using Groupon when in Las Vegas. Check out the other apps I love on my post 3 Apps that can Make Your Next Trip to Las Vegas More Affordable.
Depending on the time of year you’re visiting, you might have burned up a good chunk of daylight already. If you’ve still got some time left before sunset, check out the French Onion Soup at the Paris Hotel’s Mon Ami Gabi French Bistro. It’s delicious!
Explore Fremont Street
If I’m being completely honest, Fremont Street isn’t my favorite. But if this is your first time in Las Vegas, it is definitely worth checking out. On Fremont Street, you can visit the original hotels and check out the Light Show on the ceiling (yes, ceiling) that runs above Fremont every hour on the hour between 6pm and 1am. If you’re feeling extra daring, you can even zip-line above the crowds of people. The zip-line, called the “Slotzilla,” will cost between $20 and $45 per ticket depending on which package you choose.
The Neon Museum
Just a short ride away from Fremont Street is one of my favorite attractions in Las Vegas: The Neon Museum.
The Neon Museum is an absolute treasure to the City of Las Vegas, and I highly recommend you make this a part of your trip! While you can visit the Neon Museum any time between 9am and 10:40pm, I really recommend visiting at night. All the working neons will be lit up! There is a guided tour (the only option available at night) where a docent will tell you the stories behind each and every sign. It’s a great way to get to know the history of this area a little bit better.
The High Roller Ferris Wheel
You’ve had a long day, and if you’re ready to turn it in and unwind at your hotel room at this point, I totally understand. But to take full advantage of the short amount of time you have on your weekend in Las Vegas, you might want to sneak in a few more stops.
Another must-see Las Vegas destination is the High Roller Ferris Wheel at the Linq Hotel. They host a “Happier Half Hour” ride which, as they say, is a happy hour in the sky. Take a ride in the Ferris wheel car that comes with a full bar! The name of the game seems to be to drink as quickly as you can to get your money’s worth. Ask for your bartender to make you a Green Tea. It’s Jason’s favorite drink in Las Vegas! Tickets for the High Roller can be pricey, but Groupon can help you out with discounted tickets.
I love checking out the High Roller at night because you can see all the beautiful sparkling lights below. You might even be lucky enough to catch a fountain show at the Bellagio from way up high if you time it out just right!
The Las Vegas Casinos
I don’t get much sleep when I spend a weekend in Las Vegas. After spending the day exploring all my favorite stops, I like to take a quick visit to one of the casinos to wrap up the night. New York New York and Excalibur are my two favorite spots to play at. I always seem to be very lucky at New York New York, and find some games here that I can’t find anywhere else. I love Excalibur because they are the only place that has $1 video Blackjack. This “table” is usually very crowded, but worth it if you can get a spot. We could play at the video Blackjack tables for hours. The cocktail waitresses will set you up with a few free drinks while you gamble (be sure to give them a tip!) and I find this the perfect place to wind down, Vegas-style.
Free drinks at the Casinos in Las Vegas
The first time I visited Las Vegas, I wasn’t convinced that the rumor of free drinks at the casinos was true. After all, things can be so expensive in Las Vegas. I was certain they were going to stick me with a bill after bringing me my drink. But it’s true! Drinks are completely free while you’re gambling at the casinos…but with a couple of exceptions.
My first time ordering, I made the mistake of asking for an Old Fashioned, my go-to drink no matter where I am. The cocktail waitress kindly told me that she would be happy to bring me one, but that she would have to charge me for it. The kinds of drinks they offer for free are pretty basic, but free is free, right?
It might seem overwhelming to have to order a drink when you don’t have a menu and don’t know what is free and not free. To make it easy, here’s a quick list of a few cocktail favorites that you can get from the casino for free:
- Gin & Tonic
- Vodka Tonic
- Jack & Ginger
- Jack & Coke
- Mimosa
- Vodka Sprite
- Whiskey Sour
Please tip your cocktail waitress $1 or $2 per drink at a minimum!
Now that you’ve had a few drinks (or a few too many drinks!) and lost a bit of money, it’s time to stumble up to your room and go to sleep for a few hours.
Sunday in Las Vegas
If you would like to stay close to my favorite end of the Strip, MGM Grand, Excalibur, and Luxor all offer breakfast buffets at roughly the same price. We loved the buffet at MGM Grand! (And you can even get one of these buffets for free! Find out how from this post: If You Can’t Afford to Travel, Travel to Las Vegas.)
If you’re interested in venturing off the strip for breakfast, The Orleans and The Golden Nugget both have delicious buffets, too!
If you’re looking to try some semi-local fares, check out Bruxie or Eggslut.
Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay
The Las Vegas Casinos really have every kind of attraction you can imagine, and the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay really proves that. This aquarium is surprisingly large and worth stopping by at least once. Tickets will cost you $25, but you might be able to get these for free or discounted. These tickets are often a free reward on one of my favorite Apps for Saving Money in Las Vegas.
Exploring the Casino Lobby
Seeing all of the lobbies inside the Casinos could be an entire day itself, but there are a couple of notable ones that are worth stopping at before you wrap up your two days in Las Vegas.
The Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens at the Bellagio is an incredible lobby feature. This is completely free to view and is full of jaw-dropping floral arrangements.
From the Bellagio, you’re only a few hotels down from the Venetian which has beautiful facade walls and fountains, and canals where you can take a gondola ride! The Venetian also has tons of shopping if you want to go window shop, or maybe even buy an extra special souvenir to take home.
Concluding Two Days in Las Vegas
Unfortunately, your time in Vegas has come to an end. It’s time to collect your bags from the hotel Bell Desk and get to the airport. Be sure to give yourself some extra time to get through airport security. I’d recommend at least an hour and a half in the Vegas airport, just to be safe!
Grab yourself a coffee, and relax at your airport gate until it’s time to head home. Scroll through some photos, post something to Instagram (and be sure to tag me in them so I can see it!) and unwind.
I love to spend my plane rides back home planning out my week. It gives me a little bit of sanity when I have to head right back to work the next day. Make a grocery list, and a to-do list, and then get some much needed sleep on the plane.
That’s my perfect Weekend in Las Vegas Itinerary. It’s the best way to take an action-filled (and much-deserved vacation) without taking a single vacation day. More weekend trips means more opportunities to travel. Just because you have a day job, doesn’t mean you can’t still explore new places!
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Love Vegas! Living in Canada makes it tricky to do it in only two days but I learned some things so that’s awesome. Eataly in MGM?!?! I can’t wait to check it out. We are heading there to see Lady Gaga in November. Very informative post. Thanks for sharing!!
I’m so jealous! Lady Gaga puts on such a great show, you guys are going to have a blast!
I have always wanted to go to Vegas for a weekend. Great information. Thank You!
Glad I could help! I hope you get your weekend away very soon!
This is perfect. I love Vegas, but I never really want to stay that long. This itinerary would make me feel as though I got my money’s worth in just 2 days. Thanks!
We’ve found our favorite time span is 3 days. Not too long, not too short. But most of the time we only have the weekend to spare!
As they say, the house always wins, and after a while losing money stops being fun.
We are planning a trip to Vegas next February. Great suggestions and tips
February is my favorite time to visit! Have fun!!
What a great way to spend in Vegas and make the use of all of your time. We live about 2 hrs from Vegas, so we could drive, but just haven’t made the effort yet. With your tips on a weekend get-away, we are more inclined to go. Thanks for sharing.
What a great way to spend a weekend get-away at Vegas. You utilized your time so well and provided some great places to visit. My husband and I live about 2 hrs way, so we could drive, but just haven’t made the effort yet, but with your weekend get-away planner, I think we will have to take a trip soon. Thanks for sharing.
You should absolutely get there for a weekend! You’re so close!
I appreciate your tip about going off the strip for breakfast. My kids have never been to Vegas and I want to take them to the cool hotels. I’ll have to take them to an impersonation show.