Arriving in Vegas
Vegas was actually a spontaneous last minute decision. We booked a flight from LA which took about 45 minutes for later that night later that night. It’s amazing landing at night because you can see the Vegas Strip all lit up, it makes such a good first impression. A taxi to the strip takes about 10 minutes and costs about $10.
Our Accommodation
It was nice to be back in a hotel after staying in a few air bnbs. We stayed at Signature by MGM Grand for half our stay which was lovely and the Hilton for the second half which was also nice. I would say that the Signature hotel was better located as it was about a 2 minute walk and you were in the centre of the strip. With the Hilton you needed to get the shuttle which is free but takes about 5 minutes. Both our rooms had kitchens which meant we were able to cook and save some pennies. Plus we were kind of sick of American food. I must say though that accommodation in Vegas is actually quite cheap especially for the high standard that you receive.
During the day the weather was near 40 degrees so my week consisted of going to the gym at the hotel in the morning and relaxing by the pool for the rest of the afternoon. On our first day we thought we would pop to the nearest supermarket to stock up on some food. The receptionist gave us a map with some directions. About 45 minutes later after trekking across the desert in 35 degree heat we finally found the supermarket. This was also the day after I had walked 6 miles along the LA coast. So you can probably understand the pain I was in and why I chose not to move from the pool for the next week.
The Vegas strip
I must say I was really impressed with Vegas, more so than I was expecting. When walking along the strip there is so much going on all the time. You are never short of something to do. The neon lights everywhere are very impressive, especially the Eiffel Tower. The Bellagio fountain display is utterly amazing, I could of stayed there all night watching. After walking past a couple of times I noticed they have different displays depending on the soundtrack. My favourite was some Western song that they played (I’m not sure of the actual song). We also had a look around Caesars Palace which is famously recognised after the Hangover movie. On the strip there is a frozen daiquiri bar which is my favourite kind of bar. They also have lots of nice restauarants around the ‘Paris’ area swell, definitely worth a try. Shopping in Vegas is also popular with all of the designer shops it offers.
The one thing which doesn’t interest me which is probably the biggest attraction for Vegas are the casinos. I just don’t have a gambling bone in me and find it difficult to see the appeal. The casinos are everywhere though. When you step off the plane there are gambling machines at the gates. If you go in to Starbucks there will be a casino attached. If you go to a bar, they have gambling machines at the bar whilst your waiting to order. It really is mad.