U.S.A. Adventure – San Francisco, Vegas & Hawaii (plus French Polynesia cruise see separate blog)

Date of travel : May 2016

As it was on our bucket list, as it is with most people, we just had to visit San Francisco, Vegas & Honolulu as part of a USA & South Pacific itinerary. One can most definitely not visit the States without a stop at these amazing cities, and we did it in style too!

Our first three nights took us to San Francisco, and a stay at The Palace Hotel, which was spectacular. Situated in a beautiful 19^thCentury building, the hotel took us back to a bygone era of elegance and sophistication. Impressive public spaces adorned with chandeliers, super comfortable luxurious bedrooms with every modern amenity, including a toilet that cleaned you after use!, and fantastic dining options made this the place to stay in San Francisco. Excellently located, it was easy to explore the city on foot. We arrived very travel worn on our first day, as you do when flying from the UK with an 8 hour time difference, and set out straight away to find Pier 39 and wander along the waterfront, which was magical. We crashed into bed that first night though, early of course as we couldn’t keep our eyes open, but were texting our friends in the next room at 2am as we were all wide awake! Don’t you just love jet-lag?!

  We were lucky to have cloudless blue skies for our whole stay and it was perfect. Obligatory must see sights included the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and Fisherman’s Wharf and of course we did them all! It’s surreal to stand at the start of the Golden Gate looking across to San Francisco, we’d seen it so many times in the films that it was as if we’d been there before. Alcatraz was fascinating too, and the commentary by the guides during the visit plus the sound effects were pretty chilling. We wouldn’t have missed it for the World. We absolutely loved San Francisco, and found some great restaurants too. Our favourite was ‘BIX’ a jazz club/restaurant with a fantastic atmosphere and great food. Sadly it came to an end all too quickly, and then we were off to…Viva Las Vegas!

We had arranged a private stretched limo to collect us from Las Vegas Airport, so we arrived at our next hotel ‘The Bellagio’ in complete style! We are not really mega hotel lovers, but this property is so famous due to it being featured in the movies, and of course the World famous dancing fountain display, that we just had to book it! It was ENORMOUS! Let’s just say if you go to breakfast and then realise you have forgotten something in your room then you have a 10-15 minute walk back! Loved the fountains though, and one evening we sat in the Lago restaurant eating fine Italian food with them dancing away as the backdrop, amazing. At night too they were particularly beautiful with all the spectacular lighting.

We visited the neighbouring properties, including The Venetian and Caesar’s Palace, and they were all equally mind blowing in their proportions and what they had to offer. We stumbled across the actual ‘Pawn Stars’ shop from the TV show of the same name, so that was a bit of fun too. On our second day we took an incredible helicopter flight into the Grand Canyon, and it was absolutely awe inspiring. Landing in the canyon itself and hearing complete silence, with the walls of the canyon rising up around you, is an experience not to be missed. A really fantastic day. The trip finished with the helicopter flying over ‘The Strip’ as the sun was setting, and the city lighting up with millions of coloured bulbs stretching as far as the eye could see. Once again it was like being in the movies as we had seen it so many times before, but to experience it first hand was so memorable.

We were actually quite happy to escape the buzz and hectic pace of Vegas, and head to the airport in our posh limo for our flight to Honolulu. Not sure we would rush back either, really pleased we’ve experienced it, and wouldn’t have missed it for the World, but it’s full on 24 hours a day!!

Now for Christina’s favourite part of the trip… We were flying between Vegas & Honolulu in business class and just enjoying the hospitality, when a man walked past us going back to his seat. I said to Christina ‘I think that’s Gerard Butler who just walked by’, and after a few sneaky glances our suspicions were confirmed! We both got to chat with him during the flight, and he was a fantastic down to earth guy, he laughed when we said we were from Norfolk ‘ah that’s where the comedian Alan Partridge comes from’ he said. It was lovely to meet him face to face, and funnily enough he was staying in the hotel next door to us, but we didn’t get an invite for dinner!

Our choice of hotel in Honolulu was the Royal Hawaiian, affectionately known as ‘The Pink Palace’. Our friends with us had stayed there before and said it was wonderful, so it was lovely to see it first-hand. Situated directly on Waikiki Beach, and in the heart of the resort, it was perfect for us. I’ll never forget rousing one day from a siesta to the sounds of Hawaiian music floating on the warm breeze, and a vista of beautiful white sand and a spectacularly blue sea brimming with surfers enjoying themselves. Really magical.

Our stay in Honolulu was far too short, and we’ve promised ourselves that we will return one day and hopefully take in the other islands too.  We literally crashed on the beach during our time there, and ate out in some great restaurants in the evening. Lovely and relaxing after Vegas, and with stunning weather too, it was the perfect end to our fleeting USA 3-centre visit. …French Polynesia was next, and a wonderful cruise on Paul Gauguin (see separate blog)… 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

•