A vacation in Las Vegas was long overdue for this mother/daughter duo.  We originally planned a February 2016 itinerary with tickets to Mariah Carey.  I started a new job and took the responsible route of canceling the trip which had no travel insurance to cover the losses. 

Mom and I made up for it in a major way with a four night stay at Caesar’s Palace Augustus tower.  She arrived from Orlando several hours before my Cincinnati flight.  Lady luck was on her side to the point she had to utilize the room’s safe to secure the bag.

I had to finish up Voice Thread and Perusall assignments for my Diversity course before I could let my hair down.  I was grateful for the extra three hours of Pacific Time to meet the midnight deadline.

We ate hors d’oeuvres at the Diamond Lounge which became our complimentary recharging area with excellent wait staff.

Taking a photo in front of the Vegas welcome sign is one of the best souvenirs to take home. This is where my Mom really got to experience what 105° dry heat feels like.

Our suite was on the 29^th floor, and offered excellent views of The Fountains of Bellagio.

My Mom ate at the Bacchanal Buffet in Caesars and wanted to compare it to the Buffet Bellagio.  We were too hungry to wait for the 3pm dinner menu, so we opted for Brunch.  The food quality was very good with the seared salmon being my favorite choice.

We checked out a few boutiques while hoping to see a beautiful floral arrangement inside the conservatory.  Unfortunately, renovations were underway for the summer display.    

I gave my Mom a tour of the strip, then we went to Fremont Street.  Although it was early, we were still entertained by the local sidewalk performers.  My feelings were hurt when I found out that the deep fried Oreos spot had closed.     

After being in the heat, it was time to cool off in a choice of seven pools.  Caesars offers swim-up blackjack for those who like the combination of water and trying to bust the dealer.     

The time difference had me up all night, so I walked the strip and shopped along the way.  I love the NY, NY area.  The water feature reminds me of the 9/11 memorial fountains for the World Trade Center.

We took a trip to Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam. It was very windy walking across the bridge to the Nevada-Arizona State Line.

A fairly new art exhibit called, Seven Magic Mountains sits about 15 miles south of the strip.  These colorful boulders are situated along the highway that links Vegas to L.A.  There was swirling dust everywhere, and we were very dirty by the time we left.  We also had to be on the lookout for rattlesnakes.

The next stop was the Wynn Buffet, but not before taking another shower.  There was no way we were going into the Wynn dusty. From the moment we walked inside, it was easy to see how the Wynn is ranked as one of the finest hotels in the world.

The Buffet which is always listed at the top of any “best buffets in Vegas” search was perfectly executed.  The flow of the food lines, variety, taste, and decor were outstanding!

We toured other areas of the Wynn, including the Parasol Up/Parasol Down lounge and boutiques.  Everything was bright and colorful.

That night, we went to Mandalay Bay for the Michael Jackson ONE Cirque Du Soleil.  The venue was very serious about enforcing the “no photos” policy.  The ushers would point lasers at anyone caught breaking the rule.  Overall, the performances were world-class and MJ would be proud.     

For our last day, we kept it chill for the afternoon by having lunch and shopping at the Venetian’s Grand Canal Shoppes.  I absolutely love the chicken and waffles at the Grand Lux Café!

Lastly, Caesars comped us tickets for the JLo, All I Have concert at Planet Hollywood.  We went to will call expecting to have basic seats.  To our surprise, we were seated in the 2^nd row from the stage pit.  We even passed by the actress who played Donna in Friday After Next on our way to our seats.

JLo put on an excellent show that kept us on our feet the entire time other than a tribute to her twins. 

JLo was personable with the audience, and it was obvious that she takes care of her body in order to perform with such intensity.

There is still so much to see, do and taste on the Las Vegas Strip and surrounding areas.  Trip #4 won’t be far away!

♡KelsieLou♡