Working Remotely in Las Vegas, Nevada
This is part of my remote work travel series where I review places I visit as a digital nomad.
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“You’re spending six days in Vegas??”
That’s the first question people usually asked when my partner Kyle and I were updating friends and family on our remote work roadtrip itinerary. Six days in Vegas might seem like a lot, but in reality — digital nomads do it differently. Starting with: a free hotel room, $75/per day breakfast credit, $100 spa credit — and more perks.
Here’s how to do Vegas right if you’re wanting to have fun and get a little work done in the process :)
How to Leverage Travel Points in Vegas for Digital Nomads
I’ll admit, I’m new to the whole “travel hacking” thing. I’m not yet a pro at leveraging points and reward programs, but I’ll share what I’ve learned so far in hopes it’ll help you, too!
When we were planning our remote work roadtrip for the summer, we were pretty efficient with our budget when it came to accommodations. We stayed with friends and family in San Diego and Phoenix, and only spent about $1,500 on our stay in Flagstaff. And here in Vegas, our hotel room for six days cost us a grand total of… $0.
For the rest of the month, we’ve got two more Airbnbs and are staying with family in Reno, so our total accommodations budget for the month will be around $1,600 for the two of us — definitely one of our cheaper months of travel, and next month we’re also spending around $3,000 on a gorgeous place in Oakland for the full 30 days.
So while our six days in Vegas might seem lavish, we’ve just gotten better at saving money and leveraging travel points and travel cards to help us live a life of travel for the equivalent of the average cost of a two-bedroom apartment in a major city. ($1,500 per person per month for accommodations in fancy Airbnbs and hotels is pretty budget savvy!)
I did quite a bit of research on travel credit cards at the end of last year, but ended up getting the Amex Platinum travel card. I had never opted into a credit card with an annual fee — let alone an annual fee of $695 — but this card ended up being worth it right off the bat, with free monthly credits for Uber, streaming services, and subscriptions to news sources like The New York Times and Audible. That alone pretty much made up for the annual fee.
I’ve saved so much money on travel with this card, it’s kind of insane, and the hotel perks for our stay here at the Cosmopolitan in Vegas are:
$75 per day breakfast credit. This can be used at certain restaurants and coffeeshops in the hotel, or for room service.
Free room upgrade. We got upgraded to a suite with a view of the Bellagio fountain!
$100 spa credit. This credit applies to other hotel purchases, also I believe!
And, of course, the room ended up being free as I redeemed my travel points for it.
Hotels in Vegas have their own loyalty programs, but because I’m not a frequent visitor to Vegas (no shade, this trip has been awesome so far) so signing up for those programs doesn’t really offer any benefit at the moment.
As a digital nomad, I’m all about finding new travel hacks and ways to get the most out of our trips. I’ll keep on sharing more tips with you as I find them!
Where to Stay in Vegas for Digital Nomads
We’re staying at the Cosmopolitan, and it’s one of my favorite hotels on the strip. When I was younger, my family would take vacations in Vegas all the time. We stayed all over the strip, but the Cosmo is now my favorite hotel, in part because it’s newer, and in part because it has some great restaurants.
The Block 16 Urban Food Hall on level two has amazing fast casual food options, from Momofuku to David Chang’s fast casual spinoff Baang that has a spit-roasted eggplant wrap to die for.
The Cosmo also just has a more modern vibe to it, and doesn’t smell like smoke like the other hotels do. It has all the Vegas amenities like a world-class spa, sprawling casino, two rooftop pools, and two fitness centers and tons of restaurants, bars, lounges, and clubs. You really can’t go wrong staying here.
What to Eat in Vegas: for the Vegans!
At first glance, Vegas seems inescapably meat-based. This is pretty true, but there are some great vegan options if you’re down to work to find them.
We did a tasting menu at the off-strip restaurant EDO Tapas, and were blown away by the quality of the vegan food there. District Donuts in the Cosmo also had some good vegan latte choices, and I cheated for their cinnamon roll and biscuit (both not vegan but worth it!) There’s also a True Foods here, which is one of my favorite upscale-ish fine-casual chains that serves pretty healthy foods, many of which are vegan.
Other than that, you have to get creative with vegan options wherever you are.
And if you’re a meat eater? Welcome to paradise.
What to Do in Vegas
While Vegas is synonymous with debauchery, that’s not my experience with it for ~most~ trips I’ve been on. Partying is not my priority, and I’m channeling that energy into building things for the current season of life I’m in.
If you’re looking for trouble and crazy nights out, you’ll find it.
If you’re looking for best-in-class spa treatments, high-quality shows and entertainment, and a foodie paradise — you’ll find that, too.
I look at Vegas as a choose-your-own adventure journey, and here are my favorite things to do if you need some inspiration outside of your dinner reservations:
See some shows. On our trip, we went out to see Absinthe, Cirque du Soleil’s KA, and Penn and Teller. I’ve heard good things about the magician Shin Lim’s show as well, and in the past I’ve gone to see Blue Man Group and LOVE, and those were great.
Get a massage and have a spa day. Vegas spas are a great opportunity to unwind, and there are some world-class spas on the Vegas strip.
Walk the strip. I’d recommend experiencing the strip both at its peak on a Saturday night, and 8am on a weekday morning. You definitely get to see the full range of what the city is during both of those times.
Play a few hands of blackjack. If you’re into gambling, Vegas is the place for you. But if you’re more of a casual gambler like I am, playing a few hands of blackjack before a show is enough for you. I like blackjack in particular because it’s a more chill, non-competitive game, and less of a pure luck game like roulette is.
Peruse the shops and stroll the canals in the Venetian. After being to the real Venice, Italy, the Venetian’s canals felt like a fictionalized mash-up of the real city. It’s still a fun walk to do, and cements Vegas as an adult Disneyland.
See some live music. There are piano bars and live music venues up and down the strip, so if clubbing isn’t your scene, you can visit one of these for your music fix.
There’s plenty to do here, so do your own research and see what fits your interests.
Tips for Digital Nomads in Vegas
Zoomin’ from the Cosmo During a Meeting Day
If you’re planning on working remotely in Vegas, be warned: there aren’t any good co-working spaces, and the hotels are generally flooded with tourists, slot machines, and distractions a-plenty.
I’m writing this blog post from our balcony overlooking the Bellagio fountain, and it’s my favorite place to do work here. It’s worth it to get a hotel room that’s a bit larger, as this is the only space you’re going to have to take meetings and work in.
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Overall, Vegas is a fun place to work remotely in, and so much good food and cool shows are within walking distance if you stay on the strip. If you’re smart with travel hacking and timing your visit, there are a lot of great deals here.
While I wouldn’t recommend staying in Vegas for longer than a week, our six days was the perfect amount of time to rest, enjoy the spa, and have a bit of fun after hours :)
See you at the next stop on our roadtrip!
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