For years, I’ve wondered to myself, “Who comes to Las Vegas for Valentine’s Day?”
The answer is actually two-part: a lot of people come to Las Vegas for Valentine’s Day, and for more romantic things than you’d expect.
Yes, we are the Quickie Wedding Capital of the World. And Open Container Central. And also That Place Where People Go to Lose Their Minds. Our most famous cinematic export involves a drug-fueled night that ends in a trashed Caesars Palace suite with Mike Tyson’s tiger keeping watch over the bathroom. Our former mayor (still!) attends events with a showgirl on each arm and a Bombay Sapphire martini in hand. We’re the only city with a slogan that encourages people not to brag about their stay—for fear that it might reveal some delicious undercurrent of debauchery.
But the truth is, Las Vegas isn’t that salacious all the time. Honestly. Staff writer Kiko Miyasato does a good job of laying out the softer side of the city in her Valentine’s Day package (“Romance, For Everyone”) meant for couples of all types.
For me, a romantic dinner doesn’t have to be about bombast. Michael Mina’s Nobhill Tavern at MGM Grand offers nook-style booths that balance privacy with the din of bar conversation just outside. Order a few cocktails, split a decadent lobster pot pie, finish sweet. Planet Hollywood’s Strip House is another worthy contender, swathed in reds, vintage photos and dim lighting, and home to some of the Strip’s best steaks—not to mention a 24-layer chocolate cake.
And we have views for days, too. Take your pick from the tops, including Foundation Room, Mix, the Eiffel Tower, VooDoo Rooftop Nightclub and Top of the World at Stratosphere.
Factor in some couples’ massage treatments, a gondola ride, tickets to Zumanity or a quick getaway to Red Rock Canyon, Mount Charleston or Boulder City, and you might start to see the city a little differently.
