My Second Home - Honest Blog about Las Vegas Pt. 1

Good Afternoon Everyone xoxo

I would grab a snack and a glass of wine for this one because its going to be loooooong :D

It's been a hot minute since I've been able to sit down and write on my blog, we've been so busy since last year that I forgot how much I loved posting here. Today's blog post is all about Vegas, I've been asked to share my honest reviews and opinions about my favourite place in the world. This post has been requested so many times but I talk about it so often on my Instagram that I assumed everyone would be sick of hearing about it but apparently not! So many of you requested an honest blog post about everything Las Vegas, so here it is. 

This blog will be split into 2 sections, the first post will be all about getting there, travel, flights, cost,  accommodation and spending money and the second post will be about attractions, food and shopping.  There is so much to cover that it's best to split into 2 posts so people don't get bored reading one super long one x 

So where to start?? I suppose I had better start with getting there and booking flights. If you've followed me for a while you will already know that we don't have kids and we don't plan on having any in the future so we are lucky enough, with work as well, to be able to travel at our own leisure without the pressure of waiting for school holidays. Our holidays are usually anytime in April/May or September/October. The flights are usually cheaper in these months because they aren't considered peak months like June, July and August when the kids are off school and all the airlines hike up the prices. For Vegas, because we know it so well, we usually book it ourselves through ebookers or Expedia, these websites allow you to book package deals without the stress of having to book everything separately. Usually they will offer you a discount if you book your flights and hotel together, and if you add a car (we always do) you will get a further, small discount. We've never had a problem with either of these sites but if you are unsure of what to book I suggest going to a travel agent for some info. With Expedia and ebookers you do have to pay the full amount up front so that's something to keep in mind, if you would rather pay in instalments then I suggest you book with a travel agent but do your research first because a lot of travel agents have "affiliations' or deals with some of the hotels that would be a little more pricey so shop around for the best offers. We've booked with Tour America a few times for Florida and Mexico and they've always been amazing. 

           

 
We always drive to the airport and park in the Quickpark car park about 5 minutes from the Airport. You can book your car in online, scan the QR code on your way in, choose a parking spot and then get a free shuttle to either Terminals 1 or 2 (this is for Dublin Airport) The website is https://www.quickpark.ie/index.php, its super handy and depending on how long you are staying I suggest signing up to receive emails from them, they send out discounts every few weeks so you can save money when you book online. For the 12 days that we usually book in for it costs anywhere between €55-€70 depending on the offers at the time. 

Flights 

We often get asked who we usually fly with, this depends on a few things. We try to stick to airlines that we know (Delta, Virgin, AA, Aer Lingus, BA, United) because we know what to expect with the flight, food, entertainment and seats. We book the cheapest (within reason) flights because we prefer to have more spending money than fancy seats, we try to book an airline that has a configuration of seats that have 2 together so we aren't sitting beside anyone for the long flight (some airlines charge you to book your seats early). Apart from New York last year we've never had an issue with any of these airlines. My favourites would have to be Delta and Virgin, but AA have always been really good too. Most planes have in flight entertainment with shows, movies and games in the seat back in front of you so make sure to bring a good pair of headphones for your trip. All airlines that fly long haul will serve breakfast, lunch or dinner depending on the time of your flight and some airlines will give you snacks and drinks that are complimentary. Most of the planes are similar and the food doesn't differ too much so we're usually happy enough once we get to our destination in one piece. 

For those of you that have never flown directly into the USA you will have to clear Immigration in the airport before you leave (this is the norm for Dublin Airport, I've never flown from any other airport in Ireland) for this we always allow an extra hour just in case it's busy. We arrive to the airport 3 hours before our flight is scheduled to leave (when flying to the USA) to give us plenty of time to clear security and immigration so there's no stress and rushing around. Don't be afraid of the immigration officers, they are there to make sure you are entering the country legally and without any contraband. They can be quite stern but don't let it throw you, they're not there to be your friend, they are there to do their job. They will take your fingerprints and your picture as well as scan your passport and ask you where you are staying, who you are travelling with and how long you will be there for, these are all standard questions so answer honestly and you'll be fine. 

Certain foods are not allowed on flights to check with your airline before you fly, also if you are buying cigarettes make sure to stay within your allocated allowance or you will be escorted into a back room and charged a fine, we don't smoke but it happened us once when we were buying cigarettes for someone else, we no longer purchase cigarettes for anyone anymore, it wasn't a pleasant experience. 

ESTAS

So if you are travelling to the states you will need an ESTA, this is the Electronic system for travel Authorisation. This is a must and you CAN NOT travel to the USA without it. Its really easy to fill in and takes about 10 minutes. The official website is https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/ and you only have to pay $14.... DO NOT PAY MORE THAN THIS!! If you are charged more than this you are on the wrong site and an outside company have charged you to process it on your behalf without you even knowing, so many people are caught out paying $100 and this is a rip off. Go to the official site and pay no more than $14. This ESTA will look for your passport details, where you are going, where you are staying, your emergency contact details and whether you have any convictions, if you have ever been arrested and if you are smuggling anything into the country. If you answer no to everything (honestly because they will find out) you will be fine, it can take up to 72 hours to process so do it in plenty of time before your trip. If you have any convictions or if you have been arrested for any reason your application can be refused and you will need to make an appointment for a VISA, this can take several weeks so just be vigilant with your time frames. Don't let this process scare you, its very straight forward, just be honest and take your time. Each ESTA is valid for 2 years from the date its authorised. 

Luggage

Most airlines allow you to check a bag for free (this seems to be changing lately with some airlines making you pay for your checked luggage) This allowance is usually 23kg (50lb) with most airlines but always check your airlines website for exact measurements and weights. On most long haul flights you can bring one piece of luggage (a cabin bag) and one personal item, again check your airlines website for all the info. I usually fly with a small cabin bag (from brookstones) and a weekend bag (from Adrienne Vittadini) as my carry on. I'm sure if you've flown before you will know what you can and cant bring on a plane, the usual knives, explosives, large liquids etc but always be careful when you are packing smaller liquids into your clear plastic bags because different airports have different rules (they shouldn't but they do) I've had liquids taken off me for not meeting the requirements of being less than 100ml even though they were all in 100ml bottles from Penney's,  I've had a Mac lipstick confiscated because it wasn't in my clear bag, I had a TSA agent scream in my face because I had solid coconut oil in my clear bag and she told me that I wasn't allowed to bring it because it could be, and I quote, "something that was prohibited" even though it was in a little container that said coconut oil..... So always be cautious of what you bring and if you think that it might get taken off you, just pack it in your checked luggage. 

Cost

Next on the agenda..... Price, price, price!!!! As I mentioned earlier we usually try to keep cost down as much as possible, we shop around for a few weeks for the best flights at the best price but they vary so much that sometimes you just have to book it when you see a decent price even if they will eventually go down because you cant guarantee that the price will drop. An average price for us for flights, accommodation and a car is usually around €1500 to about €1800. Vegas isn't as expensive as some people think, if you shop around and look for the best deals. We usually stay at the same few hotels, they are the 3 and 4* hotels so they are slightly cheaper than the 5* ones and the resort fees are also lower. We tend to stick to Hooters, Harrahs and The Flamingo. These hotels are all good locations, the rooms are lovely, the amenities are just enough and they are always spotless, all you need is a bed and a shower but once its clean we are happy. If you follow me on Instagram you'll know that Hooters is our favourite hotel, its a good location, its very reasonable, the rooms are lovely, the resort fee isn't extortionate and there's free parking. 

I get asked a lot about the resort fee for these hotels, just like hotels all over the world they charge a nightly fee, this covers the cost if your WIFI, pool amenities, use of the gym etc so its a charge that you pay for when you check out. Each hotel charges a different amount, the lower star hotels have cheaper fees so keep then in mind when booking, all the resort fees are listed on each hotels website. When checking in they require a credit/debit card in the name of the person who booked so bring one with you, they will hold a "fee" per night in case there is any damage to the room but you will get it back when you check out, they don't charge you they just hold it from your account, this is common practice so don't panic when they ask for it. 

Spending Money

This is a topic that I don't really like discussing because everyone's budget is different. I promised that I would be honest in the blog so I will discuss what we usually bring and what we buy. When we go to Vegas we usually go to shop, we go to shows, we do tours, we eat and drink whatever we want and we buy things that we would never buy at home because they are too expensive. In all honesty we have spent everything between $2000 and $6000 depending on what we wanted to buy or do. That may seem excessive to some and I appreciate that not everyone would have that kind of budget but don't let that turn you off going, Vegas can definitely be done on a budget so before you go I suggest that you go online to https://www.vegas.com/ or https://www.tripadvisor.ie/ to get some ideas of what you want to do and plan your shows and tours accordingly. Unless you are booking a trip or show that sells out quickly or if you are only there for a few nights and wont get the chance to book a trip or show at the box office then I suggest you book your tickets online to avoid the disappointment of your show being sold out (shows like Britney, Celine Dion and some of the Cirque du Soleil shows sell out quickly) if you are like us and don't mind waiting to see if you can get ticket when you get there, you can go to the Coke Bottle on the strip and get discounted tickets for shows that day or the following day, they usually do half price tickets but don't be afraid of the discounted tix, we've never had problems with anything we've bought that was discounted but make sure you go to the kiosks and not a randomer on the street, sometimes these people sell counterfeit tickets and you don't want to get caught out. 

There is so much to do in Vegas that you can go and spend a fortune or do it on a budget and see all the free attractions (ill get to those in my next post). Vegas can be overwhelming, its bright, loud, kind of ostentatious and so many people get in your face to offer you free shows or dinners.... If there's one piece of advice that I can give is that NOTHING in Vegas (that's offered to you buy people on the street or in hotels) is free.... Any shows, dinners, events, Cd's, photos or jewellery are NOT free, do not be fooled into thinking that because someone offers you a free show or dinner that it is actually free, it's not, you usually have to go to a Time share viewing or pay a cover charge for a club or pay a minimum fee (like $30) for drinks, we usually spend most of our time on the strip or in hotels saying "no thank you" it will be a saying that you'll get used to, don't get caught out by the people in suits in the hotels offering "free" stuff (unless you want to buy a timeshare) just pass by and say No Thanks, they are used to people ignoring them but we like to be polite. 

Also take note of any "promoters" on the strip offering VIP experiences for attractions or clubs, these promoters will usually offer VIP tickets to clubs but they will ask you for a gratuity in exchange for the free tickets, usually about $20 or so. These VIP tickets are not worth the money, usually you can only use them under heavy restrictions so you've paid for a piece of paper that is practically useless. 

A few thing's to be aware of in Las Vegas are:

1. There are quite a few places in Vegas that we don't go, like a lot of places in the world we stay out of certain areas, like we do in our home towns. Common sense will tell you to not venture into dark alleys on your own, just because you are on holiday doesn't mean that you should throw caution to the wind.

2. There are loads of street performers all over the strip, people dressed like superheros, showgirls, and cartoon characters, they will invite you to have a picture with them but be warned a lot of them will demand money in exchange for pictures, and they're not cheap, some demanding upwards of $30 a picture. Don't get me wrong some of them are lovely but be wary of the rest.

3. There are people on the strip that hand out call girl cards (be cautious of children taking them) the cards leave little to the imagination, as I said earlier we politely decline. 

4. If you are getting a cab from the airport don't act like you are in Vegas for the first time, like every city there are genuinely lovely, honest people but there are also not so lovely people. Some cab drivers will take you the long way to your hotel so they can charge you more on the metre, if you are asked if it's your first visit say no and pretend like you've seen it before, plan your cab ride from the airport to your hotel so you have some idea where you are going so you aren't in danger of being scammed. 

5. BUY YOUR WATER IN A STORE.... Some people sell ice cold water along the strip, you'll need  a lot of water, Vegas gets HOT! But don't be fooled by the tempting water from the buckets, a lot of these people have just filled up bottles at a gas station and are selling tap water for a Dollar, Yuck! 

I'm going to end this post here and start another one on attractions, food and shopping. Its going to be a long one but hopefully more fun than this one, I've packed as much info into this one as I can but if you have any questions or feel like I've forgotten anything please let me know. xx

Kim xoxo