Las Vegas, Nevada, such a touristy yet fun place to travel to. Anyone, whether you’re into gambling or outdoor activities, can have a good time in Vegas. But is it worth the time? Does it live up to all the hype? Well, after spending a 4 day trip here back in July of 2021, I have a few thoughts on Las Vegas.

Las Vegas is Very Busy

Las Vegas is a very busy city. It’s not a very quiet place by any means of the definition. It reminded me of Times Square in the sense that there’s a lot of people from different backgrounds, all packed into one place. Unless it was 6am, there was usually a lot of people out on the street.

Now, depending on the type of person you are, this may be a good or a bad thing. For me personally, I absolutely LOVE this type of environment. As a person whose a native to New York City, I love and thrive in a bustling city. I am not the biggest fan of small, quiet cities. Cities like Salt Lake City, although have awesome views, are too quiet for me. There doesn’t seem to be as much to see and do as I’d like there to be, but overall not a bad place. It’s just not my vibe. I need a big city with lots of variety and things to do. For me, Vegas was it!

There’s something about the hustle and bustle of a city. It makes me feel alive. I know it sounds strange but to me, this is my happy place. The crowds are a bit annoying at times, don’t get me wrong. Even a city girl like myself gets tired of crowds from time to time.

However, at the end of the day, a busy city is where I like to be. If you’re not into cities, or at least, very loud and busy cities like Vegas, then this isn’t the place for you.

It’s Somewhat Dirty

To be completely honest, Vegas is not very cleanly. You will find trash on the sidewalks, spilled drinks, dried throw up on the ground, and other garbage. Although, when I went on my day trip to the Grand Canyon and had to be on the bus by 6:20am, I did see people cleaning the streets and using power washers to get the crud off the sidewalks.

This is good to know, because at least they take the time and energy, while there are no crowds, to clean the sidewalks. Unfortunately, that doesn’t last long because as it gets more crowded, it gets dirtier. I know there are cleaner places out there but Vegas isn’t one of them.

For me, personally, it wasn’t as dirty as New York City, so that’s a plus. When I was walking around the strip, I did notice the garbage and whatnot on the sidewalk. However, it really didn’t consume me and I didn’t pay much attention to it. But when I had garbage in my hand, I always waited until I saw a trash can to throw it away.

I guess I’m used to seeing trash on the the ground, basically dirty sidewalks altogether. That’s what I saw in Brooklyn and NYC in general growing up, so seeing it in other cities doesn’t really surprise me or gross me out too much. When you have a densely populated area, with some people who don’t take the time to keep the sidewalks clean, you will get some dirty cities.

Variety of Things to See and Do

One of the best things I loved about Vegas was the variety of things to see and do. The plethora of activities (both indoor and outdoor), events, shows, tours, casinos and hotels is amazing. It’s crazy to think there’s so much just packed into an area that’s in the middle of the desert.

When you’re looking to visit a city, you may be looking for different things such as the overall environment, activities around, views, you get the idea. With Las Vegas, you’re getting all of that. Lovely mountains in the distance, tons of things to do, it makes for a great trip.

I was pleasantly surprised at the diversity of activities to do in Las Vegas. I know Vegas is known for the casinos and gambling, yet there’s so much more to it than that. There’s a lot of outdoor activities like hiking and going on ATVs outside of Vegas. But there’s also indoor activities and Exhibitions, shows, tours, and more!

I was so happy to find such a nice mix of things to see and do both in Vegas and outside it. I believe that makes for a good trip because you have options to choose from. If you’re looking for a city with awesome activities, Vegas is your go to place.

Vegas is Expensive

Of course, this didn’t really surprise me that much but it still hurts on the wallet. Las Vegas is very expensive but that’s how some cities are. I feel that some of the prices for simple things like waters were so overpriced, it’s honestly ridiculous.

Even though I knew Vegas was expensive, it still hurt on the inside to see the dollar bills start to add up. Although we did save a bit of money here and there, such as utilizing the free shuttles from our resort and buying some snacks to take with us throughout the day, activities, food, souvenirs and whatnot are so expensive.

For the activities, shows and tours we did, I think most of it was worth it. Others, like The Hunger Games Exhibition at MGM, really wasn’t worth the $30 we paid. For such a small exhibition that you could honestly get through in about 45 minutes tops, it was underwhelming. The cool thing about that activity was the archery game where you fired arrows, other than that, very overpriced for something so small.

Las Vegas is a Walkable Place

I loved how walkable Las Vegas was. Although it was super hot when I went back in July of 2021, it was pleasant to just walk around the strip. Walking is the best way of exploring an area, especially a city. That’s how you find cool things and meet some very interesting people.

Not to mention that I love walking around, especially in cities, I found Vegas to be a cool place to walk around. It’s even better at night. Everything is lit up, crowds still present even after 10pm, establishments are still open, your walking adventure can continue even into the evening.

If you’re into walking around and seeing what Vegas has to offer, then this is for you! Walkable cities, like Vegas, with things in close proximity to one another are my favorite cities of all.

Loved the Vibe

The vibe in Las Vegas was pretty cool, chill and fun at certain times. There always seemed to be something going on, people laughing and having a good time, just overall a fun experience. Especially when my friend Steph and I walked down Fremont St. in the evening, everyone was there to have a good time without any worries or stress.

The vibe in Vegas didn’t make me feel bad, sad, or feel like an outcast. I get that vibe from certain cities but not from Vegas. The diversity of its residents and tourists made me feel like I was back in NYC, at home. Vegas made me feel happy and excited, because you never knew what you were going to see or do next. It made Steph and I happy and a bit spontaneous as well. Such a cool feeling to have.

My Overall Impression

Overall, I had a very good impression of Vegas. Everything from the vibe to the activities and sights made me happy and alive. I looked forward to each day with a new activity, places to visit and things to see. You can go back to Vegas multiple times and have completely different experiences each time! That’s how expansive and diverse Vegas is, and Steph and I both agreed on that.

Although this isn’t to say that there weren’t things I didn’t like about Vegas. Such as how dirty it was or how expensive it was. Yet, I found that the negatives didn’t really outweigh the positives for me. I’d like to think that I’m a very chill, sometimes go with the flow, type of person. Because I grew up in a city environment, there really isn’t a whole lot that surprises me or makes me dislike a location. I mean, if you grew up in NYC like myself, you’ve seen everything and nothing would surprise you either.

Las Vegas was definitely a great place with a good vibe, and I’d definitely go back to visit either with friends or solo. I’d try new activities, tours, and maybe see some different shows. I’d also like to try to do more outdoor activities that are outside of Vegas as well.

At the end of the day, this is based on my experience and perspective of Vegas. I know there are others out there with different views and experiences. Some other really don’t like Vegas and wouldn’t go back, and that’s a valid point as well. But for me, I loved Vegas and I can’t wait to return in the future!