Las Vegas is the ultimate weekend destination!

Las Vegas is the ultimate weekend destination. Whether it’s your first or tenth visit, the feelings generated prior to your trip will be the same. There is an excitement and anticipation as your travel day gets closer that is different from other vacations. You just know that you’re going to get into some sh** and you actually look forward to it! It’s one of the reasons why we picked Vegas to celebrate my wife’s milestone birthday. We only had 2 nights there and we were going to make them count!

Pearl Jam in Las Vegas? – LFG!

On the drive back from our New Orleans road trip my wife and I were discussing plans for her upcoming milestone birthday (no I won’t say which one, are y’all crazy?). She didn’t want a big party but wanted to celebrate “somewhere”. As any married man can tell you, this type of conversation usually ends up with the man making several suggestions and the woman shooting them all down but not offering any of her own. It’s the classic “where do you want to eat?” scenario. In my mind I was like “here we go again”, lol. Until …

My Itunes music shuffled to a Pearl Jam song and a light came on! I had previously read that Pearl Jam was touring in some US cities so I asked her if she wanted to go see them play and of course she said yes. We are both Gen X’ers and they were the one major band from our era that neither one of us got to see back in the day. At a pit stop for gas, we switched drivers and I started to look up dates and cities. Bam! Pearl Jam in Vegas, 2 days after her birthday on a Friday night. It was perfect.

I quickly booked our tickets and was feeling pretty good. My wife would have a memorable milestone birthday watching one of her favorite bands of all time. “Where should we stay?” she asked enthusiastically. It’s Vegas babe, there will be plenty of rooms and availability I confidently responded. And why wouldn’t I be confident? This would make our 7th trip to Vegas since we’ve been married and we never had an issue finding cheap or decent priced rooms on the Strip at various properties. That is until.

EDC Festival + Weekend = 😱😲😡 Rates!

Damn you EDC. Damn you to hell. To say I was astonished at the hotel rates would be the understatement of the year. I had honestly never seen anything like it, especially in Vegas! Just to give you an example of the shit I was seeing, the old freakin’ Circus Circus was going for $250 a night!!!! For those of you that have never been to Vegas, this is the cheapest hotel on the strip. You can find that hotel for $30 a night (not including the stupid resort fee) during the week! All the major hotels were going for $400+ a night. Just unbelievable. As I started to look into the reason why, there were several.

EDC was in town, it was the weekend, and then you add the inflation situation and you get the perfect storm for price gouging. When I showed my wife the rates she was like “Ah hell naw!” Downtown Vegas rates were equally outrageous. It was time for plan B. We would be staying away from the strip & downtown for the very first time. This would be new territory for us but we found our hotel pretty quickly. It was one we had never heard of but it ended up being quite nice. The South Point Hotel Casino-Spa would be the perfect off strip hotel.

Pre-Arrival – Covid strikes!

Just 2 days prior to our trip and on my wife’s actual birthday I got the dreaded “show has been cancelled” message from Ticketmaster. Apparently 2 band members came down with Covid that same week. One on Sunday and another on Wednesday. They made the decision to cancel the Friday show. I was in shock for a minute.

To make things worse, I received the alert while my family, in-laws, and SIL were having dinner with us at a steakhouse. I had to play it cool throughout the meal until we got back home. When I broke the news to her, she was mad and disappointed but kept her sense of humor about it. At least it’s not U2 cancelling she quipped. I proceeded to ask if she wanted me to cancel our trip and her response was, “Are you kidding me? It’s Vegas, we’ll still have a good time”. And with that, we packed our bags that night. We had a flight to catch the next day.

The Hangover movie

My wife is a school teacher and she didn’t want to miss more than one day of school so we decided to take a flight right after Thursday class. I would be picking her up and we would drive straight to the airport. As I watched her come out of her school that day, it reminded me of that scene in the Hangover movie. When Bradley Cooper walks out and tells one of his students “it’s the weekend, I do not know you, you do not exist”.😂

IAH Airport

At the airport we had a small meal and airport beers while waiting on our flight. As we all know, airport beers just hit different and have a distinct flavor. That I’m on vacation or my company is paying for them taste 😎🍺. While getting our pre-travel buzz on, we reviewed our upcoming itinerary to make sure we had everything covered. I always like to compare our plans to what we actually did on the visit. They’re usually pretty close but you have to be flexible in case things change. We had a funny change in our adventure.

Day/Night one

• Arrive to South Point Casino, shower/change, and head out
• Circa Legacy Lounge
• Freemont Street Experience
• Golden Nugget to gamble
• Back to South Point Casino

Day/Night two

• Breakfast at South Point Casino
• Beer Park rooftop bar at the Paris hotel
• Circa Sports book to place multiple bets
• Circa stadium pool to chill and day drink
• Back to South Point for dinner and early evening nap
• Wake up around 10:30-11 pm, shower/change, and head out
• Foundation Room at the Mandalay Bay then Voodoo Lounge at Rio

Day 3

• Breakfast at South Point
• Area 15 and surrounding attractions there
• Fly home in the late afternoon

LAS VEGAS BABY!

We touched down around 8 pm and took an Uber to our hotel. The South Point hotel and casino is only 6.9 miles from airport but it will set you back $40. Pro tip, take their airport shuttle. It’s free but only runs at certain times so check their latest listing. We didn’t want to wait for the next one so we paid.

Check in was a breeze and our first impression of the property was that it was bigger than we thought and was pretty nice. But we were on a mission to get out and enjoy our first night. After showers and changing, we jumped into an Uber and headed to the newish Circa hotel in downtown Vegas. We had reservations for an outside table at the Legacy Lounge and were ready to get things kicked off.

Circa Legacy Club

Now this is a first class lounge. From arrival to paying your tab, the service is top notch. After arriving at the Circa hotel, just follow the signs to the Legacy club area. Once there, 2 hostesses will greet you and check your reservation. You’re then led to a dedicated elevator that goes straight to the 60th floor where the club is located. Once the doors open, the first thing you’ll see are busts and pics in honor of the founders and dreamers behind this city in the desert.

A second hostess/greeting station awaits you after the Vegas history walls and then 2 things hit you almost simultaneously. The case holding the gold bars (500 to be exact, 2 oz. each) and the amazing views! I booked an outside table but it was closed due to high wind gusts. It was very windy on the ground so I can imagine what it felt like 60 floors high. Another setback but we took it in stride. We were seated at a great spot and couldn’t have asked for a better waitress. I’d go as far as saying that she was one of the best we’ve had in a good long while.

Cocktails

The cocktails are superb here. We had several and tried a different one each round. The verdict? All smashingly good, strong, and a little pricey. You already know when your menu comes with no prices, get ready buddy. Our favorites were the Legacy Club signature drink and the Green Felt Jungle. But to be honest, all of the club’s drinks are phenomenal. You can tell the bartenders take pride in making each drink. The attention to detail es Top (as my Spanish speaking friends would say).

The Vibe

I would say that this club/lounge is perfect to get your pre-drinking on before a night out on the town or for post dinner drinks. The vibe is laid back and chill here. You won’t find a DJ spinning or loud music being played. It’s mainly just jazz you hear in the background. I highly recommend a visit here. It’s too bad the weather didn’t cooperate so I can’t rate how it is to enjoy this place outside with unobstructed views. But we can vouch for the interior experience. Most importantly for this particular visit, the birthday girl loved it.

Freemont Street Exprerience

Now we were feeling good 😁! It was time to see what was happening on Freemont Street. One side of the Circa hotel & casino is on Freemont so it was just a matter of walking outside through that exit. Mind you we hadn’t been to downtown Las Vegas in like 18 years or so, and man has it changed. Add the sweet buzz we had going to the sensory overload we were now experiencing and it was quite the rush, lol.

Overhead there is this cool lightshow that’s constantly changing. You had a DJ spinning on one stage, a band playing on another block, people zip lining above you, and street performers everywhere. And the people watching here is great. Freaks definitely come out at night. Cue the Whodini music. (Only my old school peeps will get that reference) We grabbed what my wife swears was a 40 oz beer each and took it all in as we walked around gawking.

Oh and let’s not forget the weed. Holy shit there was a lot of weed smoking going on. It hits you the moment you exit the hotels and is what you’ll be smelling the entire time you’re taking in the sights. Recreational marijuana use became legal in 2017 in Nevada so if you’re from a state where it’s illegal, you need to get used to it here. Or partake if you wish. We had to take a pass. 😅

Golden Nugget – Las Vegas

After downing our big ass beers and getting our fill of Freemont Street, it was now time to gamble. My wife loves her slot machines and she insisted we play at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas. Those of you who read my travel blog regularly (thanks by the way), you would probably remember from our Louisiana trip that my wife cleaned them up in Lake Charles. The Golden Nugget in Louisiana is still hurting from all that winning my wife did that night. Okay it was only $800, but still.

She brought her players card with her, found a good machine, and played her heart out here. I went to play in another area, then to the bar, then went back to find her having a good ole time. Eyes all glassy, beautiful face radiating, and from the looks of the credits, she seemed to be breaking even. I knew it was time to go when I sat next to her and she would do a little shimmy dance every time she won. No. Like literally every time, no matter the amount. It was cute though and seeing her happy was all that mattered to me.

It was now 3:00 am and while this is early in Vegas, we were still on Houston time (5:00 am). Night one was a success. We took an Uber back to our room where my wife crashed out the whole ride over there. Our casino was packed with people still and we briefly thought about continuing there but our better judgement won. It was time for some sleep.

Day 2 – Daytime

I woke up like a champ around 10:30 am with no hangover. My wife was not so fortunate. There would be no shimmy shaking this morning. We showered and went down for late breakfast/early lunch. My wife had no appetite so she ate very little. I threw down and then we grabbed an Uber to head to the Paris hotel on the strip. A cool front had come through overnight and the weather outside was absolutely fantastic. Blue skies, temps in the 80’s, and no humidity. Perfect for grabbing a seat overlooking the strip and getting our day started.

Beer Park at the Paris Hotel

Our last trip to Vegas was in 2016, just prior to this place opening. I had read the reviews about this bar online and wanted to see it for myself. When we arrived the place still had some seats available and we got a great spot overlooking the strip below. This open area rooftop bar occupies some serious prime real estate. Located at the base of the Paris hotel and directly across from the Bellagio fountains, it is perfectly situated for you to enjoy day or night.

There was a live band playing while we were there and it didn’t take long for the place to fill up. Another thing I liked about this bar was that they were ready when the sun started to rise. They were quick to open all the shades above us. This made the experience more enjoyable. My wife got her appetite back and had a burger & fries. I sampled various local beers (stayed on the light side, no IPAs for me) and we enjoyed watching the masses down below. Pro-tip, the distances between hotels are substantial. Just because on a map or in pics they look close together, be prepared to walk a lot and wear comfortable shoes.

Circa – Sportsbook

It was now time to place some bets, chill by the pool, and day drink. We headed back to the Circa hotel to do just that. So by now you are wondering, “why didn’t they just stay at the Circa hotel?”. Almost $500 per night is why. Ain’t no freaking way I will pay that kind of money for a Vegas hotel. My flights to Europe and South America were cheaper than that. I can write a whole 3 thousand word post about where you can travel to for that kind of money. Okay so back to our travel story.

Not only were we placing bets for ourselves but I was getting messages from friends back home to place all kinds of bets for them, lol. I laid down bets for my Mexico team to win the World Cup, the Patriots to win the Superbowl, and for the Aggies to win the College football championship. Let’s see if any of them pan out. The odds are long and winnings will be great so if any hit, then maybe I’ll pay to stay here when I collect 🤣.

The sportsbook area is huge and the seating is stadium style so there isn’t a bad seat in the house to watch whatever it is you are betting on. The giant jumbotron screens will show any top sporting events going on at the time. There was a big golf tournament being played during our stay but betting was locked.

Stadium Swim

I had been wanting to check this pool out since I first read about the hotel opening up in December 2020. It just had a unique design and I liked the way the layout looked online and had to see it for myself. The giant screens outdoors seemed perfect to watch a big game while chilling by the water. Walking out to the pool area and seeing it for the first time in person I can say that the hype is well deserved!

We walked all around the various pools before settling on some chairs closer to the bars and big screens. The afternoon was starting to warm up and so was the atmosphere. The resident DJ was playing mainly EDM music but threw in some top hits as well. What was great about the vibe here is that the music is not too loud and neither was the crowd. Everyone was just chillin and enjoying the day. Some were even gambling (they have a poker room near one of the bars where you can play in your swimwear).

My only complaint about this place is that there is no shade anywhere in the main area. Our visit was in late May and you could feel the sun bearing down already & I can only imagine how hot it gets June – September. No way in hell would I be out in the open during those months. It would have been perfect if they had umbrellas. So with that being said, spring for the cabanas. They are located around the whole perimeter and are completely shaded, give you some privacy, and have their own restrooms!

Get a Cabana

All in all, I’d visit here again but would pony up the cash for a cabana. They were sweet and if you are traveling with friends then you could split the cost. The service was great and watching a sporting event on the big screens was a cool twist to Vegas pools. It was now late afternoon and time to head back to our hotel for dinner and a much needed nap to get ready for night two.

Night two – Plans can change

Our game plan for this night was simple and straightforward. Eat dinner, knockout, wake up around 10 pm’ish, and then shower/change. I wanted us to try out a couple of rooftop clubs/bars (The Foundation Room at the Mandalay Bay & the Voodoo Lounge at the Rio). A couple of hours at each and then finish the night at our hotel. Easy right? We laid out our evening clothes, closed the curtains and took our nap around 8 pm.

At around 10:30 I woke up and looked over at my wife who was sound asleep. I’m talking deep sleep. She looked so peaceful and I didn’t want to wake here so I just laid there thinking she would wake up any minute. Laying there in pitch darkness and listening to the hum of the AC and my wife’s snoring, I fell back to sleep. And sure enough, just like in a comedy movie, my wife would tell me later that she woke up at 11 and I was snoring like a grizzly bear and she didn’t want to wake me up figuring I would get up. SMH.

At 3 am we both wake up at the same time. My wife is the first to look at the time. “Why didn’t you wake me up?”, she asked half annoyed/half mad. I asked the same of her. “It’s because you were sound asleep and I didn’t want to wake you at that moment”, we both gave each other the same answer. By half an hour we had missed each other. “What do we do now?”, she pointedly asked.

Going out at 4 am – Sure, why not

We’re in Vegas babe, there’s always something to get into, no matter what time it is. I gave her 2 choices, “If you want music and desmadre, then there are after hours clubs and strip bars that are still open or we can gamble here at our hotel casino”. She chose the latter. We got dressed and headed downstairs. The casino was jam packed and still had a ton of energy. My wife found her machine and settled in gambling with that golden nugget money she still had and I posted up at one for the hotel bars.

I wasn’t in the mood to gamble but was more than entertained by the cast of characters I was surrounded by. Reminded me of the Star Wars bar. Just the oddest collection of weirdos you could find anywhere. Adding to this mix was the steady stream of EDC and other partiers returning from long nights and it was fascinating shit to witness to be honest. By 6 am I was buzzing and by 8 am I was borderline drunk arguing with some dude about Whataburger vs In-N-Out.

My wife found me around 8:30 and I asked her how she did with her slots. She told me let’s go eat and sober you up. In a nutshell, the Golden Nugget Louisiana money we brought to Nevada with us was kindly deposited into the South Point Casino, lol. She was playing with house money and now it literally was. We went to have the giant breakfast buffet and they served everything. Lord knows I tried to eat it all too. After eating we went back to the room, packed, checked out, and left our bags at the bellman station. We had a late afternoon flight and had one more stop to make.

Area 15

This was another new Vegas joint that opened end of 2020 that we wanted to see. I didn’t do too much reading about this place prior to our visit so wasn’t ready for how big this general area is. The entertainment complex is huge and consists of several buildings, artwork, and mixed use space. We spent a little time checking out all the art pieces outside before venturing inside the main Area 15 building.

Once you step inside you need to give your eyes a few seconds to adjust as you leave the bright Vegas sun and enter the darker environment that is Area 15. So how to describe this place… The Arts meet Virtual Reality meets Amusement Park is my definition. As we walked around looking at all the options, it dawned on us that there is so much to do just in this one building. I highly recommend going to their website which I have linked at the bottom of this post and visit with some kind of game plan (and budget). Entry is free but that’s about it.

The choices and options are plenty. There is some freaking awesome Virtual Reality stations and areas, an ax throwing bar, arcade, interactive golf experience, interactive art/mega mart, indoor zip lines, rides, and so many other things to do and experience. As for us, the arcade, golf, and some fresh ice cream was enough for this visit. We were short on time and wanted to check out at least one other building.

Army of the Dead – Las Vegas

This building caught my eye as we entered Area 15 so I told my wife I wanted to circle back when we exited. I had no idea that Army of the Dead was a real Netflix show or that it was filmed in Vegas or anything like that. All I knew from walking up is they had this cool ass taco truck outside and people were saying that part of the VR game experience was getting inside one and shooting zombies from it. Hell sign me up!

We walked in and my wife said she was scared because of all the creepy sound effects in the waiting area. She didn’t want to play the game but encouraged me to do so. My team would consist of this other dad and some 10-14 year old kids. We all took our mission seriously and would battle it out for the highest score. I thought I could win.

Once you get inside the taco truck, you have a wrist band communicator and you put on your VR headset. you select your weapon and the ride starts. Doesn’t take long before Zombies start coming out of the woodworks. It was kind of scary when they would actually make it to the taco truck and were hanging off the burglar bars trying to claw at you. I must say that this was a ball of fun and the sound effects and graphics were cool as hell. In the end, one of the kids won but it was close damn it. 😆

Time to go

It was now late afternoon and we went back to our hotel, grabbed our bags, and headed straight to the airport. We had done quite a bit in 48 hours and were ready to head back so my wife could close out her last 2 weeks of school. This trip was fun, it was funny, and provided us with a lot memories. And that’s why we continue to go on these journeys. They may not always go as originally planned, but that is what makes an adventure. Until next time Las Vegas!

Helpful Links and Maps

• Area 15
• Army of the Dead Experience

• Beer Park