Here are the top things that I found:

• Spent a day at the pool at Mandalay Bay.  Renting a cabana, and have a place to get out of the sun occasionally, made a 100+ degree day at the pool bearable.
• Watched the volcano erupt at the Mirage.
• Saw Disney’s The Lion King at Mandalay Bay.
• Dinner & a show at the Tournament of Kings at the Excalibur.

Win a trip to Fabulous Las Vegas!

I’ll be writing about my experience, and providing some reviews and recommendations about them soon, but I wanted everyone to know that I had a GREAT time!  I have some future Vegas trips coming up that will be adult-oriented, so this trip was a little out of the ordinary for me.  But it was was incredibly fun!

How would you like to have a GREAT time in Las Vegas as well?  If you tell me what you would love to see or do in Las Vegas, you just might have the chance to do it!

The nice folks at VisitLasVegas.com are providing one lucky winner a $250 gift card on Southwest Airlines to take a flight to Las Vegas.  SWA flies there from most major cities around the United States.  In addition, the winner will also receive a $150 AmEx pre-paid debit card for spending cash.

To enter the contest all you have to do is leave a comment here on the blog post and answer this question:

When you go to Las Vegas, what do you want to do or see?

Deadline for comments is Tuesday, August 18th, at midnight ET.  After that, I’ll select a random number and match it up with the comment.  You must leave an email so that I can contact you.

Not sure what you want to do?  Or maybe you just need a little help narrowing it down?  Visit Las Vegas will help you out with all sorts of suggestions to tempt you.

Now what are you waiting for?  Enter the contest and tell me what YOU want to do?

Photo credit: Bukowsky18 @flickr

Post from: Fly Away Cafe

No, it’s not Venice.  It’s the Gondola ride at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Okay, it’s a little touristy, and it’s definitely NOT Venice, but it’s still a bit of romantic fun away from the flashing lights and noise of the casinos.  You need to take a break from the fast paced action some time, and this isn’t a bad choice.

The gondolas have been fashioned after authentic Venetian ones, each seating four, and operate rides both indoors and out.  If your party doesn’t fill the gondola, you’ll likely be paired up with others.

The indoor gondolas float their way through the Grand Canal Shoppes, beneath bridges, shops, and cafes that have been created to give the feel of Venice.  The ride lasts about 15 minutes.

The outdoor gondolas offer a more “authentic” feel (since you really are outdoors), but are a few minutes shorter.  On a nice day I’d choose outdoors.

Same day reservations can be made in person, starting at 9 am for the indoor ride, and 10 am for the outdoor ride.  The gondolas operate Sunday – Thursday 10 am – 11 pm, and weekends till midnight.

The ride costs $16 per person.  A private two person gondola ride can be arranged, and is often used for special celebrations.

The Venetian Hotel is located at 3355 South Las Vegas Boulevard (map it).

Photo credit:  personal collection

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Post from: Fly Away Cafe

I’m spending a few days in Las Vegas, and over the weekend had an opportunity to go out to Lake Mead. 

It was my very first visit there, and I was surprised at how beautiful the lake was, and how nice the surrounding area is.  The water and sky were blue, and the rocks all sorts of interesting, and variated colors.  Quite remarkable!

There are lots of things to do there, both on and off the lake, and I’ll be writing about them in upcoming posts.  For now, I just wanted to share this photo from a lovely weekend.

Photo credit: Personal collection

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Post from: Fly Away Cafe

A few current features of the Venetian include the art exhibit Modern Masters from the Guggenheim Collection, Madame Tussauds Las Vegas, gondola ride, the Grand Canal Shoppes, and the Canyon Ranch Spa Club. 

There are 17 restaurants, from high end to a food court, and even an upscale grocery store.  Things have come a long way since that soft opening.

Entertainment and relaxation options include a production of The Phantom of the Opera, Blue Man Group, a variety of bars, Tao Nightclub, three pools, great pool amenities, and Tao Beach.

The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino is located on the strip at 3355 Las Vegas Boulevard South.

Do you have a matchbook that you’d like to contribute to Matchbook Monday?  Email me a photo, and a few words about the location, and I’ll feature it on an upcoming Matchbook Monday.

Photo credit:  personal collection

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Post from: Fly Away Cafe