Refreshed: September 2026
Vegas is an experience
Las Vegas is one of those cities people seem either to love or hate. I loved it!
Vegas is flamboyant, colourful, extravagant and completely over the top. The bright lights, enormous hotels, casinos, shows and seemingly endless entertainment make it unlike anywhere else I have visited. It really is a playground for grown-ups.
The Strip is where much of the action is, and this is where the big hotels seem determined to outdo one another. Bigger, brighter, more extravagant and more theatrical.
Walk along the Strip and you can find yourself in Paris, Ancient Egypt, Venice or New York without ever leaving Las Vegas. It is all completely unreal — and somehow that is part of the fun.
And you certainly don’t have to gamble to enjoy Vegas. I didn’t go there for the casinos. There was far too much else to keep me occupied.
There is no shortage of things to do in Las Vegas.
If you like thrills, you will find roller coasters, rides and attractions designed to test your nerves. If, like me, you sometimes prefer your excitement at a slightly gentler pace, there are plenty of alternatives.
A gondola ride at the Venetian is considerably more relaxing!
Then, of course, there are the bars and cocktails. It always seemed to be happy hour somewhere in Vegas, and I was very happy to join in. I loved the cocktails and could not get enough of them.
Vegas is also excellent for one of my favourite activities — people-watching. You don’t have to do anything. Just find somewhere comfortable to sit with a drink and watch Las Vegas go by.
If you have enough time, a trip to the Grand Canyon is also well worth considering. We did, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed.
The Fountains of Bellagio
One of my favourite sights was the Fountains of Bellagio.
We couldn’t exactly miss them because we were staying at the Bellagio, but even if you are staying elsewhere, I would make time to see them.
Watching those enormous fountains dance in time to music is quite mesmerising. There are now spectacular fountain shows in other parts of the world, but there is only one Bellagio Fountain.
It is one of those classic Las Vegas sights that still deserves its place on the must-see list.
A Little Vegas Shopping
Naturally, all this sightseeing had to be interrupted by a little shopping.
Well…perhaps more than a little.
I couldn’t resist buying a Prada handbag, while my friend bought herself a fabulous pair of Jimmy Choo shoes with six-inch stiletto heels.
For a brief moment, we felt like celebrities who had simply popped into Las Vegas to pick up a few urgently needed accessories.
As you do.
The Shows — and a Women Behaving Badly Moment
Las Vegas is famous for its entertainment, and choosing what to see can be difficult.
We went to see Cirque du Soleil. And then we went to see the Chippendales. I mean, I ask you!
For anyone unfamiliar with the Chippendales, think high-energy dancing, stripping, extremely gorgeous men and a very enthusiastic audience of young women. And then there was us — the over-29-year-olds!
We had seats in the third row from the front. One of my three friends, who, I should point out, was the person who suggested we see the show in the first place suddenly decided she didn’t want to sit at the end of the row in case she was called onto the stage.
This resulted in a brief “women behaving badly” moment while we negotiated who was going to sit where.
We had a fantastic time. And that is all I am saying.
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!
Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Another attraction I really enjoyed was the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.
The displays change with the seasons and are beautifully presented, with flowers, plants and elaborate installations arranged with incredible attention to detail.
Best of all, it is free to visit.
It is worth popping in even if you are not staying at the Bellagio because the displays are part of the fun and extravagance that Vegas does so well.
Dinner Above Las Vegas- The Stratosphere
One of the most memorable evenings of the trip was dinner at Top of the World, the revolving restaurant high above Las Vegas.
The restaurant slowly rotates, giving you changing views across the city while you eat. At night, with Las Vegas lit up beneath you, the view is spectacular.
There was also the SkyJump nearby.
No, I did not do it!
Getting up to the observation deck was quite close enough for me.
Instead, we continued the evening in a much more civilised fashion — drinking champagne and watching the lights of Las Vegas spread out below.
Now that was my kind of thrill.
Would I Go Back to Las Vegas?
Absolutely.
Las Vegas is ridiculous, extravagant, entertaining and unlike anywhere else. For a few days, you can simply enjoy the spectacle and accept that very little is meant to look or feel completely real.
Even the sky inside one of the shopping malls wasn’t real!
I went with friends, laughed a lot, drank cocktails and champagne, bought a Prada handbag, watched dancing fountains, saw Cirque du Soleil and somehow found myself sitting three rows from the front at the Chippendales.
What’s not to love?
Las Vegas really was our playground for grown-ups.
And yes — I would happily go back.
Have you been to Las Vegas? Did you love it, hate it — or, like me, simply give in and enjoy the madness?
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Awesome!
Thank you. You will love it in Vegas.
Sounds like fun! Did you meet any popular celebrities?
😀 Unfortunately only B lists celebrities!