Jill Schildhouse
I've been going to Las Vegas regularly since the early 2000s and have adopted a firm policy to never stay more than two nights.
Why? Everything I adore about Vegas the moment I get there — the mesmerizing lights, the crowds of excited people, the nonstop party vibe, the around-the-clock sounds of slot machines and club music, and 24/7 access to food and drinks galore — begins to sour quickly after 48 hours.
When I stay longer, by the time I'm ready to leave, I'm usually a bit hungover, my feet and wallet hurt, I'm sick of lavish meals, and I desperately need alone time.
A well-planned weekend trip also makes it possible for travelers to use fewer PTO days — although almost half of US workers don't take all of their paid time off each year anyway.
So, I've learned how to maximize my weekends in Sin City.
I tend to group my activities together based on their vibe, which means one day of action, one day of relaxation to prepare for a big night out, and one last day of chill activities before flying home.
It's the perfect formula. Here's how my cousin and I spent a weekend in Vegas on my most recent trip.
Jill Schildhouse
After arriving around noon, we headed to The Palazzo at the Venetian Resort — it's my Las Vegas hotel of choice because it's roughly in the middle of the Strip for easy access to just about everything.
Plus, the Uber pickup area is a short walk from rooms here — other resorts can feel like a long maze of rooms and hallways.
If my room isn't ready yet, I typically unwind at Flight Club at Grand Canal Shoppes (attached to the property) with a few rounds of darts or a drink at the life-size carousel bar.
On this trip, once it was time for pre-dinner drinks, we headed to Cheri Rooftop at the Paris Hotel for fun, tasty cocktails and a DJ spinning tunes.
We sat under the hotel's iconic Eiffel Tower, overlooking the Bellagio Fountain. It was a great atmosphere to get our evening started.
Jill Schildhouse
Next up was dinner at The Bedford By Martha Stewart, which is also in the Paris Hotel.
The restaurant is inspired by Stewart's 1925 farmhouse in Bedford, New York, and has some of the best roast chicken. I'd come here just for the spectacular bread basket, which can come loaded with rolls, flatbreads, and focaccia.
Then, we strolled over to Horseshoe Las Vegas to see Dita Von Teese's current residency. We saw her famous martini-glass bath, entire dance crew, and sparkling costumes.
After a nightcap at Sala 118 at the Venetian Resort around 11 p.m., we headed back to our hotel.
Jill Schildhouse
We got a late start with a 10 a.m. brunch at COMO Poolside Café at Bellagio before popping over to the Cypress Pool a few steps away — this adults-only pool has comfy chairs with umbrellas.
Although I could happily lay here all day, we had spa treatments at the Waldorf Astoria calling our name. I love sitting in the spa's mosaic-tile lounges while overlooking the Strip.
Next, we headed to one of the highlights of any trip to Vegas: high tea at the Tea Lounge at the Waldorf. The room and its views are incredible, and the tea selection and assortment of sandwiches, scones, and sweets are absolute perfection.
Jill Schildhouse
For dinner, we headed to KYU at Fontainebleau Las Vegas for incredibly flavorful Asian-inspired and wood-fired dishes. I won't soon forget the stone-pot Thai rice with confit duck and pork-belly bao buns with pastrami crust.
Lastly, live jazz music at Nowhere at Fontainebleau is always a great time and the perfect warm-up for a serious night of dancing at Zouk Nightclub at Resorts World.
The night we were there, T-Pain performed to a packed room of what seemed like one bachelorette party after the next.
Jill Schildhouse
Getting back to the hotel at 4 a.m. meant a rough start on Sunday —the only reasonable cure was breakfast at Bouchon at The Venetian, where I could stuff my face with chef Thomas Keller's French pastries and truffle fries.
We needed some physical activity, so we headed to the PLAY Playground at Luxor. It has lifesize, immersive games, such as its version of the board game Operation and a parkour course.
Another cool spot to walk around is the Paradox Museum, which has various rooms with illusions that are pure Instagram gold.
Jill Schildhouse
Since our flight home wasn't until 7 p.m., we got an early dinner at Brasserie B at Caesars Palace, one of Bobby Flay's restaurants. I loved his twist on the blue-crab salad and the yellowtail crudo topped with caviar.
Finally, after an action-packed weekend, we headed back to the airport.
