Visiting Las Vegas, Nevada? Take a trip down the strip.

Planning a trip to LAS VEGAS? Below is a list of “Insider Tips” for things to see and do in Sin City.

A must-do in Vegas, especially for the first time visitor, is to see all of the hotels and casinos on the strip.  Each one is an attraction of its own, with its own theme. The shows in Las Vegas are also really like nowhere else in the world. One show I always take visitors to is Mesmerized- a hypnosis show. I’ve seen it several times and still am amazed every time at the things the hypnotist makes the audience do.

If you are looking for typical Vegas cuisine, I recommend the buffet at the Wynn. Las Vegas is the city of gluttony and this place is the ultimate in great food in exorbitant amounts. The buffet has just about every kind of food you can imagine – from Kobe beef burgers to pizza to sushi- and it’s all exceptionally well done.

Looking to get away from the bright lights of the city? Take a day trip to the Grand Canyon. No place can make you feel as small as this massive canyon in the middle of the desert.

Feel like escaping the Las Vegas strip? Take a side trip to the Grand Canyon.

Las Vegas casinos

When you come to Las Vegas, take your picture in front of every casino on the strip. 

Seeing a lot of gambling? Las Vegas is best known for its casinos. However, Las Vegas has plenty of other entertainment like the amazing shows for you to enjoy while you’re in town. Las Vegas is also host to plenty of trade shows during the year such as Luxury Travel Expo.

MIX lounge at the top of Mandalay Bay offers an amazing view of the Las Vegas Strip at night

Views of the Las Vegas strip at night

The observatory on top of the Stratosphere Hotel & Casino, the Eiffel tower at the Paris Hotel & Casino and the MIX lounge at the top of the Mandalay Bay offer an amazing view of the Strip at night.

If you feel like escaping the big city, there are plenty of activities and parks to see around Las Vegas. Just to name a few: Mount Charleston, Hoover Dam, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire State Park, Area 51 and the  Grand Canyon.

Have a daytime pool party atThe Cosmopolitan's Bamboo Pool.

The casinos on the strip are so huge you will do quite a lot of walking in Las Vegas, make sure to bring comfortable walking shoes. In case you are wondering, walking is definitely the best way to explore the Las Vegas Strip.

Las Vegas Museums
Las Vegas has a few interesting museums you might want to consider checking out while in town. The most popular ones are: Atomic Testing Museum, Las Vegas Natural History Museum, The Neon Museum and the Madame Tussaud’s Museum.

Enjoy a night out on the town? There are plenty of options to choose from and your dancing doesn’t only have to happen at night. There are some great daytime pool parties during the warmer months from April through October like Encore Beach at the Encore, Rehab at MGM Grand, and many others. At night, some of the most popular dance clubs are Tao at The Palazzo, Lavo, and XS.

One of the popular nightclub's on the Las Vegas strip is TAO at Palazzo

If you have some extra time you should go downtown and check out Fremont Street for a somewhat more local feeling of Las Vegas. View the Fremont Street Experience and other street performances.

Traveling with kids in Las Vegas

If you are traveling with kids, you might want to take them to the Adventuredome Theme Park at Circus Circus Hotel. If you are able to afford a big splurge, I think a better spend would be on one of the many Cirque du Soleil shows. I went to “O” at the Bellagio and it was fantastic!

What are your favorite things to do in Las Vegas, Nevada?

Thanks to Eran Ackerman, founder of  SmarterVegas.com for assistance with this post. Grand Canyon photo courtesy of Luxury Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown.

Posted by Nancy D. Brown

Last Spring Break, my husband and I decided to take a road trip with our two teenagers to the Grand Canyon with a two night detour to sin city. As I mentioned in my review on the Uptake Lodging blog, I let our travel specialist select our hotel based on budget and the fun factor for a 13 and 16 year old. What a mistake!

Here's my review of Circus Circus, Las Vegas, Nevada. By the way, we had a wonderful visit to the Grand Canyon.

It’s Spring Break 2008 and the kids are morphing into teenagers. Time is slipping away from us and there are so many places they haven’t seen. We selected the Grand Canyon for our roadtrip destination, with a two night stop-over in Las Vegas thrown in for a little glitz and glamour. I looked to my travel agent for a package deal on the Grand Canyon and a hotel recommendation for teens in Vegas.The travel agent’s Las Vegas recommendation; Circus Circus.

Family friendly, budget lodging is one thing. Chipped, run down furniture, a less-than-reliable elevator to the swimming pool and a screenless window looking down to the RV parking lot is another. My daughter and I flew from the Bay Area to McCarran International Airport as I had a couple of frequent flyer tickets ready to expire. We arrived early at the hotel and asked at check in if our room was available. Room 19743, located in the Skyrise Tower, was waiting to be cleaned.

My husband and son were mini-van bound and arrived that evening to join us. Fortunately, the hotel offered complimentary parking as well as a huge RV park. Unfortunately, the hotel was located on the northern edge of the Las Vegas strip.The closest restaurant within walking distance was a Denny’s with an hour long wait. We had no interest in dining in Circus Circus with its smoke filled lobby.

Billed as a family favorite since 1968, I suggest the Circus Circus Skyrise Tower is in dire need of a face lift. While the West Tower has recently been remodeled, our room was dated, the plywood entertainment center was falling apart and the lack of a screen on the bedroom window was alarming. My 16 year old referred to our accomodationas the suicide room, noting the easy access to the cold, hard concrete 19 stories below.

When I called the first night to ask about canceling our room I learned that our AAA rate could not be refunded because our travel specialist had booked our reservations in advance. Not only did we over-pay, we were stuck there for a second miserable night. When an on-line customer satisfaction survey arrived in my computer mailbox, I mentioned all of the above noted comments and checked the box that gave them permission to contact me. I never heard a peep from anyone at Circus Circus.

Have you had a lodging disappointment? Have you been contacted by hotel management after a less-than positive stay? My experience filling out the customer satisfaction survey reminded me of filling the forms out in the doctor's office and then having the doctor ask why you've come in that day.  Come on people. Why give us the form if you aren't going to read it!

An Interview with Luxury Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown

While travel writers criss-cross the globe in search of amazing adventures to share with our readers, we are actually a fairly tight knit community. I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting many of my fellow travel writers, yet we stay connected via Twitter, travel blogging networks, meet ups and e-mail. Often times I’m asked how I got my start in travel writing or to name some of my favorite destinations. Fellow travel blogger Guido van den Elshout recently included me in his Ten Questions series. The following interview appears on the Happy Hotelier and includes more information than you’ll ever want to know about me.

Northern California Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown in Carmel

1. Who are you?
I’m a wife and a mom to two teenagers (Kendall and Evan) living in Northern California. I write the “What a Trip” column for the Contra Costa Times Lamorinda Sun newspaper and the What a Trip blog. I’m the Lodging Editor at Uptake’s Lodging Blog (see Nancy’s posts here.) I’m also a public relations director.

Before kids (bk) I owned Brown Miller Communications, a public relations agency.

Currently, I live in the East Bay, 20 minutes outside of San Francisco with my husband, our teens and a yellow Labrador retriever. I love that we are surrounded by hills with cows mooing in the distance, yet San Francisco is only a BART ride away.

2. What do you like about what you do?
As a journalism graduate, I love that I’m paid to write about travel. I enjoy traveling, blogging, going to new places and meeting the people that make things happen in the industry. My kids have entered the independent stage, so they don’t mind when I’m gone for a few days. I have a dream job.

3. What don’t you like about what you do?
I’m sure this is a familiar battle cry, but travel writers and journalists, in general, don’t make a lot of money. I’m sad to witness the demise of quality magazines and newspapers.

4. Please tell us about your blog and your aims for it?
My “What a Trip” blog began as a place for me to showcase my freelance writing. The blog morphed into a resource for my newspaper readers and then reached a global audience when it was selected for Travel @ Alltop.

I enjoy attending events such as the Luxury Travel Expo, the Book Passage Travel Writers conference, as well as conferences like Blogher so that I can share what I’ve learned with my readers. It’s also wonderful to meet my online friends in person.

My goal for “What a Trip” is to contribute fresh, informative content while increasing traffic and RSS readers. It’s also time for me to accepting advertising on the blog.

Northern California Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown in Anchorage, Alaska

5. Your top three destination experiences you’ve ever stayed to date and why?
Switzerland was a magical trip for me. During a summer tour of Europe while I was in college, we arrived in the mountain village of Wengen at night. The next morning I opened the hotel shutters and there stood the magnificent snowcapped Jungfrau. With cows grazing in the distance, their bells clanging to the rhythm of their hoofs, I vowed to return to this paradise with my future mate. It should be noted that I didn’t have a boyfriend at the time. However, I did return to Wengen, Switzerland to celebrate our one year wedding anniversary.

I read in a glossy travel magazine of an Alaskan fishing lodge that served the guests warm chocolate chip cookies upon arrival via float plane. Pointing to the dreamy picture in the magazine, I said to my husband, “We should try that!” Several years later, when we could financially afford the trip, I was disappointed to hear that Within the Wild Lodge Owners Carl and Kirsten Dixon had sold Riversong Lodge. We met new owners Randy and Robin Dewar and had a fantastic fishing weekend. I am hooked on Alaskan fishing lodges.

Give me a warm Pasteis de Belem tart from Lisbon, and I’ll return to Portugal in a flash. As a San Francisco area native, I marveled at the similarities with this coastal, cosmopolitan city. Late fall is an ideal time to visit. Save time for a Eurail day trip to the charming town of Sintra where a UNESCO world heritage site awaits your fantasies of what a European castle should look like. In a word: charming.

6. Your top three accommodations you’ve ever stayed today and why?
The Tu Tu Tun Lodge in Gold Beach, Oregon is a family run resort on the Rogue River. It’s got it all; gorgeous grounds, great fishing and jet boating, amazing food and friendly staff. I need to get back there.

St. Helena, California’s Wine Country Inn oozes romance. Perhaps it was my in-room massage overlooking the vineyard that set the stage. Then again, it could have been the bubble bath in the bathroom with the surround sound speakers and stained glass window streaming rainbow colors over the tub. But it was probably the breakfast in bed room service that put this family-owned inn at the top of the romantic list. Any day in wine country is a good day in my book.

In doing this interview, I’m noticing a theme of family run properties. Mendocino, California’s Alegria Inn is no exception to the rule. Owners Elaine and Eric Hillesland make every trip to the Inn and Cottages special. The property is located within easy walking distance to the historic village of Mendocino with some rooms offering ocean views. Perhaps the most memorable part of my stay at the Alegria was the fact that I came home with a bed from the Inn. Not just any bed, a Flobed made in nearby Fort Bragg.
As a travel writer, I sleep around a lot. This eco-friendly natural latex mattress had me at hello or should I say, good night? My husband and I love our Flobed mattress. Both of our teens covet the mattress but custom beds don’t come cheap. Until I win the lotto, the prince and princess will have to sleep with the pea in the mattress. By the way, the Princess and the Pea is a Hans Christian Andersen fable for anyone wondering about the reference.

7. Your top three most memorable food experiences to date and why?
The Sardine Factory in Monterey, California is a special occasion restaurant located off Cannery Row. We were seated in the arboretum, surrounded by glass windows. The sommelier came over and helped us select a bottle of pinot noir. We had the signature abalone bisque and I had the best piece of swordfish I’ve ever tasted. They brought a sorbet palate cleanser between courses that was served in a swan ice sculpture. After sharing a chocolate lava cake we had a flaming coffee drink for dessert. It was served tableside and everyone was looking at the waiter as he lit our drinks on fire. The waiter and sommelier called us by name all evening. It was very decadent, but as you can see, I remembered every detail. It was fantastic.

Some 20+ years ago and my boyfriend, now husband, and I were backpacking through Europe. A Parisian magazine editor and his wife befriended us and took us to this neighborhood bistro in Paris for a typical French meal. We had steak tartar, pommes frites, haricots verts and a wonderful Beaujolais Nouveau. I still have the label from that bottle. The meal and the company were magnifique.

Café Beaujolais, situated in the tiny coastal village of Mendocino, California is like a cat with nine lives. Opened in 1969, the Pitzenbarger family lived in the upstairs of the house & served dinners. In 1977 Margaret Fox turned the cozy bistro into a culinary destination and eventually added a bakery. The restaurant landed in the hands of loyal customers Steve and Ashley Jenks in 2000. Current Chef David LaMonica and co-owner Kristy Bishop purchased Café Beaujolais in 2006 and continue the tradition of organic produce and locally sourced food.

I love Café Beaujolais for its homemade soups and breads. If I lived in this town, I’d be waiting at the back door of the brickery like a galavanting hound dog returning for his daily meal.

8. Your 3 worst destination/ accommodation/food experiences to date and why?
Home to Christopher Columbus, Genoa, Italy is not a friendly town. My husband and I had slept through our train stop and when we awoke, we were in Genoa. Assuming this was a Mediterranean beach-front town; we hopped off with our backpacks and started looking for cheap lodging. During our visit in 1986, I remember the place as dark and not at all friendly to tourists. I couldn’t interpret anything on the menu at the café and our waiter was not happy with my questions. Finally, I ordered what I thought was seafood pasta; instead I received a small plate of tiny fried smelt. We also learned that the beach access in the town is by private club entrance. Somehow we managed to get to the beach and were reprimanded at every place we tried to place our towels. After one night in Genoa, we were happy to return to the train.

Last spring break we decided to visit the Grand Canyon via Las Vegas with our teens. I decided to use a travel agent for this trip as I was not familiar with Las Vegas. She recommended Circus Circus. What a mistake. Our room was in the older tower with paper thin walls, aging furniture and a screenless window looking down to the RV parking lot. My daughter jokingly called it the suicide room because of the easy access out the window. We attempted to visit the swimming pool and were temporarily trapped in the elevator.

Unfortunately, we were booked here for two nights and when I tried to cancel the room, which was priced at rack rates, I was told this wasn’t possible because we had booked a ‘discount’ package from our travel agent. Our location on the strip was horrible and the closest dining was a very crowded Denny’s restaurant with a long wait. Lady luck was not shining on us in Vegas.

I landed in the hospital one time when I contracted Campylobactor from a dim sum restaurant. Looking back, our positive travel experiences have greatly outnumbered the bad times. Afterall; travel is an adventure and one never knows what waits around the bend.

9. Can you offer the readers 3 travel/ food / accommodation / things to do tips about the city you are currently living in?
Born and raised in the Bay Area, I consider San Francisco my city. My friend Wendy Perrin of Conde Nast Traveler magazine asked for layover recommendations while in San Francisco. For foodies, I recommend a Wok-Wiz Chinatown tour with Shirley Fong-Torres. For those preferring Italian, GraceAnn Walden offers Mangia North Beach walking tours. Take a cable car to Fisherman’s Wharf and stay at the Westin St. Francis on Union Square. See my post Say Yes to Airport Layover in SFO.

10. Any Question(s) you’d expected me to ask that you would like to answer?
As the mother of two teenagers I thought you might ask why it is important to keep young adults traveling. While many youth in our community have passports, I feel these documents come with a responsibility to represent our country; open our eyes to how others live and to give back to communities we visit. Mission trips are an affordable way for teens to experience different cultures without iPods and cell phones.

Kendall, Cory, Nancy and Evan Brown vacation in central Oregon

Kendall, Cory, Nancy and Evan Brown at Paulina Plunge, Central Oregon