I got way more votes of "yes do it!" for this long overdue Las Vegas post than I expected! I honestly meant to do it months ago but totally forgot. I hope you enjoy all my touristy photos and find some new places to eat and things to do on your next trip!
HOTEL:
We stayed at Planet Hollywood, and it was a perfect location on the strip! I felt very centered and the hotel itself was so nice. Major tip, sign up for Harrah's Total Rewards before you book so you get a discounted rate! It's super easy and is basically a points card. This is how we found the best rate, even better than Expedia, Hotels, etc.! You don't have to enter card numbers or anything like that for the rewards and you get a significantly cheaper price for your room! You can also use your rewards account in the casinos and build up points on your account for things in the future. Harrah's, which owns Planet Hollywood, also owns Caesars, The Cromwell, Ballys, The Linq, Nobu, Paris, and Rio hotels, so you can use your Total Rewards for all of those locations for hotel stay and casino play.
But above all of that, it's where Britney Spears performs weekly, and giant Britney pictures are all over the elevators, so you know it's a good choice.
So our view wasn't so great but I loved looking out at the desert in the mornings and the mountains in the distance. It's so different from what the land looks like here in Virginia/Tennessee, so I thought it was awesome. And I'm pretty sure that dome is the Axis where Britney performs.
FOOD:
Eggslut (in the Cosmopolitan hotel) - Absolutely delicious breakfast! We weren't able to get breakfast the first morning that we attemped to eat here because the line was crazy long! We had no idea how popular the place was! So, the next morning, we got there earlier and had suuuuch a good breakfast! I still crave it sometimes! I had the Fairfax sandwich and their really overpriced, but delicious, orange juice.
Cosmopolitan hotel
The Juice Standard (in the Cosmopolitan hotel) - This is what we ended up eating for breakfast the morning that the line was too long for Eggslut. I had the best yogurt parfait of my life and Brent had an acai bowl that he loved. They have tons of juices and all kinds of healthy stuff that I know nothing about. Looked super cool though 😂
Giada's (at the Cromwell hotel) - I'm almost as obsessed with the Food Network as I am HGTV, so going to Giada's restaurant was a must! We went for brunch and the restaurant was surprisingly almost empty. Brent made fun of me because I ate so many burgers on this trip, so at Giada's, I got a burger. Haha! I had Giada's Burger (blended wagyu & pancetta, avocado basil cream, provolone), and Brent got fruit waffles. Waffles.. at Giada's.. I know right. But he loved them!
In-N-Out Burger (at The Linq) - This is a West Coast "delicacy", so it was a must! We ate here twice actually, haha! Brent said it was his favorite place to eat because it was good and cheap 😂. The Linq Promenade is also a really fun place to hang out! There are tons of places to eat and things to do. This is where the huge High Roller (giant observation wheel) is.
Gordon Ramsay Burger (in Planet Hollywood hotel) - So yeah.. another burger went in my belly at this spot, hahaha. Hands down the best burger ever, and I think Brent agrees. I had the Farmhouse Burger, which had a fried egg on top, and it was Heaven. So were the sweet potato fries!
The Cheesecake Factory (in Caesars Palace) - I'm sure everyone has heard of the Cheesecake Factory by now, but we ended up eating here because it was in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. (We actually ate here twice, we're awful, lol). It was a great spot to grab food we knew we would enjoy and people watch.
Zio Gelato (at the Venetian) - soooo yummy. Especially in the hot weather!
Benihana (at Fashion Show Mall) - super delicious Japanese food! I was scared I wouldn't love it because they don't have shrimp sauce (yum yum sauce), which I love with my Jap food, but you don't even need that at Benihanas! So good!
THINGS TO DO / ENTERTAINMENT:
Forum Shops at Caesars Palace - this place has the most amazing stores and restaurants and is literally gorgeous inside. You even feel like you're outside in the shops because the ceiling is painted to look like the sky. It's spectacular!
Gucci display
The Beatles Love Show (at the Mirage) - This is such an amazing, jaw dropping, Cirque Du Soleil show. We had multiple recommendations for this show, but I was hesitant because I'm not a Beatles fan. I would see it 10 more times! The acrobats are so extremely talented. Such good entertainment!
Criss Angel Mindfreak Show (at the Luxor) - this is another show I wasn't sure what to expect out of. Brent wanted to see some magic while in Vegas, so we did! Criss Angel is actually super funny and I literally have no clue how he does his tricks. SO entertaining and I was floored at his illusions! 10/10 recommend this!
Fashion Show Mall - There's amazing shopping here, including a huge Topshop store! So cool.
Flamingo habitat at The Flamingo hotel - Flamingos are precious! They also have a few other species of ducks, birds, and fish. And it's free!
Las Vegas Sign - Sweat was literally dripping down our bodies while we waited in line for some pictures with the sign, but it was totally worth it, it's iconic! A "photographer" was there taking pictures for people if you gave him a couple bucks, so we did, and it was worth it. He had us do some fun poses! It was better than a stranger that didn't know how to work an iPhone trying to take a picture for us, lol.
Tips:
DEFINITELY purchase a ticket for the RTC transit bus! It's only $8 for a 24 hour pass, and it runs 24/7! It's the best way to see all the sights on the strip, and it gives your feet a break! There are little kiosk like machines all over the strip for you to buy one. There are also stops everywhere for you to be dropped off/picked up. The strip is ALWAYS bigger and longer than it looks. The buildings and hotels are huge, so you think things are in walking distance, but you're going to end up walking miles upon miles and wearing yourself out!
If you've forgotten to pack anything, there are Walgreens and convenient stores all over the place. There are also fast food places scattered everywhere, so you don't have to eat expensive or strange things if you don't want to! And Starbucks. There are Starbucks EVERYWHERE. I'm talking multiple Starbucks locations in one hotel. You will never have to worry about coffee deprivation.
There are honestly endless amounts of shopping, entertainment, dining, gambling, and other things to keep you busy in Vegas. I just listed what we did on our trip! I have another list of things we didn't even get to! We hardly gambled at all! I'm not big on it. I'd rather see what I'm spending my money on instead of let it disappear into a machine, and I don't know anything about card games to play at the tables.
We bought our show tickets from a Tix 4 Tonight booth, which sells tickets for shows that will be playing that night, at a discounted price. There are a few of these booths at different spots on the strip.
Giada's (at the Cromwell hotel) - I'm almost as obsessed with the Food Network as I am HGTV, so going to Giada's restaurant was a must! We went for brunch and the restaurant was surprisingly almost empty. Brent made fun of me because I ate so many burgers on this trip, so at Giada's, I got a burger. Haha! I had Giada's Burger (blended wagyu & pancetta, avocado basil cream, provolone), and Brent got fruit waffles. Waffles.. at Giada's.. I know right. But he loved them!
View out the window at Giada's towards the Bellagio
In-N-Out Burger (at The Linq) - This is a West Coast "delicacy", so it was a must! We ate here twice actually, haha! Brent said it was his favorite place to eat because it was good and cheap 😂. The Linq Promenade is also a really fun place to hang out! There are tons of places to eat and things to do. This is where the huge High Roller (giant observation wheel) is.
Gordon Ramsay Burger (in Planet Hollywood hotel) - So yeah.. another burger went in my belly at this spot, hahaha. Hands down the best burger ever, and I think Brent agrees. I had the Farmhouse Burger, which had a fried egg on top, and it was Heaven. So were the sweet potato fries!
The Cheesecake Factory (in Caesars Palace) - I'm sure everyone has heard of the Cheesecake Factory by now, but we ended up eating here because it was in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. (We actually ate here twice, we're awful, lol). It was a great spot to grab food we knew we would enjoy and people watch.
Zio Gelato (at the Venetian) - soooo yummy. Especially in the hot weather!
Benihana (at Fashion Show Mall) - super delicious Japanese food! I was scared I wouldn't love it because they don't have shrimp sauce (yum yum sauce), which I love with my Jap food, but you don't even need that at Benihanas! So good!
THINGS TO DO / ENTERTAINMENT:
Forum Shops at Caesars Palace - this place has the most amazing stores and restaurants and is literally gorgeous inside. You even feel like you're outside in the shops because the ceiling is painted to look like the sky. It's spectacular!
The Beatles Love Show (at the Mirage) - This is such an amazing, jaw dropping, Cirque Du Soleil show. We had multiple recommendations for this show, but I was hesitant because I'm not a Beatles fan. I would see it 10 more times! The acrobats are so extremely talented. Such good entertainment!
Criss Angel Mindfreak Show (at the Luxor) - this is another show I wasn't sure what to expect out of. Brent wanted to see some magic while in Vegas, so we did! Criss Angel is actually super funny and I literally have no clue how he does his tricks. SO entertaining and I was floored at his illusions! 10/10 recommend this!
Fashion Show Mall - There's amazing shopping here, including a huge Topshop store! So cool.
Flamingo habitat at The Flamingo hotel - Flamingos are precious! They also have a few other species of ducks, birds, and fish. And it's free!
Las Vegas Sign - Sweat was literally dripping down our bodies while we waited in line for some pictures with the sign, but it was totally worth it, it's iconic! A "photographer" was there taking pictures for people if you gave him a couple bucks, so we did, and it was worth it. He had us do some fun poses! It was better than a stranger that didn't know how to work an iPhone trying to take a picture for us, lol.
Fremont Street/Old Vegas - This really isn't high on my list of things to do. It's kinda neat to see the area that used to be big before the strip came along, but once you've seen it, you've seen it. We literally walked down the street and hopped back on the bus to the strip. It's kinda dingy and dirty in Old Vegas, and a lot more people pestering you for money for different things.
The Bellagio water show - I can't believe I didn't actually get a picture of one of the water shows at the Bellagio, but they're amazing! Each water show is set to music and a new show starts every 15-30 minutes, I think. So fun and free! Because you've probably spend enough money on food and shows at this point.
DEFINITELY purchase a ticket for the RTC transit bus! It's only $8 for a 24 hour pass, and it runs 24/7! It's the best way to see all the sights on the strip, and it gives your feet a break! There are little kiosk like machines all over the strip for you to buy one. There are also stops everywhere for you to be dropped off/picked up. The strip is ALWAYS bigger and longer than it looks. The buildings and hotels are huge, so you think things are in walking distance, but you're going to end up walking miles upon miles and wearing yourself out!
If you've forgotten to pack anything, there are Walgreens and convenient stores all over the place. There are also fast food places scattered everywhere, so you don't have to eat expensive or strange things if you don't want to! And Starbucks. There are Starbucks EVERYWHERE. I'm talking multiple Starbucks locations in one hotel. You will never have to worry about coffee deprivation.
There are honestly endless amounts of shopping, entertainment, dining, gambling, and other things to keep you busy in Vegas. I just listed what we did on our trip! I have another list of things we didn't even get to! We hardly gambled at all! I'm not big on it. I'd rather see what I'm spending my money on instead of let it disappear into a machine, and I don't know anything about card games to play at the tables.
We bought our show tickets from a Tix 4 Tonight booth, which sells tickets for shows that will be playing that night, at a discounted price. There are a few of these booths at different spots on the strip.
Don't forget to check out the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam from the plane, if you're on the correct side!
If you look really hard, you can see the Hoover Dam in the upper right 1/4 of this photo, hehe.
Extra Pictures:
In Caesars Palace
The Eiffel Towel Restaurant - you can buy a ticket and take a ride to the top!
