Comparison · United States
Las Vegas vs Los Angeles: Which Should You Choose?
Desert lights and canyons in Las Vegas, or beaches and theme parks in Los Angeles? Who each suits, airport transfers, days, weather and sights compared.
Published
The short answer
Las Vegas is an entertainment city in the middle of the Nevada desert. Enjoy the Strip's giant hotels lit up at night, shows and free fountain displays, then drive a few hours to the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam and red rock canyons.
Los Angeles brings Hollywood, beaches and theme parks together in one sprawling West Coast city. LA is spread out and car-centric, so grouping your days by area makes all the difference, and Koreatown is packed with Korean restaurants.
Who each suits: Las Vegas if you want the Strip's lights and shows by night and red sandstone canyons and a dam by car during the day. Los Angeles if you want beaches at sunset, viewpoints and a theme park with a studio tour, taken one area at a time.
Airport to the city
Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas sits just south of the Strip. Use the taxi rank or the dedicated ride-hailing pickup area. RTC city buses also link the airport with the Strip and Downtown, and shared shuttles to hotels run too.
At Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) you don't board at the curb: ride-hailing cars and taxis pick up at the dedicated lot (LAX-it), reached by free shuttle or on foot. Pickup locations may change with airport construction, so check official LAX information. Solo travelers can save with the airport bus to Union Station downtown and other stops, or take the free shuttle to LAX/Metro Transit Center station and ride the Metro C or K Line.
- Las Vegas taxi or ride-hailing: about 10-25 min to Strip hotels, flat zone fares to the Strip (check official) plus tip
- Las Vegas city bus: about 30 min-1 hour, about US$2-6 (check routes and fares officially)
- Los Angeles ride-hailing: about 30-60 min to Hollywood or Downtown depending on traffic, about US$40-80
- Los Angeles airport bus: about 40-60 min, about US$12-13 (check routes and schedules officially)
- Los Angeles Metro C and K Lines: transfers depend on your destination, so check Metro's official trip info
How many days, and do you need a car?
The guides suggest 4 to 5 days for Las Vegas (with canyon trips) and 5 to 7 days for Los Angeles, more if you add theme parks.
In Las Vegas you can walk the Strip or use the double-decker buses that run 24 hours between the Strip and Downtown, plus a monorail linking hotels on the east side of the Strip. Buildings are huge, though, so distances feel much longer than on the map; allow extra time. A rental car is easiest for the canyons and Hoover Dam. Desert roads have long gaps between gas stations, so carry plenty of water in summer.
Los Angeles is huge and car-centric, so a rental is the easiest way to cover several areas. Without a car, key routes such as Hollywood-Downtown and Downtown-Santa Monica are served by rail. Freeways jam at rush hour, so allow plenty of time.
- Las Vegas: many hotels add a nightly 'resort fee' on top of the room rate, so check the total with taxes and fees when booking
- Las Vegas: you must be 21 or older to gamble and to buy or drink alcohol; carry ID (your passport)
- Los Angeles: hotel and attraction parking often costs extra, and listed prices usually exclude sales tax
- Los Angeles: never leave bags visible in a parked car; lock them in the trunk or take them with you
- Both cities: restaurant tips are usually 15-20%
Weather month by month
Both guides name the same best times: March-May and September-November. In Las Vegas these months have pleasant daytime temperatures for walking, and in Los Angeles they are the most pleasant of the year. If you're combining the two cities, pick these months.
The figures below are NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020): Las Vegas McCarran (now Harry Reid) International Airport station for Las Vegas and Los Angeles International Airport station for Los Angeles. Each line shows the same month's average high/low and precipitation.
The biggest difference is the temperature swing. Even within March-May, the average high in Las Vegas climbs quickly from 22°C to 31°C, and in September-November it drops from 35°C to 20°C, while Los Angeles stays at 19-25°C in both periods. In June-August Las Vegas averages highs of 37-40°C and lows of 24-28°C, extremely hot at midday, while Los Angeles averages highs of 22-25°C. The Los Angeles guide notes that coastal areas are often overcast in May and June, July-September is hot and dry, and wildfires can occur from late summer into autumn, so check local conditions before you go.
Rain in Los Angeles falls mainly from December to March (about 44-76 mm a month). April to November gets little rain (about 0-21 mm a month). Las Vegas gets about 1-20 mm a month: February is the wettest at 20 mm and June the driest at 1 mm. In December-February Las Vegas averages highs of 14-17°C and lows of 4-7°C, so nights are chilly, while Los Angeles averages 19°C and 10°C.
- January: Las Vegas 15/5°C, 14 mm; Los Angeles 19/10°C, 73 mm
- March: Las Vegas 22/10°C, 11 mm; Los Angeles 19/11°C, 44 mm
- May: Las Vegas 31/19°C, 2 mm; Los Angeles 21/14°C, 7 mm
- July: Las Vegas 40/28°C, 10 mm; Los Angeles 24/18°C, 1 mm
- September: Las Vegas 35/22°C, 8 mm; Los Angeles 25/18°C, 3 mm
- November: Las Vegas 20/9°C, 8 mm; Los Angeles 22/12°C, 21 mm
What to see in Las Vegas: the Strip at night and Red Rock Canyon
Walk the Strip as the hotels light up after dark. Many hotels have free canals, gardens and displays inside, and music-synchronized fountains dance on a lake in front of a major Strip hotel, frequently in the evening (check the schedule). Downtown's Fremont Street is famous for its evening shows on an LED screen covering the whole street roof, and The Neon Museum, an outdoor museum of old casino and shop neon signs, may need guided tours booked.
By day, head out to the desert canyons. Red Rock Canyon, a red sandstone canyon about 30 minutes from the city, has a scenic drive and short trails; timed-entry reservations for the Scenic Drive are required during daytime hours from October to May, so check official information. Valley of Fire State Park, with fiery red sandstone landscapes, is about an hour away by car, and Hoover Dam on the Colorado River about 45 minutes to an hour.
For a Grand Canyon day trip, the West Rim is about 2.5 hours by car and the South Rim about 4.5. The West Rim is on Hualapai tribal land, not in the national park, so entry works differently; for the South Rim, check official national park information. In summer, avoid midday hikes in the canyons and carry plenty of water.
What to see in Los Angeles: Griffith Observatory and the beaches
Griffith Observatory is a free viewpoint over the Hollywood Sign and the city. Sunset is best, and parking fills up, so arrive early. On the Hollywood Walk of Fame, costumed characters may ask for money after photos; just decline if you don't want one.
Santa Monica Pier has a seaside amusement park and beach promenade and is especially lovely at sunset. Venice Beach is reachable on foot or by bike from Santa Monica. The Getty Center, a hilltop museum, has free admission but paid parking.
The main theme parks are one with a studio tour and rides, and one in Anaheim, southeast of LA, about an hour by car depending on traffic. Plan a full day for either. At the studio-tour park, lines are long in peak season, so buy tickets ahead and arrive at opening. Griffith Observatory (the building), the Getty Center and The Broad, a downtown contemporary art museum, are closed on Mondays, so check the day.
How to choose, and what to check before you go
Choose Las Vegas if the Strip's lights and shows and desert canyon drives are the focus, or Los Angeles if you want beaches, viewpoints and theme parks taken one area at a time. Both guides include a sample 4-day itinerary, so if you're visiting both cities, use them to split your days. For travel between the two cities, check the official information before you go.
Check official US government information on ESTA or visas you may need before you travel.
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FAQ
For a first trip, Las Vegas or Los Angeles?
Las Vegas suits you if you want the Strip's lights and shows at night and red rock canyons and Hoover Dam by car during the day. Los Angeles suits you if you want beaches, viewpoints and theme parks, taken one area at a time.
When is best for visiting both?
Both guides name March-May and September-November. In June-August Las Vegas averages highs of 37-40°C and is extremely hot at midday.
How many days should I plan?
The guides suggest 4 to 5 days for Las Vegas, including canyon trips, and 5 to 7 days for Los Angeles, more if you add theme parks.
Do I need a rental car?
On the Strip you can walk or use the double-decker buses and the monorail, but a rental car is easiest for the canyons and Hoover Dam. In Los Angeles a rental is the easiest way to cover several areas, though key routes are served by rail.
Related reading
ⓘ Photo credits
- Hoover Dam · 123 Chroma Pixels / CC BY-SA 2.0
- Los Angeles from the Getty Center · KimonBerlin / CC BY-SA 2.0