Vegas, Baby!

This past weekend Nate and I went with my brother, Wade, and his girlfriend, Lindsey, to Vegas for a quick, 48-hour trip. Nate's been to Vegas several times, but for Wade, Lindsey, and I, it was the maiden voyage. We had a wonderful time gambling, eating wonderful food (in large quantities), enjoying the spa and the pool, and doing some phenomenal people-watching. A few things I learned about Vegas are that the hotels and casinos are beautiful and worth visiting; the food is incredible; the pools and spas are luxurious and worth spending all day at; and the city lights at night are pretty fantastic.

The trip itself was fun and exiting, but the flights there and back, not so much. On Saturday morning, Nate and I missed our flight by 5 minutes (the one time in my life a flight has left on time or early), but we lucked out and got another flight that left only an hour later. Our flight back to Dallas on Monday was suppose to be only three-hours which would put us home at 12:30 pm. Somewhere around 12:20 our pilot told us we were detouring for an emergency landing at an air force base in Wichita Falls. Apparently we had a faulty fuel gauge, and the pilot thought it was unsafe to keep going without having it checked out. This "quick stop" turned into a three hour wait and we didn't land in Dallas until 4:00 pm. I'm all for safety and thankful we made it, but needless to say, we were very ready to get off the plane!

All in all, had a great time with my husband, and I love our trips and adventures we are able to take. I'm so thankful that we have so much fun, laugh together and truly enjoy being with each other. We walked away with a little bit lighter pockets, a sunburn, and some funny stories. I would say more, but you know what they say... "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" :)

We did a lot in a short period of time, but here are my list of "MUSTS" for Vegas:

1. Bellagio fountains - They start at 8:00 pm every night and go until 10, and the show put to music is breathtaking.

2. Visit as many hotels on the strip as possible. Each hotel has something different and special about it - whether it be restaurants, themes, or casinos, and they're all very unique. I would also suggest staying on the strip; you get more for your money and you can walk everywhere.

3. Eat big! We ate at Emerill's steakhouse at The Venetian, and it was incredible! It was pricey but well worth it as Nate and I both said it was the best meal we've ever had.

4. "Aquavana," the spa at The Venetian. It's only $20, and you get to enjoy the spa amenities all day without having to pay for a service. All of us went, and even the boys enjoyed it!http://www.canyonranch.com/spaclub/las_vegas_nv/spa_treatments/aquavana/

5. Spend an afternoon at a hotel pool. The pools at the hotels on the strip are amazing. The Venetian pool had a beach, three pools, two bars, a restaurant, and beautiful layout gardens. On top of this, the people-watching at is hilarious - you'll never see such a conglomerate of people anywhere else.

The last thing I would suggest that we didn't get to do is see a show. I know the shows are amazing, and there are so many to choose from. However, if you do a show, make sure you stay more than 48-hours because our time was full as it was.

What are your thoughts or suggestions for future trips to Vegas?