Vegas travel guide: Where to stay, eat & sights to see on and off the strip
Jean Ahn
Hi Everyone! Hope you all are doing well!
I was just in Las Vegas for a friend’s wedding last weekend and had the best time taking in sights, enjoying delicious food/drinks and caught a Cirque De Soliel show. I was actually in Las Vegas for the holidays and it was pretty chilly in December so it was nice to be back to enjoy the city when it was warm. So now that I’m nearing 30 I hardly frequent the clubs and pool parties like I used to lol! I opted for more touristy activities like shopping, restaurant hopping and sipping specialty cocktails. There’s also some great sights to see and restaurants off the strip. Here’s some of the places I recently visited.
Go see a show: There’s sooo many different shows to choose from. Of course Vegas is known for Cirque de Soliel. There are a variety of cirque shows to choose from which play at a variety of hotels throughout the strip. I went to see ‘O’ at Bellagio and it was amazing. I highly recommend. I also went to see a variety show at Planet Hollywood which showcased comedy, magic, singing, and dance.
Stay on or near the strip: With so many hotels to choose it’s hard to know which hotel is the best option/price that fits your needs. I have stayed at quite a few hotels in Vegas and my favorites were The Cosmopolitan, Venetian, Treasure Island, Four Seasons and the SLS which is a little further down the strip so expect to take a short Uber/Lyft. Be prepared to walk quite a bit so be sure to wear comfortable shoes for walking the strip.
Visit Red Rock Canyon: You may or may not know this but Las Vegas has some beautiful mountains. About a 15 minute drive away you can head to Red Rock Canyon to see red rock mountains and even hike a nice trail. Also a great photo op too.
The Welcome to Las Vegas Sign: I was contemplating if I should mention this because I don’t think it’s THAT amazing but here’s my past experience and some tips to keep in mind. The sign is really close to the strip so it’s really easy to get there, however if you go after 10 am the line is ridiculously long and the sun is super bright so photos turn out shadowy. If you want to snag that perfect photo, I would suggest going early in the morning before the sun is up and you will also avoid lines this way too. I still don’t have that perfect photo at the sign lol!
Shopping: There are so many stores on the strip! The Palazzo, Bellagio, Caesars, Aria, The Venetian, The Wynn, Mirage, etc. have a plethora of stores, and lots of high end designer shops. It’s always fun to look around and window shop.
Buy a ‘yard’: There’s little stands everywhere to buy one of those huge drinks filled with a cold, fruity, smoothie like drink which is perfect for a hot day when walking the strip. I don’t always get one but it’s just fun to enjoy since you’re able to walk around anywhere on the strip with a cocktail.
Restaurants: There’s soo many amazing restaurants in Vegas. The decor at most of the restaurants are gorgeous and the sushi is so delicious. I loved Vanderpump Cocktail Garden inside Caesars, ( I’m a huge fan of Real Housewife Lisa Vanderpump so naturally I had to go there) Canaletto Ristorante inside the Venetian, Mon Ami Gabi inside Paris which has a great view of the Bellagio fountains from their patio ( a great lunch spot) Sushisamba inside Palazzo had some delicious sushi as well as some other fusion dishes, Jaleo inside the Cosmopolitan had delicious tapas and a really fun environment. I have still yet to try Catch at Aria which is also a chain ( also in LA, New York, and Playa Del Carmen ) Herringbone, STK and Beauty and Essex.
Visit The Chandelier bar inside The Cosmopolitan. Ask for the ‘flower drink’ where the bartender will instruct you to eat the flower first. At first you will have a numbing sensation but the drink is really delicious! It’s a ‘verbena cocktail with a lemon verbena and ginger infused margarita garnished with a Sichuan flower.’
If you want to venture to clubs I would recommend XS, Omnia, Hakkasan but be prepared for big crowds at these big clubs especially if there’s a big headliner. For daytime Wet Republic, Marquee, Daylight and Encore Beach Club are always a great time and throw some great pool parties.
Visit Fremont Street: Downtown Las Vegas is a great time, it’s less hectic than the strip and there’s some great restaurants, bars and activities to do. If you love pizza visit Pizza Rock they have some of the best pizza ever!
Hope these tips and ideas help plan for your trip to Vegas. What are some of your favorite spots? Let me know in the comments below!
