Las Vegas earned the moniker “Sin City” on its way from a forgotten railroad town to the major resort city it is today. The following Las Vegas itinerary will pack four days full of unique experiences like gourmet dining and unrivaled shopping opportunities. Highlights include learning about the mafia’s role in the history of Las Vegas at The Mob Museum, sipping creative cocktails out of glasses made of ice, and noshing on decadent bites from some of the world’s most renowned chefs.

4 Days Las Vegas Itinerary

The famed Las Vegas Strip is what most people think of when a visit to this iconic tourist destination comes up. The length of the Strip is just over 4 miles, with casinos, restaurants, and shops lining both sides of the street. For most people, a bulk of time will be spent in this immediate area, but there are certainly some sites worth the trek off-Strip as well. Las Vegas is very pedestrian friendly with wide sidewalks lining both sides of the Strip, and elevated pedestrian bridges in place to make crossing the busy Las Vegas Boulevard easy and safe. Buses, including the 24-hour Deuce and the Las Vegas Monorail are excellent and economical public transportation options, while taxis, Uber, and Lyft are plentiful for longer jaunts. If you find yourself in need of a rental car for a day trip, there are numerous rental counters in the immediate Strip area that can get you set up with wheels and on your way in no time.

Day 1

Guests arriving by air will likely land at the McCarren International Airport (LAS), which is an approximate 10–15-minute drive to the center of the Las Vegas Strip. Visitors are generally able to see the high-rise casinos and buildings rising from the desert when descending to land at the airport, making this one of the first of many photo opportunities during your trip.

It is highly encouraged to choose a hotel along the Las Vegas Strip, especially if you will not have access to a car during your stay. The Flamingo Hotel & Casino is one of the original hotels in Las Vegas, opened by mobsters Bugsy Siegel and Meyer Lansky. Today, the Flamingo exudes a cool, tropical vibe almost smack dab in the middle of the Strip, with economical room rates. If you prefer a hotel with a bit more luxury, but still in a prime location along the Strip, consider Caesar’s Palace across the street. Caesar’s embraces a more elegant style among its Roman architecture and gold-leaf trimmed marble columns.

• Welcome to Las Vegas Sign

The quintessential Las Vegas photo, the famous Welcome Sign at the south end of the Las Vegas Strip is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, and the ideal first stop to mark your arrival in Vegas! Do not be surprised at the size of the sign, it is only 25 feet tall, which can help with getting it and your group in your photos. There is no admission charge to see the sign, but lines do typically form.

• The Linq Experience Promenade

The Promenade separating the Linq Hotel and Casino from the Flamingo is full of restaurants, bars, shops, and entertainment offerings that will get your Vegas vacation off to a fun start. In-N-Out Burger has a location serving its popular burgers, fries, and milkshakes, or for a unique take on sushi, give one of the sushi burritos at Jaburritos a try.

The Minus 5 Icebar is a prime spot to escape the blazing sun due to the walls, seats, decorations, and the glasses your drinks are served in being made from solid ice. Packages are available that include at least one drink, and the use of gloves and warm coats. Upgrades are offered that include fur coats and stoles if you are looking to upgrade the experience to something a little fancier.

The High Roller Observation Wheel in the tallest in the world at 550 feet high. Tickets are available to ride the wheel during the daytime, nighttime, or a combo of both. Consider upgrading your tickets to include the Bar Car and enjoy unlimited drinks from the mobile bar in your car during the 30-minute revolution above the Las Vegas skyline.

Day 2

Begin exploring all the casinos along the Las Vegas strip on the first full day of your Las Vegas itinerary. The route you take can vary depending on the location of your hotel, and the areas of most interest to you, but there are some attractions not to be missed along the way, including some hidden gems. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes and sunscreen. Bottled water and any other necessities can be found at numerous drugstores along the way.

• Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino

At Mandalay Bay, the Shark Reef Aquarium is home to more than 2,000 animals including sea turtles, stingrays, and of course, sharks. Mandalay Bay also has a large, wave pool with sandy beach area, home to outdoor concerts and lively day club parties.

• Luxor Las Vegas

The Bodies Exhibition at the Luxor is one of the most popular exhibitions of its kind in the world, utilizing new technology to display real bodies and organs. The Titanic: Artifact Exhibition is also on display at the Luxor, offering a glimpse at more than 250 artifacts recovered from the wreckage of the Titanic. Combo tickets are available to guests wishing to visit both exhibitions.

• Excalibur Hotel & Casino

The Excalibur offers a few attractions that are sure to make the list for a Las Vegas itinerary for families. The Fun Dungeon is an arcade for all ages, with a variety of classic and new games to delight the entire family.

The Tournament of Kings is a live-action dinner and show experience at the Excalibur that tells the story of King Arthur with laser lights and special effects while guests enjoy a full meal included in the ticket.

• Flamingo Hotel & Casino

The Flamingo Wildlife Habitat is home to several pink flamingos, ducks, turtles, and brown pelicans in a serene oasis near the pool at the Flamingo Hotel. The habitat is free to visit, and you may even stumble upon one of the informational seminars held during feeding times.

• Caesar’s Palace

The world’s first Hell’s Kitchen Restaurant is in the Roman Plaza at Caesar’s Palace. Gordon Ramsey’s famous beef wellington and lobster risotto grace this menu, among other seasonal offerings sure to please any palate.

• Bellagio Las Vegas

The iconic Fountains of Bellagio are one of the most popular free experiences in Las Vegas. The light and water show synchronized to various musical tracks goes off every 15-30 minutes depending on the day. This is an attraction that cannot be missed, and in fact, could be added to your Las Vegas itinerary multiple times throughout a trip, as you most likely will not see the same song performed twice.

• The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

One of the best-known secrets in Las Vegas is Secret Pizza, home to one of the best slices of pizza on the Vegas Strip. There is no signage, but if you wander around the second floor of the property, you will be sure to stumble across the long hallway leading to deliciousness!

While in the Cosmo, stop by the Chandelier Bar and ask for the Verbena cocktail, a popular drink with a small flower that numbs the taster’s tongue and lips when it is eaten.

• New York New York Hotel & Casino

The Big Apple Rollercoaster at New York New York, is a fast paced, thrilling coaster that starts inside and takes its riders through loops and drops at speeds of over 67 miles per hour. Riders must be at least 54” tall to ride. Anyone not able to ride the coaster can hang out in the Big Apple Arcade filled to the brim with video games and prizes.

• Paris Las Vegas

You can find the entrance to the Eiffel Tower Viewing Deck on the first floor of the Paris Casino. This half-scale replica takes guests on an elevator ride 46 stories up to an open-air viewing platform. The view is amazing day or night, but at night you can get a truly awesome view of the Bellagio Fountains below from the viewing area.

Day 3

Today, leave the hustle and bustle of the Las Vegas Strip behind as you set off on a day trip to one of the nearby sites of interest.

• Hoover Dam

The Hoover Dam is only about a 30-minute drive from Las Vegas. There are numerous tours that you can book, with many including transportation. It is also an easy drive to make on your own if you have rented a car, allowing you to visit on your own time, at your own pace. If booking a tour, the Hoot and Hoover Dam Tour is a popular option that includes an informative comedy show on the ride to the dam and back, a walking tour of the dam, and lunch at a local diner before returning to your Las Vegas hotel.

• Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour

The Grand Canyon is more than 130 miles from the center of Las Vegas, making it a hard sell for a daytrip during a Las Vegas itinerary of only 4 days. However, taking in the majestic site of the canyon from above on a thrilling helicopter ride. Maverick Helicopters is one of the top options in the Las Vegas area for tours to the Grand Canyon, as well as sightseeing tours up and down the Las Vegas Strip and surrounding area.

• Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Thrill seekers will be in heaven at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where guests can choose from several different packages including a NASCAR or exotic car driving experience. The Exotic Racing packages gives your choice of high-performance cars like Lamborghinis and Porsches, while you can drive an actual NASCAR racecar yourself, including a stop on pit row!

Day 4

Travel back in time to see some of the places that spawned the Las Vegas that we know and love today by visiting “Old Vegas”. Downtown Vegas has its own pack of hotels and casinos to explore, in addition to some unique attractions that can only be found in this historic heart of the city.

• Downtown Vegas and the Fremont Street Experience

The Fremont Street Experience is party central, 24 hours a day. This is the place you will find street performers underneath the Viva Vision canopy of lights. This canopy is the largest video screen in the world, emitting nightly light shows set to popular music.

The Slotzilla Zipline allows visitors to soar above the bustling walkways below. Two options are available: a seated version 7 stories above the ground, and the Super-Hero Zoomline, which allows guests to fly like Superman 11 stories above the ground.

• Downtown Container Park

Little shops selling souvenirs and quirky items are interspersed with bars and restaurants in the Downtown Container Park. Art installations and murals surround this space that also contains an outdoor stage and courtyard area perfect for relaxing in the evening with a cold drink and free entertainment.

• The Neon Museum

One of the many things that Las Vegas is known for is its neon signs. The Neon Museum is dedicated to collecting, preserving, and displaying these neon relics from the past and present so that they can be enjoyed for many years to come. Pictures are more than welcome, and I would suggest trying to time your visit around dusk so that you can enjoy the lovely neon signs in both daylight and at night when they are burning bright in their full glory.

• The Mob Museum

Another museum worth a visit when you are in the Downtown Vegas area is The Mob Museum. This museum focuses on the history of organized crime and law enforcement with exhibits detailing Prohibition, the Mob’s influence on Las Vegas, information about the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, and much, much, more. Guests will leave with a better understanding and appreciation of how Las Vegas came to be.

When planning a Las Vegas itinerary, you will find so many attractions, large and small, to fill your days with a mix of active adventures and relaxation time. There is much more to explore in Las Vegas beyond the walls of the lively casinos, although those are a major draw. For those guests looking to limit time gambling, there is a seemingly endless pool of options to choose from in addition to the items outlined above, like world-class shows from major comedians, and troupes like Cirque du Soleil. All of this coupled with warm, dry weather year-round, makes Las Vegas a premier destination for couples and families alike!