Layover In Las Vegas: The Ultimate Guide 2024

Few cities conjure up quite as many images as Las Vegas does. Here the casino rules supreme and everything about the city seems to have been created as a set for a Hollywood movie. There is a lot more to this city, however, and if you stop there, even for a short layover, this is your chance to dive into a culture that is like no other.

Once called Sin City, in 1989 the local authorities set out to change its image as the gambler’s paradise and have deliberately been catering towards a more diverse audience, including children. The climate is ideal for tourism.

With McCarran Airport less than ten miles away from the center of town, and a wealth of transport options, it makes sense to store your bags at a Las Vegasluggage storage service and dive into this city on any layover. We have plenty of ideas as to how best to use your time there, be it a short Las Vegas layover or an overnight stay.

6 hour layover in Las Vegas

Time is pretty limited, so drop your suitcase at a convenient Las Vegas luggage storage service and head out on your adventure. On a short Las Vegas Airport layover, the Strip is the place to head for. Home to most of the big casinos, this is where you will find some of the most iconic attractions. The Mirage Volcano is open seven days a week and spits fire into the air on the hour 8 pm to 11 pm every night of the week.

The Bellagio Fountains are described by their owners as being the ‘most ambitious and complex water feature ever conceived. This is a great place to snatch a few photos for your social media page.

At the famous Caesar's Palace, the Forum shopping mall is a must-see even for those with no interest in actually doing any shopping. Here opulent is something of an understatement. You can also grab a quick bite to eat before thinking about making your way back to the airport for the next leg of your journey.

• There is much to see here but be careful not to lose track of time.
• Remember to allow time to clear security after the layover.
• You don’t need to shop or gamble to experience Las Vegas.

8 hour layover in Las Vegas

A couple of extra hours will take some of the pressure off and you might want to start looking further afield. One way to make that easy is to jump onto the High Roller. This giant wheel is the tallest in all of North America and offers anyone on a short visit the perfect way to get a bird’s, eye view of the city. The wheel soars a majestic 550 feet above Las Vegas, and as this city is so flat, there is little that you won't be able to see from up there.

The whole ride only takes half an hour leaving you plenty of time to take in some other experiences while on your short layover. Not far from downtown Vegas, the Neon Museum is a classic collection of every form of neon sign devoted to Las Vegas. This may sound a little weird to the uninitiated, but you won't need to have spent long in this city before you understand just how big a role neon plays in the culture, architecture and history here.

• Eight hours allows more freedom but you will still need to be selective in the choice of sites you choose to visit.
• Do some research in advance to tailor the best adventure for yourself.

10 hour layover in Las Vegas

With ten hours to spare you can start to think about delving more deeply into some of the attractions that Las Vegas has to offer. With that much time, it would be easy to join a guided tour and there are many options in that regard. 

If you would prefer to remain more in control of your agenda then you could make a visit to the Mob Museum. Organised crime played a big role in the establishment of Las Vegas and the gambling industry which is still so pertinent to the local economy.

The Mob Museum is situated in the downtown area so makes for an easy visit even on a short connection. With exhibits such as The Path to Prohibition, Bringing Down the Mob and Crime Lab, it has something of interest for everyone. An hour or two should be plenty to see everything here.

• 10 hours affords you the time to take in more of the city and there are some really unusual museum options to be delved into.
• Taking a guided tour is a good way to get an overview of a city and to see things from a more local perspective.

12 hour layover in Las Vegas

With twelve hours to explore you can now start to think about doing something a little more unusual. The Grand Canyon is not far from Las Vegas and although on a short Las Vegas layover a visit might seem out of the question, it's not if you do so by helicopter. 

Helicopter sightseeing tours are big business in Vegas and you won't be short of options. It would be perfectly feasible to store your luggage, jump on a helicopter and be sipping champagne on the floor of the canyon not long after that. 

If you feel you would rather keep your focus on Las Vegas itself, there are options for sightseeing tours by helicopter both by day or night and they will offer you a very different perspective of what the Strip looks like.

• Las Vegas is a city that allows you to think outside of the box and do something totally unusual.
• Helicopters tours suddenly make it possible to access the Grand Canyon or take in Vegas from the air.

24 hours Las Vegas stopover

Las Vegas is home to some of the best shows in the world, and with an overnight layover there you will have plenty of options to consider. Most of the larger casinos propose shows featuring big-name entertainers, but there is something on the go at almost every venue in town.

Whether you want to sit down and watch a stage show, spin around a dance floor or stay up all night listening to live jazz, there will be a show to match your taste. One of the things about visiting a city that never sleeps is that even if you stay out all night, there will be somewhere to have breakfast after the revelry.

• Few cities in the world offer a wider choice of nightlife activities.
• Many casinos host big-name entertainers.
• Don’t forget you have a flight to catch and allow the revelry to play havoc with your schedule. Click save