Liam

I am going to Vegas for a few days with friends in late September. This will be my first time. Everyone tells me that I have to walk around and see the other hotel properties, which I want to do since I love architecture and spectacle and all that. Realistically, though, how much time can one spend doing this?

I'll be staying at The Venetian from Thursday morning till Sunday afternoon, plan on spending some time by the pool and at the spa, taking in a show, and, I guess wandering around to see the place. I'm not a gambler.

How much of your time in Vegas is spent just gawking?

Myer

I think you can spend half a day wandering the hotels.

Unless, of course you window shop in the hotel stores. Then it depends where you decide to lose your money; the casino or the stores.

SuCo27

We usually spend close to two days just wandering up and down the strip, in and out of the different casinos. They're all so large and most are quite different from each other that we don't get bored. I can see where one might tho...but if you're into architecture and the spectacle of it all, you might want to give yourself at least a full day. The major places are so large that it'll take you at least half an hour to wander thru each (to see the casino, lobby and the restaurant/shopping area of each). Then it'll take you another half an hour trying to find your way back out. They don't make it easy to get out...they want you to stay and gamble!

MerryTravel

The hotels are really far apart and often set back quite a bit from the Strip. It's deceptive on maps because you think you can just bop from one to another, but it can take quite a while to do it in reality. Since it's tiring, I'd do half of the hotels one day and half another.

GoTravel

Keep in mind that the Vegas hotels don't really have 'lobbies' in the traditional sense.

Hotels encourage you to check them out however, the hotels are so far apart and set so far back from the street, it is hard to walk between them.

karameli

We spent 75% of our Vegas trip doing just this. (Plus 10% eating, 10% drinking, and 5% gambling ) The hotels all have some sort of "attraction" rather than just a lobby -- the water show and botanical garden at Bellagio, the canals at venetian, the Eiffel Tower at Paris, the coaster at NYNY, and so on. Add in the ritzy bars and the big-ticket shows, and you could entertain yourself for a week without going anywhere near the tables.

trippinkpj

At the Venetian, you are close to the Wynn. Do go there to gawk. About 25% of my time in Vegas is spent gawking.

harrowgirl

I have been to Las Vegas 4 times. Now, I'm not big on the spa or pool (we fair-skinned red heads try to avoid the pool) - but I would say that we spend at least 50% of our time touring the hotels/seeing the attractions at the different hotels.

And as the other posters have said, the maps are deceiving. If you are to walk from Treasure Island to Luxor or Mandalay Bay - you are going to have an hour and a half or 2 hour walk (that is WITHOUT stopping)

There is the tram system - which is good - but is only on one side of the strip. Even if 2 hotels are right across the street from each other - it probably would take you at least 15 minutes to get from one lobby to the next!

Have a great time. Like I said - we love Vegas - and are actually thinking about going again this fall!