Most people who have been to Vegas will tell you that three days is usually enough. After that, you either get overwhelmed or just run out of money. I suppose that’s true if you’re there to gamble or see shows. However, Janet and I are sight seers. Because of the pandemic, there weren’t any shows to see nor were the buffets open. In that regard, there was a certain element of Las Vegas that we missed. We made up for that in our experiences. Looking back I suppose I would have been OK with a four day trip, but knowing I probably wouldn’t be back, I’m glad we booked a whole five day experience.
On the third day we booked a hop on hop off open air bus tour of the city. I found this very interesting as it took us to places that we considered much too far to walk. We headed down the strip past some of the resorts we had seen and learned about new structures like Resort World which is billed as the largest hotel in North America and was opening the next day. We drove past the International Hotel where Elvis Presley used to stay and perform. The guide pointed out the gym where Muhammed Ali trained before his fights. She also shared the history of the mob influence and how it eventually died down as well.
Beyond the strip we discovered the downtown area of Freemont Street. I had really wanted to see that as it is the historical Las Vegas of the 30s and 40s. The street is covered with an LED light show. I thought that was really cool. There are also street entertainers that draw lottery tickets in order for the chance to perform throughout the day. Every where you turn there are also frozen daquiri bars that you can drink from a very long daquiri cup. All this was a little overwhelming for us as we had been seeing and doing all day. Maybe it was just us, but it didn’t feel as safe as other parts of the city we’d been to so we only stayed about an hour before hopping back on the bus and heading back. It was a great day of sightseeing but really tiring as well. We’d had a pretty big lunch at New York, New York so we opted for a sorbet dinner. Oh the things you do on vacation!
Being it was our anniversary we wanted to do something to really spoil ourselves so I booked a cabana at the pool for day four. The cabana included drinks, snacks, a mister and really plush lounge chairs. Servers brought additional drinks and lunch and I even booked a massage. The day was perfect but for an hour of rain. Every once in awhile it’s good to pamper yourself.
Later that evening we took a final stroll down the strip and enjoyed the fountains from the street side. We also took our one and only chance at the slot machines. We each had $20 to spend. The goal was to win the money back or see how long it would take before it was all gone. I lasted about 10 minutes, and Janet lasted about 30. I guess we’ll have to get rich the old fashioned way by working.
Our last day in Vegas was kind of impromptu. Our flight wasn’t scheduled to leave until midnight so we needed to find a way to enjoy the day but not pay for another evening at the Bellagio. So we rented a car and got away from the strip. Our first adventure was to Red Rock Canyon outside the city limits. It was quite the change of pace and filled with beautiful scenery.
After that we drove back into town, ate lunch, and headed to the Neon Museum. Back in the days of the Rat Pack, Vegas resorts were known for their neon signs and lighting fixtures. A few of those still exist on Fremont street and the Flamingo, but mostly the neon is gone or in this graveyard. Since it’s all outside we had to endure the heat, but it was pretty cool to see the famous signs that had stood over the resorts of the past.
We dinked around some more and took a selfie at the Las Vegas sign. We were satisfied to be farther away rather than wait thirty minutes to take a picture. By then we knew we had had our fill of Vegas and were ready to go home. It was great, and if we never get back we can say we had plenty of memories and good times. Time now to get back to New England for more adventures!
Living in New England Like a Tourist 