Vegas 2026: Get ready for an unforgettable adventure!

Vegas 2026: Our Best Trip to Sin City Yet! 🎰✨

How does a $179 trip to Las Vegas sound? Pretty good, right?

Well… that’s exactly how our Vegas 2026 adventure began!

For this trip, we decided to try something completely different and purchased a Groupon Mystery Vacation. We chose a three-day getaway for around $179 per person—and that included our flights AND hotel! We had no idea where Groupon would send us, and when the mystery destination turned out to be Las Vegas, we were pretty excited! 🎰

This was our third trip to Sin City, but it turned out to be our favorite one yet. We stayed on the Strip for the first time at Harrah’s, and we were really impressed. The location was perfect, the hotel was great, and for what we paid for the entire trip, it felt like an absolute steal of a deal!

So, come along with us as we take you through our Vegas 2026 adventure—because this trip had a little bit of everything: incredible shows, amazing food, history, surprises, and plenty of unexpected moments along the way.

Let the Adventure Begin!

After arriving in Vegas, we were pleasantly surprised to find that we could check into our room early. We dropped our bags, freshened up, and headed out to start our first day.

First stop? The iconic Peppermill for breakfast! 🌴🍳

There’s something about starting a Vegas trip at a place with so much history and personality. The Peppermill was exactly the kind of over-the-top Vegas experience we were looking for, and it was the perfect way to kick off the trip.

From there, we headed over to the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, made famous by Pawn Stars.

Now, we had visited before, and on our last trip we only managed to get a picture with the Rick Harrison cardboard cutout. πŸ˜‚ So when we arrived this time and discovered that Rick Harrison was actually there doing a meet-and-greet, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity!

We jumped in line to meet the man, the myth, the legend himself!

Rick was incredibly nice, signed a few things for us, and even answered some questions. And naturally, we had to ask about the craziest thing anyone had ever tried to sell him.

His answer?

A bag containing seven real human skulls. πŸ˜³πŸ’€

Yep. Seven.

Rick said there was no way he was buying them and that he would have had to get the police and FBI involved. Apparently, the skulls were believed to have come from a school somewhere in the Midwest.

Definitely NOT the kind of thing you expect to hear about during a casual afternoon at a pawn shop!

And just like that, our Vegas adventure was officially underway.

From a mystery vacation that cost us about $179 each to meeting Rick Harrison, sitting high above the Strip for dinner, experiencing The Sphere, getting our minds completely blown by a Scottish mentalist, stepping into the world of Friends, and discovering some seriously fun Vegas surprises along the way…

This was one mystery vacation we were very happy to have solved. ❀️🎰✈️

Experience the magic of The Sphere

Somewhere Over the Rainbow at The Sphere 🌈✨

Our Vegas 2026 adventure kicked off with something that had been on our bucket list for a while—The Sphere! And what better way to experience it for the first time than with The Wizard of Oz?

Walking into The Sphere is an experience all by itself, but once the show started, we quickly realized this was going to be unlike anything we had ever seen. The technology, the visuals, the sound, and the sheer size of the screen completely pulled us into the story. It wasn’t just watching The Wizard of Oz—it felt like we were actually inside it!

And the best part? There really isn’t a bad seat in the house. No matter where you sit, the massive screen makes you feel completely immersed in the action.

One of the fun surprises was when the apples started falling during the show. 🍎 We weren’t lucky enough to catch one, but watching the kids around us light up with excitement when they did was honestly priceless. Their faces said it all!

The Sphere was definitely a bucket-list experience, and it did not disappoint. We walked out thinking, “Okay… what are they going to come up with next?”

Vegas, you’re off to a pretty great start! 🎰✨

Dine under the stars at Cheri Rooftop

Dinner at CHΔ’RI Rooftop πŸ₯‚βœ¨

One of the highlights of our Vegas trip was dinner at CHΔ’RI Rooftop, perched on top of Paris Las Vegas. The views? Absolutely incredible. The food? Delicious. The temperature? Well… let’s just say Vegas in July doesn’t believe in cooling off. πŸ˜‚

Our reservation was for 8:00 p.m., but we were able to get in a little early, which was perfect because we were ready to sit down and relax. The only problem was that it was STILL well over 100 degrees outside at 7–8 p.m. Apparently, the desert didn’t get the memo that it was dinner time!

Thankfully, CHΔ’RI has misting machines throughout the rooftop, which helped take the edge off the heat. We may have been slightly sweaty, but we were also sitting above the Strip with an amazing view, so we decided it was all part of the experience. πŸ˜‚

As the sun started to set, the Strip began lighting up below us, and the whole atmosphere completely changed. Between the twinkling lights, the Parisian-inspired setting, the food, and the incredible views, it was hard to remember how hot we were!

Honestly, the food and views were worth every drop of sweat. πŸ˜‚

CHΔ’RI gave us exactly what we were hoping for—a fun Vegas night with great food, beautiful scenery, and just enough Parisian flair to make us feel like we had escaped to Paris… without actually leaving the Strip.

Would I go back? Absolutely. Just maybe next time I’ll bring a fan. πŸ˜‰

 

Be amazed by Colin Cloud at Harrah's

A Little Scottish Magic with Colin Cloud 🧠🏴󠁧󠁒󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Next up on our Vegas adventure was Colin Cloud, the incredible mentalist at Harrah’s—and let me just say, he did NOT disappoint!

Colin was funny, engaging, incredibly entertaining, and completely blew our minds. And the best part… HE’S SCOTTISH! You already know my admiration for the Scots, so I was pretty excited about this one from the start. πŸ˜‚

His show is one of those experiences where you spend the entire time thinking, “Okay, I know there has to be a trick here…” only to find yourself questioning everything by the end of it. He had us laughing, guessing, and scratching our heads the entire night.

But the real magic happened after the show.

We were able to meet Colin, and he was just as wonderful offstage as he was onstage—so humble, genuinely engaging, and happy to spend time talking with everyone. As luck would have it, we were the last six people in line, so Colin decided to give us a little sneak peek of a new act he was working on.

And WOW.

I was chosen to be the holder of a piece of paper while three different people in our group each provided a completely random piece of information:

πŸ“ A place: Inverness — provided by Jamie
πŸ“… A date: 4/28
πŸ‘€ A friend’s name: Kurt

I had absolutely no idea where this was going.

Then Colin had me reach into my pocket and pull out the receipt I had been carrying.

And there they were.

Inverness. 4/28. Kurt.

All three appeared on the receipt in my pocket.

WHAT?! 🀯

I still have the receipt, which makes this experience even more special. I have no idea how he did it, and honestly, I don’t think I want to know! πŸ˜‚

It was such a cool and personal way to end the night, and definitely one of those Vegas memories we’ll be talking about for a long time.

Colin, you officially have a new fan—and the fact that you’re Scottish definitely doesn’t hurt! πŸ˜‰πŸ΄σ §σ ’σ ³σ £σ ΄σ Ώ

Uncover history at The Mob Museum

An afternoonwith the Mobsters πŸ•΄οΈπŸΈ

Our Vegas adventure took a little detour into the darker side of American history with a visit to The Mob Museum.

We were especially excited about a special event featuring Frank Calabrese Jr., a former mobster who eventually turned against his own father. Talk about a family story with a LOT of drama! 😳

Frank was absolutely fascinating—and an incredible storyteller. Hearing him talk about his life, his family, and his experiences with organized crime gave us a perspective you just can’t get from reading about it in a museum exhibit. He had us completely captivated.

We were also lucky enough to meet Frank afterward and get a copy of his book. Getting to chat with him and have him sign it made the evening even more memorable.

And apparently, Jamie took a little too much inspiration from the whole experience because somewhere between the Mob Museum and the Underground Speakeasy, he decided he wants to be a mobster. πŸ« πŸ˜‚

After the museum, we headed down to The Underground Speakeasy, and this place was such a fun way to end the night. The 1920s atmosphere made you feel like you’d stepped right into another era—and then we discovered one of the best parts: the secret menu!

We ordered one of their special drinks that was actually served in a bathtub! πŸ›πŸΈ Yes, you read that right. A bathtub!

It was such a fun, unexpected little Vegas moment and definitely one of those things you don’t come across every day. Between the hidden menu, the creative presentation, and the speakeasy atmosphere, it was the perfect ending to our night of mobsters and mayhem.

Between the fascinating history, meeting Frank, getting his book, and Jamie apparently deciding that organized crime might be his next career move, this was definitely a night to remember.

Although I think I’ll leave the mobster business to Jamie. I’ll just be the getaway driver. πŸ˜‚πŸ•΄οΈ

Relive iconic moments at The Friends Experience

Could We BE Any More Excited?! β˜•πŸ›‹οΈπŸ’œ

We saved one of the biggest surprises of our Vegas 2026 adventure for last—and I had absolutely no idea it was coming. Jamie surprised me with a trip to The Friends Experience at MGM Grand! πŸ₯Ή

If you know me, you know that Friends is my absolute favorite TV show of all time. I honestly think I’ve watched the entire series about a million times. So getting the chance to actually step inside the world of Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Chandler, Joey, and Ross was pretty much a dream come true!

Walking through the recreated sets and seeing the props from the show was SO much fun. But being able to actually sit at the table in Monica and Rachel’s apartment?! I may have had a moment. πŸ˜‚

And then came the recliners.

Yes… THE recliners. πŸ›‹οΈ

Getting to sit back in Joey and Chandler’s famous chairs and pretend we were hanging out in their apartment was something I never imagined I’d get to do.

There’s something about seeing these familiar sets and props in person that makes a show you’ve watched countless times feel completely different. Suddenly, these places and things that have been part of so many favorite episodes are right there in front of you.

And honestly, having Jamie surprise me with this made it even more special. ❀️

It was the perfect way to end our Vegas adventure—laughing, reminiscing, taking way too many pictures, and stepping into a little piece of one of my favorite shows of all time.

Vegas 2026 was full of incredible experiences, but ending it with Friends?

Could it BE any more perfect? β˜•πŸ›‹οΈπŸ’œ

The perfect end to Vegas 2026

Well, just like that, our Vegas 2026 adventure was over. We crammed so much into just a few days, and it truly felt like a perfect trip from beginning to end.

Vegas in July is definitely an experience! The temperatures were consistently above 110 degrees, but as they say, it's a dry heat. My eyeballs felt warm! Literally never experienced that before.  πŸ˜³πŸ‘€  So, no sweating until you step inside into the air conditioning, where the humidity hits you! Despite the heat, we managed to explore, enjoy some incredible meals, and make unforgettable memories.

This mystery vacation truly delivered. It was our third time in Sin City, and each time we discover something new and exciting. Vegas certainly knows how to surprise and delight.

We can't wait to see where our next adventure takes us!