I’m not sure about you, but I love a good getaway! Now that we have Lily, it’s not as easy as it was when it was just me and my husband, Brandon. We can’t just go on a last minute get away to California for the day, I mean, we could – but any parent out there knows how kids are unpredictable, come with a lot of stuff and getting out the door takes way longer than it did pre-baby days!
I woke up Friday morning, and decided to take a last-minute trip with Lily to Lake Las Vegas. Yes, just me and my baby! It was honestly the best thing ever!!! We always travel as a family, but just having one on one time with my baby was such an incredible bonding experience, I would recommend to everyone!
Whether you want to have a stay-cation with your family, partner, or just you & your baby, or even some time by yourself, read on for what Lake Las Vegas has to offer! Here are some other fun ideas and great deals for exciting hotels, tours, shows and attractions to enhance your stay-cation!
Book your hotel!
Normally I book in advance to get the best room rate and view and I always check for a local’s discount. This particular morning, I woke up had breakfast and decided I wanted to spend the day outdoors having fun with my baby! I had forgotten it was Memorial Day weekend! We drove to the Westin at Lake Las Vegas which showed availability on-line, however, upon arrival – they were overbooked. I called the Hilton Lake Las Vegas and was able to book a room, they did not offer a local’s discount, but I didn’t want to give up on my stay-cation journey!
Thankfully we were able to check-in early at 1pm. I had also forgotten normally check-in is at 3pm. Bear with me, normally I am way more organized than this, but I was very proud of my spontaneous Mommy & Baby trip, I wasn’t going to let the small things knock me off my stay-cation course.
We’ve stayed at the Westin Lake Las Vegas a few times in the past, and let me tell you, the views and the property are gorgeous! The whole hotel smells like a spa and the ambience has the true feeling of a vacation. The Westin, however, is a few minutes’ drive away from the Lake Las Vegas village. I wanted to check out the Hilton, since it is located in the village.
Both the Hilton and Westin are very nice, comfortable, 4 star hotels that have a pool. As I stated the Westin is located away from the village, however, it is an amazing resort with breathtaking views. They have 2 pools one which has a little slide for the kids. The Westin also has a private beach and offers complimentary kayaks to hotel guests. When we stayed there previously, I called stating we were locals and they offered us a pretty good rate with 2 vouchers for breakfast. I wanted to stay there again this time, but was glad we were able to experience the Hilton this time around.
The perks about the Hilton, as I stated is that it is in the village. I parked my car and didn’t move it until we left the next day. It was amazing. My daughter and I just walked around everywhere! I didn’t even bring the stroller. Both hotels offer free parking, but I believe both charge a resort fee.
Lunch Time
After checking-in, we had lunch at Sonrisa Grill, a Mexican restaurant, located in the village. We arrived a few minutes before happy hour, and were able to get 2 sliders and 2 tacos for $4 each. Unfortunately, they were a little spicy for our liking, so I can’t really comment on the food.
After lunch, we went to Seasons Groceries in the village to grab a fruit bowl as a snack since we didn’t really like our lunch, and some sunblock since I unfortunately forgot ours. The Seasons Grocery store has everything you need from a typical grocery store and any toiletries you may have forgotten at home. The items aren’t ridiculously overpriced, but a little higher than normal. The off-brand sunblock we bought was $8, and the Watermelon & Blueberry fruit bowl was $3.99.
Relax & Swim
We then headed over to go swimming at the Hilton pool. It was very nice & relaxing. There is also a bar & grill located at the pool if you get hungry or want a drink. The Hilton pool is simpler than the Westin pool, no slide or private beach, but still a nice relaxing pool. There is a spectacular waterfall located in the back of the pool that you don’t want to miss.
Italian Yumminess for Dinner
After swimming, we ate dinner at Luna Rossa, an Italian restaurant, also located in the village. We love pasta! I ordered a Chicken Penne Dish with Broccoli and Sun-dried Tomatoes, the portion was very large, Lily and I shared it. It was $19, which I don’t believe was an unreasonable price.
After dinner, we walked around the village and watched local performers on the lake front stage and watched the sunset on the lake as we enjoyed our Mango Gelato. This special time with my daughter was such a wonderful indescribable experience. I truly felt physically, mentally and emotionally taken away from our everyday to do’s and it was just me & Lily, one on one, enjoying every minute of it. Lily loved the live music, there was a crowd of high schoolers dressed fancy taking a yacht out for Prom, bikers taking a break from their long day, and little dogs being taken out for an evening stroll, there were families with babies taking in the perfect atmosphere. We also enjoyed watching this guy on one of those jet packs out on the lake, he was so crazy on that thing, doing flips in the air!
Breakfast with a view!
The next morning, we ate breakfast at Medici Cafe located inside the Hilton Hotel. They offer a breakfast buffet for $18 per person, I thought this was a bit pricey. However, I knew I was staying at a hotel and my other options in the village would probably be similar, there was also the convenience of just walking downstairs, lol. The waiter said they also have a menu we could order from with meals starting at $15, but the buffet would be a better deal since drinks are included and kids 5 & under are free.
The buffet was pretty good. Fruits, yogurt, bagels, eggs, pancakes, sausage, bacon, vegetarian hash, potatoes, cereal and more! We sat outside and enjoyed the beautiful courtyard view.
End of our Staycation
Check-out is 12pm, I was able to get a later check-out for 1pm. Brandon met up with us as we finished breakfast and we all went swimming and explored the hotel grounds a bit more – walking around out there is so beautiful!
If you’d like to take some time off and have a vacation, but don’t want to travel far, or like the comfort of a short drive – head over to Lake Las Vegas! You can easily have an amazing stay with your hotel room, meals and tips for under $200! We were only there for 24 hours but it was so amazing and it beats traveling for hours with a bunch of luggage, plus we didn’t have to pay much for gas or airline tickets!
Lake Las Vegas is truly one of my favorite places to visit, it’s like our local little Italy. I dream of going to Italy one day, so Lake Las Vegas ties me over until then. We have had so many fun memories there from a stay-cation or just a day trip. Make your own today!
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