You guys might have realized that I like to go to Las Vegas. Living in Southern California means it’s only 4 hours away (depending on traffic) and gives me an excuse to wear way too much make up and get a spray tan
So when one of my readers sent the following email I realized I should write a post about it!
Hi Monica,
Love your blog!
I noticed that you are pretty familiar with fun things to do in Vegas. I’m planning a bachelorette party this summer and we are headed to Vegas and staying at the NYNY Hotel. I was wondering if you had any pointers on places to go, things to see, and maybe some tips on how to do Vegas w/o spending a million dollars or getting stuck with the new UK bookmakers at a casino?
Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!
Thank you,
Pauline
I have attended 2 bachelorette parties in Las Vegas.
My bachelorette Party is here.
And I attended a friend’s party in Vegas here.
Fun Ideas for a Bachelorette Party:
1. Strip Tease Class – We did one at Planet Hollywood and it was fun! A few different locations offer this. Sign up to receive Groupons previous to your trip and see if you can get a deal.
2. Thunder Down Under or Chip n’ Dales show – I have never been to a show like this, but I’ve heard they’re fun (super cheesy, but fun).
3. Watch a show like Holly Madison’s Bo Peep or Le Reve and then go out to a fancy dinner.
4. Hit the Pool! If you’re in Las Vegas during the summer you can also just lounge by the pool and enjoy the day. Remember Las Vegas is a desert – it’s 110 degrees during the day, but cools off at night. In the winter it’s cold!
5. Have a drink at a rooftop bar. The night time views of the Las Vegas strip are gorgeous!
6. CLUBBING! Not Baby Seals, dance clubs.
Depending on what is the hot club of the moment there could be very long lines. You can buy table service to skip the lines and get a table / somewhere to sit, but it’s expensive $$$.
Many clubs also offer pre-sale tickets so you can skip some of the line. Check their website for pricing.
When we went to Vegas in March we went to XS in the Wynn and bought tix online before since it was two couples.
Best Tip for getting into the club with no wait and for free – NO BOYS ALLOWED. If you’re all girls you can usually skip the line and be led right in. So, if you meet guys during the day DO NOT plan to walk into a club with them. Let them find you later, but guys are the c-block of skipping the line. Sorry.
Also, when you’re walking around during the day club promoters will often stop you and ask you if you’re going out tonight. They can put you on the list and will meet you at the door of a club and walk you right in. You often have to get their phone number and text them when you get there. This is NOT a scam (they should never ask for money), they are getting paid to fill the club.
7. Bring A LOT of VODKA! Pre-game in your room, stick a veil on the bachelorette girl and have fun!
8. Make a game plan before you go out. Where do you meet if you get separated? You have to notify someone if you’re leaving (with someone or back to the room). Reception can be spotty in casinos or clubs and/or your phone is hard to fit in a clutch but remember – SAFETY FIRST.
9. Enjoy the food! Vegas has tons of really great restaurants. When I go for Bachelorette parties we’re not exactly there for the fine cuisine, but Serendipity is fun and delicious!
10. Make everyone take an oath that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. *And keep those tragic pics off the internet…
*Unless you meet Chuck Liddell. Then, tell everyone. 
If you are traveling flying in try to get a packaged deal with flight and hotel. I would check Kayak and Las Vegas.com first.
Driving to Las Vegas (April 2011)
Driving to Las Vegas (March 2012)
Walking and Eating on the Strip
A Sunday Night Out in Las Vegas *We went to ROK the club in NYNY this night. It wasn’t hoppin’ but it was a Sunday night.
Question: Got any Las Vegas tips to share?
Thank you so much for this! So many great suggestions & tips! I cannot wait to try some of the places you’ve all recommended, especially to see some of the shows! Thanks, you have no idea how much this has helped!
Have fun!
My bridesmaids threw me a Vegas bachelorette party and I’m still recovering. More than six years later.
Well, VD is hard to get rid of…
My best friend and I went and saw Thunder From Down Under!! It was so much fun–they had $1 jello shots, and you could get your picture with them…too fun/funny! 🙂
I recommend planning your meals at least by how much money you want to spend per meal. We stayed at the Ventetian, and the food was pricey. We chose to eat breakfast in the hotel, lunch was cheap (maybe In-and-out!!!) and then we wold splurge on dinner.
I can’t agree more on the pictures! Some things should be for you and the people that go with you!! 🙂
So glad you reposted this! I am heading to Vegas (just for a getaway with my hubby) on Monday! Lots of great tips and places, although I will be hard pressed to get him over to chippendales! LOL
Ha! Have fun 🙂
Buy water at a store and don’t drink the hotel bottled water, it is like $5 a bottle! Also, the circle bar in the middle of the Hard Rock is pretty cool. It is off the strip but almost like a club with no lines or cover, just have to wait for drinks. Lots of guys hang out there and my entire bachelorette party drank for free one night on free drinks from guys there.
Thanks for the tip on HardRock, staying there Monday night!
Don’t eat at the P.F. Chang’s in the Planet Hollywood. There was a 90 minute wait even though we arrived at 9:30 pm. There’s a P.F. Chang’s right off the Strip (thank God we had just bought a GPS) like five minutes away with NO wait.
In fact, getting a rental car for us was essential! Because there just weren’t enough places with gluten-free/vegetarian food on the Strip so we had to drive quite a ways sometimes to find something I could eat. Thankfully we were able to find a grocery store too. It would have cost a ton if we were paying cab fares every time.
I just got back from Vegas…I’m also a SoCal girl so i go more often than I should lol!
A couple money saving tips (since other things are covered pretty well!)
1) CircusCircus has an awesome outdoor bar/stage area where they have live bands/DJ’s and the bartenders juggle bottles lit on fire! (free, just buy drinks)
2) If you want to gamble and actually have the possibility of winning, go to downtown Las Vegas, not The Strip…plus they have an amazing light show at night 🙂
3) If you drank too much and you need to detox+save money on eating out, there is a Whole Foods on The Strip, just further down, past the Las Vegas sign. 🙂
4) If you play slots, don’t do quarters…do dollars or nickels or pennies, they have better odds…also, watch out for those multiple payline penny machines…they’ll take dollars at a time you’re not careful!
5) Make sure to stop and see the water show at the Bellagio, and pirate show at Treasure Island…free and amazing to watch! (especially after a couple drinks hehe)
You wrote chippendales like the cartoon! You are officially the cutest person ever! 🙂
Ha! No, I’m a dork 🙂
I love Vegas! I’ve gone the past two years with my BFF, and we definitely learned from our traveling mistakes the first year to make the second even better.
Here are my tips:
1. Bring your own sunscreen. It is marked up about 100% at most places in Vegas.
2. Bring your own vodka/liquor and mixers, as well as fruit, granola bars, bottled water etc… When you wake up tired and dehydrated from a late night, you’ll want this stuff without having to go anywhere. Also, Vegas tap water is gross.
3. Get to the pool early – especially if you have a big group. It can be hard to find lounge chairs next to each other if you have 3 or more people in your group.
4. Totally agree with Monica – do not expect to walk into clubs with dudes you bring or meet. When I was in Vegas last month my 2 girlfriends and I skipped the line at Tryst, paid no cover and were given free drink tickets. (We had met a promoter at the pool earlier that day.) The dudes we had met found us inside half an hour later; they had each paid a $30 cover.
5. Go to Hyde Bellagio. It’s a lounge/club right behind the famous Bellagio fountains. It is so cool to see the fountains from the other side. I went on Sunday and it was super chill but still awesome – we were able to score a booth right in the front.
6. Day drink while walking down the Strip. It will always be awesome.
7. No matter how comfortable you think your heels are, try to find a way to squeeze a pair of flats in your bag when you go out. Your feet will thank you the next day.
8. Dress over-the-top whenever possible. Everyone is in Vegas for one reason: to have FUN, and that means different things to different people. There is truly no judgment.
Thanks Shannon! I always leave Vegas with the grossest blisters from walking in heels all night.
Sounds like a ton of fun! I’ve never been to Vegas (boo!) but want to go soon to experience it. Glad I have some tips now for when I actually get my butt out there to go.
Great tips for Vegas! I went once a couple of years ago, and would love to go again one day. I’m going to keep your tips in mind!
God I love Vegas!!
I had my bachelorette party in Vegas and it was fantastic. Vegas people love a bachelorette…we had shirts for the party and we got so many free perks. Having gorgeous friends also helps…people tend to like pretty girls in their clubs. Water bottles from CVS and bringing some of your own snacks is key! Share food too…portions are big and you get to try a bit of everything. Drink on the casino floor for free while you gamble.
i just went to chippendales. it was a HILARIOUS FUN night. totally cheesey but soooooooooooooooooooooo hilarious and fun!!!!!!!!!!
(also happy to have an SR update! thx!)
I wanna go! I haven’t been in a few years and I’m overdue!
I need to go to Vegas with you. Ha! Seriously though. I have been 3 times, and never with the purpose of clubbing (and/or having bar/drinking type fun).
My only tip is to eat when hungry and stop when full. Vegas is filled with good eats but you don’t want to get sick or feel bloated because you ate too much. Most of all, let go and have fun! Oh wait…see Zumanity — it’s erotic cirque du soleil. It’s so good and sensual. You will not be disappointed if you like that kind of stuff!
Monica, you are a super blogger! I can’t wrap my head around your awesome blogging schedule. Go girl!
Thanks Ro 🙂
Just got back from Vegas yesterday. A really fun place we went to eat was Dick’s Last Resort in the Excalibur Hotel. The wait staff is known to be raunchy and rude on purpose. My friends and I had a great time and the food was good too!
I love Las Vegas..and the NYNY is such a fun hotel. As far as restaurants go, Serendipity’s is definitely a good choice and so is the Strip House in the Planet Hollywood if you’re looking for a fancier meal. I’ve been to Chippendales and it is a ton of fun especially with a big group of girls! Another fun idea is renting a cool sports car from Dream Car rentals and cruising the strip…we took a Viper to Hoover Dam on our last visit :0). Such a fun city!
Stock your room with bottled water! Don’t drink it from the tap. There are plenty of liquor stores/CVS’ nearby to purchase the clean water. And then you can reuse the empty bottles to refill with your favorite alcohol and carry those with you!!
My cost saving tip is to bring oatmeal packets, bagels, and bananas to have for breakfast. It’s also nice to have something to eat in the room when you inevitably wake up hungover and your friends are all still sleeping!
Don’t stay at the MGM, they are doing major construction.