1 Day in Las Vegas (The Perfect Itinerary From Sun Up to Sun Down)

The challenge of having only 1 day in Las Vegas is there are so many things to do. How do you pick and choose where to go with certainty it will be worth your time?

No need to worry because I’m going to guide you hour by hour through the perfect day so you can leave knowing you made the best of your 24 hours in Las Vegas.

This is a jam-packed day requiring every ounce of energy you got. You need all the good energy you can get to see and conquer this city in a day so grab yourself a 5-hour ENERGY® shot and let’s get started!

Don’t forget to watch the video to see in detail how the day turned out. I decided to show you a typical day in Las Vegas.

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Psst. . . Looking for more Las Vegas guides? Check out my other posts.

How do you spend a day in Las Vegas?

Even though I live here, I’m one of the few locals who take full advantage of the many things to do here. I find myself running around this city on multiple occasions all day and night getting content during the day and hanging out with friends at night.

You can say I know how to build one mean itinerary for a day in Vegas.

Given that, I made sure to include alternatives in the event you’re interested in something else or have already been to Vegas and seen some of these spots.

One word of advice: Book your hotel in downtown Las Vegas over the Strip.

The reason being is you will be ending your evening here. If you want to relax and freshen up before the night out, you will lose time backtracking to the Strip.

Booking.com

9 a.m: Morning Photo At The (New) Las Vegas Sign

Rise and shine for a morning photo at the new Las Vegas sign.

If you have read or watched my 17 Unknown Instagram Spots in Las Vegas guide then you are already familiar with this place.

Keeping an efficient route is key, therefore, start here at the north part of The Strip and work your way south. Your first next stop will be breakfast at Peppermill.

9-11 a.m: Breakfast at Peppermill

The Peppermill Restaurant & Lounge has been serving hearty dishes in the same location since 1982. It remains unchanged today from its ultra 80’s interior and servers in long black ball gowns.

A true reminder of the way Las Vegas used to be. A city classic that will stand the test of time.

When I say these dishes are gigantic, I mean it. A breakfast omelet (with I don’t know how many eggs) also comes with a huge muffin, hashbrowns, and toast. This can easily be shared by two people.

Should you get too full, that’s all good because for the next few hours you get to walk it off as you explore the world-famous Las Vegas strip.

10-3 p.m: Explore The Las Vegas Strip

Explore The Strip stopping for free attractions, photo ops, frozen margaritas, and the occasional table play. Who knows. By the time you reach Excalibur, you could have won enough money to cover your trip.

Here are a few of my top favorites:

Bellagio Fountain is an obvious choice but for good reason. Easily one of the most iconic spots on the Las Vegas Strip. The show never ceases to amaze me. If you’re lucky you will catch the “Viva Las Vegas” performance. That one is my favorite.

The Park is a relatively new addition to The Strip with the opening of the T-Mobile Arena. This urbanesque outdoor area is pedestrian-friendly with bars, restaurants, and shall I say the “Brooklyn Bridge”. The NYNY casino mimics the best of NYC with a scaled-down version of the Brooklyn Bridge out front. Great for catching street performers (mostly jazz musicians) and people watching under misters on those hot summer days.
Excalibur is one of my favorites simply because it’s a castle. Today, you can still catch the Tournament of the Kings and snap a great photo in front of a castle. So many casinos are switching to modern design. I respect the Excalibur for staying true to its original form.
Circus Circus is one of the last remaining themes casinos with a massive indoor theme park. I appreciate the historic charm. You can walk around the Midway and cath live circus performances or take the plunge on the water ride inside Adventure Dome. Circus Circus is on the north part, so consider stopping here first.

The Strip is 4 miles long therefore walking will be tough.

Maximize your 1 day in Las Vegas and mix your modes of transportation – taking advantage of the monorail, bus, and cars for hire.

Getting Around Las Vegas Monorail

You have two choices when it comes to the monorail: the free but limited version on the west side of Las Vegas Blvd or the paid version on the east side.

The paid version will cost you $13 for a 24-hour pass picking up at Sahara Hotel down to MGM Grand.

The free monorail on the west side is owned by MGM who built this themselves to make getting around their properties easier.

The monorail has 3 routes:

Treasure Island to Mirage
Bellagio to The Park MGM
Excalibur to Mandalay Bay

If you’re visiting the locations I mention above, then the free monorail is the one you want to be on.

3-6 p.m: Explore Downtown

Downtown has increased in popularity among tourists. What many visitors refer to as “Old Vegas” is formally known as the Fremont Street Experience.

In actuality, downtown can be separated by Fremont East, Fremont Street Experience, and the Arts District.

The Fremont East is home to Container Park – a great hangout area entirely made out of shipping containers. This was a project by the CEO of Zappos, Tony Hsieh.

Come here for local mom & pop shops and restaurants. If you’re lucky, you might catch a live performance on the main stage.

After you finish exploring the Container Park, walk around the surrounding streets to admire the wonderful street art.

Here is where Life Is Beautiful arts & music festival takes place. You can see all the art which debuts annually at this event. Plenty of photo opportunities.

Alternatives would be visiting the Mob Museum or Neon Museum.

The Mob Museum takes walk-ins but the Neon Museum will require reservation.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Fremont Street Experience: 11 Unique Things to do Under the Canopy

6-7 p.m: Break for Dinner at Local Spot

Downtown is all about local love when it comes to food. From the East Side to Arts District these are a few of my favorite spots:

La Comida (Mexican) has the best queso fundido, salsa, margaritas – literally everything is delicious. There interior is equally stunning starting from the front entrance.
Carson’s Kitchen (American) is another local favorite. They love pairing unexpected flavors to create savory dishes.
Esther’s Kitchen (Italian) is taking the arts district by storm with their fine Italian cooking. Their secret ingredient: love.
Cornish & Pasty (British) is one of those places you crave time and time again. You can think of these dishes as gourmet hot pockets but a bajillion times better. Their vegetarian eggplant parmesan party and cheesy mashed potatoes are my favorite. When ordering pick out your top three options because they make a limited supply every day. If they are out they are out. On the flip side, if you love what you got, you can take either a frozen or half-cooked pasty home with you to enjoy later.
Evel Pie (American) is all about New York Style pizza. They have a great lunch deal. You can get a large slice of pizza and beer for $5.

This part of town is booming with new restaurants popping up all the time. By the time you’re reading this, there could be new places for your taste buds to explore.

7-9 p.m. Chillax and reset for the night

If you take my advice and book a hotel downtown then you can head back to chill and reset for a night out.

You’re most likely full and exhausted from hiking around town all day.

Sit. You’ve earned it. But not too long. We got an epic night out.

You’re coming close to the finish line in this long but wonderful day in Las Vegas.

9-11 p.m: Attend a Free Concert on Fremont Street

The Fremont Street Experience hosts tons of free concerts from cover bands to big names like Good Charlotte and Nelly – to name a few recent performers.

It’s a great time to dance off the day you just had and celebrate a huge achievement. That is seeing the best of Las Vegas in 1 day. *applause*

Another option in addition to or in place of would-be Karaoke at Dino’s Lounge.

I wrote about Dino’s Lounge in by bar guide to Las Vegas. This is a great local bar not far from downtown. In fact, they are relatively close to the new Las Vegas sign – where you started your day.

24 Hours in Las Vegas Itinerary

To summarize and give you a quick snapshot, here is your one day in Las Vegas itinerary:

9 a.m: Morning photo at the new Las Vegas Sign.
9-11 a.m: Breakfast at the Peppermill. Take your time here and enjoy the fireside lounge.
11-3 p.m: Walk / Ride down The Strip stopping at top locations (i.e. Bellagio, The Park, NYNY, and Luxor)
3-6 p.m: Explore Downtown Las Vegas which can include the Mob Museum and/or Neon Museum.
6-7 p.m: Grab dinner downtown at a local spot
7-9 p.m: Chill back at your hotel and reset for the night
9-11 p.m: Catch a free concert on the Fremont Street Experience or Karaoke at Dino’s Lounge

I hope you enjoy your perfect day in Las Vegas. I know there are tons of options but feel confident you will leave without regret should you follow this itinerary.

Psst. . . Looking for more Las Vegas guides? Check out my other posts.

How does this day itinerary look to you? Share your favorite part in the comments below.

This post is in conjunction with Travel Mindset and the makers of 5-hour ENERGY® shots. Though sponsored all opinions are my own. Also, this post may contain affiliate links. I earn a small commission (at no cost to you) when you purchase through these links, which helps me keep my lights on and order pizza! I am extremely grateful. Thank you.

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