Viva Las Vegas!

Having been to Vegas once before back in 2015, I had a slight advantage in that I knew exactly what to expect from the city that definitely never sleeps - I loved it then and I love it equally, if not more now! This trip was a little different being the start and finish points of a Californian Coastal Road Trip (further blog to follow). We started with a few days staying with good friends who moved out there a few years ago - pretty awesome right? Seeing Vegas from a resident’s point of view really makes you appreciate how amazing a place it really is, and how much more Vegas has to offer visitors. Rather than experience it at 1000 miles an hour, we were able to relax and enjoy it a bit more authentically as a "local". As we expected, arriving in mid-August it was hot! 40-degrees by 9am to be exact (47 by midday) so our first morning as a “local” started very early with a short 15 mile drive out to Red Rock Canyon for a morning hike. When I say hike, I mean a two-hour stroll around one of the many easy walking trails (being a novice and extremely unfit). Despite being visible from the strip, Red Rock Canyon sits a world away from Las Vegas as we know it. Famous for its formations of red rocks, it has ample outdoor activities on offer. Hard to believe that this amazing National Conservation area in the Mojave Desert is so close to the glittering heights, and offers hiking, biking, rock climbing, desert wildlife watching, horseback rides, guided hikes, electric bike rides, Segway, and scooter tours, or even a romantic hot air balloon rides and all such a short drive from Downtown. For the less adventurous or abled, there is a 13-mile scenic loop through the park that gives visitors a look at the Mojave Desert scenery from the comfort of a car or bicycle with ample stopping points for photo opportunities. In the afternoon we headed to Downtown, better known as Fremont Street. The spot where it all began and personally my favourite area! We stopped for a bite to eat at the Container Park, an offbeat open-air shopping and entertainment venue, where you are welcomed by a giant, fire breathing praying mantis. It features 38 unique retail shops, restaurants, and bars built from shipping containers and even a courtyard with playground for the kiddies. The authentic and iconic Vegas, where the original Binion's, 4 Queens and Golden Nugget casinos still welcome guests with open arms. Home to the world’s biggest video screen suspended 90ft above the main mall, it offers free light shows and houses Slotzilla Zipline, at 77 feet high and 1,700 feet long I would highly recommend it. There is a shorter, lower version for the less brave. You can enjoy free live concerts, Walking Dead Survival Experience, themed shows, epic affordable eateries and just generally have an all-round great time! We also visited The Mob Museum, the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement. It’s an interactive journey through true stories, from the birth of the Mob, to today’s headlines and where you can travel back in time to the Prohibition era. “The Underground” is home to a distillery and speakeasy – well worth a visit to try the homemade Moonshine. A short walk from here will get you to the Neon Museum, where old Las Vegas signs go to retire - something we did on a previous trip. We also finished our 2-week trip with a few nights back in the heart of Vegas on the strip at The Paris Hotel, a stunning architectural masterpiece perfectly located in the heart of the Strip. Versailles-style fixtures and luxury romantic decor, sophisticated and modern with authentic features such as chandeliers and oversized bathtubs. A sign in the shape of the Montgolfier balloon, a two-thirds size Arc de Triomphe, a replica of La Fontaine des Mers, and of course a half scale replica of the actual Eiffel Tower. It's stunning! We opted for a red room; a high floor, Eiffel view which also overlooked the Bellagio Fountains – just perfect! We spent the days chilling by the pool and the nights casino-hopping to soak up the atmosphere and have a little flutter. Our previous trip entailed a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon and Hoover Damn, MJ One Cirque Du Soleil and live music events. We braved the world’s highest rides on top of the Stratosphere Hotel, and just had a ball! The place is constantly evolving and building more attractions to lure in tourists, I can’t believe how much the place has changed in just four years – how many more hotels, attractions and entertainment spots are now on offer; The Linq, HighRoller, The Park at MGM “Megaresort”, to name but a few. Always striving to get bigger and better with something for everyone. It's no wonder people return time after time. If you still need convincing that it’s worth a visit, please get in touch as I’d love to chat more about this amazing destination and share my experiences.