VIVA LAS VEGAS – VEGAS WEEKEND TRAVEL GUIDE

VIVA LAS VEGAS, BABY!

If you think NYC is exhausting, Vegas will blow your mind.

I recently spent 7 days in Vegas and fell in love with the food and atmosphere. I attended a conference for work and extended my trip to celebrate my 25th birthday! My takeaways: no one should spend a week in Vegas. Oh and bring all the moisturizer.

Although I was in Vegas for a week, I didn’t get to catch everything on my list. So in this post I’ll share the places I got to go to and loved, and all the recommendations I received.

FOOD

SUSHISAMBA – Didn’t get sushi, but got AMAZING apps, small plates, fried donut balls, and champagne (naturally) to share with my boyfriend. The food was unbelievable. I went to this restaurant in NYC for my 16th birthday with my Mom and when I saw Vegas had one, I couldn’t resist.

Vanderpump Cocktail Garden – Because how could I not? If you’re a Bravo fan, you know all about this. If not, one of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Lisa Vanderpump, opened up a cocktail garden in Caesar’s palace. She has owned 35 restaurants with her husband so they know what they are doing. If you’re a fan or not, I recommend going. The food and drinks are super good and it was a fun vibe. I got the Vanderpump rose, goat cheese balls, and a dessert tray. I’m going to be dreaming of the rose + goat cheese ball combo until I make my way back there. Both were so so good.

Costa di Mare – This is where we had my bday dinner! Super good food, but be prepared to get stuffed. We got a few different pieces and shared them and I literally, for the first time in my life, didn’t have room for dessert. They actually bring out the fish and let you choose which one you want and they cut the fish in front of you. Not going to lie, it was kind of sad, but cool to see the process of how they serve it!

Still on the list:

Egg Slut – Seemed like a cheap(ish) and like a delish breakfast spot

Hexx Kitchen and Bar – The plan was to get a patio seat and have a great view for brunch! You can’t make reservations for outside, but can reserve a table inside as back up.

Flower Child – Houston friends, we apparently have one that just opened up here! This spot looked like a great place to grab a healthy bite. The decor is also super cute.

Recommendations: Mr. Chow, Carmine’s, Mesa Grill, Sugar Factory (drinks)

If you’re looking for cheaper spots – we found a few restaurants downtown that were reasonably priced! Everything else was pretty expensive and drinks were about $20 for each.

ACTIVITES

Walk the strip – This is obvious, but a fun way to get the Vegas vibe and check out shops and all of the buildings.

Grand Canyon Helicopter Ride – This was my big birthday activity! We took a helicopter tour of the grand canyon and got to have champagne and snacks at the bottom. 100% recommend and also so worth it to pay extra for the front seats! No other way to see one of the natural wonders of the world.

Shows – Vegas is known for the shows! Luck was on our side and Jimmy Kimmel happened to be in Vegas that week and we scored tickets! Google search events going on during your stay, there is always something! We also got tickets to see Chainsmokers, but were not cool enough to stay up until 1:30am. Helpful hint- when DJ’s perform at clubs, even though the tickets say 10pm, they don’t come on until 1:30am! By that point I was already in Vegas for 5 days, so no way I was going to make it to that. Cirque du Soleil is apparently amazing there too.

WHAT TO PACK

face masks, eye masks, lip oils, moisturizer, etc. – it’s the desert y’all. Be prepared!

sneakers – a lot of people are either full on dresses + heels or casual clothes + sneakers. We did a lotttt of walking so I was thankful to have sneakers. I wore my heels to dinner and on a few nights out, but was glad to have the option.

light jacket – going in April, it got chilly at night, so having my leather jacket was super handy.

water – okay I didn’t pack it, but did load up on it each day! With all of the food and yummy drinks (and the whole ‘desert’ thing), I made it a priority to drink more water than I typically do.

Also just want to be a Mom for a second and say – be safe! Vegas can be kind of sketchy. Stay with your group and only flirt with the DJ’s. Haha kidding 😉 But just smart & cautious when you walk around & when you post on social media.

I have plans to go back for an event in November, so will keep you guys posted on more things VEGAS!