Snapshots of Las Vegas // The Strip - Day 1 // August 2016

In August KC and I headed to Vegas with his parents, his sister, and her (then) boyfriend, (now) fiance. :) We planned a mixture of together and "on our own" time, and were able to fit in so many cool places and things.

In general, Vegas was really hot or cold for me... and I am not talking about the weather. It was HOT the whole time. I'm talking about, I just LOVED certain places we visited and certain things we did.... but most of the rest of it was a little repulsive. Just two seconds on my soap box here... but what a wasteful city!! Doors open with the air on in the height of summer! No recycling (almost) anywhere. Call girl cards all over the ground. Dolphins shipped to the desert so they can perform for tourists.... you get the idea. Vegas is all about excess. Some of that is fun, beautiful, entertaining, so worth it, and so "Vegas"... but some of it was too much for me personally.

Off soap box.... I did my best to not think about it too much, and just enjoy our trip. :)

and...

On to the details!

Family mirror shot at the Bellagio. It's hard to get big group photos. :P

Eat:  Ah, so many great places to eat in Las Vegas!

• Burgers at Shake Shack. I LOVED it. The chicken burger was super good! We may have gone here twice.... 
• The Cafe at the Venetian - HUGE menu. Perfect for our pre-circque family dinner. :)

See: The Strip, The Conservatory & Gardens at the Bellagio, The Fountains at the Bellagio.

Shows: We saw several shows during our trip, but this one was our first, and my favorite. :) 

Cirque du Soleil - "Mystere" - Treasure Island - The classic of the Cirque du Soleil shows. We had no idea what to expect, but enjoyed the blend of humor, dance, acrobatics, and visual displays. There are some extremely talented members of this cast! The theater is fairly small as well (from the three we went to) so you are pretty close to the stage. It's easy to see what's going on! 

Shop: Most of the shopping in Vegas is reminiscent of mall shopping elsewhere in the US. Those shops that do not resemble it are likely ultra high-end shops. Think Valentino, etc. Not my jam, but cool to see if it is yours! :) Check out the shops at Crystals, The Bellagio, and Ceasar's Palace.

Do: Walk the strip and through the casinos. Tons of cool reproduction architecture. :)

Favorites: Shake Shack, Cirque du Soleil "Mystere", the view from the tram between Mirage and Aria. 

New Experiences: Nevada, Vegas, Shake Shack, and Cirque du Soleil!

Random Tips:

• Don't go in the summer unless you LOVE the heat.
• Take the Tram from Mirage to Aria.
• Plan a mixture of "VEGAS" things and things you normally like to do when you travel. Balance is key!

We were so glad to have a fun family trip to Vegas! Glad to get to see a place that my in-laws love so much! :)

Have you been to Las Vegas? What did you think?

Are you a high-end shopper? Or do you prefer small shops?

Have you been to a Circque du Soleil show? What did you think of it?

Other Nevada Posts: Vegas Day 1 - The Strip, Vegas Day 2 - Museums & The High Roller (my favorite day!!), The Hoover Dam & Boulder City, NV, Downtown Las Vegas, & Day 4 Pancakes & J.Lo.

Happy Travels!

XO,

Alexandra