Vegas Baby!

The good times rolled on a short Jaunt to Vegas!

It's been a long time since I last visited Las Vegas, and surprisingly, not much has changed from my old production routine. When I frequented the playground in the desert, I was working with the Steve Harvey Foundation, helping to produce the star-studded celebrity golf tournament that closed out Hoodie Awards Weekend.

This time, however, I was on the other side of the event experience—receiving the credentials, goodie bags and other perks as a speaker at the Black Enterprise Women of Power Summit.

But this is JAUNT, so let's talk about Vegas.

There is something fascinating about returning to a destination you once knew well after being away for years. The landmarks are familiar, but the city has continued reinventing itself around them. Las Vegas is still unapologetically Vegas—bright, excessive, energetic and seemingly operating on its own clock—but today's city offers considerably more than casinos and late nights.

Vegas Has Grown Up

One of the things I noticed on this trip was how easy it is to experience Las Vegas without making gambling the center of the visit.

The Strip has become a destination for dining, entertainment, sports, conferences, shopping and increasingly sophisticated hospitality. You can spend an entire weekend moving between restaurants, lounges, spas, shows and events without ever sitting down at a gaming table.

And that makes Vegas particularly good for the short trip.

You don't necessarily need five days here. Give yourself a long weekend—or even a strategically planned two or three nights—and there is enough concentrated within a relatively small area to make the trip feel full.

Business Trip Meets Mini Vacation

My schedule centered around the Women of Power Summit, but I've learned over the years that being somewhere for work doesn't mean you shouldn't experience the destination.

That may mean dinner somewhere you've never tried, taking the long way back to your hotel to see what's new along the Strip, enjoying a quiet breakfast before the day's programming begins, or simply giving yourself a few hours when there is nowhere you're required to be.

Those little pockets of time are often where a business trip becomes a Jaunt.

And Vegas makes that especially easy. There is always something happening just outside the conference ballroom.

A Different Kind of Luxury

Luxury in Las Vegas isn't necessarily about spending the most money.

For me, it is about convenience and access.

Where you stay matters. How easily you can get from your room to your meetings matters. Having good dining within walking distance matters. And when you're traveling for an event or conference, not having to spend half your day figuring out transportation may be one of the greatest luxuries of all.

Vegas can become exhausting very quickly if you try to do everything. The better trip is often the curated one: choose the experiences that matter and leave room to enjoy them.

And Yes, Bring Comfortable Shoes

Some travel advice never changes.

Las Vegas hotels are enormous. Something that looks "right downstairs" may involve a casino floor, two corridors, an escalator and what feels like another zip code.

Pack the beautiful shoes.

But pack the walking shoes too.

Your feet will thank you.

Would I Go Back?

Absolutely.

This visit reminded me why Las Vegas has remained one of America's great escape destinations. You can arrive for a conference, concert, game, celebration or simply a change of scenery and build an entirely different trip around it.

For me, this particular visit brought together a little nostalgia and a completely different way of experiencing a familiar city. Years ago, I came to Vegas working behind the scenes. This time, I had enough space to look around and enjoy the destination itself.

And sometimes that's the beauty of returning somewhere you've been before.

The city may look familiar.
But you're experiencing it from an entirely different place.

Until the next Jaunt…