TO & FROM Las Vegas & Grand Canyon
Plenty of travel options from Dublin, nothing direct but best to break the journey in USA, taking the hassle out of immigration by clearing at Dublin Airport. Make sure you have valid ESTA—you can check status or renew
See 1 under Useful Links
United Airlines fly via Newark to McCarran Int airport Las Vegas (LAS), but it is a busy route from Europe with plenty of carrier options so shop around to find something to suit budget and convenience, just be aware immigration is tortuous if you haven’t pre cleared.
Prices can vary wildly on time of year and around major business conferences, that together with being only a short hop from LA and San Francisco weekends are at a premium for accommodation. Las Vegas is a party town with over 40 Million annual visitors.
Climate also plays a part very hot in the summer months, so if you can do late or early year could work out cheaper and more comfortable.
Arrival is a breeze if you have cleared in Dublin, downtown is a stone’s throw from the airport so only 20 minutes to the strip.
We have stayed in a few hotels and enjoyed Caesar’s Palace the best, but New York New York have great deals and its own roller coaster –not to be missed. Somewhere quieter and just off the Strip is the Westin with free parking, with proximity to all major attractions it also provides for a calmer retreat when required and the ultimate in luxury the Bellagio is another favourite.
Check in can be a bit daunting if you land in at popular arrival times, with over 4000 rooms you will appreciate the logistics. However, Caesars Palace has plenty of offers and rooms to cater for all requirements.
See 2 under Useful Links
Figure 1 Caesar’s Palace Forum
Woke Tip: You do not really need a car in Vegas, as there is great public transport, the Monorail is an option if you want to get from one end of the strip to the other see link 3 under useful addresses, but runs to the east of the strip and there are fairly long walks to and from the stations, making it less useful for shorter hops. The strip is about 3 miles in length so foot power works.
Awake Tip: Preclear customs in Dublin. If you do have a car, make sure parking is free and unlimited.
Day 1.
Vegas is famous for its hotels and casinos, so you will have great fun the first day along the strip, visiting the themed hotels. Nowhere else will you find an Egyptian sphinx, a Polynesian paradise, and a medieval castle in the same block.
Figure 2 Gondolas at the Venetian
There are some free shows, along the way notably at the entrance to the Treasure Island hotel a full pirate battle, every 90 minutes Outside the Bellagio more than a 1000 fountains perform a water ballet, soaring over 240 ft, the cascading water is choreographed to classical music. Both are better in the evening for effect.
We found the best pay for attractions are the truly awe-inspiring Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay, and Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum in the Venetian, hotel has a great food court to grab lunch in before the tour.
After a long day of sightseeing and plenty of walking in between, head for a beer and some dinner at Toby Keith’s: I love this bar, in Harrah’s Hotel opposite Caesars palace
Day 2.
Downtown LV is not a place of megastory financial temples. Instead a mish mash of government buildings, carnival attractions and far less glamorous casinos. Storefront shops dealing in souvenirs and unclaimed pawn shop miscellany proliferate. At the heart is Glitter Gulch and the Freemont Street Experience.
From Caesars Palace we walked to the Strat Tower, ( a good 30-40 minute walk ) for the thrill seekers this is a must, the aptly named Insanity ride provides views as far as Arizona and California from its 900 foot perch, but its unlikely you will have time to take them in.
See 4 under Useful links
Just up from Stat Tower you will pass the wedding chapels where you can do your drive by wedding with Elvis if you fancy.
From the wedding chapel area, you need to jump on a bus to get to Downtown, another 15-20 minutes away.
Glitter gulch is famed as having the most concentrated dazzle of neon on the planet – everything flashes be sure to visit the Golden Nugget and Binion’s Horseshoe.
Figure 3 Freemont Street,Old Vegas – original casino !
For a memorable lunch head to heart attack grill, just for the T-Shirt
See 5 under Useful Links
After lunch assuming you survive head to the mob museum –a great museum showcasing organised crime and law enforcement.
See 6 under Useful Links
The areas away from the bright lights are not so safe after dark so best not to stray and make sure to catch a bus or taxi back to the heart of the strip when night falls.
If you have had enough of fast food and buffets, then there are a few gourmet restaurants close to Caesars Palace, Mon Ami Gabi is a charming French Bistro and with its outdoor terrace overlooked by the Eiffel Tower –hard to beat for a change.
Figure 4 Eiffel Tower & Mon Ami Gabi.
Day 3.
After two long days sightseeing, we chose to visit a few unusual museums first the Imperial Palace Auto Collection, a working collection of vehicles where every car on display can be purchased.
See 7 under Useful Links
Next the Liberace Museum, fittingly flamboyant, with customised cars and pianos.
See 8 under Useful Links
If you still have energy, you can go to a truly American experience at the LV shooting center.
See 9 under Useful Links
Day 4. Beyond the Neon.
Cars are cheap in the US so plenty of options to pick up one and head out towards the Grand Canyon. This could be done by organised trip or even helicopter if time is limited or the draw of the casino tables is stronger. Its about 5 hours ( 250 Miles ) to the Canyon and you pass over the Hoover Dam:
See 10 under Useful Links
Figure 5 Hoover Dam.
The Grand Canyon National Park covers a massive area and probably the best and most convenient is the South Rim to access. The North Rim closes during winter months due to heavy snow fall.
See 12 under Useful Links.
Figure 6 South Rim Grand Canyon
You can explore hike and camp all around the park, and we stayed at lodges before the drive back to Las Vegas the next day.
See 13 under Useful Links
Having now visited Las Vegas a few times we never tire of it & certainly do hope to visit again in the future although maybe not too soon !!
Catch all our updates on Insta :@wokeandawaketravel
Twitter:@WokeTravel
Useful Links
- https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/
- https://www.caesars.com/caesars-palace/hotel
- https://www.lvmonorail.com/
- https://thestrat.com/attractions/thrill-rides
- http://www.heartattackgrill.com/
- https://themobmuseum.org/
- http://www.imperialpalacelasvegas.net/
- https://liberace.checkfront.com/reserve/
- https://lasvegasshootingcenter.com/
- https://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/
- https://www.nps.gov/grca/faqs.htm
- https://www.grandcanyonlodges.com/
