Trip Report - First Time in Vegas
Aug 27th, 2013, 12:50 PM
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Trip Report - First Time in Vegas
Day 1:
Even though we got back from Vegas on Sunday night (well, technically 2AM Monday morning), I am still exhausted! I flew out Friday morning on a 7:25AM flight -- which allowed me to time travel! With the three hour time difference, by the time I got to Vegas, it was only around 8:15AM. I have never been to Vegas before, so I was amazed at how beautiful the desert is, and how Las Vegas simply appears out of nowhere. You can see the inhabited areas that back up directly to the desert. I don't think I'd want to live with my backyard in the desert, but c'est la vie.
I had heard that there were slot machines in the airport, but it was still funny to see them when I got off the plane. I'm not that big of a gambler, so I just took pictures and Instagrammed it (if you don't instagram it, did it ever really happen?). I followed the signs to ground transportation, and bought a shuttle ticket. For $7.50 the shuttle would take you anywhere on the strip. Of course, I somehow managed to be the last stop, but that way I got to see more of the hotels on the strip. I didn't show up to our hotel, Harrah's, around 9AM. Our friend's girlfriend comped us the room, so we could not beat the price. It was really nice of her to do that, and I thought it was in a great location. It wasn't the nicest of the hotels (clearly places like the Bellagio and Caesar's are classics, and then there are really trendy new ones like Aria's and the Cosmopolitan), but since all we were using it for was sleeping, I didn't mind at all. If I were to go back and had to pay for the room myself, I would pick somewhere with a nice pool. Harrah's had a pool, but it wasn't great. Location and price - couldn't beat - amenities and general niceness, definitely could.
Now, I was meeting up with friends who had flown in the day before, so they had been out all night, so they didn't seem thrilled to death when I woke them up at 9 (I think they maybe slept for about 3-4 hours). I waited for them to wake up, and then we began to explore the strip! We walked for miles and went inside tons of the casinos, gambled a bit in New York, New York - and just had a great time taking it all in. There are some characters, and I could not believe how much money everyone was gambling. I watched person after person run to the ATM to withdraw hundreds if not thousands of dollars -- and these did not look like people who had an extra $5,000 in disposable income. Also, I guess you can just walk around in a bikini or pretty much whatever you want. There are no open container laws, so we grabbed beers from one of the convenience stores as we continued on our stroll. We probably walked until around 4 or so, and then decided to take a nap.
For dinner, we went to American Fish http://www.arialasvegas.com/dining/r.../american-fish), in the Aria Hotel. Everyone but the BF and I got the Restaurant Week specials, but we just stuck to the regular entrees (since I really didn't think I need to pay $15 extra for a dessert). I got the bacon wrapped rainbow trout, and the BF got the organic brick chicken breast. I liked the chicken breast better since it came with this delicious truffle mac and cheese. I tried a bite of someone's lobster grilled cheese, and that was soooo good! Food was tasty but expensive, and I don't think it was worth it. We went to several better and cheaper restaurants as the weekend progressed, so I just can't recommend a $42 trout meal that was just so-so. I'm glad I stuck to beer since beers ranged from $6.25 for a PBR (but it came in the can with a coozie!!) to probably around $10ish. But, glasses of wine started around $16, so that added up quickly. Regardless, neat atmosphere, decent food, and great ambiance.
After dinner, we headed to the X Burlesque show that we had previously purchased tickets for. We purchased our tickets through those discount ticket shop that dots the strip. Our tickets cost $42, and we picked them up at will-call. However, people purchasing tickets at the event had to pay $107 - definitely not worth it. I was intrigued by the concept of burlesque, and it was just high end stripping. Of course, being a completely insane individual, I spent the entire time wondering about the dancers, their dreams/aspirations, if they were happy with the career, how they felt, etc. Everyone else just watched the show like a normal person without psychoanalyzing everyone and liked it.
We stopped at a few bars afterwards (can't even remember which) and probably crashed around 2AM ... at this point, I'd been up pretty much 24 straight hours, so I was exhausted...
Even though we got back from Vegas on Sunday night (well, technically 2AM Monday morning), I am still exhausted! I flew out Friday morning on a 7:25AM flight -- which allowed me to time travel! With the three hour time difference, by the time I got to Vegas, it was only around 8:15AM. I have never been to Vegas before, so I was amazed at how beautiful the desert is, and how Las Vegas simply appears out of nowhere. You can see the inhabited areas that back up directly to the desert. I don't think I'd want to live with my backyard in the desert, but c'est la vie.
I had heard that there were slot machines in the airport, but it was still funny to see them when I got off the plane. I'm not that big of a gambler, so I just took pictures and Instagrammed it (if you don't instagram it, did it ever really happen?). I followed the signs to ground transportation, and bought a shuttle ticket. For $7.50 the shuttle would take you anywhere on the strip. Of course, I somehow managed to be the last stop, but that way I got to see more of the hotels on the strip. I didn't show up to our hotel, Harrah's, around 9AM. Our friend's girlfriend comped us the room, so we could not beat the price. It was really nice of her to do that, and I thought it was in a great location. It wasn't the nicest of the hotels (clearly places like the Bellagio and Caesar's are classics, and then there are really trendy new ones like Aria's and the Cosmopolitan), but since all we were using it for was sleeping, I didn't mind at all. If I were to go back and had to pay for the room myself, I would pick somewhere with a nice pool. Harrah's had a pool, but it wasn't great. Location and price - couldn't beat - amenities and general niceness, definitely could.
Now, I was meeting up with friends who had flown in the day before, so they had been out all night, so they didn't seem thrilled to death when I woke them up at 9 (I think they maybe slept for about 3-4 hours). I waited for them to wake up, and then we began to explore the strip! We walked for miles and went inside tons of the casinos, gambled a bit in New York, New York - and just had a great time taking it all in. There are some characters, and I could not believe how much money everyone was gambling. I watched person after person run to the ATM to withdraw hundreds if not thousands of dollars -- and these did not look like people who had an extra $5,000 in disposable income. Also, I guess you can just walk around in a bikini or pretty much whatever you want. There are no open container laws, so we grabbed beers from one of the convenience stores as we continued on our stroll. We probably walked until around 4 or so, and then decided to take a nap.
For dinner, we went to American Fish http://www.arialasvegas.com/dining/r.../american-fish), in the Aria Hotel. Everyone but the BF and I got the Restaurant Week specials, but we just stuck to the regular entrees (since I really didn't think I need to pay $15 extra for a dessert). I got the bacon wrapped rainbow trout, and the BF got the organic brick chicken breast. I liked the chicken breast better since it came with this delicious truffle mac and cheese. I tried a bite of someone's lobster grilled cheese, and that was soooo good! Food was tasty but expensive, and I don't think it was worth it. We went to several better and cheaper restaurants as the weekend progressed, so I just can't recommend a $42 trout meal that was just so-so. I'm glad I stuck to beer since beers ranged from $6.25 for a PBR (but it came in the can with a coozie!!) to probably around $10ish. But, glasses of wine started around $16, so that added up quickly. Regardless, neat atmosphere, decent food, and great ambiance.
After dinner, we headed to the X Burlesque show that we had previously purchased tickets for. We purchased our tickets through those discount ticket shop that dots the strip. Our tickets cost $42, and we picked them up at will-call. However, people purchasing tickets at the event had to pay $107 - definitely not worth it. I was intrigued by the concept of burlesque, and it was just high end stripping. Of course, being a completely insane individual, I spent the entire time wondering about the dancers, their dreams/aspirations, if they were happy with the career, how they felt, etc. Everyone else just watched the show like a normal person without psychoanalyzing everyone and liked it.
We stopped at a few bars afterwards (can't even remember which) and probably crashed around 2AM ... at this point, I'd been up pretty much 24 straight hours, so I was exhausted...
Aug 27th, 2013, 01:33 PM
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I am enjoying reading your report. We haven't been to Vegas in a long time. DH wanted to add it on to a trip to Santa Fe in October, but I am not sure we will do that trip this year but perhaps we will!
Aug 27th, 2013, 06:39 PM
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We live just four hours from Vegas so the thrill has been long gone for us, but it is fun to read a first-timer's perspective. Glad you're enjoying it. And, just so you know, you really don't get much sleep in Vegas. There is just so much to see and do, especially for your first visit. You can sleep when you get back home.
Aug 28th, 2013, 05:42 AM
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Thanks everyone! I covered a lot of ground on Day 2, so I'm going to break this into two posts to be easier to read.
Day 2 of my Vegas Extravaganza!
I think I left this out in my initial post, but I was traveling with two other couples from college. We live in Ohio, the other couple is in Houston, but we were visiting the third couple who have actually lived in Vegas for the past 3 or 4 years. Of course, our Vegas residents were less than thrilled to spend hours on the strip and kept encouraging us to go off the beaten path while still enjoying the Vegas experience. So, I allowed them to pick some places for us to explore, and honestly, I had a better time in the Fremont area than I had on the Strip.
Next morning – rough time waking up, but we did and got ready to wander a bit. We stumbled upon an “oxygen bar” and decided we had to try it. For $16 you got 4-6 hours of energy. Or at least, that’s what the super peppy salesgirls kept saying. Regardless of what we asked them (how does it work, what is your name, etc.) they replied, “You get 4-6 hours of energy!!!” We beg to differ. Did not feel any different, but thought, hey, let’s try.
For lunch, our Vegas hosts took us to In and Out Burger. Living in the Midwest, I had heard so much about In and Out, so I had begged them to take us there. I just ordered off the regular menu and got the cheeseburger, fries and a chocolate milkshake. I think the fact that this had been so hyped up for me is the part of the reason I wasn’t blown away. It was good. I enjoyed the food, but I was anticipating a mind altering experience, and it just seemed like a normal burger and fries (though the fries seemed slightly more potatoey and less deep fried than say, McDonald’s). Our host explained that the ingredients are all fresh which is part of the appeal. And was there an appeal. The line was out the door, but went quickly!
I was just wearing shorts and a tank top with the understanding that we were going to grab lunch and at some point come back to our hotel. How naïve – we of course stayed out until 3AM, so I never did get to change. After lunch, our host took us to Fremont. While I could care less about gambling, our Houston friends were very interested in gambling (and had budgeted $500/day – which was mind blowing to me as my budget was $100 for the entire trip – but hey, I’m cheap and I’d much rather have my money and eat delicious meals than gamble it away). While Fremont is still Vegasy, I liked it so much better. It was less crowded, and I loved the old neon signs.
We appeased the gamblers by going into The Golden Nugget to begin our gambling experience. We sat down at $5 blackjack tables and had fun for a while until I ran out of my initial $20. Several drinks in, we decided we need to find the infamous golden nugget (which is apparently the largest golden nugget ever discovered). On our way to view this, we saw an ATM for gold, which we thought might be a better investment than our gambling … we could just prospect gold! The pool at the Golden Nugget was really neat, since in the middle is a shark tank with a water slide that goes through it. Very cool!!
After spending some time looking at the namesake nugget (which looks totally fake by the way), we headed to the Big D (which I kept laughing about the name, because clearly I’m very mature – but really, who thought that was a good name for a casino)? I tried my hand at penny slots – not a fan. We blew through $20 in like 5 minutes. I decided I liked table games better since there was some semblance of a choice.
Day 2 of my Vegas Extravaganza!
I think I left this out in my initial post, but I was traveling with two other couples from college. We live in Ohio, the other couple is in Houston, but we were visiting the third couple who have actually lived in Vegas for the past 3 or 4 years. Of course, our Vegas residents were less than thrilled to spend hours on the strip and kept encouraging us to go off the beaten path while still enjoying the Vegas experience. So, I allowed them to pick some places for us to explore, and honestly, I had a better time in the Fremont area than I had on the Strip.
Next morning – rough time waking up, but we did and got ready to wander a bit. We stumbled upon an “oxygen bar” and decided we had to try it. For $16 you got 4-6 hours of energy. Or at least, that’s what the super peppy salesgirls kept saying. Regardless of what we asked them (how does it work, what is your name, etc.) they replied, “You get 4-6 hours of energy!!!” We beg to differ. Did not feel any different, but thought, hey, let’s try.
For lunch, our Vegas hosts took us to In and Out Burger. Living in the Midwest, I had heard so much about In and Out, so I had begged them to take us there. I just ordered off the regular menu and got the cheeseburger, fries and a chocolate milkshake. I think the fact that this had been so hyped up for me is the part of the reason I wasn’t blown away. It was good. I enjoyed the food, but I was anticipating a mind altering experience, and it just seemed like a normal burger and fries (though the fries seemed slightly more potatoey and less deep fried than say, McDonald’s). Our host explained that the ingredients are all fresh which is part of the appeal. And was there an appeal. The line was out the door, but went quickly!
I was just wearing shorts and a tank top with the understanding that we were going to grab lunch and at some point come back to our hotel. How naïve – we of course stayed out until 3AM, so I never did get to change. After lunch, our host took us to Fremont. While I could care less about gambling, our Houston friends were very interested in gambling (and had budgeted $500/day – which was mind blowing to me as my budget was $100 for the entire trip – but hey, I’m cheap and I’d much rather have my money and eat delicious meals than gamble it away). While Fremont is still Vegasy, I liked it so much better. It was less crowded, and I loved the old neon signs.
We appeased the gamblers by going into The Golden Nugget to begin our gambling experience. We sat down at $5 blackjack tables and had fun for a while until I ran out of my initial $20. Several drinks in, we decided we need to find the infamous golden nugget (which is apparently the largest golden nugget ever discovered). On our way to view this, we saw an ATM for gold, which we thought might be a better investment than our gambling … we could just prospect gold! The pool at the Golden Nugget was really neat, since in the middle is a shark tank with a water slide that goes through it. Very cool!!
After spending some time looking at the namesake nugget (which looks totally fake by the way), we headed to the Big D (which I kept laughing about the name, because clearly I’m very mature – but really, who thought that was a good name for a casino)? I tried my hand at penny slots – not a fan. We blew through $20 in like 5 minutes. I decided I liked table games better since there was some semblance of a choice.
Aug 28th, 2013, 09:53 AM
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Day 2 - Continued.
By around 5:30 or so, we were getting hungry, so our host took us to East Fremont, which he claims is the trendy, hipsteresque area in Vegas. He explained that they are trying to invest money into this area, and we could see several condo complexes in various stages of completion. We ate at Park on Fremont (http://www.parkonfremont.com/), and I thought it was fantastic! The décor was really fun and out there (it reminded me of a psychedelic Alice in Wonderland). I had the BBQ burger (yes, two burgers in one day – hey, I’m on vacation!!) and mac ‘n cheese. For drinks, you could get a beer and a complimentary shot, so we got the Stiegl Badler Grapefruit with a shot of Hangar 1 Blue Berry. We couldn’t decide if you were supposed to take the shot separately, but I mixed mine together, and I thought it was really good. My BF, who isn’t a huge fan of fruity beers, really liked the Grapefruit beer because it had a little more of a tart taste to it. After those, I got the Trophy Wife which is Bacardi Oakhart Spice Rum, lemon, orange, pineapple juice and simple syrup – again, yum! I thought this restaurant was terrific because everything was so unique. I will say, the eclectic theme carried into the bathroom, with vintage photographs everywhere. HOWEVER, they completely creeped me out, because they were all pictures of kids staring at you – creepy. So, besides the bathroom, very fun!
And then – as I’m sure has happened to many before me – time disappeared. After dinner, we just stayed in East Fremont bar hopping from establishment to establishment. Next, we went to The Griffin (https://plus.google.com/111875448237...gl=US&hl=en-US) which had a dungeon vibe going on. I was getting tired, so I asked the bartender if they had coffee. She looked at me weird, and said no, but she could make it for me. About 30 minutes later, she came out with two cups of coffee for me, and it was exactly what I needed. I’m a weirdo, ordering coffee in a bar, but I was hitting a wall. I liked the vibe of the Griffin, and there were massive fireplaces in the middle, with stone facades elsewhere.
After The Griffin we went to Commonwealth. Not too memorable – most of the tables were reserved, but we went to the balcony and had great views of Fremont. We got to watch several arrests go down. It appeared to be prostitution related, which of course baffled me as I thought prostitution was legal. But, who knows.
Our last stop was Don’t Tell Mama Piano Bar (https://plus.google.com/107630393869...gl=US&hl=en-US). This was by far my favorite bar. It seemed less trendy, but much more scene. I love piano bars, and I love people who have musical talent (as I have none – it’s my only flaw
. We probably stayed for 2-3 hours just singing and drinking.
Around 3ish we called it a night and cabbed it back to Harrah’s – which ended up being about a $15 cab ride, not too bad!
Stay tuned for Day 3 … my final day!
By around 5:30 or so, we were getting hungry, so our host took us to East Fremont, which he claims is the trendy, hipsteresque area in Vegas. He explained that they are trying to invest money into this area, and we could see several condo complexes in various stages of completion. We ate at Park on Fremont (http://www.parkonfremont.com/), and I thought it was fantastic! The décor was really fun and out there (it reminded me of a psychedelic Alice in Wonderland). I had the BBQ burger (yes, two burgers in one day – hey, I’m on vacation!!) and mac ‘n cheese. For drinks, you could get a beer and a complimentary shot, so we got the Stiegl Badler Grapefruit with a shot of Hangar 1 Blue Berry. We couldn’t decide if you were supposed to take the shot separately, but I mixed mine together, and I thought it was really good. My BF, who isn’t a huge fan of fruity beers, really liked the Grapefruit beer because it had a little more of a tart taste to it. After those, I got the Trophy Wife which is Bacardi Oakhart Spice Rum, lemon, orange, pineapple juice and simple syrup – again, yum! I thought this restaurant was terrific because everything was so unique. I will say, the eclectic theme carried into the bathroom, with vintage photographs everywhere. HOWEVER, they completely creeped me out, because they were all pictures of kids staring at you – creepy. So, besides the bathroom, very fun!
And then – as I’m sure has happened to many before me – time disappeared. After dinner, we just stayed in East Fremont bar hopping from establishment to establishment. Next, we went to The Griffin (https://plus.google.com/111875448237...gl=US&hl=en-US) which had a dungeon vibe going on. I was getting tired, so I asked the bartender if they had coffee. She looked at me weird, and said no, but she could make it for me. About 30 minutes later, she came out with two cups of coffee for me, and it was exactly what I needed. I’m a weirdo, ordering coffee in a bar, but I was hitting a wall. I liked the vibe of the Griffin, and there were massive fireplaces in the middle, with stone facades elsewhere.
After The Griffin we went to Commonwealth. Not too memorable – most of the tables were reserved, but we went to the balcony and had great views of Fremont. We got to watch several arrests go down. It appeared to be prostitution related, which of course baffled me as I thought prostitution was legal. But, who knows.
Our last stop was Don’t Tell Mama Piano Bar (https://plus.google.com/107630393869...gl=US&hl=en-US). This was by far my favorite bar. It seemed less trendy, but much more scene. I love piano bars, and I love people who have musical talent (as I have none – it’s my only flaw
. We probably stayed for 2-3 hours just singing and drinking.Around 3ish we called it a night and cabbed it back to Harrah’s – which ended up being about a $15 cab ride, not too bad!
Stay tuned for Day 3 … my final day!
