There is a lot to keep you occupied in Las Vegas. Four days is hardly enough to put together a comprehensive list, yet four days felt like more than enough by the end of my trip because the city will wear you down (…alcohol… alcohol will wear you down).
I had the opportunity to see a legit Vegas wedding which was totally fitting for my two friends who tied the knot at the Little White Wedding Chapel.
The venue was super cute and has hosted some famous weddings, most excitingly for me being home to the actual tunnel of love where Triple H took a drugged and kidnapped Stephanie McMahon back in the WWF glory days for their drive thru wedding. Iconic.
Anyway, special occasions aside, I’ve decided the best way to summarize my Vegas trip is with a top 10 list of my favorite spots.
Honorable mentions:
Luxor
It’s not going to make my top 10, but it did provide us with nice, cheap accommodation for the first two nights on the Strip. I was totally into the Egyptian theme and think the black pyramid is one of the coolest building designs in Vegas. Valid hotel choice.
Caesar's Palace
I was here while Covid restrictions were still heavily in place, so I can't speak much to the vibe, but taking pictures in the empty casino with the decor earned it a spot on the list.
Fabulous Las Vegas Sign
There’s nothing really to do except snap a few shots, but it’s such a recognized location that it needs to be mentioned. Keep in mind that it’s just sitting on a median in the middle of the road a bit of a ways down from the Strip, but we walked from the Luxor with no issues, and there are shops nearby you could park at. There was also a long line for photos, but we found a perfectly fine spot off to the side to take ours without having to wait. Plus- low rent Elvis impersonators.
10. Mandalay Bay
The shark reef at Mandalay has a lost temple in the jungle style theme and has a massive shark tank and tunnel. There are other aquatic animals such as alligators, sea turtles, jellyfish, and a manta ray touch pool as well. I’m not sure if I thought it was worth $25 as it doesn’t take long to walk through, but it’s a nice aquarium and having spent a cringeworthy $500 on food and booze over the course of 4 days, this expense was fairly insignificant in comparison.
The Foundation Room club on the top floor at Mandalay is also worth checking out for the balcony overlooking the Strip (although Mandalay is on the very, very edge of the Strip, so don’t expect a central view). Then again, we got in for free and were also given free drink tickets, so I’m not sure if it’s worthwhile for whatever the cover is. Again, I'm cheap. But not too cheap to unwittingly spend $66 on a round of four basic drinks at the Mandalay bar downstairs. Ouch.
9. The Venetian
I’m Italian and love gaudy Italian decorating, so the Venetian appealed to me on a deep, genetic level. There is a lot of gold, plenty of painted ceilings, and an indoor canal where you can take gondola rides underneath a blue sky that’s actually a ceiling. The place is a maze though, so you’ll have to navigate your way through the shopping centers and restaurants to find the canal. I was constantly amazed by how much is actually hidden behind the walls of each casino.
8. Circus, Circus
This place is a dive. We were told it was a dive, but let's be honest, we are dive people. It’s not on the Strip and not really downtown either, but I’m glad we hopped on a party bus to come hang out here. After the crowds of people everywhere else, it was nice to step into a large, nearly deserted casino where we got cheap drinks with quick service. Plus there are carnival games upstairs. Only downside is we came with the intention of seeing the Fear and Loathing carousel bar, but sadly that has been torn down and the carousel that still exists upstairs was out of commission. Still, Circus Circus. The best kind of shit hole casino.
7. Bellagio
The vibe and decor in the Bellagio was fancy, and while I enjoyed the glass art on the ceiling in the entrance hall and the elaborate gardens (Chinese themed for the Year of the Pig during my first visit, Japanese during my second), I probably would have ranked this lower if it weren’t also for the fountain show they do out front. The one we saw was set to the Time to Say Goodbye, and it was very pretty.
6. Fremont Street
Downtown Vegas has an entirely different vibe to the Strip. It’s a lot more laid back, people are dressed more comfortably, there’s an older crowd, and it feels more like what you’d imagine old school Vegas was like around the 70s. Fremont Street is the heart of it, and there are live bands that play on stages set up along the pedestrian only street (The Fremont Street Experience), street performers, outdoor bars, and an LED ceiling that sometimes shows visuals set along to a specific song. You can also zipline down the street underneath it. The casinos along the way are much more casual, and there are lots of good food joints to hit for a meal.
5. New York, New York
There’s so much going on at New York, New York! The outside of the building is a crowded New York skyline with its very own Statue of Liberty out front. Inside, there are city streets with restaurants, bars, and food stalls, as well as an arcade and a fun rollercoaster (that’s only $15) that will take you flying outside.
4. Paris
I really just enjoyed the atmosphere of this casino. It very much grabbed the vibe of France… relaxed, sophisticated, dimly lit with a blue sky ceiling like the Venetian, bridges, cabaret dancers, and scattered bars. It somehow felt like leaving the chaos of the Strip while still being on the Strip. My personal favorite casino.
3. The Golden Nugget
We stayed here for our last two nights in Vegas, and it was a great hotel that opens right onto Fremont. It encapsulated that old school Vegas vibe I mentioned downtown having, plus it has a kickass heated pool with a water slide that goes straight through a shark and fish tank. There’s a jacuzzi right alongside the bar with poolside service and we spent a significant amount of hours here. Also, Claim Jumper restaurant inside- awesome breakfast and bloody marys.
2. Meow Wolf Omega Mart
I had a long layover in Vegas coming home from another trip recently, and I spent it checking out my second Meow Wolf location, Omega Mart.
While not quite up to the high bar set by House of Eternal Return in New Mexico, this is still really damn good. I love the surreal supermarket front the most, but parts of the alternate dimension in the back really stood out as well, including a hidden rock wall behind a crawlspace, the big spiral slide, and the bar.
The building it's in, Area 15, is also super cool, and I would love to go back and explore some of the other funhouse and art installation type attractions inside.
1. Cirque du Soleil
I'm trying to think of a way to properly convey my sheer delight and enthusiasm with the Beatles LOVE show by Cirque du Soleil at the Mirage without devolving into all caps and an obscene amount of exclamation marks, but WOW!!! Awe-inspiring. Wonderful. An absolute delight.
I can't speak for the rest of the Cirque shows, and there are rankings you can find online to decide on one (there are 6 to choose from all at different hotels), but LOVE was amazing. It was an all-encompassing experience with 90 minutes of fantastic Beatles songs and the perfect stage sets and choreography to match.
You had confetti exploding over the crowd during Get Back, a VW Bug during Drive My Car, a contortionist and glowing sun emerging from the stage during Here Comes the Sun, shadows and umbrellas that poured fog during Blue Jay Way, red flashing lights as a woman spiraled towards a clock on the stage at the end of Day in the Life, floating jellyfish during Octopus's Garden, a surreal dream sequence with billowing sheets spread all the way out to the crowd while the Beatles as children floated above in a bed during Tomorrow Never Knows/Within You Without You, and so much more. It was so immersive and likely my favorite show I've ever attended. I was euphoric through the entire performance.
And the Mirage also does a fire show out front you might catch afterwards.
So my tips for Vegas: Keep it short, do more than drink and gamble, go hard, and take Vegas for what it is. It might not be a life-altering travel experience, but it sure can be a good time.
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