For anyone considering a trip to Vegas, let me say from the start that this is a trip best planned for adults.
Are there family friendly things to see and do in Vegas? Of course. But if you plan to stay on the strip, understand that it is a very adult culture. Night and day there are people on the street handing out x-rated photos of girls and hotlines to call. In our taxi on the way to the hotel our first day, we stopped at a red light next to a bank of free publications with photos of every kind of girl and act you can imagine.
And if that doesn’t deter you, consider that there are tons of bachelor and bachelorette parties there. On our way to breakfast each morning we passed drunken groups trying to make their way back to the hotels. If you bring your kids to Vegas, be prepared to have them exposed to many things that might need explaining.
Having said that, if you are an adult, Las Vegas is like a grownup Disney World. The food and restaurants are excellent, you can play any game you can imagine, shop for days and never hit the same store twice and there are so many interesting sites to see.
We stayed at the Bellagio, an amazing luxury hotel on the strip. The casino was enormous (and clean) and there were no shortage of restaurants to eat in. Plus the service was impeccable. Make sure you request a room overlooking the fountains out front. Some friends of ours have stayed at the Paris right across the street and loved it as well.
Where to eat. Vegas is known for its amazing buffets, and breakfast is a good time to try them out. They’re most reasonably priced then ($15 to $20 per person) and you can select everything from omelets made to order to seafood salad to Belgian waffles with every imaginable topping. We also enjoyed Mon Ami Gabi in the Paris hotel. You can eat outside and people watch and the food was top-notch (particularly the french toast and home made corned beef hash). On the weekends they have a make-your-own Bloody Mary bar.
If you’re a sports fan, watch the game at The Pub in the Monte Carlo or O’Shea’s right on the strip. The Pub had better food (the sliders are amazing), but O’Shea’s was much more homey. Prepare to make friend because it’s always one big party there.
If you’re going out for a special dinner, consider Sensi in the Bellagio. Seafood is the specialty here, but the menu also hints at Italian and Asian flavors. The red curry of diver scallops featured coconut cream, chili paste, cilantro and Kaffir lime and was out of this world, as was the surf and turf beef carpaccio appetizer.
For a late night dinner, try BLT Burger in The Mirage. Burgers is all they do and each variety our party sampled was perfectly cooked. Our favorites included the lamb tandoori burger, handmade waffle fries and the hot wings, which were huge.
We saw the Terry Fator show at The Mirage. Fator’s ventriloquist act won “America’s Got Talent” and now he has his own theater in Vegas. Great show, PG rated, lots of laughs.
We also got tickets to a night of boxing at Planet Hollywood. Loud, crazy and lots of fun, if you like the fights.
We truly had a blast in Vegas, and if you’re planning a visit, I hope you do too. Shoot me a message if you have any questions and I’ll help, if I can.
