How to Do Super Bowl Weekend Right in Las Vegas

As a Las Vegas resident, let me first congratulate you on deciding to come to the desert for Super Bowl weekend. As a fan of warm weather, I am completely opposed to cold weather Super Bowls locations, especially when you can’t even legally bet on the game in Minnesota.

I don’t care if you spent $1 billion on a stadium. Nobody’s Super Bowl plans should force them to Google questions such as: “How long does it take for your fingers to get frost bite?” Or, “How far away is the closest Canadian sportsbook?”

Since we are just a few weeks away from the big game, we here at the Action Network wanted to give you an itinerary to make the most out of your Vegas Super Bowl experience. Yes, the game will end with the presentation of the Lombardi Trophy like it always does, but why not have an amazing time before kickoff?

Friday Night 

We are going to assume you already have your hotel picked out and booked. If not, well, get on that ASAP, because this is one of the biggest weekends of the year.

Once you land, go to your hotel and unpack. I’m a little OCD and I like to get settled and get familiar with my surroundings before the adult beverages start to flow. Take a picture of your room number from the hallway. You can’t just assume you will remember that important bit of information in a few hours.

After you are checked in and settled, your first stop is Top Golf Las Vegas.

By now, I’m assuming you have heard of Top Golf, the global driving range brand that has locations all over the United States. Top Golf built its US headquarters in Las Vegas in back of MGM Grand. If you have been to other Top Golf locations, you have to see this one to believe it. Top Golf is a video game come to life, but you don’t have to be good at golf to enjoy it. This is a party venue, first and foremost.

Top Golf Las Vegas features 107 climate-controlled hitting bays that can fit up to 10 people — and it’s open until 2 am. There are three levels of fun, complete with VIP and private suite locations if you want to get really fancy. There are two pools (closed for the winter, unfortunately) and a concert venue that fits 900 people. The five unique bars offer amazing craft cocktails, and the service at your hitting bay means you never have to wait for a drink.

This is where I’d recommend you enjoy dinner and then party the night away as you get your Vegas legs underneath you. The menu at Top Golf Las Vegas is more diverse than you might think, and the food is really good.

Another big reason to go to Top Golf is the view. Top Golf has a beautiful backdrop of the Vegas skyline and has several extremely large HD TVs at the end of the property.

To get a good idea of the size and amazing layout of this facility, check out this video that was shot shortly after Top Golf Las Vegas opened in 2016

For Super Bowl weekend, you will want to call and make a reservation. Top Golf Las Vegas has several big events planned, and you will want to make sure you get the hitting bay of your choice, for the length of time you want.

One nice perk is that Top Golf Las Vegas is associated with MGM and features an on-site sportsbook. That means if you really like a certain line or prop, you can bet it on Friday night before the Super Bowl while you are having a blast smacking golf balls.

Take an Uber/Lyft/Taxi to Top Golf Las Vegas, because even though there is free parking there, driving the Strip is not fun with this many people in town. Plus, you don’t want to risk getting into any trouble on your way home.

Saturday

I’m going to tell you a little secret about Las Vegas in the winter: You can ski here.

Yes, a 50-minute drive from the Strip gets you to a location 8,000 feet above sea level, Lee Canyon Ski Resorton Spring Mountain. You can ski, snowboard or go even tubing. If you are an expert, the trails are fun, but they aren’t too hard for those who are just learning how to ski.

Get up early, grab a quick bite to eat and get going, because you have a long day of fun ahead of you. This is Las Vegas, and the sun is always a big part of your day. The temperatures on Spring Mountain never get THAT cold during the day, and many people ski with very little gear. Don’t avoid this trip because you don’t have enough layers. Gloves, hats and ski rentals are all available at Lee Canyon, as is a full-service pro shop in case you do have your own gear that needs to be tuned up.

Lee Canyon does have a solid snow-making operation, but Mother Nature often provides enough powder to make it a really enjoyable day on the slopes. This year, just after Christmas, a storm dropped 14 inches of snow on the trails. That should still be around come Saturday of Super Bowl weekend.

Even you don’t ski, you can still have a lot of fun on the mountain. There is a scenic chair ride that will take you north of 9,000 feet above sea level. You can go tubing with the kids, jump around in the Foxtail Snowplay area, or you can take a walk along one of the hiking trails.

Once you’ve had your fill of the mountain, head back to the Strip to shower and get ready for dinner.

For your second night in Vegas, I’m recommending you class it up at bit with dinner and a concert.

There are two options for dinner you should consider. The first is for the foodie group that wants an amazing culinary experience. One of my favorite restaurants in all of Las Vegas is Giada, the Food Network celebrity chef’s flagship location,located inside The Cromwell.

This is a gorgeous venue is located across the street from the Bellagio fountains with a perfect view of the water show. It also features one of the most popular menus in the city. The menu is, of course, Italian inspired, and it features a wine list that won Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence.

If you are after something a little more hearty, I think hitting up Carne Vino inside The Palazzo would be a great choice. This Italian steakhouse offers a pre-theater dinner option, which is awesome for those who want a great meal but have to be on their way to an event. If you don’t want a fixed menu, I would highly recommend going family style and ordering a bunch of different things for the table. One must-order is the dry-aged bone-in ribeye. Now, it’s not cheap by any means, but it’s simply the best cut of meat I’ve ever had.

After dinner, depending on your musical tastes, there are two concerts that you and your friends are sure to enjoy.

The first musical performance I would recommend are The Killers, who will perform on Saturday night at the MGM Garden Arena. The Vegas natives guys crush it every time they hit the stage, and they have become something of the house band for the city. Tickets for this show will not be easy to come by, but you can get them on the secondary market. Like most things in Vegas, if you are willing to pay for it, you can find a way to get it. If you want to go big for your Super Bowl weekend, I’d buy these tickets before arriving in town if possible.

If you aren’t into early-2000s rock music, head over to T-Mobile Arena where one of the legends of country music will be performing for thousands of his fans. George Strait, the king of country, will be playing the second night of his two-show stop in Las Vegas on the eve of the Super Bowl. Strait is one of the most popular country acts to play the city and is guaranteed to put on a great show — and tickets shouldn’t be too expensive or too difficult to acquire given the size of the venue and the multiple shows Super Bowl weekend.

Sunday

Super Bowl Sunday. This is why you came to Vegas, so be sure you are ready to go. Remember, this is a West Coast city, and that means a Pacific Time kickoff. The Super Bowl is scheduled to start at 3:30 pm local time, so if it’s important that you don’t sleep in too late. You want to get your money’s worth at the location you decide to watch the game because there is a cover charge everywhere.

All the sportsbooks in town have specials events, and every resort in town has a party. I’m going to give two suggestions, but there are literally hundreds of places where you can watch the big game.

My first pick is the $100 per person, all-you-can-eat-and-drink seat at the Westgate Superbook.

This is the sports gambler’s sportsbook located at the far north end of the Strip. They will pipe in the sound of the game all over the property, and they will have a massive HD LED screen showing the game.  

If you want something a little more upscale than just a buffet and a seat, they redid the book a few years back and added areas they call “Superbook Boxes.” These boxes can hold up to eight people and include VIP service, plush couches and a prime spot right in front of what the book claims is the world’s largest LED screen to watch the game. Boxes start at $3,500 on Super Bowl Sunday, so it’s not cheap, but $500 per person that isn’t crazy. Or you can just stick with the $100 buffet and bet at the one of the busiest sports books in Las Vegas.

My other recommendation is the Downtown Watch Zone’s Big Game Bash. For a $200 food and beverage minimum, you and your friends can sit outside at a table and watch the game on an actual football field. The game will be shown on a 72-foot HD LED screen along with multiple other screens around the massive area. There are also private, VIP areas — referred to as “Mancaves” — available for rent. This is a big party and a really fun time for visitors because you can meet all sorts of new people and new friends during the game. Don’t forget to download your favorite sports gambling app (I like Stations or CG Technology’s), however, because you will want to make bets during the game and there isn’t a sportsbook operator present at this party.

Have a great weekend, and may all your prop bets hit early!