Girls' Weekend In Las Vegas
A weekend away with a pack of girls can be as raucous or pampering as the occasion calls for — bachelorette parties and spa weekends, for example, have very different sets of needs. Of course, there is one place that caters to any and every need, occasion, or whim. There's one place where you can walk past people eating breakfast in the dress you wore last night without being judged, just as
Las Vegas hotels are hubs of the majority of the city's action — spas, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, shows, and activities all happen in their confines. Considering all the innumerable options, we've done all the trial and error (a tough job, to be sure) for you and chosen the best of Vegas for a girls' weekend away. (Photo courtesy of Flickr/s.yume)
Breakfast: Whether you've arrived in the morning, ready and hankering for a Bloody Mary, or spent your first night out on the Strip (and are, thus, ready and hankering for a Bloody Mary), make your way to the Encore Hotel's breakfast buffet. They'll make your morning's cocktail at your table and we hear the Frosted Flakes French Toast is the breakfast of Vegas champions.
Lunch: The perfect Vegas lunch relies heavily on the girls you're with — carbo-phobes will want to avoid Capriotti's like the plague, even though those sandwiches are unforgettably delicious. Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill at Caesar's Palace is ideal for accommodating a big group of varying tastes. Head to the Pink Taco at the Hard Rock Hotel to find a "day-after" meal of over-sized plates of comforting Mexican food.
Dinner: With no shortage of glitzy hot spots with low lights, loud music, and actually good food, Vegas' best meal is dinner. Bartolotta is spot on for a classic, light Italian meal in a fine dining setting that's less about pre-gaming and more about the food. Blue Ribbon Sushi at the Cosmopolitan Hotel takes care of that inexplicably right combination of high end sushi before a wild night out. Mario Batali's Otto Pizzeria is a more casual outpost of mouth-watering carbohydrates in the form of pizzas and pastas.
Cocktails: Starting your night off right is vital in Vegas. Going straight from dinner to the club can be
Chandelier Bar at the Cosmopolitan is impeccably lavish, as the name suggests, with large glass chandeliers from every vantage point. Minus 5 at the Mandalay Bay is an ice lounge that's sure to get any night off on the right foot. With hooded winter coats on, you'll want to sample their notable vodka cocktail list. (Photo courtesy of Flickr/fensterbme)
Nightclubs: A girls' weekend in Vegas would be incomplete without at least one night to regret for many years. So, get the girls together for shots, dancing, and general debauchery at Chateau in the Paris Las Vegas. It's sleek, dark, and has luxe chateau-inspired accents. One Vegas club that refuses to die is XS in the Wynn — it's consistently on top ten lists and in de-tagged Facebook photo albums. If you need to really let go and only a mega-club will do the trick, head to Marquee for all the fist pumping and bottle service you'd ever need.
Pool Party: You didn't suffer through extra hours at the gym just to dance in a dark club. Shimmying down to that bikini has never been more of an event than it is at Vegas' pool parties. Skip the topless pools and spring for the "only in Vegas" wild time at MGM Grand's Wet Republic. Cabanas only seem unnecessary until you're trying to find an inch of free space for your purse, shirt, or hotel key card. Encore's Beach Club is fantastic for people watching if you feel like avoiding the just-off-the-Jersey-Shore crowd.
Spa Day: Spending the day at a wild pool party can leave you very much in need of some TLC. Luckily, Vegas is home to unbridled luxury in the form of facials, massages, acupuncture, and some very inventive masks and wraps. The Canyon Ranch Spa at the Venetian is Vegas' outpost of one of the country's most famous and beloved spa destinations. They promise to revive patrons from head to toe with tension balms, sea foam mud masks, and healing cocoons. The Mandarin Oriental Spa (pictured) is, likewise, a well-known bastion of relaxation and rejuvenation. From the Hammam to the vitality pools and ice fountains, you'll float out of the spa and, well, back onto the Strip. (Photo courtesy of the Mandarin Oriental)