Las Vegas at the End of Our American Road Trip
We originally flew out for a birthday in Las Vegas… but if you’ve read the first part of this trip, you’ll know it didn’t stay that simple. What started as a long weekend turned into a full San Francisco to Vegas road trip. By the time we actually arrived in Las Vegas, it felt like we’d already had a trip before the trip.
We arrived into Vegas after the road trip and it was pretty much exactly what you expect. Huge hotels, bright lights, and constant energy everywhere. One hotel rolls into the next and it all feels a bit surreal at first.
It couldn’t have been more different to the rest of the trip. California had been relaxed, doing things at our own pace, stopping when we felt like it. Vegas was the opposite, busier, louder, and a lot more structured.
We stayed at the MGM Grand, mainly because of the location and price, and it worked well for what we needed. Being on the Strip makes everything easy. You can walk to most places, although we quickly realised distances are bigger than they look. What seems close on a map can easily turn into a 20–30 minute walk.
Top tip: don’t assume everything is “just next door”, Vegas distances are deceptive.
The hotel itself was good. The casino had a great atmosphere, and overall it did exactly what we needed it to do. Nothing over the top, but good value and in the right place. I’d stay there again.
We didn’t plan every detail before we arrived, but we still ended up fitting a lot in. The main reason we were there was my friend’s 40th, so there were a few things booked in around that. We had a birthday dinner at the Bellagio Prime Steakhouse, which felt like the point where the trip properly switched into “Vegas mode”.
We also went down to Fremont Street, which feels completely different to the Strip. It’s a bit chaotic, a bit mad, but really fun. We went to the Heart Attack Grill, which is exactly as ridiculous as it sounds, hospital gowns, themed food, drinks served in pill boxes.
It’s not somewhere you go for the food, but for the experience it’s worth doing once.
Some of the group did the zipline over Fremont Street, and others did the rides at the Stratosphere. I stayed firmly on the ground for that one.
We also did the gondola ride at The Venetian, saw the Backstreet Boys live, and went to Michael Jackson Cirque du Soleil, which was probably one of the highlights.
Top tip: if you’re going to see a show, book it in advance, it’s one of the few things in Vegas that’s actually worth planning properly.
A lot of what you do in Vegas isn’t really planned. It’s walking the Strip, going in and out of different hotels, and ending up in casinos without really meaning to. You can easily fill your time without trying too hard.
Top tip: don’t try to plan every night, some of the best parts are the bits you just fall into.
Vegas isn’t cheap, but for what it is, it didn’t feel like a waste. It’s one of those places where you don’t remember every single thing you did — but you remember the overall feeling of it.
Food-wise, the standout meal was at Mon Ami Gabi in Paris Las Vegas — easily the best meal we had while we were there.
We stayed for five nights, which felt just right. Long enough to do everything without rushing, but not so long that it became too much. You could probably do it in less time, but I wouldn’t try to squeeze it into a quick couple of nights.
I really liked Vegas, but I don’t think it’s somewhere you just go for no reason. It works best when there’s something behind it a birthday, a celebration, a group trip. That’s when it really makes sense. If you’re thinking about going to Las Vegas… go, but go for a reason. It’s also one of those places that’s great for a few days… but I wouldn’t want to stay much longer.
It’s not a slow, relaxing trip. It’s full on, a bit chaotic, and a lot at times but that’s kind of the point. And when you do it as part of a bigger trip like this, it works even better.
