The Las Vegas Sign

‘Las Vegas is a city built on hopes, dreams, and a little bit of crazy’, Michael McDonald once famously quoted. It couldn’t be much closer to the truth in my opinion. It’s pretty hard to believe it’s plonked in the middle of the Nevada desert with so much craziness going on. There’s pretty much something for everyone, from the most extreme hotels to the gambling, incredible food, partying, and adventures to be had. That’s not to forget the many iconic landmarks, one of which we planned to see today – the amazing Las Vegas Sign.

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Walking to the Las Vegas Sign

Our final full day in Las Vegas, visiting the Las Vegas Sign was a real bucket list item we wanted to tick off. We left the MGM Grand where we were staying in search of the Las Vegas Sign to take the pictures we wanted to get. Heading along the Las Vegas Strip, we grabbed a coffee and passed more of the themed hotels along the way.

Laura in front of New York New York Hotel, Las Vegas

With temperatures soaring over 40°C in the desert, we dipped into hotels to cool down. Having walked past Excalibur and the Luxor hotels, we discovered Mandalay Bay. A luxurious resort, it boasts everything from a 1.6 million gallon Shark Reef aquarium to a nightclub. There are some beautiful grounds and pools, and even a casino on the beach. It’s one of the Las Vegas hotels I’d be happy to stay in next time, that’s for sure.

Walking on towards the Las Vegas Sign, we passed more sights. The Little Church of the West is an iconic Las Vegas wedding chapel. The oldest building on the Las Vegas Strip, it’s also where Elvis Presley and Ann-Margret recited their vows in the movie Viva Las Vegas.

Despite the roasting temperatures, it didn’t deter us or other tourists from getting the obligatory Vegas shot.

Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign

Dating back to 1959, the ‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas’ sign greets visitors as they enter the city. It’s done so since the days of Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack. Nowadays, it’s a symbol of Las Vegas as the centre of world entertainment. Its iconic design is by Betty Willis, one of the first female artists to work on neon signs.

As one of Las Vegas’ most famous selfie spots, as you can expect, there was a bit of a queue for our photos. Usually, there will be someone hanging around to take your photo at the right angles in exchange for tips.

It was really cool to tick off another item from our Las Vegas bucket list.

In order to dodge the blistering heat of the Nevada desert, we headed back along the Las Vegas Strip to our hotel for our evening plans.

Cirque du Soleil, Las Vegas

Las Vegas is, of course, known for its incredible entertainment. From world-class singers performing at the resorts to incredible acrobatics, there’s something for everyone. Jo, Jamie, and I had long wanted to see Cirque du Soleil, so decided to buy tickets for a performance that evening. It’s easy enough to buy from one of the discount stalls along the Strip.

We walked down the Strip past the Luxor to freshen up for dinner. Fancying some heart American grub, we opted for the Outback Steakhouse near the MGM Grand – reasonably priced and delicious steak.

Back out on the Strip, there was the most beautiful sunset across the neon signs. We walked along to Treasure Island, where Cirque du Soleil was taking place that evening.

The Las Vegas Strip looked wonderful at night – it’s like a different place. The neon signs are vibrant and dazzling, and the landmarks really pop. If you’re lucky, you can catch a Bellagio fountain show on the way too.

We reached Treasure Island for the Cirque du Soleil performance. It was spectacular! And so worth the money. I highly recommend going to one of their shows for anyone visiting Vegas. The particular show we saw was Mystere, which is apparently one of the most accessible Cirque du Soleil shows. We were all pleasantly surprised by the incredible acrobatic talent and humour within the show. I’ll be back!

After the show and a little gamble on the slots, we wanted to spot more hotels on the Strip. Treasure Island features a huge pirate ship outside in honour of its theme.

Gambling in Las Vegas

With a whole night ahead of us, and our last one in Las Vegas, we decided to spend it the Vegas way. We all fancied doing a little gambling, and did so as part of a mini ‘resort crawl’ on our way back to the MGM Grand. We passed The Venetian on the way – The Venetian was undoubtedly one of my favourite themed hotels of them all. It’s truly beautiful, and based on the gorgeous Italian city of Venice with all of the appropriate landmarks. You can even take gondola rides on its very own canals.

For anyone looking to stay to visit Macau, there’s also a sister hotel on Macau’s Cotai Strip, which I recently visited.

It’s the most beautiful hotel, and it feels incredibly elegant and plush inside. Built to amaze, the Wynn offers luxurious shopping, award-winning restaurants, and spas.

Walking into the entrance of the Wynn, you’re greeted by a floral paradise. There are several floral sculptures – check out this flowery carousal surrounded by bouquets and trees.

The flowers really add to the magical appeal of the Wynn. It’s rather like a Willy Wonka Factory of Flowers.

Floral hot air balloon at the Wynn, Las Vegas

We moved back along the Las Vegas Strip. Stopping in at the Bellagio Gardens at night, we spent a little time at the casino.

We took a little gambling crawl, with our walk taking us to the Tropicana. If you’re gambling at various machines or tables, you’ll be handed free drinks to enjoy. Keep tipping and the servers will keep coming back.

Gambling at the Tropicana Hotel, Las Vegas

Later in the night, we went on a search for pizza. Where better than to try New York New York, across the road from our hotel? We grabbed some decent slices of New York pizza and devoured it before heading back to the MGM Grand for our final night’s sleep.