Laine Slowski

Las Vegas is a destination I had no desire to travel to.  It seems like everyone has been there on multiple occasions due to low prices and easy access.  I travel for the sake of curiosity and felt I knew what Las Vegas is about – a cheap destination to host bachelor and bachelorette parties.

When word spread that Britney Spears (fan girl alert) signed a residency at Planet Hollywood I immediately booked my ticket!  It’s her show (which happened to be scheduled on my birthday) that excited me – not the destination.

Was the trip a bust?  No, Las Vegas pleasantly surprised me and is a city I’d like to explore more.  The assumptions I made proved to be false.  These are my top five misconceptions about Las Vegas.

1) It’s tacky

There are obvious, distasteful aspects about the city.  The saying, ‘freaks come out at night’ is appropriate in this instance.  Look past that and you’ll find tasteful entertainment and dining options along the strip.

2) It’s cheap

The flight/hotel packages from Canada to Las Vegas tend to have incredibly low prices.  Don’t let that fool you about the overall cost of the trip.  Once you add up the resort fees, expensive dining, taxi fares and the exchange rate, you’ll find that it’s not so cheap after all.

3) It has the best outlet malls

When shopping abroad I aim for businesses that aren’t accessible at home (hello designer stores).  Friends come home bragging about their amazing finds at the Vegas outlet malls all the time.  My experience differed.  With my eye on a designer watch (happy birthday to me) I went to the outlet shops expecting to find low prices.  Boy, was I mistaken!  The prices matched those in the designer stores found along the strip.

4) It’s one big party

Open alcohol is allowed in public, the casinos never shut down and shows run every night of the week.  It’s the perfect formula to create a party atmosphere.  For some (usually on weekends) this is the case.  My trip was during the week (Sunday to Wednesday) and I found the public to be respectable, even with drinks in hand.

5) It’s hot

In the summer perhaps, but not in February.  The air was crisp enough for me to wear a jacket day and night.  Most pools were closed, with the exception of heated outdoor pools.  The rest usually open mid-March when the weather really starts to warm up.