The Las Vegas reputation
Las Vegas, Nevada, is a popular destination for 21st birthdays and bachelor or bachelorette parties, but I still had only been once… For about 3 hours… On an overnight layover. It was finally time to change that!
I’ve heard it called “the city that never sleeps”… That’s not precisely true. The lights shine bright day or night, for sure, and time is a vague suggestion inside the windowless casinos; but the shows, restaurants and bars all have a time limit. Most restaurants, and even some of the bars, seemed to close by midnight. And the throngs of people walking up and down the strip definitely peaked before then and diminished greatly with the early morning hours. Good news for those not accustomed to staying up all night.
Las Vegas is also commonly referred to as “Sin City.” Yep! That one I can see. Everything is big and bright and wild in Vegas. It’s a place where you can throw your inhibitions aside and embrace your wild side… Or not. You choose. For this social introvert, the wild side isn’t a comfortable space. Thankfully, Las Vegas didn’t care. It offered up all its lights and sounds and entertainment without expectation.
And finally… They say, “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” and for anyone not blogging about their wild wanderings, that may be true. But these two wanderers had fun chronicling our adventures to share!
Where to stay
Thanks to our Hilton timeshare ownership, we had the opportunity to stay at the Hilton Vacation Club Polo Towers Las Vegas right in the heart of downtown. Even better, when we checked in, we were upgraded to a room on the 18th floor, overlooking Las Vegas Blvd. Cheers to us and a room with a view!
☞ Tip: Don’t be afraid to ask for an upgraded room when you check in. The worst they can say is no, but they just might say YES! At the time, Polo Towers was one of the older hotels on the Strip, but it was clean and close to everything. Bonus, our room had a balcony with a view and a small kitchen perfect for keeping snacks and our morning coffee ready when we were.
A night on The Strip
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Staying at Polo Towers, you can step right out of the hotel and onto The Strip (Las Vegas Blvd.). There’s so much to see and people everywhere!
I will say, there’s something to the freedom of setting out without a plan – where to eat, where to go, what to do – but it’s important to have a happy-go-lucky attitude if you do. We were Las Vegas in October, and all the restaurants and bars were packed with people. Some we could add our names to a 2+ hour waitlist, others were “full for the night.” So, if you’re a planner and need a destination in mind to feel good about the adventure, definitely plan ahead!
Las Vegas Blvd. itself is a maze of sidewalks, restaurant seating, stairs, escalators, street performers, and costumed men and women promoting their venues. Be ready to go with the flow and get your steps in!
Instead of simply wandering aimlessly, we had the bright idea to go on a world landmark treasure hunt. Here’s what we found:
- Eiffel Tower – At the foot of this iconic landmark, we stopped to have a cocktail at Mon Ami Gabi (inside the Paris Las Vegas hotel) and felt for a minute like we were back in Paris.
- The Great Pyramid & Sphinx – Outside the Luxor Hotel & Casino. At the nearby Excalibur Hotel Casino Las Vegas, you can hop on one of Vegas’ free trams – this one taking you the half-mile distance to Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. This was a great way to pop back and fourth down the Strip, saving time and steps.
- Venetian Canals – Flowing alongside Las Vegas Blvd. at the Venetian Resort you can find a replica of the canals of Venice, Italy, complete with singing gondoliers. We took a break here to people watch – on both the Strip and Canal – and enjoy a cocktail and snack on the patio at Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer (entrance is inside the Venetian Resort). The toasted coconut daiquiri was an amazing frozen treat on this hot summer night!
- Statue of Liberty – At the New York-New York Hotel & Casino, we found a miniature Statue of Liberty, along with replica versions of New York’s Empire State building and Brooklyn Bridge. For those adventurous spirits, there’s a roller coaster on top of the hotel.
The Sphere Experience
A relatively new addition to the Las Vegas scene is The Sphere (opened in 2023). The first time I visited Las Vegas (on a 3-hour layover between California and Indiana), we sat on the top of a parking garage and watched the “show” on the outside of the Sphere. Covered with 580,000 square feet of LED lights, the outside of the Sphere rotates images, including (my favorite) a giant, expressive happy face; underwater scenes, promos for upcoming concerts, and random, colorful designs.
On this visit, we ventured inside to be part of The Sphere Experience. Part 1 is an interactive, holographic experience with AI robots and demonstrations of the Sphere’s high-tech, directed sound experience; followed by Part 2, the thought-provoking and visually stunning “Postcard from Earth.”
Other entertainment at the Sphere includes concerts (both live and virtual experiences) with iconic performers such as U2, the Eagles, Backstreet Boys, Dead & Company, and Kenny Chesney.
Time to recharge, then showtime
Located in the middle of the Mojave Desert, Las Vegas gets HOT in the summer. Thankfully, like many of the downtown Las Vegas resorts, Polo Towers has a great rooftop pool and patio area. Surrounding the pool are lounge chairs both in and out of the sun (Todd and I grabbed one of each, side-by-side!), a snack shack for a quick bite or cold drink, and fresh towels. Despite there being so much to see and do in Las Vegas, a day spent cooling off, lounging by the pool is a treasure.
After dark, it was time to take in another show. We dressed up a bit (why not?), but chose a casual dinner at Nacho Daddy, close to the hotel, before another walk up Las Vegas Blvd. to the Excalibur, then a quick ride on the free tram to Mandalay Bay.
Las Vegas is well-known for its many elaborate shows, not the least of which are the variety of Cirque du Soleil experiences combining music, acrobatics, dance and theatrical special effects. Having grown up with his music, Michael Jackson ONE at Mandalay Bay was the perfect choice. Ninety minutes of MJ music, moon walks, and sparkling gloves took us back in time, creating a magical night to remember.
After the show, we headed over to the 1923 Prohibition Bar – a speakeasy inside Mandalay Bay. There are several speakeasy bars in Las Vegas, you just have to find them.
The Fremont Street Experience
A trip to Las Vegas wouldn’t be complete without an adventure out to the iconic Fremont Street Experience.
The original center of Las Vegas, dating back to 1905, Fremont Street today is a 5-block, pedestrian only street overflowing with lights, music, bars, restaurants, casinos and souvenir shops. Looking up above the street, visitors are treated to the “world’s largest LED canopy” – nearly 1,400 feet long and 90 feet wide, the canopy is covered in 49.3 million LED lights, creating a vibrant show with every step.
Having more than a century-long history, we knew there would be uniquely Las Vegas things to find at Fremont Street, so we pulled out our Roadside America app. We’ve talked about Roadside America in other posts, but it bears repeating since Las Vegas is rich in Americana. Typing in “Fremont Street Las Vegas,” we followed along to find:
- Vegas Vic and Vickie (classic neon signs)
- Evel Pie – a nod to greasy pizza and motorcycle daredevil Evel Kneivel
- A Big Rig Jig, Flaming Praying Mantis and an Old West Prospector
Along the way, we enjoyed some boozy treats (check the cost before ordering or you might be surprised by the steep price tag!), colorful murals and dancing gorillas.
The Fremont Street Experience is also well known for its live entertainment. With three stages and live music nightly starting at 6 p.m., there’s plenty of opportunity to sing and dance the night away.
If your adventure to Las Vegas is with the intent to stay central to the Strip and all the lights and entertainment it offers, there’s really no need to rent a car. With a comfortable pair of shoes and the occasional Uber ride, you can get pretty much anywhere easily enough.