2 Days in Las Vegas - A Weekend Itinerary

Spending the weekend in Las Vegas? See the best of Sin City and experience all the highlights with our 2-days in Las Vegas itinerary.

UPDATED MARCH 2025
By Casey Makovich
Las Vegas Skyline

Spending the weekend in Las Vegas? See the best of Sin City and experience all the highlights with our 2-days in Las Vegas itinerary.

Jam-packed with classic Vegas sights and attractions, this popular 2-day itinerary explores a new area of Las Vegas each day. These activities showcase the best that Sin City has to offer. You'll spend the first day exploring Downtown Las Vegas and the second day focusing on the Strip.

This weekend itinerary includes:

  • Hop-on Hop-off Big Bus Sightseeing Tour
  • 'Welcome to Las Vegas' Sign (free!)
  • The Mob Museum
  • Fremont Street
  • Stratosphere Observation Deck
  • Madame Tussauds Las Vegas
  • High Roller Observation Wheel at The LINQ

📅 We’ve also put together a 1-day and 3-day Las Vegas itinerary, for those of you who have different trips to organize.

Day 1 (Downtown Las Vegas)

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Big Bus Las Vegas Sightseeing Tour

This Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour is the best way to see all the top sights in Las Vegas in one comprehensive tour. The bus' two routes travel to various points of interest along the Strip, Downtown, and beyond. Along the way, you'll be regaled with entertaining and educational narration about Las Vegas history, culture, and landmarks.

Some highlights along the bus routes include the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada” sign, the Golden Nugget, and Fremont Street. Plus, you'll get to see legendary hotels and casinos, Miracle Mile, the malls, museums, monuments, and more along the way.

You can use the bus tour to get to the next stops on this itinerary, although just be aware that you will be dealing with the same traffic as you would while driving yourself, so make sure you leave enough time.

The 'Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas' sign (free!)

Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas SIgn

Use your pass on the Big Bus tour and ride out to the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada" sign and hop off for a quick photo op. The historic sign serves as a relic of Las Vegas' neon sign history and was designed in 1959 by Betty Willis of the Western Neon Company.

Strip Route buses run about every 30 minutes, so be ready to hop on the next bus when it arrives!

The Mob Museum

Mob Museum

Hop on and continue your ride until the last stop where you can switch routes and hop on the Downtown Route. Pay attention to the layout of the Strip as you ride along the first route, you'll be exploring the sights you'll see along the Strip the next day!

Once you're on the Downtown Route, The Mob Museum stop drops you off right at the main entrance. Head inside for an interactive and entertaining account of true stories from a very critical part of Las Vegas' past: the Mob that built the city.

You'll learn about the notorious battle between the Mob and the law enforcement that sought to stop their activities. Hear both sides of the story brought to life with multi-sensory, immersive exhibits and exclusive insights from some of the key players.

Fremont Street Walking Tour

mature-couple-sightseeing-downtown-las-vegas

Walk over to Fremont Street, a five-block entertainment destination in historic Downtown Las Vegas lined with shops, famous hotels and casinos, activities, and more. Join on to a Fremont Street Walking Tour and learn the storied background to this cool corner of the city. Look up to see the Fremont Street Experience's Viva Vision, the world's largest video screen featuring free light shows and more.

If you're looking to eat dinner while you're here, downtown Las Vegas, particularly Fremont East, has become a bit of a foodie destination in the past few years, so there are tons of options for any appetite.

Day 2 (The Strip)

The Stratosphere Observation Deck

elongated-stratosphere-tower-las-vegas-rises

Head up the iconic Stratosphere Observation Deck – the tallest freestanding observation deck in the United States – for 360-degree views of the Las Vegas Strip, the Valley, and beyond. You'll have access to both indoor and outdoor decks and can identify landmarks with the Stratosphere's helpful viewfinders.

Madame Tussauds Las Vegas

Don't leave without working a few celebrity sightings into your Las Vegas itinerary. Head to Madame Tussauds for an interactive and entertaining experience with all your favorite movie stars, athletes, celebrities, and more.

Pose with Lady GaGa for the paparazzi, relive a crazy Vegas night with Bradley Cooper, sing on stage for Simon Cowell, and fight crime alongside Nick Fury. Touching and interacting with the wax statues is highly encouraged, plus there are props that visitors can use for unforgettable (and highly believable) photos.

High Roller Observation Wheel at The LINQ

high-roller-night-las-vegasusa

Go for an early afternoon spin on the High Roller, America's tallest observation wheel, at 550 feet above ground. The 30-minute ride has stunning, 360-degree views of iconic sights along the Las Vegas Strip and beyond.

If you want to toast your trip to Vegas, grab a drink from the High Roller’s wheelhouse bar before getting in your observation pod. When you're done with your ride aboard the High Roller, be sure to check out the LINQ shopping and entertainment district. It's a great place for souvenirs or lunch.

Insider tip: Head to the right side of the observation cabin for the best views.

Vegas is for everyone

This 2 days in Las Vegas itinerary is just one of the many itineraries you could follow with our passes. Some of the best things to do in Las Vegas don't involve gambling!

Remember, this itinerary is just one of many ways to experience Sin City. Your Go City® pass gives you the flexibility to create your very own itinerary, so you can choose from dozens of top attractions and create a vacation tailored to your interests.

Can't choose? No need, see it all with Go City® 

With an All-Inclusive Pass from Go City, you can visit both attractions for a fraction of the cost. Plus, you could save up to 50% on all your San Diego must-sees. Or pick an Explorer Pass, if you've chosen your fave and have a specific bucket list you're dreaming of ticking off.  

☀️ Compare Vegas passes ☀️– 🌏 Explore other destinations 🌏 –  ✈️ Buy a pass ✈

Casey Makovich
Go City Travel Expert

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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
Stuart Bak
High Roller Vegas
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Visiting the High Roller Observation Wheel – Tickets, Tips & More

Get sweeping views across the Las Vegas Strip with a ride on the High Roller Observation Wheel. Here are our top tips on how to get the most from your visit.
Casey Makovich
solo tourist at the Bellagion fountains in Las Vegas
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Things to do alone in Las Vegas

We’re all familiar with Las Vegas’ reputation as a party town – groups of friends drinking together, showgirls performing to large, cheering audiences and rich and famous celebrities gambling obscenely large quantities of money while sipping cocktails are images we’re all familiar with. But these are stereotypes, and only represent one side of this city. For those traveling here alone there’s plenty to do and see if we’re willing to look beyond the obvious, and not just during the day. Some of the best Vegas solo activities include: Hop-on Hop-off bus tour Day trips Rockstar Club or Pool Party Tour An immersive evening show Downtown walking tour Museum visits Taking a class Take the Hop-On Hop-Off Big Bus Tour You don’t have to be alone to do a Hop-On, Hop-Off bus tour, but it doesn’t matter if you are, because someone else does all the talking. The Vegas Big Bus Tour covers all the important stops, including the Bellagio Fountains, Treasure Island, Excalibur and the Welcome to Las Vegas sign, so you can use it as a handy transport option between attractions, but if you’re on your own why not sit back and enjoy the whole tour, learning about the Vegas Strip, Downton and how the town got the nickname ‘Sin City’. The whole trip takes about 2.5 hours and is a great way to get your bearings in a place that can be overwhelming on the first visit. There’s also a Big Bus Night Tour, so you can enjoy all the same sights again, only this time it’ll be painted neon. Escape on a day trip It may be in the middle of the desert, but that doesn’t mean the area around Vegas is deserted. In fact, it’s surrounded by breath-taking natural wonders of surprising variety with opportunities for hiking, canoeing and outdoor yoga, to name a few. Most of them can only be reached by road, so why not on a coach tour, when you get the double benefit of not having to worry about logistics and the chance to meet a bus load of awesome people. If you have a Go City attraction pass, you can take a full-day trip to the Grand Canyon which includes park entry and takes you past Lake Mead, the picture-perfect reservoir formed by nearby Hoover Dam, El Tovar, Hopi House, Kolb Photo Studio and the Bright Angel Trail. And of course there’s a walk to the canyon’s South Rim, the deepest, widest and most photographed part of the landscape. If you’ve already done the Grand Canyon, there’s also Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks and Hoover Dam and the Black Canyon tours you can try. Party like a Rockstar There’s no reason to hide away in Vegas if you’re on your own when the sun goes down – instead, get your dancing shoes on and make some cool new friends on a Vegas Rockstar Nightclub Tour. Meet your host at a premier Ultra Lounge on the famous Las Vegas strip, and then spend the next five hours feeling like a VIP as you get to skip the line at three of Vegas’ most famous clubs. You’ll travel between clubs in the luxurious Limo Party Bus, which has a complimentary bar on board, so the conversation should be flowing! Or if you prefer to party in the daylight hours, how about a Rockstar Pool Party? You’ll get the same VIP treatment, and the same luxury limo with open bar, but this time you’ll meet at a day pool club, tour the Vegas Strip and be dropped off at one of Vegas’ hottest pool parties – and by the time you get there, you’ll have a limo full of new friends to party with! Be immersed in a show Just because you’re on your own doesn’t mean you should miss all the fun in Vegas, and an essential part of that is going to see a show. Plus, Vegas shows are so immersive that you’ll forget you’re by yourself anyway! With Go City, you can choose to spend the evening laughing the night away at L.A. Comedy Club at the STRAT, dancing and singing along to the Legends in Concert tribute acts, or reminiscing over The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil, which is a multi-sensory spectacle telling the story of the Beatles through their own songs with choreography, visuals and aerial acrobatics. Or you could experience the surprising combination of painting and percussion of the Blue Man Group, possibly getting a colorful splash in the process! Uncover the past on a Las Vegas walking tour Spend a couple of hours in the afternoon peering underneath the surface of the glitz and glamor of Vegas on a guided walking tour. Start at the corner of Fremont Street and Main Street, where Vegas was founded in 1905, and journey towards Downtown Vegas, learning about things like where the Rat Pack preferred to hang out and why the city is so full of wedding chapels. You’ll also discover where to spot things like the famous Golden Nugget, a piece of the Berlin Wall and 1870’s street lamps from Brussels. Plus with a walking tour it doesn’t matter if you’re on your own, because someone else is doing all the talking – though there’s nothing stopping you from making new friends at the food stops along the way! Get cultured Museums are a great place to visit solo because you don’t have to worry about keeping up with anyone – you just go at your own pace. You can concentrate on your audio guide as you go round ignoring everyone else, or pop in your headphones and block out the world with your favorite chill playlist. In Vegas, the museums are many and varied, so there’s bound to be something to pique your interest – choose from the Mob Museum, Natural History Museum, Hollywood Cars Museum and Liberace Garage, the Erotic History Museum, the Neon Museum or the National Atomic Testing Museum. Take a class Taking a class is a great way to meet other people, partly because there are usually plenty of opportunities for chatting, but also because you already have a shared interest in whatever the class is about. Plus there’s a good chance of meeting other solo travelers. As you’d expect, there are yoga, cooking and pottery classes, but in Vegas you can also learn a skill or two that might come in handy. For example, you could get some poker lessons before you hit the casinos, learn a few magic tricks, or even take a glass blowing class, where you can make your own souvenir to take home. Go solo with Go City Vegas has so many opportunities for the solo traveler, so there’s no need to feel lonely. And you can get even more out of your visit with a Go City All-Inclusive Pass, which lets you join in as many fun activities as you like!
Karleen Stevens

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