Tim and Anne’s Las Vegas Trip May 2024
by Tim Larison, CLIA Certified Master Cruise Counselor
with comments by Anne Larison, Family Travel Gurus Travel Consultant
We have visited Las Vegas many times in the past. For our May 2024 trip we wanted to experience new activities and attractions. In this report we will share what we learned – it was one of our best Las Vegas trips ever!
Pinball Hall of Fame
A short distance south of the Las Vegas Strip, we had driven by the large PINBALL sign in the past. On this trip we learned this building holds the Pin Ball Hall of Fame. Admission is free!
Inside you will find row upon row of pinball machines – some old classics and some new ones. We brought a roll of quarters and enjoyed playing many of these games.
There were a mix of traditional pinball machines and
alternative games (Iike hockey and baseball machines). I particularly enjoyed the baseball games as
I had played that type of machine many times as a kid.
Anne says: We spent time at the Pinball Hall of Fame during the day and it was not crowded. They have change machines so it isn’t necessary to bring your own quarters. Not all the machines are working but there are certainly enough that are to keep you entertained.
Southpoint Bowling
We enjoy our weekly bowling league back home in Arizona so we were happy to find bowling at a great price at Southpoint Hotel and Casino. You can bowl here for $1 a game before 9 a.m.! We took advantage of this bargain price and bowled 3 games. The lanes were well maintained.
I do recommend that you call ahead to make sure the $1 bowling is offered on the morning of your visit. Most days the bargain bowling is available, though on other days the early morning lanes may be occupied by tournament play (hence no $1 bowling on those days)
Anne says: Southpoint is a short drive from the strip. There is ample parking, both in front of the hotel and in a parking garage. We enjoy spending time here not just for the bowling, but this property has a movie theater, buffet restaurant, equestrian center and several other dining options (both fast food and table service).
Tiger Woods PopStroke
Just south of the Las Vegas Strip is Tiger Woods PopStroke miniature golf, featuring two 18 hole courses. This is not your traditional miniature golf venue! There are no windmills to putt through. Rather each course is set up with holes that mimic a regular golf course hole, with simulated sand traps, hills, and more.
PopStroke also features a large dining area and other types of games (like ping pong and corn hole). When we visited after dinner one night, we saw a number of groups and families playing. If you are familiar with the popular Top Golf driving ranges PopStroke is similar in its non-golf offerings.
We learned that you only could purchase day passes for PopStroke. This allows for unlimited play during operating hours. It’s not possible to purchase one 18-hole round.
Anne says: We would recommend this activity but be prepared for crowds. Because everyone pays for a day pass, many are golfing multiple times. Also we saw many large family, friend and work groups. The course does have misters placed on multiple holes, so that did help with the heat. They do offer bar service and they will even bring your drink to you on the course, using their app.
The Sphere
Our number one priority on this trip was to experience the latest Las Vegas mega attraction – The Sphere! I had read of the excellent concerts with amazing special effects here. Instead of a concert we opted to see The Sphere Experience.
The first part of the Sphere Experience is in the atrium where life like robots explain different technological advancements.
We then were seated inside the large Sphere theater for the show “Postcard from Earth”. The visuals on the large screen that surrounded us were amazing in this nature presentation. The story line of how humans are destroying the environment was disturbing but that did not take away from the stunning images and special effects that were presented.
Anne says: If you are on the strip the walk to the sphere is about 20 to 25 minutes from the Venetian hotel and casino. The bridge between the two was closed at the time of our visit.
Fontainebleau Las Vegas
During our Las Vegas trips we enjoy visiting new resorts and casinos that have opened since our last visit. On this trip we experienced one of the best new resorts – the Fontainebleau. We rode the Las Vegas Monorail to the Westgate resort and discovered Fontainebleau was only a short 10-minute walk away. We were immediately impressed with the large lobby (shown above)
Our plan was to eat lunch here. We looked for the food court but instead found a large casual dining venue on the second floor of the resort – the Promenade. This was the best food court/food hall I have ever seen in Las Vegas. The Promenade was a quiet smoke-free oasis from the action on the casino one floor below.
We had lunch at Capons on the Promenade which featured excellent hamburgers and shakes. The prices were very reasonable for Las Vegas, too (our burgers were $13 each in May 2024). The other 6 dining venues on the Promenade looked good, also. We are sure to return to this food hall on future trips!
Better yet, when I registered for Fontainebleau Rewards on the Casino floor I was given a $15 credit for free casino play, and a $15 dining credit (we used that at Capons)
Anne says: We walked around the 3 stories of the Fontainebleau that are open to the public – the casino and table service restaurants on the first floor. The second floor is the food court, and we went up to the third level to check out the pool. It is not open to the public but from the outside looking in it was gorgeous.
Summary
This is just a small sample of all the different experiences you can have in Las Vegas. There are others we didn’t get to on this trip (like the Museum of Illusions and Princess Diana & The Royals: The Exhibition ) Las Vegas is always reinventing itself, adding new attractions, resorts, restaurants, and shows, which makes it a fun destination for us to visit.
Contact us if you want suggestions for your next Vegas trip.