Vegas on your own terms

While Las Vegas is known as Sin City and is famous for gambling and nightlife activities, the Nevada destination has other treasures. We encourage travelers to experience Vegas on their terms because that is how we learned to love the travel mecca. Vegas is a resort town so travelers have plenty of options when determining where they will stay. After hiking more than 100 miles across the United States, we decided to stay at a resort just off the strip, pamper ourselves, and indulge in award-winning food.

We stayed at the Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort and Spa for several days because of its sprawling grounds that offered connections to nature. The Westin is on Lake Las Vegas and has a private beach, in addition to two outdoor pool areas. Travelers can access the lake by renting a kayak or canoe from the hotel. While we loved the chance to stay at an upscale resort, the opportunity to still connect with nature was a major amenity that isn’t easily found in Vegas.

After all that hiking a trip to the spa was necessary. Spa Moulay has several massage, skin care, and nail care options. There are several spa options in Vegas, though, so while we enjoyed our treatments they were fairly standard. We recommend guests utilize the spa’s Happy Hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for specials at reduced prices.

The resort has various dining options as well, including Marssa that serves Japanese and Asian-fusion cuisine, and Rick’s Cafe that has American cuisine with Mediterranean influences. You can order drinks poolside from Sandsa Bar & Grill, which has an outdoor eating area for quick snacks as well. The Arabesque Lounge is open for drinks, and the hotel has its own Starbucks on the first floor.

Like most visitors to Vegas, we wanted to try the endless dining options. We loved Eat, known as the breakfast and lunch joint, owned by chef Natalie Young. Her restaurant is downtown, and the menu features sustainable ingredients from local farmers. We loved the free-range chicken sandwich, the Reuben, and the sparkling strawberry lemonade.

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The highlight of our Vegas dining adventures was trying the tasting menu at Sage in the Aria hotel. Chef Shawn McClain makes contemporary American cuisine using farm-to-table produce and sustainable seafood. It is a favorite for foodies who love trying combinations they haven’t had before visiting Sage. The tasting starts with the Vancouver Island Kushi oyster served with tequila and tabasco sorbet or the Wagyu beef tartare served with a slow poached egg and crispy chocolate. We loved both.

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Other standouts from the extensive tasting menu were the Maine Dayboat scallops and the Beecher’s Farm whey-fed pork loin served with baby carrots and confit shallots. Another amazing dish was the flat-iron steak served with creamy potatoes. Sage offers several hand-crafted cocktails and features an absinthe bar. McClain also created a vegetarian four-course menu and a vegan tasting menu.

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Vegas is also famous for its buffets, so we checked out the Wicked Spoon at the Cosmopolitan hotel. Wicked Spoon is set up like a food hall with several stations featuring a diverse choice of cuisines. We liked the dessert bar the most, but, sadly, didn’t love the food.

What does Vegas on your terms mean to you? What are your favorite things to do in Sin City? Tell us in the comments below.