Here’s a Happy Birthday to Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. It opened on March 2, 1999 – can we get a cake with 24 candles?
Mandalay Bay
Mandalay Bay was built by Circus Circus Enterprises on the site of the old Hacienda. Circus Circus was so impressed with the Pacific Island paradise themed, 43-story, 3,209 rooms of their creation that they changed the corporate name to Mandalay Resort Group later in 1999. Mandalay was later purchased by MGM.
There doesn’t seem to be anything special going on to commemorate Mandalay Bay’s birthday, which seems a shame. So everybody drink a toast (preferably of some South Seas pool side drink which I think most appropriate) to the 24th birthday of this iconic Las Vegas property.
Iconic and personalized private tours of the Grand Canyon, one of the Natural Wonders of the World. Learn things others never know from your guide, a retired history teacher.
The Super Bowl, or Big Game depending what side of the block you are on is practically a national holiday in Las Vegas. Tens of thousands descend on Vegas every year to see the game and lay bets. Fans of the teams involved who cannot get tickets to the real game in Arizona flock to Vegas as the next best thing to being there.
Along with the Super Bowl are the Big Game Parties, and in Vegas they go beyond wild. Some of the offerings this year are:
The Westgate Superbook is hosting a watch party including a big all you can eat buffet spread and an open bar, plus raffles – for $250/person.
Upping it up a notch the Hard Rock Cafe (restaurant, not casino) offers a spread for $300/person. You get a 5-hour premium open bar and access to food stations stocked with gameday fare.
But wait, Blondies at the Planet Hollywood Miracle Mile Shops offers a premium buffet and open bar with top-shelf options for $325/person.
Now there are other Big Game options throughout Las Vegas. Some are free but good luck getting a seat and the food and drinks tend to be pricey. Most Big Game parties run between $100-$150. But hey, it’s Vegas right?
And next year the Super Bowl will be hosted by Las Vegas and held in Allegiant Stadium. I personally can’t wait to see what the Big Game Parties will be then!
Las Vegas has claim to being the wedding capital of the world. A big claim actually, huge. I bring this up because we are rapidly approaching the date of 2/3/23 (3rd of February 2023) and weddings always spike on days where the date numbers coordinate.
Married couple hitchhiking to Las Vegas
The record for weddings in Las Vegas was the 7th of July 2007 (7/7/7) when upwards of 4500 couples tied the knot. Second was the 11th of November 2011 (11/11/11) when 3,500 brave couples bonded in holy matrimony. And any coordinated date is always flying – 2/22/22 had 3,400 couples getting hitched.
In fact on 2/21/22 it was announced that Las Vegas had our 5,000,000th wedding ceremony. Not bad since weddings didn’t really become a Nevada thing until the 1930s.
And now bearing down is the 3rd of February, 2023. Now 2/3/23 is not quite as coordinated as the others. I expect we will have to wait until the third of March 2033 for the next monster day (3/3/33) but I expect the bump to be sizable.
romantic couple kissing in front of vegas sign
The sightings of married couples tromping around Vegas with photographers shooting pics and video will pump up in the coming days. The required marriage pic sites by the Vegas Sign/Bellagio Fountains/Fremont Street will be crowded.
And all in good fun. Start your new lives together with good fortune.
I have long believed that a walking tour is a great introduction to a new city. What better way to learn about a city, than with a guided tour led by a local? They know the city better than you. Let your knowledgeable local expert take the lead, and show you the city from their perspective through captivating storytelling!
So coming into a new city? Taking a walking tour the first day will get you off to a great start. Don’t get me wrong, I also love leading walking tours of people who are on their last day of their visit. People just lose out on some of the practical benefits of a walking tour.
Why a Walking Tour in a New City?
romantic couple kissing in front of vegas sign
But Richard! It is free to just walk! Why pay someone to walk with me?
And here in my Las Vegas, there is something to that. If you are simply coming to Sin City to party, it is enough for many to just stroll down The Strip, take in the lights, the dancing fountains, the street entertainers and the “antics” of over-lubricated public party visitors. That is fine if that is what you want.
But many love to see the things the average visitor never sees. They’d like to hear the stories of how an entertainment mecca grew out of a remote spot of the driest, hottest desert in North America. They’d love to hear the stories of mobsters, ranchers, entertainers and gamblers that lay unheard behind the lights. For those visitors, a walking tour likely will be the high point of your visit.
And every city has its own stories, and wonders, and little iconic corners only locals know about.
On a walking tour you have direct access to a local expert. Find out everything you want to know, get recommendations on foods to try, things to do and places to visit. In addition, you can get to know a real local who can introduce you to places off the beaten track.
Your Personal Expert
A walking tour guide can steer you through local customs. For example many travelers coming to Vegas are confused about tipping. In Las Vegas many workers are paid relatively low wages by their employers, with the expectation that they will make a significant amount of their pay through tips from customers. Some workers expect to make up to 50% of their earnings off of tips. It is a complicated custom of who to tip, who not to tip, how much to tip and a local expert like me can answer all of your questions.
Walking tours tend to be much smaller than bus tours. My own tours average about 4-6 people. Occasionally they are just 1-2 people. Rarely they are as many as 10. There is little to no competition with other travelers to get the attention of your guide or to have your questions answered. Instead, you’ll have direct access to a tap of local culture and knowledge.
In fact I always encourage my clients to contact me, even after the tour is over, if they have any questions about Las Vegas, or would like any recommendations as they continue their trip.
Apart from making sure your camera has a loaded battery and your sunscreen is packed, all you have to do is turn up to the meeting point with a big smile and some energy for the walk ahead. Your local guide takes care of the rest so you don’t miss the main sights and still have time to learn about the city secrets only some of the locals know.
Enjoy!
Going to Vegas and would like to explore “The Entertainment Capital of the World” with an actual local expert? DM me or check out my website with information on my walking tours, as well as my availability for private tours.
5-star rated walking tours (Rated by top line sites like TripAdvisor, Viator and Tours by Locals) in Las Vegas going for deep discounts.
The tours are lead by Richard Lloyd Evans – a retired history teacher, a travel author and a client-described “character.” In fact his reviews describe him as, “a historian with vast knowledge of Las Vegas,” as well as “an expert story teller,” along with being “folksy and fun.” He offers daily walking tours of the Las Vegas Strip and the Downtown Fremont Experience, as well as customized private tours of Southern Nevada.
…to get at least 30% off the price of Evans’ “edutainment” tours. The promo code is good for the discounts but tours must be booked by 31 January 2023 for travel dates through 31 December 2023.
Calico Hills in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
The Bureau of Land Management has announced that entrance fees for the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area are going up starting 1 January 2023. While some fees will remain the same, most will see an increase of from 33% to 67%.
Red Rock Canyon Entrance Sign
The highest risers are for Group Campsites and Annual Passes at Red Rock Canyon – each rising from $30 to $50 (67%).
Meanwhile entrance fees for private vehicles are going up from $15 to $20 (33%) while individual campsite fees are going up from $10 to $12 (20%).
Entrance fees for motorcycles ($10) and Pedestrians ($5) will remain the same.
The news release stated that the fee increase was approved in 2018 but has been delayed to be implemented in 2023.
Golden Week in Las Vegas begins about the 10th of December and runs to a couple days past Christmas. Arguably it is the slowest time of the year and full of cheap hotel deals and attractive attraction discounts, think museums, tours and other fun activities.
Even better, a lot of the discounts you can buy now can be used either as gift card/presents for your Christmas gift list, or often can be used into 2023 for your own travel, even if you are not actually traveling to Las Vegas now.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Some of these links may pay a small fee to this website for any purchase. This does not raise the price to you and helps support what I do.
I’ll keep adding the fun holiday discounts as I find them. Check back often as new items get added to the list:
The Vagabond Horizon 