Las Vegas!

Las Vegas is insane! Its an amazing place with a lot to see and do, but I was there for 5 nights and by the end of those 5 nights I was definitely ready to move on! I was a little unsure before I even arrived in Vegas if it would be somewhere I would like, especially travelling alone, but when I arrived I was overwhelmed with the amount of things to see and do! It was a fascinating place and it is definitely worth the visit! Hold on to your money though as everything revolves around spending in this place!

Go and see a Show:

If you are in Vegas, you have to go and see a show! I chose to see Cirque Du Soleil 'LOVE' which is a show based on The Beatles. I knew I wanted to see Cirque Du Soleil as I saw them last year in Toronto and loved them so much! I also love The Beatles, so it was a perfect combination - Acrobatics and The Beatles, what more could you want?! It was AMAZING and I actually considered going to see it again or to see another Cirque Du Soeil show (they have about 4 or 5 running in Vegas) but I was keeping a close eye on my budget! I went to buy my tickets the day of the show and I got a 40% discount at the Mirage hotel box office. I paid around $95 for the mid range seats and I couldn't have asked for a better view! I think the mid seats are actually in a better position than the seats right at the front of the stage as you are slightly elevated. If you ever have the chance to see Cirque Du Soleil I would highly recommend it! Not only will the performers amaze you, but so will the set, stage, and props!

I also went to see Nathan Burton's Comedy Magic show. I picked up a flyer for a free ticket at the hostel and took it to the box office at the Flamingo. They didn't have any free tickets left for the show but they offered me an upgraded ticket (from the free balcony seat to a seat on the main floor) for $10. I took the offer and it was well worth it! Nathan Burton was on America's Got Talent and has since gone on to have his own show. It was an afternoon family friendly show, with light hearted comedy and magic, but still it was a great atmosphere and it was great to see another show at such a low price!

The shows can be pretty pricey but try buying your tickets on the day of the show and ask if they can offer you a discount. Also you can try looking at Tix 4 Tonight where they have discounted tickets for same day shows (they also have discounts on restaurants.) Also keep your eye out for free shows and if you do buy tickets to see a show this could possibly get you cheaper entrance into other shows.

Walk Along The Strip:

Walk along the strip and take in the insane world of Vegas! From erupting volcanos and spectacular fountain shows to show girls and drunken nintendo characters - all whilst drinking a margarita from a yard glass - your eyes won't get board!

A few things to look out for along the strip:

• The erupting Volcano at The Mirage - Erupts every hour, on the hour between 6pm-11pm.
• The Fountain Show at the Bellagio - Every 1/2 hour in the afternoons and every 15 minutes between 7pm-midnight.
• The Statue of Liberty, skyscrapers and a roller coaster at New York New York.
• The Eiffel Tower at Paris hotel.
• Magic Shows at Circus Circus - Free entry.
• The scary Thrill Rides, observation deck and sky bar at the Top of the Stratosphere.
• The gigantic Sphinx outside the Luxor
• 'Drunken' cartoon characters!

Explore the Casinos & Hotels:

Spend some time walking along the strip weaving your way in and out of the hotels and Casinos. You will be amazed at the things you will see inside these places and how much money has been spent! My favourite thing I came across was the Spring garden in the Bellagio, which was a Netherlands themed garden inside a huge conservatory. The room was filled with tulips and poppies and smelt amazing! It also had beautiful umbrellas hanging from the ceiling, a huge pair of wooden clogs, a turning carrousel and a windmill! There are lots of free attractions to see inside the hotels and there are also exhibits you will have to pay to see!

As well as the beautiful and amazing sights to see, there is of course the casinos, full of slot machines and gambling tables! If you are in Vegas, you will probably gamble at some point, so good luck! Try not to get too sucked in though, you see people drinking, smoking and gambling at 10am staring blankly at the slot machines, hitting buttons and they look like zombies!

The hotels are also full of expensive shops, boutiques, bars and restaurants. They are like villages built within the walls of the hotels!

A word of warning - the hotels are like mazes, built to keep you inside and spending money, so try not to get lost and keep track of time!

Visit Old Downtown Las Vegas:

A must is to go and spend an evening at Fremont street in Old Downtown Las Vegas. You will be amazed by the lights and entertained by the street acts! You can even zipline from one end of the street to the other for around $20!

Take a trip to The Grand Canyon:

Get out of Vegas for the day and go and visit The Grand Canyon, one of the 7 natural wonders of the world! I took a tour with Sweetours, which I arranged at the front desk at the hostel. The tour cost me $120 and was well worth every penny! I was picked up at 6am and given a breakfast of a pastry, a banana, a cereal bar and an orange juice. We were then driven to Hoover Dam, with a guided tour and lots of information from our driver along the way (although I slept through most of it!) We had 15-20 minutes at Hoover Dam to look around, take photos and have a quick rest break. On we went stopping twice more along the way, one of which was at a small gift shop on route 66 where you could take photos or buy souvenirs. The drive is very long so it was nice to have these breaks along the way and we were also given a lunch box containing a very nice deli sandwich, a bag of chips/crisps and a cookie. Bottled water was also provided as much as needed throughout the day. We finally arrived at the Grand Canyon, south rim, at around 1.30pm and driving in through the gate we saw a heard of Elk! We had 2 choices, either to be dropped at Mather Point where it is a 2.5 mile walk to the pick up point at Bright Angel Village, or to be dropped at the pick up point and to explore from there. I decided to walk the trail from Mather Point to the Village and I would definitely recommend it! The views are amazing and breathtaking, its hard to describe and I think its something you need to see for yourself! It takes between 1.5 - 2 hours to walk the trail, depending on how often you stop to take photos! Its an easy walk with a flat pathway and you are given 3 hours free time so plenty of time to do it. At the end of the trail, there are lots of places to buy food, snacks, drinks and souvenirs before boarding the coach. The journey home is a long one! There is one stop on the way where you can buy some food if you would like to. I didn't get home till about 11.30pm as my hostel was the last drop so it was a very long day, but well worth it!

The Food:

Well I don't think I have ever abused my body as much as I did the 5 days I spent in Vegas! The food is mostly junk food, from pancakes and cheesecake for breakfast to pizza and sandwiches for lunch to burgers and burritos for dinner, and thats without mentioning the mammoth sized margaritas and endless amounts of drinking! I left Vegas craving fresh fruit and water!

One place I would recommend visiting is The Cheesecake Factory in Caesars Palace. I haven't actually eaten from their food menu, but their cheesecake is amazing! (I have heard their food is good too but I have no idea how anyone could eat a meal AND a slice of cheesecake!?!)