Las Vegas Solo Trip: Solo Female Travel

I have been to Las Vegas twice now and both times have been alone. The first time I spent a Friday and Saturday in the city of sin. The second time I booked a spontaneous 3 day trip from a Sunday- Wednesday. I found a great deal using Skyscanner and just could not pass it up. Feel free to use my link and see what deals you can find. (Compare prices on flights with Skyscanner) Each trip provided me with different experiences, all of which I am going to pass on to you! Here are my tips for a Las Vegas solo trip. Stay safe and hydrated my friends!

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Hydration is Key:

Even during the times that Vegas isn’t super hot it is important to make sure that you are staying super hydrated. Las Vegas is located in a desert where the air is very dry. The dry air will definitely dry you out as a person which can easily lead to dehydration. Its important that at several parts of the day it is important to make sure that you are drinking plenty of water. I will also have a Gatorade or a Poweraid depending on how much walking that I have been doing. Keep in mind that basically everything in Vegas is overpriced. I recommend that you buy water by the gallon and get a reusable water bottle. This way you can fill it up before you leave and at a water fountain. A small bottle of Dasani can cost $3-4. It’s ridiculous.

The Strip vs. Freemont Blvd

My first time in Vegas I stayed right off the strip. It was literally a 2-3 minute walk and I would be right there on Las Vegas Blvd. There are a lot of perks to staying on or directly off of The Strip. For one, you won’t really need to get an uber or lyft (use my lift code KHADIJAH55261 for discounted Vegas rides) If you are planning to see any of the shows then you can easily walk to most of them and avoid the hassle of traffic. The downside of doing this is that you will also have to deal with the crowds which can be rowdy at times. If this is the type of atmosphere that you are going for then it may be beneficial to be closer to the action.

I happen not to be a gambler so the second time that I went to Vegas I stayed about 3 miles off of the traditional strip on Freemont Blvd. There are a few benefits of staying off of the strip. For one you can save a lot of money. I was able to pay between $29-40 dollars a night for the two different hotels that I stayed at. It only cost me about $7 to get a lyft ride to the strip. The hotel that I stayed in was quiet and clean. Freemont Blvd also offers a variety of entertainment with Downtown Las Vegas attractions. This included a zip line, the Las Vegas Outlet Mall, and a number or eateries and casinos.

Non Gambling activities

I should mention that gambling can be found in practically any hotel lobby or casino around. If gambling is what you want then you will have very little difficulty in finding it. However, if you are like me and prefer to spend your money an time on activities and experiences then there are plenty of things that you can do. Of course you can go to a number of shows. I have personally seen Mind Freak and there are an abundance of circus, magic, and musical shows that you can go to.

I would also suggest that you invest in one of the many tours that they give to either the Hoover Dam or the Grand Canyon. During my first trip to Vegas I took a bus tour to the Hoover Dam. The tour bus picked me up at the hotel next to mine. It was air conditioned and also had Wifi. During the tour we were given plenty of time to explore the area on my own, take the tour, get food, and buy souvenirs. They also have bus tours that will take you to the Northern Rim of the Grand Canyon (during the times that it is not closed for winter).

I suggest that anyone going to Vegas takes the time to explore Groupon. I have been able to get cheap massages, try out new restaurants, and even get a 50% off Hoover Dam tour all through the website.

Food

Vegas can be quite expensive when it comes to getting food. There are a few ways to combat this. Try to avoid buying food in the hotel gift shops. If I wanted to have any sort of drinks then I would stock up at a gas station or Walgreens and then keep the drinks in the fridge at my hotel. If you want to order room service expect for there to be a delivery fee of about $10. In addition to the delivery fee it is expected that you also tip. Did I mention that there are typically pretty high taxes?

This is one of the main reasons why I would use Groupon. This isn’t a plug, it’s just facts. I have been able to save money on buffets, get cashback on purchases, and even try new restaurants. It also allows me to save money on some of the tourist attractions. This allows more room in my budget to try new places to eat or absorb the cost of overpriced items.

You can also try to find a hotel that has a kitchen in it. I was able to stay at the Desert Rose my first time in Vegas. The hotel had a full sized kitchen. If you are really wanting to save money you could cook a couple of your meals instead of eating out.

Safety

Safety is always my biggest concern with being in a big city. There are a few tips that I used to stay safe each time that I went. I always made sure to talk on well lit roads. There are plenty of opportunities to walk through fields or parking lots. I never take this chance. When I walked back after a late night show I tried to stay along routes that had a lot of people. During times that I was leaving a restaurant I would make sure that I had a contact buddy. This is a person that I would contact when I left and also when I got safely to my hotel.

Always make sure to watch your drinks. If possible try to go to the bar and get them yourself. If you watch your drinks get poured you may avoid having things put in them. I would never take ride from strangers or be escorted somewhere by anyone that was not a tour guide or an employee.

Hidden Fees

Hidden fees will be a catch all term for extra costs that you may not immediately think of. One of the main fees that you may find when traveling in Vegas is the resort fee that a lot of hotels will attach to the nightly rate. This can often be as much as $40 dollars. Every hotel that I have stayed at has a daily resort fee. In addition to nightly rates and the resort fees you can also expect a fee for incidentals. At the hotels that I stayed at this was paid up front and returned when you check out. I’m mentioning this not to deter people from going due to extra costs but as a way of helping people properly plan. Please read some of my other blogs on ways to cut costs for hotels and flights.

Free parking is a thing and I would suggest that you try to find a hotel that has it. Many of the hotels, especially the ones that are directly off the strip will make you pay for nightly parking, there may even be some, where the parking is valet. If you are on a budget these are all things that you need to pay attention to. My first time in Vegas I was in the middle of a road trip and drove in. I was lucky enough to have picked a hotel that had free nightly parking and I simply walked to the strip. I learn on my second trip that having a car in Vegas really isn’t a necessity. Uber and Lyft are readily available and much more efficient if you don’t want to drive.

Beware of any almost everything that you can buy in the hotels. One way to get hit with fees is at the ATM machines in the hotel lobbies. Most of these will carry the standard $3 fee if it isn’t your bank. It will not be your bank. They are always those random, no name, ATM machines. There is alway no guarantee that the fee will stop at $3. It could easily be $5 or more. Save your coins. Try to use an actual bank, especially your bank, if you can.

There you have it! My tips and tricks for a solo trip in Vegas.