Viva Las Vegas
While I would love to tell you the sinful details, the too-taboo-for print memories of my weekend in Las Vegas, pause for a moment of reflection, I cannot. I’ll allow you to spread your creative wings and use your imagination. Here’s what I can tell you: Vegas did not always used to be Sin City. To the contrary, Vegas was once inhabited with Mormons, in fact, a there is a Mormon Temple in Las Vegas that can be seen near Sunrise Mountain, east of the city. I suppose retribution can be found in the dusty desert. The reason for this trip was to treat my sister for her 21st birthday. At the time, I lived in Los Angeles and we drove the four hours across the Mojave Desert, through ghost towns and tumbleweeds to the bright lights and life of Vegas. It truly is transporting to go from being the only life in sight to the overwhelming sounds and sights of the city’s entrance. We stayed at The Excalibur Hotel because it stands out on the Strip with its colorful medieval theme. Its façade is in the style of a famous French castle in Carcassonne and is named after the fabled sword of King Arthur. On the Strip, the Excalibur Hotel is conveniently located near other major casinos. So if you don’t find what you need at the Excalibur you can easily walk over to the New York, New York and from there to the MGM Grand. The MGM is the monorail’s point of departure. INSIDER TIP: Use the monorail! It’s inexpensive and will save your feet from having to trek from one adventure to the next! It will take you all the way up the Strip to the Sahara and even stops at the Las Vegas Convention Center. On the southern side of the Excalibur, a free tram runs to the Luxor and the Mandalay Bay. These three casinos are connected to one another so it’s easy to walk from one to the other without ever going outside. In the summer, Vegas is hot, hot, hot! Another INSIDER TIP: for those who are looking to spend their hard earned cash on the important things in Vegas, eat at a buffet. The ‘Le Village Buffet’ in Paris is wonderful. One $18 meal is all you need to fuel you from lunch through breakfast the next day. It may seem pricey, but welcome to Las Vegas. There are also free activities to enjoy—one of my favorites was wandering The Venetian. It’s gorgeous and I love how the décor inside appears as if you’re outside. We paid to take a gondola ride through the hotel and our navigator sang “Happy Birthday” to my sister in Italian. It was a lovely experience. My last INSIDER TIP for the savvy Vegas-goer is to ask the concierge for VIP passes. Getting into the bars and clubs in the evening is expensive and time consuming if you have to stand in line and pay a cover charge! Now, it’s your turn. Explore. Enjoy.
itinerary posted on tripONi Destination Forum
