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Viva Las Vegas!

web_The Strip

I have written this post about my trip to Vegas in my head a bunch of times since I got home. It’s hard to sum up 4 days in a single post with  handful of pictures but that time has come and I’ve got to get it out there. In a word, it was FUN. Sure, it’s expensive (although airfare and hotel rates are cheap right now), and it’s overwhelming and exhausting, but it’s just a great place to visit. I think my stepdaughter Jessica and I managed to find the right balance between sightseeing and relaxing, though.

web_Paris at Night

web_New York New York

We got there Sunday and we were exhausted. We’d been up since 4:30 am to catch our plane and traveling is exhausting even without a time change. We basically checked out our hotel, The Mirage, had something to eat, walked around for 30 minutes, and crashed.

web_Tropicana Sign

web_Pastries in New York NY

web_Fins Up

Monday morning, though, we hit the strip with determination to see as much as we could. We covered MGM Grand, Excalibur, The Luxor, Mandalay Bay and the Shark Reef, New York New York, Planet Hollywood and the Miracle Mile Shops and Paris. The hotels are beautiful and each has it’s own theme to entice you to pick that one. In the afternoon we hung out at an outdoor bar at our hotel and we spent the evening at Margaritaville.

web_Mirage Pool Bridge

web_Drinks At Mirage Pool

After all that walking Tuesday was a great day to spend at the pool at The Mirage. It’s a gorgeous spot and the weather was warm and sunny. The outside cafe was closed but the bar was open and we enjoyed several hours relaxing there. It was the perfect way to prepare for a wonderful dinner – Kahunaville – and show – Cirque du Soleil’s Mystere. The show was worth every penny and I’m so glad we picked that one.

web_Venetian Entrance With Gondola

web_Carole and Elvis

web_Bellagio Fountain Show 10

Wednesday was our last full day and we tried to fit in everything we hadn’t seen yet. We went to the breakfast buffet in our hotel and then visited The Venetian and Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, Caesar’s Palace and the Flamingo, we saw the fountain show at The Bellagio, and we visited Fremont Street for the evening light show. My only complaint is that the public transportation isn’t very good. The monorail is fast but hard to get to and it doesn’t stop in many places. The Deuce is convenient but crowded and it takes forever to get anywhere because of all the stops. We learned a few things about all of this that will make it much easier next time.

web_Freemont St Cowboy

web_Mirage Volcano 4

All too soon it was Thursday morning and time to head home. It was a whirlwind trip, that’s for sure, but I wouldn’t change a thing about it!

Just for the record, while I’ve included a few photos in this post, you can see the whole set over on my flickr page. Hope you take a look.

This Post Has 30 Comments

  1. I *knew* Elvis was still alive!! I gotta get my inlaws to come stay with our boys and whisk Dan away to Vegas. He’s never been and it’s just a little jump from here. Hmm….

  2. Quite the whirlwind tour! Glad you had fun. Cirque du Soleil is a must see for sure. We saw them at Disney a few years ago and it was worth the price of admission. I see those humungo green olives floating in your drink btw. 🙂

  3. The blue sky and warm temps make me envious and Vegas is only 8 hours from here! It looks like a fun and happy way to have a great getaway.

  4. It sounds like you had a very fun and full trip. I think I would need a vacation to recover from such an exciting adventure.

  5. Disneyland for adults. The pool shots make me envious; Pools instantly set the “Relax” tone. It sounds like you made the most out of your visit. So glad it was a great trip!

  6. Last time David and I were there, we got propositioned by a “workin’ gal” on our way into the MGM Grand. That was a first, for sure.

  7. And you met Elvis! Great wrap-up. Did you do any gambling? Since I don’t get the attraction of gambling at all, I always figured I had no reason to go to Vegas… now I’m reconsidering that.

  8. I hope you didn’t have to go back to work the next day! My in laws have been trying to get us to go with them for years but I am not much of a gambler so I wasn’t sure I would like it. Looks like there is LOTS to see and do. I will check out the rest of your pics. Glad you had fun!

  9. You did a great job summing up! Sounds like fun. I’ve never been to Vegas — only Reno once (overnight — on the way to somewhere else), but it was fun just to see it and take it all in. That day by the pool sounds wonderful!! ; )

  10. I love your photos! Seriously, they are awesome. So much color and great composition, too! Thank you, thankyouverymuch…. for posting them.

  11. Ooooh, Vegas. I have had some great times in Vegas and I think a girls weekend is the only way to go. It looks like you really saw all the sights and I bet you were exhausted!

  12. Loved all the pictures (and yes, I did check ’em all out, LOL)! Last time I was in Vegas, I was 8 months pregnant w/ Mackenzie. I didn’t see much, but what I did see was fun. So glad you and Jess had a nice vacation … I feel relaxed just looking at all those shots of palm trees and yummy drinks!!

  13. Sounds like a great trip. Some trips are meant to be relaxing, some….not so much. This sounds like one of the action packed fun variety.

  14. what a wonderful week! wow. You did a great job sharing the excitement of it all. I’ve never been there.
    It sure looks as tho one stepped into another world.

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