Las Vegas Things To Do
As promised in my previous post, which focused on the hotels we visited in Las Vegas, I will share some of the activities that we did while on our short stay here. We were pleasantly surprised by the variety of activities available to us and in fact we struggled to fit in everything we wanted to do n our three days in the city.
Gordon Ramsay Fish and Chips
This casual eatery was somewhat new when we were in town. We had heard about it on the grape vine before our trip and knew it was a must for us. On our first day in Vegas, we decided to go exploring the city with the intention of locating this restaurant on our travels for lunch. It was super easy to find and in a central location between the Linq and Flamingo hotels.
Once you are on the correct street you can’t miss this place! Its decked out in the British colours with the shop front donning an enormous fish dressed in the British flag. The doors in and out of the restaurant are also very genuine…they have used doors from red telephone boxes to keep the authenticity of this venue strong!
Our Food At Ramsays
It had to be the obvious choice of battered fish and chips and boy were we blown away. As with anything Gordon Ramsay touches, nothing is standard and this can certainly be said of the fish and chips. The fish itself was cooked to perfection with crispy batter that left us wanting more.
The choices of homemade sauces were to die for and the real vinegar on offer was that little something you don’t often get when away from home. The generous lemon wedge skewered on top left us wanting for nothing. This venue is also licensed so was the perfect pit stop for our afternoon.
Grand Canyon
The trip we made to the Grand Canyon from LAs Vegas was an experience I will never forget and one of the best activities we have done.
We hadn’t booked this tour in advance and in fact that benefitted us on this occasion. We knew this was definitely something we wanted to do while in Las Vegas but hadn’t gotten round to researching it properly and didn’t want to book it without doing so. As a result, on the day we wanted to go, we went to one of the tourist kiosks in our hotel and enquired about any deals they had running. As there were vacancies on a tour running later that day, we got a really good deal.
Did You Know
Another thing that we hadn’t realised prior to our trip, was that the Grand Canyon is a nature reserve and therefore can not be accessed by just anyone. Many people decide to drive to the Grand Canyon themselves while in the city but they can only get to certain points and don’t get the same access or experience that you get when on a guided tour.
Full Service To The Canyon
We hadn’t intended going the full hog when we started looking into this tour but due to us booking last minute, we got all the frills for the same price as the basic package. We ended up being collected from our hotel in a limo and driven in style to the airfield on the outskirts of the city. Our decision the helicopter ride that took us over the Hoover Dam and then into the valley of the Grand Canyon. As this area is a nature reserve, there are only certain places that people can set-down and they need clearance and all kinds of licenses to do so. Taking a guided helicopter tour is one of the only ways of being able put your feet on the ground of the Canyon itself!
Our Flight Time
We opted for the late afternoon/evening tour and were glad we did so. Our tour meant we had a stop over in the Canyon which included the most adorable champagne picnic. We landed while the sun was still up and had our nibbles and champagne as the sun began to set…it was like something out of a movie!
Inside The Canyon
We also had time to take pictures and the tour guides were wonderful in terms of assisting with this too when we both wanted to get into the snap. As we left the Canyon just on sunset, we then got to experience the surrounding landscape and indeed the glitter strip (on our arrival back to the city) in a totally different light to when we left. The incredible lights of the hotels were in full swing and we could appreciate the city for what it is best known…the glitz and glamour!
One little tip I would give if opting for the tour at this time of day is to bring a warm cardigan or coat. Regardless of what the weather is like when you leave to start the tour, once the sun sets you need to remember that you are in a desert and the temperature can drop dramatically!
Fremont Street
This area of the Las Vegas is a must when in the city. Fremont Street was once the heart of Las Vegas and the origins of this crazy city can still be seen here today and is full of great and exciting activities.
It is considered the “Old Las Vegas” but once you step into this area, nothing feels old about it. The flashing lights above the casinos, the street performers and the huge ‘tacky’ signs in the street are what we have come to associate with this part of the world and if that is what you want to see, then this is where you need to visit.
Viva Vision Fremont Street
There is another unusual feature on Fremont Street that attracts lots of attention – Viva Vision: The world’s largest video screen! This is a free show that can be enjoyed from any point under the 1,500 feet long screen that is suspended 90 feet above Fremont Street’s pedestrian mall. The show lasts about 6 minutes and run every hour starting in the evening (depending on the time of year).
The imagery projected by the millions of LED lights come in a variety of shows and are certainly worth checking out. And one spectacular way to see all this is to take the zip line that runs under the Viva Vision screen – not for everyone but definitely an option for the thrill seekers.
Cirque Du Soleil
In Las Vegas one of our choices of activities to do was to take in a Cirque Du Soleil show. What I didn’t realise until we started looking at our options for shows, was that there are several shows running at the same time in Las Vegas in different hotels. Many hotels have resident shows running for long periods of time and as a result, the performers take short periods of time off meaning there are times of the year when some of the shows may not be running for a few days at a time. As there are several running along side each other though, you should be able find some show operating during your stay even if it is just a short stay. It may be worth double checking dates however, if there is one particular show you are interesting and if your dates for travel are flexible.
The Show
We ended up seeing the show Kai. It wasn’t a show we had heard anything about but the fact that it was a Cirque Du Soleil production was good enough for me. The stage and setting was out of this world with parts of the stage even moving during the performance to add to the dramatics.
The performers were like nothing I had ever seen before, with skill and courage that I couldn’t even comprehend! We were both speechless from the very opening scene to the last movement on the stage. A show like this is something I would highly recommend and no matter what your interests are, there is no way you couldn’t appreciate the mastery involved in such a performance.
Show location
The venue for the show was the MGM Grand so once it was over, we ventured through the numerous bars and restaurants to explore our new surroundings. We found a cosy bar with amazing cocktails…the perfect setting to discuss the incredible show we had just seen and reminisce about our favourite parts. What a perfect way to round off an amazing experience!
Check out the MGM grands list of shows HERE
So that’s Las Vegas and a few activities to get you started thanks for stopping by.
Fancy checking out our Vegas Hotels post see link below.
Part of our America trip also saw us test out the rides at Disneyland California. We have also taken a trip to the east side of the US and visited New York where we talk about the best food and what to do and see in this great city at christmas.
