We took advantage of some time off to take a trip to Las Vegas once again. Vegas is an easy trip from Colorado as there are a lot of inexpensive flights and, since we have a timeshare there, inexpensive rooms. This was our fifth trip to Las Vegas, but for us, it isn’t about gambling or even the glitz and glamour. We actually used our trip to have some down time, relax, enjoy some incredible food, and simply connect with one another. And yes, we stayed on the Las Vegas strip, albeit in the Trump Tower, which allowed us to get away from the noise of the casinos.
If you haven’t been to Las Vegas lately, you might be surprised by all of the top chefs with restaurants in the casinos. Las Vegas has gone through several transformations over the years. Obviously, everyone knows about the early days when Sinatra, the Rat Pack, and the mob ruled the town. Then, in the late 80’s and early 90’s, they tried to become a family friendly destination. After losing millions in revenue, it was a return to the original formula as they rolled out the “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” campaign.
Now, it is definitely a destination for “foodies”. Wherever you turn, you’ll see signs and billboards for the famous chefs and their restaurants. You see names like Emeril Lagasse, Mario Batali, Bobby Flay, Giada, Gordon Ramsay, Wolfgang Puck, and many, many more. You may have to fight your way through the casino floors and the incessant ringing of the video slot machines, but you’ll be well rewarded if you do. The days of the cheap buffet and the nickel steaks are definitely a thing of the past. The food is fantastic and, depending on the time of year, you’ll want to make reservations if you want to enjoy the creations of your favorite chef. Maybe, if you’re lucky, you’ll even see your favorite chef in person or perhaps another celebrity enjoying everything that the Las Vegas strip has to offer.
Obviously, there are also a ton of shows, with every large casino offering some sort of Cirque Du Soleil extravaganza. Magicians, comedy acts, and a plethora of singers. Night clubs too, can be found to meet every style and taste. But there are other things to do as well. There is the top of the Stratosphere, the CSI Experience, the Titanic Exhibition, the Bodies Experience, Mob Museum, Siegfried and Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, Pin Ball Museum, helicopter tours, tours to the Grand Canyon, and much more. We’ve done many of these and they are all well worth a try, although many of them can be quite pricey.
As we mentioned before, this was a relaxing trip for us, so we made our way through several restaurants. The highlight was dinner at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant with its spectacular views of the Bellagio fountains. We also ate at Gordon Ramsay’s Pub, Emeril’s Plate, the DB Brasserie, Cucina by Wolfgang Puck, the Nine Fine Irishmen, and many more.
If you’re thinking about going to Las Vegas and have never been before, you really should go, at least once. Every time we visit, we always see something that we haven’t seen before. Vegas isn’t just about gambling and shows, but from our perspective, it is an adult destination. We see a lot of families walking along the strip, taking pictures with the many costumed characters, but you’ll also be constantly barraged with flyers for strip clubs and adult shows. So, definitely visit Las Vegas, but in our opinion, you should leave the little ones at home.
