Las Vegas

We decided to take a quick 3-day trip to Las Vegas! A slight shift in our normal destination, but as always, I have thoughts to share with you.

Flights and Local Travel

I always recommend booking your flight as early as possible, but with Vegas it isn’t much of a suggestion. If you want cheap prices and the best seat availability, book your flight as early as possible. Speaking of booking your flight, it is less about what airline you chose and more about the comfort and timing of your individual flight. Trust me, we all have loyalties including myself, but when it comes to popular destinations focus on the flight, not the airline. I do recommend premium economy or first class when flying from the East Coast, but the longer the flight, the higher the recommendation.

The last thought I can leave with you regarding your flight to Vegas is to absolutely maximize your time. Spring for that early landing and a late return flight. It might be a little harder on the pocketbook, but it is worth the ease of mind. Avoid budget carriers since they frequently have reliability issues and little time to absorb scheduling delays. Unfortunately, they will leave you stranded at the last possible moment.

Now when it comes to local travel, we are always the first to tell you to rent a car for absolute flexibility, but in a city like Las Vegas we had to change things up. A taxi or rideshare was the best option, especially since the drivers know what events are happening where and any shortcuts that you wouldn’t know otherwise. This also means having a designated driver, which isn’t too shabby.

Local Events

Before booking your trip, make sure to look into local events such as SEMA and F1. These types of events can have a significant impact on your ability to move freely up and down the strip. On the other hand, if you find out what events are happening, you can plan to go to some. We highly recommend checking out local concerts or Broadway quality shows. If you do, grab shows as early as possible for the best seats. We saw Foreigner and Cirque du Solei and they were amazing.

Things to Do

Other than local events, Vegas does have some constant things to do. If you are interested in shooting, especially automatic weapons, head to Las Vegas Shooting Center. The staff was extremely friendly, and the selection of weapons is without equal.

In the opposite direction, The Bellagio Conservatory Botanical Gardens were surreal. It has 14,000 square feet of exquisitely curated fresh flowers, animatronics, and fountains that will surely fill up your camera faster than expected. According to the designer, Ed Libby, the gardens are transformed five times per year.

Vegas has a little bit for everybody, especially for my shoppers out there. The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace are spectacular. They have approximately 160 shops and restaurants, some of which are designer stores including Louis Vuitton, Armani, and Gucci. Once you are shopped out, make sure to hit the 50,000-gallon aquarium and animatronic fall of Atlantis.

Food and Drink

For those of you who have been around, you know now that food and drinks are something we don’t skip out on. Starting with the Crack Shack, if you are looking for something with a modest cost but still just as flavorful, this is your place. Up next we have an absolute must-do experience, Eggslut inside the Cosmopolitan. It is right next to The Chandelier and has a menu dominated by … you guessed it, eggs! Speaking of The Chandelier, it is quite a unique experience. It is nearly 10,000 square feet of fantastic Alice in Wonderland vibes. Immersive with great mixologists. If you are looking for a Mexican place, Nacho Daddy has fantastic drinks.

Carversteak on the other hand was a bit of a letdown. Tough steaks, slow kitchen, and tons of kitchen errors/go-backs. On the other hand, Nine Fine Irishmen is a great pub, especially for an Irish Car Bomb. Perfect atmosphere for a drink. The last good selection for a drink had to be Brew Dog. A great selection of beers on-tap and amazing views of the strips from the rooftop bar.

At the end of everything, it was an amazing, packed weekend that we would recommend to anybody and everybody.