Trip report: husband’s birthday weekend

Question

Hubby and I just got back from a fun weekend in Vegas, so I’m sharing a few of the things we did.

We flew in late Friday night, arriving at 9 Friday evening. After picking up our rental car, we made a quick stop at Walmart for some supplies, we got to our condo (Holiday Inn Vacation Club on Koval) a little after 11.

Saturday morning, we had a quick breakfast and headed to The Strip. I had a VIP ticket to the Princess Diana & The Royals at Crystals, so I went and did that while hubby wandered around and played craps. The exhibit was really nice, and featured several of her dresses and a lot of her personal correspondence. After I was done, we went to the new Whataburger that is in front of the Waldorf-Astoria. We were able to grab a seat at the bar and enjoy drinks and our Whataburgers. Later that afternoon, we decided to head downtown to Fremont Street. We walked around for several hours watching the street performers, and hubby played more craps at several places. We really liked the new Circa hotel and its massive sports book, although I was very disappointed to find out that they only do sports betting, and no horse race betting. Unfortunately, as the evening got later, we found out that the Rock & Roll Half Marathon was this weekend, and it had several streets downtown blocked off which made it difficult to get back to our car. For dinner tonight, hubby requested Asian food (which we don’t get at home) so I set the GPS to Las Vegas’ Chinatown on Spring Mountain. We drove around a little bit looking at the different places, and we settled on Mr. BBQ all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ. This ended up being really fun! We chose several different meats to cook on the grill at the table, and the dinner included 16 different little side dishes and a salad. We had a great time cooking the meat and trying the different sides. After dinner, we called it a night.

Sunday was hubby’s birthday and my horse race day. Thanks to the winter storm last week, Oaklawn Park postponed the Honeybee and Rebel Stakes until Sunday. We settled on the Paris because they had a good race book, and the Montecristo Cigar Lounge for hubby. I happily played the ponies, and even managed to pick the winner of the Rebel Stakes! Hubby enjoyed the cigar lounge and played more craps. That evening was our big treat: his birthday dinner at The Golden Steer! I made the reservation in September so we were really looking forward to it. Unfortunately as we headed to the restaurant, we found that the Rock & Roll Marathon again had streets blocked off, including Las Vegas Blvd, and traffic was a mess! Thankfully the restaurant was very gracious with us arriving a little late. We were seated in the Betty Grable booth which was also the “lookout table” for the mobsters’ dining room behind it. Hubby decided on a ribeye, and I got a filet with shrimp. We started with the table side Caesar salad, which unfortunately neither of us liked due to the heavy salad dressing. Our steak dinners were wonderful! Both steaks were cooked perfectly, and they were delicious. For dessert, we got the table side bananas foster, which was fun! The waitstaff were all wonderful, and they worked as a team to make sure we had everything we needed. It was a fantastic experience, and we will hopefully eat there again.

Monday morning, we had originally planned to tour the Hoover Dam. Unfortunately we found out that the visitor center and observation deck are currently closed due to remodeling, so we decided to postpone it for another trip. Instead, we decided to have a “mobster day” and check out the Mob Museum downtown. Since we were in no rush, we decided to do a late morning brunch. I had seen the Hash House a GoGo in the Plaza hotel downtown, so we headed there. We both enjoyed the delicious breakfast and mimosas! The Mob Museum was right around the corner, and we ended up spending several hours there viewing the exhibits. It was very educational! Afterwards, we went to the Neon Museum, which was perfect in the late afternoon at sunset. The old signs were a lot of fun to see! For dinner, a coworker had recommended Capo’s Speakeasy on West Sahara. From the minute we walked in the door, it was the perfect end for our “mobster day!” We didn’t have a reservation so we were seated at the bar. The place had the perfect dark atmosphere, and there was a really good lounge singer. Surprisingly it was quite busy on a Monday evening. The Italian food for dinner was excellent! We enjoyed our dinner and drinks, and we definitely will come back with a reservation so we can get a table.

Tuesday was the trip home. Fortunately we we returned the rental car quickly, and then walked right through security with no wait, too.

This was a really good trip! Next time, we hope to get into the Nevada Test Site Tour, and that the renovations at the Hoover Dam Visitor Center will be complete!

Answer

It sounds like you had a wonderful time in Las Vegas! Thanks for sharing your trip details, it’s great to hear about all the different activities and places you visited. Below are some additional tips and thoughts based on your experiences:

Things You Did Well:

Your visit to the Princess Diana & The Royals exhibit at Crystals sounds lovely. It's great that you had the VIP access for a more relaxed experience while your husband enjoyed the casino!
Whataburger is always a fun stop for a casual meal. I love that you enjoyed drinks while trying out the local flavors.
Your “mobster day” sounds like a blast! The Mob Museum and Neon Museum are both incredible, especially for history buffs, and I’m sure they really added an interesting layer to your trip.
The Golden Steer seems like the perfect spot for a special dinner. Even though the traffic situation wasn’t ideal, it sounds like you had a memorable experience with the mobster-themed table and delicious steaks!

Suggestions for Future Trips:

If you’re a fan of history and the old Vegas mob era, you might also want to check out the *The Mob Museum’s Crime Lab* next time. It has a hands-on experience with crime scene investigations and would be an exciting addition to your visit.
For your next trip, definitely try the *Nevada Test Site Tour* – it’s a unique and fascinating experience, especially for anyone interested in nuclear history. Make sure to book it in advance!
As you noted, the Hoover Dam’s visitor center is under renovation, but it’s still worth checking out if you return, as the surrounding area has some great views and walking trails.

Other Dining Options You Could Explore:

If you're looking for more unique dining experiences, the *Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen* at Caesars Palace is an iconic spot to try, offering both an amazing dining experience and a fun atmosphere.
If you love Korean BBQ like you tried at Mr. BBQ, there’s also *Korean BBQ House* in Chinatown for another great all-you-can-eat experience!
If you enjoy Italian food, a fun addition to your list could be *The Venetian’s* *Carnevino*, an upscale Italian steakhouse offering a delicious menu and a great ambiance.

It’s clear that you had a great balance of fun, relaxation, and a bit of adventure. Your thoughtful planning paid off, and I’m sure your husband had a fantastic birthday weekend. I hope your next visit to Las Vegas is just as memorable and that you get to experience some new and exciting things!