So you have just one day in Vegas before your conference or before the rest of the gang arrives. What are you going to do?
You could take several cool day trips from Las Vegas to places like Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, Area 51 or Red Rock Canyon (I’ve done all these and will adding more content as this new blog grows).
But if you want to stay in the city and have just one day, I would hit the shops, people watch and eat! But where to shop in just one day? This post covers outlets and the Strip.
Where to shop in Las Vegas in 1 day
One day for shopping in Las Vegas is about all I need, and the best place to start would be at the Premium Outlets in the morning and blitz them in two to three hours. There is a food hall here, but honestly? Las Vegas has a brilliant reputation for its food scene, so I’d head back to the Strip and make the most of the dining options there.
But if you have no time for eating because shopping. Finish up at the outlets and head to Fashion Show Mall, on the Strip. There is actually a large shopping scene in Las Vegas, but as this is a post about a day trip in Vegas, I’ve narrowed it down to these two places.
Where to lunch in Las Vegas
Your choices are honestly endless, from the famous buffets to fine dining, to burgers and everything in between.
My suggestions are Mon Ami Gabi at Paris Hotel and get a table outside on the terrace looking across the street at Bellagio. Note, make it a late lunch (after 3pm) and you have a front row view of the dancing fountains. This a French restaurant with some of the best people watching views on the Strip.
Or for something cheap(ish) and cheerful, head to Wahlburgers. If it’s a burger and beer, we loved Mark Walburg’s restaurant! Actually, nothing’s cheap in Vegas! A burger, fries and a beer will set you back about
Or, you could drop some serious cash and do a walking food tour. Hubby and I did one of these when we were last in Vegas. At $199 per person, and you still need to upgrade if you want a drink at the venues, we went to four high end, high roller restaurants, bypassing all the fabulous people waiting to get in. That part was fun!
Then I’d head back to the Strip (where I suggest you stay so you can easily walk to dinner and other fun hotels and casinos for some great people-watching, dining options and maybe a little flutter).
More shopping!
I’d then go to Fashion Show Mall for a couple of hours in the afternoon.
Las Vegas has lots of places for shopping, but this mall is walkable from the Strip (if you’re staying at the mid to south end) and the number of stores makes it my pick for your one day in Vegas. You’ll get sore feet wandering around the 250 stores but then take a well-earned people-watch from one of the dining options looking over the Strip.
How to get around Vegas in one day
Objects are further than they appear in Vegas! Because the hotels are enormous, they look closer than they actually are, and consequently walking to the one you see can take half an hour. And depending on the time of year, that could be a hot and annoying walk!
Because time is of the essence in your one day in Las Vegas, and you don’t have hours to idle down the Strip, I suggest buying a Hop On Hop Off sightseeing bus ticket for the day. You can get 24 hours, 48- and 72-hour passes.
This will be a great way to see everything in a couple of hours (including Wedding Chapel Row and downtown Las Vegas at Fremont Street), plus you can hop on and off unlimited times at the shops, or maybe Fremont Street, or at the Las Vegas sign, and just hop on the next one.
We also used Ubers last time we were there. Quite a few were Teslas too!
If you want to see my hugely popular post on the best things to do in Las Vegas, I have a list of 30 great ideas in this post over on my other blog, Blogger at Large.
Where to spend your next day trip?
How about one day in Key West? It’s a day trip from Miami, or makes a fab day on a cruise stop.
Or not far from Vegas, you could spend a great day at my favorite LA city: Santa Monica in one day is just perfect for shopping, eating and even a little cycle tour past Muscle Beach.
And if you need some tips on blitzing New York City in a day of shopping down 5th Avenue, this post has you!
