We do love traveling as a family, but having a couples weekend away is always nice. If you’re thinking about a couples weekend in Las Vegas, we’ve got the ideal plan for putting together a fun trip that’s great for adults and isn’t too wild, but a big more on the fun and fancy side. Las Vegas is what you make it, so take this couples Las Vegas weekend plan and make it fit the fun you want to have.
If you have any questions about planning a trip, if you’re looking for fun things to do in Las Vegas that AREN’T gambling, of if you just have general questions, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and make recommendations!
Couples Weekend in Las Vegas: a perfect plan
Don’t get me wrong, we love our kids. Spending time with our children is the best, even when it’s the worst. And yet just like all parents, we need the occasional alone time so we planned a couples weekend in Las Vegas away from the kids. We’ve done this a few times to various locations near and far, and have learned some important things along the way.
Here are our top tips for planning a couples weekend in Las Vegas away from the kids without completely ignoring that you actually have them, aka having a responsible but enjoyable trip to Vegas.
Why Choose Las Vegas for a Couples Getaway
Granted, it’s easiest and cheapest to get to Las Vegas from the west coast, but you can find great flight deals to Sin City any time of year. Planning a couples weekend in Las Vegas can be both fun and affordable because of the many airlines that fly into LAS, and in particular, Southwest has TONS of flights. That’s the first easy reason to plan a Vegas getaway.
Another reason is for the diversity of food and fun. The same thing that overwhelms me about Las Vegas is what makes it such a good couples weekend trip destination: there is non-stop activity of every sort. Whether you want to see a show, a concert, go to museums and exhibitions, or just chill in a different location with a nice pool, Las Vegas is a good couples escape. It’s easy to get around once you’re there, or you don’t have to go anywhere.
Tip: pick a couples getaway location that’s EASY to travel to/from and offers something unique to everyday life or family travel. Vegas is just that.
Choose the Right Las Vegas Hotel
I think Las Vegas is one of the only destinations where the hotel can 100% make or break your trip. I know that I want to stay someplace VERY clean, that DOESN’T smell like smoke, and that has enough to offer that I don’t really ever have to search out options if I don’t want to. While Las Vegas hotels are getting better about smelling smokey, it’s still a big problem for somebody with a sensitive nose like me. I do have some top picks for a great Las Vegas couples weekend though.
The Cosmopolitan Hotel Las Vegas
The ultra-hip and swanky Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is the top end choice. Not only is the Cosmopolitan located smack dab in the middle of the Vegas Strip, it is also one of the tallest hotels (except for that one owned by He Who Shall Not Be Named). It offered us spectacular views in all directions, with huge balconies stretching out from each room – some even wrapping around the building corners. Inside, the rooms are all suites with bedroom, living room, enormous bathrooms with walk-in showers and separate soaking tubs, and the cushiest robes we’ve ever experienced.
Tip: if you’re booking the Cosmopolitan, ask for a high floor facing north. Your view will look over the famous dancing waters of the Bellagio fountains.
This hotel is a grown-up’s playground, not because it is naughty (well, it is in Vegas after all) but because it was conceived and designed to entertain adults. The restaurants are an elevated gourmet experience, the bars are bumping with signature cocktails and great vibes, and the entire space has a sexiness about it that engages you without crossing the line. When you’re talking about planning a couples weekend in Las Vegas, this hotel ticked off all the boxes for an ideal stay.
Note: there are many different hotels right in the middle of the action of Las Vegas. If one doesn’t strike you just right whether for its size, style or location, check out some of the other options with different themes and price points. Make your couples weekend getaway right for you. 🙂
Book the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas here!
The Park MGM Hotel
I really love the Park MGM Hotel because it’s 100% smoke free. There is no smoking in the rooms, restaurants, performance spaces or casino. It’s currently the ONLY 100% non-smoking hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. This seals the deal for me on why it’s my favorite.
The rooms are really wonderful and spacious, although they aren’t all suites and not all have soaker tubs, but they are plenty large for relaxing. There are fantastic restaurants in the Park MGM, so for a couples weekend in Las Vegas, you’ll have plenty of dining options, including Primrose (my favorite brunch!) and Eataly, a huge Italian marketplace restaurant complex.
Another winning point for the Park MGM is the Dolby Theater on property. This is where Lady Gaga has had her residency (there’s a Lady Gaga mini-museum) and there are big headliner shows here often. If you’re having a Las Vegas weekend for a show, for sure book your stay at the Park MGM if the show is at the Dolby Theater.
Take It Easy – Relaxing Weekend in Las Vegas
Remember this couples weekend in Las Vegas is supposed to be a break from the stresses of our daily lives, so don’t over-schedule yourselves! With so much to do at our hotel and around Las Vegas, it could be easy to try and do and see everything. What made it perfect for us: we only left the hotel once the entire weekend, and that was perfect.
Whatever location you choose, make some time for doing nothing. Be spontaneous, or just be lazy and lounge in the room all day with room service, or be the pool with umbrella drinks. Down time is a good time!
Tip: if down time for you is getting away from people or city sounds, just outside of Las Vegas are both Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area and Valley of Fire State Park. Both are good for some light hiking or just enjoying the view of nature. Check out our guide to Valley of Fire State Park!
When it comes to pool time, consider the time of year you’re planning your couples trip to Las Vegas. Even though there are gorgeous blue skies in Las Vegas in the winter, most hotels actually close their swimming pools, so you should confirm before booking if you’re have access to pool and outdoor areas. Vegas actually gets cold in the winter and spring months, so plan appropriately.
Schedule Alone Time on your Vegas Weekend
Even though you love your significant other, each of us needs some peace and quiet alone once in a while. Talk about this up front before the trip so no one’s feelings get hurt. Plan what alone time will make each of you happy, and give yourselves the permission to be selfish for just a little while. Parents are naturally givers (typically) and rarely put themselves first over other members of the family. This is your chance!
For me, that alone time came in the form of spa treatments in the Cosmopolitan’s Sahra Spa (it’s not Sahara). With all the trappings of a world class spa including an impressive sandstone-shorn waterfall to greet guests, Sahra Spa was a perfect spot for me to spend a few hours. I got a fantastic massage, a facial that made me look all fresh and glowing, and enjoyed as much time in the sauna and whirlpool as my water-pickled fingers would allow. I left feeling relaxed, content, and ready to hit the nightlife.
I also enjoy just walking alone. Walking the Las Vegas Strip is fascinating and can be really fun and beautiful. If down time on your own doesn’t sound super exciting, just go for a nice walk and you may just find that you really enjoy the solitude among thousands of other visitors. A couples weekend in Las Vegas is about having a trip that’s out of the ordinary, and perhaps alone time is a part of that.
Tip: Las Vegas is full of activities and experiences. It’s okay to spend some alone time relaxing or out having fun. Part of this whole weekend in Las Vegas is breaking up the ordinary, right?
Make One Night A Special Occasion
On at least one of your nights, make it special. We brought nice clothes and splurged on a nice dinner at Rose. Rabbit. Lie., the Cosmopolitan’s answer to dinner theater. In the true style of this hotel though, it was like no supper club I have ever seen. The theme is sort of an Alice-in-Wonderland-meets-Studio-54. The entertainers are ah-mazing and varied, from vocals by local songbird Skye, to tap dancers performing throughout the restaurant, and even a hardcore break dancer who spun in impossible poses while balanced on his head.
The menu is full of theater as well, with dishes that are presented in unusual ways that make you want to Instagram the every aspect of the evening. Each presentation was a wow, and one dessert even came in a giant glass cloche so large that a single long-stemmed red rose was standing upright amid an embarrassment of chocolate riches. Of course we had to eat the whole thing, despite its beauty. And the cocktails, oh the cocktails. One amazing vodka concoction called “Birds of a Feather” came in a clear glass bird with a glass straw, and another was squeezed inside a round glass and metal disk with tequila and citrus, aptly earning the name “Through the Looking Glass”. Theater is right!
Tip: a special occasion night doesn’t have to be so over-the-top fancy, but make sure to add an element to the night that sets it apart. Family travel can be tiring and sometimes feels endless, so find a way to make a couples weekend unique to your kid-filled travels.
Las Vegas Show Recommendations
Another fun activity when you’re planning a couples weekend in Las Vegas is going to a show. There are six different Cirque du Soleil shows in Vegas, and each has a different vibe. “O” at the Bellagio was beautiful and worth staying out late for. There are also several residencies if you’re looking for a concert, and then there’s also no shortage of magic and comedy. Turn a couples Vegas night out into something fun!
If you’re not sure what sort of show you want to do, a good way to add a concert of some sort to your plan is just to see what tickets are available and roll with it. I use Viator and Get Your Guide when I’m unsure what to do, but Vegas.com also has a great interface for finding available show and concert tickets.
Stay in Contact with Home
Check in on the kids, connect with whomever is staying with them, and assure yourselves that all is well and they have not burned the house down. Schedule specific times you will call or FaceTime ONCE A DAY, so everyone is ready and can give full attention to the conversation. This will be beneficial for three reasons.
- You will be relieved to see the kids are all in one piece.
- The kids will be able to talk with you and know you love them, and not feel too separated from your smiles and watchful eyes.
- You will see that it is actually okay for you to go away once in awhile. They. Are. Fine.
And most importantly, have fun. This is your special weekend away from the kids, so plan the things you like to do the best. Las Vegas is not everyone’s cup of tea, but we all have those favorite things to do together wherever we choose to go. Reconnect, relax, reinvigorate, refresh. You will be better parents because of it, and your kids will get a better you as a result.
If you have any questions about more couples activities in Las Vegas or need tips for putting together a good weekend plan, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and to help others plan an unforgettable trip!
