Las Vegas

A Week in Las Vegas Itinerary

5 to 7 days in Vegas for first timers
By Katie Sagal

If you've got a week to explore Las Vegas, you've got time to really get under the skin of the city. There's so much to do here, including observation wheels, majestic fountains, and side trips to natural wonders.

Las Vegas is a popular vacation destination for many, especially those looking to combine arts, culture, and entertainment with natural landscapes. If you’re traveling to Las Vegas for a longer vacation – five days, or a week – check out our top suggestions for things to do in the area.

We’ve grouped the itinerary into seven days, but feel free to arrange it to suit your schedule and interests best.

Featured Las Vegas Attractions Include:

  • Hop-on Hop-off Big Bus Las Vegas Tour
  • High Roller Observation Wheel / LINQ Promenade
  • Madame Tussauds Las Vegas
  • Exhibitions at The Luxor
  • Eiffel Tower Experience
  • Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens
  • Hoover Dam Tour
  • Grand Canyon Tour
  • And more!

Day 1: Hop-on Hop-off Big Bus Las Vegas Tour

For those visiting Las Vegas for the first time, it’s important to get a full sense of the city itself. A hop-on hop-off Big Bus Las Vegas Tour is a smart choice because you can enjoy the informative narration and the flexibility to explore what interests you most.

The Classic Route takes you on a tour of all the best spots in the city, including The Strip, Downtown, Belaggio Fountains, The LINQ, The Mob Museum, The Strat, and much more!

High Roller Observation Wheel

high-roller-night-las-vegasusa

One of the best ways to truly appreciate the glitz and glam of Las Vegas is from an aerial vantage point. That’s where the High Roller Observation Wheelcomes in! Take a daytime ride on this popular observation wheel to see the full scope of the Strip and snap some stellar photos. The ride will take about 30 minutes.

LINQ Promenade

After you disembark from the High Roller, you’ll want to spend some time exploring the LINQ Promenade that surrounds the observation wheel. You’ll find everything from delicious restaurants to popular shops and beyond. It’s a great place to get some souvenir shopping done and enjoy a nice lunch or dinner.

Day 2: Madame Tussauds Las Vegas

madame-tussauds

You don’t need to head to Hollywood to enjoy celebrity culture – just pop by Madame Tussauds Las Vegas! Located right in front of the Venetian, this perennially popular attraction features stars from film, music, art, sports, and more. You’ll especially like Las Vegas-specific components like the Hangover Experience. Don’t forget to keep that phone or camera charged!

The Grand Canal Shoppes

Since you’re in the area, this eclectic mall is another good opportunity to indulge in one of Las Vegas’ favorite pastimes. You’ll find high-low fashion right alongside each other, plus toys, music, electronics, and much more..

Marvel Avengers STATION

Marvel Avengers Station

Head a bit north on South Las Vegas Boulevard to explore the Marvel Avengers STATION. Anyone with a love for superhero comics, movies, and culture should pay a visit to this amazing exhibition – especially if you have children. This immersive experience allows you to explore the world of Marvel in a whole new way. You’ll become part of the action as you roam through interactive exhibits and fascinating displays.

Tip: Download the AvengerStation app before your visit for the best experience.

Day 3: BODIES: The Exhibition

Spend today at the Luxor with a look at some of their enchanting exhibitions, including BODIES: The Exhibition. This informative and entertaining exhibition focuses on the human body from a cultural and biological perspective. Featuring real preserved human bodies and organs, it’s a compelling and fascinating exhibition that’s engaged over 15 million visitors from around the world

TITANIC: The Artifact Exhibition

Another offering at the Luxor is the TITANIC: The Artifact Exhibition. Learn all about the wonder and luxury of the Titanic, and the tragedy that infamously struck her on her maiden voyage. Filled with genuine artifacts from the wreckage of the Titanic, including luggage, floor tiles, a window frame, a piece of the hull, and an unopened bottle of champagne from 1900, this exhibit is one of the most popular in history.

You can also walk through scale recreations of the Grand Staircase and the Promenade Deck, to really get feel for how grand this ship truly was.

Day 4 Eiffel Tower Experience

Las Vegas Eiffel Tower

You don’t need to splash out the cash for a plane ticket to Europe to explore the beauty and grandeur of Paris – just head to the Eiffel Tower Experience at Paris Las Vegas. This recreated version of top Parisian attractions – including the Louvre, the Paris Opera House, and L’Arc de Triomphe, as well as the Eiffel Tower itself – is the perfect addition to the opulence and splendor of Las Vegas.

Explore these landmarks, then ascend to the top of the Eiffel Tower for another great observation deck experience. You’ll get to see many famous landmarks along the Las Vegas skyline and learn about the city from the local guides.

Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens

Located in the Bellagio Hotel, these beautiful gardens are magnificent. Depending on the time of year you’re visiting, you’ll be able to enjoy a different, painstakingly detailed exhibition comprised of flowers, plants, and other organic components.

They often have seasonal exhibits, too, so the holidays are an especially fun time to visit. Because these displays are so elaborate and almost completely made of organic components, there are certain in-between dates when the conservatory is closed as they transition between seasons. Consult their website to see which days they will be closed.

Bellagio Fountains

bellagio-fountains-las-vegas

Whether you only know of it from the final scenes of Ocean’s Eleven or have waited to make a pilgrimage to the famed Bellagio Fountains from the moment you first booked that plane ticket, this is a must-see for all Vegas visitors. Come here at night to enjoy the dancing lights and flowing waters of the fountain, and snap that truly iconic Vegas photo.

Day 5 Downtown – Fremont Street Walking Tour

Explore a new area of the city with a walking tour of Downtown and the bustling up-and-coming area of Fremont Street You’ll see shops, hotels, landmarks, and much more. The tour is about two hours, and is a walking tour, so be sure to dress comfortably and wear good shoes.

The Mob Museum

Mob Museum

If you’re interested in mob movies or the history of organized crime, then a visit to the Mob Museum is a smart idea. This engaging museum includes interactive, high-tech exhibits, unique artifacts and objects, plus previously unknown information about the history of organized crime in America.

Downtown Container Park

You’ll see this park during your Fremont Street tour, but it’s worth coming back here to enjoy the plethora of activities going on in this park – especially during the spring and summer months. Explore shops and galleries, a playground, and restaurants, and partake in periodic special events. There’s enough here to spend an entire afternoon, or just an hour or two.

Day 6 Hoover Dam Tour

looking-atop-hoover-dam

This is another can’t-miss attraction in the region. It’s time for a day trip out of the city to see the iconic Hoover Dam. This marvel of twentieth-century engineering is a truly fascinating sight to behold. Take a half-day bus trip out to the Dam, where you can also see the Colorado River and Black Canyon. Pay a small upgrade fee (discounted from regular prices for Go City® Las Vegas pass holders) to explore other areas like the Visitor Center, and to enjoy a Ranger-guided tour.

Las Vegas Shows

You can’t leave Las Vegas without taking in one of their legendary performances! Whether you’re interested in a comedy routine, a kid-friendly pet show, an adults-only burlesque show, or a popular musical performance like the Beatleshow Orchestra, you're bound to find something that ticks all your boxes.

Day 7 Grand Canyon Tour

orange-sun-lights-pass-though-grand-canyon

Spend your last day of the trip exploring one of the country’s most amazing natural wonders – the one and only Grand Canyon. This full-day tour provides round-trip transportation out to the South Rim of the Canyon, a tour of Grand Canyon Village and top viewpoints, trails, and attractions, plus a picnic lunch and snacks.

En route, you’ll also pass over the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge (the perfect place to see the Hoover Dam from), through the Mojave Desert, and by Route 66.

Save on admission to Las Vegas attractions

We hope you’ve enjoyed this list of our favorite Las Vegas attractions, and that you find this itinerary an inspiration as you work to plan your own trip. Consider adding a few of these top attractions to your trip plans, as you will save big on admission with the Go City®. Happy travels!

Planning your Vegas trip? With Go City®, you can explore big-name landmarks, local hotspots, and epic tours, all on one pass, all for one price. Not only that, but you'll enjoy savings of up to 50%, compared to buying individual attraction tickets. So go on, grab your Las Vegas pass and make the most of it!  

☀️See all Las Vegas attractions ☀️ – 🌏 Explore other destinations 🌏 – ✈️ Buy a Las Vegas pass ✈️ 

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Welcome to Las Vegas sign in the sunshine
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Las Vegas in May

Tucked away in the Nevada desert, surrounded on all sides by sand, rocks and an occasional cactus, is a bright pocket of color, sound and neon lights. It never sleeps, and it’s never stopped, since some plucky miners and their railroad brought wealth to the region more than a hundred years ago. The city, of course, is Las Vegas. Today, no matter the time of day or year, weary travelers and adventure-seekers alike still seek their fortune here – though one of the best times to come, for weather, crowds and partying till the small hours, is the charming spring month of May. All you need to know includes: Weather in May What's on Day trip ideas Pool parties Las Vegas in May Average temperature: 89oF • Average rainfall: 1 day/mth • Average sunshine: 13 hours Things begin to heat up in Vegas in May, as the days get longer and the clouds dissipate, leaving clear blue skies as far as the eye can see. There’s almost no rain – average rainfall for the whole month is 0.12 inches – but it’s not unheard of for an isolated thunderstorm to roll in, so check the forecast before you head out. It gets warmer as the month goes on, with temperatures regularly reaching the mid-90s and potentially ticking over 100 degrees, so be prepared for heat – particularly in the middle of the day. It’s still quite cool in the evenings, averaging a brisk 66oF overnight, so a light jacket or coat is recommended if you’re heading out and about after dark. Keep in mind, also, that many of the hotels and casinos have dress codes and don’t allow shorts – though fortunately they’re all air-conditioned, so you’ll be fine once you get there. What’s on in May There’s no shortage of fun to be had in Vegas in May, though if you’re here on a festival weekend you can expect to pay premium rates for hotels. On the other hand, if you miss them, your chances of getting a great deal are pretty good. Around the middle of the month is the annual Billboard Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, when the city fills up with rockstars and people who want to get a glimpse of them. Recent performers and recipients have included Ed Sheeran, Kanye West, Taylor Swift and Ariana Grande, to name a few. If that’s not your thing, escape the hoards by whisking yourself up to the Eiffel Tower observation deck, or seek sanctuary on the High Roller Observation Wheel in a soundproofed, climate-controlled pod. The last Monday of the month is Memorial Day and in Vegas this marks the unofficial start of the summer season. Most of the hotels get their festival vibes on with pool parties lasting all weekend; clubs, bars and restaurants will also have special events and offers. Or if you’re looking for a family-friendly event you could attend The Best Dam Barbeque Challenge, a two-day annual event in which teams compete to produce the best ribs, pork, brisket, and chicken. For spectators, as well as the obvious chance to taste a lot of grilled meat, there’s music, a car show and barbequing lessons for the kids. Or if you’re into Punk Rock and bowling, go for the obscure but fun Punk Rock Bowling and Music Festival, which is pretty much exactly what it says it is. Day trips from Vegas May is a great time to explore the regions around the city, as the days are getting longer but the heat hasn’t yet become extreme. If it’s your first time in the area make sure you visit the Grand Canyon and tick a natural wonder of the world off your bucket list. The trip begins and ends with a smooth ride in an air-conditioned coach, and in between you’ll enjoy a rejuvenating stop at Lake Mead, cross the Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge into Arizona and spend three hours exploring the Canyon’s stunning South Rim on a guided tour. If you prefer wonders of engineering, you could visit Hoover Dam, where you can peer from the dam itself into the depths of the Black Canyon and spend some time exploring Boulder City. Or if you prefer a more elementary escape, why not try a combined trip to Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon? Here you can enjoy a scenic drive over mountain passes and red cliffs, see unique rock formations at Chequerboard Mesa and walk the rim of a canyon with stunning natural vistas. Wherever you choose to go, be sure to have your camera fully charged! Vegas Pools When you’ve been out in the desert all day, or hitting the shops of the Vegas Strip, there’s only one way to cool off – in a luxury Vegas hotel pool. This is nothing like your local swim center – these are mind-blowingly lavish and often magnificent bathing resorts, each attempting to outdo the others in theme, extravagance and sheer ingenuity. Choices include 11 acres of beach, tropical island and wave pools at Mandalay Bay, the Mount Olympus-themed Garden of the Gods at Caesar’s Palace, or actual sharks in the titanic-sized tank at the Golden Nugget. Pool season lasts from March to October and most of them stay open from 7am to 7pm. Many of them host pool parties – although you’ll hear them referred to as ‘day clubs’ - because they’re basically an all-day party with music, drinks and crowds of young people letting their hair down. Before you head to your chosen oasis, be aware that many of the hotels have strict rules about who’s allowed in, and in what manner, so make you check before you bathe. One or two – like the LINQ Influence Pool and Planet Hollywood – are free at certain times, but most have to be booked and paid for unless you’re staying at that hotel, and pool parties are strictly adults-only. If you’re not sure which one to pick – or want to try more than one – jump on a Rock Star Pool Party Tour which will take you to two of the best ones on a limo with complimentary drinks. When the pools close, follow it up (if you’ve got the stamina) with a Rockstar Club Tour, which gets you into four of the most exclusive clubs in town. Yes, you ‘May’ have it all! May is the perfect month to visit Sin City. Save money with a Go City Las Vegas Explorer or All-Inclusive Pass, and make sure you don’t miss a thing!
Karleen Stevens
Famous neon sign welcoming visitors to 'fabulous Las Vegas'
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Las Vegas in October

Along with spring, fall is a prime time for visiting Sin City. By now, the searing summer temperatures have long since abated, but you’re still some way from needing to pack a winter coat for evenings on the Strip. Read on to find out why you should visit Las Vegas in October. Visiting Las Vegas in October Average Temperature: 70°F • Average Rainfall: 3 days/month • Average Sunshine: 10 hours/day For moderate temperatures and reasonably priced flights and hotel rooms, you could do far worse than to visit Las Vegas in October. Highs in the low 80s during the day mean you’ll still need to slap on the sunscreen if you’re opting for bare arms and legs, while evenings retain just about enough warmth to get away with light jumpers and jackets. Of course, this being Las Vegas, you don’t actually have to go outdoors at all: the Las Vegas Monorail runs the length of the Strip’s east side, connecting major resorts from the MGM Grand to the SAHARA, while a series of skywalks have you covered for crossing the Strip from one side to the other. That said, there are few things quite so magical as strolling the Strip after dark, when illuminated Eiffel Towers, fire-belching volcanoes and spectacular dancing fountains really ramp up the wow factor. Things to do in October By October, many of the hotel pools are starting to close or reduce their opening hours. Beach bums rejoice though, because there’s still time to hit the 11-acre shoreline at the vast Mandalay Bay resort. Soak up some rays as you wiggle your toes in the warm sand. And yes, it’s the real deal: all 2,700 tons of it! You can also ride the breakers in the wave pool, float gently down the lazy river on an inflatable lounger or sip mojitos in the shade of a cabana. Step out in the evening to see some of the Strip’s biggest attractions at their most fabulous. The illuminated dancing fountains at the Bellagio are perhaps the biggest and best free show in town, their skyscraping jets of balletic water soaring and swaying in time with a booming soundtrack of rousing classical music and pop bangers. Also worth a few moments of your time are the exploding volcano out front of the Mirage and Paris Las Vegas’s gittering half-size replica Eiffel Tower. Head over to the Venetian, where hopeless romantics can board neon-lit gondolas and cruise the resort’s replica of the Grand Canal, complete with Rialto Bridge and singing gondolier! The legendary Caesars Palace is the place to catch some proper old-school vibes as you try your luck on the one-armed bandits or bet a few chips at the blackjack and roulette tables. This supersize stalwart of the Strip has hosted some of the planet’s biggest stars, from Frank Sinatra to Celine Dion, while fans of Hollywood blockbusters will no doubt recognize it from its starring roles in The Hangover, Iron Man and Dream Girls. Catch some of rock and pop’s top names here at the iconic Colosseum theater, or go for high octane shows courtesy of the Blue Man Group and Cirque du Soleil elsewhere. It’s fair to say that in October, as with every other month of the year, you’re unlikely to go short of live entertainment in Las Vegas! But did you know Las Vegas also has some pretty awesome museums? It’s not all about hangovers, helicopter tours and high rolling here you know! Grab handfuls of quarters and mosey on over to the Pinball Hall of Fame, where you can try your luck on over 150 operational machines, from old-school arcade classics to today’s all-singing, all-dancing ultra-modern gadgetry. The Mob Museum charts the history of organized crime in the USA (complete with Prohibition Era underground speakeasy serving real cocktails) while the utterly fascinating National Atomic Testing Museum takes you on a journey through Nevada’s explosive past. And if you fancy something a little more high octane, Vegas is of course chock-full of frankly terrifying thrill rides. Indeed, no ride is more appropriately named than Insanity. An acrophobic’s worst nightmare, it swings you out into thin air 900 feet above the Strip, from the top of the Strat hotel’s soaring SkyPod observation tower. Admittedly the views from up here – of the Strip, the desert and the mountains beyond – are something else. But do you really think you’ll be able to keep your eyes open? What’s on in October? Make no mistake: world-class entertainment is a 24/7, year-round certainty whenever you visit Las Vegas. And, while metropolises from Chicago to Shanghai have been dubbed ‘the city that never sleeps’, there really is no place quite like Vegas for round-the-clock partying. Suffice it to say then that October is no slouch in this department. It’s the time of year when, amongst other things, the Golden Knights’ hockey season kicks off, bringing sports fans to Sin City in their droves, eager to see their heroes in action at the Strip’s huge T-Mobile Arena. October is also when the annual Las Vegas Book Festival takes place. Nevada’s biggest literary event, it’s a paradise for bookworms, with readings, poetry slams, celebrity book signings, Q&As and workshops. From the beauty of the written word to the eye-popping visual extravaganza that is the annual RiSE festival, where thousands of lanterns are launched into the night sky from deep in the Mojave Desert, around 25 minutes outside Las Vegas. A ticket gets you two lanterns, plus a mat for sitting on as you enjoy the spectacular nighttime display. There's live music and oodles of excellent street food to enjoy, too. And then, of course, there’s Halloween, when you can just bet your bottom dollar Sin City is going to put on one helluva show. Join the fun by donning a spook-tacular costume and mingling with like-minded dresser-uppers on the Strip and in Vegas’s lively clubs. There will be Halloween parties in many of these as well as creepy themed food in the restaurants. Lady’s finger, anyone? You can also expect haunted houses, Halloween pub crawls and even – we kid you not – zombie burlesque shows. Children are well catered for too, with a Haunted Reef at the Mandalay Bay Aquarium, hayrides and pumpkin patches at the Fall Farm Harvest Festival, and scheduled trick-or-treating activities across the city. Just out of town in downtown Summerlin, the Parade of Mischief sees fun floats and dancing zombies, witches, monsters and other weird and wonderful creatures hit the streets every Friday and Saturday evening throughout October. Save on attractions in Las Vegas Save on admission to Las Vegas attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak

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