THE BEST THINGS TO EAT, SEE, AND DO
ON THE LAS VEGAS STRIP
How To Get Here
It’s super easy to fly into Harry Reid International Airport. They typically have non-stop flights from most major cities in the US.
It’s super easy to get to the Las Vegas Strip and it’s only about 15 minutes from the airport. The places mentioned in this guide are easiest to get to if you have or rent a car, but can also be visited by Uber or Lyft.
Best Time to Visit
Any time but summer. I’ve been to Las Vegas a few times, but mostly in the fall and winter. It’s really nice to visit during these times because you won’t bake under the scorching summer sun. Typically the temperature will be in the 40s-60s during this time. In the sun, you’ll warm up super fast, but there’s also a bit of desert wind. In the summer you can expect temperatures to reach the high 90s – low 100s.
How Much Time Do You Need on the las vegas strip
Three days are perfect to do some partying, exploring, eating, drinking, gambling, and relaxing. You should also try to spend a few days exploring the surrounding areas as well.
Hotel Recs on the las vegas strip
Budget
Luxor
Mid Tier
Venetian
Palazzo
Caesar’s
MGM + Park MGM
Paris
High End
Aria
Cosmopolitan
Wynn
eating on the las vegas strip
Something interesting to note is that a lot of these restaurants are chains or a second outpost with an original in another major city. While the food may be slightly different in quality, we think they’re still worth checking out – especially if you’re having a hard time getting a reservation at the OG location.
Best Friend
Are you familiar with Roy Choi? He started the Korean-Mexican fusion food truck Kogi BBQ Taco back in the day. Best Friend is his awesome Las Vegas Restaurant. Located in the Park MGM, the front of house looks like a bodega, but once you go behind the plastic red curtains, you’ll be welcomed into the main part of the restaurant. Go with a group so you can try a bunch of things. Highlight included the Lumpia, lamb lollipops, and of course the Kogi short rib tacos. Don’t forget the date cake!
There’s also a DJ spinning vinyl – old school hip-hop when we dined here – which added to the experience.
Din Tai Fung
This is THE PLACE for soup dumplings.
Carbone
If you can’t get one of the hardest reservations in New York, the Las Vegas location is a good alternative. While nothing beats the intimate environment of the original, you can still get the same great food at both locations. This Michelin-starred, celebrity hotspot starts you off with complimentary antipasto including bread, parmesan cheese, sliced salumi, and pickled veggies. You know you’re off to a great start already. For a main course, try the spicy vodka rigatoni, the meatballs (they may not be on the menu, but are typically a special), and the branzino. For dessert, you NEED the lemon cheesecake. It disappeared too quickly. We also received free rainbow cookies which are one of my favorite kinds of cookie!
Eggslut
Yes, it’s overpriced for a breakfast sandwich, but plan to budget for it, and then just enjoy it. You gotta get the Fairfax Sandwich – soft scrambled eggs, chives, caramelized onions, cheddar cheese, sriracha mayo in a warm brioche bun. Nothing bad can ever happen when there’s a brioche bun. If you’re feeling like some meat, the bacon, egg, and cheese is your best bet. The Slut, which is coddled egg on top of potato purée, cooked in a glass jar, is also pretty tasty.
Tacos El Gordo
Tacos El Gordo has a few locations, and if you’ve never been to one, you might be a bit confused when you first walk in – we sure were.
Right as you enter, you’ll see a long counter with different signs. Each sign lists a different meat and the different styles you can get the meat, like taco or quesadilla. You’ll pick up a cafeteria style tray and take it to the first station where you’d like to order something, then you’ll bring that same tray with you to the next station. Once you have everything you’d like to eat – or at least round one – you’ll take it to the counter and pay. We tried *almost* everything and our favorites were the chorizo and adobada (sweet and spicy pork//pineapple) tacos. They also have a lot of different types of beef that you can try – tongue, head, and guts, as well as your more typical brisket. We found that most of the tacos had a little kick, but nothing too crazy.
You’ll want to try one taco “Vampiro” style. This means that you’ll have melty grilled cheese on your tortilla before the meat is added, and a crispy little tortilla added on top. It comes out flat, kind of like a tostada, but it’s grilled instead of fried.
They also have Mulas. I found it a little hard to tell the difference between a Vampiro and a Mula, but I think that the main difference is that the mula has a softer tortilla on top. So, tortilla, grill-melted cheese, meat, toppings (onions, guacamole, cilantro), soft tortilla (rather than crispy). You can’t go wrong with either! Or just try both and decide for yourself!
If you like horchata, they make a mean one here!
In N Out
Here’s your order:
Cheese burger – or a double double if you’re hungry! A double double means you’ll get double the meat and double the cheese – so two meat patties and two slices of cheese. If you want to skip the buns, get it protein style. This means that the burger will be served between lettuce instead of bread.
Fries – Get them animal style. This means they’ll have melted cheese, In N Out sauce, and caramelized onions on top. I think In N Out sauce is made of mayo, ketchup, and a little relish. It’s so good. Hot take, but I think that In N Out fries by themselves are not the best fast food fries out there, but animal style makes them pretty awesome.
Milkshake – Change it up with a mixed chocolate and strawberry shake.
BlackTap Milkshake
These milkshakes are super popular on social media. You might recognize their shake with M and Ms lining the rim and cookies sticking out of the top!
DRINKing on the las vegas strip
Try and find a speakeasy!
Ghost Donkey (Cosmo)
Founded in NYC, Ghost Donkey is an upbeat, funky mezcal bar. Look for a dark green door with a decorated donkey on it! It’s near the food court in the Cosmopolitan hotel.
Ski Lodge (Cosmo)
The Ski Lodge is a cozy speakeasy in the Cosmopolitan hotel. They have nice cocktails and serve pizza from Superfrico (they’re actually connected!). Look for the restaurant Superfrico, near the Wicked Spoon Buffet in the Cosmopolitan hotel. You’ll see a dark door with a gold square emblem of a skier on it.
Here Kitty Kitty Vice Den (Resorts World)
You’ll need to find the stall Fuhu Cha Chaan Teng in the food court. Look for the bookcase with the big golden waving cat – it’s actually a door! Enter and enjoy some cocktails!
what to SEE on the las vegas strip
Absinthe
Absinthe is a circus-style show that combines acrobatics, comedy, and variety acts. It’s a little bit raunchier than the other shows on the strip, but highly recommend if you want to laugh.
Cirque du Soleil Show
Cirque du Soleil has shows for everyone. They combine exotic, beautiful, intricate sets with crazy stunts and acrobatics. If you like the Beatles, check out Love. If you enjoy Michael Jackson music, check out One. Mystère was the original Vegas Cirque du Soleil and remains one of the most popular. O is a water show that features “aquatic artistry”. And Ka has an impressive moving stage that the performers use. All of the shows are amazing, so it just depends where your interests lie.
A concert or DJ
We’ve seen our fair share of DJs in Vegas and each one has been awesome – Tiesto, the Chainsmokers, Avicci (RIP), Steve Aoki (we even got caked!). Everyone is excited to be there and everyone is excited to party. The vibes can’t be beat. Get ready to dance the night away.
We’ve also seen a couple concerts in Vegas, too. Besides the artists themselves, the sets at Vegas concerts are always next-level. We saw the Britney Spears show before her residency ended and a Drake show. Both were fantastic (despite Drake being 2 hours late). Next on our bucket list is trying to see a concert at the Sphere!
Lost Spirits Distillery or Meow Wolf
Technically these two are off the strip, and you will need to take an Uber or drive over, but we loved them so much we’re adding them here too. Check out our Off the Strip Guide for more info on these two interactive shows!
DO
Go to a pool party during the day
Pool parties are a great way to beat the Vegas heat. Just make sure the place you want to go is open. Some venues close during the late fall and winter months. Try Tao, Azilo, Marquee, Encore, or Drai’s.
Gamble
Did you know that drinks are free on the casino floor while you’re gambling!? As long as you’re spending money, the drinks will keep coming. Most of the casinos have similar offerings – slots, poker, craps, sports betting.
Walk through the different hotel lobbies
Each lobby and hotel has a different theme. It’s fun to walk through them and see all of the different features. Below are some quick descriptions of our favorite ones. If your feet get tired, there are some free trams that will transport you across the strip. You can go from the Bellagio to the Park MGM or Mandalay Bay to Excalibur.
– The Wynn – pretty flower displays! The Wynn is at one end of the strip so it makes for a good starting or ending point. They also have a complimentary LED light show that starts at dusk called Lake of Dreams. It runs every half hour.
– The Bellagio – The Bellagio has a lot of cool elements in it making it 100% worth a visit. This hotel has an impressive flower display that changes seasonally located right next to the lobby. While you’re in the lobby, look up – you’ll see an extremely colorful Chihuly glass ceiling display. The Bellagio is also home to the famous dancing waters! The fountain show happens every 30 minutes from 3 pm – 7 pm and every 15 minutes from 7 pm until midnight. If you’re looking to shop, check out the shops in the hallways of the Bellagio.
– Cosmopolitan – One of the most impressive features of the Cosmopolitan hotel is the Chandelier Bar – it’s just so pretty and shiny. They also have an impressive food court (Eggslut is here!) and some hidden speakeasies!
– Venetian – Take a ride in a gondola through the canals! Even if you don’t want to take a ride, it’s still nice to walk around and see the canals.
– Caesars Palace – If you’ve seen The Hangover, you’re probably familiar with this iconic palace-like hotel. If you want to do some (bougie, expensive) shopping, check out The Forum Shops here.
– Flamingo – Visit the Flamingo Habitat at the Flamingo hotel. You’ll see turtles, different bird species like flamingos, pelicans, and waterfowls, as well as fish like sturgeon and koi!
– New York, New York – Walk through a mini replica of New York City! You’ll see the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, and the New York skyline. There are also a lot of bars and restaurants to grab a drink or some food.
Go to a party brunch at Lavo
Ready to drink the day away? Head to Lavo for their infamous party brunch. It’s the perfect place to celebrate a bachelor(ette) party or birthday with a group. You can also dance on the chairs! Who doesn’t love jumping up on their chairs!? Brunch is on most Saturdays and is $30 for females and $50 for males. You’ll need to reserve your ticket online in advance. You’ll also need to pay for your food and drinks – either a la carte or endless.
NOT DONE TRAVELING?
Check out our guides of nearby areas:
Best of Las Vegas – Off the Strip
Death Valley National Park
Hiking to Havasupai
The Best of the Grand Canyon