I’m sure it’s no surprise to my regular readers (if you’re Facebook fans anyway!) that my blog this week is on the amazingly spectacular and mind-blowing Las Vegas! I have spent the last week assisting with the running of a conference of 400+ people in this amazing city and the event has been, without doubt, one of the best conferences I have ever attended in my fifteen+ years of being a Professional Conference Organiser.
The conference was staged in the trendy Cosmopolitan Hotel which is in the new part of town, in between Aria and the Bellagio, and the perfect location and area to base yourself.
From the moment you step foot in Las Vegas you will be blinded by the glamour, glitz, flashing lights, casinos, shows, themed hotels, nightlife and shopping Mecca that Las Vegas has to offer. Each hotel is a massive complex of luxury accommodation, casinos, bars, restaurants and shops, and many are themed and have a ride or activity to entice you. New York New York has a rollercoaster twisting through the New York iconic buildings, Paris has a spectacular Eiffel Tower – which you can journey to the top of by lift like the original – and The Venetian has an entertainment/shopping area that has canals, gondolas, bridges and a feeling that you are walking through the heart of Venice.
Aria, The Cosmopolitan, Planet Hollywood, Wynn and Encore are the new hip and trendy spots but the old favourites are also amazing such as Caesars Palace, the MGM and the Luxor. The Bellagio is truly out of this world and their spectacular fountain display is a majestic highlight that you need to experience. It runs every half an hour and is a sound and light show of cascading water fountains – truly magnificent.
The nightlife is incredible – the city that never sleeps! – and features mile after mile of casinos, shops, restaurants and bars. A multitude of shows are constantly running showcasing world class performers, singers and illusionists such as several Cirque Du Soleil options, Human Nature, David Copperfield, Cris Angel and Celine Dion, whom are all regular performers.
‘Marquee’ is at the Cosmopolitan Hotel and is currently the trendy nightclub to be seen in. It’s two floors jam packed with revelers dancing and partying the night away. A fantastic experience and one I will never forget.
You’ll love the shopping which is fantastic, especially at the moment with our dollars exchange rate still virtually 1:1. There are two sets of outlets, one on the South and one on the North sides of ‘The Strip’, Fashion Mall is very popular and the Miracle Mile Shopping Centre is across from the Bellagio and Cosmopolitan in the heart of ‘The Strip’ and is home to a range of great stores and well known brands.
I was in Vegas for the Thanksgiving weekend, so it was an extremely busy time, but also meant I was there for the ‘Black Friday Sales’, where stores offer up to 90% off and lots of ‘2 for 1’ offers so a great time to go as everything was extremely cheap but great quality. Very easy to go shopping crazy! Make sure you have plenty of credit on your credit card!!
From Las Vegas you can take a helicopter ride or a tour to the Grand Canyon, which is fabulous, and there are also some fantastic golf courses in the area (so send ‘hubby’ to play golf whilst you ‘shop till you drop’?!). Many drove from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, which takes around four hours, and was a great way to experience the desert and unique terrain which surrounds the city.
My greatest tip is to make sure you take comfy shows with you – there is a lot of walking to be done in Las Vegas if you want to see it all! You’ll be on your feet all day and well into the night so be prepared. My next tip is to make sure you take lots of money with you… not because things are expensive (because they are not!) but because you will want to spend!!
Las Vegas is a fabulous place for a holiday – it’s fun, exciting, vibrant and a feast for the senses. A great place to have a fantastic experience, spoil yourself, party and have a good time!