I've wanted to go to Las Vegas for a long time, but for whatever reason haven't ever been. So much to do and see! My friend Karrah of Mrs. Do it Herself was game for a trip, so we headed to Sin City in November for my first divorceaversary. Talk about a distraction from having all the emotions I could have experienced if I was stuck at home!
There were so many things I wanted to do, but I also had zero interest in having some blowout weekend in Vegas and then coming home being completely zonked and hungover. Maybe one day I'll do that on a girls trip, but I was *not* in the mood! So we paced ourselves, and just focused on a few things (but um yes, I drank and gambled.) Get ready for a lot of photos! I've also written all my reviews on TripAdvisor (this is NOT a sponsored post, but there are affiliate links), so I've linked to each one in case you wanted more info on what I thought.
Upon landing in Las Vegas, I ran into my BFF, Melissa McCarthy. Ok, not really, but she was on the Bridesmaids slot machine near baggage claim and I got a little giddy:
Hoover Dam
We rented a car for the first day and drove out to Hoover Dam. We first made a pit stop at In-n-Out, which I wasn't super impressed with. Didn't understand the hype!
I wasn't sure what to expect with Hoover Dam, but it was gorgeous and super interesting! We did the Power Plant tour and then walked around a bit. My full review is here.
Just off the plane Hoover Dam selfie!
The Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge was spectacular in person.
Paris Las Vegas Hotel
After spending the afternoon at the Hoover Dam, we checked into our hotel, Paris Las Vegas. It was beautiful, and a perfect location at the center of the Strip. My hotel review is here. I wouldn't hesitate to stay there again.
I was so excited that I didn't get any good shots of the interior of the hotel. I loved the casino ceilings which were cloud-like and uplit. You couldn't tell if it was night or day, which was perfect for them to #TakeAllMyMoney! During our stay, we had 2 meals at Le Village Buffet, both of which were super delicious with a wide range of options for all diet types and picky eaters alike.
Mon Ami Gabi
Four friends told me that I HAD to go to Mon Ami Gabi, so we enjoyed a meal there at brunch.
It's cappuccino. In a bowl. Heaven!
Bloody Mary Bar? Don't mind if I do!
The Neon Museum
This was one of my must-do's, and I'm glad we were able to get tickets in advance for a time that didn't conflict with other plans. This is where old Vegas neon goes to die… or rather live on in a really interesting space outside. You can do day or night tours. Night tours were sold out, so we went during the day. It was awesome. Full review here.
Old Moulin Rogue sign that looks like “in love”
This is the only piece of ass I got while in Vegas
Bellagio Fountains
Of course you can't really go to Vegas without seeing one of the few free attractions, the Bellagio Fountains.
We watched one show (to Uptown Funk, clip embedded below) and caught snippets of a couple others as we walked around the strip to and from different places. They were really fun to watch in person – super impressive.
BLT Steak at Bally's
Before heading to Bellagio to see Cirque du Soleil's “O,” I wanted to have a nice dinner. We used Open Table to find that BLT Steak at Bally's had an opening. There were good reviews, but I have to say we had a sub-par experience. It's pretty much the only blemish on the trip, but not a horrible one. My review is here.
Thunder from Down Under
For years (even before I was married), I joked that I needed to go to Las Vegas to see the Thunder from Down Under. I just think it's an amazing name for an Australian male revue! The show is at Excalibur, in a small theatre. It is very up close and personal, but for those of you thinking it – no full frontal. Hahaha.
They only allowed phones during 1 song, which was ironically “Uptown Funk,” which we had just watched as performed by the Bellagio Fountains. Odd coincidence. I have some other photos, but there are a lot of cheeks in them if you know what I mean – bwahaha. I'm more attracted to dad bod than these muscle men, but it was fun. All I could think of though was body oil and ball sweat – blech! My review here.
Cirque du Soleil “O” at Bellagio
There are so many Cirque shows in Vegas, so I had a bit of a hard time deciding which to go to. I really liked the idea of this show being in water, so we opted for it and were not disappointed! It was just spectacular from start to finish. My mouth was agape the entire time in awe. No photos, but here's their official video. Full review here.
I have to give major thanks to Karrah for taking this trip with me. It was really so much fun, and crossed a must-see destination off of my list. Of course now I want to go back to see all 4829 other things I didn't get to see!
