A Quick Getaway Guide from LA to Las Vegas
The other day we decided to take a little trip to the neon city for Valentines Weekend and we are so happy we did! Las Vegas is a mere 269 miles from Los Angeles so it makes for the perfect Road trip!!! If you are looking for a fun, relaxing getaway in Vegas keep reading!
Los Angeles To Las Vegas
Sometimes you just need a little road trip getaway and lucky for us Vegas is only a few hours from LA! 4 hour to be exact. Last weekend we decided to jump in the car and wake up in sin city!
We love to party but the real purpose of this trip is to just chill! We aren’t big drinkers or gamblers so our idea of fun in the city that never sleeps is literally TO SLEEP IN, have Breakfast in bed (yes left over pizza 🍕 counts) a quick trip to the spa at noon, catch the @barrymanilowofficial show and a fancy dinner at an award winning restaurant all at the @westgatevegas and we should be ready and recharged for Monday!
Where to Stay
I (Callie) have a lot of history in Vegas. As a kid we went there every weekend for karate tournaments but that’s not what ties me to this hotel. My parents were friends with Elvis Presley and worked with him in the 70’s so naturally they spent a lot of time at this exact resort! We decided to stay at the Westgate property formerly know as the International Hotel and the Hilton.
WestGate Las Vegas
We used to think of Vegas as a getaway to party and let our inhibitions free but as we’ve grown up our outlook on this city has grown too. We are no longer enticed by the free drinks or the all night parties! We are enamored with the glitz and glamour that this city was built on.
As a kid I was told stories of Elvis Presley performing 2 shows a night at the International Hotel in Vegas. These stories would just be tales from my parents as they both were long time friends of his until I could get old enough to really understand what they were telling me. The international is now the @westgatevegas and in a full circle kind of way the universe has placed me back in the same place my parents spent a good majority of their time 30+ years later. To say this hotel has a soul would be an understatement.
Rich History
The Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino is a hotel, casino, and timeshare resort in Winchester, Nevada. Located near the northern end of the Las Vegas Strip, it is owned by Westgate Resorts and operated by Paragon Gaming. It opened in 1969 as the International Hotel, and was known for many years as the Las Vegas Hilton, then briefly as the LVH – Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, until taking its current name in 2014. From 1981 to 1990, it was the largest hotel in the world!
The Hotel With a Soul
By the early 1950s, Las Vegas was booming. Major resorts like The Sahara, The Desert Inn, and The Dunes were opening on The Strip and people were flocking to the city in numbers that were surprising everyone. Lured by the bright neon lights, the Sin City naughtiness (topless dancers!), and the ability to wager on just about everything, Las Vegas was in its prime.
But the biggest boon to the hotel was the headlining stint that started in a few weeks after it opened by none other than the King of Rock and Roll himself, Elvis Presley. His record-breaking series of more than 700 shows played at the hotel until 1976 and helped cement The International as a destination resort even though it wasn’t directly on The Strip!
Elvis went on to perform regularly at the International and at the Hilton when it changed owners in 1971. Over the next eight years, he entertained about 2.5 million people at the Las Vegas resort.
During one 29-day engagement, Elvis entertained 101,509 guests to the tune of $1.5 million in ticket sales. In his 800-plus performances, he sold $43.7 million in tickets, worth $166.7 million in 2007 dollars.
When Elvis performed in Las Vegas, one of every two visitors saw his show.
The King Has definitely not left the building!
This place holds a special place in my history and heart. We have fallen in love with this hotel and it’s rich history!! If you’re in Vegas definitely stop by the @westgateresorts and walk in the footsteps of the king 👑 #westgatelasvegas
The House The King Built
Elvis LITERALLY was there to sign the contract to perform while the international was still being built!
This is a little something my mom (who Elvis used to call Karate Pat said about us staying at the Kings house.)
“When that marquee said HILTON, I practically lived there 4 weeks at a time with the Elvis crowd….It really is Elvis’ hotel! He sold out every performance…when Elvis was in town….you couldnt rent a room ANYWHERE because every hotel was overbooked…He WAS THE ONE AND ONLY PERFORMER TO HAVE HIS RESIDENCY for sooooooooooo long. …That hotel holds history and rock and roll memories of past guests that were lucky enough to see Elvis perform there. It is THE ELVIS STAGE. Magic between Elvis and his audience happened there twice a night for weeks at a time. Iconic property to say the least. I met chubby checker there too! Glad you guys are on my old turf.” — Pretty cool!
If These Chandeliers Could Talk
A Suite Built for a King
The Lux One Bedroom Suite we had was fit for a king for sure! It has everything from a full kitchen, Living room, separate bedroom with a king bed, his and hers sink and a spa jet tub that made us want to take up residency! Not to mention a perfect view of the world-famous Las Vegas Strip!
Full Kitchen
Full Living Room
King Room
Double Sink and a Spa Tub
The Casino
Walking around the casino all I could think about was all the stars that had walked those floors before us! Barbra Streisand, Liberace, Elvis Presley, Wayne Newton!
How many of these stars have bellied up to this bar that is right outside the International Theatre?!
Serenity Spa by Westgate
Since it was Valentines day we decided a couples massage was in order! The Serenity Spa in the hotel is so serine and beautiful! The moment we walked into the spa, our senses came alive; from the luxurious décor with bubbling fountains and special aromas to soft candlelight and soothing music, expect to be pampered like you deserve!
We both got a couples massage and walked away feeling like a million dollars!
Open Daily 6am to 7pm
They Offer Massages, Skin Care Treatments, Nail Services and more!
The International Showroom
This was part of the trip that I was so excited for. My whole life I had heard of Elvis performing two nights a week in this exact room. The space that we were going to sit Elvis graced with his energy, love and poured his soul out every night!
Elvis Presley was signed for a four-week engagement in 1969 as the second performer to appear in the International’s showroom, following Barbra Streisand. (My mom told me that Colonel Tom Parker actually requested that Elvis would be the second person to perform because if anything went wrong or glitched he wanted it to happen to Barbra!)
It would be his first public stage appearance in eight years. Presley’s first show proved so popular that the hotel immediately signed him to a five-year contract for two month-long engagements per year. He would go on to perform a total of 636 shows at the hotel from 1969 to 1976, with every show sold out. Presley’s run of performances at the Hilton was cut short by his death in August 1977!
Barry Manilow LIVE
We were so excited to see Barry live and experience his “Hits Come Home” show at the International Theater! We both grew up on his songs and couldn’t wait to sing along to Mandy and Copacabana!
He was high energy, funny and sounded the exact same! We sang along all night! We loved seeing his work the stage and admire his work ethic to entertain especially at his age!
As we sat in the International theater last night and watched Barry Manilow perform I couldn’t help but think about Elvis on that exact stage entertaining for 8 years! I couldn’t help but think about my mom and dad walking on the same floor we were walking on! It’s amazing how the universe works and puts you right where you need to be to appreciate where you’ve been!
Places to eat around Las Vegas
The Westgate has a great collection of places to eat around Las Vegas!
Benihana
Benihana is a dining experience unlike any other! Guests are seated at communal tables in groups, where your personal chef will perform the ancient art of Teppanyaki. Watch as they slice and dice, preparing a meal that will dazzle your eyes as well taste buds, whether you choose mouth-watering steak, tender chicken or succulent seafood. You can also enjoy sushi prepared by a talented sushi chef and indulge in a specialty cocktail.
Fresco Italiano
The Fresco Italiano menu features a diverse selection of meats, seafood, pasta and risotto, along with gluten free and whole grain pasta offerings. Fresco Italiano invites you to dine with our family tonight in our Tuscan-inspired Villa.
Edge Steak House
With all the delicious food options in the hotel we decided to have dinner at Edge steak house! The Edge, is the #-1 rated Las Vegas Steakhouse on Trip Advisor!
We started with the world best Warm bread, Spicy shrimp (lightly fried, spicy emulsion, sweet Chile reduction) and a beet salad (whipped ricotta, pistachios,citrus)!
It was all so delicious and we will be dreaming of that shrimp for a long time!
We aren’t big steak eaters so we decided on to split the Salmon (fregola sarda, asparagus, artichoke, caramelized lemon)
Brussel Sprouts (butternut squash, pork belly, apple cider vinaigrette, pumpkin seeds) and Potato Puree (choice of butter whipped or garlic)!
If you do like steak their dry aging is a slow traditional process for aging fine cuts of beef in house. Throughout the 40 days of dry aging, the beef undergoes a process using its natural enzymes in the meat. This works to break down connective tissue and muscle which enhances the tenderness while also heavily concentrating the beef flavor by removing excess moisture. Pink Himalayan sea salt blocks are added to slowly permeate the meat and help the aging process. Dry aging truly creates the perfect steak and they duo it the best here!
We Love The Westgate!
As far as hitting a classic Las Vegas hotel, Westgate captures the essence of what Vegas was built to be!
This is such a classy hotel with a true soul of Vegas! To top it all off, Westgate Las Vegas is just one block from the Strip, and even features a monorail stop onsite for easy access so you can see all that Vegas has to offer if you want to go explore!
We had such an unbelievable time staying at the Westgate and can’t wait to go back to stay in this one of a kind place that is the heart of Vegas!
The Famous Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign!
One of the most popular sights in Las Vegas is the “Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas” sign. Unlike the magnificent fountain show at Bellagio and other famous things to see in Las Vegas, it’s not located right in the middle of the action. The iconic Las Vegas Sign is technically located on the world famous Las Vegas Strip, but it’s isolated and away from everything else you’ll see in Las Vegas. The sign was added to the Nevada State Register of Historic Places in 2013, and was erected in 1959. The sign was designed by Betty Willis and was a gift to the city.
The “Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas” sign is located about one mile south of Mandalay Bay. The sign is easiest to reach when driving a car. The catch with driving is that you can only access the sign parking area when driving south on Las Vegas Boulevard.
Las Vegas Sign – How To Get There
If you’re driving to the Vegas Strip from Los Angeles, M Resort, South Point, or Silverton you’ll have to make a U-Turn after seeing the sign. There’s only an entrance to the parking lot for the sign heading south on Las Vegas Boulevard. The parking lot only has room for 12 cars so you might have to wait for a parking space on a busy day or night.
If you’re not driving while in Las Vegas you can take an Uber, Lyft or Taxi. While returning back to the action will be quick and easy with Uber and Lyft, you might have to wait for a taxi. This mode of transportation is probably the easiest way to access the “Welcome To Las Fabulous Las Vegas” sign.
There’s no fee to visit the “Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas” sign and take photos. However, it will take a little time and cost a few dollars to get there. If you’d like to take personal photos below the sign with a straight on shot, you’ll very likely have to wait in a line.
Depending on when you visit the wait can be just a few minutes or about an hour. We were told early risers should consider visiting in the morning before the rest of Las Vegas wakes up. We tried to get up early but we were so tired so we decided to check it out and take our chances with the line.
We got there around 12pm and yes there was a LONG line! But we got a tip from one of our travel friends @roamaroo that there is no sanctioned line! You can just walk up and take a shot from the side angle without getting in anyones way.
Have you been to Las Vegas!? what’s your favorite thing do!? If you’re interested in finding out more you can Google Vegas hotels here and check out pricing and some rave reviews for the Westgate!
Let us know if the comments below if you would like to stay here!!!