I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised by my Vegas experience. I had expected a crazy, over-the-top kind of place with a seedy undertone. I had also expected that someone who wasn't into gambling or shopping wouldn't have much to do. Crazy and over-the-top it was, but in an entertaining and strangely endearing way.
We stayed here:
The hotel was beautiful, the staff were really nice, and the bed was to die for. Seriously...we're trying to figure out what kind of mattress they use so we can go buy one!
March Hare was actually there on business, so I got to play tourist by myself during the day. Turns out there was plenty to do. For one thing, just walking from one end of the Strip to the other takes up a good chunk of time. Not to mention the fact that the people-watching there is unparalleled.
I rode this:
and watched this:
...and got a good laugh out of this:
And the food...oh, the food! We had the two best meals of our lives there, one of which was at this restaurant:
I think I'd be willing to go back to Vegas just for the food. That is, after I manage to save a year's worth of my salary to pay for it!
I had planned on trying my luck at the slot machines or the blackjack tables. But I actually found more than enough ways to amuse myself and just never got around to it until we were at the airport waiting to board our flight. I figured I had to at least gamble once, right? So I put a dollar in a slot machine...and promptly lost it.
Oh, well...at least I still have an unbelievably gaudy refrigerator magnet of the Strip to remember this trip by.
11 comments:
Sounds like you had fun ;)
Heh, I actually love Vegas. We used to take weekend trips there a lot when I was in LA ... it's perfect for a weekend about once a year. Anything more and it gets to be too much.
Glad you had a much better time than I ever did. But I was a poor grad student, and was relegated to shitty buffets, shitty hotels, etc.
So glad you had a great time.
I could watch the water fountain at the Benicia all day long! If you stay outside you don't have to worry about the cigarette smoke, but lots of places have cool things inside as well. And if you don't wander the strip late night you don't have to get handed fliers for porn. Vegas can be a great place, glad you enjoyed yourself.
Sounds like fun! I've only been once, with my parents when I was 17, and being August it was too hot to be outside for more than half an hour or so. And being underage, we weren't allowed on the casino floor. We spent most of our time in the games arcades, playing Whack-a-mole! (My parents aren't gamblers, so they joined us). It was a great base for our Grand, Bryce and Zion Canyons tour.
I'd really like to go back now and do Vegas properly!
oh, I am envious since I just heard from someone else who spent their time in that hotel. Apparently one of the restaurants had a moving sky??
And I am soooo envious about the roller coaster ride. I missed it when I was there - it had already closed when I showed up.... lame....
Good luck with catching up!
Sounds like a great trip! Reading all these comments makes me think that we should plan some kind of grand blogger meet-up there sometime.
I've always wanted to go to Vegas, but (one of) my dream vacation(s) is to combine Vegas with the Grand Canyon.
We have always had a great time in Vegas, except when we decided to take a leisurely stroll outside, at 3 pm, in the middle of August.
The Venetian is GREAT! Did you stay in the casino hotel, or the tower? The best restaurant in Vegas, in my opinion, is Aureole in Mandalay Bay.
ScienceGirl--Yeah, it was nice to get away!
Ruchi--I agree. A week was good this time because we'd never been before, but in the future, I think a few days would be perfect.
Candid--We probably wouldn't have stayed at this hotel either if it weren't for a nice discount we got through March Hare's business. Their regular rates are pretty steep!
Seeking Solace--Thanks!
Jennie--Actually, people were handing out porn fliers in the middle of the day too, and the sidewalks were littered with them. I don't know what the parents with small children did to keep their kids from getting an eyeful!
Cath--Oh, you should definitely go back and do the things you couldn't do last time! Although I'd be pretty happy spending my day playing Whack-a-mole too. :-)
Chall--We never saw the restaurant with the moving sky...that sounds pretty cool. The roller-coaster was awesome! I hope you get the chance to go back and ride it.
EGF--That is a great idea! I'd totally be up for a blogger meet-up in Vegas!
Massimo--March seems to be a good time to go--the weather was fabulous when we were there. The only time it got too hot was when the Mirage volcano "erupted" while I was walking by!
CPP--We were in the casino hotel and loved it! There was a little bakery right next to the elevator banks that had the best pastries. Will definitely check out Aureole if we ever go back.
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