Let’s go back, back, wayyyy back… to March 2009. It was my college spring break and I was finally 21. My bags were packed, my bank account was moderately filled, and I was patiently awaiting the start of the best week of my life. My plane landed, and I was finally in the land of opportunity – Las Vegas.
I was a stranger in a strange land, unsure of what was to become of me in the next week. What celebrity restaurant would I dine at? What mind-bending, body-twisting Cirque du Soleil show would I attend? What exotic boy would buy me overpriced drinks? I had so many questions, and so few answers, but what I did know was that I was in for a life-changing nightlife experience.
The week came and went, and I can confidently say I am now a Las Vegas survivor. If you are about to embark on a tourist-gone-wild trip down the infamous Strip, take my advice and visit these tried and true nightlife spots. They will leave any Vegas visitor begging for more – trust me, I guarantee it.
Top Cirque du Soleil Themed Bar: Revolution @ The Mirage
If you are looking for a cultural pit-stop on your Vegas bender, then a Cirque du Soleil show is just the ticket. There are a number of great performances to choose from, but one of the most popular one’s is Love, the Beatles-themed performance at the Mirage Hotel. Besides having a psychedelic theater and the undisputed best soundtrack on the Strip, Love also has one major advantage over the other Cirque acts – Revolution Lounge. Continuing the Mirage’s Beatles theme, Revolution is a plush lounge adjacent to the show, with Beatles lyrics decorating the walls throughout the walls and photographs of screaming Beatles fans sprinkled among the décor. Enjoy a cocktail or three before the show, as Revolution sets the mood with a rotating Beatles soundtrack. If you aren’t a fan of the Fab Four, don’t fret; Revolution is an equal-opportunity player of music when the night rolls in, turning itself into a bottle-popping dancer’s paradise.
Top Spot for a Bachelor Party on a Budget : Studio 54 @ MGM Grand
Las Vegas is the perfect playground for bachelors about to embark on their last sinfully single weekend of their life. With a plethora of nightlife spots to choose from, it is definitely hard to pick the best spot to party, especially if you are not adept at making plans more than 5 minutes before stepping out the door. For a no-nonsense, pre-planned party that will satisfy your wallet and your liver, Studio 54 in the MGM Grand is the venue for you. $129 per guest gets you VIP hosted entry into Studio 54, a two-hour open bar from 11 AM to 1 AM, as well as your own table right near the dance floor to participate in some looking-but-no-touching action (you are about to get married after all!)
Top Spot for a Pussycat Doll's Fanatic: Pussycat Dolls Lounge @ Caesar’s Palace
Constantly have “When I Grow Up” on rotation in your head? Are you the go-to person among your friends when someone wants to know if Nicole Scherzinger is going solo? If so, then you are a verifiable Pussycat Doll’s super-fan, and Las Vegas is the nightlife equivalent to your Mecca. Caesar’s Palace, one of the Strips most famous hotels, is home to the Pussycat Dolls Lounge, a cabaret-meets-club that has weekly performances. Celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Eva Longoria, and Audrina Partridge have graced the stage as guest performers for the Las Vegas PCD. If you feel like you are on Pussycat Doll overload and need a break, just walk right out and you are in the heart of…
Top Nightclub to Spot a Celeb: PURE @ Caesar’s Palace
…Pure, the world-famous nightlife arena. That’s right, the Pussycat Dolls Lounge is adjacent to Pure, giving partygoers a one-two knockout of nightlife excellence. Pure is perhaps the most popular and well-known club in Las Vegas, and rightfully so. With world-class DJs spinning the turntables, and a breathtaking rooftop with private tables so close to the edge, you'll feel like you are floating over the Strip, Pure lives up to all of the hype. Pure Nightclub is also the strip's king of celebrity spottings, so if you came to town to see Lindsay Lohan downing a bottle of Belvedere, then you are likely to be in luck at Pure; A-listers flock to this nightlife haven for an epic night out, and there’s no reason you can’t enjoy the party too.
Top Club with a View: VooDoo Lounge @ Rio
Located just a few blocks off of the Strip, Rio is one of Las Vegas’ classic hotels that made it the city it is. It is also home to VooDoo Lounge, one of Las Vegas’ top nightlife venues. What makes it stand out above the rest, however, isn’t its crazy drink specials or guest DJs, but rather the 360-degree view of Las Vegas. Perched on the top floors of Rio, VooDoo Lounge provides a panoramic view of all the breathtaking lights and sights of Las Vegas for a perfect photo-op to show your friends at home just what they missed on your trip to Las Vegas.
Of course, this list just scratches the surface of all the amazing venues Las Vegas has to offer. Tryst, Rain, Body English, Bank, JET…the list literally can go on forever. So I ask you, fellow tourists, to heed my advice and check out these nightclubs for yourself, for a unique and consummate Vegas vacation.
