Las Vegas Getaways

Hello and welcome to Getaways.

-The show where we go...

-..where you want us to go.

We're on a mission to check out

some of your most popular holiday destinations.

You've been sharing your top travel tips, telling us where to go...

..and what to do when we get there.

This week, we are on our way to the man-made desert oasis

built especially for fun.

Yes, there's a 24-hour party paradise.

We are going to the fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada, baby.

-Woo!

-Vegas!

There are charter flights available direct to Las Vegas,

but the most popular route is combining a stopover in New York

or Los Angeles, and taking a connecting flight.

We've opted to fly to LA and take an American-style road trip

across the desert to Las Vegas.

The drive takes around four hours,

but if you have the time then there's plenty to see along the way.

Michael Murray contacted us and said, "If you're going to Vegas

"try and get off the freeway and do Route 66."

-You can see what he means.

-Exactly.

It's the most iconic, romantic rock 'n' roll road in America.

-If you have the chance to drive it...

-Do.

-Are you getting your kicks yet?

-Yes, totally.

-On Route 66.

I feel like Thelma to your Louise.

Let's just keep driving, honey.

The back road to Vegas takes you through the splendid Mojave Desert.

Don't rush this. Take your time to enjoy it.

It's strangely beautiful and sizzling hot.

Now, one of the great things about taking a road trip such as this

is you can take in some genuine Americana.

Behold, the world's tallest thermometer.

As you can see, it's currently recording a mere 88 degrees.

But, back in 1913, it recorded a temperature in nearby Death Valley

of 134 degrees - that's 57 degrees Celsius in our money.

Now, it may not be the Eiffel Tower,

but can the Eiffel Tower give you any indication of the weather? No.

If exploring the desert is something you're into,

then here in Baker you can take a left and head into Death Valley.

But we're going direct to Vegas before sunset.

Las Vegas is a unique city that has emerged from the Nevada Desert.

100 years ago, it was a watering stop

for wagon trains and the railroad,

now it's a holiday destination like no other.

Las Vegas is an all-year-round, 24/7 playground for grown-ups.

The casino doors never close, but we're going to find out

if there's more to Vegas than just gambling.

For anyone visiting, the first thing you want to do is take in the Strip,

the four-mile stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard

that's home to the city's main hotels, casinos and attractions.

This is probably where you'll spend most of your time

and, indeed, most of your money during your stay.

'We're taking a limo ride to explore the Strip,

'which actually isn't as extravagant as it might seem.'

That's just all one hotel.

-Yeah.

-That's all one hotel.

-Everything is huge here.

'Today the Strip's ever-evolving skyline

'is one of the most iconic in the world,

'paying tribute to some of the world's most famous landmarks.'

This is the most historic part of town.

Some of these buildings are more than five years old!

Las Vegas welcomes around 42 million visitors a year,

staying in the city's 150,000 hotel rooms.

That's right, you heard me, 150,000.

So it is busy, with constant conferences, sporting events,

hen and stag dos, and, of course, weddings.

Each casino hotel on the Strip has its own unique theme

and their own attractions.

Inside the Venetian, there's a distinctly Italian flavour

where you can experience the sounds and sights of Venice

on a perfect summer's day.

This is St Mark's Square, and what's hard to believe,

I am INSIDE the Venetian hotel.

All of this has been replicated from the original St Mark's Square

in Venice. Jenny Elliott from Bangor told us

we have to take a gondola ride on their working canal.

I'm off to do that now.

The Grand Canal passes through an upscale shopping mall -

yeah, really -

giving you a chance to eye up some shopping opportunities.

116 gets you and a partner a 15-minute gondola ride

along the canal, with your own personal gondolier serenading you.

HE SINGS

Looking at the queues, it's clearly very popular.

HE SINGS

The whole thing's incredible!

Vegas is not just for adults.

There are things for kids to do here as well,

and deep inside the Mandalay Bay hotel is Shark Reef Aquarium,

that's home to a range of exotic sea creatures.

In fact, you can even get in a tank

and scuba dive with some sharks.

But not today - I...

forgot my trunks.

Even if it wasn't in the basement of a hotel,

this is a pretty impressive aquarium in its own right,

with over 2,000 animals including rays, piranha, sharks and jellyfish.

You can get so close to the fish that you can even touch them.

And, no, there are no piranhas in this tank...

I hope.

For the real Vegas experience,

you'll most likely want to stay on the Strip.

Standard rooms are spacious

and will set you back around 150 to 200 a night,

but do shop around for deals.

We stayed at the Tropicana, on the southern end of the Strip.

A double room costs from 149 a night.

However, if during your time in Vegas you hit the jackpot

and decide to go for an upgrade, you could opt for a high-roller suite.

The Sky Villa at the luxurious Aria

has panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows

for incredible views over Las Vegas.

VIP services include your own private lift

and 24-hour butler service.

Nice.

Now, when you think of the history of Las Vegas,

you immediately think of organised crime.

And here at the old courthouse,

they've now converted it into a museum.

The National Museum of Organised Crime and Law Enforcement -

aka The Mob Museum -

deals with America's history of organised crime,

going back over 100 years.

The museum opened on the 14th of February 2012,

on the 83rd anniversary of the notorious

St Valentine's Day Massacre in Chicago.

And this is the actual wall

where the St Valentine's Day Massacre took place.

Once prohibition ended, mobsters from Chicago, New York

and Boston saw the opportunities Las Vegas had to offer.

Once gambling became legalised in the state of Nevada,

Las Vegas became a huge playground for the mob.

This oasis in the desert became a gangster's paradise

and Vegas got its reputation as Sin City.

Las Vegas Airport is right next to the Strip

and there are regular helicopter tours of the city.

But I'm heading to Boulder City Airport,

a 30-minute drive from the Strip,

to take an aerial tour of one of the wonders of the natural world -

the Grand Canyon.

RADIO CHATTER

Lots of you told us to book your helicopter ride

for early in the morning,

when the air is smooth and the light is beautiful.

Shortly after take-off, crossing the Arizona-Nevada border is Lake Mead,

the largest reservoir in America.

Wow! That's the Hoover Dam,

one of the most impressive man-made structures on the planet.

Without that, Las Vegas wouldn't exist.

And for film fans -

Superman. The original Superman, remember?

We're following the route of the Colorado River

and the scenery becomes very dramatic very quickly.

And despite his youthful appearance,

our pilot, Brad, is an excellent guide.

At its steepest point, the Grand Canyon gets to about a mile deep,

it's about 5,300 feet. Every sedimentary layer that we see

represents an era in the Earth's history.

That's amazing.

If you can see just this black line that's just below the rim here...

-Yeah.

-Can you pick that out? That's from the Jurassic period.

So, in total, we're looking at nearly two billion years

of the Earth's history here in the canyon walls.

You can drive from Las Vegas out to the Grand Canyon

in about four hours.

But by helicopter it takes just 20 minutes

and the only way to see this part of the canyon is from the air

or by taking a boat along the river.

It really is one of the last bits of American wilderness.

Yee-ha!

I mean, what a way to see the Grand Canyon, eh?

Wow!

So beautiful.

If the neon lights of the big city aren't for you

then Mairead has been on a short break in County Fermanagh.

Self catering is always a good option

when you're travelling with kids

so I've brought my son, Daragh, along and we're going to check out

some of the accommodation options, including glamping,

on offer here in Fermanagh.

And we're going to try out some activities on the lakes.

Yay. What are you looking forward to trying?

-Maybe fishing.

-Fishing, yeah? Kayaking.

Our first stop is Finn Lough,

an activity resort on Lower Lough Erne

right on the Fermanagh-Donegal border.

There's a range of self-catering lakeside lodges

that can sleep up to six people.

But we're venturing into the woods to check out

these strange-looking domes.

It might look like aliens have landed on the shores of Lough Erne,

but these bubble domes are actually luxury bedrooms.

-Ah, this is nice.

-The bed's so big.

Each bubble has a separate shower room and bedroom area,

so you can feel like you're sleeping outdoors

but with all the comforts of home.

'Finn Lough has its own little marina.

Checking you. Good? OK, let's go.

'And Daragh and I are taking advantage

'of the beautiful conditions to explore Lough Erne.'

OK, keep it straight.

Yeah, it's straight now.

'These pedal kayaks are ideal

for anyone with no experience of the water,

'and, armed with a chart of the lough,

'there are plenty of little islands and inlets for us to explore.'

Look, Mum. Look, that's where we were, Finn Lough Resort,

and now we're at Goat Island.

-See there?

-Yeah.

So I think we should go and see if we can find any goats.

-OK.

-OK.

-Now, keep a good eye out for these.

-I will.

I'll keep my good eye out. I've a pair of good eyes, actually.

As you know.

'We didn't find any goats and we can't afford to hang around all day,

'because Daragh has a fishing lesson booked.'

-I'll show you how to cast it.

-Yeah.

-So...

bring it back. All right, just give it a try.

Yeah, not too bad for your first try.

Niles is giving Daragh a lesson in the basics,

but for the more serious fishermen, he can provide the right lures

and equipment to catch trout, perch, or even pike on the lake.

A pike would be nice.

Yeah, exactly. Maybe some perch as well.

Come on.

I can see one. Oh!

Just seaweed.

That's a lot of seaweed.

So no fish or goats.

Ten minutes west of Finn Lough is another self-catering resort,

Rossharbour, with a variety of accommodation options

perfect for families.

You could stay in a wooden pod,

ideal as a base for a fishing trip...

..or you could rent this luxury four-bedroom house,

with en suite bathrooms, that sleeps up to eight people.

And there's plenty to keep Daragh entertained.

Plus I got to practise my penalties.

SHE LAUGHS

So, Daragh, what do you think of our little self-catering break?

We've got the best few days Ireland has had all year, I think.

-Yeah.

-We've been lucky.

-26 degrees.

-Yeah, I know.

So I think we're going to have to come back to Fermanagh.

It's been lucky for us.

Very lucky. I think every time we come here,

we have the lucky charm of sunny weather.

Yep. I think so, too.

We're on a getaway to the entertainment Mecca

that is Las Vegas.

So far, we've been touring the Strip in a limo...

..taking a gondola ride in a hotel...

..and flying high over the Grand Canyon in a helicopter.

Well, what do you think?

I'm thinking you've taken me to a giant construction site

and I'm not very happy about it right now.

You see, I can't fault you on that, you're not wrong.

-But I think you're going to dig this.

-Oh, Joe!

-Come on!

Hey, guys, welcome to Dig This. OK?

What you guys are going to do today,

you're going to go out there and run those 20-tonne excavators,

-you're going to have the time of your life, OK?

-OK.

-Come on.

All right, Walt, I'm a little bit nervous.

'After a quick safety briefing from our instructor, Walt...'

I want you to go left...

'..remarkably, we're let loose on the controls of these excavators.'

Ooh, I don't like that.

Woo-hoo-hoo!

-Brilliant.

-OK, can you see the bucket?

-Yeah.

-No. Where's the bucket?

-It's on the end of the arm.

Oh, that thing? Yeah, I see that.

LAUGHING: "That thing"!

I was looking for a bucket that I clean my floors with.

OK. Push forward with your left hand a little bit, Joe.

Your other left. Joe!

Your left hand. Whoa! Whoa, whoa!

Argh!

-Stop! What are you doing?

-I've got a heavy hand, what can I tell you?

Our next big task is to move some of these great big tyres.

Might look easy, but believe me,

there are a LOT of levers and buttons inside this thing.

Squeeze the tyre.

You have no idea how satisfying this is, look at it squish.

-OK.

-That's right, a bit more, Joe.

-Am I squeezing? Am I squeezing?

-Yeah.

You're good, Joe.

OK, I want you to drive down there,

and you're going to set that on the ground.

No, no, no!

What the...?

Go back and get the next tyre.

Look, Mairead, my bucket is laughing at you.

SHE LAUGHS

'OK, one more tyre to go and I'm determined to impress Walt.'

-Gently. A little more.

-OK.

-Right there.

-OK.

Perfect. Bring it around.

Clean around.

Look at me go!

That's the way to do it, good job.

Woohoo! OK.

That was brilliant.

Even though I was really rubbish at it.

You did great.

If you're hungry, you can grab a snack

just about anywhere along the Strip.

However, Las Vegas is also home

to some of the best restaurants in the world.

One of the strip's newest fine-dining experiences

is in the exclusive Bellagio Hotel.

Harvest by Roy Ellamar is all about

locally-sourced seasonal ingredients.

And the man himself, Roy,

has prepared a selection of dishes for me to try.

When you think Vegas, you don't automatically think fine dining.

You know, you sometimes might think it's ribs and burgers

and fries and that sort of thing.

So what you're doing here is a little bit different.

Well, that and also the concept is a little bit different.

Bringing the farm-to-table feel to the Strip is different.

I mean, we're in the Bellagio, it's the nicest hotel on the Strip.

-It's VERY nice.

-And so we have to cater to that clientele

and still provide a luxury product.

Do you think you have to work a little bit harder

because not only are you running this place,

but your name is over the door?

-I have to be here every day.

-Yeah.

Having your name on the door, that's a big responsibility, you know?

-Yeah.

-But it's good. It keeps me going,

it keeps me motivated and it keeps me hungry for more.

Yeah, well, listen, speaking of hunger -

-me, I'm hungry now.

-Good segue.

-Mm.

While Mairead is going for some fine dining,

I'm going for a Las Vegas classic, the all-you-can-eat buffet.

In the 1940s, the Las Vegas buffet was designed as a loss-leader

to attract gamblers to the casinos.

Here at the Wicked Spoon in the Cosmopolitan,

they've brought the concept right up-to-date.

Just about everything you can imagine on offer,

from breakfast to dinner and everything in between.

If maintaining a beach body is important,

maybe Vegas isn't the place for you.

This is just some of the array of food here at the Wicked Spoon

at the Cosmopolitan. And this does not even include the desserts.

But you know me, I like a challenge.

Come on.

The Las Vegas Strip is constantly evolving,

but if you want to get a flavour of old-school Vegas,

then you need to head downtown,

and Fremont Street is where old meets new.

50 years ago, Fremont Street was the beating heart of Las Vegas,

featuring some iconic neon signs

that have been Vegas' trademarks ever since.

Today, the street has been transformed

into a pedestrianised theme park experience.

It's like being at one big street party,

Vegas style.

Loads of people recommended we take a trip downtown

to old Fremont Street, including Tony Miller,

Paul Slaughter and Aidan Walsh, and they all said this place

has a real vintage Vegas vibe to it,

it's really relaxed and the best part about it,

it's much cheaper than the main Strip.

Julia Hyland and Jolene Harbinson said, if you come to Fremont Street,

you've got to do the zip line.

Now, I'm terrified of heights. Thanks, girls(!)

-LAUGHING:

-Thanks, girls! You'll be grand.

-Yeah.

Walking up this street,

you can't take your eyes off the illuminated canopy overhead,

with its constantly changing kaleidoscope of colour.

But the centrepiece of the Fremont Street Experience is Slotzilla,

a 12-storey-high slot machine-inspired thrill ride.

Now, Slotzilla has two zip wires, a lower one that you sit on

and drift sedately along the street and a higher one,

for adrenaline junkies where you fly up to 40mph,

Superman-style.

For some reason, known only to the viewers of this programme,

I'm taking the higher one, from the tenth floor, 114 feet up.

If you're from Belfast,

it's like jumping off the very top of the Albert Clock

and flying 500 yards down High Street.

Did I mention that I was scared of heights?

The worst bit is the waiting,

but once you're trussed up and suspended from the wire,

there's no real going back...

In three, two, one...

Argh!

..so you may as well enjoy the ride.

HE SINGS SUPERMAN THEME TUNE

Woo!

Woo-hoo-hoo!

This is incredible!

Oh!

Yeah!

Woo-hoo-hoo!

Hello!

Whoa!

Now that was fun.

When I found out we were coming to Vegas,

this place was the first that sprung to mind.

It is top of the list of things I wanted to show you.

Also recommended by Kat Kirk from Belfast,

Julie Stewart from Lisburn and Clodagh Holohan on Twitter.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is The Neon Museum.

The Neon Museum Boneyard was first created in 1996,

but officially opened to the public

here on the site of La Concha Motel in 2012.

And it's an Aladdin's cave of old signs.

You can still imagine these beauties lighting up the Las Vegas Strip

back in their heyday.

The Boneyard has more than 200 signs

and I love the way they've just been left to decay naturally

in the desert sun.

And each sign tells its own story, like the Stardust sign.

In 1958, it was the largest sign on the Strip

and used 11,000 bulbs and 7,000 feet of neon tubing.

Hour-long guided tours are available seven days a week at the Boneyard

and tour guide Ian Zeitzer is filling me in

on the history of these neon delights.

What is it that people kind of resonate with,

to come to a museum like this?

I mean, I love it cos I'm a big fan of neon signs, generally.

But, for people coming here, what is it they love about it?

You know, it's different for every guest.

Some guests have only seen Vegas in movies, in television shows,

and they come here and they literally are face-to-face

with all the images and all the ideas they had in their head

and what this city was all about.

Every guest that comes in is able to pull something different

from what we've presented here.

I'm just wondering, Ian, would you maybe have a giant "J", for example,

that you're maybe looking rid of? You don't need any more?

Actually, this is a permanent collection.

So, unfortunately, nothing's leaving this afternoon.

It was all going so well, Ian.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you, thank you.

If you're feeling loved up, Vegas is truly the place to be.

It's famous for its wedding chapels.

This particular one, this is where Britney Spears,

Joan Collins and Bruce Willis all got married.

But I think we can do better.

-Hiya.

-Hi, how are you?

AS ELVIS: Howdy, Priscilla, how are you?

Hey, Elvis. Where are we off to next?

Well, let me tell you something,

it's not at the end of Lonely Street, Teddy Bear,

-it's a surprise.

-Am I going to like this surprise?

You're going to love it, you're going to love it, tender.

Olivia from Drogheda recommended getting married in Las Vegas.

She and her husband did.

Around 80,000 weddings take place every year in Las Vegas.

And who better to conduct the service but the King himself?

-Look at this place.

-Look! Jon Bon Jovi got married here.

Andie MacDowell, the actress. I love her.

-Elvis will see you, now.

-OK.

All hail to the King, baby.

Hello, Elvis.

'Now, I hate to break it to you, Joe, but Elvis Presley died in 1977.

'Our Elvis isn't really Elvis, he's actually called Brendan Duffy.'

Elvis, this is a fantastic place you have here.

-Thank you very much.

-I love it.

So you conduct the wedding services for everyone here?

If they want. Some people want traditional...

A minister will do that too and I'll just, you know,

be part of their ceremony. But if they want Elvis to do

the whole thing, we marry them and send them on their way.

-How long have you been doing this?

-21 years.

Which, the other day, I was thinking,

that's as long as Elvis was famous, 21 years.

So I've been doing Elvis as long as Elvis did Elvis.

-Wow.

-You look really like him.

-Thank you, it's all the surgery.

-It's good.

-You've not had any done, though, right?

-No, no. I've just done my hair.

-Have you always looked like Elvis?

I guess. When I started to dye my hair black,

then people started saying, you know...

Back when it was pink in a Mohawk, I never got...

-You didn't look like Elvis, then, no.

-It got no reference then.

But we go with it now.

Well, seeing as we're here, come on, give us a wee number.

All right, I'll do one of the most romantic songs we do here.

Have a seat.

# Wise men say

# Only fools rush in

# But I can't help

# Falling in love with you. #

-THEY APPLAUD

-Thank you very much.

-Yeah!

-Thank you very much.

-That's made my day.

-That has made this trip.

You know, I really hoped that Vegas was more about just gambling.

And it actually is. Now they're pushing more towards experiences

and fine dining and the shows. It's amazing.

Yeah, I was here ten years ago

and this experience, for me, is totally different.

I mean, you can pack your day with fun stuff

-and avoid the casinos altogether, you know?

-Yeah. Totally.

It's brilliant. It's the kind of city I think everyone should see,

-at least once.

-I would agree.

And remember, Mairead, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

OK, Joe, tell that to the cameraman.

-Oh, yeah, that guy.

-Mm.