Lucky #7 Vegas Extravaganza: The First Night

I started planning my "Lucky #7" Vegas trip in March 2011. I chose September because the previous best Vegas trip I'd ever taken was in September, so I figured September would be perfect for a lucky trip ;)

Originally my lucky #7 trip was only supposed to be two nights long - we booked a two bedroom hospitality suite at the Mirage for Friday and Saturday nights in mid-September 2011. But a few months later when we booked our plane tickets, it turned out that it was far less expensive for most of us to fly out to Vegas on a Thursday. We did the math and knew it would be a big stretch to book the suite for our first night, even if it was available - on top of that, we were all arriving late (between 9 PM and 11 PM) and we figured it would be silly to spend that kind of money for a few hours of sleep.

This led me to use Priceline for the first time and book a room at the Monte Carlo for about $60. I had been hoping for the Mirage, of course, or at least a hotel a bit CLOSER to the Mirage (to make changing hotels on our first full day a bit easier), but what can you do...that's the chance you take when you use Priceline :)

Personally I ran into a few issues when I flew to Vegas on Thursday, September 15 2011...my flight from my home airport was delayed so long that I almost missed my flight from Atlanta to Vegas! I literally had to run from one end of the Atlanta airport to the other, but I made it (albeit with only a minute or two to spare) and we landed just before 9 PM west coast time as planned. My friend Chad arrived not 20 minutes later and after picking up his luggage we settled in at the bar to wait for my best friend Jenna and her boyfriend JB!

Waiting in the airport bar!

Finally everyone was there and we were in a cab and on our way to the Monte Carlo! I wish I'd noted our cab driver's name and company because he was great - he didn't try to screw us by taking the tunnel and the highway; in fact he didn't even try to convince me that we should when I told him not to do so. Those cabbies are few and far between in Vegas, let me tell you! (I've literally gotten in arguments with cab drivers before when trying to get to a hotel from the airport)

Jenna and I (post-freshening up of course) outside the Monte Carlo on our first night

We checked into the Monte Carlo and wooow did it take a while. Seriously we waited in line for at least 20 minutes :-/ I never knew so many people arrived in Vegas this late at night! Once we were in our room we quickly freshened up and changed and met a friend of mine to go to Fremont Street. Jenna and Chad had never been down there (and JB had never been to Vegas period!) so I figured...hey, it's a Thursday night, there's a big fight this weekend, there will be stuff going on!

Jenna & JB enjoying a Fremont Street football!

Noooot so much, and wow will I never go to Fremont Street that late at night again! We didn't even get there until about 12:30 and we stayed until at least 3, but it was empty. Half the casinos and most of the stores were closed! We gambled a bit and enjoyed some cheap Fremont Street drinks, but needless to say I really noticed how seedy "downtown" Vegas is and we were more than happy to head back to the Strip ;)

Unfortunately once back at the hotel there was nothing going on! It was a bit late, true, but I've had some of the best Vegas times at the Mirage lobby bar at 3, 4, 5 AM...drinking and talking to random people and whatnot. No such luck at the Monte Carlo, and after a munchie trip to the McDonald's inside the casino (the existence of that was a plus, at least) we made our way back to the room for a 5:30 AM-ish bedtime.

But not before playing a little hallway football with Jenna's now-empty souvenir football cup ;)

Don't worry...days two and three were the true "extravaganza" of this Vegas extravaganza and I'll be back with those stories VERY soon :D