A short getaway in Las Vegas is just enough to scrape the surface of this hyperactive city. Explore the best of Las Vegas hotels with our suggested itinerary.Start on the northeastern part of the Strip at the Wynn and window-shop the high-end designer stores along the Esplanade. Have brunch at Wynn’s famous buffet by sampling its breakfast fare then going back for seconds of crab legs, sushi, dim sum and prime rib. Finish off with homemade ice cream.
Start: Wynn Las Vegas hotel
Spend the afternoon exploring the Strip. Walk south along Las Vegas Boulevard to the Venetian. Take a gondola ride through the canals, passing through the Grand Canal Shoppes. Visit Madame Tussauds for wax replicas of celebrities. Cross the Strip and visit the Mirage to see Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat for white tigers and other large felines beneath an erupting ”volcano”.
Start: Venetian hotel
Cirque du Soleil puts on a number of dazzling productions including the popular O at the Bellagio. Restaurants including the Le Cirque, whose contemporary French menu includes filet mignon with foie gras, and the Michelin-rated Michael Mina, for lobster pot pie, are nearby. As you leave, enjoy the fountain show then take a drive down the Strip for a blinding neon experience.
Start: Bellagio
Start your day at the Paris Hotel with a croissant and coffee at JJ's Boulangerie or a crepe from La Creperie. No trip to Vegas is complete without a bit of gambling and the big casinos give free gaming classes. On weekdays the Monte Carlo has poker and craps lessons, while the Tropicana features craps, blackjack and roulette classes. With newfound confidence, try your hand at a game of blackjack, a turn at the roulette wheel or just a few spins on a slot machine.
Start: Paris Hotel
Head over to New York New York to see replicas of the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty. Dig into a quintessentially American lunch of burger and fries or a hot dog at Nathan's. Head west on Tropicana Avenue to the Liberace Museum to see the late entertainer's collection of bejeweled cars, dazzling wardrobe, and a replica of his Palm Springs bedroom.
Start: New York New York
Continue north on Las Vegas Boulevard to Downtown. Reminiscent of the time of Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack, the area now features the brightly lit canopy and pedestrian walkway of the Fremont Street Experience. A free light and sound show runs hourly from dusk. Grab a cheap, old-fashioned steak dinner at a classic joint. End your Vegas short getaway with a drink in the bar on top of the Stratosphere, the tower at the northern end of the Strip, south of Downtown.
Start: Downtown Vegas
