Finding Wellness in Las Vegas
Rebranding what to do in Vegas.
When my husband asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday this year, without hesitation I said Las Vegas. An answer that surprised him greatly. I'm not really a partier or a gambler. I did need to get out of the house and away from my routine. But I also had another reason why Vegas was the destination of choice - wellness.
Wellness and Vegas are words that are not often used together. In fact, when I told some friends about the plan one of them said the gangsters who founded Vegas were rolling over in their graves at the thought of my trip. I get it, I get it! While it may not be the most popular opinion, Las Vegas is actually a wellness lover's dream.
First things first, the hotel. The hotel needed to be a central hub for all activities. Spa, restaurants, any amenities - all had to be on-site. The Venetian had it all plus the famed Canyon Ranch Spa. Boasting a world-class spa, three restaurants, and a gym - all inside the hotel. It was perfect, we never had to leave the property. Win!
The plane ride from LA to Vegas is short - 36 minutes - but the recharging started immediately. Diving into a magazine filled with mouthwatering recipes and a book that drew you in from the very first page. I always get new notebooks for new things/adventures/time periods. Writing on that first piece of clean paper is such a thrill. Each and every time.
Upon arrival, we headed up to the room, downed a few glasses of water, and shut the blackout shades to nap! Boy, it felt so good to just rest. No screens, no lights, no to-do list to finish.
Dinner that night was completely random, yet a meal that I'm still thinking about. (Aren't those the best?) When you wake up from an afternoon nap and it's not quite lunch or dinner, usually you're stuck eating snacks or passing the time until restaurants open at 5pm. We thought the latter was the case and decided to go on a walk within the hotel to speed up time. What we discovered was a restaurant that was not closed and one that actually looked delicious. Enter The X Pot, a fresh, hot soup place. Actually, more of a shabu-shabu spot than anything else. We each got a pot - chicken and spicy, respectively - and a veggie and meat platter to add into the soup. We spent the next hour drinking the warm broth, cooking veggies in it, and making up sauce combos on the fly. When we weren't quite full, we ordered more of the collagen-rich chicken broth and freshly made noodles to wrap up the meal. If we could have, we would have eaten there every single day of the trip.
The next day was fully dedicated to the spa and its amenities. I'd been dreaming for weeks about time in the Igloo - yes, they have an Igloo! - and the steam room. The spa was everything I could have imagined and more. All of the spa things - massage, multiple naps, and quiet rooms over-delivered. But what was truly impressive were the restaurants, in particular, Truth & Tonic. From smoothies to fresh pressed juices (tangerine, orange, & Tumeric was 10/10) to heartier entrees. Lucky for you the item we ordered most has an easy-to-replicate recipe.
Bonus: Canyon Ranch Blueberry Avocado Smoothie Recipe
We ordered this smoothie multiple times. It hit the spot each time AND kept us full.
1/4 cup Blueberry
1/2 Avocado
Handful of Spinach
1/4 cup Acai
Almond Milk - fill to the two line on the blender
Vanilla Plant Protein - 1 very full scoop
Handful of Flax Seeds
Toss everything into the blender and blend on high until combined. Serve immediately. Makes two smoothies.
While this getaway was needed (and the first time we left all three kids behind) to usher in a new year, what I ultimately took away was that wellness can be found anywhere. Even in the city of casinos and partying. We stayed at The Venetian the majority of the days, making it feel like we were at a wellness resort.
I'm really looking forward to diving into the concept of wellness anywhere and reporting back - from Vegas and other unexpected spots - some hidden gems.
As always, if you want to chat health and wellness, or planning a wellness-focused trip, let's chat.
SP
PS - we got married again!
