When it comes to travelling, I mostly stay in Europe, with all of my previous American travels taking place in Florida. Despite this, many locations are still high up on my list including Washington D.C., New York City and Los Angeles. One city that never featured in my travel plans was Las Vegas. However, as a major F1 fan, when I got the opportunity to travel out to Sin City for the Grand Prix, I couldn’t resist. And after spending half a week in Vegas, I was left with one major question: why wasn’t Las Vegas on my bucket list before?
As someone who rarely gambles and whose only real opinion of the city was formed through episodes of CSI binged in my youth, I expected it to be a fool’s paradise. What I did not anticipate was how quickly I would fall in love with the place. Never have I been anywhere that encourages you to indulge like Vegas does; whether it’s from the food offerings that are available in iconic restaurants across the city, to the surprising spas that combine the best of the American and European cultures.
The Grand Prix feels entirely at home in Vegas, with the race circling around the iconic Strip and Sphere, as well as other major landmarks that fill the skyline. And even away from the hustle and bustle, the lower-town parts of the city also provide plenty of life, from superb secret dining spots to unique antique shops. Who needs New York City or Los Angeles? Las Vegas is the American city to be in!
More similar to London than I imagined
I am a chatterbox, especially when forced into a group with new people, but whenever we were in an Uber being ferried from place to place, I just couldn’t help but stare out the window observing everything. The zany structures are a thing to behold, from the rollercoaster that extends around the New York, New York Hotel, to the Egyptian structures around the Lux, and the flamboyant showpieces outside hotels like the Flamingo.
Staying at the Caesars Palace, you feel truly in the heart of the city. As a European, I’m used to walkable cities – areas where everything you might want is within easy walking distance if you want to avoid the underground. Although America isn’t typically built like this, Las Vegas is. Various hotels have walkways connecting them, taking you from local bars to the hotel to various other landmarks. It was as easy as walking around London, and no matter where you turn your head, there’s always something to catch your eye.
Inside The Sphere
It was easy to walk from our hotel out to The Sphere, the iconic landmark that was once mooted for London. It transforms during F1 season, but one thing I didn’t know before going there was that it housed an entire indoor arena. We watched a 4D shortened version of the classic film The Wizard of Oz, and you truly feel within the film. Weather machines blow wind at you as the tornado approaches, and snow falls from the ceiling as Dorothy falls under the flowers’ spell; things get surprisingly immersive. My favourite part had to be the transformation from sepia to full technicolour, with the curvature of the indoor arena and camera movements making it feel like you’re experiencing Oz for the first time alongside Dorothy. Tickets for this start at $104 and can be booked through The Sphere’s website.
Take a gamble on the city
Even though I’m not a gambler, when in Vegas you might as well try. Usually the tables have a minimum spend of $5, but annoyingly during Grand Prix weekend, this was whacked all the way up to $100. Thankfully, the machines keep the original price – just remember that the house always wins. Although I picked up an initial victory on the blackjack machine, it soon clawed my winnings back and cost me a little bit. Slot machines, roulette and various other games are available on the floors of many hotels, and there’s ATM machines in order to withdraw cash if you feel like Lady Luck is one your side (just be warned – ATM machines do charge you a small fee for withdrawal!).
Don’t miss this
And what’s the other main thing you need to do in Vegas? Make sure you watch Cirque du Soleil. The iconic performance troupe are synonymous with the city, with the Bellagio hosting a O, a fire and water themed show. Perfect for all ages, there was no point during the show that I wasn’t transfixed by everything that was going on onstage. It is a spectacle that everyone needs to experience at least once in their life. Tickets for this cost from $105.14.
And while New York City might be famous for never sleeping, neither does Las Vegas. The city has a brilliant nightlife, but the one venue that my group always found ourselves returning to was the Smelly Cat karaoke bar. Named for the iconic song from Friends, punters can perform to their heart’s content, with a live band providing the backing track. All the cocktails are named after legendary songs, and my favourite had to be the ‘Dancing Queen’, if only because you got a free tiara whenever you ordered one!
The real Vegas
Vegas isn’t just the Strip, on our final day, we were able to visit the downtown part. While everywhere else is highly commercialised, this is where the people live, where they walk their dogs, where they visit their local coffee shops. I loved popping in to view the wares at the local thrift stores, which sold everything from clothes to antiques. As long as you can get it on the plane, there’s plenty of hidden gems to be unearthed.
There was only one thing that left me disappointed during the trip, and that was the iconic Las Vegas sign. Having seen it several times on television, I was expecting a grand free-standing structure, but it is actually fairly miniature in stature, similar to the many ‘Welcome to…’ signs across the United Kingdom. It’s possibly one of the city’s largest tourist traps, with a large queue outside trying to grab photos. My recommendation is to skip the queues up to the sign to pose for a proper photo, and enjoy having it as the backdrop to your scenic selfie instead.
Where to eat
Normally when you’re on holiday with a hotel, your meals are more geared towards there, but not once did I end up dining at Caesars Palace, although plenty of drinks were had there. The highlight of my dining experience was High Steaks at the Rio. The restaurant is 50 stories up, which is over 400 feet above the streets of the city. Taking a taster menu, we experienced almost everything the restaurant serves, including their bison filet and the ‘Lion’, a mushroom prepared to resemble and taste like a steak. As someone who hates the taste of mushrooms, this really feels like a steak. Alongside an exquisite dining experience, guests are also able to go outside and get the perfect panoramic views of the city.
For refined dining, head to The Bedford at Paris. The Martha Stewart restaurant feels like you’ve been transported to rural France, complete with screens showing off a cottage with Martha occasionally popping up alongside her dogs. I couldn’t resist her honey lemon mustard salmon, and it was one of the loveliest meals I had. Bread baskets are also available, and I highly recommend the sour cherry-rosemary focaccia, a taste profile like no other!
As for breakfasts, as much as the Strip had restaurants galore, my favourite ended up being a hidden gem located away from the all of the lights. Just named 1228 Main, it’s located in the Arts District (which has plenty of thrift stores to explore after a meal), and after a night cheering on F1 stars, it was the perfect place to nurse a sore head. A gorgeous on-site bakery has plenty of sweet desserts, with the banana bread being a perfect choice, it also has plenty of food options. I went for the breakfast burrito, and despite its simple name, thanks to the flavours this ended up being one of my favourite meals while I was away, with a particular mention for the perfectly seasoned Tuscan potatoes. I made sure to finish all of these even when part of me didn’t want to eat anything else.
Where to stay
During my time in the city, I was lucky enough to stay in one of the most iconic of hotels in Las Vegas, Caesars Palace. The area is home to the Nobu Hotel, which provided an exquisite room, and despite feeling like you’re in the heart of the location, everything was quiet. Despite a loud casino just floors away, none of the noise travelled, which was one of my biggest fears.
Caesars Palace really goes in on its theme, with waitresses walking around in Roman attire, while statues of the Gods populate the area, alongside a striking fountain centrepiece. And this would be the case across the city, walking through Paris Las Vegas, you honestly feel like you’re strolling through the streets of the French capital, with the legs of its Eiffel Tower replica serving as a backdrop. The way the ceilings are painted there, I honestly thought I was outside, despite passing through the doors just moments before.
How to book:Â rooms start at $238, and can be booked here.
The Bellagio is also one of the grandest hotels, with its iconic fountains occupying shots of every film that counts Vegas as a setting. And seeing them up close and personal is even more better, it’s an experience that needs to be enjoyed at least once. A secret bar, named The Vault, also feels like the perfect hideaway, and the cocktails are some of the more divine you’ll ever sample.
The Fontainebleau might not look as impressive as some of the others hotels, being a large blue building instead of being based on a particular theme, but inside, it houses the Lapis Spa, which is the best spa I’ve been to in my life. Alongside single-sex areas designed for relaxing, including a starlight room which is the perfect place for a nap, it also has a co-ed section with a large jacuzzi that could easily fit an entire F1 team, to a cool plunge pool and a sauna where guests are able to enjoy a unique European experience that raises the heat, but relaxes you in ways you could never imagine.
How to do the F1 in Vegas
Street circuits don’t always make for the most exciting F1 races, think of the narrow streets of Monaco that make overtaking almost impossible, but Vegas fully throws itself into hosting the spectacle. I was lucky enough to visit the paddock during my time there, and we were treated to a trackside tour, which passes by all of the iconic structures of the Strip. And with the race taking place during the night, all of these are lit up to provide a visual spectacle. During one night, we were sat directly opposite The Sphere, which gains a little F1 helmet as it also watches the drivers speed around the lavish streets.
While some tracks are purpose built, Vegas is usually operating as a city, and it was amazing to see marshals deconstructing the track just hours after the sessions ended allowing Vegas to go back to being a city. Certain restaurants nearby also offer viewing parties, given that the cars are whizzing past right outside their windows, and during qualifying, as it was a wet session, I was glad to be inside!
Viewing areas are also constructed for the race, and my area felt designed for A-list stars, with gourmet food on offer, drinks on tap and showgirls walking around, allowing you to have photos like you’re in an old Vegas gangster movie. The grandstands overlooked the pit straight and first corner, allowing us to see the main action of the 2025 Las Vegas GP right in front of our eyes.
To summarise
Las Vegas was not a city that I was majorly interested in travelling to, but after being there, I can’t wait to go back. From the lavish food to the obnoxiously loud (in a good way) hotels, half a week was not enough to fully savour my time there.
Although I would happily stay at Caesars Palace again, I would likely look to stay elsewhere, although only because I want to see what the other hotels have to offer. From Excalibur to the Lux, I can hear Vegas calling, and for a friend’s milestone birthday, or my own, this will be going straight to the top of my list.
Matthew was a guest of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. All stays and experiences have been independently reviewed by our expert writers, who are usually hosted on a complimentary basis, but this never affects our review process.
Read the full article here
