Becoming a mom today doesn’t mean forfeiting all the fun parts of life. One thing we all want to do is travel. There are different modes of mommy travel: the couples trip, the family trip, and the girls only trip. When our spouses heard “Vegas” they were in for our first couples trip! (We’ll see how enthusiastic they are when we want to go to Louisiana to semi-stalk the Twilight cast. We say semi so we won’t be prosecuted.)
Las Vegas: The Couples Trip
Statistics say that having a baby puts a huge strain on your marriage. It is crucial to keep your connection alive with your spouse. We sometimes forget to nurture the spousal relationship because we’re so focused on our children. If there’s one place in the country where you can almost put your focus 100% on your spouse, it’s Vegas!
BirminghamMommy.com got the grandparents to watch the kids for a long weekend so we could check out Sin City. Here’s our scoop:
Getting there, Southwest.com– They have great direct flight options. This is a long flight and with the time change, you don’t want to miss out on too much of the fun, so do the extra money to avoid making a 3 hour flight a 6 hour ordeal. Southwest knew what our weekend goal was, they did a fun raffle on the flight that got our gambling money ready to exit our pockets. We lost the raffle, then crossed our fingers that it was foreshadowing for the trip!
TravelZoo.com– They have great deals all the time, but especially on last minute trips. Check them for flights, packages, and hotels. They currently have a special for the new Aria hotel in Vegas. If you’re considering trying it out, we say go for it. The hotel was a high energy, modern setting full of interesting architectural features.
The Stay- There are so many options when it comes to hotels. We stayed at the MGM Signature Grand. A word of advice- staying in a hotel that does NOT have a casino in the lobby allows you to get a little break from the constant party/smoke/action. As fun as the action may be, it is more relaxing to the multi-functioning mommy brain to be able to “reset” and transition into a more calm setting. I guess the kids’ bedtime routine has rooted itself deeply in our brains. That being said, I think the idea of always staying somewhere different is a good idea. Every place is it’s own experience.
Kids? There aren’t many kids in Vegas, for obvious reasons. We feel like this lessens the reminders of what you’re missing. There’s nothing worse than getting a night out and being seated next to a crying, temper tantrum throwing toddler. Not only is the noise bad, but then you start to miss the noise your own would make. A word of warning- you will see a sleeping baby thrown over the shoulder of a smoking, gambling, drinking adult at some or many points in your trip. Resist the urge to give the evil eye!
Nightlife. If you watched the Real World: Las Vegas, you know Ghost Bar at the Palms. It may be a cliché and I’m sure the locals frown at it, but cliché aside, this place is great. Incredible views, great music selections, and some really interesting people watching. (If your skirt is THAT short, we recommend panties!) Ghost Bar kind of embodies Vegas nightlife- it combines trendy with over the top and is somewhere that doesn’t seem remotely like real life.
Food. Vegas has so much to offer. You only live once- get breakfast served in your room! Or head to a buffet- there’s just something about the myriad of offerings in a buffet that makes me giddy. And there will be lines, but don’t worry! The city of Las Vegas is a well-oiled machine when it comes to getting your money in a timely fashion. You won’t wait too long. Try some international or fusion eats. Of all of our experiences we highly recommend Nobu. It is an amazing fusion restaurant with sushi that will rock your taste buds. There’s also an element of romance, as it is family dining. Order a few hot dishes and a few cold dishes and share away!
Options. The best part of Vegas is the options. They’ve pretty much got you covered when it comes to entertainment options, food options, shopping options. (Helloooo Kate Spade OUTLET!) Research any shows you are interested in before you go, get an idea of the price points, and look for coupons or special offers online. There will be random people handing out discount cards for a “donation.” Don’t waste your time, the cards actually say “Don’t tip for this!”
Be prepared to hoof it. The curse of Vegas is the desire to wear really awesome heels, coupled with the fact that you will be walking a short marathon over the course of the night. Invest in hot yet comfy shoes, you’ll thank us.
ToVegas is an experience that works well as a couples trip or a girls’ trip. Rent “The Hangover” before you go. It’ll get you in the mood!
