VIVA LAS VEGAS
The casino capital mightn’t spring to mind when planning a honeymoon, but what it offers in vice it matches in luxury and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, discovers LEONIE CORCORAN.
Leonie Corcoran falls in love with the casino capital
From airport pick-ups in your own limo to private Maverick helicopter tours over the Strip after dark, Vegas does glitz and glamour like no other city. Combine a visit with a road trip from Phoenix to Los Angeles or coastal road trip a long Highway 101 from San Francisco, and Las Vegas becomes part of an ultimate honeymoon experience.
Whether you drive into the city on Interstate 15 or fly into McCarran International Airport, the sight of Vegas rising from the Mojave Desert floor shows why the neon-lit Strip is a monument to unbounded imagination. What started as a playground for the workers on the Hoover Dam, Las Vegas today is unapologetic in its excesses. Sure, some of it might be cheesy and even tacky, but Vegas is the kind of place where, if you embrace the kitsch and accept the city for what it is, you can’t help but have fun.
WALK THE STRIP
To get your first impressions of the Strip – a packed 4.5 miles of Las Vegas Boulevard – walk it. Start at the Bellagio fountains, where 1,203 nozzles mean water dances 460 feet high in concert with 4,500 lights and music ranging from opera to pop. Inside the Bellagio, wander beneath Chihuly glass sculptures to marvel at the floral displays.
Along the Strip, top music stars flash on billboards at every moment – entertainment is unmatched and nightly shows are as diverse as Cirque du Soleil, Celine Dion, Lady Gaga, Bill Maher or risqué comedy with the cast of Atomic Saloon. Even just walking through casinos like the Flamingo, which was opened in 1946 by mobster “Bugsy” Siegel; New York, New York; Paris; or Caesars is entertaining in itself. On the casino floor in Caesars is the newly opened Vanderpump Cocktail Garden, which is a must for any fans of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Book a table to sip elaborate cocktails in an equally elaborate setting, overlooked by photographs of the reality star with her family and dog (of course).
FOOD ON THE STRIP
The food offerings on the Strip can be as mesmerising as the Strip itself, so one of the easiest ways to navigate it is by handing over the reins to someone else. Lip Smacking Foodie Tours, owned and managed by Donald Contursi, introduces guests to four of their favourite restaurants on their “Savors of the Strip” tour ($199 per person), which means you’ll be served 12 signature dishes in four of the city’s most glamorous restaurants. Start in Bardot Brasserie for escargots, king crab Caesar and avocado tartine, accompanied by a French 75 cocktail of gin, champagne and lemon.
Move onto Julian Serrano Tapas, voted Best Tapas in Vegas, before visiting Greek fish restaurant Estiatorio Milos and finishing with desserts – limoncello panna cotta, cannoli and hazelnut cremoso – by Wolfgang Puck in Cucina.
Alongside celebrity chefs, who seem to have taken over Las Vegas, all-you-can-eat buffets still endure, and the king of breakfasts is the Wicked Spoon buffet in The Cosmopolitan ($41 per person). Arrive early to avoid queues and expect endless individual dishes as diverse as any palate.
NEVADA NATURE
Being immersed in a neon playground means it is easy to miss the nature Nevada has to offer. If you don’t get as far as the Grand Canyon, visit Bootleg Canyon 20 minutes from town. The area is home to an internationally renowned mountain bike park, and zipline company Flightlinez (advance booking advised) will bring you along nerve-wracking trails high into the canyon and strap you onto three impressive ziplines to whizz you back down. The longest is just short of a mile, so be ready to buckle in, sit back and enjoy the views… you’ve really got no choice!
VISIT VENICE
Back on the Strip, it’s possible to visit New York, Paris and Venice in one day. While the former two are impressive, Venice is mesmerising with its architecture, lightly clouded frescoed blue skies and meandering canals with opera-singing gondoliers. The luxury continues upstairs – all bedrooms in the Venetian are suites, all furnished with plush beds, electric blinds to block out the neon lights, and Roman tubs. The only thing you need to remember is your room number… you’ll be one of 4,000.
QUIRKY SITES
As well as replicated European cities, Vegas has a number of quirky museums. Favourites include The Mob Museum, which documents the worlds of Al Capone and Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, and The Neon Museum, dedicated to preserving neon signs. Another “quirky” site is the National Atomic Testing Museum. Between 1951 and 1963, over 100 nuclear bombs were detonated at the Nevada Test Site and mushroom clouds were often visible as postcards proclaimed Las Vegas the “Up and Atom City”.
HEAD DOWNTOWN
Beyond the Strip sits Downtown Las Vegas, the city’s “old town”. It’s a slice of Sin City that parties hard, but maintains a strong and unique sense of identity. Officially known as 18b Arts District (it was originally just 18 blocks), it’s a hub of creativity and colour off the main drag of Fremont Street. Grab a drink at the historic Atomic Liquors, Vegas’ oldest freestanding bar, or dive bar Corduroy. Also make sure to visit Downtown Container Park, an outdoor mall made up of 40 disused shipping containers transformed into restaurants, indie fashion stores, cocktail bars and a small wedding chapel.
WEDDING BELLS
Speaking of weddings, there’s always someone getting married in Vegas, and the place to do it is in the Graceland Wedding Chapel by co-owner Brendan Paul. He is the city’s best known Elvis impersonator, loves Ireland after spending his honeymoon here earlier, and is 100 per cent guaranteed to win over any cynicism you might harbour about 15-minute wedding ceremonies. If you haven’t tied the knot before your trip, make sure you get your paperwork done before the ceremony to make it legal. And if you have, it’s never too early to renew your vows. After all, what would Vegas be without Elvis and a wedding? For more, see visitlasvegas.com.