6 Days in Las Vegas, Nevada

Get up and shake the glitter off your clothes, that’s what you get for waking up in Vegas...

Las Vegas, Nevada is packed full of breathtaking views of buildings against an amazing desert backdrop, fantastic food and celebrity shows, with a sprinkle of gambling and chaos thrown in for good measure. Yet it had never been somewhere I had longed to visit or intended to visit. 

 That was until a deal was found online at www.lastminute.com and a trip was booked and paid for in the blink of an eye. That’s when my excitement kicked in and I became thrilled with the idea of Vegas and everything it had to offer.

 On 26th December 2017 four girls armed with a ton of luggage and snacks made their way to Heathrow for the start of a holiday they would never forget.  

Making a trip to the city that genuinely NEVER sleeps and only having 6 days to cram a packed itinerary in is a challenge.. but I think we managed it pretty well!

Day One

The first day was spent travelling from Birmingham, to Heathrow and then a flight to Phoenix Arizona, then finally a final connecting flight to Las Vegas. The flight and overall experience with British Airways was great and they were so attentive for the entire flight. 

We finally arrived at our hotel New York New York and was blown away by the scale of it all and the bright lights that stretched for miles. The hotel comes complete with its own Brooklyn Bridge, statue of liberty, roller-coaster attached to the hotel and an array of New York style shops and restaurants downstairs in the hotel (including the yummiest pizza place and a 24 hour starbucks).

Me with the biggest pizza slice I ever ate from our hotel 

 After a late check in (around 10.30pm) we just about had time to take a look downstairs before we crashed in our room. I was definitely pleased we paid that little bit more for a room with a view of the strip!

Day Two

We started our first full day with a very hearty, All-American breakfast buffet at Chin Chin, which was downstairs in our hotel. Our waiter asked us how we would like our eggs cooked (I opted for poached) then we made our way around the endless buffet. There was so much to choose from, with bagels, different types of scrambled eggs, pastries, fruit, cookies and I know there were some meat options although I didn’t opt for those being veggie. Everything was delicious and the service here couldn’t be faulted.  

 After a cheeky gamble in the casino in our hotel, (guys I actually won $75 from $3) we ventured outside into the sunshine and started exploring. I definitely hadn’t anticipated it being as warm as what it was, highs of around 20 degrees and although it was cooler in the evenings, during the day the sunshine definitely made it t-shirt and jeans weather.  

The Hershey’s shop is right outside our hotel so of course we had to pay a visit there. The giant bottles of Hershey’s sauce were impressive and I had to pick up some classic Hershey miniatures for people back home. We stopped at the Bellagio which was a simple structure but simply stunning and also to Caesar’s Palace (which I think was one of my favourite hotels) and here we were met with beautiful ceilings adorned with clouds and images of the sky. It blows my mind how there is essentially a shopping mall within a lot of the hotels! We stopped off to watch a show which erupted from a fountain, showcasing greek gods and impressive special effects. The Cheesecake Factory along with Bath & Body Works made this hotel a favourite spot!

That evening we had tickets pre-booked for Blue Man Group at the Luxor hotel, booking them at home meant it didn’t eat into our spending money whilst we were there. The show was interactive and so impressive, I can only describe it as comical but also very musical. The “blue men” were engaging and I couldn’t take my eyes off them throughout the entire show.

She was happy really! 

Day Three

When I visited America a few years ago, ihop was my favourite food place to visit. Not only is the food awesome but it’s also relatively well priced. A hearty egg white omelette that comes with a side of buttermilk pancakes is just what was needed to start the day!

 The Stratosphere is the tallest building in Las Vegas and as well as housing many restaurants and thrill rides, you can also pay to jump off the top of the building. Now anyone who knows me, will know this isn’t something I could personally do, but my girlfriend Katie couldn’t wait to get up there! She paid extra for a go-pro style camera to be attached to her wrist for the moment she jumped. I had shaky knees just watching her do it and was super proud when I saw her falling gracefully from the top of the 1150ft building.

My best friend was also in Vegas during my visit so I caught up with her over a Starbucks and a trip to Sephora! 

 Later that evening, myself, Katie Sophie and Millie headed to the Venetian hotel for a gondola ride. It was definitely worth the $34 each as we were serenaded on our gondola ride. 

We also paid a visit to Fremont Street located in Downtown Vegas. It’s home to worn our casinos, sketchy bars and some questionable characters. We weren’t there too long before we ventured back to the comforting surroundings of the strip and our hotel. 

I definitely nearly had my phone stolen when taking this photo... 

Day 4

After waking early, we picked up breakfast from Starbucks downstairs in the hotel (a cream cheese bagel and a cool lime refresher with strawberry!) and watched the sunrise from the hotel room window. I told myself I would never get bored of that view. 

 Fashion Show mall had all your usual shops like American Eagle, Hot Topic and Abercrombie and Fitch. Although this wasn’t an outlet as such, there were still some bargains to be had! 

 After some tasty tacos (infact, the best tacos I’ve ever eaten) we headed to the Bellagio. Up until now we had only seen it from the outside which was a sight to see. But inside was just completely overwhelming. We took a visit to the Bellagio Botanical Gardens to see heir Christmas display. It was simply beautiful but very busy. 

 Also at this hotel is the worlds biggest chocolate fountain! We had a pit stop for some crepes topped with chocolate, strawberries and banana. Ultra yummy (but you’d expect them to be for $27 for two).

That evening we headed to our second show of the holiday at Mandalay Bay hotel to see One Michael Jackson Cirque Di Soleil. I was already so filled with excitement at the prospect of this show and it cost $120 per ticket, but it was worth every dime. The show was fantastic, filled with acrobats moonwalking up the walls, dancers flying overhead and the acts even dancing with a holographic Michael on stage. I was completely moved by the show emotionally and I left armed with a few (maybe unnecessary) mementos which include a light up white glove.

Day 5

Following a great nights sleep, we were up early to head to the North Outlet Mall. It’s a taxi ride away but so worth the trip. After a morning spent shopping and finding a whole heap of bargains, we opted for lunch at The Cheesecake Factory. I recall the waiter giving us a confused look when we ordered a starter each... they definitely aren’t like starters in the uk! They were definitely made to share! I just about made it through my vegetarian burger but couldn’t finish my fries! 

By this point we were insanely tired as I think the previous few days had caught up with us, but we did head out to Walgreens to pick up some American snacks to take back home.

Day 6

 Cute cakes at the Chin Chin buffet on New Year’s Eve 

The day we flew him home! 

Prior to visiting Vegas, it had never been on my high on my list of places to visit. So many people had told me they didn’t like Vegas and that it mainly consisted of people gambling or getting drunk. There really is so much more to discover there and when I visit again, top of my list will be the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam! 

Viva Las Vegas!