When my good friend Niki announced she was having her bachelorette party in Las Vegas, I have to admit my knee-jerk reaction was hesitation. I hadn’t ever been to Vegas, and to be honest, I had never really felt the desire to go. Gambling’s not really my jam, I’m not into dance clubs, and I tend to like older cities. A trip full of showgirls and magicians and walking the strip being accosted by club promoters wasn’t high on my bucket list. Don’t get me wrong- I was looking forward to the bachelorette party and knew I would have a good time. But I went in thinking I’d have a good time despite being in Vegas.
BOY WAS I WRONG
I feel in love with Vegas. I can honestly say I’ve never been more surprised to love something in my life. On my way out west, I was thinking to myself, “It’s good I’m going now – I can go once and say I’ve been.” But on the way home, all I could think of was, “When can I come back?!?”
I am by no means an expert in Vegas, but I’ve learned a few things and want to share some of my insights for those of you who may not be as jazzed about Vegas as your friends.
What to Pack
This obviously depends on what you have planned, but as a general rule, go flashier and sexier than you would anywhere else! Trust me, there are showgirls on the strip wearing crystal-studded thongs and bedazzled pasties, so you’re not going to offend anyone’s sensibility by wearing a crop top. The first night I kept it classy with a short, long-sleeved dress and OTK boots, but then the second night, I stepped out in a plunging, sequined bodysuit and skirt. Definitely not something I would EVER wear in D.C., but I felt amazing all night!
Comfortable shoes are also a must. Trust me, you’ll be bopping around town for a while because there’s so much to do! Plus, the casinos aren’t quite as close together as you might think. The strip is 4 miles long, and you can’t just walk down it- you have to use pedestrian bridges sometimes, so it ends up taking longer to walk than you think. I would also suggest sunglasses, ibuprofin, and your phone charger because you better believe you’ll be taking a ton of photos!
Transportation Quick Tips
In a very welcome surprise, the airport is SUPER close to the city. Like, a 15 minute drive close. Uber, Lyft, and taxis operate in the city, but aren’t as convenient as they are in D.C. You can’t just flag one down on the strip- you have to go to approved pick up spots. Several times, we found ourselves having to walk to the complete opposite side of a huge casino to get to where we could be picked up.
The Hotels
Seeing as I’ve only been to Vegas once, I can only talk about the hotel I stayed in. There were 10 of us girls all together, and we rented a two-bedroom suite at the Venetian. Price-wise, I was shocked at how affordable it was! There’s a sneaky resort fee, however, so that’s where they get you. They range from $15 to $40 per night, just as a heads up!
Most of the main hotels on the strip have casinos, if that’s your thing! Even if it’s not your thing, you should at least play the slots for a second- it’s Vegas! I didn’t realize that smoking is still allowed indoors in the casinos, so the air isn’t quite as fresh as in other parts of the hotel. There are also nightclubs, bars, restaurants, and shops inside the hotels. For example, the Venetian has this incredible shopping area on the second floor that looks like Venice- complete with gondolas and singing gondoliers. I mean… omg.
Where to Eat
Literally everything is good. Seriously. We had decadent milkshakes and burgers at Holsteins in the Cosmopolitan, Mexican brunch at Cabo Wabo, and one of the best dinners of my life at SushiSamba in the Venetian. If I could eat the green bean tempura with black truffle aioli and the Peruvian sweet corn for the rest of my life, that would be amazing kthanksbyeeeee.
What to Do During the Day
Vegas is known for being a night time town, but there’s tons to do during the day, too. I highly recommend walking the strip by the Bellagio to see the fountains- the choreographed water shows are so cool! I also really loved going up into the Eiffel Tower at the Paris Las Vegas. There’s an observation deck at the top that gives you amazing views of not only the strip and the fountains, but also the mountains in the distance. Another thing that we did as a bachelorette party activity was get blow outs at Dry Bar. That was such a fun thing to do before hitting the town! Also, there’s a bar across from Dry Bar in Miracle Mile where a robot makes your drinks…
What to Do During the Night
There is something for everyone in Vegas. If you like chic bars, you must head to Chandelier Bar at the Cosmopolitan Hotel. You get to sip delicious, crafted cocktails inside a pink-tinted chandelier… so amazing.
If you like clubs, I’m not the girl to ask, but I’ve heard that Tao is super fun! I can’t pretend to know anything about club promoters or anything, so you may have to Google that- sorry!
If you like shows, they’re ALL good, I’ve heard. We went to Magic Mike Live and y’all… I will never be the same. I didn’t think I’d enjoy the show as much as I did but GIRLS… YOU NEED TO GO. Spring for the tickets on the lower level- trust me, it’s worth it. There is more of a storyline than I expected, but I loved the Emcee Chelsea. I want to interview her to figure out which steps I need to take to have her job. And (sidenote) her boots were incredible.
Final Thoughts
I love Vegas. Everywhere you turn, you see something else incredible. I knew that Vegas was flashy, but I think luxurious is a better word. I tried to find signs of shoddy construction work, dingy facades, or basically anything unsightly. No dice. There is so much money in Vegas that you just feel like you’re surrounded by marble and gilding all the time. The best way I can describe it is that it’s like Disney World for adults. There is seriously something for everyone, and I will be back for sure. Dirty thirty maybe??
