Las Vegas has always been a popular business and leisure destination for me and every visit confirms the city’s status as one of the most exciting to be found anywhere. The city bills itself as “The Entertainment Capital of the World,” and is famous for its luxurious and extremely large casino-hotels together with their associated activities. It's a top three destination in the United States for business conventions and a global leader in the hospitality industry, claiming more AAA Five Diamond hotels than any other city in the world. Today, Las Vegas annually ranks as one of the globe’s most visited tourist destinations. The city's tolerance for numerous forms of adult entertainment earned it the title of “Sin City," and has made Las Vegas a popular setting for literature, films, television programs, and music videos.
Twenty-nine domestic and international carriers serve the Harry Reid International Airport and things are looking up. Through July of this year, more than 29.1 million passengers have either arrived or departed Reid Airport, a 45.1 per cent jump over the same period last year, when many international restrictions were still in place. About 256,000 international passengers passed through Reid Airport in July, up almost 300 per cent from last July but still down from July 2019's 335,000. Through July of this year, there have been a little less than 1.3 million international passengers, down from 2.2 million through the same period in 2019. Reid Airport has recovered the best among the world's twenty largest airports based on percentage of pre pandemic seat capacity, according to global travel data provider OAG, which produces a monthly airline frequency and capacity trend statistics report. "Most of that is driven domestically," claimed Joseph Rajchel, the airport's public information administrator.. "We've just seen that domestic demand has been incredibly strong. Airlines are finding ways, trying to get more seats here, more opportunities to get people here. We have airlines looking to serve those underserved or not-at-all-served smaller markets and creating those opportunities to get people to Vegas. What we know to be true is, the easier it is to get here, the more likely people are to come.”
Whenever we come to town, the Bellagio is our hotel of choice. At thirty-six stories tall and home to nearly 3,300 rooms and suites, the Bellagio is a staple in a number of famous Vegas movies, including the 2001 Ocean’s Eleven feature film. In addition, it hosts several Michelin Star restaurants, boasts a botanical garden, a conservatory, a twelve-acre lake equipped with 1,200 fountains, and a gallery of fine art. Understandably, the Bellagio has been listed as a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. Inspired by the Lake Como town of Bellagio in Italy, the hotel, resort and casino triumph over the strip with the lavish light, music and water-fountain shows choreographed to a variety of songs like the Broadway hit “One, Singular Sensation” and Sinatra’s “Fly Me To The Moon.” We’ve never had a bad room at the hotel with my favorite being the Premiere King Room located in the Bellagio Tower. It features a handmade king-size Sterns & Foster Mattress crafted exclusively for Bellagio. The bathrooms are outfitted with a stunning array of natural stones, including granite, marble, and mother of pearl. Taking the place of the traditional bathtubs are oversized showers featuring open doorless entries and beautiful marble throughout. I find these rooms to be peaceful oases amid the very lively and very bustling city of Las Vegas.
One of the highlights of our visits to the city has always been an excursion to the Forum Shops at Caesars. This upscale shopping mall is connected to the Caesars Palace Hotel and, measured in terms of sales per square foot, is the highest grossing mall in the United States. In fact, it’s got higher sales per square foot than Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. The Forum Shops include one hundred fifty-seven retailers and among them are many high-end boutiques as well as a number of gourmet restaurants and taverns. The best part of visiting the shops is watching the Fall of Atlantis Show in front of the Cheesecake Factory which takes place on most days every hour between 11:00 AM and 11:00 PM. This is one of the finest free attractions in Las Vegas. During the show, a set of nine-foot tall animatronic statues, each containing more than four hundred moving parts, appear to come to life and tell a story amidst simulated thunder and lightning. This spectacle never disappoints and is a tribute to the imagination and technical skill of its creators.
What’s a trip to Vegas without gambling? For me, that would be like going to a restaurant, but not eating. The city’s one of the most iconic destinations for gamblers anywhere in the world. There are many casinos across the country where you can try your luck but if you’re planing to gamble in Las Vegas, you’re jumping into the big leagues. It’s the city’s bread and butter and every hotel has seemingly endless rows of slot machines and tables which can often be overwhelming for first timers. The bright lights and abundance of gamblers sitting at tables can send you running to your room for comfort instead of giving it a shot. People appear to know exactly what they’re doing, but that isn’t always the case. There are plenty of players who are completely unaware of how to strategically gamble and are losing money even as you’re watching them. Don’t be intimidated by all the hoopla, just jump in and have fun. I usually try my hand at blackjack and roulette and follow my “golden rule,” which is to put aside a certain amount of money per session and once it’s gone, so am I. But there’s nothing like a win at the tables in Vegas. It’s exhilarating! Besides gambling and the plethora of world-class restaurants, the city is well known as one of the best places to catch a show. We've enjoyed any number of them as Vegas offers everything from family-friendly performances to concerts, Broadway-style productions and those with more decidedly-adult themes. Check out what’s currently being offered at this Web site.
As an avowed AvGeek, I’ll never forget the thrill of the Grand Canyon helicopter tour we took one afternoon. There are many tours to choose from but we selected Maverick Helicopters. We met our pilot at Signature Flight Support, a Fixed Base Operator (FBO) at the Las Vegas Airport. Once onboard, we headed southeast towards the Nevada-Arizona border and flew directly over the iconic Hoover Dam. In the early Twentieth Century, the US Bureau of Reclamation devised plans for a massive dam to tame the Colorado River and provide water and hydroelectric power for the developing Southwest. Built during the depths of the Great Depression, this dam is one of America's national treasures and a popular sightseeing attraction. As we continued our journey, we enjoyed panoramic views of Lake Mead and the Mojave Desert as we headed toward the Grand Canyon. We also had a great views of Temple Rock, which is a unique formation on the shoreline of Lake Mead and Fortification Hill, an extinct volcano.
Entering the Grand Canyon, the ground seemed to drop away. Our group flew for over ten miles through this geographic marvel, staring in wonder at the stunning shapes and brilliant colors of the surrounding canyon walls formed over eons. Soon, we descended to land some 3,500 feet below the rim on Hualapai Indian Territory. Here, champagne, beverages and light snacks were served some three hundred feet above the mighty Colorado River atop Maverick Helicopters' private bluff deep within this natural wonder. Flying back through the Grand Canyon, we had a chance to view the red rock formations of the Bowl of Fire and ended our adventure in the skies with an exciting flight right over Downtown Las Vegas and the world-famous Strip. It was an unforgettable afternoon!
If you’ve had an opportunity to experience the wonders of Las Vegas, let me know what you liked best. If not, be sure and plan a trip to this exciting southwestern city that never seems to disappoint.
Until next time…safe travels.
You covered all the highlights George - Vegas is certainly unforgettable!!!