Hey Family Viva Las Vegas!! Welcome back to Milove of Life!! This week has been so much fun! We went to Las Vegas as a group of 8 to celebrate Bre & Dineka’s birthdays’!

Yes, all 8 of us traveled to Las Vegas to celebrate my Partner & her cousin’s birthdays’ this weekend, during a global health pandemic. It wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be. The state of Nevada, in general, has so many health mandates in place it seems like everyone is enforcing those rules. I’ll run down the steps we took to ensure our safety and still live it up in Sin City!

Be prepared to wear a mask in most places in Sin City. When booking reservations for more than 6 people at restaurants, pool parties, etc, make sure you book in groups of 6. We had 8, so we booked in 2 groups of 4. Be friendly to the hostess, managers, they understand you’re a group and want to be near each other, but be flexible because they have to follow those mandates to keep their business’ open. Everywhere we went we were accommodated through patience, it didn’t happen immediately but we were able to sit as a group in some form.

Planning

I created a group chat 3 months before our trip date to maintain an open line of communication between us. The group size shrunk from 11 to 8 throughout that time, but it all worked out. 

My first task was to create a Travel Budget, not too strict but an idea of how much we would all spend on the basics; room, travel, food, alcohol, activities. A rough number divided would be affordable to the entire group. My rough number came under $400 a person, not including flight information, I didn’t want to give myself an aneurysm. 

The Place We Stayed:

I went back & forth with lodging. I knew we needed a lot of space, so the penthouse suites on the strip sounded like an ideal place to stay. Most hotels with spacious suites were sold out or simply closed due to COVID. One that I kept reconsidering was a 2 bedroom suite with pull out couches. We would’ve been cramped in that space. 

So, Airbnb it is. I searched for enough beds for the group, the more time I spent looking and adding costs it didn’t make sense to go that route. Homes with the amenities we wanted (pool, hot tub, 8 beds, gaming tables) ranging from $2400 and up, bringing our cost for just the housing to $300 a person, way over budget. Then to consider if our number kept shrinking, we’d have to cover the difference. 

Direct link to our host, Justin! He was AMAZING!! He has multiple properties in Las Vegas!

https://www.airbnb.com/users/show/60899641

Reality set in, we’re all girls, we can partner up, let’s be realistic! I stumbled on the “perfect house”. Beautiful 4 bedroom, 3 bathrooms, tri-level, with pool, hot tub, bar, & everything we wanted for.. drumroll, $1600. Oh & pet friendly!! I let everyone know, $150 a person, and I’ll pay the difference, fees & what have you. 

Flights:

I followed my gut & booked Southwest a month and a half before our trip. My partner is new to flying, I didn’t want to scare her by flying a budget airline like Spirit her 2nd time on a plane! Though I recommend Spirit, be prepared to pay for everything outside of getting on the plane, bags, seats, etc. 

How we got around:

My cousin did not trust airlines at all during this time, I knew I wanted a rental car in Vegas, for emergencies, etc. So it worked out that I got a rental in the Bay Area from Hertz for her to drive; with all of our luggage, party decorations, and my puppy Louis! It just so happened that all of the airport rental car places were SOLD OUT! We made one car work. 

Throughout the trip, grocery store runs, liquor store runs, etc, were done in the rental. Everything else, we took an Uber or Lyft. Drinking and driving was NOT an option and I know parking near or on the strip can be a headache, Uber and Lyft were the better alternatives. I will say, pay attention to where you are or your pick up/drop off spot. They have designated areas similar to taxis in Las Vegas. 

Plan Splurges: Come on We’re in VEGAS!

Where We Ate:

Sugar Factory American Brasserie

Located in: The Fashion Show Mall

3200 S Las Vegas Blvd #1240, Las Vegas, NV 89109

If you’re looking for some sweet treats than you have to go to the Sugar Factory! This place isn’t just a dessert parlor, they have so many food options from salads and sandwiches to delicious milkshakes and drinks. We got the Mai Tai 60oz. goblet which is a liquid nitrogen-infused cocktail, a Sugar Factory signature drink, so cool the waitress pours it and it’s a smoke-filled drink perfect pic! We also got the club sandwiches & burger sliders which were so cute! Each burger had a different color bun so it was like a rainbow. They also came with a little rubber ducky which you can take home as a souvenir! This is the go-to spot for anyone with a sweet tooth!

VegeNation

616 E Carson Ave #120, Las Vegas, NV 89101

My girl Trina is a Vegan & it was awesome to find a place she can explore the menu & teach us more about veganism. With an eclectic menu of dishes inspired by cuisines from all over the world, this place is right up her alley! And each item on their menu is plant-based, so any veggie travelers in Vegas will want to give this one a try! It seems like most of their entrees are priced at $13, so a healthy meal here is possible even on a budget.

At the House

We made no plans to have a formal dinner so we opted to eat at the house throughout the trip. We used our recipes from EveryPlate to put together meals that would feed our large group. Pasta, Chicken, garlic bread, salads, fruit & snacks. The grocery store we chose was Sprout’s & Smith’s; we have Sprout’s in NorCal, Smith’s reminds me of Raley’s or Lucky’s which kept us close to our budget. 

Where We Drank & Hung Out:

Daylight Beach Night Club

Cost: $250 & up

There are so many amazing options for clubs in Las Vegas, but due to COVID, NO CLUBS were open! Most places require you to reserve a table, cabana, or daybed for entry of no more than 6 people. We couldn’t miss out on a Vegas pool party in the summer, so we decided to check out Daylight Beach Night Club! At first glance, this place has a beach club-style theme. The cabanas had plenty of room for large groups and some even have infinity pools looking out to the stage! We opted to book 2 daybeds for 4 people at $500 a daybed. It is cheaper to attend the daytime pool party, but we wanted the night experience. Alcohol and food are included in the price, think of it as a spending limit. We got 6 pitchers of top-shelf margaritas at that price. We came too late for food, kitchen closes at 10:30.

BYOB

We invited our girls’ cousin who is a Vegas Native, to our Airbnb! And we discovered Lee’s Discount Liquor! Think of a BevMo on discount steroids!

We bought so much top-shelf alcohol for the group for all 4 days under $150. While out on the strip, buy beverages at one of the many liquor stores near the strip (or even the CVS), bring them on the go. You can walk with open drinks on The Strip, so take advantage if you want to save some cash.

At The House

It was well worth it to get a house with the pool & hot tub. It felt like a private oasis. We could party whenever we wanted & not feel rushed or like we had to pay extra for the experience! Friday night was Club Airbnb! We decorated the house in Hawaii, a tropical theme with a dessert island, balloons & a backdrop. It was super fun!

Fremont Street Experience

Downtown Las Vegas

Cost: Free

Fremont St, Las Vegas, NV 89101

Fremont Street Experience, also known as “Old Vegas”, is a 24-hour outdoor mall and attraction located in Downtown Las Vegas. It has a huge LED canopy (where you can expect to see people zip-lining right above you!), a casino, restaurants, and free entertainment! They even have free concerts on the weekends! Other attractions include the SlotZilla zip-line, Fear the Walking Dead Survival (based on AMC’s hit show), Viva Vision Light Shows, and free slot machine pulls at Binion’s and Four Queens. Fremont Street is always a good time no matter what you get into!

The Strip

Las Vegas, NV

Cost: Free

There’s nothing like the Vegas Strip! It’s 4.2 miles of amazing views and endless photo ops! The Strip is growing and changing every year, it seems as if there’s still so much to see even though we’ve been here so many times! There are the most amazing five-star casino and resorts, day clubs and nightclubs, some of the world’s best restaurants, and so many attractions. If you’re visiting Las Vegas we recommend getting a hotel right on The Strip. And make sure to bring comfortable walking shoes because if you’re anything like us, you’re going to want to at least attempt to see everything!

The Linq Promenade

Cost: Free

Nestled between The LINQ and Flamingo hotel, the promenade offers over 40 shops and restaurants – not to mention, the gorgeous view of the High Roller in the background – so you can rest assured, there is something for everybody. We chose to grab a quick bite to eat before heading to the airport at the end of the trip. Also, to snap a couple of pictures!

 In conclusion, we had a blast! I highly recommend getting an Airbnb for a large group or spacious suites. I did so much research on Pinterest & Youtube, I simply looked for things to do in Las Vegas & contacted the places to see if they were open or accepting large groups. My #1 tip is to be patient & stay reasonable. Thank you so much, Family! New Youtube video coming soon!

Be Healthy, Be Blessed & Have Fun!

Shop my AMAZON faves: https://www.amazon.com/shop/britlovespink

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