Category Archives: attraction

Madam Tussaud’s Las Vegas

Posted on by

We finally made it to Madam Tussaud’s. I was anxious to see how it compared to Orlando’s location.

2tpft90nggmrk2fgi6gvoeuk1wkv3aw8rr1sx4wkf7asug58ad

There’s not a lot to say about it so I invite you to join us on a visual tour!

DSC_2528 copy

DSC_2536 copy

I’ve always wanted to be a Talk Show Hostess

DSC_2539 copy

DSC_2540 copy

We all Love Lucy!

DSC_2544 copy

 

I had no idea Michael was so tall or maybe I’m just short!

DSC_2550 copy

Viva Las Vegas

DSC_2556 copy

Donny and Marie are still headlining.

DSC_2559 copy

Mr. Las Vegas, Liberace and the Rat Pack!

DSC_2566 copy

DSC_2565 copy

DSC_2562 copy

Then it was on to the super heroes!

DSC_2570 copy

 

My Super Hero Pose!

27sp1u5r958jvag2wgy4q5s5l189jtf9zdmuh55ydxanzk419q

Remember what they say…What happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas.

27q4ogxu0nbvc4ty0cdtwya80b967hztnmlfmm9090cm0ge7t6 (1)

Bye Bye!

DSC_2501 copy

The Venetian, Las Vegas

Posted on by

Its our last day in Vegas. In the morning we’ll check out and head for the airport. No time for any last minute sightseeing. We still need to use our tickets to Madam Tussaud’s and we want to do a quick load of laundry so we don’t have to carry dirty clothes home. Polo Towers as a time share, has coin operated washers and dryers throughout the building. Too bad a lot of them didn’t work. Eventually we found a floor with working machines. Then with clean clothes packed into our suitcases we could head out to explore knowing that task was behind us.

DSC_2512 copy

The first thing we did was head for the bus stop at the Hawaiian Marketplace. Instead of buying a ticket for the Big Bus, we bought the less expensive ticket for the city bus line. Known as the Deuce /SDX it runs frequently up and down the strip 24 hours a day.

Scan0014

I wanted to show Sandy the Venetian so that was our first stop.

DSC_2513 copyOf course with our late start we arrived around lunchtime. It was such a beautiful day we decided to eat at Burgers and Beer. Turns out this is a Mario Batali restaurant. I wouldn’t have guessed as I always think of him as an Italian Chef. We managed to get a table with a sun umbrella because we were willing to wait. It was a good thing because it was very hot in the sun. We passed our time watching the Gondolas cruise the exterior canal.

DSC_2527 copy

DSC_2514 copy

When I was here in 2015 the outdoor canal was closed but it makes a beautiful setting with crystal clear water now that it is open again. I was disappointed to learn that the exterior canal and the one Joe and I  rode inside  the Grand Canal Shoppes do not connect. I was hoping for one long ride.

After lunch we headed inside for our Gondola ride. We lingered a bit at the entrance to admire the waterfall and huge glass butterflies.

DSC_2524 copy

DSC_2519 copy

DSC_2516 copy

Then it was into the little boats to be serenaded by our gondolier, a lovely young woman with an amazing voice. She had an accent and told us she was from the “real” Venice and that we really needed to go to her country to experience the Real Thing.

2016-03 (Mar)

As we headed back to the dock we passed another gondola and I recognized our gondolier from last year.

Venitan 2015

Nice to know there is some longevity to these jobs.

We’re Not Done yet!

Posted on by

Back at Bally’s we waited for the Big Bus to pick us up so we could continue our exploration but it was getting late.

Big Bus

The bus stops running around 6:30 and we’d yet to make a complete circuit. We have tickets to Madam Tussaud’s  but it doesn’t look like we’ll get there today.

Madam

We climbed aboard determined to ride the rest of the route. We’d get off where we started at the Hawaiian Marketplace so back we went past the Hard Rock Hotel and Cafe with it’s Gibson Guitar, the Wyndham, the Miracle Mile Shops  and Planet Hollywood.DSC_2412 copy

At the Excalibur  we interrupted a photo shoot with the costumed staff.

DSC_2509 copy

 

DSC_2495 copy

DSC_2494 copy

Then it was past the Luxor and the Sphinx, Las Vegas’s nod to Egypt.

DSC_2500 copy

DSC_2496 copy

Finally we approached the McCarren airport, not the commercial side but the section with the private planes and there it was. The famous Las Vegas Sign! We got to see it coming and going!A wedding party was posing for pictures in front of the sign.

DSC_2503 copy

DSC_2504 copy

I wonder if they were married in the nearby Wedding chapel?

DSC_2508 copy

The bus did a U-Turn and we were heading back down the strip.

DSC_2501 copy

We waved to Leo the MGM Lion and then we were back were we started. Just time enough to head back to the Polo Towers and then it would be time to go back out for dinner and a show.

IMG_20160307_151059

 

 

Big Bus Continues

Posted on by

Soon after our stop at the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop we pulled into Circus Circus.

DSC_2510 copy

Circus Circus is the start/end point for the tours. Here you can change buses to go into the Fremont Street Experience, another route to malls and shopping and a return to the Strip.

We had about a 20 minute wait which meant it was approaching lunch time.  We road the Big Bus until Bally’s  where we hopped off for lunch  at Johnny Rockets in the Food Court.

Tummy’s full, we walked to the High roller outside the Linq.

DSC_2489 copy

This was familiar territory because Joe and I stayed at the Linq last year when we were in Vegas.  The bus stop for the High Roller is closed due to construction and this stop at Bally’s is the closest one currently operating.

las vegas

 

Up to now Sandy had been insisting that she didn’t want to ride the High Roller. Sandy doesn’t like heights. The High Roller isn’t like a normal Ferris Wheel with an open seat. It’s an enclosed observation pod. Very Star Wars !

DSC_2490 copy

But I wasn’t having any luck getting my point across. She had to see it to understand and once she walked under the huge pods she decided that it might not be such a bad experience.

IMG_20150117_175208

DSC_2491 copy

The whole rotation is only 30 minutes and it will be the fastest 30 minutes you’ll ever experience. It didn’t take Sandy long to get comfortable and was soon standing right near the windows to take pictures of the Las Vegas sights.

DSC_2493 copy

DSC_2488 copy

9e8ca59012084438a1b0e281da7bc65f

The Big Bus (Las Vegas)

Posted on by

We’ve wandered along the strip, been transported back in time with the Jersey Boys, visited the engineering Marvel that is Hoover Dam and floated on a chocolate high and we’ve only just begun our Las Vegas Adventure.

Today we wandered through the Hawaiian Market Place. I’m not sure why it’s called the Hawaiian Market Place but its right in front of Polo Towers so it was an easy walk and right in front of the  Hawaiian Market Place is the bus stop.

DSC_2465 copy

We’re looking for the hop on – hop off double decker tour bus. Like the trolley tours in Boston, you buy a ticket for the day and can get on and off and ride the whole day. With the wisdom of 20-20 hindsight we should have bought the 2 day pass but we really had no idea and settled for a one day which was $42.00 each.

Being picked up at the Hawaiian Marketplace  meant that we were starting in the middle of the tour route.  The original plan was to ride the whole route and then do it a 2nd time getting on and off. It didn’t work out that way.

The guides on the tours were all good. Pointing out the sights and telling us little tid-bits about each landmark.

DSC_2472 copy

Trump Tower stands alone surrounded by empty lots. There is no casino and no smoking. Some say Trump was denied a Nevada Gaming License others say he has one but chose not to put in a casino. Snopes.com , the internet truth finder,  say the rumor that he was denied a license is false. The Donald was approved for a licence in February 2004.

DSC_2473 copy

The Wynn is a beautiful property, very elegant and sophisticated with lovely landscaped grounds. I was particularly interested in seeing this as Steve Wynn is trying to build a casino complex in Everett, MA. I say trying because every time he gets a green light someone throws another challenge in the way. Most recently the Town of Somerville sued because of traffic concerns.

DSC_2474 copy

The bus took us into the old section of Vegas, where it all began, also known as the Fremont Street Experience.

DSC_2483 copy

The Rearing Horseman marks the entrance to The Freemont St Experience  in old Las Vegas along with the iconic Golden Nugget. The Golden Nugget was originally built in 1946, making it one of the oldest casinos in the city. Our guide says the largest gold nugget in the world is on display here but according to Wikipedia it was display until 2013. Since we didn’t hop off here I can’t say one way or the other. Maybe I’ll check it out next trip . The Hotel is built around two aquariums so that would be fun to see.

DSC_2484 copy