Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Las Vegas?

Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Las Vegas?

Most visitors spend two to seven days in Las Vegas when visiting. The sexy entertainment capital offers so many things to see and explore, so you'll want to take full advantage of the limited time you have. Highlights include the theatre, the food, the nightlife, and the live music.

Las Vegas is an iconic destination with over-the-top resort hotels, elaborate casinos, grand shows, and a theatrical atmosphere. The city is a popular destination for bachelor and bachelorette parties. It's also a popular conference destination and considered to be a world class entertainment destination.

Do you have one or two days to visit Las Vegas? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.


Is one day enough time in Las Vegas?

One day is generally not enough time to experience everything in Las Vegas. A shorter schedule may leave you with a sense of urgency to spend an evening at the theatre, enjoy a meal at a restaurant, enjoy the evening activities, and enjoy the live music scene. To genuinely appreciate the highlights, a more lengthy visit is typically recommended. Many tourists opt for two to seven days to immerse themselves fully in the charms of the area. After all, Las Vegas is a big entertainment capital that is extremely popular with tourists due to the many sights and attractions. However, if you're working with limited time, we have some great ideas for making the most of your stay below.

How to spend a day in Las Vegas

When visiting Las Vegas, you can't miss the Strip as it's one of the most famous places in the world. Make sure you give yourself enough time to enjoy it.

Don't miss an evening at the theater while in town. Whether it's a musical, opera, ballet, or a famous Broadway-style production, Las Vegas is known for its wide range of shows. Long running shows along with traveling Broadway productions make the theater scene here diverse and entertaining.


A few tour suggestions include:

  • Fun City Scavenger Hunt in Henderson by Operation City Quest ($10)

Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Las Vegas?

Las Vegas enjoys immense popularity among tourists because of its many sights and attractions. A weekend is probably not enough. You'd feel rushed to see the main attractions of Las Vegas such as the great theater along with the terrific food. To thoroughly enjoy all that the entertainment capital has to offer, you'll probably want more than just a 2 day trip. Most travelers schedule two to seven days to fully experience this entertainment capital. Nevertheless, if a weekend is all you can spare, we have some suggestions for your weekend getaway to Las Vegas below.

Las Vegas Skyline Las Vegas Skyline

How to spend 2 days in Las Vegas

If you have more than a weekend (two to three days) in Las Vegas, you'll appreciate the added time for everything the entertainment capital has to offer.

Shopping in Las Vegas is very popular, and it's easy to see why. Spend time exploring the many shops and boutiques to find the perfect gift, souvenir, or outfit. The city's shopping scene combines high end brands with a style that is uniquely Las Vegas. Many hotels have their own malls or shopping areas where you can buy designer names or visit flagship stores.


A few tour suggestions include:

  • Arts District 3 hr Vintage Vegas Shopping, Cocktails, Champagne, Photos & Dinner ($199)
  • Private Shopping Tour from Las Vegas to Las Vegas South Outlets ($94)
  • Private Shopping Tour from Las Vegas to Las Vegas North Outlets ($104)

The delicious food of Las Vegas is one of the main highlights of a trip to the region. Dining out is one of the highlights of a trip. Make sure you take the time to taste as much of it as possible during breakfast, lunch, and dinner at some of this entertainment capital's best restaurants. And consider a food tour or cooking class. You can easily fit one into your schedule since many are just a few hours or half a day. It has become famous for it's all-you-can-eat buffets, which you'll find in almost every hotel along the strip. To fully experience the sin of gluttony, head for one of the more luxurious hotels, which have the more expensive, but also higher quality buffets. Celebrity chefs have also opened many five star restaurants around town that you must try.


A few tour suggestions include:

  • Downtown Las Vegas Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours ($119)
  • Downtown Las Vegas Food Tour by Segway ($139)
  • Manila Filipino Cooking Class: Meryenda Favorites ($75)

More Info

If you're looking for more information about Las Vegas, we have even more advice to help you plan your journey.

Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.

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