A girl’s guide to a less sinful Vegas girlfriends’ getaway

A girlfriends’ getaway to Las Vegas doesn’t have to be all about hitting clubs and casinos. Some of us prefer a more a more sophisticated way to play—more class, less sass. If your bedtime is normally somewhere around 10pm, here are some finds that make “Sin City” less so.

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Peaceful places to stay

The Signature at the MGM Grand

There’s a calmer vibe in the Off-Strip hotels, especially those that don’t have gaming. (They’re often smoke-free, too.) The Signature at MGM Grand, the Wyndham Grand Desert Resort, and the Trump International Hotel are all close to the action, and are either close to the monorail, or offer free shuttles to the Strip. Even better, they all have suites with kitchens; ideal for small groups of friends. The JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa is 20 minutes away, and feels like a different world.

Fun food
The quintessential Vegas buffet is a great way to ensure everyone in your entourage finds the foods they like, and both the Buffet at Bellagio and the Buffet at Wynn raise the raw bar. If you’re fans of celebrity chefs, you’ll find a lot of them—Giadade Laurentiis, Todd English, Guy Fieri, Emeril Lagasseand dozens of others all have restaurants here. Elegant Strip restaurants that won’t rattle any eardrums too hard include Bardot Brasserie at Aria, Scarpetta at the Cosmopolitan and the Barrymore near the convention center.

An enjoyable way to eat en masse is on a guided food tour. Lip Smacking Foodie Tours are offered in various parts of town, with multiple stops for samples of signature dishes and drinks at local bars and restaurants. Try the “Afternoon Culinary Adventures” or the “Savors of the Strip” itineraries.

Superlative shopping

The Grand Canal Shoppes | Flickr photo by David Stanley

Vegas is a shopper’s paradise. Nearly every resort has a collection of retail shops, from basic souvenir outlets to upscale brands. Two shopping centers—the Grand Canal Shoppes and the Fashion Show Mall—offer hundreds of stores, as well as dining and entertainment options; gondola rides at the former, and runway fashion shows at the latter. Don’t miss a free tour of the extraordinary art installation “Akhob” at the Louis Vuitton flagship store at the Shops at Crystals. (Advance appointments are a must.)

If the word “Zappos” automatically makes you think “free shipping on shoes,” head downtown to the Zappos.com headquarters for the 90-minute Zappos Tour Experience covering the company’s history and culture. In this older part of the city, where Fremont Street was the original “Strip,” you’ll also find Container Park, a quirky amalgamation of 40+ shipping containers upcycled into boutiques, art galleries, and cafés.

Showstoppers

They don’t call Las Vegas the entertainment capital of the world for nothing. Gather the gals for an evening of high-wire acrobatics and sultry dance moves by booking a Cirque show. Underwater “O” is simply sublime, while “The Beatles LOVE” stitches together a ton of Fab Four classics. (Just try and not be dazzled by the loop de loop skaters in “Help!” or completely enchanted with the bubbly rendition of “Strawberry Fields Forever.”)

Meanwhile, Spiegelworld shows like “Absinthe” and “Atomic Saloon” offer similar feats of daredevil, but with a bawdier, naughtier twist. Then there’s magic shows like “Criss Angel Mindfreak,” a big budget spectacular, or the more intimate and stripped down Matt Franco’s “Magic Invented Nightly.” Speaking of magic, “Magic Mike Live” may sound like an evening of screaming bachelorettes, but the popular striptease keeps it classy (i.e. leave the dollar bills in your purse).

Spa seclusion

Sahra Spa & Hammam at the Cosmopolitan

R&R is an integral component of a good girlfriends’ getaway, and many Vegas spas offer communal spaces and services you can sample together, including the Sahra Spa & Hammam at the Cosmopolitan, The Spa at the Four Seasons Hotel, and the Reliquary at the Hard Rock Hotel.

Some spas offer unique treatment rooms where your whole gang can hang, like the Shio Salt Room at the Spa at Aria; the Arctic Ice Room at Qua Baths & Spa at Caesars Palace; and the dolphin observation room at The Mirage, where you can take a “Yoga Among the Dolphins” class.

Pool time

The pool at the Mandarin Oriental

You’ll hear about the wild pool scenes at the Venetian, MGM Grand, and Hard Rock Hotel, but the vibe is much more quiet and relaxed at others. At the ultra-luxe Mandarin Oriental, you can order champagne from the five-star Pool Café. Reserve a cabana online before heading to the oversized pool at Bally’s Las Vegas, which is one of the few with a 12-foot-deep end. At the Trump International Hotel, the pool deck is a family-friendly space with a background music playlist you’ll want to copy. You can rent a plush cabana for the day, order up a tasting menu from the H2(EAU) restaurant, and indulge in a chair massage. The rooftop pool at the Downtown Grand is free to the public (chairs go fast) and offers a completely chill, Off-Strip vibe.

Off-Strip sightseeing

Valley of Fire State Park

With a rental car or a shared ride service, it’s easy to explore beyond the Strip and downtown. In less than an hour there is shopping at the Fashion Outlets, hiking through Aztec sandstone in the Valley of Fire State Park, sightseeing at that old stand-by, Hoover Dam, or even skiing and tubing at Lee Canyon in the winter months.

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