In my 20s, I learned how to travel solo. It can be awkward and daunting at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s actually really fun! I’ve found that filling my schedule with activities where I interact with other travelers or dine/grab coffee in locations where you can meet new people replaces the feeling of “solo travel” with an opportunity to grow through new experiences and connections!
Since Charley and I have the Southwest companion pass, he invited me to tag along on his annual work trip to Las Vegas a few months ago. I knew he’d be tied up with work for most of the trip, but since I work from home and love to travel – why not get a change of scenery?
I’ve been to Vegas too many times to count, but the reason I love this city is because every trip is different. If you go to Vegas simply for the nightlife and gambling, there’s a strong chance you’ll have a moral hangover just thinking about visiting again – BUT if you plan a trip without the intent of raging, you’ll find a whole new city you never knew existed!
I think sometimes the most fun experiences are the random ones. Have you ever scrolled through Groupon and noticed all of the quirky activities in your city you never knew about? Whether it’s the ax throwing adventure, improv acting class (pass), wine certification course, ghost tours – there are so many experiences out there that allow you to try something new. So after a few days in Vegas and perusing for something new to try in the city while Charley was at his conference, I stumbled upon AirBNB Experiences – and I’m hooked.
We all know how awesome AirBNB is, but the AirBNB Experiences section on the app is relatively new. Instead of connecting with a host to stay in their home, you connect with a host to share an experience with you! You can go on a club crawl for a VIP experience to see some of the best DJs in town, smash breakables in a “safe place”, take a VIP hotel tour to check out “High Roller” areas and see a live kitchen in action, be a model for a day with a local photographer, experience a day in the life of a Las Vegas dancer, go on a UFO watch with night vision goggles, take a glass blowing by torch class, swim like a mermaid, go on a photo safari, discover street art in downtown, learn to tango, go fossil hunting, learn to DJ from a Vegas headliner, take a food tour – seriously the options of random experiences are endless!
Since this was my first AirBNB Experience and I was trying it as a solo female, I decided to choose a simple afternoon tour of Vegas where I knew I’d be in public areas and no alcohol was involved (no DJ club crawl for this girl!)- because you know, safety first. My host, Jonathan, who documents his tours on Instagram as @theworsttourguide, claimed in his bio the “off the beaten path stuff” is what excites him. Bingo, same. As a local, he said he shares the best hidden gems that can be missed if you’re venturing alone, and since I had some time to kill, I figured why not and signed up for the tour.
Before the tour, he sent me a general outline of our schedule, where to meet, and what he would be wearing to find him. I was a tad nervous to meet a stranger from an app, but he had tons of reviews and seemed like a really nice tour guide from his social media profile – and once we connected and I reassured my husband I was safe, it was so much fun!
He typically gives tours to people visiting Las Vegas for the first time, so he was a tad confused why I was there when I had seen most of the sites – but once we established that, we shifted our itinerary a bit, and I had the best time!
I learned to start my morning overlooking the waterfall at the Wynn for a peaceful and quiet escape from the bustling city, and grabbing a croissant and coffee upstairs at a little bistro in The Venetian is his favorite serene breakfast spot. I discovered 3 hidden speakeasies in The Cosmopolitan Hotel – one behind a barber shop, a disguised wall at Rose Rabbit Lie that opens to a bar with an old school vibe, and a service door labeled with a donkey behind Hattie B’s to find a bustling mezcal bar that makes you feel like you’re in a nightclub in Mexico – and to order the “flower drink” not on the menu at the Chandelier Bar. I checked out a charming little wedding chapel (and later tried to convince Charley to elope ;) ). I discovered there are in fact flamingos behind the Flamingo Hotel, dined on the best street food, found the coolest art gallery with paintings and sculptures I’m DYING to buy for my home someday, and discovered a Louis Vuitton light and art exhibit above the Aria Hotel.
An added bonus was I learned Jonathan loved photography too – and we had so much fun chatting about cameras and snapping photos all over town while we explored.
At the end of our tour, @theworsttourguide took me up to Skybar at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel – which used to be the Mandarin Oriental and has always been my favorite spot in the city. It’s the most peaceful bar in Vegas with the absolute best views – and you’ll love the Moet & Chandon bubbly vending machine when you exit the elevator! He even told me to check out the bathrooms, because they had amazing views and the best scented products – which I now agree.
To wrap up our tour, we decided to grab a Peroni and learn a bit of backstory about each other. He introduced me to some of his favorite destinations he’s visited (and a new Mexico hot spot I’m adding to my list), the time he backpacked through Asia with friends, and the pros and cons of living in Las Vegas. I also learned about all of the other quirky locations to check out in Vegas off the strip, such as a the unique luau themed establishment known as the Golden Tiki, an airstream park created by the founder of Zappos created to turn Vegas into the coworking capital of the world, the best spots to eat in Chinatown, and an art tour that would be an Instagrammers paradise.
After three hours of exploring, I headed back to the Aria to meet Charley and couldn’t wait to share all of the awesome spots I discovered. Not only was it such a fun way to explore a different side of the city, it was so fun to connect and get a local’s opinion about their city!
Whether you’re looking for a fun activity while traveling OR want to try something new in your hometown, I highly recommend trying an AirBNB Experience! I had the best time, and I can’t wait to try another one soon. Perhaps next time I’ll experience a day in the life of a Las Vegas dancer…
Want to try something random? Click here for more information about AirBNB Experiences and sign up!