One of the hidden gems of Vegas is the Oasis Pool at The Mirage in Las Vegas. We found about this private adults only pool back a few years ago and have had to fabulous stays at it since. Tucked away beside the main Mirage pool the Oasis Pool is a private pool that allows adults only with paid seating that has to be reserved. Trust me it’s worth every penny.
What is The Oasis Pool at The Mirage?
The Oasis Pool at the Mirage in Las Vegas is a smaller private pool located adjacent to the main pool. At one time it was the kids pool. Seats and entry are by reservation only which can be mad online in advance or by simply visiting the entrance and enquiring if seats are available that day. The Oasis Pool is not a party pool but more of a relaxed adult only atmosphere with soft rock or pop music playing in the background.
What’s Included in a Reservation
The cost may seem steep but they will spoil you. You really get a day of being pampered in a relaxed adult atmosphere by the pool. We originally were going to spend one day here but after one day we couldn’t go back to the main pool seating. In comparison the main pool was like caddy’s day in the movie Caddyshack to us.
Cost is roughly around $55 a day for a reserved seat
A lounge chair which you get to choose on a first come first serve basis. The seat is yours for the day so you can come and go as you please.
Pro Tip: I would suggest lining up anywhere from an hour to a half hour at least if you really want to pick a great seat. Most chairs are poolside but there are some that are set back.
A side table.
An umbrella which a pool attendant will set up and move for your during the day.
Towel service.
Pro Tip: Notice the Orange Floaters in the photos below? They can be rented cheaply for the day and are great for leaning on in the pool and setting your drinks on.
At the time of our visit there was self serve citrus flavored water dispensers. This may have changed to free water bottles due to covid19.
There was also snacks or treats delivered throughout the day but this may have changed as well.
Personal waitress to serve drinks and deliver food from the Paradise Cafe (another gem as food is very reasonably priced and excellent).
Pro Tip: We liked the far end of the pool or the let side (poolside) when entering. It give a great view and the best sunshine.
Steps away from the main pool and washrooms.
We love the private Oasis Pool at The Mirage in Las Vegas. It’s a private, laid back pool experience with adults only. If you try it once you will be hooked. Trust me. Enjoy these photos from a couple of our trips.
They say all good things come to an end and late last week another gem on the Vegas Strip had taken a hit. We learned that free alcoholic drinks are no longer included in the price of The Mirage Buffet. Up until last week beer and wine was included with the buffet at The Mirage for breakfast lunch and dinner. They are now charging $14,99 for a 2 hour all you can drink package which includes a wider range of drinks.
The Mirage has also reduced the Military discount from 40% to 25% but reports are it still includes up to three guests.
Many of us are sad as it’s another freebie in Vegas that has bit the dust. There was nothing like starting your day off with a Goose Island or Bud Light to take the edge off. Reportedly the only buffet in left in Vegas with free drinks is at the M Resort.
Finding cheap breakfast options in Las Vegas is getting harder each and every year. While many are lured to Vegas with the promise of cheap shows, drinks and food this is sadly no longer the case. Much of the Las Vegas Strip is moving towards fine and upscale dining or has just become expensive overall. We have been taken a few times in paying for over priced breakfasts so hopefully we can pass a few of our experiences onto you. We will look at where not to eat and where to eat in Vegas.
Where not to eat breakfast in Las Vegas
The first thing you will notice in Las Vegas is that every casino or resort has a breakfast or diner style restaurant generally right off the casino floor. They are mostly open late and noticeably “convenient”. You will pay for this convenience. Due to their location in high traffic areas they have no incentive to off a cheap breakfast special. We have eaten at a few of them in the past and paid upwards of $60 for two breakfast meals that consisted of an omelette, hash browns, pancakes and coffees. In our opinion this is very expensive. We really would have been better off having the Buffet. We now avoid the cafes located within the casinos.
Cheap Breakfast Options in Las Vegas
There are still a number of great cheap breakfast options in Las Vegas. You just have to find them. Lets look at a few different types or types of places that offer an inexpensive start to your day.
Buffets – Breakfast buffets in Vegas are still a viable option. These are mostly our go to if we are going to have a busy day and want to fuel up. They will still run you in that $20 range but at least you will get as much as you want to eat and drink. Our favorite is Cravings Buffet at The Mirage. It is under $20 and includes beer and house wine in the price. Nothing like starting the day with beer for breakfast.
Fast Food – If you are in for a quick breakfast fix there are still a number of options along the strip. There is a McDonald’s near the bridge at Planet Hollywood for example. You will also find a number of options located near Casino Royale (beside Harrah’s). There is another McDonald’s, Denny’s, White Castle and Subway. We tried the Denny’s last year during Rodeo but it was completely packed so we opted for a couple of breakfast sandwiches at The Subway.
Miracle Mile Shops – The best bet at a sit down meal at at diner along the strip is probably The Miracle Mile Shops located in Planet Hollywood. There are a number of restaurants in the mall that still offer a reasonable breakfast for under $10. Two that stand out are PBR Rock Bar and Ocean One Bar & Grille. Both offer eggs, bacon, toast and hash browns for roughly $5.99. Ocean Bar also offers up 3-1 drinks all day.
There are a number of other great places on the strip to get a decent breakfast meal but nothing as economical at the establishments mentioned above. We have to give a shout to two great places that we have enjoyed over the years.
The first is the Hash House A Go Go at The Linq. Some people might accuse it of being a gimmick type restaurant but we love it. The portions are insanely large and fun. There is always a bit of a wait but it’s worth it. The photo below is I believe their Sage Chicken with the BLT Bloody Mary in the background. The BLT came with it’s on toast and mayo and all the fixings in the drink.
The second place is the famous Peppermill Fireside Lounge which is located closer to The Stratosphere. We suggest taking an uber or bus to get there. The Peppermill is one of the last remaining old school Vegas spots left of the the strip. The place is split into two rooms. The old school lounge with comfy seats and a fire pit and the restaurant. We recommend having a before or after lunch drink in the lounge. They serve an omelette that we found hard to finish. This has become one restaurant that we will be sure to visit every trip.
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Hopefully this will help you find a decently priced breakfast dinner in Las Vegas. Have a look at our other restaurants in Las Vegas posts for suggestions on other dining venues.
The handy tram that links The Mirage and Treasure Island is officially closed for repairs. A few people on social media were reporting that the station at The Mirage was boarded up but it wasn’t clear how long it was down for. When we stayed at T.I. last May it seemed to be down a few times but mostly later at night.
The Yelp Page states that: “Mirage-Treasure Island Tram is temporarily closed. Scheduled to reopen on October 8, 2018.” And we came across a post on a site where a person had called and confirmed the time frame. Hopefully it’s either early or on schedule as it’s gem for getting back and forth between the two properties and across to properties like The Wynn.
When it was down we walked. We walked past the tram area and in between the parking garages and across the road to T.I. There were lots of other people doing the same walk, otherwise at night I think I would have opted for heading out to the strip.
The Volcano at The Mirage is one of the most popular free attractions located on the Vegas Strip. The current schedule of The Volcano at The Mirage can be found here as well a photos, videos and fun facts. The volcano opened in 1989 and has undergone a number of changes since then. Most notably a 25 million renovation in 1989. The Mirage Volcano was designed by WET who also designed the Bellagio Fountains.
The Volcano at The Mirage Schedule
The schedule of The Mirage Volcano has changed effective April, 2018. It no longer goes off at 10:00 pm on weekends. The following schedule has been taken from The Mirage website. It should also be noted that the show may be cancelled due to high winds and times are approximate.
The current schedule is as follows: Daily 7:00 PM, 8:00 PM, 9:00 PM
Best Places to View the Volcano at The Mirage
The Volcano is one of the more busy attractions on the strip. Since the number of times the volcano erupts has been scaled back the crowds can be quite busy. There are a number of different places to view the Volcano show at The Mirage.
If you have a Strip View room on the 14th floor or higher at The Mirage. We recently had a 24th floor with a perfect view of the Volcano but there is something about the experience up close that is much better.
The Sidewalk right on the Strip itself. This is the busiest spot and you can expect large crowds.
A hidden gem is right across from The Valet at the front doors of The Mirage. There seems to be more and more people picking up on this place so it too may be busier than expected. From the photo below you can see how close to the Volcano you can can get from Valet Parking area.
The view of the Mirage Volcano from the Valet Parking at the Mirage.
Random Facts About The Mirage Volcano
The show last about four and a half minutes.
The music is by Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart, and Zakir Hussain created specifically for the eruption.
The Mirage fills the air with a Pina Colada scent to mask the smell of natural gas from the explosions.
There are 120 fire shooters which are capable of sending fire 60 feet into the air.
If you have never been to Las Vegas and have a vacation coming up you may be overwhelmed with all of the activities and attractions the city offers. We have read through dozens of fun and free things to do in Las Vegas lists but many of them are misleading in recommending things to do that are not on the main “Las Vegas strip”. This list is fun and free things to do on the Las Vegas strip. We will tackle Downtown and Fremont St later on. When we get things together we plan on adding a google map for the listings.
The Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign
The Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign has been standing since 1959 and is a great tourist stop for photos. The sign is completely free to visit and take photos of. The photo above is from our 2014 trip and you can see Mandalay Bay in the background. This is the far south end of the Las Vegas Strip.
Location: 5100 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Hours: Always open.
Getting there: It is about as far south as it gets for visiting the Las Vegas Strip. It is not close to the middle of the strip and takes some travelling to get there. You can either take the Bus and get dropped off close to the sign or you can make your to Mandalay Bay and then walk which will take you about 10 minutes. The walk is considered safe as you actually walk past a police station but using common sense we would not be walking there at night.
Tips: When we visited there was a person there offering to take your photo for a tip. They are not affiliated with the sign or the City of Las Vegas. They are just trying to make a buck. We did tip $5 to get a photo of my wife and I and the girl did take a good photo but don’t fee inclined to pay for a photo.
The Park
The Park is the name for the area between NYNY and The Monte Carlo and in front of the T Mobile Center. It is host to a few restaurants, art structures and a wall waterfall. There is lots of shade making it a nice place to visit, relax and take in the atmosphere.
Location: 3782 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89109
Hours: Daily
Getting there: Located between NYNY and The Monte Carlo.
Tips: We have been there a number of times. When there is an event on like Vegas Knights hockey game the place is rocking and a lot of fun. We also stopped in when LVU was playing Duke and had a fantastic time. But we also ventured down there at night when there was nothing on and there wasn’t too many people around. It was great for taking photos like the one above but a little too quiet for Vegas.
Hershey’s Chocolate World
Hershey’s Chocolate World is a little closer and located at the New York New York Hotel & Casino. The store is 13,000 sq ft and home to over 800 Hershey’s chocolates and candies. The Statue of Liberty pictured above is made out of 800 lbs. of HERSHEY’S Milk Chocolate. If you have a sweet tooth you will be very satisfied with a visit to this chocolate store.
Location: 3790 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109 at the New York New York Hotel & Casino.
Hours:
Getting there: It is very easy to get to Hershey’s Chocolate World as it located right off the sidewalk in front of New York New York.
Tips: No tips required. The store has it’s busy times but we have visited a few times and have never had any problems. If you have a tip feel free to share.
The Bellagio Fountains
The Bellagio Fountains are probably the most recognized feature of the Las Vegas Strip. The lake itself is 8 acres in size and fed by a fresh water well. The fountains can be described as a symphony of lights, music and water. It is the one thing on the Strip you are not going to miss. The photo above was taken from the top of the Eiffel Tower across the street (which is not a free attraction but worth it).
Location:3600 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109 at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino
Hours:
Saturday and Holidays
Every 30 minutes from 12:00pm to 8:00pm
Every 15 minutes from 8:00pm to 12:00am
Sudays
Every 30 minutes from 11:00am to 7:00pm
Every 15 minutes from 7:00pm to 12:00am
Monday to Friday
Every 30 minutes from 3:00pm to 8:00pm
Every 15 minutes from 8:00pm to 12:00am
Getting there: Located in front of the Bellagio Hotel and is considered mid strip so it easy to get to.
Tips: The Bellagio Fountains can be quite busy at night so you have to have some patience when trying to get a good spot. They are obviously less busy during the day. You can get a good show from the bridge/walkway which leads into the Bellagio but there is glass between you. We also like to watch them from atop the Eiffel Tower at The Paris across the road but it is not free.
The Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
The Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens are a real free hidden gem in Las Vegas. There are five seasonal themes that are celebrated with a floral display. The five themes are and dates are listed below. The display is 14,000 sq ft in size and is home to tens of thousands of flowers on display.
The photos above are from a December and May trip.
Location:3600 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109 at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino
Hours: Open 24 hours
Chinese New Year – January – March
Spring Celebration: March – June
Summer: June – September
Harvest: September – November
Winter: December- January
Getting there: Located just past the Main Entrance and Main Lobby.
Tips: The Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens like other attractions can be very busy at peak hours and times. We have always had luck either going early in the morning or later at night. Just be aware that everyone is trying to get that perfect photo or selfie so it’s easy to get crossed up with others.
The Mirage Volcano
Another iconic attraction on the Las Vegas Strip, the Mirage Volcano will leave you feeling the heat. Literally if you are standing close enough. It is a great free show of music, lights and most importantly fire and explosions. The Mirage has scaled back the amount of times it goes off so expect some crowds but you will still be able to take it in.
There is also a large fish tank located behind the main check in so if you are exploring The Mirage make sure you have a look.
Location: 3400 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109 at The Mirage Hotel & Casino.
Hours: The times were a little off on our last visit but they did go off twice a night regardless. Sunday – Thursday 8:00 PM & 9:00 PM
Friday – Saturday 8:00 PM, 9:00 PM, 10:00 PM
Getting there: It is very easy to get to The Mirage Volcano as it is located right on The Strip in front of The Mirage.
Tips: The scaled back times means bigger crowds and this is the one place where it can be frustrating to get a good spot. Here is a pro tip, you can view the Volcano from the other side of the lake which is right outside the main entrance to The Mirage and get a great view with less crowds. I would just get there early as well.
Fall of Atlantis at Caesars Forum Shops
The Fall of Atlantis is told through an animatronic show filled with special effects and of course, a dragon. It’s sure to dazzle and is for all ages. A nice free touch inside a very upscale shopping plaza. There is also a large fish tank located at the base where the show is held.
Location: 3500 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109 in Caesars Palace Forum Shops
Hours: Every hour/on the hour, Sun – Thr, 11 am – 10 pm; Fri – Sat, 11 am – 11 pm
Getting there: Located inside the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace.
Tips: Put your walking shoes on it is located at the back of the Forum Shops and if you come from the street or via the casino it is still a hike to get there.
If you are trekking the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace make sure you stop by Kalifano’s. They have unique metal sculptures like Darth Vader, Predator and Terminator. They are truly an amazing site to see.
Flamingo Wildlife Habitat
Not only will you find a flock of Chilean flamingos at The Flamingo Wildlife Habitat you will find ducks, swans and lost of koi fish. It’s a nice peaceful garden walk that takes you away from the hustle and bustle of the Vegas strip. You will almost forget you are in sin city.
Location: 3555 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109 at The Flamingo Hotel and Casino
Hours: Daily from dawn until dusk.
Getting there: Located inside The Flamingo Hotel and Casino
Tips: Try to make it for the Pelican feeding Pelican at 8:30 AM and 2 PM every day.
The Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian
If you want to experience some decadence in Las Vegas then you will want to take a tour of The Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian. The canal winds it way through the shoppes and with the painted ceiling you will forget that you are indoors. You can opt for a paid gondola but you can just enjoy the water and people watch.
We took this photo in December of 2017 as we made our way to visit the Rolling Stones exhibit.
Location: 3355 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109 at The Venetian Hotel
Hours: Daily
Getting there: Located inside The Venetian Hotel
Tips: The Venetian is a massive property. We have been there a number of times and never seen the entire thing. Put your walking shoes on and be prepared for a hike.
Big Elvis at Harrah’s
If you are looking for a free Elvis experience in Las Vegas you do not want to miss Pete “Big Elvis” Vallee. The man is a Vegas icon who puts on one heck of a show. Not only does Big Elvis belt the tunes out he also gives you a bit of a story or history about the songs and give you great insight into the King himself.
Location: 3475 Las Vegas Boulevard South Las Vegas, NV 89109 at Harrah’s Hotel and Casino
Hours: Monday, Wednesday & Friday at 2:00 pm, 3:30 pm and 5:00 pm
Getting there: Located at The Piano Bar inside Harrah’s. The entrance is right near Carnival Court in the open area between Harrah’s and The Linq
Tips: Get there early to get a good seat. Ideally you want the center or right side when entering the Piano Bar. Once the show starts and the seats are taken gawkers will come in the left side and stand there blocking the view for everyone until they get yelled at. You can also stand outside the bar by the entrance and watch from the outside if you don’t want to enter.
Pirates at Treasure Island
The free Pirate show at Treasure Island is long gone. The Pirate Ship is still there and worth a look. It’s too bad the show is gone but we couldn’t help stop and take some photos. Who knows if you might want to venture into Gilley’s and catch some bull riding.
Location: 3300 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109 at Treasure Island Hotel and Casino
Hours: Daily
Getting there: Located at the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino.
Tips: It’s a short stop to add to your photo collection.
All of the activities and locations we have presented are located right on the The Las Vegas Strip. The Las Vegas Strip is amazingly large with countless activities and attractions. These are just a few of our favorite. Check back as we add more in the future and enjoy the Las Vegas Strip.
