Catch a Show - Las Vegas

One of the best shows, in my opinion, on the Vegas Strip is Cher. On my most recent trip to Vegas, my husband and I saw Cher at the Colliseum at Caesar's Palace, and we were not disappointed!! You might be asking yourself why two 25-year-olds would go see Cher in Vegas when there are many other more "hip" show opportunities to see. Well, I'll tell you why we went to see Cher.

On my first date with my husband, we were driving back from a restaurant, and I had Cher's song, "If I Could Turn Back Time" blasting from a mixed CD in my car, and I was just bopping right along with the song so much that I didn't realize the stoplight above me was red, and I ran it. Luckily it was late in the night and no one else was on the road with us (cops especially). My husband said that the combination of my singing and looking so happy made him fall for me even harder that night.

So, when we decided Vegas would be our pre-honeymoon destination, it was a perfect fit that Cher was there, and there was no denying the fact of seeing her.

Cher may be in her mid 60's but she doesn't look (and DEFINITELY doesn't sing) like a a day over 35! She can still belt out a tune the same, if not better, as she did in her prime! Her show was set up as a "through the life of Cher" theme, so she sang songs starting at the beginning of her career, straight through the end of it. And the costumes she wore went right along with the decade she released the song. Brilliant!!!

Cher has always, and will always hold a special place in the hearts of myself and my husband, and we were greatful that we got to see her!

Every casino/hotel on the strip has a headliner show that is always playing. Your night will never be dull with this list, and who knows, you may be able to find great deals on others! Here are some major headliners!

Luxor - Criss Angel (Illusionist)
New York New York - Cirque du Soleil's "Zumanity"
Venetian - Blue Man Group
Planet Hollywood - V-The Ultimate Variety Show
Flamingo - Donnie and Marie
Wynn - Le Reve, Garth Brooks
Mandalay Bay - The Lion King
Palazzo - Jersey Boys
Bally's - The Price Is Right
Bellagio - Cirque du Soleil's "O"

There are many opportunities to find discounted show tickets all over the Vegas strip. I know of a place just outside of Excalibur, and I'm sure there are many more, maybe even within a particular hotel. From experience, there is no other way to spend a Vegas evening!

Favorite Casinos - Las Vegas

Although I hilighted the Stratosphere, Bellagio and T.I., a bunch more casinos really struck my fancy. I'll try and go down the strip, from south to north, naming some of my favorites!

First is the Luxor. This casino/hotel is Egyptian style, and the best thing about it is its pyramid shape. The interior follows suit, with the rooms slanted, and the elevator even goes up at a diagonal incline! The rooms are around the perimeter of the hotel, with a huge lobby area on the middle. Another hilight about this hotel is the skyway that connects Mandalay Bay, the Luxor, and Excalibur. This makes these hotels easily accessible right from within!

 The Monte Carlo is such a classy hotel, it's hard not to go in! When we visited the Monte Carlo, we mostly went in there to play at the tables. The service is great, the dealers are nice, and the fellow table-mates are friendly. We seemed to have a lot of luck there, too!

The second time in Vegas, we stayed at the Flamingo. This hotel/casino is the oldest standing hotel on the strip, and I like it for several reasons. The Flamigo is right in the heart of the strip, known as one of the casinos on the 4 corners. Even though it's right in the thick of things, it is very reasonably priced. The casino also has a walk-out entrance/exit to the strip.

One of my favorite places to play table games is the Mirage. I liked their casino War, and it seems they are the only casino to have it. I like those low-risk card games! I also liked the Mirage's asthetics. You walk in the casino and it felt like you were walking into a jungle! Very tropical!

The Wynn and Encore, 2 very modern hotels, are the last of the favorites. These hotels are as one, connected through a skyway and built with the same design in mind. This casino had different options for blackjack, like Blackjack Switch. The Wynn and Encore had a very Aisan feel, and I really liked it!

Bellagio - Las Vegas

The Bellagio is one of the more famous hotel and casinos in Las Vegas, and arguably the most luxurious. The Bellagio is most known for its Fountain Show facing the Vegas strip.

The first time I was in Las Vegas, we were in a taxi driving by the Bellagio and the Fountain Show happened to be going. That was the best way to start off my trip! The Fountain Show is done to music, once every half hour in the afternoon, and every 15 minutes from 8pm to 12am. And the best thing about it is it's completely free! Just walk up from the strip to one of the great vantage points, enjoy the romance, and get ready to be blown away! I've seen the show a few time, and even once from the Eiffel Tower across the street! It was amazing!

The shops inide the Bellagio are magnificent! If you go in a particular entrance, I swear you walk through a mile of up-scale shops. Before I went to Las Vegas, I watched the movie "21" and a scene in it was when they were in the middle of a shopping spree. I remember thinking to myself, "where the heck do they have a mall on the strip?" Haha! Once you make it to the casino, it is extravvagant! When just standing and looking around, everything looks plush! The only downfall about the Bellagio casino is that they have automatic card shufflers, so if you know how to count cards (from the movie "21"), the Blackjack tables at the Bellagio aren't going to be for you.

The Bellagio Buffet is a spectacle on its own. This buffet has seen world-renowned chefs like Wolfgang Puck and Bobby Flay. The buffet prides itself on their selection of seafood, among other gourmet food! You will not want to miss it!


Tips on the Bellagio:
-If you aren't a big seafood fan, you might want to try a different buffet.
-The Bellagio has one of the highest room rates on the strip, so if you are in Vegas on any kind of budget, I would suggest staying at another hotel.

Destination: Las Vegas

Here are the sites you need to see in Sin City!

Overview
Hoover Dam
Stratosphere
Bellagio
Paris
Mirage
Sirens of T.I.
Favorite Casinos
Other Hotels on the Strip
Catch a Show

Vegas Baby!

Can you believe it took me 25 years to get to Vegas?! This past year, I attended the Travel Academy in a suburb of Minneapolis, and as a graduation gift in October of '09, my fiance and I went to Las Vegas! There truly is no better place to unwind. I really had no idea what I was in for when our plane landed.

First of all, if you can imagine something you thought was larger than life, imagine that thing 10 times bigger and you have Vegas! I've seen it all on T.V., the strip, the hotels, the lights, but to say it was amazing is a complete understatement!

The extreme north end of the strip is under construction, making way for 2 new hotels/casinos, so it was a long walk to get to the first casino, or maybe it just seemed like it because I was so excited to get there! When we got into the thick of it all, we really just walked in to each casino/hotel we came to, just to check them out. All the hotels have different themes, so it was very cool to see how each hotel ran with their own ideas! A few hotels had mini shows being performed out in front, so we stopped and watched them, and even those were elaborate! Some of the shows include the Sirens of TI (Treasure Island), the Fountain Show at the Bellagio, and a Volcano Show at the Mirage.

Here are some tips on Vegas:
-Vegas is probably the cheapest destination in the U.S. right now, so keep an eye out for lots of flight and hotel deals. The further away from the majority of the strip you stay, the better the deals. It should be noted that there is plenty of public trasit, so you won't be spending your "fun" money on a taxi ride.
-When you check into your hotel, ask for any deals or offers the hotel might have.
-When you see something along the strip that you want to buy, buy it, because there is so much to see, you will most likely never go back.
-Don't spend all your money in one casino. Spread it out because you will want to experience each casino. Vegas requires a lot of self-control.