Las Vegas, Nevada
March 21-23, 2014 -- I recently visited Sin City for my friend's bachelor party weekend and my other friend's March Madness gambling weekend. After flying out to Las Vegas from BWI on Southwest Airlines and admiring the Grand Canyon off the right side of our westbound airplane, I landed at McCarran International Airport and took a bus that conveniently dropped me off very close to The Signature at The MGM Grand where I stayed with my friend from the Maryland suburbs of D.C. and his friend from the Virginia suburbs of D.C.
They were mostly at Planet Hollywood gambling on the NCAA college basketball tournament. I joined them for a bit and it was smoky and loud and not the kind of place I wanted to spend too much time in. Something else I observed right when I got off the plane -- Vegas really wants you to shoot machine guns. There are advertisements all over town to shoot not only machine guns but other weapons. One ad even offered a burger. Bullets and Burgers! Because the cool new activity after Newtown is shooting guns? Right. Then as I was departing Vegas I noticed The Gun Store also advertising Shotgun Weddings. So not only does Vegas want you to shoot machine guns, but get married with shotguns! This place is Wayne LaPierre's wet dream.
My friend who was having his bachelor party drove from Los Angeles with friends and they were staying in downtown, or Old Vegas on the Fremont Street Experience. Apparently Old Vegas used to be really run-down and seedy and while it is kind of crazy with a lot of "real" Americans, they did a good job cleaning it up and adding tourist attractions. It is still the more desperate and blue collar side of Vegas compared to the glitz and glamour of The Strip.
On Saturday night we watched Michigan State basketball in the Detroit Room at the D Hotel and Casino and then had an expensive steak dinner before heading to Sapphire strip club for some lap dances.
The next day was a relaxing pool day where we enjoyed the amazing sunny and warm weather before heading back to the snow in D.C.
Sunday night we saw a show called "Fantasy" at The Luxor which was really entertaining.
The next day I had to wait for hours at McCarran International Airport because my flight was delayed because of a minor mechanical problem. Once in the air it was a smooth and fast flight back to BWI and then a Super Shuttle ride home.
I did win some money playing the slots at the airport. The best slots are at Gate C at McCarran Airport. I had the best luck with Diamonds of Athens.
It was one of my best trips to Las Vegas. Sin City never ceases to amaze. What a town!
Here are more pictures: