My kind of party in Las Vegas

When asked if I went wild in Vegas and partied until the sun came up my response is somewhere along the lines of if you think going to a PGA tournament and leaving the Strip by 4 o’clock is me going wild then yes, yes I did.

A couple months ago, I saw an Instagram post that featured an ad for the Shriners Children’s Open. A PGA Tour tournament that happens in Summerlin, Nevada at TPC Summerlin. This year the tournament just so happened to be the same weekend as my fall break. So what do my mom and I do? Buy tickets for the tournament and decide it’s time to take a road trip to Vegas.

Now, I had never been to Vegas before, but I always heard stories about how crazy the city can get. People getting drunk at 10 in the morning and lights that never turn off to guide people to the next casino. Luckily, I got to see a different side of Vegas with Summerlin.

One of the main reasons I wanted to come to this tournament was because I knew it would be more lowkey. By this, I mean that there wouldn’t be as many people and those who were there would be among the calmer golf spectating crowd. Being from Phoenix and attending the WM Phoenix Open, this tournament was a dream to attend.

During the tournament, I could actually walk without hundreds of other people rushing to see their favorite golfer and stand next to the rope to see the action up close. This tournament also draws a good field with players including Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa, Tom Kim (the eventual winner), Jason Day and more. I enjoyed the purpose behind the tournament and the inclusion of Shriners Hospital patients or past patients to carry the sign with the golfers and the dedication of the work the volunteers have done.

Also TPC Summerlin was a beautiful course with mountain views and serene ponds (the giant houses didn’t hurt either). It’s always so interesting to me to see other golf courses in different parts of the country. While Las Vegas is similar to Phoenix in both being a desert, this course still managed to be a little different than the ones you find around here. It had more elevation, looked way greener than some in Phoenix and the layout of a course without surrounding desert.

For dinner the first night, my mom and I went to one of our favorite spots, True Food Kitchen. Classic option. The next night after a long day on the golf course we tried Hussong's, a Mexican cantina. I kid you not, this was some of the best Mexican food I’ve had. Definitely need to see if we have one in Phoenix or anywhere nearby.

On our third night we ventured across the street from where we parked for the golf tournament to a shopping village where we found - Tivoli Village. I was living my European dreams in this little shopping village. There were lights strung over the streets with architecture matching that of an Italian villa. Fountains in the middle of small roundabouts added to the serene atmosphere. And then watching the sunset through the lights over the street was a sight to behold.

That Monday in our trip, we would be hitting the Strip. A place known for its casinos, drinks and vibes.

My mom and I arrived at the Strip around 9 am and yet there were still people mulling about everywhere. Our first stop was the Venetian and again I found myself in love with the (knock-off) Italian architecture. The inside was dimmed to look like the sun was setting over the Venetian canals with gondolas floating in the water that ran through the shopping village. I found myself living my European fantasies and my desire to travel overseas was only heightened.

We walked around for hours, I had to get a snack in the Caesar’s Palace gift shop when “hangry” mode set in, and continued to see the sights of the Strip. The tall hotels to fit massive amounts of people, the lights that never shut off and tourists taking pictures of everything. Literally everything.

Lunch was a bit of a grind to find. In the end, we settled on a café that sat on one of the main roads and had a good meal that would fuel us to walk around more until we got really tired.

And of course, when I saw a macaron shop inside the Venetian, I knew we had to get some. So we did and sat above the canal for a while just watching the boats and people go by while enjoying our macarons.

At some point, we did have to drive back south to reality that awaited us in Phoenix, but the memories I have from Vegas are special. A place that I had never been to before and one that I would like to go back to, even a city that I could see myself potentially living in one day. I was able to explore a new place while making memories with my mom that we will carry with us for the rest of our lives.