I’ve mentioned before that April is one of my favorite months of the year, but did you know that it’s also National Stress Awareness Month?

We all lead busy, often-stressful lives, which is why I’m taking part in Vegas.com’s #LetLoose2014 event.

I’ve been to Las Vegas twice (for my honeymoon in 2008 and on vacation in 2012), and I can say without a doubt that Vegas is the perfect city in which to let loose.

Vegas may provide the ultimate thrill with its exhilarating nightlife, elaborate casinos, breathtaking shows, and endless shopping, but with roof-top pools, world-class spas, and top-quality restaurants aplenty, it’s also the perfect destination to relax and decompress.

But we can experience that “Las Vegas State of Mind” anywhere, right? Here in my hometown of Mobile, Alabama—a place far from Vegas geographically and culturally—I find plenty of ways to relax.

Whether I enjoy a day trip to gorgeous, sugary-white beaches, a picnic at one of our beautiful bay-front parks, or a peaceful jog or stroll through the live oak- and Spanish moss-draped city streets, being outdoors and near the water is one of my favorite ways to de-stress from my busy life.

Our annual Mardi Gras celebration (the nation’s oldest, might I add!) is also the ultimate occasion to let loose, cast aside your worries, and laissez les bon temps rouler!

Carnival is an annual celebration that I never miss; there’s no better way to forget your stress than by gazing at embellished papier-mâché floats, dancing to local high school and college marching bands, and escaping reality at masked parties and balls.

The last time I was in Vegas, the beautiful City Center had recently been completed. Though we didn’t stay there, one of my favorite spots on the strip was the Aria Resort & Casino.

If I ever have the opportunity to stay at Aria, I’d be sure to visit The Spa and Salon for a relaxing massage—after dining at Javier’s, Sirio, Jean Georges Steakhouse, or Lemongrass; soaking up the sun beside one of the beautiful pools; and watching gravity-defying acrobatics at Cirque du Soleil’s Zarkana, of course. I guess I’d need multiple trips because I’d want to do it all! Click here to learn more about the Aria resort and for easy booking.

To read more about letting loose across the country, look for the hashtag #LetLoose2014 on Twitter and Instagram.

• What is your favorite way to let loose and decompress from stress?
• Have you ever been to Las Vegas?
• If so, what did you enjoy best? If not, what would you like to see or do?