Vegas, what can I say that isn’t already known? It’s the most populous City in Nevada and is located in the Mojave Desert. It’s renowned for bright lights, gambling and party culture. Especially since The Hangover movie came out in 2009. Las Vegas was founded in 1905 but it really took off in the 1930s when casino gambling was legalised and construction began on the Hoover Dam.

Vegas was a starting off point for me to explore the American midwest. I wanted to spend a little bit of time here before and after my trip to explore the City. One thing is to check what’s happening in the City before you book flights. It was the NFL draft when I arrived and hotels were much more expensive than two weeks later when I left. Luckily I got a decent rate at New York New York, a crazy NY themed hotel.

After a long flight which included a change in Chicago I was pretty tired and Vegas hotels are a sensory overload! I loved it though, it was every bit as crazy as I had hoped. After an easy check in I forced myself out onto the streets of Las Vegas despite the tiredness! The Vegas strip is easy to navigate, and as usual I had pinned any interesting sights on Google maps.

I grabbed a quick bite in Nacho Daddy, mainly chosen becasue of the name. Then wandered up the strip towards Paris hotel, being greeted by a replica Eiffel Tower. After being mesmerized by the lights and the views I crossed over to check out the Bellagio. The famous Bellagio fountain is right in front of the hotel. More than a thousand fountains dance to a music and light show, It’s pretty iconic and they go off every 15 minutes between 7pm and midnight.

After the Bellagio fountain I was nodding off standing up, but I just wanted to check out the interior and I’m glad I did. There’s a hall inside that has a constantly changing theme that was pure Las Vegas. It was all made from flowers and so impressive.

Once I’d wandered around there i was ready to head back to the hotel. On my way I picked up a load of American snacks and drinks for the room. The next day I had a good plan, I took the bus to the Las Vegas sign Sotuh of the main strip. It was really easy to get the bus and worth it for a pic in front of the iconic sign!

I decided to walk back up to the strip to stretch the legs, and wandered through the Mandalay Bay hotel which was extravagance on another level. On the way there was a cool pinball hall of fame sign and cute little wedding chapel which I had to get pics with.

My next stop was a place I had heard really good things about, Eggslut! Just doing simple egg rolls and truffle hashbrowns, it lives up to the hype. You can find it inside The Cosmopolitan hotel. Happily refueled I hopped on a bus and headed North to Fremont St, the former Las Vegas strip.

Fremont St is the second most famous street in Las Vegas. It’s named after explorer and politician John C.Fremont. It used to be the address for many famous casinos but the majority of well known casino-hotels are now found on the new strip. In 1995 the City built the Fremont St experience, a covered, pedestrianised area with a light show on the ceiling. It’s pretty cool but this side of Vegas is a lot more run down than the main strip and I saw a lot more shady characters here.

It was fun to sit and watch the LED light show with a drink in one of the bars. It was also a great spot for people watching. I walked the length of the street and stopped off for some snacks. On the bus journey up I had noticed the Las Vegas arts district which looked interesting. So I headed back and jumped off the bus to check out all the amazing street art. There was even a rainbow crossing which I always love finding. I could have wandered around here for the whole afternoon, there were some nice looking breweries and restaurants too. Instead I picked up some pizza slices with chilli honey and wandered back down towards the main strip.

I’d definitely recommend the art district if you want a different Vegas vibe. I walked down towards the main strip I also found this cool Las Vegas sign. The jet lag was hitting me now so I jumped on a bus back and had a lovely dinner with some friends in the Aria hotel. It was time for a good sleep so headed back to bed ready for the long drive to the Grand Canyon the next day.

After a two week adventure driving up to Yellowstone and back I arrived in Las Vegas again. This time I had booked Caesar’s Palace and it was so opulent! I actually got lost it was so big, and took advantage of the pool to relax after the long journey. That night I did a bit of gambling, had a few goes on the slot machines and did some blackjack. I actually won over a hundred dollars! So treated myself to a giant slushy cocktail and a Vanderpump cokctail too!

I had booked a ticket to see Rupaul’s Drag Race live and it was so good! Located in Flamingos, I had a little gamble and a few drinks before the show at one of the casino bars. The show was typically Las Vegas with all the overindulgence and pomp you’d expect from a drag show. I left a little tipsy but very happy and carried on the party with some new friends. I woke up with little recollection of the night after the show, and realised I had spent my winnings. Hey that’s Vegas, you win some you lose some.

Published by Tom

Wanderluster, forever day dreaming of my next destination. Nurse by day, gay, geek, love sports and marvel comics. Determined to visit every country in the world! View all posts by Tom