Vegas, Always a Good Idea!
Fabulous hotels, incredible restaurants, designer shopping and spectacular entertainment—my formula for doing Vegas well.
Vegas is one of those places I love in small doses.
A fabulous hotel. A great dinner. A little designer shopping. A spectacular show. Maybe a late night followed by a very civilized spa afternoon.
I've been to Las Vegas for birthdays, girls' weekends, anniversary celebrations, and quick escapes over the years, and I've learned that the secret to enjoying it is not trying to do everything.
Pick a beautiful place to stay, make a few great reservations, and let Vegas provide the rest.
Stay Somewhere Fabulous
Where you stay makes a difference in Vegas.
Encore at Wynn has long been one of my go-tos. Beautiful rooms, great restaurants, a fabulous pool and spa—and enough happening within the resort that you don't constantly need to be crossing the Strip.
For something quieter, I also like the Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas. It has the rare distinction of being right on the Strip without a casino, which can feel like a welcome escape from the Vegas energy.
Sometimes a little calm is the ultimate luxury.
Vegas Strip
Eat & Drink Well
In Vegas, food is very much part of the entertainment.
Zuma for Japanese food and a buzzy atmosphere. Gymkhana for incredible Indian food. And Delilah when I want dinner to feel like a night out—glamorous, beautiful, and full of energy.
I prefer choosing one fabulous dinner and building the evening around it rather than racing from reservation to reservation.
And sometimes, dinner is the night out.
See a Spectacular Show
Vegas does spectacle better than almost anywhere.
The Sphere has taken that to another level. The venue itself is extraordinary, but seeing a concert or show inside is the real experience. If something is playing that appeals to you, get tickets. We were lucky enough to see The Dead. And all I can say is wow.
And then there are the classics. Cirque du Soleil's O at Bellagio is still quintessential Vegas—water, acrobatics, and theatricality on a scale that feels perfectly suited to the city.
A great performance can easily become the reason for the trip.
The Dead at the Sphere
Shop, Spa & Recover
I always leave time for shopping, the pool, and, ideally, the spa.
For designer shopping, I enjoy Wynn, the Venetian and The Shops at Crystals. Between the three, there isn't much you can't find.
The Spa at Encore is also a wonderful antidote to a late Vegas night.
A treatment, a little shopping, a long lunch, and nowhere you need to be until dinner?
That's my kind of Vegas afternoon.
MBellished Tips
Check the entertainment calendar first. See what's playing at the Sphere and Allegiant Stadium before choosing your weekend.
Book your dinners early. Zuma, Gymkhana and Delilah would be on my list.
Leave room in the schedule. Pool, spa, and shopping time are part of the experience—not empty space that needs filling.
Stay somewhere you want to spend time. In Vegas, your hotel is part of the trip.
Don't underestimate the Strip. Everything looks closer than it actually is.
MBellished Passport
Destination: Las Vegas, Nevada
Perfect For: Girls' weekends · Birthdays · Couples' escapes · Concert weekends
Stay: Encore at Wynn
Eat: Zuma · Gymkhana · Delilah
Shop: Wynn · Venetian · The Shops at Crystals
See: Sphere · Allegiant Stadium · O at Bellagio
Reset: Spa at Encore
Ideal Stay: 2–3 nights
MBellished Mood: Glamorous · Indulgent · High-energy
My Vegas Rule: Don't overbook it.
Vegas will never be subtle.
But I've learned that the best way to enjoy it is with a little restraint: stay somewhere fabulous, eat well, see something spectacular, shop a little, and leave yourself time to recover.
Two or three nights?
Perfect.