What happens in Vegas…isn’t staying in Vegas!

We are spilling the tea on food, activities, accommodations, and all things Vegas. To be honest, we weren’t overly excited when Vegas was selected as the destination for a big family trip, but there was so much more than just casinos and nightclubs and we were pleasantly surprised. We found plenty to do, and even got ourselves a good nature fix too. So if you are heading to Vegas or considering planning a trip, read on!

As we’ve mentioned in our get to know us article Meet Zach and Lyss: Travel Enthusiasts and Adventure Seekers, Alyssa is a big planner. She gets this from her mom. So before this trip, just like all others, the two of them did a ton of research and put together a well rounded itinerary for the family. We didn’t quite follow the itinerary to a tee due to our brother/brother-in-law and sister-in-law’s flight getting canceled and them arriving a day late, but we still managed to fit everything on the itinerary in during our trip. We just had to do some last minute rearranging and cut out some of the free time. If you are looking for a sample itinerary for your trip, we have included ours for reference at the end of this article.

We will touch on most things in the itinerary in a bit more depth, so if you want to skip around, use the links below to navigate to the desired section.
Hotel
-Paris Las Vegas
Standout Dining
–Breakfast (Squeeze In)
–Brunch (Alexxa’s)
–Lunch (Yard House)
–Fine Dining (Edge Steakhouse)
–Cocktails (Vanderpump A Paris)
Attractions
–Stadium Swim
–Limited Time Attractions
–Wildhorse Golf Club
–Spa at the Linq
Nature
–Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
–Hoover Dam
Conclusion
–Sample Itinerary

*Disclaimer- We are not sponsored by or affiliated with any of the parties below. We have provided links for convenience, and do not receive any commission or incentives from them. These are our opinions solely based off our experience*

Hotel

After much research, we chose to stay at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino (https://www.caesars.com/paris-las-vegas). We chose this hotel based off a few major factors:
1. Location
2. Amenities
3. Price
4. Overall appeal
Location- The Paris Hotel is located right in the heart of the strip. It is convenient to so many other casinos, restaurants, and attractions, and within walking distance of the 3.9 mile monorail system that runs adjacent to the strip making it extremely convenient to get around. It is also across from the Bellagio with great views of the famous fountain show. As far as location goes, it is really hard to beat this spot.
Amenities- Like most hotel/casino/resorts in Vegas, the Paris Hotel and Casino has a ton of amenities. With pretty much every hotel in Vegas going over the top in this category, it definitely can be hard to distinguish one from the next, but we will give you the run down on the standouts at Paris. Of course there is a HUGE casino with slots, table games, and sports book. It also offer’s a fitness center, salon, spa, and pool. There are no shortage of restaurants, bars, and shops inside either. The most special attraction is of course the 46 story tall, half scale replica Eiffel Tower. You can go up to the top for an additional fee, but if you don’t want to drop the extra cash, it is still spectacular from the bottom. Something else that sets the Paris Hotel apart is that aside from all of its own shops and restaurants, it is connected to Horseshoe Las Vegas (https://www.caesars.com/horseshoe-las-vegas) with a mall like promenade in between. This provides access to infinitely more shops, restaurants, and attractions without ever leaving the building.
Price- The price of this hotel was honestly hard to beat. Of course prices vary based off events and time of year, but we paid around $50 a night most nights before taxes and fees. Neither of us can recall a time we stayed anywhere for that cheap.
Overall Appeal- Now don’t get us wrong, affordability is important to us, but we still have a taste for luxury. We want a hotel that is going to give a luxury experience and make us feel fancy (c’mon, who doesn’t?) and the Paris Hotel managed to do all that without breaking the bank. The entire hotel and casino gives off luxurious, chic, French vibes. The rooms were spacious and clean, with marble bathrooms, comfortable beds, and great views while sticking to the European theme. The lobby, casinos, and common areas were decorated beautifully and transported you right to France. And theres no shortage of upscale food and beverage options, with restaurants like Nobu and Vanderpump A Paris right on sight (more on this to come!).

Check out our viral video of the Paris Hotel Here: https://www.tiktok.com/@zach.and.lyss/video/7197567450844597546

Standout Dining

Speaking of Nobu and Vanderpump A Paris, lets talk dining. We love to eat and can be pretty big foodies, so finding quality restaurants was high on our list. We dined out for every meal, and after almost a week in Vegas, here are our top recommendations:

For Breakfast we loved Squeeze In (https://squeezein.com/). This restaurant is not located on the strip, but it came highly recommended. It’s a favorite to locals, and was even featured on Food Network. Let us tell you, it was definitely worth the hype. There is no shortage of options, and the food and drinks were out of this world. Zach got the giant Bloody Mary which came topped with bacon, a grilled cheese sandwich, peppers, olives, celery, and all the fixins. Squeeze in definitely gives casual, relaxed, diner vibes, so no need to dress up, and it also wont break the bank. It is the perfect laid back breakfast spot, and we would definitely go back!

For Brunch we found the best spot was actually right at our hotel; Alexxa’s (https://alexxaslasvegas.com/). They offer brunch daily from 7am to 2:30pm with a great selection of breakfast and lunch options. But what we loved most was the bottomless mimosas!! We actually enjoyed Alexxa’s so much we went back a second time. Apparently other people love it too, as Alexxa’s was voted best patio dining and best specialty cocktails in Vegas.

For Lunch our choice may surprise you, but it is in fact Yard House (https://www.yardhouse.com/locations/nv/las-vegas/las-vegas-the-linq/8353) located at The Linq. We know, we know, it’s a chain, and you can get it almost anywhere, but we don’t have it where we live so for us it was a first time dining experience and we loved it. The menu options are never ending, and honestly everything is delicious. We were expecting typical bar food, but were all surprised at just how delicious everything was. Their queso dip is honestly some of the best we’ve ever had. And we haven’t even gotten to the best part yet, the beer! They have over 100 beers on tap, and you can drink it out of a half yard glass. Come on now, that is pretty hard to beat! Plus their location is convenient, their prices are fair, and it’s a quick stop without long waits- perfect for lunch.

For fine dining our top pick was The Edge Steakhouse (https://www.westgateresorts.com/hotels/nevada/las-vegas/westgate-las-vegas-resort-casino/dining/edge-steakhouse/) located at the Westgate. It’s the number one rated Las Vegas Steakhouse on Trip Advisor and an Open Table Diners’ Choice Award recipient, but neither of these are actually what drew us to the steakhouse. If you’re anything like us, you not only enjoy posting and sharing on TikTok, but also enjoy using it as a resource and research tool for travel. And this is truly what sold us. After seeing how incredible the food looked, we had to try it for ourselves… and it did not disappoint! The service was top notch, the food was divine, and the overall experience was 10/10.

For Cocktails we thoroughly enjoyed Vanderpump A Paris (told ya we’d circle back) right in our hotel lobby (https://www.caesars.com/paris-las-vegas/restaurants/vanderpump-a-paris). We actually ate dinner here one night too, and not that it was bad, but you could skip it and wouldn’t be missing much in our opinion. The cocktails are definitely the star of the show here, and they are spectacular. One of our favorites was “It’s Raining in Paris- Spicy Hibiscus Sippers for Two Lovers”. We may have loved these because they came on a fancy drink stand, it may have also been in part because they are cheesy and romantic, but they also just tasted great. Spicy cocktails are some of our favorites, so these hit the spot. We worked our way through the cocktail menu throughout the trip and didn’t have a drink we didn’t think was excellent. It was so convenient and enjoyable, we loved stopping in to sit at the bar for a few drinks on our way out or at the end of the night. The atmosphere inside Vanderpump is immaculate as well. Everything is so posh and lush, there is no shortage of photo ops either. Even if you are not staying at the Paris Hotel, we would definitely recommend adding Vanderpump to your list.

Attractions

With SO many attractions in Vegas, it’s tough to know where to start or how to pick one over another. As far as casinos, it can be fun to walk through and experience some of the bigger and fancier one’s, but when it comes down to it, they aren’t all that different from each other. And of course the shopping is endless, but that can be done anywhere. We want to focus on a few of the more special and unique attractions.

We were lucky enough to catch the Hunger Game Exhibition while it was running at The MGM Grand. As Hunger Games fans, we thoroughly enjoyed this deep dive into the films and the interactive experience. Since it is no longer available, we wont get into all of the details on how awesome this experience was, but instead we’ll get to the point- find the special events, pop up exhibitions, and limited edition happenings. There is always something new coming to Vegas, and a lot of things are only available for a limited time. So see what special thing is happening during your visit and make time to see it, because it wont be available the next time you’re there. These limited time events are what make your visit special. You become part of only a small group of people that ever get that experience before its gone forever, and that’s pretty cool.

We also really enjoyed taking some time to do some traditional vacation activities like golf and the spa. But even though these were traditional activities, doing them in Vegas made them special, so we totally recommend. Vegas has no shortage of golf or spas, so when it came to selecting where we’d go, again, we did our research. The boys went golfing while the ladies hit the spa, so ultimately we each chose our own destination.

All of these attractions were great, but the thing we enjoyed most was getting away from the hustle and bustle and getting back to nature. Read on for our favorite part of the trip.

Back to Nature

We are nature lovers at our core, and will take an outdoor experience over an indoor activity nine out of ten times, which is why our day at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (https://www.redrockcanyonlv.org/) was our favorite. Before doing research for our trip, we had no idea something this beautiful was only 17 miles from the strip. But we are so glad we learned about it ahead of time, because our visit is truly what made our trip special and unforgettable.

If you are planning a visit, it is important to know before you go. It takes about a half hour to get from the center of the strip to the conservation area, but the drive itself is stunning. Once you arrive, you will see a large gated checkpoint with the visitors center and fee station. The Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area features a one way 13-mile scenic drive that is accessed via reservation. You have to do the entirety of the drive to exit, and you cannot access the trail system without doing the drive, so the drive and the reservations are necessitates. Reservations can be made ahead online and are only $20 a vehicle or $5 per person. Once you check in, you are free to begin the drive.

Both of us and Alyssa’a brother were able to complete the trail fairly easily, but it was a bit challenging for Alyssa’s mother who is in her 60’s. Even though she is in great athletic shape, does yoga daily, and walks 3-5 miles a day, some of the climbing and scrambling elements were a bit harder for her, and without the help of two large men, she would not have made it through. So keep that in mind if you have anyone a bit older or out of shape in your party. There were many points where you had to cross creeks or streams, climb up a steep cliff side, or work your way through a rock scramble. We both love the challenging parts and think it’s what makes a hike enjoyable, so we were happy to encounter some on this hike.

Along the way there were a ton of caves, cliffs, and viewpoints. The banding in the rock side was gorgeous, and the colors were so rich. You can definitely see why it is called “red rock”. To reach the very top, you do have to travel beyond the end of the trail, but if you need directions, its a popular enough trail that there should be someone else on their way back down to ask. When we finally made it to the top the views were breathtaking. You can scale your way out to the edge and see for miles and miles in every direction. On a day with good visibility, you can actually see all the way to the strip. The views in the pictures are stunning, but it doesn’t do justice to just how incredible this experience was. So if you’re in Vegas, we can’t recommend enough taking a day or two to get away from the strip and spend some time in nature. You won’t regret it.

The way back down was a breeze, and once we finished the hike, we enjoyed taking in the views on the peaceful, air conditioned drive around the rest of the loop with a crisp water in hand. Come along on our adventure here: https://www.tiktok.com/@zach.and.lyss/video/7199107088000339246

The Hoover Dam (https://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/index.html) was another favorite of ours. While the dam itself is not exactly nature per se since it is man made, the Black Canyon and Colorado river are, so we still count this as a nature excursion. This was another spot with unbelievable views, so when you’re planning your trip, carve out some time for a visit.

The Hoover Dam is about a forty minute drive from the center of the strip. To access any of it, you’ll need to pass through a security checkpoint. Once through, you can either book a tour, or explore on your own. As usual, we chose the self guided option.

On arrival, we explored the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge (Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge). We parked in the designated lot nearby, and made our way out toward the bridge. It has a pedestrian path that runs alongside the vehicle roadway. As you make your way out you’re met with gale force winds and the most incredible views. Hang on to your hats and any loose items, or you’ll be sure to lose them! And for anyone who is afraid of heights or even a bit claustrophobic, precede with caution. But for the rest of you, this is a view you wont want to miss. The bridge sits approximately 1500 feet from the dam, and is the highest and longest single-span concrete arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere. Just being on the bridge itself is a very adrenaline evoking experience.

After soaking up all the views, we head back to the car, and took the short drive to the dam itself. Of course we had to spend some time checking out the visitors center, which is filled with interesting exhibits on the dam. If you are interested in learning about how the dam was built, the purpose the dam serves, or any other facts, you can definitely learn it in here. It’s only $10 to enter, and all of the exhibits are really well done. Plus with your entrance fee, you get access to an observation deck to gain additional views of the dam. We recommend checking this out.

There are so many different viewpoints you can stop to enjoy and appreciate the dam from. One of our favorites was looking straight down the slope of the dam. From above, you can truly recognize just how impressive and mighty the dam is. But no matter what angle you admire it from, it is impossible to ignore the gorgeous natural scenery that surrounds the dam. The blue waters of the Colorado river and the jagged cliff-sides of the Black Canyon create the perfect frame. It’s a stunning scene and one we will never forget.

The Dam is a National Historic Landmark and has been rated by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of America’s Seven Modern Civil Engineering Wonders. If you are in Vegas or Planning a trip, set aside some time to see this stunner. Take a deeper look here: https://www.tiktok.com/@zach.and.lyss/video/7197618097505783086

Conclusion

Vegas can definitely be special if you make it that way. Take some time to find the hidden gems and shows/events that are only in Vegas for a limited time. Venture out off the strip, and find some time to appreciate nature. If you want your vacation to be meaningful and memorable, think about planning a well rounded trip rather than spending all your time and resources in one area. We hope this helps make your trip to Vegas as enjoyable as ours was. If you try out any of our recommendations, let us know in the comments down below! If you have any recommendations for us the next time we are in Vegas, let us know that too!

Here’s our original itinerary that included everything mentioned above and more. As we said above, we did have to alter and adjust as we went, but it is definitely a good starting point if you are looking for help setting up your trip.

Here’s to always chasing your next adventure, and doing it with someone you love by your side

❤ Zach and Lyss