Our very own Jared and his girlfriend Liz report back on their trip to Las Vegas and prove there’s plenty to keep both sexes happy at this adult playground.
And to prove it Liz and I have compiled a ‘his and hers’ guide to the top things to do in Las Vegas.
His Top 5
1. Visit the Casinos and the Strip
Starting from the Vegas sign, the strip spans almost seven kilometres and consists of a variety of casinos, resorts, specialty stores and everything in between. The strip is a definite number one for Vegas.
The casinos are definitely designed so that once you’re inside there is no need to leave! You literally have everything- from theme parks to shopping centres, day spas and even lions! Each casino is unique so it is a great adventure visiting as many as possible and checking out what they have on offer.
But be warned, be ready to walk a LOT! Our favourites were Caesars Palace, Luxor, Paris, and the Bellagio because of the fountains and the world record size chocolate fountain (need I say more).
2. Go on a tour
Vegas has many great tours. We purchased a two day hop-on hop-off bus tour which was an awesome and easy way to get around and see all the sights. We also went on a night tour which was a limousine bus tour that took us to a few of the different night life hot spots, the Bellagio Fountains (a MUST do!), the Vegas sign and Fremont Street.
3. Check-out Fremont Street and the Golden Nugget Casino
It was awesome to go to the Golden Nugget and see the million dollar cash pyramid. The best part is you get to take home a professionally taken photo with the million dollars for free (as close as I may get to a million bucks, in the short-term anyway). A fun fact about the golden nugget displayed in the casino is that it was found in outback Australia.
The Golden Nugget is located right on Fremont Street which is home to the world’s largest LED screen that spans over three blocks! It is indescribable the way they have set up the lighting in the street and how they display the mini-shows on the screen – you have to see it for yourself.
4. Go to a show
There are so many different shows on offer in Vegas. We really wanted to see the Cirque Du Soleil ’Love’ show which is inspired by the Beatles; however, it was a bit out of our ‘student’ price range. Instead we went and saw ‘Criss Angel’ which proved to be an amazing experience.
| Hot tip: I definitely recommend watching any show in Vegas but don’t book ahead of time because you can get half price tickets on the day. |
5. Enjoy a beverage or two
Vegas must have the world’s most lenient drinking laws in the world. Besides being served free drinks in the casinos, you can buy oversized cocktails from street venders then walk around the streets and even enter the casinos drinking them. Being able to pick up a one litre bottle of vodka for under $20 in the middle of the strip can be dangerous, so you better be cautious.
Her Top 5
1. Get photos at the Vegas Sign
First stop, which is a must do, is stopping off at the iconic ‘Welcome to Vegas’ sign and taking a million pictures. The sign which sits at the beginning of the Vegas strip has been welcoming travellers into Vegas and asking leavers to ‘come back soon’ since it was erected in 1959. The sign is situated right in the middle of the only road into Vegas which makes for an interesting dash across the highway.
2. Go on a Grand Canyon Helicopter tour
We spent an afternoon taking a helicopter ride from Las Vegas to the Canyon. The ride there and back is about 45 minutes each way but each second is spent marvelling at the surreal scenery beneath you. It is so beautiful!
This ride has a narrative headset tour set up that explains the history of each landmark along the way – including the amazing Hoover Dam. Once we arrived at the Grand Canyon we went on the Skywalk which is a see through observation deck that spans over the deep canyon. It is very scary for those who feel a little queasy when it comes to heights but highlights the most breathtaking views. Here, there is also an opportunity to learn a little about the Native Americans who own the land.
On the ride back to Vegas we got the chance to fly through the famous Vegas strip which was great! Highly recommended.
3. Shop ‘til you drop at the Las Vegas Premium Outlets
This is one for all the ladies! And the men too, as it has absolutely everything to offer. Shoes, dresses, jewellery (?) and home wears, you name it they have it. The outlets are located just outside of Vegas and is one of the stops on the hop-on hop-off bus tour. This is a definite stop you should make on any Vegas trip, so make sure you set aside enough time to shop, because if you are anything like Jared and I you will be there all day!
4. Eat your way through the buffet scene
If you have a love for food you MUST consider buying the 24 hour all you can eat buffet where you can choose from about seven different casinos dining areas. This gives you a great chance to visit all the different casinos and have a look around them and take advantage of eating as much food as possible. My favourite would be a toss-up between the amazing variety buffet from Flamingo or Paris because of the beautiful atmosphere inside the casino itself.
Image credit: Andy Z. / Shutterstock.com
5. Visit the lions at MGM Grand
The Lion Den is situated just outside the main gaming floor in the MGM grand hotel. This was a very cool experience as you got to watch the lions and trainers play inside the exhibit. They rotate about 20 lions throughout the day and provide insights about each of them – entertaining and educational.
The wrap-up
If you are planning a trip to the USA, Las Vegas is a must do for everyone and will provide a once in a lifetime experience for the young and old.