When I graduated college (not so long ago, might I add), I never in a million years dreamed my big kid job would call for me to travel as often as I do. While I sometimes miss my friends…and my apartment…and my super cozy bed, I also realize how lucky I am, too. Although I regularly travel to Atlanta, Dallas, Kansas City, LA, and Washington DC, the place other than my hometown that I spend the most time in is Las Vegas. I’m not joking around — last year alone, six full weeks of my life were spent in Sin City. (Insane, I know.)
{RELATED POST: What to Wear in Las Vegas (+ Outfit Ideas)}
Okay, so I’d love to tell you that my field of expertise involves lounging by the pool, happy hours at Tao with the Kardashians, late nights dancing to Deadmau5 at the Wynn, and shopping sprees at one of the only Topshops in the USA. I wish that’s what my trips to Vegas looked like! Although I usually manage to sneak some fun in, the trade shows and conventions I attend require long hours and plenty of hard work.
Don’t get me wrong, though — no matter how wiped I am at the end of the day, I always take time to walk the strip, people watch, check out high-fashion stores, and enjoy all of the free entertainment Sin City has to offer. Las Vegas is so fun, energetic, and unique – I can’t get enough of it.
For this post, I thought it’d be fun to share some pro tips on how to save and spend money while you’re in Vegas, plus tips for travelers on how real girls dress while out here. Let’s dive right in!
Table of Contents
Tips & Tricks for Visiting Las Vegas
- Ladies, prepare to walk — a TON. Although something might look like a short walk next door, in Vegas, the buildings are so huge that your perception of space gets kind of skewed. Be mentally prepared for it to take a long time to walk anywhere — but embrace it and fully enjoy those strolls! People watch, soak up the atmosphere, and think of all the calories you’re burning!
- Consider where you eat dinner. There’s a food court in every hotel loaded with places like Chipotle, McDonald’s, Panda Express, and more. This is great because you can fill up on inexpensive food and save your cash for shopping or entertainment. However, if you do want to splurge on a nice meal, consider where you’re eating – most restaurants/nightclubs (like the oh-so popular Tao and Lavo) offer free VIP passes to their nightclub for whoever eats dinner there earlier that night.
- Speaking of VIP Passes to nightclubs — being the gorgeous college girl that you are, be prepared to be stopped at least once an hour by promoters offering you wristbands, free drinks, or bottle service at various nightclubs. Although it might seem kind of strange, most clubs in Vegas hire promoters to fill their venue with fun and beautiful girls before 11 pm, when high rollers and packs of vacationing guys start to arrive. While I have, well, mixed feelings on the entire concept, to say the least, it’s also true that one libation alone in Las Vegas will run you about $15. As long as you stick together with your group of girlfriends and use your head, it’s good to take advantage of the free early bird drink specials or free admission to the hottest venues. Trust me — you’ll appreciate saving money wherever you can.
- Be smart about gambling. Those gigantic and luxurious casinos didn’t build themselves! While I’ve been known to play blackjack and Texas Hold ‘Em on occasion, during most trips to Vegas, I avoid gambling altogether. In the wise words of Carrie Bradshaw, “I like my money where I can see it…hanging in my closet!” Speaking of which…
- Go shopping! Prepare to see the largest Forever 21s, and H&Ms you’ve ever visited in your life. And the high-end designer boutiques will absolutely take your breath away. Don’t be shy about walking in and taking a look around — the Chanels and Herve Legers and Guccis and Louis Vuittons you see are just as much tourist attractions as they are stores.
- Enjoy all the free entertainment. The fountain at the Bellagio. Your hotel’s luxury swimming pool. The volcano at the Mirage, the canal at the Venetian, and the pirate show at Treasure Island. These are all free and amazing. Let the people gambling (and losing for that matter) pay your way for all of the gorgeous sights and amazing scenes you get to soak in for free. Be sure to take pictures with the statues at Caesar’s Palace, check out the lions at the MGM, and lend an ear to the busking musicians on the strip. There is entertainment all around you!
Vegas Outfit 1: Walking the Strip
Romper, Fedora, Necklace, Sunglasses, Shoes, Backpack
As I mentioned before, each building is GIGANTIC and is never as close as it appears. Whether you’re shopping, sightseeing, or just people-watching, you’ll want to be sure to wear flat shoes comfy enough to walk (literally) miles in. You’ll want to look cute, though, so a girly romper and a long necklace will provide you with plenty of comfort but still look great in the photos you’ll definitely take. Carry your belongings in a secure backpack to keep your shoulders or arms from wearing out. Finish with a fedora and shades to protect you from the harsh sun.
Vegas Outfit 2: Lounging by the Pool
Swimsuit, Kaftan, Sunglasses, Shoes
Look glamorous at the pool with a chic, colorful swimsuit and classy kaftan cover-up. I know that wearing wedge heels might feel weird to the pool, but trust me– in Las Vegas, they’ll fit right in! These are especially necessary at the “pool clubs” that many of the hotels on the strip have. Finish with cool aviator shades.
Vegas Outfit 3: Dinner and Drinks
Dress, Vest, Shoes, Bracelet, Necklace
Nightlife in Vegas starts late and ends even later. To get a large group of girlfriends in one place, it’s a good idea to eat dinner early (preferably on a patio somewhere) then take your time getting ready for the night ahead. You’ll especially want to look on-trend if you happen to go to a dinner/nightclub hotspot! A black maxi dress, especially a high-low one as seen above, will look chic and photograph well. Add some style with a funky pair of wedges and a denim vest. Finish with a statement necklace and a cute cuff bracelet.
Vegas Outfit 4: A Night on the Town
Dress 1, Dress 2, Dress 3, Lipstick, Earrings, Clutch, Shoes
Nightlife attire in Las Vegas is all about being over the top. If you have a skintight or glittery dress but felt funny wearing it in your hometown, Sin City is the place to rock it! Another important factor — be sure to wear heels that you think you can walk in for a long period of time! Even if you take a cab from your hotel to wherever you’re going, NOTHING is as close as it looks. In fact, throwing a few aspirin and bandages (and maybe some of those roll-up emergency flats) in your clutch isn’t a bad idea. Finish with glitzy earrings and bold lipstick.
Have You Ever Been To Vegas? What Are Your Tips?
We want you to share your experiences in what I think is the greatest city in the world! Have you been to Sin City before? What shows did you see? Where did you shop? What nightclubs did you check out? Do you have any money-saving tips? What sort of outfits did you wear? Leave a comment and join in on the conversation!
Speaking of walking through casinos, my hair was SO staticky because of walking on carpet all of the time. I went in October and had a blast. Those outfits are great and definitely resemble what I wore when I was there.
I went to Las Vegas last summer. My absolute favorite place is the Bellagio. I could sit there all day just watching people. The indoor garden is beautiful (and free), and I saw at least 5 brides there and in front of the fountain in about 2 hours. There’s also a really fancy chocolate shop that’s fun to walk through.
People-watching in Las Vegas could entertain me forever, haha. You are right that there is a lot to see that’s free!
I went to Vegas last summer for my BFF’s bachelorette party (SO MUCH FUN!) We stayed at the Flamingo, which is smack dab in the middle of the strip. Cabs were about $15-20 to most places in any direction. The pool party was my favorite environment (we went to one at Encore and didn’t like the crowd, it felt like we were at a Barbie party, and even with gorgeous group of girls we were, we felt very self-conscious all the sudden!)
I’m on the taller side, especially compared to the group of friends I went with – I’m 5’9″, they were all 5’2″-5’4″ – so even when they were in heels I was taller than them! Not wanting to feel like Godzilla, I often opted for cute flats instead, and trust me, I did NOT regret it. Especially after a long night of dancing and drinking… nothing is cuter than drunk girls holding their heels and walking back to the hotel barefoot, right? Plus… no one looks at your shoes in the club, and I didn’t get sticky drinks spilled all over my toes.
As far as fashion goes – it’s a fun time to try new styles out. There’s so much craziness in Vegas, there’s not much you could wear that will look out of place. Just think of comfort and safety.
A few tips that I have that aren’t here:
1) HYDRATE!!!!! Between pool parties, dancing, and drinking, your body will need all the H2O it can get. Also, make sure you’re eating relatively regularly. It can be easy to fill up on drinks and forget (or not care) to eat.
2) BRING YOUR OWN SUNBLOCK! I know we went during July, but it hit 118* at one point. It’s not even safe to be out in that temperature, but we didn’t realize it at the time. The sunblock was not cheap there (easily $25 for a can of Coppertone spray), and our group of 4 went through a can each application. Needless to say – I got burnt – bad. It turned into a heat rash and I got to hear endless “what did you catch in Vegas” jokes when I came back.
3) Be mindful & prepared for blisters/chafing. With all the walking and dress-wearing, I chafed my inner thighs 🙁 [so not cute in a bikini] Bring a small tube of anti-chafe cream (diaper rash cream) and band-aids for blisters.
4) Know your limits, and have a buddy system. It’s so easy to divulge in the excess mindset that is Vegas – which like Havana warned – can be dangerous! Make sure you have someone looking out for you, and follow general safety rules. Security in Vegas is pretty good (there’s cameras EVERYWHERE), but a dead cell phone or big crowd can make it really easy to get separated.
Hope my suggestions help someone out! Enjoy and be safe!! 🙂
Loved the post!
Just a reminder: if you’re planning on going to a show and feel like dressing up in your snazziest, glitziest dress, make sure it’s completely comfortable to sit down in. This seems like it should be obvious, but it is VERY easy to overlook when you’re only thinking of looking gorgeous during the long strut to get to the theatre. Trust me. I wore a skintight LBD with a bodice that cut off any chance I had at breathing for 3 hours during a Cirque de Soleil show. Needless to say, I wasn’t a happy camper!
In terms of clothing, be prepared to be hot outside but cold inside as it’s fairly chilly in the casinos and after being sweaty you’ll feel even colder. I typically wore a tank top and brought a short sleeve sheer shirt to layer on top that I could just take off when I was outside.
Also, the buffets were all hype mostly. I ate and stayed at the Bellagio and felt my money was better spent at a restaurant.
This is a really nice article, and I especially love the swimsuit in the second look.
I went to Vegas for the first time last June, and it was definitely the best vacation I’ve ever had! I thought I share a few tips that I learned during my trip that might be useful to some of the commenters who are going in the near future.
1. Use public transportation instead of taxis (which can get VERY expensive VERY quickly). There are several options available. For example, most hotels on the Strip are connected to a monorail system that can transport you to other hotels in the area. The walk to get to them can kind of be out of the way, but they are fast and usually run on regular intervals. Another public transportation option is the city buses. They are also very quick and run on regular intervals. In addition, they make several stops along the Strip and as well as Downtown.
2. Be prepared to walk through several LARGE casinos. Even if you don’t plan on gambling, you WILL have to walk through a casino (or two) to get to any other destination within most hotels (ex. a restaurant, a show, a club, a shopping center, etc.). I guess that’s just the nature of visiting a place that is built on gambling. Also, be prepared to inhale lots of smoke (including decades’ old smoke that has sunk into the upholstery).
3. If you are interested in art, history, or music, don’t forget to visit Downtown Las Vegas. Its home to the Mob Museum, Gold and Silver Pawn Shop (from Pawn Stars), the Vegas Outlet Mall (great finds here), and Fremont Street. There are also several renovated motels from the 1950s that you can stay at as well as plenty of wedding chapels.
I could go on and on, but I’ll stop myself here. Have fun in Vegas ladies! 🙂
I am actually from Vegas, born and raised. I have to say that I was hesitant to read this because there is so much about weather that I feel only locals know, but this was pretty spot on with the outfits. Timing and the season are really important, but what’s most important is being safe. For all of you who plan on visiting, be careful with taking streets that appear to be shortcuts, and don’t dress to flashy during the day, it hints to creeps that you may be a tourist, and it can be very dangerous. I am not trying to scare anyone and this is just an opinion but as someone who lives and goes to college out here, I would strongly advise to use the buddy system.
Definitely take into consideration the time of year that you’re going to Las Vegas. Yes, it will be hot in the spring and summer but I went for the first time for a friend’s birthday in December and it was FREEZING. Desert temperatures drop at night so think about layering tights under your dress, long-sleeved bandage dresses, or a longer coat when traveling between venues.
My only tip, after visiting the city as a young girl) is that Vegas is really, really HOT, so flowy clothes or loose-fitting tops would probably works best in this city! As for going out at night (which I’ve never done in Vegas), I would probably wear a simple, black or dark-colored dress and brightly-colored accessories. It’s the little things that count!
I can’t wait to go to Vegas – this post will be a great reference.
I love this! I am about to book my first trip to Vegas so this is perfect timing! Thank you so much! Just curious where everyone prefers to stay when they go? Would love some advice!