Getaway to Las Vegas

Who says what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas? I certainly don’t buy that old adage after my quick getaway to Las Vegas. What was my reason? I scored some amazing floor seats to see Bruno Mars. While I was super stoked to see Bruno, I initially had no other plans to pass the time while I was there.

I am not a big gambler although I do enjoy some time at the roulette wheel. For this visit, I only really loss $30. However after playing for about an hour, I was ready to do some other things during my brief visit. Since I didn’t win big, shopping was not going to a big part of my getaway to Las Vegas! I had to find other things to pass the time.

Bruno was appearing at the T- Mobile Arena so for proximity, I stayed at the Monte Carlo Las Vegas. The hotel is going through a renovation that will transform the property to the upscale Park MGM. The new property should be complete by the end of 2018 which will make a getaway to Las Vegas quite luxurious.

One of my favorite stops was to the Seven Magic Mountains. It is a colorful rock exhibit just outside the city. The sculpture, created by Ugo Rondinone, features seven thirty to thirty-five-foot high day-glow totems comprised of painted, locally sourced boulders. If you go, go early to avoid the crowds. Also note it’s out in the dessert and there’s little to no shade. Plan accordingly.

Also close is the Park Las Vegas, an outdoor entertainment space with some cool restaurants. Naturally one of the things I can get behind while travelling is finding some great places to eat. One of which was Beerhaus, a casual dining experience that had some of the best fries I’ve every eaten. As the name implies, the Beerhaus has a nice selection of beers. Some of the most unique and rare selections are only available at the restaurant. Also, if you go try the vegan sausage, it’s a winner.

The Shark Reef Aquarium over at Mandalay Bay was a nice start for the day of the concert. Not only can you get up close and personal with a variety of sharks, you can also see other exotic sea creatures and reptiles. The Komodo dragon and the piranha were some of my favorites. This is an ideal place to take kids.

Over at the Bellagio Hotel, its Gallery of Fine Art is presenting “I Am The Greatest: Muhammad Ali.” This temporary exhibit, which runs through September 30, is a fascinating look at the life and legacy of one of America’s favorite sports heroes. It was fun to learn some interesting facts. Did you know Ali is featured in a comic book with Superman and actually had a lead on Broadway?

With all this touring, we had to eat again. This time we hit up China Poblano, a Jose Andres restaurant. Andres who is long familiar with Washingtonians, has created a Mexican – Chinese fusion restaurant. Here we did his tasting menu along with the drink experience. We left full, happy and with just enough time to rest before the concert.

Let’s not forget, it’s summer in the desert. It was HOT! What better way to end the weekend by keeping cool? I finished my trip by relaxing in the pool over at the Luxor. With all the eating and drinking, there’s no way you’ll see any more than my head in the pool. I’ve gained too much weight.

Oh but I forgot to mention the concert the night before. Bruno Mars was amazing! He puts on an excellent show. Well choreographed, high energy and this man does not lip-sync! He definitely was the highlight of the weekend in a flurry of non-stop activity. All done in a weekend and definitely something to shout about. My weekend getaway to Las Vegas was definitely something to share.