I last visited Vegas in 2022, when I was deep in my drinking days. The trip revolved around my next alcoholic beverage, and because I was mentally and physically unhealthy, I did little in the way of physical activity. My days were spent nursing hangovers in casinos, and my nights involved drinking cocktail after cocktail at dinners and shows until I finally passed out in my bed.

Determined to do Vegas differently, I planned activities on this trip unrelated to alcohol, like walking tours and entertaining shows and experiences. I've been sober for nearly two years, and I find I don't struggle with turning down a drink, so while I spent time in places where alcohol was served, I avoided it completely without issue.

On my first night in Las Vegas, I headed to The Sphere, the all-new entertainment venue shaped like a giant globe in the Nevada desert. Before the show, I went to dinner solo. The Sphere was showing a revamped version of "The Wizard of Oz," complete with special effects like blowing wind and vibrating seat haptics, and I was eager to take it all in.

The show was impressive, and because I wasn't obsessing over partying the night away, I was back to my hotel and in my pajamas by 10 p.m., ready for a good night's sleep.

I woke up early the next day, dressed in comfy workout gear, and went sightseeing. I'd found a few TikToks showing self-guided walking tours of free things to see and do in Vegas, and I took some of their suggestions, stopping to see the botanical garden at the Bellagio, the flamingo exhibit at the Flamingo, and more.

In total, I walked 10 miles that day, shopping, being a tourist, and grabbing lunch at another TikTok-recommended spot, Netflix Bites. It felt amazing to move my body without a hangover all day and to truly enjoy seeing the Las Vegas Strip.

My hotel room at Aria Resort and Casino had a giant-sized bathtub, so both of the afternoons I was in town were spent napping, then hitting the hotel lobby's Starbucks for a coffee that I drank while reading in the bath. Taking a beat to recharge each afternoon was freeing, since usually on a trip to Vegas, I'd be hanging out in casinos all afternoon for the "free" cocktails.

I've long been a fan of haunt events, like Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights, which I attended sober for the first time last year. Universal recently opened a year-round attraction in Vegas, called Horror Unleashed, with four haunted houses I knew I had to see.

Just like in my home state of Florida, being jump-scared in haunted houses in Sin City as a sober person was incredibly fun. It felt amazing to realize again that I did not, in fact, need a buzz to enjoy something I had always thought I needed a few drinks to attend.

Visiting Las Vegas sober and solo was an incredibly empowering experience. Each time I travel to a new spot where I used to drink, whether it's an all-inclusive resort or the streets of Italy, I'm reminded that life really is better sober. I'd definitely return to Vegas for a solo trip, or with friends or family: I didn't miss alcohol at all while I was there, and felt happy and healthy throughout the trip without booze in the mix.