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1st timer's in Sin City

Take me down to Sin city where the food is great, and the drinks are pretty. Or something like that. 

As the title states, this post is all about our adventures in Las Vegas when we first visited!

Where we stayed: Downtown Grand


We thought the hotel was pretty nice. When I book our hotels, the biggest thing I try to look for is cleanliness. I refuse to stay somewhere that is not up to par. 



This hotel was not only pretty well kept, but it also has some notable amenities. It is considered to be located in Downtown Vegas, very close to Fremont St. It IS NOT on the strip. Which we actually kind of enjoyed. This area has action filled nights within walking distance of the rooms, but it isn't the kind of place where you will be kept up all night due to all of the ruckus and commotion going on outside. 

They have a restaurant that has amazing food. It is called Freedom Beat. 

You have to get the deep fried twinkies. 


They also have a rooftop swimming pool. We didn't have time to swim due to the length of our stay and how many things we had planned. It did look very nice and inviting though. And of course drinks are available at the bar as well. 


Alright, alright, alright. While there are many other places to stay this was just what we thought fit our needs and budget the best. 


How we got around:

The Deuce bus

This bus travels up and down the strip and you can hop on and off as often as you would like

They have 24 hour passes, and multi day passes available

It is a great option if you are not staying close to everything



What we did:

The first day we woke up bright and early to get our fill of donuts. 

Donut bar is within walking distance from the Downtown Grand


They have awesome donuts and we would love to go back.

I got the "Homer" donut on the left. Seth got the "poptart" which had a full sized poptart inside. 


Also noteworthy is the bathroom art. 


After going for donuts we went to the Neon Sign Museum

The museum has a lot of cool old hotel signs and signs from Vegas's past self

It is very cool and a must see. 


Up next we checked out some Casino's of course!

The Cosmopolitan 

It is so beautiful. Checkout the crystals.







And of course, don't forget the selfie


The Venetian 


This hotel and casino has a beautiful water-way that you can take a gondola ride on. 

We didn't do the ride, but we did venture outside with a drink in hand. 




"Venice canals" in Vegas 


Although the outside is very pretty, the inside is also beautiful. This was probably one of the nicest hotels we went into.

Vegas is also known for all of its eateries. There is a million to pick from. 

If you haven't ever been to Vegas or that area of the U.S. I'm sure you have probably heard about In-N-Out Burger regardless. 


We had to go. 

It is a fast food burger chain out west. They have something called animal style fries. Get them.





 If you're looking for more "tourist" places to go, checkout Madame Tussaud's wax Museum.

The museum has many wax actors inside. One of our favorites was the scene from the "Hangover" movie. 





Also you can't go to Vegas and not eat at a buffet! 

We opted to stuff our faces at the Wicked Spoon!


Buffet prices are very hefty so be forewarned. It is a fun experience, and the wicked spoon had awesome options. 


As if going to a wax museum and eating at a buffet wasn't touristy enough, we had to go visit the dolphins and tigers at Siegfried and Roy's Secret Garden


It was neat to see the dolphins up so close. They performed tricks in the water, and had an underwater viewing area.



It has been a while since we visited Vegas, and this next stop has now changed it's name

It was once called "Jean Philippe Patisserie", but since then they have renamed the location to "Aria Patisserie" it is located inside the Bellagio 


It houses the worlds largest chocolate fountain. 


I mean, how could you not stop and see this beauty?


Next up is The Gold & Silver Pawn


If you don't already know, it is the place that "Pawn Stars" TV show is held!

You can buy or sell your own items here. 

While we didn't get to make it inside, it was still cool to look at from outside. Sadly they were closed when we got there. 



And last but not least, after visiting the pawn stars shop, don't miss the real flamingo's at the 
Flamingo Hotel


How cool?!


We also spent some time just wandering around the strip. You never know what you will see. 

We checked out the Bellagio fountains and watched them do their dances, we wasted some money on the slots, we stayed up very late and had drinks from random places along the way, we experienced Fremont street, we seen the million dollars at Binions, we had breakfast at Hash house a go go, and most importantly we had a blast!

We can't wait to go back to Vegas and see more of Nevada!


Hash House


Oh, and you need to try a big frozen drink! It is mandatory. 




























 

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