#SquadGoals: How to Plan a Girls Weekend Getaway in Las Vegas

There’s a reason why many bachelorette-party-planners consider Vegas first: from high-octane pool parties to glamorous hotels, tranquil spas, and plenty of award-winning food and drink, Las Vegas was made for a “go big or go home” getaway with your best ladies. Ready to take the plunge? Round up the squad: this is our ultimate guide on what to do during a girls’ weekend getaway in Las Vegas.

EAT

Bardot Brasserie

As far as Vegas is concerned, it doesn’t get more elegant than this upscale bistro inside the Aria, whose 1920s-inspired décor (think black-and-white-tiled floors, a patina-treated bar, and rustic baskets filled with toasted baguettes) makes you feel like you’ve stumbled into Paris.

Weekend brunch here is the real deal—we’re talking mushroom-and-egg-stuffed crêpes, frisée salads, and peach bellinis galore—but it’s just as great for dinner, when you can (and should) follow up an order of escargots and steak frites with a traditional mille feuille (puff pastry stuffed with vanilla crème).

Jaleo

Spanish star chef José Andrés brings his culinary tenacity to Jaleo, a rainbow-hued, group-friendly spot in the Cosmo celebrating all things tapas—from pan con tomato to croquetas, jamon, and as much sangria as you can handle.

It’s a friendly, lively option for lunch or dinner, with communal tables that encourage mingling and a burning paella pit where you can watch the action from afar. Want the VIP treatment? There’s a not-widely-advertised eight-seat counter where the chef can prepare a 20-course tasting menu for you and your besties.

Rose. Rabbit. Lie.

Looking to spice up your average dinner res? Rose.Rabbit.Lie.—part dinner, part experimental theater performance—is unlike any meal you’ve had or will have again. Vaudevillian entertainment engages and delights diners in between beautifully presented courses and stiff drinks.

Watch twins tap-dance on top of the bar while you dig into a beef Wellington, or marvel as an aerialist shows off during a feast of king crab legs. Whatever surprises lie in store (and there are a few of them), you’re guaranteed to have the group buzzing long after the check.

DRINK

The Chandelier

A curtain of lights and some two million crystals encases this three-level lounge inside the Cosmopolitan hotel. It’s as Vegas as Vegas gets, with the crowd to match—mostly dressed-up young things pre- or post-gaming dinner. Drinks here are made for the serious cocktail crowd.

A few highlights: Natural Selection (made with coconut vodka, Thai chili and lemongrass syrup, peanut butter, coconut cream, and ginger purée) and the off-menu Verbena (which comes with an actual verbena flower; ask the bartender). For the gals, this is a place to see and be seen, so dress to impress.

Skyfall Lounge

Sucker for a view? The Skyfall Lounge, up on the 64th floor, mixes up artisan cocktails (from the same minds behind Manhattan’s venerable Death & Co.) with 180-degree indoor and outdoor views of the Strip.

Daily happy hours (5 to 7 p.m.) are timed for sunset, so you can take in the city before it transforms into a sea of twinkling lights. Order up a sweet Victim of Elegance (champagne, Aperol, strawberry, dry vermouth, and lemon juice) or more complex Peepshow (tequila, elderflower, vermouth, and yuzu bitters) and ‘gram to your heart’s content.

DO

Neon Museum

Formerly known as the “Neon Boneyard,” this outdoor museum serves as the final resting place for more than 150 of Vegas’s most iconic signs, some dating all the way back to the 1930s. (Look out for letters from retired Vegas institutions including Moulin Rouge, Stardust, and Desert Inn.)

For the full experience, book a guided night tour to see 11 fully restored neon signs as they were meant to be seen (as well as the rest of their un-restored collection, which will be illuminated by floodlights).

Encore Beach Club

If you’re looking for that raucous, all-out, only-in-Vegas pool party experience, the choice is easy.

Encore Beach Club’s two-tier space—60,000 square feet of it, lined with daybeds and palm trees—allows for extra perks other pool clubs in the area don’t have, including plush cabanas in where you can retreat VIP-style from the sun. The stage is also known to host some of the biggest headlining DJs in the biz, from David Guetta to Diplo.

STAY

The Cosmopolitan

One of the hippest hotels on the Strip is equal parts swanky and theatrical: there are digital art-covered columns in the lobby, nouveau Baroque chandeliers and marble floors, and, in the 3,041 guest rooms, blue alligator side tables and Pop Art wallpaper (as well as eye-popping views of the Bellagio fountains and Hotel Paris’ Eiffel Tower).

Every space here is designed to make a statement, from the three-level casino floor bar built inside a massive crystal chandelier to the Marquee Nightclub & Dayclub that keeps the energy thumping at all hours. For girls looking to dial the energy-level down a notch, the serene Sahra Spa offers 30 treatment rooms and its own hammam.

This article was published through a partnership with Jetsetter magazine. Read the original story: How to Plan a Girls Weekend Getaway in Las Vegas by Lindsey Olander, a regular contributor to Jetsetter.

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