Las Vegas Travel Blog
VEGAS BABY, YEAH!
So, the plan was to leave in the morning, but the soccer was on, and the Cat and Fiddle was packed with Aussies, mostly from Adelaide! The American patrons must've thought we were bonkers as we jumped around, yelling at the TV and cursing the disallowed goals! Despite the chaos, it was a fantastic game, and we left happy, though we had to sprint to the bus stop in our soccer strips—not exactly the ideal outfit for California weather! 😅
We hopped on at Hollywood and then had to get off 20 minutes later in the sketchiest part of downtown L.A. Rushed off the bus, jumped into another line for Vegas, and finally snagged seats together. It was probably the comfiest Greyhound trip ever, no awkward knee-knocking with grumpy or fresh out of prison seatmates!
Arriving in Vegas, we stepped off the bus….and immediately started sweating—it was 47 degrees Celsius! 🥵 Got to the hostel and discovered the air conditioning was on for only half the day. Lucky me, I scored the bed next to the air con! LOL.
Second night, we hit up Barbary Coast (now called the Cromwell): $2 drinks (anything you want) plus $1 tips per drink. Our bartender, Fred, was a legend in his 50s, mixing drinks faster than I've ever seen!
First impressions of Vegas? WOW. Just... wow. Rolling into town on the bus, I was like, "Oh... my... gawd." Unbelievable place.
Oh, and thanks for all the birthday wishes! We celebrated in a HUMMER LIMO, baby! Over 20 of us, champagne flowing, lots of r&b—epic night. Met some interesting folks: a crazy Canadian from Montreal and a guy from Manchester who thought he was Texan after living in Texas for a year. Never thought I'd hear "y'all" and "innit" in the same sentence, but hey, each to their own!
Got carded and rejected at Coyote Ugly (The New York New York Hotel Casino) on my 24th birthday; they thought my ID was fake. Ended up watching a band downstairs, which had a member from Earth, Wind & Fire—way better than girls dancing on the bar!
Then we hit House of Blues, which was overrated and busy, so we headed back to Barbary Coast for $2 drinks and bartender Fred, the fastest hands in the West! LOL. There was a Chinese cover band and hilarious dance-offs, including one between a girl and a guy who looked like a cool version of Steve Urkel. They'd strut their stuff, cross their arms, and wait for the other to copy. The crowd was in stitches.
Regularly caught "The Deuce," a bus that runs 24/7 down the Strip. Walking's doable, but you'll be drenched in sweat after two minutes, so The Deuce is a lifesaver, even if it’s slow as molasses in traffic.
After my birthday, we moved to the Sahara Hotel (https://www.saharalasvegas.com/) This has since been renovated, it was an original rat pack hotel and we enjoyed it. Two double beds, 24/7 air conditioning, and TV for just $3 more per night than the hostel! Buffets galore, perfect for our budget. We were stuffed 24/7, usually just one big meal a day, haha.
Nights were too sweltering to be outside, so we tried a bit of gambling, which in Vegas, comes with free drinks. You just tip the waitress a buck, so you can get Coronas for $1. Or if you're feeling fancy, Chivas Regal!
Checked out the daily free shows: Treasure Island and Bellagio’s water show—filmed most of it. If you're in Vegas, you have to see the Bellagio water show. So cool!
Visited the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam—both were mind-blowing. Loved the Hoover Dam, especially at night. Our tour guide was a hoot, and we learned that if the Hoover Dam blew up, it would wipe out L.A. and San Diego. Yikes!
Crossed into Arizona (didn't know the Grand Canyon was there!) and visited some family. Their suburban area was nothing like Vegas—beautiful and serene. They took me out to lunch at their local casino, and I had my first Vegas buffet: prawns, salmon, desserts galore. Janine opted for the pool and missed out on the best desserts ever!
Left Vegas $24 richer from Keno, with cheap drinks and a full belly. What more could you ask for?
Las Vegas Accommodation Recommendations:
Backpacker:
Recommend a budget hotel because there’s really good deals
Budget:
https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/the-linq-and-casino.en-gb.html
Family:
https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/planet-hollywood.en-gb.html
https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/harrah-s-paris.en-gb.html
https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/sahara-lasvegas-hotel-casino.en-gb.html
https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/treasure-island.html
https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/new-york-new-york.en-gb.html
Luxury:
https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/harrah-s-caesars-palace.en-gb.html
https://www.booking.com/hotel/us/the-venetian-resort-casino.en-gb.html
Attractions: