This August is just a total whirlwind of travel. We’ll cover the basics of our trips, and give greater detail on the big trip of the month: Yellowstone for the Solar Eclipse!
First up, a three day adventure in Vegas. We’re not going to delve into this trip, because Vegas is Vegas. Pretty much everyone has been, and it’s super easy to get cheap deals for Vegas. We will list the major items from this trip:
Airline: Southwest (Non-stop from BWI to Las Vegas on one of their new planes – nice!)
Hotel: Elara (Hilton Grand Vacations Hotel, same place we stayed for our wedding, and a very nice option located in the middle of everything). WHOA! Our room this time was waaaay better than last time! Gorgeous spacious living room with a projector and television, full kitchen, large and comfortably equipped bedroom and bathroom with a fab-you-luss whirlpool Jacuzzi tub! Yaaaaaaas. And considering we paid a whopping $199 total for three nights (because we had to attend a timeshare presentation), we scored big time.
Spa Day: We opted for the Aria’s spa. We indulged in a couples’ aromatherapy massage ($240 per person after tip), which allowed us have to all-day access to the spa facilities on a weekend day (Aria guests can buy a day pass every day, but non-guests have to get a treatment to get a day pass for weekend days). The massage was delicious, but the rest of the facilities really made it worth the price. And the price was pretty standard for Vegas Strip Resort Spa options. The infinity pool over the Liquid Lounge (Aria’s pool complex) was the perfect place to relax in the shade – necessary for delicate flower Jess, who doesn’t like pools in the sun. The coed facilities (pool, Japanese hot stone beds – ah maze ing!, salt rooms, lounge with snacks and refreshments) were lovely. And the single gender spaces included three Jacuzzi tubs (various temperatures), red cedar sauna, steam room, showers, and lounge with television and snacks/refreshments were very spacious and comfortable. With two or three couples, this would make a really amazing all day hang out.
Our only wish was that they’d allow food and alcohol service in the spa. If they did, we’d never have left! Also, if you want to pony up the cash (2 treatment per person minimum, plus $75 per hour with a three hour minimum), you can get a spa suite, where food and beverage service is possible. It’s something we’ll consider for our next trip.
Meals: We didn’t go crazy on this trip.
Brunch at Hex: Paris Hotel. Huge Portions (which is why it’s expensive). Pretty darn tasty.
Lunch at a Mexican restaurant in North Vegas: too far off the beaten path for a tourist to visit.
Lunch at Pink’s Famous Hot Dogs: Planet Hollywood. An LA tradition. Horribly slow. Totally worth the wait, particularly if you love hot dogs and chili dogs.
Dinner at Gordon Ramsay Steak: Paris Hotel. Very tasty, and a weirdly sexy atmosphere. It’s not a fine dining establishment per Vegas’ standards, but the food was excellent, albeit expensive.
In-N-Out: Yes. Yesyesyes. There’s now a location on the Strip, but we went to the good old location on the far side of the 15 Freeway and Tropicana. Be prepared for a line no matter what time of day. And, yes, it’s totally worth it.
Tourist Activities:
Circus 1903: Super cute, but only in Vegas for a limited time. The crazy human tricks are not nearly as crazy as Cirque (except the Contortionist, who was ridiculously awesome), but the story and theme are charming, and it was a very pleasant way to pass two hours.
The National Atomic Testing Museum: This was a great little museum, full of information about something that turned out to be far too relevant in August 2017. Thanks, Trump. $22 for adults. Make sure you don’t skip the video room portion, which really brought atomic testing to life!