Las Vegas
A trip to Las Vegas can literally be what you make of it. Gone are the days of only smoke-filled casino’s to entertain you. You can spend your days at shows, shopping, museum hopping, hiking or even visiting a vineyard out in the desert, and don’t even get me started on the people watching. As someone who loves all things food related, Las Vegas has become a true mecca.
Like many trips to Vegas, ours was driven by a show that we just had to see, The Backstreet Boys. I know, I’m showing my age with that declaration. My friend Stacy and I were huge fans back in the day and we were very interested to see if the boys could still sing & shake it. Our husbands weren’t so excited by all this, so they got tickets to see a comedy show instead. This is a perfect example of why Vegas is such a great place for a weekend getaway. There are so many options for just about everything. You can always find a show to meet your interests, no matter what they’re.
We took a late flight in, so we took our time getting up and at it the next morning. We started our day with the brunch buffet at Aria. What’s wrong with a little pizza and Eggs Benedict for breakfast/lunch? The buffets in Vegas do not disappoint, and you can find them in a wide variety of prices. After our hearty meal, we walked around a bit, checking out some of the most popular sights in the resorts. We stayed at the Vdara, which lets you escape all the casino driven hustle and bustle of Las Vegas. There isn’t any gambling on the premises, so it’s more of a quiet, chill kind of atmosphere. It is nestled right between the Bellagio and the Aria, so there is plenty of that casino feel right next door.
In my opinion, some of the coolest things to see are the resorts themselves. Sure there are all the gambling tables and such, but it’s the amazing displays that really take the cake. A visit to the lobby area of the Bellagio is a must. The picture above and to the far right is the incredible glass display that covers the entire ceiling of the lobby. It is mesmerizing to stand beneath it, making you feel surrounded by jellyfish or maybe umbrella’s. Just off of the lobby, you’ll find the Conservatory & Botanical Garden. This is something truly spectacular. The intricate floral arrangements are something not to be missed. Thousands and thousands of flowers are used to create these masterpieces, and you also have to catch a glimpse of The Enchanted Tree.
After this early afternoon stroll, the guys & gals split up. Our husbands wanted to gamble, and we wanted to check out more of the sights. Even though it was late October, it was still pretty warm outside, so we sought shade cutting through many resorts as we made our way down the strip. If you’re going to Vegas for the first time, it is important to note just how big everything is. You might look on the map and say, “Oh, the place we want to go is only a few blocks away.”
Keep in mind that the blocks there are very, very big and it will take you a lot longer to walk to places that might seem quite close on a map. Also keep in mind that walking can be slow when there are thousands of people hitting the sidewalks alongside you. Just make sure you give yourself plenty of time if you’re walking or driving, traffic from cars and pedestrians alike can be pretty crazy.
Another place I would highly recommend you check out is the Wynn Conservatory. As we made our way down the strip, we decided this resort was the perfect place to stop and enjoy a drink (or two). Like the Bellagio, the Wynn does an incredible job of transforming its common areas into mystical gardens that look like they’ve come straight out of a fairy tale. The thousands of flowers used to create these works of art are just stunning.
After enjoying the inside gardens, we made our way to Parasol Down, which distinctly reminded me of Alice in Wonderland. The bar leads out to a large patio area that overlooks a stunning turquoise pool surrounded by lush greenery. You will 100% feel like you’ve been transported somewhere far away from the desert. The drinks are a tad expensive, but you’re paying for the beautiful, relaxing atmosphere as well.
You could easily spend an entire week just walking through all the resorts along the strip. There are so many beautiful places to check out. Be forewarned, you can get lost inside some of these massive places. There is every kind of shop and restaurant imaginable. The Venetian is another classic resort to see. The artwork on the ceilings will make you feel like you’re in some ancient palace or cathedral, even the recreation of the Venetian canals with serenading gondoliers is charming. Give yourself plenty of time to meander through and seek out the unusual and unexpected.
We didn’t have much time to relax once we got back from our afternoon of wandering. We had dinner reservations at Triple George Grill before our concert at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Triple George did not disappoint. The filet mignon was almost overshadowed by the silky, buttery mashed potatoes…almost. This was a restaurant where we could have easily stretched our dinner out for hours, unfortunately we had places to go and people to see.
After our scrumptious dinner the guys dropped us off and headed to their show, and we made our way to ours. The Backstreet Boys put on an amazing show. They can still sing & dance like they did when they were in their twenties. We had a great time singing and dancing along. I thought for sure it would primarily be an older crowd, but it was cool to see lots of people in their late teens and early twenties. The guys came out into the crowd a couple times and we got to see them up close and personal. On an interesting side note, we just happened to be at the show where Andy Cohen (host of Watch What Happen’s Live on Bravo) made a guest appearance on stage. All-in-all, we had a wonderful day from start to finish.
After a late night out, we slept in a bit before heading to Lagasse’s Stadium inside The Palazzo, to watch the Broncos game. I’d never watched a game before at this kind of place, so it was pretty cool. It is called a sports bar, restaurant, sports book & entertainment club. It was pretty pricey, but it was something different to try. I did sometimes find it hard to concentrate on the game with so many other TV screens showing different games at the same time. We filled up on your typical game day food and we got to enjoy watching our friend Eric do a celebration dance when he won. Sure wish I would have captured that on video, it was priceless.
On our last evening there, we made our way to T-Mobile Arena to take in a Vegas Golden Knights hockey game. If you’ve never been to a NHL Hockey game, this might just be one of the best places to do it. Talk about putting on a show. Not only do you have sixty minutes of hockey to watch, but they put the Vegas stamp on the whole production. You can expect full on entertainment at the end of each period and even the team introductions at the very beginning is quite entertaining. Definitely something to check out, and you’ll enjoy it even if you know nothing about hockey.
Before we headed back to Colorado, we of course, had to hit up one last buffet. If you find yourself south of the strip, or just wanting to get away from the crowds, The M Resort offers an awesome buffet that includes wine, isn’t crowded and has so many delicious options.
Overall, we had such a fun trip. With tons of stuff to do it really is a great place to visit. Gone are the days where walking around smoke filled casino’s was your only option. Vegas now offers just about any sort of entertainment or activity you’re looking for. We’re already starting to talk about going back, we’ve got to go see Lady Gaga!!!