Over the weekend, I decided to meet with my girls in Las Vegas. It was fun, it was full of surprises and I ended up getting a little sick then we ended up doing so many things from clubbing to pool parties. Yep, Kenyan girls in Vegas, so much fun and it was a friends birthday too!
Vegas is a place you get to come to have the time of your life, and if you are ever in America, come to Vegas to celebrate anything you want. One of my favorite places on the strip especially restaurants was Mon Ami Gabi at Paris Las Vegas which is a French bistro. What I love about it is the fact that it has Bellagio fountains across the street, it is close to The Venetian for shopping and has Ceasar’s Palace which has my favorite Omnia Club. And lets not forget Planet Hollywood that has Spice Market for endless buffet.
And pool parties, well we hit the Cromwell, Cosmopolitan and Wynn.
Cruising the Strip is required for any first-timer, by car or by foot. A good way is to ask the doorman at your hotel to see if they have anyone they know that has a limo and you can rent it. The girls and I ended up paying only $120 for one hour of a great time in Vegas. As you cruise, check out the enormous digital marquees for amazing shows you'll only find in Las Vegas. There's LOVE by Cirque du Soleil at The Mirage, Rock of Ages at The Venetian, Tournament of Kings and Thunder From Down Under at Excalibur and Le Rêve - The Dream at Wynn Las Vegas.
Be sure to get out and have a little fun exploring, too. Stroll through the open-air street party that is Carnaval Court at Harrah's, or let out a few screams riding the roller coaster at New York-New York. The new LINQ entertainment and shopping street meanders between the LINQ Hotel and Casino and Flamingo Hotel.
Shop, shop, shop…
I usually love their Jimmy Choo and Christian Louboutin stores – taxes are way lesser than San Francisco for me.
Ladies, if you love to shop, you are going to love Las Vegas! High end retail stores abound on the Strip, such as Chanel, Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, and more. You can spend many hours (and much money!) at Caesar’s Forum Shops, the Fashion Show Mall, the Venetian Canal Shoppes, and the Miracle Mile at Planet Hollywood alone. The Las Vegas Premium Outlets (150 outlet stores) are available via the Gold Line bus from the Strip. For inexpensive souvenir shopping, I recommend the Showcase Mall on the south end of the Strip next to MGM Grand; the Bonanza Gift Shop on the north end of the Strip; or Fremont Street.
Vegas is a place you get to come to have the time of your life, and if you are ever in America, come to Vegas to celebrate anything you want. One of my favorite places on the strip especially restaurants was Mon Ami Gabi at Paris Las Vegas which is a French bistro. What I love about it is the fact that it has Bellagio fountains across the street, it is close to The Venetian for shopping and has Ceasar’s Palace which has my favorite Omnia Club. And lets not forget Planet Hollywood that has Spice Market for endless buffet.
And pool parties, well we hit the Cromwell, Cosmopolitan and Wynn.
Cruising the Strip is required for any first-timer, by car or by foot. A good way is to ask the doorman at your hotel to see if they have anyone they know that has a limo and you can rent it. The girls and I ended up paying only $120 for one hour of a great time in Vegas. As you cruise, check out the enormous digital marquees for amazing shows you'll only find in Las Vegas. There's LOVE by Cirque du Soleil at The Mirage, Rock of Ages at The Venetian, Tournament of Kings and Thunder From Down Under at Excalibur and Le Rêve - The Dream at Wynn Las Vegas.
Be sure to get out and have a little fun exploring, too. Stroll through the open-air street party that is Carnaval Court at Harrah's, or let out a few screams riding the roller coaster at New York-New York. The new LINQ entertainment and shopping street meanders between the LINQ Hotel and Casino and Flamingo Hotel.
Shop, shop, shop…
I usually love their Jimmy Choo and Christian Louboutin stores – taxes are way lesser than San Francisco for me.
Ladies, if you love to shop, you are going to love Las Vegas! High end retail stores abound on the Strip, such as Chanel, Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, and more. You can spend many hours (and much money!) at Caesar’s Forum Shops, the Fashion Show Mall, the Venetian Canal Shoppes, and the Miracle Mile at Planet Hollywood alone. The Las Vegas Premium Outlets (150 outlet stores) are available via the Gold Line bus from the Strip. For inexpensive souvenir shopping, I recommend the Showcase Mall on the south end of the Strip next to MGM Grand; the Bonanza Gift Shop on the north end of the Strip; or Fremont Street.
Things to remember in Las Vegas:
Drink plenty of water...
Drink plenty of water...
This is the desert, after all, and it’s very easy to get dehydrated here. I always bring a bottle with me wherever I go. If you don’t want to spend $2-4/bottle at hotel sundry stores, you can buy cheaper water at the ABC stores in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood, at the Fashion Show Mall, and on Fremont Street; or at Walgreens on the Strip; or you can buy cold water for $1 from street hawkers on the overhead walkways. (It’s perfectly safe, I do it all the time.)
Get away from the casinos
Yes, of course you should take advantage of what the Strip has to offer, since that’s one of the reasons you’re probably visiting, but take a day and check out the surrounding area. One of the joys of Las Vegas is that you can go shopping or club hopping in major casinos, then go hiking Mt. Charleston or Red Rock (not “Rocks”) or go for a kayak tour on Lake Mead the same day, both just outside of town.
Pools are outside…
Most Vegas hotel pools are located outside, not inside. If your idea of a vacation involves pool time, you might want to avoid the winter months. Also, not all Vegas pools are created equal. Some of the best pools in town (the Flamingo, the Mirage) can also be the most crowded, requiring you to get in line an hour before opening just to get a lounge chair. For party pools, head to Rehab at the Hard Rock or Wet Republic at MGM Grand. If you’re looking for a quieter, more relaxing pool experience, go to one of the upscale hotels (Bellagio, Palazzo/Venetian, or Wynn/Encore) or to a hotel whose pool tends to fly under the radar (Paris, Ballys). If you’re looking for a good pool Downtown on Fremont Street, go with the Golden Nugget.
Go off-Strip for food, alcohol
And alcohol is so expensive in Vegas and Food is too. A lot of commenters wanted to remind visitors that the city has more to offer than what’s on the Strip as far as food and drink go. If you’re looking for some quick booze, there are drug stores on the Strip that will cost a lot less than your hotel mini-bar.
Take the bus on the Strip and to Downtown
As Nicole Shaugabay said on Facebook, “Take the bus if you’re going from resort to resort on the Strip and even if your heading down to Fremont from the Strip or vice-versa, way cheaper than a cab.” The bus might be a bit slower, but you’ll definitely save some cash. And you can walk and get some miles on your fit bit. In the summer, its better to take the bus or taxi, it way too hot.
Take advantage of birthday deals
As fishy as the club promoters seem, they insist their jobs really are to help you have a better club experience than you would without them. For birthdays especially, they say they can help guarantee you special service. These people can be found up and down the Strip, usually with flyers for some event at some club. Anywhere else, though, you can probably score a free drink by mentioning that you’re celebrating a birthday in Vegas. Sometimes I wonder if men in Las Vegas work. Everywhere, we had a promoter asking us if we wanted to go to a club or if you want to go dance.
Wear comfortable shoes
The casinos are no where as close to each other as you think, trust us. Those high heels are not going to be nice to you after walking four miles to the next club. Pro tip: some casinos offer ballet flat vending machines.
Wear sunblock on sunny days
Like drinking water, this should not need to be repeated, but the desert sun is unforgiving, and your vacation photos will be ruined by your beaming complexion as soon as your get here if you don’t prepare. This is especially July - August time, HOT HOT HOT!
Tip accordingly
As Heather Reeder put it, “Most employees are tipped employees in Vegas and live off of those tips. Please tip accordingly to your housekeeper, bartender, taxi driver, bell hop, food server, dealer, valet and anyone else that provides a service.”
Enjoy Viva Las Vegas and be safe!
Get away from the casinos
Yes, of course you should take advantage of what the Strip has to offer, since that’s one of the reasons you’re probably visiting, but take a day and check out the surrounding area. One of the joys of Las Vegas is that you can go shopping or club hopping in major casinos, then go hiking Mt. Charleston or Red Rock (not “Rocks”) or go for a kayak tour on Lake Mead the same day, both just outside of town.
Pools are outside…
Most Vegas hotel pools are located outside, not inside. If your idea of a vacation involves pool time, you might want to avoid the winter months. Also, not all Vegas pools are created equal. Some of the best pools in town (the Flamingo, the Mirage) can also be the most crowded, requiring you to get in line an hour before opening just to get a lounge chair. For party pools, head to Rehab at the Hard Rock or Wet Republic at MGM Grand. If you’re looking for a quieter, more relaxing pool experience, go to one of the upscale hotels (Bellagio, Palazzo/Venetian, or Wynn/Encore) or to a hotel whose pool tends to fly under the radar (Paris, Ballys). If you’re looking for a good pool Downtown on Fremont Street, go with the Golden Nugget.
Go off-Strip for food, alcohol
And alcohol is so expensive in Vegas and Food is too. A lot of commenters wanted to remind visitors that the city has more to offer than what’s on the Strip as far as food and drink go. If you’re looking for some quick booze, there are drug stores on the Strip that will cost a lot less than your hotel mini-bar.
Take the bus on the Strip and to Downtown
As Nicole Shaugabay said on Facebook, “Take the bus if you’re going from resort to resort on the Strip and even if your heading down to Fremont from the Strip or vice-versa, way cheaper than a cab.” The bus might be a bit slower, but you’ll definitely save some cash. And you can walk and get some miles on your fit bit. In the summer, its better to take the bus or taxi, it way too hot.
Take advantage of birthday deals
As fishy as the club promoters seem, they insist their jobs really are to help you have a better club experience than you would without them. For birthdays especially, they say they can help guarantee you special service. These people can be found up and down the Strip, usually with flyers for some event at some club. Anywhere else, though, you can probably score a free drink by mentioning that you’re celebrating a birthday in Vegas. Sometimes I wonder if men in Las Vegas work. Everywhere, we had a promoter asking us if we wanted to go to a club or if you want to go dance.
Wear comfortable shoes
The casinos are no where as close to each other as you think, trust us. Those high heels are not going to be nice to you after walking four miles to the next club. Pro tip: some casinos offer ballet flat vending machines.
Wear sunblock on sunny days
Like drinking water, this should not need to be repeated, but the desert sun is unforgiving, and your vacation photos will be ruined by your beaming complexion as soon as your get here if you don’t prepare. This is especially July - August time, HOT HOT HOT!
Tip accordingly
As Heather Reeder put it, “Most employees are tipped employees in Vegas and live off of those tips. Please tip accordingly to your housekeeper, bartender, taxi driver, bell hop, food server, dealer, valet and anyone else that provides a service.”
Enjoy Viva Las Vegas and be safe!
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