- Where We Stayed
- Day 1: Wandering North
- Day 2: The South Side + Slightly Wild Choices
- Day 3: Downtown Detour
- Final Notes
Every year, my best friend Anna and I meet somewhere new to catch up and wander. We’ve been doing this since high school, she’s in Seattle, I’m in Houston, and this year we picked Vegas. Neither of us drink much or gamble, so naturally, we planned a very nontraditional Sin City weekend. Spoiler: it was amazing.
Where We Stayed
The hotel search was rough—we wanted to be near the Strip without paying Strip prices. Enter: The Jockey Club Suites, which I found online for $515 total (three nights, king suite, right behind the Bellagio). It looked iffy at first—our cab driver had never heard of it, and the alleyway entrance didn’t inspire confidence—but once inside? Jackpot.
- Full kitchen, big living area, huge closet
- Decor: ’70s grandma with a red carpet twist
- View: a stunning white wall
- Comfort level: surprisingly excellent
Turns out, it’s a timeshare property (hence the great deal). Just avoid the concierge unless you want to be pitched.
Day 1: Wandering North
We checked in, dropped our bags, and headed out with zero plan. Just a direction: north.
First stop? The Flamingo Wildlife Habitat is a surprisingly quiet pocket in the middle of the madness. Flamingos, koi, ducks, and manicured waterfalls. It felt like stumbling into a different city entirely. Free, peaceful, and weirdly charming. While we were in the area, we stumbled into our first Vegas meal at Carlos and Charlie’s. They had gluten-free options and a Tex-Mex style menu. Not usually my go-to cuisine, but we were starving, so we dove in. The food was decent, but the atmosphere made up for it. We sat outside on the patio near the bar, surrounded by cow butts on the wall and an energy that felt equal parts spring break and themed birthday party.
From there, we wandered into the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, where we found a winding escalator that felt unnecessarily dramatic in the best way. The shops were beautiful, with painted ceilings, faux-street lighting, and plenty of air conditioning. Anna was completely captivated by the architecture, pointing out the oversized columns, intricate moldings, and how everything seemed built to impress. We didn’t buy anything, but the people-watching was excellent.
We passed two Gordon Ramsay restaurants, and I absolutely paused to fangirl. I’ve seen every episode of Hell’s Kitchen. Anna, less emotionally invested, waited patiently while I took my obligatory outside-the-restaurant photo.
The night wrapped with a free street performance just before the Bellagio Fountains. We joined the crowd, watched a group of guys do flips, and roast each other between tricks. They were incredibly talented, not just in the air but in how they worked the crowd. Funny, sharp, and totally in control, they had toddlers giggling and grandparents clapping along. Somehow, in the middle of the Strip, they made it feel like everyone was part of the show. We stayed for the fountains after, classic Vegas, but still pretty magical.
Final stop: Target across from our hotel. We stocked up on snacks and breakfast supplies—because if you’ve got a full kitchen, you might as well use it.
Not bad for day one.
Day 2: The South Side + Slightly Wild Choices
We started the day heading south on the Strip, where The Venetian does its best impression of Venice, gondolas, canals, and a painted sky that’s always sunset. We skipped the $30 boat ride (we’re not that committed to the bit) but enjoyed the air-conditioning and general over-the-top-ness. Also worth noting: moving walkways that go up and down. Engineers of Vegas, we see you.
Next up: FlyOver Iceland. Facebook tracked my every move and suggested this 4D ride, so naturally, I clicked. You soar over waterfalls, skim past glaciers, and get misted and jostled just enough to question whether you’ve left the building. It was $37 online and absolutely worth it—one of the best things we did.
Then came the roller coaster at New York, New York. We bought tickets the night before when it seemed like a good idea. By the time we reached the top (which felt like an actual flight path), I was questioning everything. Anna loved it. I screamed, cursed (silently-ish), and held on for dear life. But we did it. Box checked.
Naturally, we stopped at the Hershey’s store and took the chocolate sampling way too seriously. Final verdict:
- 🏆 Café Kisses: smooth and bold
- 🥈 Brownie Sprinkle: solid second
- ❌ Dark Chocolate PB Cup: we wanted to like you
We refueled at Nine Fine Irishmen, a pub that doesn’t look like a pub unless you go inside. The salmon salad hit the spot, and they had great gluten-free options. Outdoor seating was perfect since the weather finally decided to cooperate.
The day ended with our only ticketed show: Mad Apple by Cirque du Soleil. It was a wild mix of comedy, acrobatics, live music, and just enough raunchiness to remind you you’re in Vegas. Crowd interaction, insane talent, great energy—easily a 5-star experience.
A solid mix of chaos and calm, with just enough sugar and adrenaline to keep things interesting.
Day 3: Downtown Detour
For our final day, we decided to leave the Strip behind and explore Fremont Street—because why not end the trip with even more neon?
We took The Deuce, which wins for best bus name and budget-friendliest ride. Despite the internet’s overly dramatic complaints (stoplights? On a city street? Shocking), it was clean, easy to navigate, and $8 for a full-day pass. Download the app if you’re a planner—but be warned, the app is clunky and feels like it was built in 2006. Still, it worked.
Fremont is everything you’ve heard: louder, brighter, and somehow even more chaotic than the Strip. There’s a massive light canopy overhead, people zip-lining through the air above you, and a live band roughly every block. It’s like walking through a rock concert inside a pinball machine.
We wandered for a bit before deciding we needed food now and found Le Thai, just off the main drag. No wait, gluten-free friendly, and absolutely delicious. Anna ordered the Panang curry, I got the Three-Curry Mix with extra veg, and both were dangerously good. If I lived nearby, I’d be a regular.
Next stop: Container Park, which looked cooler online than in person. It’s a collection of repurposed shipping containers turned into shops around a central courtyard. There’s a playground in the middle, a giant metal praying mantis out front, and a general vibe of “hipster flea market meets family fun.” Cute, quirky, not essential.
Then we made our way to The Mob Museum, which ended up being one of the biggest surprises of the trip. We showed up just in time for a talk by Frank Calabrese Jr., son of a notorious Chicago mobster. The man literally had a hit put out on him … by his own father. Wild doesn’t even begin to cover it.
After the talk, we wandered through the museum itself, which is beautifully curated with photos, artifacts, and the whole wild history of organized crime and its Vegas connection. Definitely worth the $35 ticket.
We finished the day with one last lap around Fremont—more lights, more bands, more zip-liners overhead—and then finally called it. Our hotel room (and that questionable red carpet) had never looked so good.
Final Notes
We left early Sunday, ten minutes to the airport, breakfast in the lounge (thanks, Priority Pass), and promises to plan our next trip soon. (Maybe the Keys?)
You can do Vegas differently. No gambling, no hangovers, no regrets. Just a best friend, some strong walking shoes, and a healthy appreciation for the unexpected.
Recalculating ... 