Vegas ‘Getaway’ – Limousines, Grand Canyon & Gambling!

Ally one of our Travel Advisors has just returned from Las Vegas! Below is a run down of her trip ..

I travelled to Las Vegas with 4 friends for a 5 night girly get away from the rainy UK at the end of Feb and although the weather was quite chilly it didn’t stop us having a fabulous time. Most people go to Vegas for the gambling but we didn’t have time for this which must seem really odd. On arrival we decided to arrive in style so I arranged for a stretch limo to pick us up from the airport to take us to The Luxor Hotel, via the strip. My friends just couldn’t believe it and we all felt like VIP’s as we stepped out of the vehicle. The Luxor Hotel was very much like a Tardis and from the outside it didn’t look that large but inside the casino went on forever. Our room was in the west wing and, luckily, we were able to have interconnecting rooms which worked out really well.

On our first day we started to explore ‘The Strip’. First stop was the Bellagio with its amazing water fountains at the front. Inside, and through the casino, we visited the Conservatory where they had an amazing display for Chinese New Year complete with statue, hundred of flowers including orchids, fountains, trees, and much more. It must’ve cost a fortune to put this together. From here we went onto the Venetian with its St. Marks tower, gondola river ride and painted ceilings, then over to Caesars Palace to see the fountains and complimentary show called the ‘Downfall of Atlantis’. A trip to the top of the Stratosphere was almost too much after seeing the rides. Who in their right minds would want to sit in an open top car and be transported over the edge of the tower at 80 floors above ground level – absolute madness. On the 3rd evening we booked to see Phantom of the Opera at the Venetian – wow what a brilliant show and the production was first class. On the way back to the hotel we stopped outside the Mirage for their amazing Volcano display.

We must’ve walked miles during the first 3 days but on the 4th day we had booked a helicopter trip to the Grand Canyon with an overnight stay at the Grand Canyon Western cowboy ranch. This was brilliant. The helicopter took approximately 45 minutes and Captain Mike took us over Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam before descending into and over the Canyon. Luckily we had a good day for flying and the colours of the rock in the Canyon were amazing. When we arrived at the Ranch we were greeted by a real cowboy (Billy) and taken to our cabin in a horse drawn carriage. After a welcome drink we unpacked our overnight bags before saddling up for a 45 minute horse ride. It was freezing and there was still snow on the mountains but what a brilliant experience – the horses were so good. That evening we ate a typical cowboy dinner of steak and beans in the main cabin house which was like stepping back in time. There were lots of old black and white photos on the walls, lace curtains at the windows and lots of cowboy memorabilia scattered around. The chairs and table were solid wood and extremely heavy but hand made. Afterwards we sat around the camp fire for a sing song with cowboy Mike. Inside our cabins we had a wood burning stove, bathroom and double bed downstairs and upstairs in the gallery there were a further 3 single beds which is ideal for families. All beds also had electric blankets which was great as it was so cold even around the camp fire.

The next morning we were awake early and had time to explore the ranch and have a look in the tipi’s which are used in the summer and the old saloon bar and wagon. After a typical American breakfast we were taken back to the helicopter for our 40 minute back to Vegas and a tour down the strip.

Our last day was spent shopping in the Outlet Mall 2 miles south of the Luxor and a visit to the MGM grand to see the lion enclosure. We also had a flutter on the one armed bandits in the Casino where one of us put in $1 and won $129 – the rest of us lost within the space of about 5 minutes.

There’s loads of restaurants to choose from in the hotels and they’re all after your business but one of the best we found was the ‘all you can eat buffet’ in the Bellagio. The price for dinner was $30 each and there was so much to choose from including Alaskan Crab legs but if you go expect to wait up to half an hour to be seated as its so popular. For a typical American Diner, I recommend Cocos just off the Strip near to Hooters and opposite the MGM Grand. The breakfasts here were just fantastic and cheaper than anywhere downtown.

We all agreed that 5 nights in Las Vegas was just about right but be prepared to walk miles and to ‘tip’ everywhere you go.

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