THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY. A Rookie in Las Vegas. April 2011.
3400 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV, USA.
All flights are Departing and Arriving from Toronto, Ontario Canada. (Lester B Pearson International Airport. (Airport Code: YYZ).
All flights are Arriving and Departing from Las Vegas, Nevada USA. (Harry Reid International Airport. (Airport Code: LAS).
If you have never been to Las Vegas I suggest watching a move called, “National Lampoons Vegas Vacation” only AFTER you visit Las Vegas for the first time, not before and tell me if you can related to any part of that movie, because i sure did.
After finishing a contract job with a Logistics company, I was invited to go on a trip to Las Vegas by a friend. I was advised of the dates to book, the name of the hotel to stay at and given the airport code and told to book online and meet all 6 of them there.
I arrived at Toronto Pearson Airport on time checked in at the Airline desk, made my way through to passport check and had Had a unique interaction with US Customs officer;
US CUSTOMS OFFICER (Insert Southern USA accent): “Where are you heading?”
VEGAS ROOKIE: “Las Vegas”
US CUSTOMS OFFICER: “You headed to the Adult Playground of USA, the Disneyland for adults”?
VEGAS ROOKIE: “Uh..No, Im going to Las Vegas” ( didnt know that was las vegas nick name or people called it that- its my first time going)
US CUSTOMS: “Are you going to have some adult fun?”
VR: “No”
US Customs: “Are you going to be doing some gambling?
VR: “No”
US Customs: Are you scared?? (interrupt me), LOL. I almost made you say No 4 times in a row!” LOL. have a nice trip.” (hands me back my passport)
I boarded my flight at arrived at Las Vegas in the evening, picked up my bag and headed to the Taxi Cab Stand outside. It was like an assembly line of people and cabs pulling up and people getting in them one right after anther. My cab driver was a Somalian and didn’t seem to be to happy that night. I asked about the weather and if it rains a lot in Vegas. He answered in a sharp tone, NO! it only rains 3 times a year here.I arrived at the Mirage Hotel at night under the Ilumination of the Las Vegas lights. As my cab driver turns into the Mirage Resort being guided up the road by rows of palm trees on either side of the road leading you up the top of the driveway hill to the hidden oasis called the The Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas Nevada.
The Mirage Hotel 4 star AAA 4 Diamond Hotel. Their theme is Polynesian. With the palm trees and volcano in the front.
As step out of my cab to pay my $30 cab ride and stretch my arms/ back and wait for my luggage to be brought to me under a warm April spring air with palm trees whistling in the wind above me. As i take a moment and look at my surroundings. Im surrounded by palm trees, WOOOAAAW I’m finally here in Las Vegas.
It is a nice 4 star hotel, the front desk check-in is to your right once your enter from the lobby of the hotel with their colourful fish tank behind the front desk. The hotel was busy that night after checking in you have to walk through the casino floor past slot machines and a crowds of people with a bunch of young drunk 23 year olds welcoming anyone that walks by them with luggage in hand with a “welcome to Las Vegas” (claps his hands and keeps dances to himself.) to get to the elevators for your room. I had a standard king resort room.
I meet up with the guys who were already there from the day flight. I explained what happened to me and why Im so late. Weekends are extremely busy and people are everywhere on the casino floor on the strip/side walk outside its busy place to be. We decided to walk the strip at night stretch my legs after a long flight and long day my original morning flight at 10:30am was cancelled and had to wait 10hrs at the airport until the next direct flight at (8:40pm Toronto time) land and check in to my room around 11:30pm Vegas Time. As we walked the strip at night i was being coached and given of “Coles’ Notes” version of the Do’s and Dont’s being a Vegas first timer. I called it a night it was a long day for me.
The next morning woke up and decided to check out and walk through the Mirage Hotel and see what it had to offer. Cafe, restaurants were busy with lines ups. I headed across the street to a Wallgreens to pick up some essential food items like Jug of water, breakfast items, bagels, bananas muffins, booze to stock up on and take back to my room. After I ate, we met up and walked the strip this time walking through every hotel as it guides you like a mailman on his mail route, up escalators, walking across pedestrian bridges then back down escalators. through all the hotels on both sides of Las Vegas Blvd. We stop off for drinks, have a Mojitos then start walking again all the way to the famous sign “Welcome to Las Vegas” stood in line and took pictures in front of it and walked back down the strip.
For supper i had booked Chef Ramsay Steak at the Paris Hotel and it did not dissapoint. A la cart menu, had the beef tenderloin Filet mignon 10oz steak with baked potato and side of fried mushrooms with a pepsi. I could not believe the Customer service and attention to detail I experienced there. They basically waited on me hand and foot. Definitely worth a repeat visit.
After dinner i headed to take in a Magic show by world famous David Copperfield at the MGM Grand Hotel. My seats were table seats and up close. I enjoyed the show and i tried to figure out how the magic stunts were done. Later that night we all went off the strip to a bar called Ghost Bar at The Palms Hotel Casino got their by cab. It has a nice rooftop bar overlooking the city. Buying a round of Corona drinks for 6 guys burns a hole in your wallet quickly. We stayed awhile then when back to our hotel.
FREMONT STREET (DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS) THE FREMONT STREET EXPERIENCE: The Next day it was time to explore “Fremont Street” Downtown or old Vegas. We headed down to the gate “The Fremont Street Experience”: Its one long stretch of road called Fremont street with Hotels, Souvenir shop, Restaurants on ether side of it and its under a covered electrical canopy where you can go zip lining. The Hotels down here are much more budget friendly, The Golden Nugget, 4 Queens, Newly, built Circa and The D Hotel. There are FREE CONCERTS and Live nightly music to enjoy.
After heading back to the strip i decided to check out Mirage Adults only Pool called “Bare Pool”, It was very small set up, nothing special, a small rectangular shaped pool with pool chairs surrounding it and in the back is a Kontiki type bar for drinks. I didn’t stay to long and left. I tried to take a nap but could not sleep as my room was located across from the Volcano show the Mirage has and it erupts every 30minutes as people line up against the railing/sidewalk to take in the light and fire Volcano show. Later at night we and saw a Cirque du Soleil called KA’ at the MGM Grand Hotel. It was the most boring show, i must of checked my watch 3 times. The most thrilling part was when some Fabio look-a-like performer was on top of this gigantic hamster wheel and lost his balance/ footing and almost fell of it as there were loud screams from the audience. Save your money and dont waste your time seeing KA’ by Cirque du Soleil.
That night walked over to Planet Hollywood and hit up Gallery Night Club. Have to make your way up the escalators from inside the Casino floor to the top, pay cover and drink, dance and enjoy. There was a table of girls and one of my friends asked one of the girls how much was Bottle service and she said it was $5000.00 for a booth and bottle service. The craziness of Las Vegas nightclubs.
Our last day there was more low key a few guys went to check out the outlet malls, i stayed on the strip and checked out all the retail shopping malls, the Fashion Show Mall and Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood and Cesars Palace shops mall. picked up some souvenirs. We had a quick drink at RumBar at the Mirage on their outdoor patio along the strip and had a steak dinner at Heritage Steakhouse by Tom Colicchio also at the Mirage and last bar we went to located in the Mirage that night was King Tattoo Bar At the Mirage (across the hall from OAK night club. fun times.)
In closing, The Mirage Hotel has closed its doors for good now. It was very nice memorable 1st time stay in that Hotel and in Las Vegas and sad to see it go. They should of imploded it and rebuild it brand new from the ground up and kept it as the Mirage hotel brand, and re-marketed it as: “A New Mirage on the Horizon “-coming in Spring 2027” but that’s my own personal opinion and 2 cents on that. I don’t work for that company to offer any employee inputs or ideas, concepts. to help grown the brand organization/business.
Its being replaced by Hotel famously know for its wild youthful aged party animal atmosphere vibe hotel; The Hard Rock Cafe Resort & Casino, which was located off strip. Construction is well underway with an opening date of Spring 2027.
Woke up in the morning check out of the hotel cabbed it to the airport and left to come home to Toronto. Home sweet Home. :).
THE GOOD: As a first timer, the shock & awe got to me. i real enjoyed my stay. The weather was perfect. People are care free friendly attitude towards each other. All complete stranger but everyone is there to have a good time, relax and enjoy themselves.
THE BAD: Las Vegas is expensive from everyday sit down meals & drinks to overpriced cover charges and alcoholic beverages to retail shopping. Did not get a chance to do in what i wanted to do in such a short period of time.
THE UGLY: The entire traveling airport experience of getting there from the cancelled flight to the lengthly airport stop overs.
A special thank you and for more information about everything Las Vegas please visit: visitlasvegas.com
