Jan 12
15
There are many reasons to travel to Las Vegas–the superb weather, the fine dining, the variety of Vegas night-life options, the world-class shopping, the decadent pampering you can receive at the resorts, and of course, attractions galore to keep the idle mind entertained. But there is a whole different list of reasons why you should travel to Las Vegas alone rather than with others. Here are my top 10 reasons for traveling solo to Las Vegas. Keep in mind these are MY reasons. I’m sure yours are much more X-rated. 
Las Vegas
1. The time-share people will leave you alone.
Timeshare salespeople can be very aggressive on the Strip. During my early trips to Las Vegas, when I was hanging out with my uncle, the timeshare people badgered us constantly. Now that I travel alone, they don’t even notice me. Why? Because they have no interest in selling timeshares to singles. Score!
Vegas makes dining solo easier
2. Dining options are very solo-friendly.
Feel weird about eating alone in Vegas? Don’t. Most restaurants here have bar seating. There are also buffets, where you can avoid the boredom that normally sets in between ordering your meal and its arrival, or you can get a table with a view to keep yourself entertained. Most waitstaff are so accustomed to solo diners, they don’t bat an eye when you say there’s just one of you. If there’s a long wait at a restaurant, you can bypass that long line of groups and couples waiting to be seated and grab a seat at the bar. This perk is what I call:
Bar seating at Cafe Nikki
3. The Single-Seat Advantage.
It’s easier to score a last-minute single seat to a top show, a single lounge chair by the pool, or a single seat at a VP bar or bank of slot machines than it is to try to find 2 or more seats together.
Where to next? Wherever I want.
4. Freedom and flexibility.
This doesn’t really need an explanation, does it?
Las Vegas Strip at night
5. No fights.
If you’ve ever gotten into a fight with your significant other on vacation, you know what I’m talking about. Nothing sours your good time faster than that. Unless you’ve got anger management issues, it’s unlikely you’ll get into a fight with a stranger while in Vegas.
I hate waiting.
6. No waiting on someone else.
You don’t have to wait for your companion to get done with her two-hour morning beautification ritual in order to start your day. You also don’t have to wait to go to dinner while your companion plays “just one more hand” for the sixteenth time at the blackjack table. Do you have any idea how much you can squeeze into a vacation when you don’t spend half of it waiting on someone else?
Go ahead, be a superhero for a weekend. No one has to know.
7. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Really.
I HATE that slogan with the fire of a thousand suns, but when it comes to traveling alone, it’s really true. If you try singing karaoke and the audience boos you off the stage, no one will carry that story back to your friends and family (unless you do). If you drink a little too much and pass out in the hotel elevator, no one back home is going to know. (Not that I recommend you try this.)
Find a bar, make some friends
8. Make new friends.
Oftentimes when we travel with companions, we become a self-contained bubble, so caught up in each other that we’re not open to meeting new people. People traveling alone tend to be more approachable. And it’s fairly easy to meet people in Las Vegas, because everyone is in a good mood. Why wouldn’t they be? They’re in Vegas, baby!
All to myself.
9. Peace and quiet
I know, “peace and quiet” isn’t exactly the first phrase you think of when you think of Las Vegas, is it? Vegas is a city of constant sensory stimulation, which is exciting and fun, but at the end of the day, I’m grateful to be able to go back to my room for some peace and quiet. When you travel with someone else, you don’t usually get that quiet time by yourself.
Las Vegas
10. Because you can!
If you can go to Las Vegas, and you want to, you should. There’s no law that says you have to wait until someone else can afford to go, or has the time to go, or the desire to go. Why deprive yourself of a few days of fun in Sin City because of other people? Just go and enjoy yourself.
Do you have other reasons why someone should travel alone to Las Vegas? What are they? Keep it PG-rated please. 
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My reason…because it’s so much more fun–and less stressful–to take photos when you are solo. And Vegas is a great place for photography. Aside from the standard shots of Vegas landmarks, there are so many people–doing so many things–that it’s a photographer’s paradise. I’d love a whole day (or four) alone in Vegas, just me and my DSLR. In fact, I may need to add that to my soon-to-do list!
An often overlooked reason is because of business travel. Beyond the entertainment many businesses and organizations use Las Vegas as a convention/meeting destination which often leaves the non-solo traveler – solo. Yes, there are the mandatory events meetings, but there is usually free time available by early arrival – late departure or not having interest in the optional activities. In which case all of your points listed could be very attractive. Good post/points Grey!
Great reason, Tracy! I agree. Vegas is one of my favorite places to just walk around with my camera and take photos of anything and everything. But I couldn’t do that if I were traveling with someone else.
Great point, Gary. Not everyone is going to Las Vegas by choice, some are going for business. But hey, as long as you’re there, you might as well make the most of it.
This is a double-edge sword to be sure, but if you are running good at the tables, there’s no one to interrupt you. I’ll never forget the time at the craps table that a guy was having a fantastic roll. Everyone was winning a bunch of money. Suddenty his wife showed up and told him they were in danger of being late for something (a dinner reservation, a show, a flight back home….I can’t recall).
So the guy says to his wife, “I’ll be right there, honey.”
Sure enough, on the next rolled, he sevened out!
I have no idea if he was happily married, but do I know every single player at that dice table wanted him to get a divorce!
LOL, awesome. That is a great story, Rob!
Three additional things that come to mind (as I prepare to travel to Vegas with my wife in two weeks)
1) You can stay where you want. I prefer staying downtown because it’s better gambling and it’s cheaper all-around. But if I’m with others, I know a we’re going to need a strip resort with a pool (that I won’t use).
2) For tournament players, you don’t have to answer the dreaded question “When will you be finished?” You don’t know, so they either will go on without you or sit around and wait with growing resentment.
3) If you win big, you don’t have to take everyone out for a steak dinner on you! Just keep the money to yourself (or, more likely, feed it back to the machines.)
Spoken like a man who wants a solo trip, Andy.
Very good reasons.
I just returned and the freedom and flexibility quickly erased any last minute doubts I had about going solo. I met some very interesting people while sitting at the bar with other solos.
I have to say one of my reasons is the financial freedom. I don’t feel constrained to spend in any certain way. If I want to splurge on a cigar and scotch there isn’t a “veto” vote hanging over my head.
Yes, that’s a good reason, too, Hetz. It’s just as hard to negotiated budget and spending when traveling with others as it is everything else. Glad to hear you had a good time and met some interesting people!
Andy those are excellent reasons. The flip side is that if you do make a big score at the tables, you might want a friend or spouse there to celebrate with, to tell your story to, and to splurge on a nice meal with (as long as it’s your idea, not theirs).
Hetz. I find that when I am in Vegas alone I am a lot more outgoing with strangers than I am at home or when I’m there with friends. I must admit I can’t believe some of the things I’ve said to total strangers in Vegas when I’m there alone!
I’ve only been to Vegas once and it was with two friends. While I had a fun time, one friend and I got into a big fight. It was over something really stupid, but I think the stress of traveling together (and doing almost everything together) for a week led to the blowout. Vegas was never really a city I’d consider traveling solo to before, but now I definitely would.
I went out to Vegas last year with my son’s father and we got into it a few times ourselves. I think the spending day and night, night and day together burned us out. I didn’t want to talk to him for a while after that. lol
Oh yeah, I hear that, Alouise. Too much togetherness, even with the best of friends, is….just too much.
Great post and I can relate to most of what has been said here by everyone.
Especially the waiting issue. I remember many times when I’ve been to Vegas with others and I was ready to go and they weren’t. Either because we originally planned to leave the room at a certain time but I was bored just sitting around the room and was ready to go, or they wanted to play a particular game or slot machine and I was ready to move on and go see / do something else.
All in all, it’s the freedom to do what you want when you want that makes going to Vegas solo , so much more fun.
Agreed, Craig. And it seems the more people in your party, the worse the waiting around gets.
Gary, the only times I have been to Vegas other than solo, there has only been one other person. I can’t imagine what it would be like if there were 4 or 5 others with me. Someone just might get pushed into the Bellagio Fountain.
LOL, you know it.
Ooops.. I meant Gray
No worries, Craig, I get that ALL the time.
I did my first solo trip to Vegas last year. Main reason was I couldn’t find anybody to go with me. Wierd I know. So I went it alone, and I had the BEST time ever. I went to sleep when I wanted. I slept in when I felt like it. No schedules, no hurry to certain shows, just a man in his favorite town. Plus sure does help when you hit a big jackpot the first day to pay for the rest of the trip. I plan on doing it again this year.
Hi, Kelly – I know, isn’t it GREAT? Did you really hit a big jackpot? Congrats! That definitely improves a trip.
Just thought of another one, or one that was sorta thrust upon me last week. When you are traveling solo, you don’t have to worry about sharing a bathroom with someone. With all the temptations to overindulge and also try foods you don’t normally eat back home, that can be a very good thing! In my case, I’m pretty sure that it was some new medication that got to me, but the Vegas cuisine might have had something to do with it!
LOL. Oh gosh, Rob, sorry to hear that. But you remind me of something: In the Flamingo GO rooms, the wall to the bathroom is just frosted glass. I remember thinking I was really glad I wasn’t there with someone who was just a friend! It would be kind of awkward.
Gray, they have the same type of bathrooms at the Rio. I stayed there once a long time ago, and was surprised when I visited my friends staying there–with their dogs–last Christmas to see they haven’t changed. If you are in the bedroom, you can see directly into the shower! And unless you close the shower curtain, you can see into the rest of the bathroom. And of course, if you are taking a shower you can see directly into the bedroom. I was staying with JUST A FRIEND back in the day and we kind of had to work out a schedule! We called them “the exhibitionists bathrooms.” It would really be rough if you were there on business and forced to share a room with a colleague!
Oh, I shudder to think of what it would be like to share a room like that with a business colleague. Just…no. LOL.
My wife and I vacation in Vegas often. She loves her May trip but I need more of my favorite town, so I usually do a January + November solo. A solo trip is a totally different experience both good and bad.
Good:
I love the freedom of the “go anywhere at anytime for as long as I please” feeling. No time restriction in a town that never sleeps is the best. As mentioned, people tend to strike up a conversation easier if you are by yourself, so I’ve met some interesting folks along the way.
I don’t mind going to shows solo either. I love afternoon shows like Mac King or Lance Burton so they are usually a must see when solo.
I’m not a fancy restaurant kind of guy, so Early of Sandwich or Le Burger works well for me.
Gambling…I would have no problem sitting at a VP machine for hours on end; if it’s hitting. I do find that machines seem to know when you have a dinner date with your wife and tend to get hot two minutes beforehand, lol.
I tend to get free upgrades when I’m by myself for some reason.
Bad:
I miss my wife and sharing the experience with her. Even though it is her choice not to go, I do feel some guilt that she is not there. We talk daily on the phone, but it’s not the same.
Hi, JB, thanks for sharing your experience! I can’t argue with any of those. I can see how if you enjoy traveling with your SO, you would miss her when you travel solo. It’s a lot easier for those of us who are single.
I will be going to L.V. alone for the first time in June. I really appreciated your blog about being solo. It took away my fears. Now I can look forward to it even more.
I’m so glad, Katie! I think you’ll have a great time in Las Vegas!
Oh yeah, I just booked my very first solo trip to Vegas about 2 hours ago. A little nervous but I know I will have fun. I couldn’t find anyone to go with me. I even offered to pay people’s way but they couldnt find the time. Oh well, I will have fun all alone. Do what I want when I want, right? I mostly enjoy my own company anyway believe it or not. Not going until the end of July but I will keep all posted!
By the time you get home, CJ, you’ll probably be thanking everyone for not going with you.
Yes, you’ll be able to do whatever you want. It’s awesome. Have a blast!