Las Vegas, a city known for gambling, luxury hotels, and vibrant nightlife, is a haven for those seeking good eats and unique cocktails. Two days in Las Vegas is the perfect amount of time to get away to this city. However, there are a ton of fun and exciting things to do outside of those things in Las Vegas. From interesting museums to hiking in the area, Las Vegas has something for everyone.
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no cost to you! Special thanks to the Mob Museum and the Neon Museum for hosting me on my trip to Las Vegas! As always, all thoughts and opinions remain my own.
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History of Las Vegas
Las Vegas, located in the Mojave Desert of Nevada, was originally inhabited by Indigenous peoples such as the Southern Paiute. However, the area later became a stopover for Spanish explorers in the early 1800s. In 1905, the city was officially founded as a railroad town, serving as a key stop between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. It remained a small desert town until a major turning point came in 1931, when the state of Nevada legalized gambling.
The construction of the Hoover Dam during the 1930s brought thousands of workers to the area, boosting the local economy and population. After World War II, Las Vegas rapidly transformed into a world-famous entertainment and resort destination, fueled by a boom in casinos, nightclubs, and luxury hotels. Many of these early developments were backed by organized crime figures, who helped shape the city’s glittering image in the 1900s.
By the 1980s and 1990s, corporate investment replaced mob influence, leading to the rise of mega-resorts such as The Mirage, Bellagio, and The Venetian. Today, Las Vegas is known globally for its vibrant nightlife, extravagant entertainment, and 24-hour casinos, but it’s also grown into a major hub for conventions, sports, and culinary arts, constantly reinventing itself while never losing its signature flair.
When to Spend Two Days in Las Vegas
Vegas is always a thriving metropolis to visit any time of the year. However, if you do not like the heat, you may want to avoid it during the summer, as temperatures can reach triple digits. We enjoy visiting Las Vegas during the shoulder season (fall and spring) or for the holidays.
How to Get to Las Vegas
From Southern California, it is a very easy drive to Las Vegas. Otherwise, Las Vegas has one international airport: Harry Reid International Airport. You can catch flights here to many places across the United States, as well as a couple of places in Asia and Europe. Skyscanner is my favorite way to search for flights.
Transportation in Las Vegas
Depending on what you want to do in Las Vegas, you may or may not want a car. If you plan on staying in the city center and the Strip, you will not need a car. Uber and Lyft are readily available. There are also buses that take you to many places along the strip.
If you plan on taking day trips to places like the Valley of Fire, Hoover Dam, or Red Rock Canyon, I recommend renting a car through Economy Bookings, as it will search all rental car companies for you.
Where to Stay in Las Vegas
Where to stay in Las Vegas depends on what you want to do. For most people, staying on the strip is the most convenient because it is walkable to many things and typically those hotels are the nicest. TripAdvisor is a great place to start your hotel search. Check out the best hotels in Las Vegas here! You can always try searching Priceline Express Deals for a better price or try to price match a hotel.
The following are some of the best hotels to stay at:
- Mandalay Bay Resort
- MGM Grand Hotel
- Cosmopolitan Las Vegas
- Paris Las Vegas
- The LINQ Hotel
- Horseshoe Las Vegas
- Treasure Island Las Vegas
- Caesars Palace Las Vegas
- Rio Hotel and Casino
- Hilton Resort World
- Conrad Resort World
What to do During Two Days in Las Vegas
What kind of adventures you have during two days in Las Vegas depends on what you want to focus on during your trip. From culinary experiences and bars to outdoor adventures and museums, Las Vegas has something for everyone. This itinerary will focus on some of the alternative things to do in Las Vegas besides drinking and clubbing.
Hop on the Sightseeing Bus
To introduce yourself to Vegas, you may want to hop on the Sightseeing Bus. This double-decker bus takes you past all the main sites in Las Vegas. Note, this tour is not a hop-on/hop-off bus, but one continuous tour.
Explorer Pass
If you want to explore a lot of these attractions, the GoCity Explorer pass may be a good deal for you to get! This gives you admission to two to seven Las Vegas attractions, depending on which pass you buy.
Day 1
Today, you will focus on visiting many of the museums across Las Vegas. There are so many fun activities and museums to visit, you cannot go wrong with whatever you decide to visit during your two days in Las Vegas.
Meow Wolf Omega Mart
Cost: $30
Hours: 10am-11pm
Start your day off with a visit to Meow Wolf Omega Mart. This is the Meow Wolf that made them Insta-famous. This 52,000 square food immersive art installation is located inside Area 15. At first glance, it may seem like a grocery store, but as you head deeper into the exhibit, you’ll find secret doors, portals, and rooms built by over 300 artists.
Visitors can get lost for hours exploring alternate-reality environments, uncover a hidden narrative about a strange corporation behind the store, and even stop by the in-store hidden bar, Datamosh Bar, for cocktails amid the weirdness.This bar had the best cocktails out of all the Meow Wolf locations.
You can check out the other Meow Wolf locations in Santa Fe, Houston, Dallas, and Denver.
Mob Museum
Cost: $35
Hours: Sun-Fri: 9am-9pm, Sat: 9am-6:30pm
During your two days in Las Vegas, you will not want to miss the Mob Museum, located in downtown Las Vegas. This is a fantastic place to spend a few hours and get away from the craziness of the Strip or Fremont Street.
This four-story Mob Museum goes over the history of organized crime in the United States. Located in a restored 1930s courthouse, it features immersive exhibits and gives a great history of the mob. Visitors can check out exhibits such as St. Valentine’s Day Massacre (complete with bullet holes) to old gangsters’ weapons, wiretap recordings, forensic labs, and courtroom footage recreations.
You will not want to miss the Prohibition-era speakeasy and distillery in the basement, which offers some delicious cocktails. The speakeasy recreates an authentic 1920s atmosphere, complete with period cocktails and live music that make visitors feel like they’ve stepped back into the Prohibition era. Many of the drinks are inspired by drinks from the 1920s with a twist.
Neon Museum
Cost: $25
Hours: 2pm-10pm
The final museum during your two days in Las Vegas is the Neon Museum. This museum preserves the city’s iconic past through vintage neon signs. Many of them are from old casinos and motels. I recommend visiting at golden hour so you can get the best pictures and see some of the signs lit up.
During your visit, make sure to checkout the outdoor “Neon Boneyard” where over 250 historic signs are stored and displated. The Visitors Center is located inside the old La Concha Motel lobby, a mid-centruy landmark.
At night, many of the signs are lit up and brought back to life! You can add onto your ticket an audiovisual experiences like Brilliant! Jackpot, which animates non-working signs with projection mapping, giving visitors a vivid sense of old Las Vegas.
Day 2
For day two of your two days in Las Vegas, you have several options on what to do during the day. Option 1 takes you around more sights in Las Vegas. Option 2 allows you to explore more of the area surrounding Las Vegas.
Option 1: Sites on the Strip
Mandalay Bay Aquarium
Cost: $29
Hours: 10am-8pm
Start off your second of two days in Las Vegas with a visit to the iconic Mandalay Bay Aquarium. The Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino hosts more than 2,000 animals. Visitors can check out sharks, rays, sea turtles, and other exotic tropical fish. One of the highlights of the aquarium is the 1.3 million gallon “Shipwreck” exhibit that offers a surreal experience.
Observation Decks
Cost: $29+
Hours: Varies by observation deck
Next, head up one of the many observation decks in Las Vegas. You can choose from the LINQ Ferries Wheel, the Eiffel Tower viewing deck, or the STRAT Observation Deck. All of these offer iconic panoramic views of Las Vegas. Alternatively, you can go to the Skyfall Lounge at the W Las Vegas to grab a cocktail with a view.
Wizard of Oz at the Sphere
Cost: $104+
Hours: Varies
When spending two days in Las Vegas, you will not want to miss a visit to the Sphere. The Sphere, a futuristic globe-shaped entertainment venue is a massive 160,000 square foot and is home to various concerts, movies, and other productions.
Currently, it is home to The Wizard of Oz at Sphere, which transforms the 1939 classic film into a full 360° experience: audiences are engulfed by sweeping visuals, spatialized sound, and 4D special effects like wind, fog, scent, and seat vibrations. The result is part movie‑screening, part theme‑park ride and wholly immersive.
Madame Tussauds Las Vegas
Cost: $30
Hours: 10am-8pm
To end your second of two days in Las Vegas, head to Madame Tussauds. This wax-figure museum is located inside the Venetian Resort. Here you can check out over 100 lifelike statues of celebrities, musicians, athletes, and even pop‑culture icons. It is a fun place to take a ton of pictures and gives you a taste of Las Vegas fun.
Option 2
If you want to visit some of the surrounding areas, take a day trip to one of the many amazing sites to see in the area.
Day trip to Valley of Fire State Park
No two days in Las Vegas are complete without a day trip to the Valley of Fire. This 46,000 acre park lies about 50 miles northeast of Las Vegas and is know for its red sandstone formations that glow like fire under the sun. It is best to visit this park late fall through early spring as it gets very hot in summertime.
With one day in the Valley of Fire, you can do a couple hikes and scenic stops. The 1.5 mile Fire Wave Trail is known for its striking wive-patterned sandstone. Then visit the White Domes Trail to explore slot-canyons and more colorful rock formations. You can also add a stop at Atlatl Rock and drive the scenic loop.
No matter what you choose, there are a bunch of great options. You can also take a Valley of Fire day tour if you do not want to drive yourself.
Day trip to the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Another options of day trips to take during your second of two days in Las Vegas is to Red Rock Canton National Conservation Area. This park is just a 30-minute drive west of the Strip. It has plenty of scenic hiking trails and red-rock landscapes to explore.
I recommend a mix of activities over a day, such as driving the 13-mile scenic loop, and trying one or two accessible hikes like the casual Lost Creek, the Children’s Discovery Trail (with its waterfall, petroglyphs, and boardwalk), or the short Petroglyph Wall Trail.
Other options
While those two parks are the best and closest for outdoor hikes you can also take a day trip to some of the other National Parks in the area like Grand Canyon National Park or Zion National Park. You can also check out Hoover Dam, a massive landmark that provides power and water to the Southwest.
Final Tips for Two Days in Las Vegas
Spending two days in Las Vegas is a fun weekend getaway. While you can have a lot of fun hitting up the restaurants, bars, and clubs, this itinerary showcases some of the best alternative things to do in Las Vegas. Las Vegas is only a short hop from cities like Los Angeles and Phoenix, so it is a great add on to those trips.
