By Alexa B. and Sara G.
After a much discussed topic about where we should venture for our senior year college spring break, a unanimous decision was made that Las Vegas would be our destination. The next steps flew by. We booked through Expedia and got round trip flights and a hotel package for 4 nights at The Cosmopolitan for a very reasonable number! We booked this trip in November and it felt like March would never come.
When March finally arrived, we packed our bags and met at JFK at 6 AM to catch our 7:30 AM flight. The next 5 days were a blur.
When we first got to the hotel, we were put in a double room with two queen size beds and an amazing view of the strip. The room was a great size for 4 girls (with a lot of clothes and shoes!) It was discussed that an upgrade would be possible, but one wasn’t available. A bummer at first, but certainly did not take away from our experience. The Cosmopolitan is the only hotel on the strip with terraces, so that would have been a nice extra. The hotel was huge, as were all of the other hotels on the strip. The first floors tended to be the casino and there was an average of 10 restaurants in each one with multiple pools (accessible by all hotel guests). There were plenty of other accommodations that made it almost impossible to venture off the property. However, there were a couple of catches. While we can only speak for The Cosmopolitan, there was an additional charge for a day pass to the fitness center and spa. The fitness center charge was a surprise, but the spa was not.
Once we got back from our trip the main question was: what was your favorite place to eat? That question is nearly impossible as the food opportunities in Las Vegas are endless. Round the clock, there was always multiple food options. 
Some of our highlights included: Lavo (in The Palazzo), STK (in The Cosmopolitan), Andreas (in The Encore), Giada (in The Cromwell), and Yellowtail (in The Bellagio). 
The famous meatball from Lavo, tuna pizza from Yellowtail, and the tuna with crispy rice from Andreas were definitely some of the best appetizers we have ever eaten. Also, if you pass The Bellagio, the fountain show is a must!
Shopping was not hard to find as almost every hotel had their own mall of high end and more affordable stores. There were also multiple boutiques and souvenir shops throughout the strip, which is expected from any touristy location.
If you are over 21 and looking for a party during the day, there are many beach club/pool party opportunities with special guest DJ’s that you must check out. We would advise to purchase a cabana or a day bed so that you have a place to sit and put your belongings while you are there. Your purchase becomes your bar tab as well so It is definitely worth the money. We decided on Tao beach club and purchased a day bed, but unfortunately got stuck in a rain and windstorm while there, so we did not get the full experience. They did upgrade us to a heated, enclosed cabana so that we could finish out our tab and get the most out of the situation. Definitely check the weather forecast before your purchase so that this does not happen to you.
If you’re looking to go out at night, there are more than enough choices. The clubs we went to were: Marquee (in The Cosmopolitan), Omnia (in Caesar’s Palace), and Hakkasan (in MGM). If you want to avoid those pesky cover charges, which we successfully did for all 4 nights, walk down the strip during the day and you will meet multiple club promoters that will happily add your name to the list that night. Be careful: when there are big DJs playing at the clubs, there is a long line, but we promise it’s worth it! There are also some good drink deals, especially if you are female. For example, Marquee had an open bar from 11-12.
Las Vegas is more than just drinking, though! Our last day, we went to Red Rock Canyon and hiked the beautiful desert. This was a definite activity that should be done, and we were all excited to have gone.
We also attended two shows while there and would highly recommend both. We saw Ká, by Cirque de Soleil, and Magic Mike Live. Although very different experiences for each show, they were amazing. Ká is entertaining for all ages and filled with action, acrobatics, and a great storyline. There are elements of the show that appear throughout different locations in the theater so sitting in the front is not critical. 
There was fire, water, sand, lights, fireworks, and anything else you can imagine that would make for an amazing performance. Magic Mike is an 18+ male dancing show like no other. It follows the storyline of the Magic Mike movies and is much more about the dancing and the story than the stripping. Not to say there isn’t any clothes coming off, but it definitely showcases it’s dancing in a more professional manner than a typical strip club. The theater is much smaller than it appears online, so any seat is a good seat. But if you want personal interactions with the dancers, definitely sit in the lower level.
Lastly, transportation is great in Vegas. We took Ubers everywhere we went, and from one end of the strip to the other it was no more than $10. We even took an Uber to Red Rock Canyon (about 40 minutes away) and paid $35 one way. That deal can’t be beat!
If you’re thinking about Las Vegas, no matter what age or gender, GO! There is something for everyone there, and there are bargains/deals on every corner.
