Las Vegas is a great destination for gatherings of every kind. And whether you’re looking to celebrate a life event or just catch up with friends, Las Vegas is a particularly great destination for guys weekends.
If there’s a guys weekend in Vegas in your future, be sure to hit up a mix of new venues and old standards. Use this three-day itinerary to explore the city — from top-notch bars and restaurants to exciting sports events and outdoor activities.
There are many opportunities to enjoy a great weekend at MGM Collection with Marriott Bonvoy destinations. As always, check for travel guidelines and closures before planning your trip.
Friday: Lounge It Up
It’s best to start the weekend slowly by sipping liquor and craft cocktails at some of the most exciting lounges on the Las Vegas Strip.
Start the day at Petrossian Bar inside Bellagio, a Luxury Collection Resort & Casino, Las Vegas. This classic caviar bar offers a perfect perspective of the hotel lobby and a great vantage point for people-watching.
From there, head to The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Autograph Collection, where you can engage in your own version of a cocktail crawl that includes Vesper Bar at the east end of the resort and The Chandelier, a three-story bar right near the Strip entrance. Check out Level 1.5 at The Chandelier for cocktails with an edible twist, including the famous verbena margarita that comes garnished with a (slightly mouth-numbing) Szechuan flower.
Around 4 p.m., hit up Ghost Donkey, The Cosmopolitan’s tiny speakeasy accessed through a relatively nondescript door at the back of the Block 16 food court. This bar specializes in tequila and mezcal — be warned that drinks are particularly strong.
After dinner at the LPM Las Vegas French restaurant at The Cosmopolitan, head to ARIA Resort & Casino, Autograph Collection and Easy’s Cocktail Lounge, a swanky bar tucked behind an unassuming doughnut shop. If you time your visit right, your cocktails will pair nicely with live music throughout the night.
Saturday: Day of Sports
As home to the football champion Raiders, hockey champion Golden Knights and basketball champion Aces, Las Vegas has established itself as a true professional sports town. Check the teams’ schedules to see if you can catch a game while you’re in town.
It’s also a great spot for you and the guys to celebrate sports in your own way.
Kick off the first weekend day of your itinerary with a cocktail in the sportsbook at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, MGM Collection, a cavernous space with giant television screens and wall-sized boards showing betting lines.
Later in the day — hopefully after you’ve cashed some winning tickets — hit the Topgolf facility behind MGM Grand Hotel & Casino to hit some golf balls. The hot spot has 120 climate-controlled bays spread over three stories, offering you and the boys plenty of options for spending an afternoon.
Before dinner, pre-game at Level Up — grab drinks and challenge your bestie to arcade battles before grabbing a bite.
Head from MGM Grand Hotel & Casino out to the Strip and end the night at Brewdog, a Scotland-based beer chain with a local outpost on the top floors of the building that houses the M&M’s Store and Hard Rock Café on Las Vegas Boulevard. Here you can sample craft beers while enjoying burgers and humongous plates of loaded fries on one of the most expansive roof decks in town.
Still have energy to burn? Swing by the nearby Juniper Cocktail Lounge at Park MGM Las Vegas, a Tribute Portfolio Resort for a well-balanced nightcap. Or stop into The Bar at Times Square at New York-New York Hotel & Casino, MGM Collection for a lively dueling piano show.
Sunday: Venture Out of the City
For those friend groups that love adventure, the hinterlands of the Las Vegas Valley offer several one-of-a-kind diversions — all worthy of inclusion into a three-day itinerary that combines the best of the very best.
Number one on the off-Strip list is Red Rock National Conservation Area, where visitors can do everything from hiking to mountain biking to rock climbing.
If your group isn’t prepared to rent bikes or dip fingers in chalk and strain some climbing muscles, consider a day hike instead. The 0.2-mile (out-and-back) Petroglyph Wall Trail from the Willow Springs Picnic Area is a relatively relaxed option, and it includes a reward of ancient petroglyphs on nearby rocks. Other, more challenging, trails offer different bonuses, such as breathtaking views of the Strip from the west.
If water sports are more your game, rent kayaks from Blazin’ Paddles and paddle along the Colorado River through Black Canyon to Emerald Cave, where — as the name suggests — the water is emerald green. The four-hour trip is challenging but not overwhelmingly so.
Another option for outdoor adventure is stand-up paddleboarding on Lake Las Vegas. Board rentals are available at multiple shops.
Finally, consider taking the 30-minute drive to Boulder City and hiking the 3.7-mile Railroad Trail from the Lake Mead National Recreation Area Visitor Center to the Hoover Dam at the far end. The tramp is a stellar introduction to the region, as the trail follows the former right of way of a narrow-gauge railroad that existed exclusively to build the dam in the 1930s.
Just remember, if you go in warmer weather, be sure to bring ample water, as it’s easy to become dehydrated in the Nevada desert.
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