Travel

Clean up your act in Sin City

CONSUMING to excess — along with other various acts one regrets in the morning — is the reason people flock to Las Vegas year after year. And

while the city is definitely the kind of place where rule-breaking is not only encouraged, but enabled, Vegas is, at the end of the day, a city that welcomes every type of person, and remains endlessly open to interpretation.

Sure, you can spend a year’s salary in a minute at the tables or on bottles of champagne at XS. But you could also not do that, instead spending your day drinking freshly pressed juices, detoxing in world-class spas, hiking or swimming in stunning natural settings, or even just eating a civilized, healthy dinner somewhere away from all the noise and neon.

Las Vegas, for all its love of spectacle, is secretly one of the Southwest’s best places to get healthy, because unlike, say, Taos, when you’re done being healthy, there’s actually something to do besides go to bed. Here, in five simple steps, is how to feel like a million bucks in Sin City.

#1 TAKE A HIKE

In a town so famous for artificial environments, it’s a shock to the system to drive out of town on West Charleston Avenue and into the magnificent Red Rock National Conservation Area, which comes exactly as advertised — a series of brilliantly colored mountains and canyons, perfect for all kinds of hikes. Head to the end of Calico Bluffs Road, park and walk the Calico loop trail — it’s possible to do it in the summer, as long as you go early. Or, join one of a series of hikes organized by the Interpretive Association; check out a complete calendar at redrockcanyonlv.org. If you’re terrified of nature, try the more managed version you’ll find in town at the Springs Preserve, 180 acres of land just moments from the Strip that’s dedicated to reminding everyone that Vegas is in a desert, casino fountains and gardens notwithstanding. After you take a trail walk, retreat to the chic, on-premises Wolfgang Puck café (springspreserve.org).

#2 GET PUMMELED

There is a certain amount of tension we must keep in our shoulders at all times to maintain our edge as New Yorkers, but beyond that, we’re fans of a good, hard massage. Both the Spa Bellagio and Canyon Ranch SpaClub at the Venetian offer our favorite, a Thai-style massage. When you book a Thai massage, the spa staff looks at you differently. You’re someone who just gets it. You breeze past that whole spa-locker scene, because for Thai massage you wear loose, flexible clothes. The treatment is performed on a floor mat, with the therapist twisting you into yoga-like positions while activating pressure points in short bursts that energize blood circulation. It hurts — in a good way — for about 30 seconds, and then you feel the tension disappear. The therapists at both the Bellagio and at Canyon Ranch were super-excited to perform a Thai massage on us (it’s not the most common request). That led to a sincerely attentive spa experience and one of the most unusual compliments we’ve ever received: “You have impressive range of motion in your neck.” (50 minutes at Spa Bellagio, $175; at Canyon Ranch SpaClub, it’s $150; bellagio.com, canyonranch.com).

#3 EAT WELL

Steaks and cigars will probably always be king, but that doesn’t mean smart eaters get the cold shoulder. Even Steve Wynn likes to eat healthy; he went vegan and now demands all restaurants in his Wynn/Encore resort accommodate the diet (seriously — there are even vegan options at top spots like Bartolotta). Over at the Hard Rock, weekend guests can hit the resort spa’s Juice Bar, a wholesome little venue in a sea of decadence. Any day of the week, you can hit up the juice bar and vegan bar at the massive Whole Foods on the southern end of the Strip at the snazzy Town Square Mall. Down here you’ll also find Tiki Ice — healthy fruit ices, perfect for those 106-degree days (mytownsquarelasvegas.com). Still hungry? The twin Go Raw Café locations (one east of the Strip, one west) have been serving ultra-healthy eats for years now and are still going strong (location details at gorawcafe.com).

#4 SWEAT IT OUT

You want to feel healthy, but you don’t want to move a muscle to get there? Well, all you need to do is drag your liquor-soaked self to one of the Strip’s many (and often quite amazing) spas and find its steam room, sauna and Jacuzzi — or, in the the case of the Qua Baths spa in the Augustus tower at Caesars, the numerous Jacuzzis and pools and rooms for hot and cold treatments. After a day here, you’re feeling pretty great — there’s a massive fitness center, too, if you can summon the motivation. A day pass to the entire facility is a whopping $45 (but worth it, since it keeps you out of trouble) (caesars.com). For a similar experience in a slightly more personal setting, the Sahra Spa at The Cosmopolitan offers a series of treatments centered on the on-premises hammam, or Turkish bath, where you can get a simple and quick massage like you’d get in an old bath in Central Europe — it’ll just cost a little more. Like, say, $100 for 35 minutes (cosmopolitanlasvegas.com).

#5 TAKE THE PLUNGE

The site of a shimmering Lake Mead just minutes from the dry valley floor can be a little surprising on your first go-round. The repository for precious Colorado River water created by the Hoover Dam is seeing its levels rise again after years of decline, and is a popular spot for water-sports nuts. Take the drive out past the dam to the Temple Bar Marina and rent a kayak ($45/day). Head out and — making sure you’ve got your lifejacket on — jump in for a swim; average water temps at this time of year run in the mid-80s (templebarlakemead.com). Closer in, you’ll find that while pool parties are definitely the thing in Las Vegas these days, not all pools are magnets for daytime debauchery. At the exclusive Mandarin Oriental, you can sometimes (not always, but sometimes) find yourself completely alone at their sprawling outdoor space, surrounded by the towers of City Center. It’s easy to get in if you’re not a hotel guest or spa goer — their Pool Café is open to the public during the day. You can even reserve your spot on OpenTable (mandarinoriental.com).