Las Vegas, Nevada
this trip Vegas was unlike the ones you typically hear about. some might say it’s fiction, but i can promise you it is all truth. this Vegas trip had no drinking or gambling involved and it was still an absolute blast. here are the places we stayed, the restaurants we ate at, and the activities we did:
Stay
Tropicana Las Vegas ($84 per night): this was the first place we stayed at. decent price for the location. room was pretty spacious (we got two full size beds), nice and clean, beds were comfy, and there was a pretty nice view. there was also a pool and jaccuzi, however, we did not have nor make the time to enjoy it. seeing that it was right in the midst of the strip it was a very convenient spot to stay as the activities, sights to see, and restaurants we planned to visit were all relatively close to it. we stayed here 3 nights, 4 day and overall enjoyed our time. would stay at again.
Tipi in the Mojave (Airbnb): now this location was actually not in Las Vegas, but an hour or so outside of it (funny enough it was in California). we struggled a bit getting there seeing we left the city a bit later than originally planned meaning that it was dark when we neared the area. at one point we ended up turning down a dirt road with a bunch of branches on both sides; there were no places to turn around so after driving a couple minutes down the unknown desert we ended up having to back out the same way we came. thankfully there was nobody else coming and we were able to get back on track. the gps was little to no help, but once we made it there it was easy to park and haul our stuff in. one of the most unique stays! we ended up freezing our buns off at night because little did we know there was a heated mattress (pro tip: look around for any notes that the owners of your stay may have left - we were so tired by the time we got there we didn’t think twice to look around). regardless, it was such a fun memory and super cute place. we were only there one night so we wished we would have gotten there before sundown to enjoy the beautiful scenery and watch the sunset, as well as use the fire pit/do some stargazing.
Beautiful Condo with High Ceilings 10 Min to Strip (Airbnb - $60 per night): this was the last place we stayed and a bit last minute too seeing we ended up being in vegas an extra night due to full flights. the place was nice, clean, and spacious. this stay was not on the strip, although it was relatively close and in a neighborhood that seemed to be quite safe.
Eat
Makers and Finders: for our first breakfast this place definitely hit the spot. fun decor, good food, and a overall an enjoyable experience. full, but not stuffed we set off to enjoy a jam packed day full of fun adventures.
Sunrise Coffee: such a cute little place for brekkie. i wasn’t super hungry this day, since it was that time of the month so it was nice they had some granola in almond milk that i could munch on. as for Mark, he had a spicy breakfast scramble that was super tasty (yes, i had to try a bite - it looked too good not to).
Hash House A Go Go: more like a no no. having planned most of the places we would be eating at this one i feel i had hyped up too much that i was highly disappointed after eating. having read about their banana and brown sugar pancake and being the pancake lover i am i was thrilled to try it, but it was just not has tasty as i had expected. both of our meals were mediocre, typical fast food dining, similar to a Denny’s. one thing though is they have absolutely huge proportions so if you are looking for a spot to share food then it is your place.
Vitality Bowls: now this place was definitely more up my ally. when it comes to food i am pretty picky about what goes in my body because certain foods simply to not agree with my stomach and i feel more energized when i eat healthier food. here we got acai bowls and split a sandwich. perfect lunch that did not leave you feeling blah.
Bobby’s Burger Palace: this was the first place we ate at and seeing that we came in around dinner time we were both quite hungry. to our pleasure it satisfied our needs and it was right along the strip so we had a nice walk to and from the hotel to stretch our legs from the previous flights. the burger and fries were tasty, although i personally did not find anything extra special about it.
Mon Ami Gab: now this restaurant was our favorite food stop - so good we ended up eating there twice! cute little fancier place perfect for a date night. service was great (speedy too and even so when we went back the second time during busier hours), and food was tasty. i would highly recommend getting their fish dish, i want to say it was cod, but i could be wrong. the flavor was amazing and the appetizer they give although we were a little skeptical at first; bread with a spread made of carrots - sounds different right? but just eat it, just me, it’s good! we also ordered a noodle dish although i can not remember what sauce was on it (it was green, but i don’t think it was pesto) - very tasty though. 10/10 recommend eating there. i know when i go back to Vegas i will definitely be going back. it’s just too good to pass up.
Jjanga Steak & Sushi: this was a bit of a last minute choice to try, but we were quite pleased with our orders.. which we definitely ended up ordering more than we ate. it all just looked so tasty we couldn’t decided! we were pretty tired at this point in the trip, but the experience was nice and i would go again if i was in the mood for some sushi!
The Patio Desserts and Drinks: after having indulged in some mighty tasty burgers from Bobby’s Burger Palace we decided we must satisfy our sweet tooth. the interior was super cute and had a good vibe. the music was just the right volume to still have a comfortable conversation as well as listen to if you wanted. i caught myself a couple times quietly singing along. i tried a yogurt parfait that had peaches and granola. simple, light, and hit the spot. just the right treat and healthy too! they have a great variety between healthier treats and more sweet tooth treats. mark enjoyed a fruity pebbles milkshake. i did not try it, but it looked so yummy!
District: Donuts. Sliders. Brew: we had a difficult time finding this one and once we did we were not too impressed. the donuts were okay, but we both felt it was a place we could have skipped trying. our disappointment might have just been from hyping them up during planning because they looked super tasty. we also did go later in the day so they weren’t as fresh. they do have some pretty fun flavors so if you want to give it a go my best advice is get there early while they are still nice and fresh!
See
Hoover Dam: how could we not stop off to see the ever so historical Hoover Dam. oh wait we couldn't. we came. we saw. we conquered.. and then we got back in the car because it was extremely hot and we both felt like we were melting. regardless, i am still glad we went. not only did we get to see it and take a bunch of pictures, but we had fun doing so.
Vegas Water Show: like the trip to the Hoover Dam, i must say my favorite part about this was that it was great quality time spent. having just missed the showing we ended up waiting an hour or so for the next one which meant lots of time to chat and hangout. we had fun goofing around and the show was worth the wait to see. a beautiful and rather mesmerizing show of water and music. oh and while we were there we saw a pretty sunset too! i call that a win, win.
Seven Magic Mountains: beautiful location to capture some stunning photos! we stayed here for quite awhile snapping photo after photo to get the right shot!
Valley of Fire: another stunning location perfect for a photoshoot! this was another place we spent plenty of time taking pictures. it would have been nice if it was not quite as hot that day, because there are trails to hike. definitely would have been nice to go check them out more, but with the heat it did not seem like it would have been as enjoyable. regardless, we made many stops and found some cool spots to get pictures from. would definitely recommend checking it out!
Experience
Walk the Strip: did you really go to Vegas if you didn’t walk the strip? seeing that it was my first time to Vegas i was amazed by how bright all of the billboards are. 10 o’clock and it still feels like daylight practically. it was fun just walking along and people watching well aside from the many gross smells.
Wreck it Room: have you ever wanted to just break things? maybe throw a plate and watch it come crashing down to the ground? what if i told you that you can? well, for a small fee that is. when i had been looking up things to do in Vegas i was surprised to come across Wreck it Room and i am so glad i did. this experience was so much fun getting to go in a room and break a bunch of things; old commuters, VHS tapes, and bottles to name a few with your choose of bats, crowbars, even a bowling pin! the glass bottles were by far my favorite. not only were they easy to break by swinging the bat at them. they made a nice shattering noice. call me crazy, but it was so much fun and would definitely recommend to at least consider looking into. it even was a nice little workout. i know i sure worked up a good little sweat looking like the pillsbury doughboy.
Criss Angel Show: can you say mind blow? this show was absolutely insane. i can not even begin to count how many times i caught my jaw to the floor in awe of what i was witnessing with my own two eyes. he sure knows how to put on one heck of a show. he came across as such a genuine person too. not only did he use the show time well (there were not a lot of fillers were he wasn’t performing) he touched on some important aspects of life. seeing this trip was months ago i am spacing on the things he touched on, but what i remember is that feeling and how it got you thinking - i tell you it’s not a feeling i have had during all performances i have seen. plus he also has a charity helping fund pediatric cancer research and treatment. if you are looking for a good show to watch this one is well worth your money. i’m sure you won’t regret it.
Rise Festival: the most magical of nights - is how i would describe it. i have never seen something so beautiful or so many people gathered for such a wholesome event. there truly felt like nothing but good vibes within the space. such wonderful and beautiful things happen when people come together. i was just bummed that because of my period we did not get to experience the festival to its full extent. having come late we missed out on listening to a couple bands and we didn’t get to see all of the food trucks. good thing we loved it so much though because we already booked our tickets for this October! i am so excited to go again; i hope it becomes a tradition for many years to come.
