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What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas…or does it?

View of New York New York and Excalibur from Hooters Hotel Las Vegas

Ah ha! Thought we will be revealing all we did in Vegas didnt you? Well…as they say, “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” or does it really?

Well first, let us give you the low down of how you can arrange your own trip to Las Vegas!

Planning

As we have mentioned in our post about “How to successfully plan your own holiday and vacation”, it is always important to plan early and plan ahead!

As usual, Kate did ALL the planning! But it is important to note these few points as they can really help you stretch your buck…

Hotels

Did you know that the price differs ALOT if you stay in the same hotel on weekdays compared to weekends? Prices can differ by as much as up to 50%! Usually, hotel rates are cheaper from Sundays to Thursdays (mondays to thursdays for some hotels) and the prices sky rocket over the weekends (for obvious reasons – weekend getaways!)

Also, there are many fabulous hotels that do not cost a bomb. Try searching for hotels in Vegas and list them according to price. You will realise that cheap hotels that have excellent hotel facilities do exist in Vegas. This is because they usually attract tourists with low priced stays and free tickets to headline shows so that you will spend at their “you know what”. So try to snatch those good deals but dont fall prey to “you know what”!

Car Rental

It is advisable to rent a car in Las Vegas, simply because walking in the hot Nevada sun is not what you want to do, especially in the summer months.

In addition, with the mobility of a transport, you can visit hotels and restaurants outside of the strip which Kate and I were able to do.

Plus, parking is usually free at the hotels!

You can do so by visiting the car rental companies online and look for cheapest rate available. Also, you can just pop by the car rental booths when you land at the airport. Booking online could be cheaper given that there are deals going on every now and then. You could also save the hassle of wondering whether there are cars in the cheaper categories available.

Btw, it would be good to download USA maps to your GPS so that you would travel easy as well.

Tour Packages

If you are visiting Vegas for the first time (and probably the last time if you are from a distant land), make sure you sign up for the visit to Grand Canyon/Hoover Dam! The prices are relatively acceptable and they offer you a hassle free option to visit these world-renowned locations!

Having given some tips before hand, this is the low down of where we visited…

The Lowdown

Kate and I landed at the McCarran International Airport and got the keys to our car at the car rental booth. It’s a breeze if you have booked it online in advance.

We tried several hotels this time round and spent our first night at Hooters Hotel…

Room at Hooters Resort Las Vegas
Room at Hooters Resort Las Vegas

The view from our room was awesome as well…

View of New York New York and Excalibur from Hooters Hotel
View of New York New York and Excalibur from Hooters Hotel

As it was the summer season, the water in the pool was exceptionally cold! We think it was purposely chilled to make sure that the guests were not chao ta (smelly dry or burnt in hokkien) under the hot sun…

Swimming pool of Hooters Hotel Las Vegas
Swimming pool of Hooters Hotel Las Vegas

After a nice refreshing swim and some drinks by the pool, we headed out to see the sights on the Strip…

M&Ms World Las Vegas
M&Ms World Las Vegas
Harley Davidson Cafe Las Vegas
Harley Davidson Cafe Las Vegas
View of the Strip - Paris and Planet Hollywood
View of the Strip – Paris and Planet Hollywood
Another View of the Las Vegas Strip
Another View of the Las Vegas Strip
Fountains of Bellagio
Fountains of Bellagio
Exterior of the Hooters Hotel at night
Exterior of the Hooters Hotel at night

We returned back and enjoyed the famous hot wings from Hooters

Yummy wings with Hot Sauce from Hooters Hotel
Yummy wings with Hot Sauce from Hooters Hotel

**After the first night in Vegas, we actually drove to California before returning back to spend a few more nights in Vegas. We will talk about LA,Hollywood and Santa Monica in another post…

The next day, we headed out to Hash House a Go Go to check out this restaurant as introduced by Man vs Food on travel channel.

Big O'crispy hand hammered pork tenderlion sandwich with Macaroni and Cheese on the side (Hash House a Go Go Las Vegas)
Big O’crispy hand hammered pork tenderlion sandwich with Macaroni and Cheese on the side (Hash House a Go Go Las Vegas)

For more about the whole experience, check out the entire post here.

The following day, we checked into the Excalibur (increasingly better hotel each day; and thus the cost)…

Room of the Excalibur Hotel Las Vegas
Room of the Excalibur Hotel Las Vegas
View from the room of the Excalibur Las Vegas
View from the room of the Excalibur Las Vegas

At this juncture, we should remind our readers to always try to “negotiate” with the receptionist for a better/higher room with a good view of the strip. They are almost always able to do so on weekdays and off peak periods when occupancy is low.

View of the pool of the Excalibur
View of the pool of the Excalibur
External View of the Excalibur
External View of the Excalibur

At various hotels, they have various affliation with shows about town. At the Excalibur, we were able to get half priced deals for the stand up comedy “Defending the Caveman”…it was pretty much enjoyable although we dont really recall much about the show today…really one of those shows where you want to have a good laugh and let your hair down…

Defending the Caveman by Kevin Burke
Defending the Caveman by Kevin Burke

The next day, we took the option of going to visit the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Along the way, there was an opportunity to visit the Hoover Dam as well…

Iconic Hoover Dam on route to Grand Canyon
Iconic Hoover Dam on route to Grand Canyon
Hoover Dam Sign
Hoover Dam Sign
Majestic Grand Canyon - South Rim's Widest and Deepest portion
Majestic Grand Canyon – South Rim’s Widest and Deepest portion

For more about what we did at the Grand Canyon tour, click here.

The last hotel we visited was the MGM. The best of the 3 hotels on our list this time round…

Room of MGM Hotel Las Vegas
Room of MGM Hotel Las Vegas

There was even a day bed in the room which added to the chic factor…

Spacious living space at MGM Hotel Las Vegas
Spacious living space at MGM Hotel Las Vegas

MGM Hotel has the best swimming pool on this trip to Vegas. It boasts of a 6.6 acre swimming area!! That is about 6-7 football fields!! We had an enjoyable time in the lazy pool and visiting different themed pools which was really cool…

On the way back, we were invited to rate an upcoming TV serial and vouchers were given to us in return. So we set down and were greeted by this…

Device to rate TV serials
Device to rate TV serials

It was really quite simple, all of us would watch the show (this time it was Hawaii Five O!) and rate it by turning the knob according the how good each part of the show was.

We recalled that the show was quite raw in that not all the special effects and sound effects had been added in. There were some parts that were quite boring as well (that was when we turned the knob to 0). However, the show eventually screened and is into its second season! 😮

Remember at the start of every MGM movie, there was a lion bursting unto the scene? These are his grandchildren at MGM!

Grandchildren of the original MGM Lion
Grandchildren of the original MGM Lion

We understand that they do not reside there but at a nearby facility and brought over to the hotel…

In the evening, we caught a magic show by Nathan Burton…it combined magic with comedy and was pretty much enjoyable.

Magic Show by Nathan Burton
Magic Show by Nathan Burton

On our last night, we enjoyed the famous fountain show at Bellagio…

Fountains of Bellagio
Fountains of Bellagio

For more details of the Fountains of Bellagio, click here.

Overall, Las Vegas is a great place to spend your holidays. Food and stays are relatively cheap and plenty of international shows and musicals abound. Just make sure that you limit your time at the tables and you’d surely enjoy the holidays at Vegas!

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Tour Options to Experience the Majestic Grand Canyon

Majestic Grand Canyon - South Rim's Widest and Deepest portion

There are actually several options to tour Grand Canyon…

But first, to whet your appetite, this is what you will get to see when you visit Grand Canyon!


Majestic View of Grand Canyon

South Rim Tour of Grand Canyon

This was the tour we took, primarily because it is usually cheaper and the weather is usually better on this tour to Grand Canyon. This tour also allows you to make a stop at Hoover Dam to take some picturesque moments before moving on to see the majestic Grand Canyon!

Majestic Grand Canyon - South Rim's Widest and Deepest portion
Majestic Grand Canyon – South Rim’s Widest and Deepest portion

The bus ride from Las Vegas was about 5 hours. Of course Kate slept along the way. I even got to snap pictures of her drooling!

Our first stop was at Hoover Dam.

Iconic Hoover Dam on route to Grand Canyon
Iconic Hoover Dam on route to Grand Canyon

The ride around the dam was amazing. It seemed as though you are transported into “Transformers” and imagine this futuristic structure (Hoover Dam does look futuristic doesnt it?) sitting right in the middle of a vast desert.

We also managed to grab a magnet at the souvenir shop there. Remember to take a picture with this Hoover Dam sign as well!

Hoover Dam Sign
Hoover Dam Sign

We were also told by our guide that Boulder City was actually built for the workers so that they could continue with the construction of Hoover Dam.

We made a stop over at the Grand Canyon visitor centre where visitors can watch an IMAX film of the Grand Canyon. We also had our chinese takeaway lunch here. Not bad for food out in the desert 🙂

Next was the Grand Canyon itself!

Grand Canyon – South Rim
Grand Canyon – South Rim

We were given 2 hours to walk ourselves. It was different. You get to find a spot, enjoy the vast range of the Grand Canyon and really just feel the tranquility. At times, you might even hear the call of the eagle!

West Rim – Sky Walk

The West Rim offers the world famous Sky Walk which is a horse shoe shaped platform allowing you to “hang over the cliff” of the Grand Canyon. With a transparent platform, you can have that feeling of walking over the Grand Canyon as well. We didnt choose this option because of the price and also mainly because Kate did not like the transparent floors. But Im sure visitors on this tour would have a great time as well. ______________________________________________________________

Other Options – Helicopter and Boat Ride

There are also other options to see Grand Canyon. The Helicopter ride offers you an aerial view and also descent into the valley whereby you can enjoy a boat ride on the famous Colorado River.

Of course, the helicopter ride, sky walk and boat ride will cost a little bit more.

However, whatever your choice may be, a visit to Grand Canyon will surely be one of your most memorable moments you’ll have.

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Things to do and Attractions in Las Vegas

View of the Strip - Paris and Planet Hollywood

There are so many things to do and attractions in Las Vegas! Let’s find out what are the things to do right here in Las Vegas! Las Vegas is really an amazing place and should be one of your places to visit if you havent been there. It is quite literally an oasis, an entertainment capital right smack in the middle of a desert!

There are of course many things to do (besides the obvious which we at 2bearbear.com do not advocate) in Las Vegas, so check out what we have recommended here…

1. Las Vegas Strip aka The Strip

Things to do and Attractions in Las Vegas
Things to do and Attractions in Las Vegas

The Las Vegas Strip itself has become an icon synonymous with Las Vegas. Affectionately known as The Strip, the main street in the city of Las Vegas boasts of many well known structures around the world such as the Statue of Liberty, Eiffel Tower and even the Pyramids. All these right in the middle of a desert!

2. Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon

If you are a fan of nature, the Grand Canyon will not disappoint. The majestic combination of ridges and ranges is a beautiful sight to behold. You can also have the option to walk over the Canyon @ the Skywalk or even descend to its valley via a helicopter tour.

3. Hoover Dam

Hoover Dam - Side Trip from Las Vegas
Hoover Dam – Side Trip from Las Vegas

The Hoover Dam is one of the most well known dams in the world. Having appeared in movies such as “Transformers” and “Superman”, it gives you a sense of familiarity. Yet you would be awe-struck by its sheer size.

4. Fountain Show at Bellagio

Fountains of Bellagio
Fountains of Bellagio

At the front of the Bellagio Hotel, there is a fountain that comes to life and dances with the music daily! Enjoy the spectacular fountain show that has captivated the many visitors to Las Vegas.

5. Good Food

Man vs Food Las Vegas – Hash House a Go Go and Nascar Cafe
Man vs Food Las Vegas – Hash House a Go Go and Nascar Cafe

There are so many buffets, good eateries and fine dining here in Vegas. Take your pick and you’ll be spoilt by the choices the city of Las Vegas has to offer.

6. Musicals and Performances

Banners of Musicals and Performances in Vegas
Banners of Musicals and Performances in Vegas

Not to be outdone by Broadway, Vegas regularly brings in international acts and musicals to be at the centre stage of Las Vegas. Remember to check out the discounted tickets and discounts from the hotels you stay with when attending these shows!

There are of course many other attractions and things to do in Vegas such as visiting the MGM (descendants of the world-renowned MGM lions – the one that roars when you watch movies), ridiculously huge swimming pools / man-made beaches (described in hectares!) and even rides such as that at the Stratosphere hotel!

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