Las Vegas Trip Wrap Up

Welcome back! I can't believe it's already time to wrap up another wonderful trip! Our most recent trip to Las Vegas was nothing short of spectacular. Between the shows, the hot air balloon ride, and the fabulous food, every moment was a blast! Based on our two trips there, I've put together a list of our main favorites for hotels, restaurants, museums, and more. 

Stay
Splurge
Bellagio: This is still my top pick! This posh spot is perfect for a splurge. Everything about this resort screams luxury, and no matter what room you choose, you'll feel pampered. Opt for a fountain room for added wow factor.
The Venetian: This luxury hotel takes out all the stops! From floor to ceiling, no detail is left untouched. Designs centered around Venice, Italy, including the gondola ride out front, leaving you feeling as if you've stepped foot into this beautiful Italian city. A stay in any of the suites will leave you feeling luxurious and special.
Steal
Flamingo: This is where we stayed on our latest trip to Vegas. I have to admit I was a bit disappointed, but I really think that's because I couldn't help compare it to the Bellagio from our first stay. Well there's just no comparison, but this is still a fab option! Step into this retro hotel for a step back in time to old Las Vegas. There's even a conservatory for the Flamingo's flamingos, not to mention the pools are some of the best on the strip!
Harrah's: This budget hotel is right in the heart of the strip. It's Mardi Gras theme is sure to make your stay a blast, and it's location just can't be beat.

See
The Strip: Travel all over the world in just one day! From far off places like Paris & Egypt, to Italy & Treasure Island, you'll enjoy all the strip has to offer. Whether you are there to party or with your family, there is something for everyone!
Bellagio Conservatory: This attraction is one not to miss! It's my top recommendation for Vegas, and it's FREE! The conservatory boasts a themed garden, butterfly sanctuary, and flowers for days!
Absinthe: Not for the faint or fickle at heart, Absinthe is a HILARIOUS R-rated show at Caesars Palace. You will die laughing the entire time at the shows circus ringleader, be mesmerized by the burlesque & cabaret dancers, and blown away by the acrobats.

Shop
Grande Canal Shoppes: Nestled between The Venetian & The Palazzo hotels, this mall features a large variety of shops and restaurants. Whether you want to splurge or just window shop, luxury is at every turn at these amazing shops.
Boulder City, Nevada: This quaint little town, home of the Hoover Dam, features sweet little boutiques, antique stores, and the most darling ice cream shop you've ever seen. Boulder City is booming with history, and you may catch a glimpse of Big Horn Sheep.
Fashion Show: With over 250 stores, there is something for everyone at this fashion forward mall. The location, just past The Venetian and Treasure Island can't be beat. My favorites are Macy's & Dillard's!

Eat
Sammy's LA Pastrami • Off Strip: We heard about this place from the Travel Channel, so we knew we couldn't miss it. It did not disappoint! This is a whole in the wall joint, and it's "seasoned" look adds to the flavor. Try the Steak Fajita Pita, and the Bacon Cheddar Fries are to die for!
Serendipity • Caesars Palace: UPDATE: Serendipity Las Vegas is permanently closed. This original-to-New York staple shouldn't be missed! Serendipity 3 at Caesars Palace is a much newer, fresher feel to it's NY counterpart, but it's classic Frozen Hot Chocolate is just the same. Check out their amazing brunch menu as well. They have donuts as big as your face that happen to be the best I've ever had! Not to mention a fun twist on eggs Benedict, my favorite vacation brunch treat.
Hexx • Paris: You can't miss Hexx right on the Strip with outside tables that have prime viewing of the famous Bellagio Fountains. We enjoyed an amazing late brunch there where I had my first bite of chilaquiles. #wherehaveibeen Right next door is an amazing candy shop, Hexx Chocolate. Load up on a sugar rush of immense varieties, and splurge on creating your own ice cream sandwich with homemade cookies!

History + Nature
National Atomic Testing Museum: This spot is just off the strip, a couple of blocks behind The Flamingo. It's a great museum with an abundance of information and exhibits from the Atomic Bomb era. You'll also find a whole exhibition on Area 51, but put your cameras away for this portion. No photos allow in Area 51, which makes this part of the museum that much more mysterious!
Valley of Fire: Northeast of Vegas is a beautiful state park named the Valley of Fire. It's name fits it perfectly! The colors of rock formation here are stunning. Find Indian petroglyphs, white sands, and abundant wildlife. The drive through the park is nothing short of beautiful. Be sure to stop here and there for a few hikes. Don't forget to bring snacks and lots of water.
Grand Canyon: About a two and half-three hour drive from Las Vegas, or a short helicopter ride from Boulder City, the Grand Canyon is an amazing place to see if you want to get away from the bright lights during your stay in Vegas. Find yourself on the South Rim at the Skywalk at Eagle Point, and take a walk across a glass bridge shelf over the canyon. The Grand Canyon is a must see for everyone!

Touristy Musts
Bellagio Fountains: This top attraction will not disappoint! The dancing fountains are even more spectacular in person! Take in a show at night for added Las Vegas sparkle!
Neon Boneyard: Though technically still on Las Vegas Boulevard albeit far, far on the end, this museum is home to vintage, some restored, neon signs. We enjoyed a day and night tour. The night tour was great because the restored signs were lit up to their former glory. The day tour was amazing as you could see the true detail in all of the signs. If you are going to pick one or the other, I recommend the day tour over the night. It's a little pricey and not as large as I envisioned, but it's well worth the visit.
High Roller: Catch gorgeous views of the mountains all over Clark County all while enjoying a drink & ride in the Western Hemisphere's London Eye. Take the 30 minute ride around for spectacular views of the scenery, the strip, and the fab nearby hotel pools.

If you are interested in more ideas for things to do in Las Vegas you can contact me here to book your own vacation in Sin City!

First Trip
Trip Highlights
Bellagio Fountains + Conservatory
Grand Canyon
Skywalk
Hoover Dam
My Fave Touristy Spots on the Strip
Muscle + Mead
Trip Wrap Up

Second Trip
Trip Highlights
Around the World in One Day
Hidden Flower Garden
Beyond the Strip
Boulder City
The High Roller
Valley of Fire
Neon Museum
Bellagio Fountain Show
Las Vegas Eats
Lake Mead
Hot Air Balloon Ride
Trip Wrap Up

 

A New Vegas View

Hi there! It's just about time to share the list bit of my latest trip to Las Vegas, and I'm sort of saving the best for last. I'll be wrapping the trip with my list of favorite places to stay, eat, shop, and see tomorrow. But today I want to share the big bang of our trip, a hot air balloon ride! This was by far one of the highlights of the trip for me, not to mention it was on our wedding anniversary. Such an incredible way to celebrate our special marriage. We used this Vegas Hot Air Balloon Ride tour, and couldn't have asked for a better experience. Our ride was first thing in the morning as the sun rose, but the early morning wake time was totally worth it!

The tour includes hotel pick up (love this benefit!) for a ride to the office. After arriving at the balloon company's offices, we were split up into groups for each balloon. From there, we were driven to the balloon's launch site where we helped with airing up the balloon. This part was almost just as magical as the ride itself! It is amazing how they handle such a massive balloon. Yes, massive! I never imagined it would be SO big, and the photos don't do the size justice. I think it is one of those things you have to see up close & personal for yourself. 
Once the balloon was good to go, we were placed in the basket which is actually sectioned off for each passenger. I imagined having free reign to move around, but it makes so much more sense to have your own "seat" if you will. It keep the balloon balanced, and it really makes things run much smoother as you don't have anyone in your personal space. The couples were placed side by side, so we were still together. Then, the magic happened!
I truly am not sure what I had envisioned. I did anticipate being very nervous. However, I never was! The preparation for take off with simple and easy with such a nice staff, and the take off was smooth sailing. Having such great guides really makes a difference. Anyway, as we got into the air the views were spectacular! In one direction the Las Vegas strip was coming to life with the morning sun, and the mountains were waking in the other. The greatest treat was catching a glimpse of a snow capped mountain, Charleston Peak. We also saw the homes of Penn & Teller, respectively, as well as beautiful parks, golf courses, homes, and wildlife. I also enjoyed watching the other balloons, as several took flight that morning, all going in different directions. It was a fabulous way to see Las Vegas in a different, new-to-us view and an experience that won't soon be forgotten.
As our ride came to a close, our chase van met us below in a field. We had a SUPER smooth landing. I almost hadn't even realized we'd touched down, a sure sign of a fabulous pilot! By the time we climbed out of the basket, it was already getting quite warm, and this is when the work began. Here the balloon had to be taken down, deflated, and packed up. The guides have this down to a science I tell you! It was great for us to get to be apart of it as well. It made the experience even more special. To complete the deflating process, we each laid on the tied up balloon that was on the ground in a long strip. Quite a fun and neat process! Then the balloon was rolled up nice and compact into its bag, and tucked away into the trailer.
After the work was done, the pilot had us all come together for a traditional champagne (and mimosas) toast and a sweet poem:


"The winds have welcomed you with softness
The sun has blessed you with its warm hands
You have flown so high and so well
That God has joined you in your laughter
and set you gently back into the loving arms of mother earth."

It was so lovely! The pilot said this is a tradition after every hot air balloon ride in the world. What a nice thought to be apart of such a tradition! Our experience on this ride was nothing short of spectacular, a sure bucket list item checked off! If you're headed to Vegas I highly recommend taking a few hours to see these amazing views yourself, and you'll love this great tour company. Check out the sunset ride during the summer months as well! Thank you so much for coming on this journey with me. I hope you enjoyed hearing about our experience and browsing our photos. Come back soon!

If you are interested in more ideas for things to do in Las Vegas you can contact me here to book your own vacation in Sin City!

Lake Mead

As I've mentioned before, we've taken a couple of drives around Lake Mead during our trips to Las Vegas. Our first time was a fairly short one, we'd signed up for a tour for driving muscle cars that took us around the lake. You can read more about that here. The most recent time, we extended our drive from the Valley of Fire to include a drive around Lake Mead then on to Boulder City.

 
We entered the Valley of Fire at the West entrance from I-15 from Vegas, then meandered our way through, exiting on at the East entrance towards Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Essentially, we made a large loop by the time the day was all said and done. This allowed us "more bang for our buck" and no doubling back, meaning more sights seen. The drive through the park is a long one, but it is beautiful! You can also take a fun river boat ride in this man made marvel. We've added that to our list for our next visit! You'll also catch views of lots of planes flying about (you'll notice them in several of the photos, including the one above), as there is a nearby Airforce Base.
There are plenty of photo ops and scenic lookouts along the way around the lake. Though we didn't stop along the way, we still enjoyed the amazing views. The drive around the largest reservoir in the United States was full of lake views, of course, desert, and even mountain views. If you're as lucky as we were, you'll catch a view of a snow capped mountain along the way! At the end of the road, if you will, we reached the Hoover Dam, where we stopped to stretch our legs after the long journey (it takes an hour or two to get from the West entrance of the Valley of Fire to get to the Hoover Dam via Lake Mead). We'd visited there before, so we didn't spend a lot of time here, but it was nice to walk and drive around a bit on our own, as our list trip to the Hoover Dam was with a tour group. We even decided to take a drive across the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge. We talked about taking the stairs for a walk to the top, but nixed that since we both aren't too keen on heights. :) Of course, crossing the bridge takes you right into another state, Arizona. So we had a SUPER, less than 5 minutes, visit to the Grand Canyon State.
Lake Mead is such a beautiful area, full of so much history and vast natural (and man made) beauty. Take a few hours, and steal away from the Vegas Strip to enjoy a whole new Nevada. You won't regret it!

If you are interested in more ideas for things to do in Las Vegas you can contact me here to book your own vacation in Sin City!

Las Vegas Eats

Welcome again! Continuing on our journey through Las Vegas, I couldn't leave off details on one of a vacations biggest pleasures, food! I'm sharing a few of my favorite Las Vegas restaurants & dessert bars.

Sammy's LA Pastrami • Off Strip We heard about this place from the Travel Channel, so we knew we couldn't miss it. It did not disappoint! This is a whole in the wall joint, and it's "seasoned" look adds to the flavor. Try the Steak Fajita Pita, and the Bacon Cheddar Fries are to die for!

Serendipity 3 • Caesars Palace This original-to-New York staple shouldn't be missed! Serendipity 3 at Caesars Palace is a much newer, fresher feel to it's NY counterpart, but it's classic Frozen Hot Chocolate is just the same. Check out their amazing brunch menu as well. They have donuts as big as your face that happen to be the best I've ever had! Not to mention a fun twist on eggs Benedict, my favorite vacation brunch treat.

Bellagio Buffet • Bellagio This was a fun spot to visit that is super popular. The buffet has cuisine from all over the world, so it is a wonderful variety. The place didn't wow me, but it was nice dining. I would call this the Taj Mahal of buffets. It was even the dinner of choice to a wedding party the night we dined there, and well if it's good enough for a wedding party, it's good enough for me.

Eiffel Tower Restaurant • Paris Honestly, this isn't a place high on my list to recommend, or particularly to recommend at all. Though our meals were not at all impressive, the views highly make up for it! We had the creme del a creme of tables by making an early reservation. The food, yuck. The views, to die for!

Gonzalez y Gonzalez • New York New York We were craving a little taste of home to go along with our tickets to see Texas native, George Strait. Rarely do we find a Mexican food place that lives up to anything from home, but this spot was a pleasant surprise! The Chips & Dip Trio included some of the best bean dip we'd ever had. I wasn't disappointed by the fajitas either!

The Dillinger • Boulder City On our drive back from the Valley of Fire, we stopped in Boulder City for a little lunch and exploring. We happened up The Dillinger, a cute little spot that serves craft beers and yummy burgers. The Capone burger was my drug of choice, and, oohh, that fried egg was the "icing" on the bun! I recommend the Nachos, Nachos Piled High while you're there!

Hexx • Paris You can't miss Hexx right on the Strip with outside tables that have prime viewing of the famous Bellagio Fountains. We enjoyed an amazing late brunch there where I had my first bite of chilaquiles. #wherehaveibeen Right next door is an amazing candy shop, Hexx Chocolate. Load up on a sugar rush of immense varieties, and splurge on creating your own ice cream sandwich with homemade cookies! 

 
Buca Cafe Italiano • Bally's This family style Italian eatery was delicious! Though it is a chain (I try to stay away from chain restaurants during travels), the pizza was incredible. They brought it out, setting it atop two big, and I mean big, cans of tomatoes and a cutting board. It was LOADED with cheese and pepperonis, and the flavors were wonderful. Just don't forget, everything is family style, so each serving is enough to feed 4-5.

Benihana • Westgate Another chain, but this one is warranted! Deemed the world's largest Benihana, it was a must go. Who wouldn't want to try their amazing hibachi and sushi?! Hibachi meals are my favorite treat, and this was no exception. Take the monorail from the strip to avoid the traffic to Westgate, an Art Deco style hotel & casino. If not for Benihana, take ride just to at least see the gorgeous hotel!

Sprinkles Cupcake ATM • High Roller Promenade Oh yes, yes I did! Such a fun treat, that literally comes out of an ATM. I chose the Red Velvet cupcake, and it came right out in a cute little box all packaged up for safe delivery out of the dispensary. I saved my cupcake for a special day, a day or two later, and it still tasted fresh & yummy. Highly recommend trying the famous Cupcake ATM!

Yong Kang Street • Paris If my eyes were ever too big for my stomach, this was the time! This spot highlights all the best flavors of Asia. I had my first experience with dim sum here, a hot food cart that goes from table to table, perhaps that's were my eyes deceived me. But that full belly was totally worth it! Every bite was delicious!

Chocolate by Jean Philippe • Bellagio This fun spot in the Bellagio is famous for its gigantic chocolate fountain. When I first saw it, I was in awe! The pastries, the cakes, the candies, it is all incredible to see and eat. Take a visit here after your stroll through the Bellagio Conservatory to see the famous fountain & intricate cakes.

There are so many other spots in Vegas to enjoy, but I hope you've enjoyed checking out these few. Be sure to check them out, and tell me your thoughts. I'd love to hear your favorite Las Vegas eats for my next trip there as well.

If you are interested in more ideas for things to do in Las Vegas you can contact me here to book your own vacation in Sin City!