Viva Las Vegas!--Day 3

Las Vegas Day 3 was kind of a lazy, uneventful day, but I'll give you the run-down anyway.  To kick things off, we went to the grand canyon store.  We did this last time as well, but I can't get enough of that place, so we went back.

Naturally there was an alien in a giant tube of water.

Then we walked around the city center where, if you desire, you can dine in this cool wooden orb thing.

It was also full of stores that I refuse to shop at based solely on principle since you can feed an entire third-world country with the cost of a single one of their handbags, but that's a different rant for a different day.

Then we strolled to Bellagio with its pretty glass ceiling...

And conservatory...

Which happened to have an ant theme this time.  Would not have been my first choice, but maybe that's why I'm not the horticultural guru at the Bellagio.

At least the hydrangeas were pretty.

After wandering around we went back to the MGM where you can go to CBS Television City and screen potential upcoming tv shows.

I wasn't sure what to expect, but we actually had a lot of fun doing it!  The show we watched was pretty interesting, I hope it makes it to tv!  It was a fun experience, and something that would definitely be different every time you go.

The rest of the afternoon was spent being deliberately lazy, but that's what vacations are all about, right?

Vegas, Baby!--Day 2

After we left Fremont, we moseyed (mosied?) our way to the hotel we would be staying the last two nights.  We stayed at the Signature Suites at the MGM.  I was surprised to learn that this hotel is neither at the MGM nor owned by MGM.  It is actually an independent, non-gaming hotel located directly behind the MGM, with a covered walkway connecting the two.  Let me tell you, these suites are amazing, and definitely worth the extra footwork to get yourself to the main hotel/strip.  

And the jacuzzi bathtub made me never want to leave.  Ever.

After we checked in we wandered around our hotel a bit.  The MGM lions were cuddly and sleeping together.

Um, anybody have any idea why there is a guy in there with them?  He is not even wearing any official "lion trainer" gear or anything.  He just sat there texting away like he was anywhere but in a lion cage.

Bizarre.

Brett and I were both very confused and I said to him, "Well, they are just cats."  To which he replied, "Yeah, really big eat-you cats."  I have no response to that.  He wins.

Moving on.

This trip (as opposed to last trip) I sucked it up and hauled around my big-girl camera.  It was nice to get some decent night shots.

The Excalibur was all pretty and glowy.

And the MGM was glitzy and sparkly.

As was all of Las Vegas Boulevard.

The Planet Hollywood casino is still by far our favorite.  I won $75 bucks there!

Not too shabby for a low-roller such as myself!

The new City Center is done now.  It is ginormous!!

We rounded out the night at New York New York where I think we ended up having the most fun.  They have a dueling piano bar there that is definitely worth checking out!

Day 3 post coming soon...

Las Vegas Day 1-Fremont Street

Brett and I have been to Vegas before but never made it down to Fremont St.  So, for the first night of our three night trip we stayed at the Golden Gate hotel which is right on Fremont St.

Brett had to see patients in the morning, so we didn't take off until the afternoon on Day 1.  I have to say that the Phoenix-Las Vegas drive is, in my opinion, much more scenic than the San Diego-Las Vegas drive.

Lots of pretty cacti and interesting scenery:

Look kids!  A Joshua Tree!  I was excited to see one of these.  I have heard of them, and was even forced to write a report on them in grade school, but I had never actually seen one before!  Cross that off the bucket list I suppose.  ;) 

We got to see Hoover Dam!

Another thing you don't see on the San Diego-Las Vegas drive, and another thing I had never seen before.  We got to take a dam tour and take some dam pictures and buy some dam souvenirs.  Only not really. 

We ate dinner at a really yummy Italian restaurant and then headed to our hotel to check in and then check out the action on Fremont St.  The Golden Gate Hotel was small but charming:

A word to the wise:  The party on Fremont St. goes until about 2-3am with live music, so unless you are wanting to join in on the action, don't book a room overlooking Fremont St.

On Fremont Street we got to see all of the old casinos like the Four Queens and the Golden Nugget.

I think we liked the Golden Nugget the best.  It had a pretty sweet shark tank pool with a slide running through it. 

It was a good time.  We really liked the live music and the fact that everything is all in one place (think: minimal walking) but now that we've done it neither of us is dying to go back and see it again.

Day 2 & Day 3 posts coming soon...