Hello from the Sin City! My sleep schedule is thrown off after just 3 nights. Almost everything here is open 24/7 and this is not normal for me!
To start, my friends and I left for Vegas on a Wednesday night and returned EARLY on Sunday - we needed that day to bounce back and prepare for the work week. Since I had a flight credit with Southwest, that is who I decided to fly with. A four-hour flight may seem long to some, but for me since my flight to London was a lot longer, this was a breeze.
Arrival (Day 1)
We checked into Paris Las Vegas Hotel reasonably late in the night, but that's normal for this town. Since this hotel is located on the Las Vegas Strip, there is a casino inside along with shopping, restaurants, a pool, and a nightclub. In reality, you don't even have to leave the hotel if you do not want to. After checking in we decided to explore a little to become aware of our surroundings. Keep in mind that the Las Vegas Strip is about 4 miles long so there is a lot to take in; Casinos, restaurants, shops, street performers- you name it Vegas has it. Unfortunately, most restaurants we closed by this time. However, the Taco Bell Cantina was open and the twisted freezes were calling our name! The last stop was a taxi ride to the dispensary. Please note that Nevada is a legal state for those above the age of 21 & any smokeable items purchased can NOT be flown back to an illegal state.
Day 2
We all slept in until at least 10 am since we were up so late the night before but we made it on time to our brunch reservations at Favorite Bistro. A little overpriced compared to breakfast back home but nothing in Vegas is cheap. From there, we explored the casinos in the hotels; most are connected together so you can walk into one casino hotel and walk out the opposite end of another. For dinner, we opted for TAP Sports Bar in the MGM Grand Resort because reservations were not required. Being the chocolate lover that I am, I got gelato from a random kiosk inside the resort. It's not as good as the gelato in Rome but it came fairly close.
Have any of you heard of Fat Tuesdays? Well, you have NOW! This is a frozen cocktail stop where if you purchase a refillable cup, you can go back for another drink at a discounted price. Let's just say I refilled mine a few times throughout my trip, It comes in handy, and it's a nice souvenir.
Day 3
I will be honest with you all, I am not a gambler by any means. However, I did spend about $50 on a few different machines and didn't win a dang thing - though I am not surprised. Just like yesterday, we hit the casino hotels that we didn't see yesterday. Crazily, the New York Casino hotel is home to the Big Apple Coaster & Arcade. A roller coaster was the last thing I was expecting to ride in Vegas; yall know I LOVE roller coasters.
Our main highlight of the day was the Chateau Nightclub at our hotel. With all the aesthetics of an upscale nightclub, came the wild vibes that Vegas is known for plus a rooftop view. We had a reservation in VIP with our own bottle girl; kinda fancy if I am being honest. And the view of the city? The perfect way to end the night. To boot it's spooky season & everyone is dressed in costumes.
Day 4
With the rest of my party still asleep from the night before, I solo ventured around the hotel and stumbled upon La Creperie, Having been to Paris right before the pandemic, I had high standards for crepes, and unfortunately, the one I purchased from La Creperie was not it - at least it looked pretty. We made a point to catch the fountain show at the Bellagio. In our Fat Tuesdays haze of walking the casinos, we wandered to Caesars Palace and had an early dinner at Bobby's Burgers.
To wrap up our last night, we decided to to go Fremont Street. Now an open-air mall, it is still home to some of the casinos that Vegas became popular for back in the day. This is where celebs such as Frank Sinatra and mobsters like Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel made Vegas what it is today.
Departure & A Few Notes
Like any other vacation, good shoes will make or break your trip. Spending money is a must; nothing in Vegas is cheap. I spent almost $6 on a small bag of Cheese Its to snack on and was deeply upset. I will definitely pack snacks next time. On average, meals were about $25-$30 a person not including tips. Beware of pickpockets & stay aware of your surroundings.
This trip was in October of 2021. Since then, my friend Chikita has lost her husband Frankie in a bike accident. This is dedicated in loving memory of Frankie Pinkerton.
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