Girl's Getaway

With the plethora of strip clubs and showgirls in this town, you'd think that Vegas is a man's world. Not so! There are plenty of activities and attractions for the ladies, from wild weekend, bachelorette-style craziness to relaxing, leave-your-cares-at-home style getaways. Here are just a few suggestions.

Mornings

If you dream of going to Paris, skip the hotel of the same name and go more or less across the street to Caesars Palace and Payard Patisserie & Bistro for breakfast. The chef is from the city of lights, and you'll know it when you taste his croissants. The food is not cheap, but it is high quality, generously portioned, and just plain delightful. (It's also worth an evening stop for the amazing desserts.)

Vegas is retail heaven, and you could spend your whole day going to branches of pretty much every designer name you can think of in the major hotel malls (Crystals at CityCenter, The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, Grand Canal Shoppes at Venetian/Palazzo, Miracle Mile at Planet Hollywood, Bellagio, Wynn Las Vegas). In particular, it is worth noting the branch of NYC's fashion apex Barney's department store and a Christian Louboutin at The Palazzo, Tiffany & Co. at Bellagio and Crystals, Hermes Paris at Crystals, Agent Provocateur at The Forum Shops, and an H&M in The Forum Shops. Bargain shoppers will want to check out the Las Vegas Premium Outlets North near Downtown. Truth be told, there are not a lot of bargains there, but it's an outlet, so something will turn up.

Afternoons

You can have a fabulous girly lunch at the pink and orange Serendipity 3, a branch of the beloved New York establishment. The hot dogs are authentic, but, more to the point, it's got the frozen hot chocolate!

Okay, it's time for some serious pampering. You could just stretch out by the pool (didn't you just buy a new bikini this morning?), but it's hot outside. So make your way to the spas at Encore, Bellagio, or The Venetian (which is a branch of the Canyon Ranch), for a full menu of massages, facials, weird treatments imported from countries you've never heard of, and lots more -- all designed to make you feel as relaxed and limp as an al dente noodle.

Nights

If your girls'-getaway weekend is of the rowdy bachelorette variety, have dinner at Tacos and Tequila, at Luxor. Not only is the food fun and frivolous, the margaritas are also among the best in town. If it's a more laid-back experience you need, then get a patio table at Estiatorio Milos at The Cosmopolitan and enjoy their amazingly fresh Mediterranean seafood and other Greek specialties.

Hey, speaking of getting rowdy, not to mention all those signs with scantily clad women all over the place, equal time can be attained at such shows as the male-stripper review Chippendales, at the Rio. Or get your performance art on at the Blue Man Group -- they are weird and wonderful, and they make the audience go berserk.

The Petrossian bar at Bellagio is a calm, sophisticated place to have a tipple to gear up for the rest of your evening. Plus, the bartenders generally are trained mixologists who really know how to prepare a classic drink, not to mention pour a mean glass of champagne. A somewhat more gearing-up-for-the-clubs atmosphere is across the way at Caramel, where the drinks tend to be such things as chocolate- and apple-tinis.

Finally, strap on that pair of Christian Louboutin's you bought earlier today (lucky you), because it's time to go dancing. If you're single and looking to mingle (or whatever, we don't judge), the scenes at PURE at Caesars Palace, XS at Encore Las Vegas, and Marquee at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas are such that people will stand in line for hours (and pay outrageous cover charges) just to get inside. We have to admit they are awfully fun.

Wanna just go dance? Consider going to gay clubs, such as Krave Las Vegas, at Planet Hollywood, or Piranha, just off the Strip. They welcome women, but remember that you aren't going to be the priority here.