Vegas, Vegas, Vegas *shakes head while releasing a long sigh*… You are everything they said you are, maybe even a tad bit crazier but to be honest, I loved every single part of it.
Just a heads up, this article will be slightly different from previous Travel content I have written. This time, there is no particular structure, teed up punctuation/grammar, advice or itinerary; I am literally just yapping about my experience because I also had no structure on this trip lol — it was my first time ever winging it, just as it is my first time winging an article. So if you are reading this, read it as though I am texting you all this or Facetiming you about it. Okay? Cool, let’s get into it…
The sole purpose of this trip was to go to the B2B Marketing Expo, which is something I have wanted to attend since last year. I missed the one in LA last October, then I missed the one in Miami this May. FOMO had me in a chokehold and so I had to make this one happen no matter what.
The expo/conference was exactly what I imagined, the speakers delivered ‘key notes’ on what to expect in marketing in 2026 and how to stay on top in today’s market, but it really wasn’t anything new to me. So, I guess doomscrolling does pay off sometimes lol because being on #marketingtok will put you on game all the time. Anyway, I did discover amazing brands, pitched myself, gained a potential client and won the expo raffle so it was worth it and it’s always so fun to be around like-minded people who want to have the same conversations as you! I am considering going to every expo they host from here on, maybe they’ll see me again next May in Miami!
Even though I only came here for the conference, I decided to add 2 days to explore what Las Vegas had in store. This was my first solo trip since 2022 and I am glad that I didn’t intentionally plan to go to Vegas, I just had to be there and it turned out to be the perfect warm-up — from getting used to having a travel partner to going back to doing things alone. This was also my very first time being on the west side of the USA (wait, does Hawaii count?).
I went to Vegas and didn’t experience what it is actually known for — wild parties and gambling (and eloping). I was invited to parties every night by my roommates at the hostel but I couldn’t do that to myself because I had to wake up early literally every morning! I can’t remember the last time I walked around a city in complete awe — my phone camera constantly snapping away, my eyes wide open and a huge smile on my face. The best way I can describe Las Vegas is that it’s like stepping straight into a video game. No seriously! And not just any video game… think: Minecraft — where you can build and place anything, anywhere, without any regard for how it makes sense together.
First of all, there’s the Sphere — pictures do not do it any justice, that thing is HUGE and it’s smack bang in the middle of the freaking city. LOL. It just looks so off, and what’s even more disturbing is the graphics they display 24 hours a day on that thing! Mind you, there are actual experiences to have IN the sphere but when you are driving around, it also gives you like a glimpse of what it’s like inside. I kid you not, one of the times I walked past it, it was a literal EYE, a blinking eye at that! Do you know how terrifying (but also hella cool) that is? Yeah!
Then there’s the Luxor hotel… somehow, now we are in Egypt. Why is there a full-size pyramid with the sphinx, again, in the middle of the city? Right next to regular supermarkets and shopping stores. LOL. Then right behind it is the gold Mandalay hotel that makes you feel like you have been transported to, I don’t know, India? But that’s not all, walk 600 ft down the road and you will see Excalibaur hotel… it’s a freaking CASTLE!
No, I am literally laughing right now because nothing makes sense in Vegas but you just have to act like it’s normal. Also, let’s not forget that the Eifell Tower replica is towering over the strip too and the Venice Canal is right there too! Yeah, right next to the flamigos (Flamingo hotel) which makes you feel like you are in Miami.
I just got a headache typing all of that!
Moving right along, although Las Vegas isn’t the spot you think of going by yourself, I realized that since I went there alone, I had a completely different experience from what is known about Vegas. Granted, it was wild — scammers on the strip, naked women asking to take pictures with you, strobe lights, casinos everywhere (there were freaking slot machines right outside my gate at the airport. I mean, right at the door of my gate!)… I even saw a Cadillac Escalade limousine. A Cadillac Escalade limousine?
Hold on, I know I am all over the place with this blog post but that’s kinda the point because how else can I mirror how this trip was? Lol. Let’s talk about the hostel I stayed at — SinCity Hostel. This was actually my first time staying at a hostel and not really like it. I am always excited for my hostel stays because they are so so affordable, prime location and offer hella experience (sometimes for free) and that’s where you meet solo travelers like you who are on a budget but want to maximize on the fun.
There’s just something about SinCity that made my blood run cold every time I was there — it just didn’t give the safe, cozy feeling I usually get from hostels. The rooms were so dark and dingy, the reception service wasn’t all that great and I was going to give it a 2/10 until I took a shower… If there is one thing I hate about hostels, it’s the shower — no heat and no pressure, ever! But SinCity? Yeah, I’m afraid it tops most hotels. I also couldn’t care too much about the place itself because I really only came back to sleep for like 5 hours each night, wake up and head out again. I wasn’t that social during this trip; I kept to myself for the most part but I did meet a few cool travelers here!
I loved the location too — it was a short walk to Fremont Street which I unexpectedly enjoyed so much! That’s definitely a spot to go to when in Vegas! Oh and while you are there, go to Huey Magoo’s Chicken Tenders. I was eating that with tears rolling down my face; that’s how good they were with the bread and fries. Mind you, initially, I was bummed that I had to settle for that because the plan was to go to a steakhouse but the line at Tony Roma’s was actually insane. My tenders were a huge blessing in disguise!
What’s pretty sick about Las Vegas is that pretty much all the big hotels offer some sort of experience and they are typically free. I went to Wynn hotel and I was casually greeted by this beast of a Bugatti in the lobby area. Like? This is also where I saw the McLaren showroom. Where else would you expect to experience this besides Vegas?
You know what was funny but also disturbing though? The number of wedding chapels you can find on one street! There’s a chapel literally every 200 ft! I am actually not even kidding — on the hostel’s street alone, I counted SIXTEEN! And this is just from the hostel to Fremont Street, which is a 20-minute walk. What’s even more bizarre is that on Wednesday at 4 pm when I was casually walking around, I saw a couple outside one of them getting married. Then I saw another one the next day at 2 pm at a different chapel. LOL! You know what else I learned when I was there? TACO BELL ALSO DOES WEDDINGS! I wish I were making this up because even though I saw it with my own eyes, I still refuse to believe it.
Another thing that was cool was being able to drink and walk. Well, pause… I don’t know if it’s legal but I did it and I saw a handful of people doing it too when I was on the strip. The Strip is actually really fun, you really have to have that experience, I don’t care how touristy it is — it’s the true essence of Las Vegas, go do it!
While you are there, watch the water fountain show at the Bellagio hotel. Insider tip: I learned the hard way that the ‘show’ doesn’t run 24 hours a day, it’s a 5-minute thing that goes live every 30 minutes. When I got there, it had just finished and I just stood there like, “*hello?*🧍🏽♀️” lol until I looked it up. Anyway, when that was done, I decided to walk up to the actual hotel. Honestly, I didn’t know I was walking up to it until I found myself in the lobby and I was too stunned to turn back. Like, how are all the hotels just so fascinating and full of experiences? I love it! Just as I was enjoying the pianist going absolutely crazy on the keys at the Petrossian Bar, I saw a whole enchanting world further into the hotel and had to take a look…
You can really tell that I was winging this trip because how did I not know about the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Garden? Mind you, this is right inside the hotel! They have seasonal displays and when I went, they had the ‘Autumn Majesty: A Glamorous Harvest’ installation — a vibrant fairy world that was just so mesmerizing! I was in complete awe the whole time, thinking about the time, effort and creativity that went into bringing this to life.
I think what was also interesting to me was that there were no police around. The whole time I was in Vegas, I probably saw 2 cop cars! Virginia and DC could never — you see a minimum of 4 just going to the store to buy an onion and milk.
Okay ok k, come on, let’s wrap this up now. Enough yapping, this was so much fun — the unorganized trip and unorganized post! I definitely want to go back to Vegas, next time I would go for the real ‘Vegas’ vibes… the gambling and partying (and maybe I’ll elope too) lol! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this post… byeeee!
Budding Regardless 
Leave a reply