Viva, Las Vegas! One of my favorite cities in the United States! I always love visiting “The Vegas” and this time, was no different! Dan and I planned a trip to Sedona and the Grand Canyon (more to come about that trip later!) and when booking our flights out West from Orlando, the best location distance and driving time-wise was to fly in and out of Las Vegas. We originally thought to fly into Las Vegas (3 hours from Sedona), visit the Grand Canyon, and fly out of Phoenix (3.5 hours from GC to Sedona). After pricing out our rental car picking up in Las Vegas and then dropping off at the Phoenix airport, the cost was much more than picking up and dropping off in Las Vegas. We decided to do the following plan:

Day 1: Orlando– Land in Las Vegas/ Drive to Sedona

Days 2 & 3: Sedona, Arizona (2 Nights in Sedona)

Days 4&5:  Grand Canyon (2 Nights in Grand Canyon)

Day 6:  Las Vegas (1 Night in Las Vegas)

This plan worked best for us, and while it may not work for everyone, it worked well for us being able to see and do everything we wanted within the time frame that we had.

If you are looking to do something similar and only have 1 or 2 days in Las Vegas, this itinerary is for you! You can see the sights within a short period of time. I definitely am a firm believer in a visit to Las Vegas all on its own, but even getting to visit for a short amount of time is better than nothing. ;)

Day 1: Fly from Orlando into Las Vegas: If you are flying from the East Coast like I did, you are in luck! The earlier you depart from your home airport, the earlier you’ll arrive in Las Vegas, thanks to the 3 hour time change! We left Orlando for Las Vegas at 9 AM (EST) and arrived in Las Vegas at 12:30 (PDT). Dan and I flew via Southwest to Las Vegas. Masks are currently required in all airports and on the plane. You are allowed to remove your mask to eat or drink snacks or beverages. Southwest gave out a snack mix and their own cookies for their snack and a cup of water for their beverage. You cannot get coffee, soda, or alcohol on flights right now. You also cannot bring your own alcohol onto the planes. You are allowed to bring your own food and nonalcoholic drinks to enjoy while flying. I definitely recommend doing so, especially if you have a long flight and don’t want to get hungry.

Once we arrived, we picked up our baggage and headed for the Car Rental location. Las Vegas airport’s Car Rental is off-site, so you will be required to take your bags to the Car Rental site shuttle. From there, they will drop you off at the large rental location and you will pick the booth that you used to rent your car from. We usually book with Sixt, or whatever is cheapest. Definitely stick to reputable companies that you know are credible. We picked up our car, but before we left Las Vegas I had an agenda!

The first stop on our mini Las Vegas tour was lunch at In-n-Out Burgers! Have you had them before?! If you haven’t, you are MISSING OUT. This is the best fast-food burger I have ever had. It rivals all restaurant locations that I’ve ever eaten a burger from. If you’re looking for a location near the airport or car rental location, this is the location for you! Masks are currently required inside the restaurant until you sit down at a table or eat outside.

A great In-n-Out Burger Location is: 3882 Blue Diamond Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89139

We stopped at this In-n-Out and it was super convenient because it was in a plaza with a Target. Since we were planning to hike in Sedona and the Grand Canyon, I knew we would need a ton of water. We decided to make a short stop at Target to pick up water and some snacks for our trip. This In-n-Out was a great spot to not only eat, but to shop without having to spend too much time before leaving Las Vegas.

After fueling up with food and caffeine (Bless you, Target Starbucks), we did what everyone has to do when in Las Vegas- Visit the Las Vegas sign! Located about 10 minutes away from this In-n-Out and close to hop on the interstate to Sedona, I wanted to make a stop with Dan since he had never been to the sign before! Masks are not required to be worn since you are waiting outside. You do wait in a line that is socially distanced, but it is your decision on if you want to wear one while waiting or not.

Fabulous Las Vegas Sign Address:5200 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89119

You can actually put in Google Maps “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign” into your directions and it should pull it up right away! Keep in mind there is not really much shade when it comes to standing in line, so bring something to keep you cool and wear sunscreen! This line can get long depending on the time of day, but when we visited around 3 PM, it wasn’t too busy. There is also someone there that will take your pictures for you if you’d like. You can tip him a couple of dollars and he’ll do an entire photoshoot for you (lol) I just wanted a couple of standard Vegas sign photos and we were on our merry way!

Fun fact:  In 2014, Clark County installed three “solar trees” which provides enough solar-powered electricity to keep the sign lit throughout the night. You will see the trees while standing in line. It is so cool and great to know that they are working to be more environmentally friendly.

Another “‘Must Visit” that isn’t too far from Las Vegas, is the Hoover Dam! The Hoover Dam is about 40 minutes from Las Vegas (with traffic). The Hoover Dam sits right on the Nevada/Arizona state line and is an easy stop on the way to Sedona or the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas. Due to COVID, The Hoover Dam was actually closed when we were driving through, which I was super disappointed to read. I had visited back when I was about 12 years old and Dan hadn’t been since he was really little, so we wanted to see it again. However, at the time of this post (10/21/21) the Hoover Dam is reopened to the public. People are able to access all open areas and visit the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge plaza and walkway. The visitor center will remain closed with no tours or exhibits available.

The Mike O’Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge is  also known as the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge. The walking path is accessible from the Nevada side of the bridge and has gorgeous views of the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and the high walls of Black Canyon. To reach the walking path’s parking area, proceed as if you are driving to the Hoover Dam, not the Bypass Bridge. The walking path turn off is clearly marked, parking is free and there are portable toilets available. (Note: The walking path is ONLY available once you get through the Hoover Dam security checkpoint. If at any time the Hoover Dam closes again, you will not be able to access it. I didn’t realize this until we got up to the checkpoint and saw the “Closed” signs along with many other cars that were stopping to turn around. If you turn around, continue to drive just about 1 minute and look to your right. You will see a little driving path that you can go up outside of the security checkpoint. Take this driving patch up to the top. You’ll see a small car park which has great views of Lake Mead! Even if you plan to go to the Grand Canyon, I definitely suggest stopping at this little car park to get out and see Lake Mead. It’s was so beautiful getting out and looking down on the lake.

Driving directions from Las Vegas: Take US 93 South toward Boulder City. Once there you will have two ways to get to the Dam. For the quickest route, at Buchanan Blvd. stay on US 93 (to the left) and follow the signs to Hoover Dam.

After our short stop at the Lake Mead lookout point since the Hoover Dam was closed, we were on our way to Sedona for the next 2 nights followed by 2 more nights at the Grand Canyon! You’ll be able to read more about that itinerary soon!

After our visit to the Grand Canyon, we woke up early to head back to Las Vegas. The drive from Grand Canyon Village back to Las Vegas is about 4 hours. We made sure to fuel up on coffee before the drive back. Since we had stopped in Williams, Arizona on the way TO the Grand Canyon (more on that soon!) and had found a cute coffee shop there, we drove about 45 minutes back to Williams (it’s on the way back to Las Vegas) to stop for coffee at Brewed Awakenings. The coffee is SO good. Dan and I always love visiting local coffee shops in the new cities that we visit, so we were happy to come back here. I highly suggest leaving as early as you can from the Grand Canyon if you plan to have a good amount of time in Las Vegas! Note: If you are leaving the Grand Canyon and you Google “coffee,” you will come upon a place called Kick Ass Koffee. This is located inside a gas station and it’s not a legit coffee shop that you think it may be like Google shows. Trust me, we learned the hard way. ;)

We arrived back in Las Vegas about 1 PM! Our first stop was to Seven Magic Mountains! Seven Magic Mountains is colorful public artwork exhibition located in the desert outside of Las Vegas,  featuring seven, 30 to 35-feet high dayglow totems made of painted, locally-sourced boulders. Seven Magic Mountains was intended to be taken down in 2018, but the Bureau of Land Management issued a three-year permit for the display to remain through the end of 2021. If you can visit by the end of 2021, I totally recommend it! You don’t need a ton of time to visit these mountains, so if you have half an hour to spare or want to do something easy during the day in Vegas, put this on your list! Keep in mind, it is VERY hot. There is no shade when you visit here, so wear sunscreen. You are walking out in the middle of the desert to see this, so be careful where you step! We saw some snake holes that of course were scaring me! If you want to visit at a  time when it’s not too busy, aim for sunrise! We were there during the middle of the day, so it was busier than I would have wanted it to be.

There is no admission fee to visit Seven Magic Mountains. It is free and open to the public. Thre are no restroom facilities or other amenities at Seven Magic Mountains. Make sure to bring water with you when you visit and prepare for hot, dry conditions. Make sure to wear sunscreen, bring a hat, and other protective clothing. Masks are not required since you are outside and are definitely able to socially distance yourself since this location is so large and spread out.

Address: S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89054 (From Vegas: Follow I-15 S to Sloan Rd (exit 25). Turn left (east) to Las Vegas Boulevard. Drive approximately 7 miles south on Las Vegas Blvd. and the artwork will appear on your left (east).

After our visit to Seven Magic Mountains, guess where we stopped for lunch again- the SAME In-n-Out Burger! I am not even joking nor ashamed to admit it, because it is SO good. And while I would love to have In-n-Out in Florida, it’s probably for the best because we would be going all the time haha! We purposefully picked the same location we had stopped at when we arrived in Las Vegas because we knew it was in a good area, the restaurant was big inside so we would have a better chance at getting a table to eat at, and there was a gas station right nearby so that way we could refuel the car before turning it back in the next day. We always like to fill the gas tank up first because it seems to be cheaper than having the car rental company do it for us.

After In-n-Out, we headed to check in to our hotel for the night! We stayed at the beautiful Cosmopolitan Hotel right on the strip! I LOVE this hotel. From the theme, the location, and smell of the hotel (yes, smell lol) I have now stayed here for the 4th time and plan to come and stay here in the future! Originally, I had booked a City Room with 2 Queen Beds. Apparently, luck was on our side (we should have gambled while we were there!) and we got upgraded to a Terrace Studio Room! I was SO excited!! The Terrace Studio has a King Bed with a large, luxurious bathroom that includes a full-size tub. These rooms also come with an oversized private terrace with great views of the city. I had never had a room like that when staying there before, so I was loving the upgrade! Currently, covid protocols require you to wear a mask in all public areas of the hotel. You still have to visit the check-in counter to get your room key and information. You will receive a “Covid Kit” upon arrival in your room that includes 2 disposable masks and hand sanitizer. Rooms are sanitized thoroughly between each guest visit. Room service is currently suspended and housekeeping only visits to bring items upon request. They will not clean your room each day until you check out.

Check out this sunrise the morning we woke up before our flight! Gorgeous!!

After dropping our things into our hotel room, we headed down to the main lobby area of the hotel. The Vesper Bar and Chandelier Bar are my favorites inside the Cosmo. Because of COVID, you must wear your mask all around the hotel when inside in the public area. Usually, you are able to pick any seat that you would like, but right now, all areas are roped off and you must visit the hostess stand that has been temporarily set up around each of the bars. They will take you to your seat and show you where to sit to help with social distancing. Now here is where things get interesting. Dan and I visited the Chandelier Bar in the late afternoon (around 3:30) There was not a host at the bar, so we were able to walk up and seat ourselves. Once at our table, we took off our masks before even ordering our drinks and receiving them. We went back to the same bar that night before going to dinner (around 8:00) when it was much busier and there was a hostess to show us where to sit. That hostess told us that we had to keep our masks on until we had actually ordered and received our drinks and then could be removed. It was just a little odd considering we had just been there and that was not what we ever told to us. It could depend on who is working and enforcing the rules, so just keep that in mind!

After our afternoon drinks, we decided to leave the hotel and walk on the strip a little bit before heading to dinner. The Bellagio Hotel is right next door to the Cosmopolitan, so we stopped to watch the fountain show! The fountain show is every 30 minutes from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM and every 15 minutes from 8:00 PM to midnight Monday- Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, the fountain show is every 30 minutes from noon to 8:00 PM and then every 15 minutes from 8:00 PM to midnight. If you get there early before the show, you can get a great spot to watch. It only lasts a couple of minutes, but was fun to watch! While it was pretty to see during the day, I love watching it at night too. It is definitely a sight to see!

After the fountain show, we kept walking towards Caesar’s Palace (which is right next to the Bellagio). I knew I wanted to visit the Vanderpump Cocktail Garden again located inside Caesar’s Palace, and Dan was such a good sport to go with me! This hotel is also requiring you wear masks inside all public areas. Since we got to the Garden around 4:15 and it had only opened at 4:00, we had no problem getting a table. We were seated right away, but currently, they have their own mask policy they are enforcing- you must keep your mask on at ALL times, even when you have a drink. We had to take our mask on and off to drink our cocktails, and while I wasn’t a fan of doing that (I try to minimize the amount of times I touch my face/mask when I have it on), it was still great to be in the Garden. If you are planning to order food, as soon as the food touches the table, you can take your mask off. This policy was only if you were drinking at your table and not eating. We did sneak a quick picture though since we were far enough away from other tables. ;)

Dan and I knew that we didn’t to break the bank on our last meal on our trip. I usually plan everything including all meal reservations but decided to wing this one, so our options were limited with what was available for reservations on Open Table. I found a reservation for Cabo Wabo (which is across the street at Planet Hollywood located right on the strip!)  We had one more drink at the Chandelier Bar and headed out to the strip for some yummy Mexican food. Planet Hollywood is also requiring masks to be worn at all times, including inside Cabo Wabo. You can take your mask off as soon as you get to your table.

I mean, is there anything more beautiful?!

One of my favorite places inside the Cosmopolitan Hotel is Eggslut! They have the BEST egg sandwiches. Usually, the lines get SUPER long, so if you are planning to visit, keep that in mind. Dan and I had such an early flight the next day, we got to Eggslut as soon as it was open(7 AM) and were the first in line! Soon after, things started to pick up and the line was growing! The Bacon Egg and Cheese sandwich is SO good with their cold-brewed coffee. If you have time to stop here, it’s so good. It makes for great hangover food too, ;)

As of October 21st, no shows or night clubs are currently open. We purposely picked a late dinner so we could walk around on the strip and have a drink before going back to our hotel room for the night. Since all shows and clubs are currently closed, your options are limited as to what is available in the evenings. We didn’t gamble on this trip, but that is available at mostly all hotels with social distancing and plexiglass in place to help with that. I love Las Vegas and would visit again in a heartbeat, but if you are wanting the full “pizazz” of Las Vegas with shows, nightclubs, entertainment, etc, you may want to wait a bit! Shows are selling for 2021, so it’s hopeful that things will start to return soon! With fewer crowds, it is still a wonderful time to visit!

Love and Travel Dust,

Molly