Las Vegas’ Harry Reid Airport has to be the only airport where you can land and be playing slot machines in less than 5 minutes. I chuckle every time I see them and remember on a previous trip pulling my last slot in the airport to win $50. On our most recent trip, hubby decided to join me at the last minute and flight prices had gone up for the outbound flights. So hubby flew Frontier, while the bag and I flew Southwest on the way to Vegas. We were all proud of ourselves for saving $100 on his flight, until we realized that we did not land in the same terminal. There are three terminals that are not easily connected. Terminal 1 has A-C gates, terminal 2 has D gates and terminal 3 has E gates, each with their own parking garages, taxi stands and ride-share pick up areas. Once we realized how far away we were, I found a shuttle that ran below the airport and road to terminal 3 with a few employees and a guy’s golf trip that was hungover and lost. Thankfully I found hubby and we didn’t have to pay for two separate taxis. The airport is close to the Strip, so you can plan for a ride under 30 minutes, most of the traffic is around the hotels on Las Vegas Boulevard.
There has been a big debate in Las Vegas between taxi and ride-shares like Uber and Lyft and their popularity has ebbed and flowed over recent years. Originally, taxis were the only real players in the airport transportation game. You could rent a limo for a special occasion, but otherwise taxis were how everyone got around. This led to a lot of taxi scams and over charging for simple trips in traffic. As ride-shares became more popular, they started to put taxi drivers out of business because they offered rides at a cheaper rate. However, today taxis have become more regulated than ever before and you will see flat rates advertised from the airport or hotel to hotel. Taxi drivers are also having their tips taxed at 20%, even if they do not actually make that 20% tip. I did a ton of walking during the day, but we took cabs at night to get to hotels and restaurants that were further away. I found that they were much cheaper than Uber, approximately half as expensive, and always available at the valet entrance of all the hotels & casinos.
Why do I love Vegas if I really don’t like gambling? Strange for someone like me, who is super conservative when it comes to gambling, to look forward to going to Las Vegas. I’ve watched some gambling addictions in my family and when it mixes with my own financial abuse & anxiety, gambling will never be my thing. I’ll pull slots for half an hour, especially if I find a cute German themed one like I found in the airport. I play blackjack, $5 hands downtown are much more my style and again I’ll play for an hour max, while having a few drinks. Vegas doesn’t make its money off me by shopping or gambling…. but eating, drinking and seeing shows will make up what I lack at the players club every trip.
First, I love exploring the hotels and resorts! I’ve been to Las Vegas at least 8 times over the years and they just keep building more and more impressive hotels. Some are themed, some are ‘old Vegas’ and some just want to scream wealth, but they are a site to see and any visitor needs to build in lots of time to walk through and enjoy them properly. These resorts are huge and they draw you into the center with shows, restaurants and exhibits and hope to keep you on the casino floor. Don’t underestimate how large these complexes are and how long it will take to walk from property to property, let alone to a specific restaurant or show theater. Leave extra time to get there without having to rush. It’s always more fun to have extra time to explore, take pictures, enjoy a drink or do a little gambling on the way.
In addition to seeing these massively impressive hotels, seeing the free shows that are mostly high quality, is a great activity while walking the strip. My favorite show is the Bellagio fountains, during the day or night. The show quality is so impressive and the music really sets the stage of an open-air Italian piazza. Nighttime is when the Mirage Volcano and Fremont Street Experience are best viewed. You can also catch the Fall of Atlantis show at Caesar’s (cheesy in my opinion), fashion shows at the Fashion Mall, and free circus acts at Circus Circus which would be a good option to do with kids. March through October is pool season in Las Vegas and they sure have lots of options. There are hotels with family friendly pool environments like Mandalay Bay and the Golden Nugget. Many of the hotels have adult- only pool parties and day-clubs during the swimming season. What’s a day-club? Think nightclub drinking and dancing, but in bathing suits at the pool, often with bubbles or foam added to the mix. Some of the best day clubs to try are the pool version of their nightclub, such as Marquee Day Club, Drai’s Beach Club, Wet Republic and Stadium Swim.
Nights in Sin City
The calmest part of the day is morning, when only those in Vegas for work are awake. Around noon people start coming out for brunch, coffee and the pool. Nighttime is when Las Vegas really gets started and they have a big restaurant culture, it could be considered restaurant tourism. Where else could you find so many famous chefs or celebrity restaurateurs? Gordon Ramsey is the king of Las Vegas and has restaurants at every price point and two without reservations so everyone can experience one of his restaurants. Gordon Ramsay Fish & Chips is located in the Linq Promenade, Gordon Ramsey’s Burger is at Planet Hollywood, then there are the restaurants to make sure you have your reservations early, like Hell’s Kitchen, Gordon Ramsay Steak, Pub & Grill and Ramsay’s Kitchen. There are tons of other Cooking Channel and Food Network star chefs with restaurants in Las Vegas. Here are just a few to consider:
- Giada De Laurentiis
- Bobby Flay
- Guy Savoy
- Wolfgang puck
- Guy Fieri
- Nobu Matsuhisa
- Emeril Lagasse
- Todd English
- Buddy Valastro
There are so many different types of shows in Las Vegas, there is literally something for everyone. A shorter type of residency shows are becoming more popular for famous singers like Carrie Underwood, Shania Twain, Garth Brooks, Maroon 5, Bruno Mars and Usher. Comedians such as Jim Gaffigan, Ron White and Jerry Seinfeld are also having residencies where you can book tickets for set weeks or months per year. This is a great way to see one of your favorite artists and have lots of wiggle room to book around concert dates too. Stand up comedy shows are also quite popular at places like the Comedy Cellar (Rio), Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy club (Linq promenade), L.A. comedy club (Strat) and Brad Garrett’s Comedy Club (MGM). You will be seeing up and coming comedians performing their sets with a host comedian that typically works there every night. These shows can be hit or miss, but I’ve never had every set miss at a show and the tickets are inexpensive. This is a great activity to do with a large group visiting as well, they always get picked on in the audience. For magic shows Penn & Teller, Piff the Magic Dragon, Mat Franko and Criss Angel MindFreak are all located on the strip and are at varying price points depending on popularity.
Variety shows have always been popular in Las Vegas, but they have had to reinvent their format to keep the attention of todays audiences. Shows like Absinthe, America’s Got Talent and Blue Man Group can be a good time, but some have more family friendly humor than others. Celebrity impersonator shows are popular in Vegas and tickets are typically inexpensive too, since they are impersonators. Elvis Presley is the most famous of all time in Vegas and you will often see some very amateur versions on the strip singing or taking photos. Michael Jackson, Prince, Sinatra and Tina Turner are all popular now as well. There are also lots of Motown themed shows with a variety of singers from the era to enjoy.
Cirque du Soleil is a popular and much more expensive show ticket in town. There are lots of these shows going on at the hotels up the strip from One at Mandalay Bay, KA at MGM Grand, “O” at Bellagio, Mystere at Treasure Island, Beatles at Mirage, and the newest show Mad Apple at New York, New York (replaced Zumanity). Cirque du Soleil is a French type of circus show with acts heavy in acrobatics, stunts and theater. There are no animals used and each show has its own theme, soundtrack and plot. The type of shows Las Vegas is most famous for are sexy burlesque style shows, but those shows have evolved over the years too. Today’s sexy shows are often attended by groups, singles, couples and even adult family groups, it’s not all just bachelor and bachelorette parties in the audience. Rouge, Fantasy, X burlesque, Dita Von Teese and Black Girl Magic are all selling out nightly across the Strip. For those interested in a male physique: Magic Mike, Thunder from Down Under and Black Magic are running shows and promoting on the streets, to the excitement of many women.
Bars, Lounges & Night Clubs
Speakeasy’s are all the rage these days and Las Vegas, with its Mob history and Sin City reputation has quite a few to check out. 1923 Prohibition Bar at Mandalay Bay, The Vault at Bellagio, Nowhere at Fontainebleau, The Count Room (in Bugsy & Meyers Steakhouse) at the Flamingo and the Downtown Cocktail Room are just a few hidden spots to get you started on your next trip to Vegas.
There are great bars and lounges in all of the hotels and around the casino floor. This is an area that you can be a little more relaxed and make a game time decision depending on where you find yourself. I love the Baccarat Bar at Bellagio, especially after having dinner with a fountain view and seeing the Cirque show “O” in the water theater. RiRa Irish Pub in Mandalay Bay is great any time of day or night from their full Irish breakfast to bangers and mash. They have authentic Irish music playing and many of the servers are from Ireland, but it is a family friendly environment, just like the pub is in Ireland. The bar is in the first two rooms, but there are lots of tables in the back rooms. I also like Bellini Bar in Venetian after a romantic gondola ride down the Grand Canal or Italian meal. I’ve also heard good things about Bound at Cromwell and Skyfall at Delano on the 64th floor. Next trip to Vegas I’m going to visit more rooftop bars for awesome views, it was just a little too cool this trip.
When it comes to night club experiences in Las Vegas there are a lot of great options. There are even tours that will take you to a few clubs for an hour and drink at each. They typically revolve around 1 type of music, such as EDM or Hip-Hop and create an atmosphere of like minded, music loving people to have a great party experience in a safe environment being driven from club to club. Once you have an idea of your favorite clubs, check out what types of music they play and who the DJ is scheduled ahead of time. You can also do a quick google search to find out what nights are the best at which clubs or what promotions are going on at the time.
- Drai’s- Cromwell
- Marquee- Cosmopolitan
- Zouk- Resorts World
- Hakkasan- MGM
- Jewel- Aria
- Tao- Venetian
- Foundation Room- Mandalay Bay
5 Star Resort Hotels
Wynn had an incredible dinner buffet with seafood and caviar, flower carousel and gorgeous flowers perfect for photo backgrounds. If you want to catch the free show on Wynn lake, you should make a reservation at Bar Parasol, Overlook Lounge or the patio at Aft Cocktail Deck to catch the show a time or two while enjoying your drinks. Alternatively, you could reserve patio dining at SW Steakhouse and Lakeside. Honestly, we watched from a small balcony viewing area and thought it was cheap and cheesy so we would not waste our time in the future. This show is nothing like the Bellagio fountains or Mirage’s Volcano level of a free show. They also have a revamped ticketed show called Awakening that took over the stage from their former show Le Reve (the Dream). Many people thought Le Reve was a Cirque show, because of its similar style, but it was never intended to copy the famous style. Awakening opened originally in November of 2022 to poor reviews and attendance. The audience did not understand the plot that went along with the amazing visual effects. It closed less than 6 months later for a complete overhaul and reopened in June of 2023 to much improved reviews. The Wynn and its sister property Encore (cute little play on words) is one of a handful of hotels in Las Vegas to be rated 5 stars, but I was a bit underwhelmed in the decor. I think it lacked personality, especially with so many hotels that are obviously giving French and Italian vibes, the Wynn and Encore are both trying to just look expensive. I am all about coming back to see the show Awakening and enjoy the buffet again, but not the ambience.
The Venetian hotel has a beautiful Italian themed lobby, huge casino floor with lots of high limits gaming and top notch restaurants that keep both guests and visitors satiated like all the 5 star mega resorts in Vegas. What makes the Venetian special is the ceiling, painted in a fresco style throughout the hotel. Continuing into the canal shops, the Sistine Chapel ceilings give way to the bright day light and clouds with a canal separating the shopping mall. There are gondola rides floating up and down the waterways, with some of the guides singing a traditional opera that makes you feel like you are in Venice. Simple things like eating gelato in St. Mark’s Square all feel like a European experience. There are both sit down restaurants and take away stands to eat at in the Canal Shops, so you don’t have to leave the ambiance of Italy. My favorite quick bite is Lobster Me with lobster rolls, lobster grilled cheese, lobster mac & cheese and even lobster salad that is all to die for! It does seem a strange choice in this romantic Italian environment and I was disappointed it wasn’t still located in the Miracle Mile shops anymore. You can also book a traditional steak house dinner or romantic Italian meal in one of the hotel restaurants. The Venetian has a great reservation system that displays current reservation status at all of the resort’s restaurants or next available times at preferred restaurants. On second thought, the Venetian feels like a well organized version of Venice.
The Bellagio is known for their infamous fountain show, named #1 free activity to do in Las Vegas year after year. You can get reservations at Lago Italian Experience by Julian Ferrano or at Jasmine Asian cuisine for fountain views. Outside of the Bellagio, Mon Ami Gabi and Beer Park at Paris both have great views of the fountains, as does Scarpetta in the Cosmopolitan. From the outside the fountains amaze visitors and you think it can’t really get better than the fountains… but it does. When you enter the lobby of the Bellagio the ceiling is filled with 1,800 square feet of hand-blown glass in floral forms. The creator of the elaborate piece is Dale Chiluly and it is titled “Fiori di Como” or flowers of Como (an Italian town).
The front desk itself has enormous fresh flower displays as well as the 14,000 glass-dome roof top called the conservatory gardens. 5 times per year they change the theme, seasonally and for the holidays. If the flowers are not enough to bring you in, the brunch buffet certainly will. Like all the hotels, they bring you into the inner chamber by walking you through casinos and shopping. Here all the stores are super high end and not very crowded except as a walkway to the casino and lobby. My favorite show of all time is the incredible Cirque du Soleil show, “O”. This wonder of swimming and diving to a beautiful and inspiring soundtrack is family friendly and visually incredible from every angle. The Bellagio has huge casinos that feel high class and well kept, but not pretentious like so many of the other 5 star hotels. There is a beautiful pool area with hot tubs and gardens that continue to show the importance of florals throughout the hotel.
The Cosmopolitan is not what it seems like at first glance. When walking in, you see the Chandelier bar and casino and the Cosmopolitan looks just that, posh and cosmopolitan. As you ascend the steep escalators the mood starts to shift and gets much darker by the top of the stairs. The Cosmopolitan has their own buffet called the Wicked Spoon and it is often highly rated, but I’ve heard some negative reviews too. I hear that the Wicked Spoon advertises a lower rate to get people to make reservations. Then, when you arrive, are told that there is a 2nd fee, now costing more in total than most of the other top notch buffets. If you choose not to pay the fee, you are put in a second reservation line to wait another hour potentially and then have a line with slower access to the food displays. When I heard this I was already not interested, but then I also heard that the food was not refreshed as often as it should be and was basic compared to many of the other buffets in town. I’d rather pay more for better quality and experience, so I’ll be skipping the Wicked Spoon.
I walked down the long corridor toward the shopping, restaurants and bars and stumbled upon some very strange artwork, making it feel a bit like that movie eyes wide shut, so I’m not sure about this hotel in general. I see a breakfast sandwich place that is pretty popular called Eggslut. I’ve read about it, but nothing prepares you to walk into a mall with tons of families with little kids eating breakfast sandwiches out of a wrapper with EGGSLUT written on it in bold letters. I am no prude, but that was just a little too much for me and I think I’ll skip that one with my daughter in the future. The shops in the Cosmopolitan do have a Drybar and skyway across the street to Planet Hollywood, so I might come back to try Barbershop cuts and cocktails and Ghost Donkey speakeasy that I hear good things about regardless of the creepy vibe. I will add, I have been to Aria and stayed at Vdara which all share a property location, yet I never felt this way about either of those two hotels.
Now that I just got back from a trip to Las Vegas, I think I finally figured out the perfect combination of night activities, at least for hubby and I to plan next time we’re in town. Of course these things will depend on if we are in town for work or not. Obviously, when I’m in town at an expo, I’m not staying out at clubs all night, unless it’s the last night and I want to pay for my poor choices the whole flight home. Here is my suggested list:
- dinner & show
- dinner & rooftop bar, lounge or speakeasy
- steakhouse & casino on Fremont Street
- dinner & club or club tour
- dinner and comedy show
- Buffet evening and walking the strip seeing the free shows
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