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Travel in the Time of COVID-19 Las Vegas Edition
COVID-19 has had a detrimental effect on just about every industry, and travel was hit particularly hard. Shelter-at-home orders, quarantines, and other restrictions furthered the narrative against non-essential travel. Now that masks are mandatory in many places and reports that the spread has been reduced, some of us are looking to get out of our homes and back into the world. But what is waiting for us out there? And the biggest question, is it safe to travel? Traveling now seemed like a scary proposition but after a lot of discussion, my family and I booked a trip to Las Vegas for June 8th, a mere four days after Las Vegas officially reopened.
The Flight
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport requires masks in all public areas, so we came prepared with our masks, ready to go. We found that the lighter, disposable masks were a lot easier for breathability than the cloth type. Alaska Airlines did a really great job of informing passengers of what changes were made to keep us safe, including deep cleaning of the aircraft and no food available for purchase. I sincerely appreciated the notification before we boarded because it gave us the opportunity to grab snacks beforehand. The flight was about half full, with a lot of empty seats but no empty rows. We requested four-seats across so the family could sit together. The flight itself was uneventful, just the way we like it!
Rental Car
We usedAlamofor our rental car. The usually long line for the rental car shuttle was a little longer due to social distancing, but it also went a lot faster. Only three to four groups were allowed per shuttle, but the shuttles came very quickly.
When we got to the Rental Car location, there was clear acrylic between the agent and my family, and it appeared another agent was cleaning the counter. We were the only ones in line so it was very quick. I was surprised that there were not more of the car type I requested (Intermediate SUV), but the car we got was immaculately clean and smelled nice.
Palace Station Hotel & Casino
We chose to stay atPalace Station Hotel & Casinomainly because of the fantastic price point. (Yes, I booked through Costco Travel, and employees do not receive a discount.) This hotel is “off-strip”, but is located minutes away from The Strip, which made it an ideal location for my family. When we arrived, we were greeted with big smiles, and our temperatures were checked. After the temperature check, we were offered face masks. Check-in was quick, and our room was “sealed” when we got to the 18th floor. One change we noticed is that housekeeping will not come to your room unless you specifically request it, which is a nice change. Not everything was open, but the restaurants, casino, and pool area that were open had a constant cleaning presence that was both friendly and welcoming.
Millions of beautiful, fragrant blooms make up the display in the Conservatory at The Bellagio.
Experiences
Part of our vacation was going to be a scavenger hunt… what’s open in Las Vegas? We found a lot of things were open and ready to welcome us.
Free parking was available in multiple locations on The Strip which helped us getting around. We enjoyed parking at The Bellagio, The Venetian, The Fashion Show Mall and at Caesar’s Palace during our stay. It made visiting, dining and shopping on The Strip an affordable option for our family as we could park where we needed to be instead of walking miles (which is tough to do with a 6-year-old!)
There was a lot of shopping available at The Canal Shops at the Venetian, The Fashion Show Mall, The Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace and the Miracle Mile. One caution, at The Forum Shops, the ATMs, seating and restrooms were all closed so plan accordingly.
One must-see in Vegas is the Conservatory at The Bellagio.The display when we went was a Japanese-themed garden, complete with a beautiful replica of Osaka Castle, an intimidating dragon you can walk through (made of rice!), and even a huge Hello Kitty in kimono. This was one of my son’s favorite places to walk through in Las Vegas.
We visited the Neon Museum, - Opens a dialog where we learned about some of the history of old Las Vegas with our museum interpreters, who were both enthusiastic and knowledgeable. They managed to keep even my 6-year-old entertained throughout the hot one-hour tour.
Masks are required at The Mob Museum and provided while supplies last.
I highly recommendThe Mob Museum - Opens a dialog as well. It’s located in an old courthouse, in fact the same courthouse that once hosted the Kefauver hearings, which confirmed the existence of a national crime syndicate and revealed lax enforcement. The museum requires masks, but they also provide very cool branded masks, as well as hand sanitizer that they made in the distillery onsite. My husband and daughter chose to do the Firearm Training Simulator and enjoyed the experience immensely.
I highly recommendThe Mob Museum - Opens a dialog as well. It’s located in an old courthouse, in fact the same courthouse that once hosted the Kefauver hearings, which confirmed the existence of a national crime syndicate and revealed lax enforcement. The museum requires masks, but they also provide very cool branded masks, as well as hand sanitizer that they made in the distillery onsite. My husband and daughter chose to do the Firearm Training Simulator and enjoyed the experience immensely.
Masks are required at The Mob Museum and provided while supplies last.
St. Mark’s Square at the Venetian offers a fun and romantic ambiance.
We ate both on The Strip and off, both with and without reservations. Every single meal we had was well done, with family-friendly food offerings and atmospheres. The off-strip restaurants were a little less expensive, so if you want to be both adventurous and cost-conscious, I recommend researching both on and off-strip restaurants. One change we noticed while dining is that the restaurants now have more room between the tables. It makes it a lot easier for wait staff to move between them and made us a lot more comfortable as well. I recommend Canaletto atThe Venetian.The lemon drop was one of the best I’ve ever had, and the food was excellent. The atmosphere of St. Mark’s Square, and attentive service made it a wonderful dining experience.
Conclusion
The overlying theme everywhere we went in Vegas was “Welcome back, we’re so grateful you are here!”. Not everything was open, but everything was clean and there were a lot of smiling faces. Overall, once you’re ready I would recommend getting out there. Just don’t forget your mask!
The Flight
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport requires masks in all public areas, so we came prepared with our masks, ready to go. We found that the lighter, disposable masks were a lot easier for breathability than the cloth type. Alaska Airlines did a really great job of informing passengers of what changes were made to keep us safe, including deep cleaning of the aircraft and no food available for purchase. I sincerely appreciated the notification before we boarded because it gave us the opportunity to grab snacks beforehand. The flight was about half full, with a lot of empty seats but no empty rows. We requested four-seats across so the family could sit together. The flight itself was uneventful, just the way we like it!
Rental Car
We usedAlamofor our rental car. The usually long line for the rental car shuttle was a little longer due to social distancing, but it also went a lot faster. Only three to four groups were allowed per shuttle, but the shuttles came very quickly.
When we got to the Rental Car location, there was clear acrylic between the agent and my family, and it appeared another agent was cleaning the counter. We were the only ones in line so it was very quick. I was surprised that there were not more of the car type I requested (Intermediate SUV), but the car we got was immaculately clean and smelled nice.
Palace Station Hotel & Casino
We chose to stay atPalace Station Hotel & Casinomainly because of the fantastic price point. (Yes, I booked through Costco Travel, and employees do not receive a discount.) This hotel is “off-strip”, but is located minutes away from The Strip, which made it an ideal location for my family. When we arrived, we were greeted with big smiles, and our temperatures were checked. After the temperature check, we were offered face masks. Check-in was quick, and our room was “sealed” when we got to the 18th floor. One change we noticed is that housekeeping will not come to your room unless you specifically request it, which is a nice change. Not everything was open, but the restaurants, casino, and pool area that were open had a constant cleaning presence that was both friendly and welcoming.
Millions of beautiful, fragrant blooms make up the display in the Conservatory at The Bellagio.
Experiences
Part of our vacation was going to be a scavenger hunt… what’s open in Las Vegas? We found a lot of things were open and ready to welcome us.
Free parking was available in multiple locations on The Strip which helped us getting around. We enjoyed parking at The Bellagio, The Venetian, The Fashion Show Mall and at Caesar’s Palace during our stay. It made visiting, dining and shopping on The Strip an affordable option for our family as we could park where we needed to be instead of walking miles (which is tough to do with a 6-year-old!)
There was a lot of shopping available at The Canal Shops at the Venetian, The Fashion Show Mall, The Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace and the Miracle Mile. One caution, at The Forum Shops, the ATMs, seating and restrooms were all closed so plan accordingly.
One must-see in Vegas is the Conservatory at The Bellagio.The display when we went was a Japanese-themed garden, complete with a beautiful replica of Osaka Castle, an intimidating dragon you can walk through (made of rice!), and even a huge Hello Kitty in kimono. This was one of my son’s favorite places to walk through in Las Vegas.
We visited the Neon Museum, - Opens a dialog where we learned about some of the history of old Las Vegas with our museum interpreters, who were both enthusiastic and knowledgeable. They managed to keep even my 6-year-old entertained throughout the hot one-hour tour.
Masks are required at The Mob Museum and provided while supplies last.
I highly recommendThe Mob Museum - Opens a dialog as well. It’s located in an old courthouse, in fact the same courthouse that once hosted the Kefauver hearings, which confirmed the existence of a national crime syndicate and revealed lax enforcement. The museum requires masks, but they also provide very cool branded masks, as well as hand sanitizer that they made in the distillery onsite. My husband and daughter chose to do the Firearm Training Simulator and enjoyed the experience immensely.
I highly recommendThe Mob Museum - Opens a dialog as well. It’s located in an old courthouse, in fact the same courthouse that once hosted the Kefauver hearings, which confirmed the existence of a national crime syndicate and revealed lax enforcement. The museum requires masks, but they also provide very cool branded masks, as well as hand sanitizer that they made in the distillery onsite. My husband and daughter chose to do the Firearm Training Simulator and enjoyed the experience immensely.
Masks are required at The Mob Museum and provided while supplies last.
St. Mark’s Square at the Venetian offers a fun and romantic ambiance.
We ate both on The Strip and off, both with and without reservations. Every single meal we had was well done, with family-friendly food offerings and atmospheres. The off-strip restaurants were a little less expensive, so if you want to be both adventurous and cost-conscious, I recommend researching both on and off-strip restaurants. One change we noticed while dining is that the restaurants now have more room between the tables. It makes it a lot easier for wait staff to move between them and made us a lot more comfortable as well. I recommend Canaletto atThe Venetian.The lemon drop was one of the best I’ve ever had, and the food was excellent. The atmosphere of St. Mark’s Square, and attentive service made it a wonderful dining experience.
Conclusion
The overlying theme everywhere we went in Vegas was “Welcome back, we’re so grateful you are here!”. Not everything was open, but everything was clean and there were a lot of smiling faces. Overall, once you’re ready I would recommend getting out there. Just don’t forget your mask!
About the Author: The above piece was compiled by Penny Anderson, mother of two young athletes, and Merchandising/Ecommerce Manager at Costco Travel. Penny has been a Costco employee for 23 years, 15 of these years at Costco Travel.
