Perhaps you’re just not that much into gambling, if at all. All the more reason to skip Las Vegas right? Well… no. Though I had an attitude of ‘what the heck – why not – it’s on the route – let’s just get it over with’ our visit to Las Vegas was funny enough one of the best parts of our roundtrip through the western part of the USA. The things listed below will keep you busy for a full day for sure and many of them are free too!
Visit the biggies: Bellagio, The Mirage, The Palazzo, Ceasar’s Palace
“Bigger is better” – at least that’s how they see it in Vegas. Every hotel seems more bizarre than the one you’ve visited before this one.
I’d never realized it, but you can just enter the hotels for free. Getting from one hotel to the other is pretty easy too, since the Strip has a very well maintained pedestrian zone. They are so well connected, at times you barely notice you’ve entered another (huge) building.
Though casino areas are found everywhere within the hotels, you can find a LOT of other entertainment too. For example: visit “Bodies: The Exhibition” at the Luxor Hotel, catch a star in concert, watch the ‘volcano’ replica erupt at The Mirage, indulge your sweet tooth at Hershey’s Chocolate World at New York New York, dine near the fountains of the Bellagio, visit their botanical gardens too (see the gardens in autumn style below!) or steam it up at the spa of the Mandarian Oriental. These are just a couple of things to give you an idea of the diversity of the activities on the Strip. The best thing to do if just to walk around and be amazed at every new giant you enter.
Go birdnerding
Looking for a moment of peace? Several hotels have built little exotic escapes within their walls. The first one for example is the Flamingo Hotel. In the middle of the chaos of the busiest part of the Strip, you can visit a wildlife habitat in the garden of the pink hotel. The area is lush and they have quite a few birds and fishes. If you go at 2pm, you can see the feeding of the pelicans too.
Visit the world: go to New York, or France, Venice or the tropics
It’s a small small world in Las Vegas and if you’re looking for some Disneyesque adventures, the Strip is once again where to go! Take a glimpse at the tiny Tour D’Eiffel, walk around the New York City towers such as the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building or visit the Caribbean settings of Treasure Island.
Personally I thought The Venetian was the most lovely of all. Of course all of the ‘marble’ floors maintain a high gloss polish and all of the details seem way too modern, but the amount of effort they’ve put into rebuilding the Italian city is impressive nonetheless. More importantly, the gelato in here is the same as in Italy.
Get over the fakeness of it all and enjoy your ‘vacation’ within a vacation :). Cause “though the mountains divide and the oceans are wide, it’s a small world after all”
Tie the knot – in Vegas style!
Don’t be silly you might think… but what the heck why not! Marrying costs a small fortune these days and a lot of stress. Vegas knows how to ease that process up for you, and does so in whatever way you want it.
Although many people think you can come to the chapels drunk too, you must be (almost) completely sober to get married. Most of the chapels close at night too – good to know right. Don’t trust the movies.
There are so many chapels in town to pick from- like dozens on Las Vegas Boulevard alone. It’s easy to see from the outside which one suits your style. It can be over the top with Elvis as your faithful servant and wedding organizer or romantically in a small white chapel without all the fuss.
The ceremonies come as cheap as $50,- up ’til whatever you’d like to pay for it. No matter the spot you pick, you need to get a marriage license first (around $70-$80) at the Clark County Clerk’s Office of Nevada, which is conveniently located close to Las Vegas Boulevard. Below a couple of pictures of the Graceland Wedding Chapel – the famous ‘get married by Elvis’ spot!
Visit the ‘Welcome to fabulous Las Vegas’ sign
Yes there it is, another iconic hotspot, just a couple of minutes driving from the big hotels on the Strip! A photo with the sign is your perfect souvenir for back home and it’s easy to park next to it too. Around sunset it might be busy up here, but it’s great fun watching all the people (including many newlyweds) posing next to it! Take a pic and go!
Eat for free if you’re over 350 lbs
Only in Vegas… On the edge of Fremont Street you’ll easily recognize the famous Heart Attack Grill. As the name suggests, it’s quite a one of a kind. There is a huge scale outside the place that you can weigh your self on prior to entry. Look at the picture below and you know why.
Once inside the staff will deliver your food while dressed in hospital themed outfits. The burgers are pretty good, but most of all they are huge. So be careful what you order: if you don’t finish your food you are taken to the middle of the restaurant and get spanked a couple of times with a paddle by one of the staff. Yup. ‘Murica.
Zipline over Fremont Street
Looking for a thrill? SlotZilla Zip Line has two options, a Zipline and a Zoomline, the latter being the higher one of the two. In both cases you’re flying for a short moment over the old Fremont Street – another fun way to experience this famous gambling street. Make sure you book early for this one!
Walk around the Neon Boneyard Park
Ultimately some history. Just outside of the center, near Fremont Street, is The Neon Museum situated. It stars a collection of signs from various current and former hotels and resorts around Las Vegas that have been donated, which are in various states of restoration. Unfortunately you can’t walk around on your own, but its quite nice to listen to a guide and get some extra information.
Each sign has a story. Some of these are from famous landmarks like Caesars or the Stardust hotel. You really experience an important aspect of Las Vegas history. Also if you’re a big American movie fan, there’s a chance you might even recognize some of them.
Go around sunset – you might take both nice pictures with light and when some of the neon signs begin to sparkle.
That’s it – enjoy fabulous Las Vegas!
