Travel Guide: Las Vegas - Solo Trip
Here we go … AGAIN? Yep, I managed to take trip number three during the pandemic. This trip was really a birthday present to myself. For a very long time, I had the desire to take a solo trip out west for a lot of different reasons. I love traveling and I do love nature and exploring. I am not a true nature lover or tree hugger but I do have a great enough appreciation for nature. This trip to Las Vegas, the stars just aligned so I jumped at the opportunity to go. So let’s get into everything I did.
Flight. The flights to Las Vegas are so very cheap right now just like anywhere else. My flight was $170 which is unheard of from Newark Liberty Airport. The flight will easily run you $3-400+ even planned in advance. I purchased my ticket about 3-4 days before my scheduled flight. I used my American Express points to book my flight.
Accommodations. I stayed at Harrah’s Las Vegas Hotel and Casino right on the strip. Since I do gamble here in New Jersey in Atlantic City, I get reward points toward food and hotel. So, I was able to get my room for free and only paid for taxes and resort fee which was about $125. Even if you do not have reward points, the rooms in Las Vegas are a lot cheaper than usual due to COVID and the amount of people that are not traveling to Las Vegas at the moment.
So as you can see, the hotel & flight was essentially next to nothing which is why I felt like it was a no brainer to go on this trip.
Getting Around. I rented a Chevy Malibu from Hertz for the duration of my trip. I really wanted a Mustang Convertible but there were issues at Hertz when picking up the car that prevented me from getting a convertible. The Chevy Malibu served its purpose and I am appreciative.
Restaurants. As most of you know or will learn about me, I spare no expense on a quality meal or dining experience. I just love to eat and I love a quality quality meal. Here are some of the restaurants I went to while in Vegas.
In and Out Burger (located by the Linq Hotel - walking distance from Harrah’s) - In and Out Burger is not new to any of us of course and they are located everywhere on the West Coast. I personally will just never get the hype with them, sorry not sorry. I will take Shake Shack over In and Out Burger literally anyyyyy day. But hey, I went the first day I arrived because I was so hungry and it was walking distance from Harrah’s.
Yardbird Southern Table and Bar (located in the Venetian Las Vegas) - I loveeee Yardbird. I first had it in Miami years back and they have not ever disappointed me. They’re known for their fried chicken of course but seriously all of their food is AMAZING. If I am in Miami or Vegas I always make sure to go here. This trip, I had the Deviled Eggs for an appetizer, Fried Chicken Wings (A La Cart) and the Shrimp & Grits. They are also located in Las Vegas, LA, Dallas, DC, and Singapore. If you’re in any of these cities I highly recommend a stop at Yardbird.
Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab (located in Caesar’s Palace Las Vegas) - This restaurant is historical known for their Stone Crabs and they have been around over 100 years. The first time I had Joe’s was my very first visit to Vegas back in 2011. They are only located in Las Vegas, DC and Chicago. Definitely priced on the higher side for dining but if quality food is your thing like mine then this place is worth a stop for sure. They are SOLID. I had the crab cake for an appetizer, the seafood platter as my main and the key-lime pie which they are also known for.
Carbone (located in Aria Resort and Casino) - Carbone is easily one of my favorite restaurants, ever. I have been to the Carbone in New York City twice but this was my first visit at the Las Vegas location. They also have a location in Hamptons, NY. The service is always A-1, amazing. It is extremely hard to get a reservation at Carbone in New York pre-quarantine/pandemic and now during the pandemic it is next to impossible. While in Las Vegas, I called the day of and was able to get a reservation the same day. They are famously known for the Spicy Rigatoni, Veal Parmesan and Meatballs. But honestly, everything is good here, EVERYTHING. I definitely without a doubt recommend Carbone either in New York or Las Vegas. I had their shrimp appetizer, spicy rigatoni, meatballs, and the lemon cheesecake for dessert.
Excursions/Exploring. I wasn’t in Las Vegas to gamble at all really but I tried my luck and managed to lose a little on the slot machines (deep sighs). I wanted to explore outside of Las Vegas and everything I planned was with purpose for me.
Seven Magic Mountains. First stop. Seven Magic Mountains is a desert art installation featuring 7 painted boulder totems up to 35 ft. high by the artist Ugo Rondinone. This was originally suppose to be removed in 2018 but the permit to keep the display was extended to remain through 2021. So if you want to see this art installation your time is slowly running out. This is a free tourist attraction which is a 30 minute drive from the Las Vegas strip. You do not need a tour guide or anything you can just drive up and walk right up to the huge oversized stones.
Red Rock Canyon. Second stop. Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is a 13 mile long drive that features numerous hiking trails, bike routes, and camping sites. As of November, the website states the canyon will require reservations ahead of time. The entry fee is $15 per vehicle. The scenic views you get on the drive here and pretty much all the locations I went to are simply amazing.
Valley of Fire. Third Stop. Valley of the Fire State Park is about 45,000 acres of land of recreation and nature preservation area which is located about an hour from Las Vegas strip. In terms of my travel, from Red Rock Canyon to Valley of Fire is about 1 hr and 15 minutes from each other. The entry is $10 per vehicle. There are tons of trails and camp sites here as well. There are tours you can do to Valley of Fire but truthfully you do not need it. I like being able to control my time when doing excursions or activities. A tour guide is unnecessary because you can drive and park you car to each trail which are about 0.3 to 1.5 miles max.
Grand Canyon West Rim. Grand Canyon West Rim is about a 2hr and 10min drive from the strip. Originally, I had planned to do a guided tour because I did not want to do the drive two hours there and back. When I was searching tours they were all about 10-15 hours long and starting at 6:30am pick from the hotel. It just seem like such a long day ahead. I met a woman at Red Rock Canyon, also traveling solo, who said a tour to the Grand Canyon West Rim was not necessary and could be done on my own. After thinking about it, I decided to just do the drive myself. I am SO happy I did. The tours that are 10-15 hours, depending on the company you book with, can be anywhere from $95 and up. That is on the higher side right now from what I was told. A lot of businesses are trying to make up for lost revenue during COVID, so some of the added on attractions and tours are a lot more expensive than usual. The drive to Grand Canyon West is simply beautiful. There are mountains and valleys all throughout the entire drive like nothing I’d ever see here on the East Coast. I found the drive to be extremely peaceful. There is an amazing view in every direction. On the way to Grand Canyon West, the Hoover Dam is along the route. Unfortunately, due to COVID, the Hoover Damn is currently closed with no date right now of reopening. I do not think I personally missed anything. There are a lot of reviews I read said the Hoover Dam is very underwhelming. Once you reach Grand Canyon West there are a bunch of tours you can do. A regular tour, which is what I did, was $39 for entry to the Grand Canyon West and for an additional $20 you can do the Skywalk. The Skywalk is a glass floor that you can see straight down into the canyon. If you are scared of heights I do not recommend this at all. There are two stops at the Grand Canyon West with the regular admission ticket. They also have a helicopter tour, kayak tour and some other options you can book once you arrive.
Grand Canyon South Rim is known to be way better than the West Rim. Some people I met actually said the West Rim is very underwhelming compared to the South Rim. The South Rim is about a 4hr drive from the Las Vegas strip. It might be worth doing a tour for the South Rim because that is a long distance if you are driving alone but if you are in a group of people it might be best to just go yourselves on a real adventure. The Grand Canyon South Rim is owned by the government whereas the West Rim is still owned by Native Americans. The touristy options are supposedly better at the South Rim and there are a lot more family friendly options for children too. The West Rim is fully funded by the Native Americans and they use the money to pay their people and to maintain the West Rim.
This trip to Las Vegas, NV was a great first time solo trip experience. Las Vegas is not an unknown place to me entirely, I have been two times prior to this trip but for turn up vibes so this was a different experience. This is the perfect solo distancing trip you can probably do right now because it is not pack at all like it would normally be and there is so much space out there you are never too close to anyone. This is a super easy trip to plan ahead of time or even last minute like I did. Solo travel can be scary but I think picking the right place FOR YOU is key. This trip was perfect for me and what I needed. I was able to think, clear my head and take in all the beauty of each place I went. I got to do exactly what Jordan wanted to do and take my time doing it without distractions. All these places are beautiful in their own right and definitely deserve a visit if you can make it happen.
Happy Traveling :)
