Our first full day of the trip and we had quite a bit planned. As with most of our trips to USA Cities we were planning on using an attraction pass to save money and make the most of our limited time. We were going to use one of our favorite Las Vegas pass options the Go Las Vegas Card.
We had a £-Day Go Las Vegas pass each and we were going to get straight into it as we had other things planned for later in the trip that were not included in the pass. We had also managed to get some elusive reservations to the legendary Sterling Brunch at Bally’s that we were really excited about. But to begin with, after our early night last night, and our messed up body clocks, we both woke super early, around 4-4:30 am.
Jet Lag!
There isn’t a whole lot to do in Vegas at this time. You could, of course, hit the casino, but we were not really in the mood for this. You could get drinking, but again, that wasn’t really our fancy before the sun had even come up. Food options are pretty limited. Nothing open but McDonald’s and a few other fast-food spots. So that’s what we did, grabbed breakfast at McDonald’s and wandered around the strip for a while. The Mirage’s grounds looking particularly stunning in the early morning sunshine. It is quite odd seeing Las Vegas so Quiet and Serene.
We had a show planned on the Las Vegas Go Pass for tonight and needed to be at the theatre to get tickets as early as possible. Being awake this early meant this was no problem at all! We decided the best option was for me to go for an early morning run to Planet Hollywood to get tickets while Kate organized things at the hotel and then grabbed us some good beds at the pool for some morning sun.
After running the length of the strip and back I stopped off at Planet Hollywood’s V-Theatre to get tickets for tonight’s show. Vegas – The Show.
Back at the pool, we had a few hours of relaxing. The weather was perfect, Clear, Sunny, calm, but not too hot, around 75-85ºF (25-30ºC). So we just kicked back and relaxed.
Eiffel Tower – Paris
First off on our Pass was the Eifel Tower at Paris. We are not huge fans of the Paris hotel (or the real Paris come to mention it) but the Eiffel tower is a hugely underrated experience. The view from the top is really quite astounding.
It took us about 10 mins of queuing to get to the top, which was fairly annoying as there was only us in the queue! Once up there the fairly small viewing deck gives one of the best views of the strip. 360 views let you see just about any part of the Vegas strip area and the views of the Bellagio fountains below are staggering. Watching them dance form up here was very special.
The reputation of this viewing deck is pretty poor, mainly as it is quite small and you are behind a wire mesh fence that obscures the view a bit. There are however cutouts that are just large enough to poke a camera lens out of and give you the unimpeded views you require. Selfie lovers may be disappointed however as the wire mesh makes a poor backdrop.
After watching the fountains a few times we headed back down in the glass elevator and headed over to Bally’s for brunch and the bodies exhibit
Attraction cost: $18
Bodies Exhibition at Bally’s
The Bodies Exhibit is not for everyone. It is a weird old thing, but undoubted fascinating. The exhibit was pretty quiet and we whizzed around taking in the incredibly and a bit spooky spectacle of real human bodies showing the intricacy and majesty of these works of art we all possess.
The clientele were quite varied from families to a group of medical students enthralled by the intricacy of the dissection. It really is a fascinating exhibit if you are not too easily freaked out. We think the $33 entry is pretty extortionate so the pass really helps out here as we would not spend the money otherwise but still enjoy the exhibit.
Attraction cost: $33
Sterling Brunch at Bally’s
As we mentioned earlier we had snagged reservations at the sterling brunch at Bally’s. This is Las Vegas’s most expensive and upmarket buffet. reservations can sell out the day they go live and can be really hard to come by. We actually missed the date we wanted which was pretty disappointing. We were going to try out luck with a walk-up but these are bar only and not guaranteed at all. However, with regular checking of OpenTable, we finally found a free slot and jumped on it straight away.
If you don’t know about the Sterling Brunch, it really is something to behold. It has a very limited selection but it is all top quality and restaurant-style food. Think, Fillet Steak, A-Grade Sushi (+Sake), Jumbo Shrimp, King Crab Legs, Stone Crab Claws, Fresh Oysters, Lamb Rack, Caviar, Beef Rib, Lobster Ravioli, and Eggs Benedict. It is a real feast.
On top of this, the Star of the show is the UNLIMITED Lobster Tails! Big, Fat, Juice Tails of lobster Broiled perfectly and served with drawn butter. It is the ultimate in Decadence. The only thing we could think of to make it better would be bottomless champagne…Which is also included. And we are not talking California Champagne but real French Bubbles! Our glass was never even close to empty with the waiter constantly on top of the refills whenever the glass neared the 1/3rd mark.
The Desert tray is also pretty fantastic with fancy little cake pops, pudding glasses and individual patisseries that were just divine and had the biggest chocolate dipped strawberries we have ever seen.
Their two signature dishes were a mixed bag. The Cheese Popovers are something special to most guests, but for us, they are just Yorkshire puddings, that we can whip up in our own oven. But their innocuous-looking Banana Bread pudding was simply stunning. A cross between French toast and Banana Bread, but smothered in banana toffee sauce it was the ultimate indulgence. We came to this late in the meal and were already very full, so regretfully only had a small amount but it really was something to behold.
We were now very full and had managed to down nearly a bottle and a half of champagne each, which helped us stomach the big downside to the Sterling Brunch. The bill. Between the two of this ran to $315 including tax and tip! Ouch. But where else can you possibly dine like this? It is a rare indulgence and something you must try once in your life! And really a bottle of French Champagne can cost that in most Vegas Bars!
Check out our full review here
Quite Drunk, feeling poor and very full there was little else to do but snooze the meal off under the Vegas sun by the pool. Before heading back to the room to get ready for our show tonight.
Vegas – The Show
The tradition in Vegas is dinner and a show, but with the amount, we shoveled away at brunch we were not going to need to eat for a few days so skipped dinner and just hit the Show.
Vegas the Show is a Variety Cabaret show performed in Planet Hollywood’s Saxe Theatre in the Miracle Mile shops. The Show is an Old-school Vegas show focusing on the artists and acts that made the vegas’ entertainment scene what it is today.
The show lacks some of the spectacular and awe-inspiring feats that the Cirque shows serve up, but it has a real nostalgic charm. Fans of the golden age of entertainment such as the rat pack, Elvis, Tom Jones, Tina Turner, etc…
It also features a few variety acts such as jugglers, Hula hoop performers, and a very very weird “physical Comedy act” which went down very well with the audience, but left us a bit …wtf! There are plenty of glitzy showgirl dancers and large-scale set changes and big dance numbers.
Overall it is a pretty decent entertaining show. We are not especially fans of any of the music or this style of the show but still found it engaging and entertaining throughout. If you are more into this type of music and performance it will probably be a real highlight. Even if you are like us and are not sure it will still be a fun night.
Following the show, we took a slow stroll back up the strip and took in the fountains at the Bellagio, before getting back to the mirage. We had $50 Freeplay from MyVegas so hit the floor to try and cash in on that. Playing the slot’s proved quite fruitless and we managed to convert our $50 free play into $10 real cash, which is pretty disappointing.
Attraction cost: $116
Las Vegas Go Card running Total
We are keeping a running total as we use the pass to show what value we are getting. On this trip, we intend to show just how easy it is to get great value out of the pass without really trying. We are focusing on relaxation and enjoying the city not tearing around doing everything we can, and still, we intend to save some serious cash with the pass.
- Day 1 : 3 Attractions $167
- Day 2
- Day 3
- Total Cost: $167
- Pass Cost: $215 (Bought with a 10% discount code)
- Savings: $ -48
As you can see even after one day we have nearly got the full value of the pass, and tomorrow we will easily reach the full price of the pass and beyond.
Live Blog – Trip Report
<<< Day 1 – Virgin Atlantic A330 Economy – Check In Mirage and hit the Town
Day 3 -Dolphins – High Roller – Zip Line – Senior Frogs – Mirage Buffet and Helicopter Tour >>>