Las Vegas often serves as the backdrop for movies about a group of friends looking for the ultimate good time. It’s depicted as larger than life: a land of excess, extremes, and extravagance. While it’s unlikely your trip will serve as a cautionary tale to future bachelors (e.g. The Hangover), you will have an unforgettable Vegas bachelor weekend, if you stick to our Escape Plan. You have a lot of ground to cover in a short amount of time, and our efficient strategy will help you experience the best places to visit in Las Vegas, without wasting precious time or money. Your bachelor party is a once in a lifetime occasion, and we’re here to help you do it right.
Arriving in Las Vegas
Ridesharing is the quickest, cheapest way to get from Harry Reid International to the Flamingo. There is signage throughout the airport that will direct you to the pickup location on level 1 of the terminal building. The pickup area will either be in a parking garage or outside on the ground level, depending on your terminal. Don’t be intimidated by a potential crowd, the wait is fast, and your driver will help you find them. 15 minutes later, you’ll arrive at the iconic Flamingo, a centerpiece of Las Vegas history and the oldest casino on the Strip at 77 years old (here’s your sign to put $10 on 7 at the roulette table). It’s also located near a lot of other Las Vegas hotels, making your trip much more walkable and keeping transportation costs low.
Since your flight lands late, we’ve come up with the best way to maximize your time during your first night on the Las Vegas Strip. After you check in, you’ll walk right outside to the Promenade at the Linq. If you’re hungry after your flight, In-N-Out is an absolute must-do for us on any trip to Vegas. We drop our bags at the hotel and immediately head out for a double double animal style with well done fries and a Neopolitan shake. Post-burger binge (or in lieu of one), you’ll go on a DIY bar crawl at the Promenade. Each of the following bars is open until at least 2am on Friday nights, so you’ll have plenty of time to kick off your party before last call. Minus5 ICEBAR is the kind of place that screams Vegas. The space is kept at 23 degrees Fahrenheit (-5 Celsius, hence the name), quite the contrast from the 100+ degree outdoor temperature. The bar itself, as well as the furniture, much of the decor, and even the drinking glasses, are made of ice. $49 admission gets you use of gloves and a parka, as well as 2 cocktails from the winter-themed menu. Keeping with the frosty theme, Breeze Daiquiri Bar serves over a dozen flavors of frozen cocktails in a variety of sizes. You can stop here for one drink or stroll around the Strip with a 100 ounce pina colada. Ready to switch to beer? O’Shea’s Pub has 8 of those on tap and boasts beer pong and other table games, making it an ideal stop for bachelor bar-hopping. Still standing after closing time? The casino is always open, and their drinks are on the house.
DAY 1
You’ll start your first full day the only way you can in the summer heat: at the Go Pool. This pool is for guests 21+, offers lagoons, a waterfall, a waterslide, 3 full-service bars, food and cocktail service, poolside spa treatments, outdoor gaming tables, daily DJ, dance contests, and additional weekend promotions. You can opt for a grab-and-go breakfast (think bagels, pastries, croissant sandwiches) on your way to the Go Pool, with a quick stop at The Nook, or order a breakfast burrito or sandwich right at the pool. Once you’ve snagged your lounge chair in poolside paradise, grab yourself a drink from the impressive and extensive menu. We’d go for the frozen and tropical Vegas Vice, to get fully immersed in the vacation vibe.
The desert sun is harsh, so be sure to use sunscreen and SPF lip balm (trust us on this one). It goes without saying that the desert is dry, but what you might not know is that the dry air can cause cold/allergy-like symptoms and nosebleeds. You might want to get a small portable humidifier for your room, or a more practical remedy is saline nose spray. We also like to bring back some snacks and Waterboy packets to help with hangovers (or visit our Amazon store to stock up in advance).
If you want to leave the pool for lunch, Maxie’s at the Promenade is serving up out-of-the-box diner-style breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They’re famous for their Benedict boxes (classic, guac and chorizo, bbq pork, Denver, and California in a brioche loaf), we’d pair one of these with an order of Fruity or Cocoa Pebble French toast so we could enjoy a sweet and savory brunch.
From there, you’ll make a supply run at CVS. A tip we like is to bring an empty rolling suitcase to transport your haul. You’ll be doing a lot of walking and drinking, and it’s really easy to get dehydrated, even in the air conditioning. Buy yourself some cases of water to keep in your room, it’ll save you a ton of money. Tourist destinations, especially casino gift shops, are notorious for inflated price tags. It’s better to make a short detour to a free-standing store so you can allocate your budget towards fun instead of marked up sunscreen.
Now that you’re stocked up, it’s time to load up and mount up at a popular Las Vegas shooting range. You can book a free Humvee pickup by a Veteran of the US military to transport you from Flamingo to Battlefield Vegas and back. Battlefield Vegas offers a la carte pricing to create your own combination from a wide variety of firearms, as well as fan favorite packages like the Black Ops Gamer Experience, SWAT Experience, or Sniper Experience for $200 (there is a $20 charge to add an extra shooter, and shooters cannot share a single magazine). This shooting range is one of the most unique, adrenaline-pumping things to do in Las Vegas. Now, it’s time to stop back at your room to get ready for a high octane night on the town.
Las Vegas Dinner Options-Night 2
You said that Senor Frog’s is at the top of your to-do list for this trip. It certainly has the party atmosphere that is synonymous with Las Vegas nightlife. You can come back later when the nightclub opens. $50 gets you entry and an open bar from 9pm to 2am. While we’ve never eaten here ourselves, the appetizer sampler, carne asada, and carnitas caught our attention and tend to be safe bets on any menu.
If you’re willing to try more authentic Mexican Las Vegas restaurants, you might choose to forgo dinner at Senor Frog’s and stick to their late night party. Mas Por Favor is a one-of-a-kind, over-the-top Vegas experience in the form of a Mexican speakeasy parlor. Check out their Instagram for photos of their “Disco Shit” shot, so you can see just what we mean. We suggest ordering a variety of tacos, all of which are interesting in their own right, ranging from steak and mushroom with truffle oil to barbacoa. Their cocktails are just as inventive and match the fun, high energy ambience.
Tacos el Gordo is another great, and very affordable, choice for dinner, with its authentic Tijuana style tacos with handmade corn tortillas and scratch condiments. It’s no wonder that it’s always busy (but the service is fast), as it’s a favorite among tourists and locals alike. During our last visit to Vegas, we finally got a chance to try this hidden gem, and it’s earned a permanent spot on our personal itinerary. From familiar options like pork and carne asada to more adventurous items like tripe and cabeza, their menu has something for everyone.
You told us that a night on Fremont Street was another definite must-do for you. No trip to Vegas is complete without visiting the “old strip.” There are some tourist attractions, like ziplining over the street, or viewing the Viva Vision Light show on the massive overhead screen that stretches across the entire length of Fremont. The people watching is good here, as is the cheap gambling in historic Las Vegas casinos, like El Cortez, Golden Nugget, and Four Queens. Not everything is old here; the recently opened Circa casino provides a perfect blend of old and new to downtown Vegas. One of our favorite bars in Vegas is the extraordinary Legacy Club, the rooftop cocktail lounge offering awe-inspiring, panoramic city views, 60 floors above the street. Another personal favorite, Atomic Liquors is a downtown dive and the oldest freestanding bar in the city, about ½ a mile away from the Fremont Street Experience. You’ll want to rideshare here, as it’s safer than walking through downtown. Despite their dive status, they have a nice cocktail menu and a great selection of beers.
A 5 minute rideshare away (across a highway, so walking isn’t possible), is one of the coolest night time tourist attractions in the city. The Neon Museum offers a combination 45 minute guided tour of retired neon signs in the “boneyard” and a 45 minute light show in the gallery. This is a unique-to-Vegas experience that you won’t want to miss.
DAY 2
The next morning, you’ll have another classic Sin City moment during breakfast at the legendary Peppermill. It shows up on nearly every Las Vegas attractions guide, and rightly so. In its over 50 year history, the restaurant has appeared in hit movies (Casino, anyone?), hosted every celebrity from Dean Martin to Floyd Mayweather, and dazzled patrons with its retro neon lounge and oversized portions of breakfast favorites. The Joe’s San Francisco Special and Maserati omelet are right on brand: crowd pleasers, generous portions, and a bit eccentric.
After breakfast, you’ll take in more Vegas history at the Mob Museum. It can be a welcome break from drinking, or you can “press your luck” by touring the distillery or having a drink in the speakeasy. Whatever you decide, the museum’s interactive exhibits are fun to explore and provide a much-needed respite from the heat.
As a beer enthusiast, you have to check out Brewery Row for another Las Vegas bar crawl. Nevada Brew Works has a wide variety of creative offerings. HUDL Brewing Company is home to Soulbelly BBQ, where you’ll be feasting on a smoked turkey club (self explanatory, but add thousand island dressing and slap it on Texas Toast) and The Belly of Soul, a big ‘ol brisket sandwich with pickled and crispy onions, cheese sauce, spicy BBQ sauce, and a fried egg, for good measure. You can’t have barbecue without mac and cheese, and, since you should probably have at least one vegetable this weekend: it might as well be the watermelon & cucumber salad with mint, lime, salt, and tajin. If time permits, try the amazing beer selections at any of the other breweries on Main Street: Beer District Brewing, CraftHaus Brewery, Hop Nuts Brewing Downtown, and Able Baker.
Post lunch, you’ll post up at the Go Pool until the sun starts to retreat for the day. Once it gets dark, head to Happy Half Hour at the High Roller observation wheel. This is one of our all-time favorite Las Vegas tourist destinations. For 30 minutes, you will marvel at the 360 degree views of the bright city lights from 550 feet above the Strip while you partake in an open bar right inside the cabin.
Las Vegas Steak Houses-Night 3
You requested a steakhouse dinner as part of your celebration. We have three options for you to choose from. We are admittedly not “steakhouse people,” but Bazaar Meat at Sahara converted us and is now the first reservation we make each time we’re planning a Vegas vacation. It takes the traditional steakhouse concept and reimagines it into something innovative and playful. The tasting menu is truly amazing. It is the most expensive of the three options, but well worth the splurge. It is worth noting that there is a monorail stop at Sahara, as well as Flamingo, making travel between the two properties speedy and inexpensive.
Golden Steer consistently shows up on “best of” lists and earns excellent reviews. They opened in 1958, and some of their staff have been there for over 35 years. Add to that their popularity among celebrity patrons, and it’s easy to understand why they’re a Las Vegas steakhouse institution.
Your final option for tonight’s dinner is steps away from the High Roller, right inside your hotel, at Bugsy and Meyer’s. It has some cool touches like a bakery “front” leading to the steakhouse dining room, yet another spin on the Las Vegas hidden bars trend, and an old-fashioned bar cart with an interactive tableside choose-your-own cocktail preparation.
To wrap up the last night of your bachelor party, you’ll uncover the series of Las Vegas speakeasies within Cosmopolitan. The Ski Lodge looks like a bar at a winter resort, complete with falling snow through a window behind the bar. Next door is Ghost Donkey, specializing in margaritas and Mexican-inspired cocktails. They also have an extensive mezcal and tequila menu. “Finding” these hidden bars isn’t difficult, they are both located within the larger Superfrico restaurant. The casino itself is also a sight to be seen. The three level chandelier bar is one of the most jaw-dropping spots in all of Vegas.
You can stick around at Cosmo to gamble or try your luck back at Flamingo, but be sure to walk on the Strip while it’s buzzing with that energy that can only be found in Vegas. Take in one last quintessential Vegas attraction on your way: the Bellagio Fountains. The shows run every 15 minutes at night, so you can catch it without much planning or waiting.
On the morning of your departure, have the front desk attendant check your play on your Caesars Rewards card. Sometimes they will comp a portion of your room charge, if you spend enough in the casino. For this reason, it’s important to charge any food, drinks, etc. at other Caesars Rewards resorts (the Linq is a big one for you) to your room.
Before you go to the airport, roll out of bed for a hearty hangover-helper of a breakfast at Hash-House-a-Go-Go at the Linq Promenade. A hickory smoked bacon, avocado, onion, and swiss scramble, churro waffle, and a traditional or BLT Mary are just what the doctor ordered to level you out before your return flight.
We hope your Las Vegas bachelor party was a weekend you’ll never forget, and that we’ve made planning your trip as easy and exciting as possible. Thank you for trusting us to map out this momentous occasion. We can’t wait to hear everything you loved about your vacation and find out your favorite Las Vegas travel tips!