The Perfect Three-Day Weekend in Las Vegas
As part of a new series, Travel + Leisure is exploring America one three-day weekend at a time. Heres what to do on a short trip to Las Vegas.
It takes virtually no effort to burn out after a single day in Las Vegas, where extravagance isnt an extraits expected! Pace your perfect three-day trip with a balance of indulgence and recovery, and you wont feel like the Toxic Avenger on your plane ride home to reality. The perfect vacation in Vegas combines incredible attractions like fine dining, some soft adventure, and a few ways to take in those incredible desert views.
Day One
One of the worst-kept secrets in Las Vegas: a one-day car rental usually costs less than a 10-minute taxi ride from McCarran Airport to the Strip. To get the best value on your on-and-off-Strip adventure, rent a car from the airport to use off-Strip, and use a taxi, Uber, or Lyft while cocktailing. Keep in mind that while self- and valet-parking at Strip casinos has historically been free, MGM-owned resorts recently instituted parking charges of up to $18.
Sticking to one casino resort for dining, entertainment, and clubbing is a great way to make the first night manageable. Michael Minas Bardot Brasserie serves elevated French food in a luxury room that feels like a standalone brasserie. Thought you were over the humble roast chicken? Mina treats his like Peking duck. And dont miss the ultimate comfort food: onion soup with Prigord truffle, braised oxtail and a poached egg. If you have long night ahead of you and want to keep things light, hit the patio at Herringbone, where you can order cooked or raw shellfish platters in dinghy, sailboat, or yacht sizes in the lounge space with a view of the pool. You can walk it all off just a few minutes away at The Park between Monte Carlo and New York New York before taking in a concert at Las Vegass brand-new T-Mobile Arena. If youre up for a late night, check out Arias intimate new 24,000-square-foot club of the moment, Jewel, by Hakkasan Group. Go all in by reserving one of its five VIP rooms that look over the crowd.
Day Two
Atone for last nights sins with a juice from one of the citys many new juice bars (in Cosmopolitan, its The Juice Standard, whose cold-pressed juices, plus an egg sandwich from nearby Eggslut, will bring you right back to life).
Then hop in the car for a 20-minute drive west into the Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area, the nearly 200,000-acre desert wonderland with more than 30 miles of hiking trails, rock climbing and mountain biking. Of the many trails, the 6.3-mile hike to Las Vegas Overlook is one of the most spectacularand manageable for most fitness levels. Reward yourself afterward by checking into the newly revamped spa at Red Rock Resort for a personalized facial with products by Dr. Harold Lancer (Beyoncs dermatologist), acupuncture, or a lounge in the outdoor shower garden.
Once youre relaxed, head back to the Strip for a little pre-dinner shopping on the Esplanades at Wynn. Dont miss the new Salvatore Ferragamo boutique (opening September 8), a sequel to its Beverly Hills flagship on Rodeo Drive, which is carrying an exclusive-to-Wynn Gancio Lock handbag and (very Vegas) gold leather lace-up sandals. Book a table at Lakeside for a taste of Chef David Walzogs simply prepared Hawaiian day boat fish, line-caught by family fishermen in Hana, Maui, and often shipped within 24 hours right to the restaurantfresher than that found at many beachside spots on Maui itself. The onaga (a long-tailed snapper) with shiitake mushrooms, baby bok choy and miso-butter sauce is a Walzog favorite. If you book well in advance, ask for the table right on the Lake of Dreams, so you can catch the surreal, Max Headroomlike show that appears on the wall of water every half hour or so.
End the evening at Intrigue, the loungeyclub with a fabulous waterfall (and pyrotechnics), whose late night programming often involves surprise celeb guests and super DJs. Or if youre feeling a little crazier, go to XS, whose resident DJs include Alsesso, Kaskade, and David Guetta. Treat yourself to bottle service in one of the cabana around Encore pool.
Day 3
It would hardly be a Vegas trip without one of the must-see-to-believe buffets, and Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace is the king of them all, with more than 500 dishesfrom a huge raw bar to dim sum, to baked-to-order soufflsavailable at any time. If youre starting early, you can upgrade with unlimited mimosas. Dont like serving yourself? One of the best brunches on the Strip is Thomas Kellers Bouchon, on the 10th floor of Venetians Venezia tower. Order any of the traditional French specialties; but the must-have starter is the pecan sticky bunlarge enough for a table to share.
Dont leave Vegas without taking a turn on the High Roller at the Linq, which, at 550 feet tall, is the highest Ferris wheel in the world. Youll get a 360-degree view of the Vegas valley. For the very virtuous, an amazing new yoga session with a live instructor guides you through an hour-long circuit of soothing yogastopping at the apex to take in the view. Or book a flight on one of Sundance Helicopters modern, chrome choppers: Taking in the Grand Canyon at sunset (from beginning to end, its a three and a halfhour experience) includes a 3,200-foot descent for Champagne at the base of the canyon and concludes with a flight over the lights of the Strip.
Alain Ducasses Rivea, in the Delano, is a perfect final-night dinner spot. Set on the 64th floor amid warm jewel tones, and around its massive Champagne bubble glass installation, shareable Mediterranean cuisine influenced by the French Riviera (dont miss the soccacrispy chickpea flour crpes, the unofficial street food of Nice). And take in the dramatic views of the Strip from the adjoining Skyfall Lounge, with a cocktail made just for the occasion, like the Artificial HorizonChampagne, Bacardieight-year-old rum, Clear Creek pear liqueur, and lemon juice. Youve now seen Vegas from some of its best perches.
For more long-weekend itineraries in America's best vacation destinations, click here.
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