Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

5. “Staycation” is something locals actually say—and do.

After living in Vegas for so long, “staycation” is just part of my lexicon, but I’m always amazed when people in other cities don’t know what it is. Basically, it’s a vacation while staying in your hometown. You can take advantage of room service, lounge by the pool and engage in super-hot hotel sex with your significant other (or a stranger, whatever), all without paying for a flight or dealing with TSA dolts. I spent an afternoon at the pool with my friends who were staycationing at Caesars Palace, and it reminded me how much I love this trend.

4. Paris Hilton is a regular fixture.

I landed in Vegas just in time to catch a private media opening at Mizumi, the new Japanese restaurant at Wynn Las Vegas, and having been to countless restaurant openings, it was everything I would have expected: opulent décor, a spread of bite-sized samples and the same roster of publicists, media folk and socialites that show up to every event, including Paris Hilton. When you’re not running into Paris, you’ll see her whereabouts in the SpyOnVegas galleries or at least in Norm Clarke’s column. I guess some things never change.

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