leave the door open to las vegas
I’ve been to Las Vegas numerous times, but this trip was special because I took my mommy! After being in the house for more than a year, we decided it was time to blow off some steam and dip back into the world of travel. What better occasion than seeing Bruno Mars? The ultimate performer and my future stepfather (if my Mom has her way).
Per usual, we started the trip with a Delta flight. Despite all of the chaos that’s ensuing in the air right now, Delta got it right and got us off the ground with only an hour delay despite a flat tire. Though it was a 4hr nonstop flight, there were no meal options in any class. I do like that they’re encouraging keeping masks on, but I am getting tired of the lack of food options when you’re paying for a premium class ticket.
We decided to stay off the strip to limit the chaos of large scale on the strip hotels. The Home 2 Suites Convention Center was an excellent option. It’s very convenient to the actual strip (less than a 10 min drive in light traffic) and easy to get an Uber to/from. Uber and Lyft were a bit expensive, wirh surging in full effect, so be sure to check both because the rates can be different.
The Home 2 Suites offered great accommodations, a happening pool area and even a bar. There were many amenities and the rooms would be perfect for families. Also, travel tip, they pay your Uber to/from the airport because they don’t have a shuttle.
It’s important to note upfront, Vegas is offering ZERO COVID precautions. No social distancing and a honor system regarding mask usage for the non-vaccinated, in addition to full capacity everywhere. If you have COVID anxiety, this is not the place to visit currently.
Our first stop after the airport was to drop our luggage at the hotel and pick up my mom’s scooter. She has mobility challenges and Red One Scooters is a lifesaver! Quick and easy delivery at an affordable rate ($40/day) while also offering free pick up and delivery. If you have any reason to rent a scooter, I highly recommend them.
After we were settled, we headed out for lunch and to explore. We ended up at the Miracle Mile shops in the Planet Hollywood Casino. Exploring the casino was fun and a great way to kill time until our room was officially ready. We had lunch at PBR, which was a solid American fare option for a quick bite. However, there are so many great options to eat in Las Vegas, I recommend checking out something else.
After touring the shops and getting a custom box of cereal from the nostalgic spot, Cereal Killerz, we partook in a few delicious slushy drinks from Fat Tuesday’s to combat the HOT weather, we ended the day having cocktails by the hotel pool.
Refreshed from a great evening of sleep in the comfortable beds at the Home 2, we started the day with brunch at Egg & I. The Home 2 offers a complimentary hot breakfast bar from 6-10AM, but we wanted to get out and enjoy something different. Egg & I was a great off the Strip breakfast choice. The menu was delicious and fast and you can save your place in line via the Yelp waitlist. I was also excited to find out this place has Cincinnati, my hometown, ownership. Try the homemade banana muffins, you won’t be disappointed.
We spent most of Saturday doing sight seeing from our Uber. Vegas reached record highs of 118 degrees while we were there and it was just too hot to do a lot of walking. We drove through historic old Vegas and I was able to capture great videos. Our Uber driver warned us the area can get a little sketchy and unsafe after dark, so plan accordingly and keep your head on the squabble. We came across a new adult playground called Area 15, home to Meow Wolf. I would definitely visit upon returning as it looked like a perfect eclectik find.
Finally, it was time to head over to the Park MGM theater for our reason to visit, Bruno Mars! My mom is a HUGE Bruno fan and this birthday trip surprise was the trip of a lifetime (her words, not mine).
The hotel is the revamped Monte Carlo, with many upgrades. We picked a happening weekend to attend, with not only the concert, but also the McGregor/Poirier fight occurring. We had planned to have dinner before the show, but missed out. Note, make your dinner reservations EARLY at the Park MGM. The day of the concert everything was packed and there are no great fast options. After getting turned away at the Bavette Steakhouse, we settled for a quick bite from Side Betty Grill and a pre-show cocktail at the Juniper Lounge.
It was finally time for the show and I have nothing but great things to say about the Park MGM theater. It is a very cool venue with no bad seats in the house. It offered excellent acoustics and great service. They were very accommodating for ADA requirements. After finding out we were celebrating a birthday, they gave my Mom a card and wished her well. The tickets were expensive, but if you have the option and like to drink, the preshow reception is a great add-on buy since cocktail prices start in the $18 range.
After hanging out and enjoying Bruno’s delcious rum, SelvaRey, it was time for the show. Bruno locked up all phones and was very strict about the policy so I have no footage. However, Bruno Mars is an incredible performer! I was sleeping on the original Hooligan for real. He put on a 2+ hr live jam packed show. Played instruments, danced, even threw in a Purple Rain guitar riff (swoon). He was funny, engaging and kept the crowd on their feet. Surprisingly, I actually loved that he took our phones, it was nice to completely be in the moment and for him as an artist to feel he had creative control to do whatever he wanted. The concert was definitely worth the price of admission. After the show, we didn’t have an issue getting an Uber back to our hotel and passed out from exhaustion (and likely all those preshow cocktails).
Sunday, after a leisurely wake up, I created a pre-brunch cocktail, the Bellini-ish. Then we headed to the Linq Hotel for brunch at Hash Hash a Go Go. This place offers “twisted” farm food and was scrumptious. They had a very long wait, but an efficient system, so put your name on the list and kill the time walking around. We decided to go the tourist route after brunch and checked out the Bellagio fountains where I had the pleasure of meeting up with a family member. We then doubled down and visited Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum. It was a bit lackluster, in my opinion, with many statues looking very dated. The best part was the air conditioning, because Strip walking was wayyy too much. I absolutely earned and enjoyed my second frozen of the trip.
We did a bit more sight seeing and souvenir purchasing and then it was time to head back to the airport. Despite having a redeye flight, the airport was chaotic and TSA precheck closes at 10ish so it was a whole mess getting through security. We made it through, and to our flight, with no major issues. As we were waiting for the plane, a severe thunderstorm with actual rain broke. This is INCREDIBLY rare for Las Vegas and no one was prepared for it. Luckily, it didn’t impact our flight and we made it home unscathed.
Bruno has added a few dates to his residency at the Park MGM so if it fits your budget and schedule, I highly recommend the experience.