Las Vegas in 7 Day: a guidebook for getting the most out of your visit

Casinos, gambling, limousines, luxury... In Las Vegas there is always something to do or see, so I know you have a long list of must-sees. Don't worry, because seven days are more than enough time to visit all the hotels and resorts in the city, experience the hustle and bustle and escape to the surrounding countryside.

Las Vegas is a city of contrasts, where in the same hotel you can find the best shows and artists in the world and at the same time an amusement park. Don't want to miss anything? Read my tips carefully, write them down and enjoy Las Vegas!

Your first day in Las Vegas will focus on one of the main areas: the Strip. Here you'll find some of the city's most important and fascinating resorts. Ready to get to know them?

Travel to New York via the New York-New York Hotel

Start your day at the New York-New York Hotel in Las Vegas, one of the most impressive.

Located between Tropicana Avenue and the Las Vegas Freeway, it's a great place to start your trip. I encourage you to tour this resort and discover a little New York there.

Have you always wanted to see the Statue of Liberty, or maybe the Brooklyn Bridge? You don't have to go all the way to New York to see them, at this Las Vegas resort you can see a reconstruction of the great landmarks of the city that never sleeps.

Ride the Big Apple Coaster and see New York-New York from above

If there's one famous thing to do at the New York-New York Hotel in Las Vegas, it's ride the Big Apple Coaster. It's the only resort with one; the ride costs around €20 and is quite an experience.

Although the speed doesn't always allow you to see the sights below your feet, the Big Apple Coaster passes over the hotel's casino and the entire infrastructure that recreates New York City.

Picnic in the shade of The Park

Next to the New York-New York Hotel is The Park, a green space that was designed as a resting place between buildings and outdoors. There are also several tables and benches in the shade where you can sit and have a bite to eat.

If you want, you can bring your own food or buy something from the locals around (they sell burgers, sandwiches...). After lunch, I encourage you to take a stroll through the park and discover its fountains and greenery.

Continue your day at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel

From New York, it's only a 15-minute walk to Paris, specifically to the Paris Las Vegas Hotel resort. This is where you can climb the famous Eiffel Tower of Las Vegas, a little lower than the previous one but with stunning views of The Strip.

When you get off the Eiffel Tower, you can enter the hotel's casino and have a drink in the French restaurants inside. I also recommend you check out their party room, where the atmosphere never lets up.

Finish the day by watching the Bellagio Fountains show

After an afternoon in Paris and at the casino, I suggest you take part in one of the most typical plans in Las Vegas and also one of the only free ones: see the Bellagio Fountains show. They are located outside the Hotel Paris Las Vegas.

This show has taken place every day since 1998. It consists of the "dance" of more than 1000 jets of water for the duration of a song.

A total of 30 songs are played every day (one every half hour from 3pm to 8pm and every 15 minutes from 8:30pm to midnight).

Las Vegas is a place where anything can happen, from the eruption of a volcano to a concert by the biggest artists of the moment. If you don't believe me, wait until you read the itinerary for your second day.

Spend the morning among dolphins at The Mirage Dolphins

To start your day, how about a visit to the dolphins at The Mirage Hotel? This place is located on The Strip and its full name is Siegfried and Roy and Dolphin Habitat. The price (approximately €25) includes a tour of an artificial safari.

The Mirage's Dolphin Habitat is a chance to see wild animals such as panthers, white lions and, of course, dolphins up close.

Take a gondola ride around the Venetian Hotel

Across the street from the Mirage (just a 5-minute walk) is the Venetian Hotel, your next stop. The name already gives you a clue: you've just entered Venice. My advice is to take a gondola ride along the Grand Canal (the price is around €25 if shared and over €100 if private).

Perhaps the most famous thing about the Venetian Hotel is its artificial sky. What do I mean? A large screen on the roof ensures that the sky is always sunny, without a cloud, even at night.

Take a lunch break on the Linq Promenade and ride the Ferris wheel

When you leave the Venetian Hotel, make your way to Linq Promenade, a 10-minute walk away. It's a busy street where you'll find lots of shops but also good restaurants to eat at.

When you've finished eating, I recommend taking a ride on the High Roller Ferris wheel. The price is about 25€, but I promise you that the views are incredible at over 150 metres high.

Play at Caesars Casino as if you were in Ancient Rome.

Across the street, less than 5 minutes away, is the world famous Caesars Palace Casino. Gambling here is a little pricey, but you can't miss out on the experience.

It's decorated like Ancient Rome and even has a Colosseum, where artists such as Celine Dion and Elthon John perform at night.

Although going to a concert at Caesars can be expensive (around 150€), it's not a bad idea to go inside and take a tour of the place, where some great movies have been filmed.

See the eruption of a volcano up close

If you've ever wanted to know what it would be like to see a volcano erupting, you've come to the right place. Exit Ceasars Palace and walk about 10 minutes down Las Vegas Boulevard, back to The Mirage.

Around 8pm - 10pm the whole Volcano show gets underway, which is free and totally safe.

With sounds recorded from real volcanoes, lights and fireballs, you'll watch as lava erupts from a volcano with your mouth wide open. In total it lasts about 10 minutes.

On the third day I suggest you go a little further south of Las Vegas. From there you will start an upward journey that will take you from the mythical sign that welcomes you to the city to the Excalibur Hotel.

Start the day with a photo op at the iconic Las Vegas sign

Get your camera and your best smile ready to take a few selfies in front of the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign. It's best to go early in the morning because, as you might expect, there are plenty of other tourists looking for the same souvenir.

Access is free, so you don't have to worry about that. If you're looking for something a little more special, there are always photographers with professional cameras ready to help you for a few dollars.

Walk among sharks at Shark Reef Aquarium

Leave the famous sign behind and walk about 15 minutes to the Shark Reef Aquarium, which is inside the Mandalay Bay Hotel. Tickets cost around €25 and you can get up close and personal with over 2000 marine species.

If you're travelling to Las Vegas with kids, they'll love this plan, as you'll be able to walk through tunnels of transparent walls to see aquatic creatures.

Head to Mandalay Bay Beach and grab a bite to eat

Apart from the aquarium, Mandalay Bay is the only hotel in Las Vegas with a beach. Of course, it's man-made, but it's still a great place for a little picnic or lunch at a beach bar.

Even if you're in the desert, you've been in Vegas for a few days, so you shouldn't be surprised to see people surfing at Mandalay Bay Beach.

Learn about the human body at the Luxor Hotel's Bodies exhibit

Leave Mandalay Beach and walk for about 15 minutes to the hotel next door: the Luxor Hotel. You can't miss it, as a huge pyramid and a sphinx will let you know you've arrived at this Egyptian-themed resort.

It has several shows and exhibits. I highly recommend the Bodies show, where you'll learn how the human body works through real samples (approximately €30).

End the day with dinner and a medieval show

To end this third day, how about attending one of the best shows in Las Vegas?

I'm talking about the medieval dinner and tournament at the Excalibur Hotel, which is a 5-minute walk from the Luxor. It costs about 40€ and includes a very complete menu and the event itself.

Horses, swords, armour, battles... The Excalibur recreates every night a tournament from the Middle Ages, based on the legend of King Arthur.

Las Vegas may seem to be all about casinos, but it also has a very interesting and, above all, artistic city centre. Are you up for discovering it?

Let the lights dazzle you at the Neon Museum

I suggest you start your day at the Neon Museum. To the north, on Las Vegas Boulevard, you'll find this very special open-air museum.

Here you can see the posters and old signs of the city' s casinos. Admission is approximately €22 and guided tours are available for an additional €5.

The Neon Museum not only stores and displays these signs, but also restores them so that, even when they're not on any facades, they continue to illuminate and tell a story.

Discover the history of the Las Vegas mob at the Mob Museum

From The Neon, head to another of Las Vegas' best museums: the Mob Museum. It's just a 10-minute walk down the boulevard.

Also known as the Mob, you can learn all about the mob's influence on the gambling city in this large exhibition hall. It costs about €25 to enter.

The Mob Museum Las Vegas is housed in a historic building: the old Las Vegas courthouse. Inside you can see weapons, personal items and even pictures of mob groups and their attacks. You can also play a crime-solving game in an interactive forensic room.

Take a food and art tour of the Las Vegas Art District

Downtown Las Vegas is very artistic, and the Art District is a great place to check it out.

You can get there in about 20 minutes by walking down Casino Center Boulevard to the intersection with Charleston or by taking the free Downtown Loop bus from the museum and getting off at the Art District stop. Once there, take a stroll through the streets to discover the murals.

If you want to make the most of your visit to the Art District, I recommend taking a food tour of Las Vegas. This less "touristy" area is where you'll find the most local restaurants (and the best food).

Experience gambling at the cheap casinos on Fremont Street

When you've finished taking in the street art of the Art District, I recommend taking the Downtown Loop, Las Vegas' free shuttle bus, back to Fremont Street, another stop.

Fremont Street was home to the city's first casinos and many of them are still standing. The best part? The stakes are lower here, so take advantage of being here to cross a game of poker at one of Las Vegas' best casinos off your list.

End the day at the Fremont Street Experience

In addition to its history, Fremont Street has one last thing to show you: a sound and light show that takes place every day at 8pm for free.

It takes place in the vault at the beginning of the street, where you can see some of the city's legendary neon lights.

The Fremont Street Experience 's 12 million LED bulbs light up in a beautiful dance accompanied by various songs. When it's over, you can return to the casinos or attend one of the free live concerts along the street.

For your fifth day in Las Vegas get ready to get your adrenaline pumping, because there are plenty of attractions waiting for you and you'll want to try them all!

Climb to the top of the Stratosphere Tower observation deck

Start your day with an incredible panoramic view fromthe observation deck of the Stratosphere Tower. This 100+ storey tower is located in the south of the city, near the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Sahara Avenue.

For about 25€ you can climb to its 108th floor and admire one of the best views of Las Vegas.

This observation deck is located on a circular floor with a large window that allows you to see the city in 360º. It's well worth it!

Ride the roller coasters at the Stratosphere Tower

While you're at the Stratosphere Tower, why not take a ride on the rides? There are several of them and you can buy tickets individually (about €15 each) or buy a pack that allows you to ride each one once and also go to the observation deck on the 108th floor (about €50).

Stratosphere's rides will test your fear of heights. For example, one of them, the X-Scream, is a shuttle car that gives you the sensation of hanging above the void.

Eat at one of the restaurants on Las Vegas Blvd

After five days in the city, you've probably realised that the main street is Las Vegas Boulevard. From here you can get to most of the tourist attractions.

As you walk down it to your next stop (the Circus Circus Hotel) I suggest you stop at one of the many restaurants to grab a bite to eat.

There are options for all tastes and budgets, from the gourmet experience at celebrity chef José Andrés' restaurant to several good value Mexican taco places.

Continue to enjoy Las Vegas attractions at the Circus Circus Hotel

Keep the adrenaline pumping! For that, nothing beats the Circus Circus Hotel, a 20-minute walk down Las Vegas Boulevard from the Stratosphere Tower.

This hotel is one of the most iconic and family-friendly hotels in the city. It has a hotel, a casino and a theme park, the Adventuredome.

The most special thing is that most of its attractions are typical fairground and circus rides, so you'll feel like you're going back to your childhood. The good thing is that tickets are individual, so you only pay for the ones you want to go on, depending on how much time you have and how much you want to.

Have fun with a free circus show

As you can guess from its name and decor, the Circus Circus Hotel is the place to go to enjoy a circus show, whatever age you are. The good news is that these events are free.

Clowns, acrobatics, juggling... Every day from 13:30h (or 11:30h on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays) you can enjoy various events that will keep you entertained for a while before returning to the fair and the arcade games in the casino.

You can't miss the opportunity to take a trip from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon.

My advice is to book an organised tour (approximately 90€) that includes all the visits. Otherwise, you will have to rent a car (about 45€) to get around for the whole day, which can be more complicated.

Start the day at Hoover Dam

In addition to the Colorado Canyon, you can take a trip to the Hoover Dam from Las Vegas, one of the largest and most important engineering works in the world. Entry costs about 14€.

Besides seeing the entire infrastructure, especially the turbine hall of the Hoover Dam, the highlights are the viewpoints over Lake Mead and the Colorado River.

Stop at Arizona's Joshua Tree forest

Heading out of Hoover Dam towards the Grand Canyon I recommend a stop at Arizona's Joshua Tree Forest, a forest of yucca trees. It's not the famous national park from the U2 album, but it's just as beautiful.

If you get the chance, I recommend you go down there for a while and take some pictures. Just be aware that the road is dusty and bumpy.

Arrive at the Grand Canyon and have lunch in the surrounding area

After about 3 hours, including stops, you will arrive at the Grand Canyon, specifically at the West Rim, the area closest to the city. Before entering, my advice is to take the opportunity to eat something at the restaurants on the West Rim.

There are several typical American restaurants (hamburgers, pizza...) and also some food trucks. You can also bring your own food (you may have it included in the tour) and sit down for an impromptu picnic.

Take a tour of the Colorado Grand Canyon

Now at last, spend the whole afternoon (or at least a large part of it) exploring the Grand Canyon. Entry costs around 60€, and includes access to the Skywalk, the famous glass bridge/lookout over a 1,300-metre deep cliff.

This entire western area is owned by the Hualapai tribe and is characterised by these cliffs and deep stone gorges. If you have time, I recommend you visit the Indian village and respectfully learn about their history and culture.

Say goodbye to the Grand Canyon with a helicopter tour

Before heading back to Las Vegas, how about saying goodbye with a helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon? You can book this experience for approximately 200€ more. The great thing is that it allows you to see more and from above.

As well as flying over the Grand Canyon, many helicopter tours land for a few minutes near the Colorado River, so you can see it up close too.

The trip comes to an end, and my suggestion is to return to The Strip, the most famous area of Las Vegas and visit those themed places that are still on your list. You'll feel like you're in a movie!

Embark on a visit to the Titanic Museum

To start your day, head to Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition. It's located on the south side of The Strip near Tropicana Avenue. This exhibition, which costs around 30€ to enter, recreates the famous cruise ship in an incredible way.

When you enter you will be assigned the passport of one of the people who were on the Titanic and, with your new identity and through many real objects recovered from the sinking, you will go through the chronology of what happened.

Continue the day at the MGM Grand Hotel, one of the largest hotels in the world

One of the remaining hotels to see in Las Vegas is the MGM Grand Hotel, just a 15-minute walk from the Titanic Exhibition.

It is known for being the largest hotel in the world until 2006, and although it has been stripped of its title, it is still quite impressive.

The most popular features are the swimming pools and water park, where the over 21s can have a few drinks while listening to live music. Although these are supposed to be for hotel guests only, there are usually some PR people giving out wristbands for free entry.

Fill your stomach at Planet Hollywood

Just a 15-minute walk from the MGM Grand Hotel is Planet Hollywood Las Vegas, a luxury resort with strong ties to the world of film, both for its décor and for being a favourite destination for American celebrities.

Although accommodation is a bit pricey (around 100€ a night), you can sit down for a meal at one of the restaurants. Afterwards you can wander around and discover the best shows at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas.

Enter the Las Vegas oasis at the Flamingo Wildlife Habitat

Another free activity you can do in Las Vegas before you leave is to visit the Flamingo Wildlife Habitat, which is located at the Flamingo Hotel, a 10-minute walk from Planet Hollywood Resort. Here you can get up close and personal with beautiful flamingos.

The best thing about this flamingo garden is how peaceful it is, even though it's in the middle of Las Vegas.

End your trip with a limousine ride in Las Vegas

It could be said that this is a city where luxury is lived without qualms, so I suggest you say goodbye with a limousine tour of Las Vegas. The price is approximately €350 and consists of a complete tour of the highlights.

In addition to the ride, there is often an extra service included to make the experience even more special, such as a professional photographer, a bottle of champagne or dinner.

If you follow the itinerary I've suggested each day, you won't need to take a car as you can walk from place to place. However, you may need some form of transport to get to some places depending on where you are staying. In that case you have several options.

You can rent a car (about €60/day) but I only recommend it if you're going on an excursion, as you may only need it for a couple of trips on other days.

You can also take the Downtown Loop, which takes you to most of the major sites. If you need to get away from the centre, you can take a taxi or VTC (average price €20).

The last option is to use the Las Vegas tour buses, which are a great alternative if you're looking to go to central and touristy places, as they stop at most of them. They cost around €20 per day.