Five Things to Do in Las Vegas, Nevada

It's no secret that I love visiting Vegas for a short getaway. I am always looking for ideas on what to do there, so when Ashleigh from Mermaid on the Move asked me if she could guest post while I am on vacation, I asked her to write about five things she thinks you must do in her hometown of Vegas! Hope y'all get some ideas for your next trip to the city!

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Lack of things to do has never been the problem in this city that I call home. In fact, it’s almost overwhelming the amount of things going on any given night. But there are some musts that you should take the time to experience when you’re visiting Las Vegas, Nevada.



Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign It may seem a bit cliche, but honestly the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign one of the most iconic images of the city, not to mention a free keepsake, unless of course you feel like tipping Elvis to take the picture for you. My suggestion is to go early in the evening early in the week to avoid a long line. Also, if you’re going to be in town during a certain time check to see if they will be lighting up the sign a different color for a holiday or awareness, like St. Patrick’s Day when it glows green.



The High Roller One of the newer must go-to spots is The High Roller, the largest observation wheel in the world standing 550 feet with an amazing view of the city, located at The LINQ promenade. Once you’ve taken in a 360 degree look of the city be sure to venture down the remainder of the promenade to check out the bars, cupcake vending machine and other fun and unique stops along the way.



Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Garden My favorite place to take people when they come into town is the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Garden. Beautifully themed arrangements spread along a 14,000 square-foot showcase that is changed out seasonally, usually around every 3 months, so that it is almost always new, different, and breathe taking each time I visit. Another wonderful thing is that they recycle 90 percent of the trees, flowers and plants when they turn over the new theme, giving back to the environment in a unique way. Also, take a short stroll to the lobby for a peak at Dale Chihuly’s amazing glass blossoms hanging above your head.



Downtown Las Vegas There is absolutely no lack of things to do when it comes to Downtown Las Vegas, my personal favorite it people watching and grabbing drinks with friends and playing on the adult jungle gym at Container Park. Some other fun things to do is to take the zipline down the Fremont Street Experience on Slotzilla, grab a drink at the many themed bars down Fremont East or check out the Arts District, especially if you’re lucky enough to be in town on a First Friday.



Hoover Dam Hoover Dam is quite a breathtaking sight as you stand looking down over 725 feet below at Lake Mead. Yes, that one that Megatron is hidden beneath in Transformers. It’s a short 40 minute drive from the neon lights of The Strip through Boulder City, where ironically enough gambling is illegal. If you have the time, be sure to spend time in this beautiful city, I recommend grabbing breakfast at The Coffee Cup. These are just a few of the many things you can do in my twenty four hour hometown, with a million ways to be entertained and a little something for everyone.

Thanks for sharing your favorite things to do in Vegas, Ashleigh! Want even more fun posts on Vegas? Check out my list of best things to do in Vegas if you don't gamble or drink, my guide to the best shows in Las Vegas, my favorite buffets in Vegas, and our hike through Valley of Fire State Park.
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Best Things to Do in Vegas If You Don’t Gamble or Drink

Las Vegas is one of my favorite places to go for a long weekend, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people dismiss it as a vacation destination because they don’t drink or gamble. I think Vegas sometimes gets a bad reputation due to its Sin City nickname when the city has so much more to offer. Today, I decided to make it my mission to share why I think Vegas is a fun place to visit.

See a show
My favorite part of visiting Las Vegas is definitely watching a show. I’m a huge fan of Cirque du Soleil (though I think Le Reve beats all the Cirque du Soleil shows in Vegas) and have enjoyed several comedy shows and musicals. Click here for a guide to my favorite shows in Vegas.

Eat
Once upon a time Vegas was solely known for its buffets. While it still has good buffets (check out my favorite Vegas buffets here), the whole food scene on the Strip is seriously amazing. Whether you want a delicious snack after a day at the pool or a fancy meal for a special occasion, you can’t go wrong with your options in Vegas. Stay tuned for a future post about my favorite restaurants.

Wander through the hotels 
One of the best things to do in Vegas is to explore all the hotels. If I had to pick, my favorite hotel would be the Bellagio with its conservatory and gorgeous fountain, but all of the hotels have unique experiences. Go up the replica Eiffel Tower for a gorgeous view of the Strip at Paris. Ride a gondola at The Venetian. Check out the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay.

Relax
Another great thing about hotels on the Strip is their amazing pools and spas. I love spending the day on the lazy river at the MGM Grand Pool or in a cabana at the Bellagio. The best part is the pools are open during the winter for those looking for an escape from the cold.

Try Coca Cola from around the world at the World of Coca-Cola
For just $8, you can try 16 Coca-Cola products from around the world (and eight ice cream soda flavors for an additional $4) on the top floor of the Coca-Cola store. It’s such a fun experience to watch the faces of your friends and family as they taste the flavors.

Shop
Vegas has some of the best shopping around. On the Strip, I love shopping at the Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace, the Fashion Show mall, Las Vegas Premium Outlets-South, Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood, and The Shoppes at Mandalay Bay. If you feel like leaving the Strip, my favorite places to shop are the Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas and Las Vegas Premium Outlets-North.

Go to a museum
I have only recently discovered that Vegas has several museums worth seeing. Of course, Madame Tussauds at The Venetian is always fun, but next time I’m in Vegas, I plan to check out the mob museum in Downtown Las Vegas and The Neon Museum.

Get out of town
As much as I love being on the Strip, I love taking day trips to see the gorgeous scenery in the area. The Grand Canyon is the obvious choice, though it takes over eight hours round trip, which doesn’t leave you a lot of time to spend at the Grand Canyon. If you want to visit the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas, I recommend spending the night at a hotel close to the Grand Canyon or booking a plane or helicopter tour from Vegas. If you prefer to take a shorter day trip, I love the Red Rock Canyon and the Valley of Fire State Park. We visited the Valley of Fire State Park last time we were in Vegas, and I would love to go back!

Curious about my favorite place to stay in Vegas? Check out my Instagram for the answer! 

Have you been to Vegas? What’s your favorite thing to do?

Best Buffets in Las Vegas

When we want to go away for a long weekend, Vegas is always a top choice. Other than the shows, our favorite part of going to Vegas is all of the amazing food options. Vegas is known for its buffets, and though I am not a huge buffet fan, I have found several in Vegas that I really enjoy. Here are my favorites:

The Buffet at Bellagio: 
We have been to The Buffet at Bellagio many times, and it has always been great. I love the Asian food section and the ribs for dinner, and I am slightly embarrassed by the number of cherry crepes I had at the breakfast buffet. The desserts were delicious, though the selection is not as impressive as at some of the other buffets.

The Buffet at Wynn: 
I love The Buffet at Wynn because of the variety. The restaurant is beautiful, and the food is good quality. I can’t think of a food item that really stood out, but I would eat here again.

Bacchanal Buffet at Caesar’s Palace:
I live in Texas, the land of amazing brisket, but I had one of the best briskets I have ever had at the Bacchanal Buffet (We talked to the chef and found out he was from Texas. That explains it). Everything I ate was delicious, and I had to get two plates right away because I couldn’t fit everything I wanted to try on one plate. The dessert selection was the best out of all the buffets I’ve tried in Vegas. If I had to pick one buffet to visit in Vegas, it would be Bacchanal Buffet.

Have you tried any of the buffets in Vegas? Which one is your favorite?

Hiking Through Valley of Fire State Park

Whenever we head to Las Vegas, we like to spend part of our time away from the city. On previous trips, we visited The Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam. This time, we decided to stay closer to Vegas and visited Valley of Fire State Park.

Valley of Fire State Park is only 58 miles from the Vegas Strip, and it took us about an hour to get there. The minute we got out of the car, I knew I was going to love it. The formations were so beautiful, and I especially loved all of the gorgeous colors. 

We spent most of the day driving around the area, stopping at Arch Rock, the Rainbow Vista, the Beehives, the Seven Sisters, the Cabins, and many other formations. It was a blast to hike to beautiful lookouts and to climb up the formations. After spending a day at the park, I felt like we barely scratched the surface and would love to come back and explore more in the future.

Best Shows in Las Vegas

Since I have been writing only European travel posts, I wanted to switch gears today and write about Las Vegas. I think that sometimes there is a negative stigma about Vegas that it is all about drinking, partying, and gambling. While you can certainly spend your time doing just that, I think Vegas has so much more to offer.

We like to go to Vegas at least once a year, especially around Christmas and actually ended up going twice over the past year. It’s a relatively cheap trip that has so much to offer.  My favorite things about Vegas include the shows, the restaurants, and the great shopping! Today I’m sharing the best shows I have seen in Vegas.

“O” by Cirque du Soleil: I absolutely love Cirque du Soleil, and several times we visited Vegas specifically to see a new Cirque show. I have seen “O” twice now and would watch it again and again. Not only does it have the amazing acrobatics and choreography that Cirque du Soleil is known for, but the added element of water is incredible. It is more expensive than the other Cirque shows, but it is worth every penny.

Le Reve: I saw Le Reve on my last trip to Vegas in April, and I thought it was just as good as “O.” Le Reve also revolves around water and is presented in a theatre in the round format, with the performers positioned all around the audience members. As an audience member, you really feel like you are part of the story.  In comparison to “O,” Le Reve had a much more defined plot and was more imaginative and whimsical.

Terry Fator: I came into this show thinking I wouldn't like it. I was very wrong-Terry Fator made me laugh the whole time! I had seen ventriloquists before, but watching him sing while impersonating another famous singer without opening his mouth is so impressive. We liked it so much we went back and saw Terry Fator’s Christmas show last December.

“KA” by Cirque du Soleil: “KA” is my husband’s favorite Cirque du Soleil show. Its main feature is a rotating stage and a more defined plot than other Cirque shows. It has less acrobatics than other Cirque shows, focusing more on martial arts. I thought it was interesting, but Chris really loved it.

Jersey Boys: My only hesitation in putting Jersey Boys on this list is that it’s not exclusively a Vegas show. Jersey Boys tells the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. I honestly had no idea what they sang until I went to the show and recognized almost all the songs. It was a fun show, and I really enjoyed the plot. I would happily go see Jersey Boys again.

I have seen quite a few other shows in Vegas so if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me!