Before Thanksgiving, I hopped on a plane and headed to the West Coast with the Babes That Wander! Two of our girls, Lauryn and Iesha were both celebrating their 30th birthdays and we decided to get our butt’s to Las Vegas to do it right! We did a lot of really cool and unique things, so this isn’t your typical Vegas Getaway! See all we did on our Las Vegas Girlfriend Getaway below.
Las Vegas Girlfriend Getaway
So let me start out by saying that instead of flying into Las Vegas I actually flew into Los Angeles and drove to Vegas with Jessica of Miss Moore Style. We all know road-tripping is better when someone is with you!
Where to Stay
The Strat – We started off our trip to Vegas with two nights at The Strat. The first night it was just Jess and me so we unpacked and settled in our room. We had an elevated queen room with two queen-sized beds and a bathroom with fabulous lighting to do your makeup. Once we settled in, we went out to explore!
Next to the entrance at the Strat are the lit-up arches and the City of Las Vegas sign. The perfect photo opp! The Strat isn’t on the Vegas strip so it’s quieter and not as busy. The lobby is full of games to gamble on and was pretty tame for the most part. Since I’d never been to Vegas before, this was the perfect start to get me warmed up.
On the 2nd day, Lauryn arrived and after she landed we headed to the fun part of The Strat for our Vegas vacation! When you get a chance, buy tickets and head up to the Sky Pod and Observation Deck for an amazing view of Vegas. We grabbed a cocktail at 108 Drinks and enjoyed the sunset and city light views. If you’re a daredevil, there are also some thrill rides up there for you! On the Big Shot, you shoot 160 feet in the air at 45 mph, you can jump off the top onto the ground below, or ride the X-Scream Rollercoaster that teeters back and forth. There’s something for everyone at the Strat!
Palazzo at the Venetian – After checking out of the Strat, we went down on the strip to the Venetian Vegas Resort. This place is MASSIVE with casinos, a food court, a mall, restaurants and so much more! My favorite part was in one section it looked like St. Mark’s square in Venice, it made me feel like I was in Italy again. In the Venetian, I was constantly looking up to see all the details and ceilings. Explore Venice inside and outside. Outside the Venetian is a gondola ride. We took a ride early one morning, complete with a Gondolier who sang to us in Italian!
I definitely recommend taking some time to buy tickets to the gondola and explore the inside of the Venetian.
Our room was on the Palazzo side of the hotel. Our rooms were amazing with bathrooms the size of my kitchen! We had suites with two queen-sized beds as well as lounging areas with a couch, table, and separate TV. The Venetian team was kind enough to send up a bottle of Veuve and some chocolate-covered strawberries to get the birthday festivities started!
What to Do
Downtown Las Vegas & Freemont Street – Other than the Vegas strip, visit old historic downtown Las Vegas and Freemont Street. You’ll find some good food, unique bars as well as the Freemont Street Experience. You can zipline down the tunnel, shop for souvenirs, people watch and the lights and glam of Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack’s Las Vegas.
Seven Magic Mountain – Half an hour outside Vegas is the color rocks installation at Seven Magic Mountain. Come early in the morning for better lighting and to beat the crowds. Also, don’t be afraid to wear a fun and colorful outfit to go with the vibrant theme of this free attraction.
Clubbin at Drai’s Nightclub – You can’t go to Vegas and not hit up a nightclub. My girl, Alicia was in town the same time we were so we went to Drai’s Nightclub to dance, celebrate the birthday girls and let loose! We got there right at 10:30 p.m. (yes, we’re those girls) and reserved a table ahead of time so we weren’t in a crowd. We also splurged on bottle service for the birthday girls! We had the best time singing and dancing and being out past 9 p.m. I’ll be honest, we may have paid for it a little bit the next morning but it was so worth it to have a fun night out on our Las Vegas girlfriend getaway.
Visit the Neon Museum – One of the coolest experiences we had was getting to explore the Neon Museum and take photos before they opened one day! The Neon Museum tells the history of Las Vegas through old, historic neon signs. Founded in 1996, The Neon Museum is a non-profit that’s dedicated to collecting, preserving, studying, and exhibiting Las Vegas signs for educational, historic, arts, and cultural enrichment.
It’s fun during the day but it looks so much more beautiful at night when all the signs are lit up and at their brightest. Grab your girlfriends and get tickets for this iconic Vegas experience!
Cirque Du Soleil Show – One thing that should always be on your Vegas radar is a Cirque Du Soleil show. I don’t have any photos from the performance but my jaw was on the floor more of the show! The performers were absolutely spectacular and I was amazed at all the dancers and acrobats could do. The Mystère show was an intense sensory experience with constant motion, high-energy acrobatics, evocative dances, colorful costumes, and vivid lighting. It’s a show you won’t want to miss!
Lip Smacking Foodie Tour – Another cool thing to do on a trip to Vegas is going on a Foodie Tour. This unique dining experience is for individuals or groups and takes you to some of the top restaurants in Las Vegas. We went during the afternoon and spent two and a half hours strolling, sampling, and experiencing. At each restaurant, you try three or four of their signature dishes and learn more about the establishment. Wear comfortable clothes and tennis shoes!
Check out Container Park – Container Park is in the heart of Las Vegas and is an open-air shopping area with restaurants and boutiques. The Container Park repurposed a bunch of shipping containers to create retail spaces for small, local businesses. If you like shopping locally, definitely stop by here. Also, beware of the fire-breathing grasshopper! There’s someone who operates it that likes to mess with tourists. It scared me a few times.
Pink Jeep Tour – Another unique Vegas experience was our Bright Lights Pink Jeep Tour with Get Your Guide. You ride around Vegas in an open-air pink Jeep that takes you around Vegas to see iconic sites! It’s a three-hour tour and the babes had the best time cruising around and seeing the Vegas bright lights. If it’s chilly, make sure you bundle up on your tour.
Where to Eat
Carson Kitchen – Jessica came here for her Bachelorette Party so she wanted to come again since it’s off Fremont Street. We enjoyed the Devils Eggs with crispy pancetta and caviar, chicken sandwich with spicy tater tots, salad, and more! Everything was absolutely delicious and we loved sitting at the bar and watching them prepare our meal. Make sure you make a reservation!
Cafe Lola – As bloggers, we love finding the most instagrammable places in any city we visit. Cafe Lola kept popping up in all of our Instagram searches and I’m so glad we found time to go! Everything was pink, floral, and perfect down from the pastries to the coffee to the decor. We had a delicious brunch and was a great way to start off day 2 in Vegas.
I Love Sugar – After dinner one night, we went to I Love Sugar to get, you guessed it, a sugar fix. I’m not a huge sweets person but loved the fun atmosphere, and ‘Pop It Like It’s Hot!’ sugar shot. As a group, we shared the giant ‘Big Bang Theory’ that was big enough for three people. The staff there was so nice and friendly and let us watch and be involved in the drink-making process. We also took some Vodka Gummy Bears to eat later!
Therapy – On our food tour, we went to Therapy. I’m mentioning this place specifically because of the unique food pairing we had here! As a born and bred southern girl, I’m used to chicken and waffles. However, at Therapy, we had a Fried Chicken and Waffle Sandwich but the waffles are red velvet! And to my surprise, I loved the combo. It was so unique and unexpected and think everyone visiting Vegas should stop and enjoy it.
BRERA Osteria – BRERA was located in the Venetian Hotel in heart of St. Mark’s Square in the Grand Canal Shoppes. Feel like you’re in Venice while you try seared scallops, pizza, and pasta. Stop by for lunch or dinner, it’s perfect for a date night or other big celebration!
The Dorsey – Also located in the Venetian was a speakeasy, The Dorsey. This cocktail lounge is so sleek and chic and will have you feeling very Old Hollywood in Las Vegas. The Dorsey was voted the best cocktail bar in Vegas by Conde Nast Traveler and I’d have to agree. Being girls very into astrology, we tried their Zodiac cocktails! The Capricorn had Four Roses Bourbon, Génépy, Bénédictine, Islay Scotch, Angostura Bitters, and orange peel. It reminded me of an Old Fashioned and was so good, the perfect way to end our Las Vegas girlfriend getaway!
You can get some good Vegas vacation deals through Expedia or Travelocity.
We’re booking for the rest of 2023 and think maybe Orlando, Nantucket or Tahoe.
They say September to November are some of the cheapest months to book vacations to Vegas.
Check out some of my other vacation guides:
3 Days in Myrtle Beach
New York City Murals You Have to See
Travel Guide to the Westgate Smokey Mountains Resort
Where would you go on your getaway Las Vegas? Share with me in a comment below!
Leave a Reply