Las Vegas can be kind of intimidating. Affectionately known as “Sin City” it comes with quite the reputation. However, there are plenty of ways to be entertained aside from drinking, gambling, and other Vegas cliches. These are just a few:
1. M&M World
Located right on the strip,it's basically M&M Headquarters. There are four floors with more M&M themed stuff than you thought existed. It's totally worth going to and you can hand pick pretty much any color and personalize them. Whether you're 9 or 19, it's a definite must see.
Similarly, there is also Hershey's World, attached to the New York New York hotel. Two stories filled with Hershey's bars, Reese's, Jolly Ranchers, and more. It's worth a walk through and maybe a couple purchases, maybe even a 5 pound chocolate kiss, because we could all use more chocolate in our lives.
Lastly, Las Vegas boasts a World of Coca-Cola Store. I'm a huge Coke fanatic, so this place is kind of my heaven, but it's on the same level as the previous two stores mentioned. It's filled with all sorts of Coca-Cola merchandise and even if you're a Pepsi drinker, it belongs on your Las Vegas itinerary.
2. Themed hotels!
The Las Vegas strip boasts approximately 30 hotels. Several of them have fantastic themes and are well worth a walk-through. Some of my favorite are the Luxor (who doesn't love a pyramid filled with hieroglyphs?), New York New York (You can even walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, so why do I even need to go to the real NYC now?), The Bellagio (I've decided this one's theme is "fancy" and although it's way out of my league, you feel like a classy person just being in there), and Caesar's Palace (I've been to Rome before but this is like a mini version and definitely a much cheaper plane fare to LV than it is to Italy!).
3. Excalibur
Most recently, I stayed in the Excalibur. Many of the hotels offer various shows and the Excalibur is no exception. Their signature show is "The Tournament of Kings!" It's based on King Arthur and the audience is served a meal that you eat with your hands. Tomato soup that you have to drink, a Cornish game hen, potatoes, and broccoli that you pick up and eat, and an apple pie. It's a fun and different experience that I definitely think is worth the money.
4. Fremont Street
Unfortunately I did not make it over to Fremont Street during my last visit, but I have been told it is worth the visit. Located in downtown Las Vegas, it's been there since Las Vegas was first founded in 1905. The Neon Museum has restored many of the neon signs and there is also the Fremont Street Experience, which is a mall and attraction. There's a lot of history in Las Vegas and it's worth taking a step of the strip to experience.
5. The Grand Canyon
Now, I realize this isn't in Las Vegas, but if you're coming from the PNW, when's the next time you're going to be down in this region? If you have the chance, the Grand Canyon is about 2 hours away. There's a ton of tourist companies in Las Vegas that offer flight, bus, or helicopter tours to the Grand Canyon. Of course, if you have your own car you could drive yourself. Either way, I think it's something that is definitely worth the consideration!
Of course there's plenty more to do in a city like Las Vegas, these are just my personal recommendations. There's always gambling, like the city is known for, but there truly is so much more worth seeing there! It's worth a visit and it's worth exploring!
