I visited Las Vegas without Mike, as I was attending a conference, and he stayed home to work. Las Vegas is one town that’s definitely more fun if you’re with a significant other or with friends. Since I was mostly on my own, I didn’t hit up any shows (next time!), and checked out a lot of the free sites and things to see in town. And there are a surprising number of free things. For a town built on extravagance and gambling, I found quite a lot to see and do for not much cash.  Here’s a bit about my trip to Vegas!

Accomodations

While in Las Vegas, I stayed at The Tuscany, since it was hosting my conference. I didn’t want to have to walk to my hotel in the morning to make it to the sessions, so I opted to stay on site. The Tuscany is really nice, and is themed like *surprise* the Tuscany region of Italy. The food at the restaurant on site was very good, as I ate dinner there one evening. The conference facilities are nice. And there’s a pool which is much quieter than some others, such as the one at the Flamingo. The Tuscany is situated about a block and a half off of the strip near Bally’s, which makes for a bit of a hike back and forth. If you’ve not been to Vegas before, be prepared for LOTS of walking. Although everything looks pretty close on a map (and even in person because the buildings are so big), it’s quite a long jaunt between the different casinos.

Transportation on the Strip

There are two trams/trains/whatever you want to call them on the Strip. The City Center Tram is free, and runs on the west side of The Strip, but has a really limited number of stops. It’s probably not terribly helpful unless you’re staying in the area where it runs.

The Las Vegas Monorail runs along the east side of the Strip. You have to pay to ride it, but it runs the length of The Strip, and is worth paying for. It was nice to take a ride and see everything. And since it runs the length of The Strip, it’s a quick way to go from one end to the other, and pretty quickly too.

Dining Options

Anyone who has been to Las Vegas, or has ever heard of Las Vegas has probably heard about the buffets, but I managed to stay away from them during my trip. I ate dinner at The Tuscany one evening, and had a fine pasta dinner, although it wasn’t anything quite as special as I would have hoped pasta at an Italian themed restaurant and hotel to be.  I also ate dinner with some friends at Yellowtail, a sushi restaurant at The Bellagio. I’m not a huge sushi fan, so I’m probably not one to judge, but it was fine. The view from the balcony was the best part of that meal. I partook in some gelato in Caesar’s Palace, and it was wonderful!  I also ate a really hearty but good breakfast at Ellis Island Casino and Brewery. It was tasty, but plan on a bit of a wait as it was busy all morning long.

Things to See

Probably the best way to see Vegas is simply to walk The Strip. Many of the casinos have attractions both inside the casinos and out, many of them free.  Some of my favorites:

The ships at Treasure Island, even though they no longer have the free nightly shows. I remember seeing one as a child on a vacation with my family and being in absolute awe. I wish they would bring them back! Even without the shows, the ships are pretty incredible.

The flower covered hot air balloon at The Wynn. Lovely!

The fountain, at the Bellagio. My photo was taken from the balcony of Yellowtail, a sushi restaurant in the Bellagio. The food is good if you’re a sushi fan (I’m not much of one, but went with some friends also attending the conference).

Gondolas at The Venetian. Neat to watch even if you don’t choose to pay to take a float down the “river.”

The botanical gardens at the Bellagio. So beautiful to just walk through and see the interesting ways that the plants have been used.  Ingenious really!

The incredible statues at Caesar’s Palace. So neat, even if they are reproductions. I loved just wandering amongst them and imagining myself in the Old World.

The world’s largest chocolate fountain, at the Bellagio. Who doesn’t love chocolate?!

The flamingos at, wherelse? The Flamingo. This is right up there among my favorites. Especially when you factor in all of the other wildlife that you can see while wandering through their gardens. Be prepared to see some folks getting married, as this area is quite picturesque.

The lion at the MGM. Just really impressive looking.

The flower covered, working carousel at the Wynn. So gorgeous! And probably my favorite of  all of the free sites.  I’m just in awe that it looks so fresh and actually turns and plays music.

 

I had a fun time in Las Vegas, in spite of being a solo traveler. I’d like to go back with Mike or with friends next time, and check out some shows and the buffets.  Have you been to Las Vegas? What did you enjoy most? Did you find budget options for fun?