I must admit, I never thought I would like Las Vegas but after one trip I was hooked. I’ve been a total of three times and I LOVE it! There is something for everyone; gambling, dining, sun ’n fun, roller coasters, shopping, nightlife, great shows, and so much more!
My first trip I stayed at the Rio which has spacious rooms, a decent pool area, a fabulous buffet if you don’t mind standing in line forever, and a few night clubs for the 20 somethings. It has a great 5 star restaurant called Napa but I thought the food was far too salty and I was not impressed. Every hour at the Rio there is a parade in the sky with floats clad with Elvis impersonators, show girls, and go-go dancers throwing beads to eager spectators. The Rio is not located on the strip so I have not, and will not stay there again. During my frist trip I ended up spending a lot of money on cabs to get to the strip across the highway. However, we did get a good package deal. $300 per person for 3 nights including air from Denver.
I went the last week of July that first time and it was HOT! Fortunately I spent a lot of time indoors shopping and let me tell you, Las Vegas has amazing shopping with great designer shops. Caesar’s Palace had a lot to offer...everything from Armani to more affordable stores such as Banana Republic. The decor is imaginative and there are great restaurants to choose from when you need a break. The Venetian also has some nice high end designer shops but not as many as Caesar’s Palace.
I saw the Cirque du Soleil show ’’O’’ at the Belagio which is amazing and worth every penny even if it does cost an arm and a leg! I think I paid around $120 per ticket. I saw their other show ’’Mystere’’ on another visit. This is a cheaper and smaller production but it is also a great show, although not as impressive as ’’O’’. If there is one show to see in Las Vegas, ’’O’’ is the show to see.
The second time I went to Las Vegas was in November and I stayed at New York, New York. I didn’t like the layout of the casino at all. I am slightly claustrophobic and this casino felt crowded and I never could figure out which elevator I needed to take to get to my room. I was continually lost and even by the last day of my stay, I was still confused by the layout. The rooms were cute but small. The bathrooms were boring and small. We did get a good package rate though. I think for two people from Denver to Vegas it was $600 for 3 nights and air. Not bad. There are no good restaurants here except for the inexpensive philly steak sandwich vendor. I didn’t check out the pool because it was too cold to swim. I spent most of my time hanging out at the Mandalay Bay partying at the nightclub called the Rum Jungle. This is the place to be!
The third time I went to Las Vegas was in May and I stayed at the Luxor. I think the rooms were pricey but I didn’t pay so I’m not sure about that. I spent the majority of the time at the pool during the day and I really liked the pool area. There are palm trees in the pool which gives it a really tropical feel. The rooms are spacious and clean. The bathrooms are big and inviting. The Luxor has a few nice restaurants. One is a steakhouse with great seafood and steaks. The other is a really good sushi bar. The Luxor is attatched to the Mandalay Bay which I love because this has become my favorite hangout in Las Vegas and will be where I stay on my next trip out. The Mandalay Bay has the House of Blues where I saw BB King on my last trip. It also has a great vodka bar, and a nightclub called the Rum Jungle which you have to see...waterfalls, fire, dancers in the sky. There are some top of the line restaurants here as well with amazing interiors and great food. Check it out!