Visiting Las Vegas was always a dream for me and therefore booking a ticket to Vegas was the second thing (eh…the first thing is not what you think it is) I spent my money on when I received my first salary in the US. And why not? It’s one of those quintessential American experiences. From the bright lights of the Strip to the world-class hotel experiences, this little Nevada city has so much to offer. And now that I have been to Vegas thrice, I kind of know what is worth it and what is not. Las Vegas is not a budget destination. Even if you don’t want to blow a lot of your cash gambling, you cannot nickel and dime everything and you would need some moolah to have a wholesome experience in Sin City.
The Strip
The Strip
Caesar's Palace
Gondola Rides
You can’t visit Las Vegas and not visit the Strip. It has to be one of the most fun walkable stretches of road on the Earth. There are extravagant hotels on the Strip that look like replicas of the worlds most famous places each housing a themed world of their own, crazy roller coasters and thrill rides, dancing fountains, lava-spewing volcanoes, gondola rides, luxurious streetmosphere shopping under a virtual sky, parade of pink flamingoes, robots serving drinks, manufactured beach and whatnot. And there are wacky people and magical interludes that you would come across every now and then to make it more interesting if it wasn’t already.
Vegas has one of the best clubbing scenes in the country. Extravagant in style and epic in scale, these clubs embody the true glitz and glamour of the Las Vegas experience. It is exactly like what your friends would think of when you say you are living it up in a Vegas party. And yes there are lines but it’s not difficult to find a promoter who can hook you up with a table, as long as you have some lovely ladies in your group. I have found Hakkasan and XS to be the swankiest and having the crème de la crème DJs(Calvin Harris and Steve Aoki are frequenters) but have also heard a lot about Marquee and Omnia. And please, keep the stories of your drunken debauchery and alcohol-fueled mischief to yourself.
La Reve – The Dream
You have to, and let me say it again, you have to watch a show or maybe two on your visit to Las Vegas. I had not seen a show in my life before I watched KA at MGM but having seen quite a few now, I can safely say, it’s one of the best visual experiences I have ever had in my life. These shows have large-scale productions and illustrious sets and combine martial arts, acrobats, dance, pyrotechnics, beautiful costumes to create dream-like sequences for the audience. From being awed at the spiraling aerialists in the rotating hydraulic stage in KA, aquatic divers plunging acrobatically into the 1 million gallon aqua stage in front of you in La Reve, or the provocative expressions of the wise-cracking Mistress of Sensuality in Zumanity, these are the in-theatre experiences of the highest quality. If you are confused about which one to choose, just stick to a Cirque de Soleil show.
Fremont Street Experience
After the Strip, the Fremont Street Experience has to be the second most popular street scene in Las Vegas. It’s a few blocks of the pedestrian area covered with a huge barrel vault canopy featuring millions of LED lights, located in Downtown Las Vegas. It has street light shows timed to music, street performers, live bands, thrilling zip lines running across the top, ‘coyote ugly’ style bars, and classic Casinos which take you back to the founding of this wondrous city. Don’t forget to bar hop here as it’s super fun and drinks are at a far cheaper price than the Strip. It’s a festival-like atmosphere here and is an important part of the gaming and entertainment landscape in Las Vegas.
You would be doing a helluva lot of walking, drinking, and dancing in Sin City and after a night or two of too much fun, you would want to exfoliate, refresh and rejuvenate in one of the upscale spas in Las Vegas. Some of them can get pretty expensive if you want a state-of-the-art experience but there are some wallet-friendly options as well like Saffron Say Spa and Oasis to Zen. Or maybe just set aside some of your roulette winnings for those tailored pampering treatments that they offer. It’s worth it. Just stay away from Groupon cheapies.
One of the best things to do to beat the heat in Las Vegas are their pool parties. Just bring the Vegas club scene – beautiful people, lots of drinks, and amazing DJs – to one of the over-the-top pools in the lavish hotels in the middle of the Strip, and there you have it. Out of the lot, Wet Republic and Encore Beach Club are popular options I know, and believe me if you will, once you are there, you’ll feel like you are right in the middle of the pool party scene from Boogie Nights, perhaps a crazier version of it. If you want to dumb down the crazy factor a tad bit, there is also Mandalay Bay Beach which is an 11-acre toptional pool designed like a beach where you can chill, party, gamble, or just build sandcastles with your kids.
Stratosphere SkyLounge
Another of my personal favorite experiences in Las Vegas has been to end a typical tiring day relaxing at the Stratosphere 107 SkyLounge rooftop lounge. This place features a 360 degrees panoramic view of the Las Vegas skyline and surprisingly has no cover charge. Get a signature cocktail, some bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers, or their popular chicken wings and spend a few hours chilling with your friends or getting nice and cozy with your loved one while soaking in the amazing sights of the skyline. Some people prefer to go there during the Happy Hour to save some cash and to witness the spectacular sunset but I liked going in there late and staying there till it closes.
Chandelier Bar
You have to try at least one of the legendary buffets in Las Vegas. Whether you want to indulge in a luxurious brunch of lobster tails and champagne or gobble up at an all-you-can-eat feast, the Sin City covers just about every genre of food imaginable at every price point. It’s a mecca for Celebrity Chefs and if you are in the market for some fancy dinner, give one of those a try. My best bet for a sumptuous and satisfying buffet has been the Buffet at Wynn and the world-renowned Bacchanal Buffet. Being an Indian, I had to be on the lookout for eateries serving samosas, naan and tandoori chicken but to be utterly honest, I have not been blown away by the few Indian restaurants I have visited in Las Vegas. But if you have to have Indian food when you travel, stick to Tamba, Mint Indian Bistro, and Delhi Indian Cuisine.
Wynn Casino
Now Macau might well be the gambling capital of the world in terms of revenue, but Las Vegas is not far behind and definitely offers the best gambling experience when you consider all the other things that are jam-packed into this amazing city. As I was well aware of the undeniable lure that the casinos in Las Vegas have, I had kept a gambling budget for myself and as luck would have it, I have won more than I lost. If you are a newbie like me, I would advise you to do the same. And of course, while you are at it, be on the lookout for the cocktail waitress serving complimentary drinks.
Vegas may not get the distinction of being my favorite vacation place in the US but I have no doubt in my mind that it is the entertainment capital of the world. It also holds a unique appeal to me because of the stories I have from my trips, some that I reminisce from time to time. And this city keeps on growing and I crave to come back again to make more stories.