THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME. I had the most unreal visit to Las Vegas for Super Bowl LVIII weekend with the best, most Vegas gang ever. We had planned to just party hop & join in on the weekend’s celebrations, but the opportunity arose for us to go to the Super Bowl – queue melting into a puddle of pure happiness. The entire weekend was perfect from start to finish. So without further ado… here is the itinerary from my perfect Vegas weekend!!
First Night In Vegas
Club goin’ up, on a THURSDAY. Let’s be serious though, the club goes up every night in Vegas. My flight landed at the prime time of 11pm on Thursday night. Some may think, get a good night’s rest & hit the ground running, BUT I am not that person LOL. Only 3 out of 4 of us had arrived Thursday night so it was the perfect opportunity to pop around & get a little vibey without going crazy. By the time we checked into the Bellagio & freshened up from the flight, we lost a soldier to the east coast sleep schedule. ALAS, myself & my friend Justin were still prepared to explore the strip. One incredible part of being in Vegas during this time was not only were there Super Bowl photo ops everywhere, but also Lunar New Year displays that were out of this world. The Bellagio had to have one of the best displays right past their lobby. Animatronic dragons, cherry blossoms, flowers, waterfalls & other symbols of the culture came together in the perfect little garden room.
After stepping out onto the strip, we contemplated some champagne in Paris but decided on the Chandelier Bar at The Cosmopolitan. This 3-level bar is absolutely stunning & as the name suggests, is a bar within a chandelier. The first level is very casino lounge-esqe, while the second level is perfect for bottle service within the chandelier. We chose the top level with small tables perfect for cocktails away from the craziness of the midnight casino floor. For drinks we kept it simple with a martini & margarita. After a drink in the Chandelier, we went down to the casino to play some games. We located one of the bars that had machines on the actual bar so we could play & drink at the same time without having to wait for drinks (icon move by my friend for calling that out). After playing for a bit we walked over to Caesar’s Palace.
There were outdoor installations & game day setups along the way from the Bellagio to Caesar’s. Naturally 2am was the perfect time to get solo shots since everyone was in the club or gambling LOL. We walked past the CBS coverage stage where they would be casting from on game day & stopped to get some pics. After we snagged a few shots, we headed inside away from the wind & into Caesar’s to see the displays. Caesar’s was a SPOT for Super Bowl weekend. Everything was decked out for game day. The lobby pillars were wrapped for each team, banners & flags were everywhere, it was really cool to see. We decided since it was past 7am east coast time we probably should catch some zzz’s before our 4th friend arrived in the AM!
Sadelle’s @ Bellagio for Brunch
Surprisingly enough, the 5ish hours of sleep I got were enough to have me refreshed for the day! Gabby, the final friend to arrive, joined us after an early flight & we headed down to Sadelle’s for brunch. Sadelle’s is known for having an iconic breakfast in cities such as Miami, Paris & NYC so it only made sense to schedule reservations for their Las Vegas location. This Sadelle’s location in inside the Bellagio & was tucked behind the stunning Lunar New Year Garden display. Reservations aren’t required, but after looking at the walk-in line, I was more than thrilled to know we had a reservation. We started off with coffees all around, ordering an iced oat milk latte for myself. In true brunch fashion you will find breakfast classics, lunch faves & a combo of the two on Sadelle’s menu. I am a HUGE breakfast gal so I went with an everything bagel with cream cheese (WOW) & huevos rancheros with two over-easy eggs. This cream cheese people, UGH. The fluffiest cream cheese ever. Sydney, Justin & Gabby all decided on the signature triple decker sandwich with fries. They were all RAVING over it, so you can’t go wrong with that choice either! We finished off with a round of cocktails where I rediscovered my love for Peach Bellinis. The sweetness & acidity of a mimosa, but it just tastes better 🤣 Everything was so delicious & we were fueled up for a day of shopping.
Shopping Day
After our first meal in Vegas we were ready to GO. Vegas is known for their incredible luxury shopping so we were ready to explore. The Shops at Crystals between The Cosmopolitan & the Aria were where we headed first. Fendi, Dior, Gucci, the top names in designer fashion could be found here. If you’ve never shopped luxury fashion it is seriously a one-of-a-kind experience. The glasses of champagne, the attention to detail from the staff, everything is unlike anything else I’ve experienced. The knowledge from the staff on past, current & future collections from their designer is insane. Understandably not everyone can afford designer purchases, but if you ever have any interest in anything designer, these shops are a must stop in Vegas. Gucci even had a photographer set up for photos with a Gucci backdrop, OBSESSED. As we traveled from hotel to hotel, we passed by more photo ops & brand activations including the cute one done by Bud Light with stadium seats below! After a solid day of shopping, we headed back to freshen up for dinner & our first night out as a full crew.
Lago @ Bellagio for Dinner
This meal truly could have brought tears to my eyes it was that amazing. My experience at LAGO by Julian Serrano was one of the best overall dining experiences I have ever had. Justin was our reservations guy for the weekend & he came up with another hit with this one. Upon arrival to this Bellagio restaurant, the bar was set. We were directed to the small lounge area behind the host stand until our table was ready. This “small lounge area” was a beautifully vibrant Veuve Clicquot lounge that perfectly set the mood for the evening. After being called to be seated, we were directed to the heated outdoor dining patio with stunning views of the Bellagio fountains. I mean LOOK AT THAT VIEW. Our waiter Mike was a true gem – the perfect combo of polite & funny you want from a waiter. We kicked the dinner off with a round of drinks – an espresso martini, dirty martini with stuffed olives, the LAGO cocktail & I of course got a glass of sauvignon blanc. You know I love my wines.
The cuisine at LAGO is upscale coastal Italian. For starters we went with the Pata Negra, Iberico ham served with bruschetta, & the Margarita Pizzetta, essentially a mini margarita pizza. The Pata Negra was absolutely mouthwatering. The combo of the Iberico ham & the bruschetta crostini was unreal. The Margarita Pizzetta was also delicious with its buffalo mozzarella & fresh basil, a classic Italian bite. For entrees, our group ordered a combo of risottos & pastas. I chose the Seafood Risotto while the other entrees chosen were the LAGO Risotto (chef’s daily risotto), Pesto Casarecce & Spaghetti with Meatballs. The chefs daily risotto was a four-cheese risotto that looked & smelled heavenly, but I am a seafood gal through & through. The Seafood Risotto came piled high with scallops, lobster & shrimp, mixed with crushed tomatoes. I have truly never had a seafood pasta or risotto come with this much seafood. Every single bite was perfect. The cheese grated tableside only made it that much better.
About halfway through enjoying our entrees, we noticed there was a slight mist coming over us. We had hoped the weather would quickly pass since we had some overhead covering, but as luck would have it the rain started to come down. Mike quickly moved our party to an indoor table. After situating ourselves, we had finished up our meals when our waiter Mike came back around to ask if we were celebrating anything. For anyone who saw my Instagram post of the happy birthday decoration on the cheesecake, it wasn’t actually my birthday LOL. HOWEVER…it was by half birthday that week! Normally I wouldn’t be one to even remember that, but my half birthday is Groundhog’s Day so it just always sticks with me 🤣 Mike said a half birthday sounded like cause for celebration & brought us over two small bitesized cheesecakes…so creamy & delicious. We finished up our last round of drinks & headed to one of the best parties of the weekend, SHAQ’S FUN HOUSE!
Shaq’s Fun House @ XS Nightclub in Wynn
As the full squad’s first night together in Vegas, you can imagine things got a little wild. We headed to the Wynn after dinner at the Bellagio & if you’re familiar with Vegas that isn’t typically too far of a drive. WELL, during Super Bowl weekend it took us 50 minutes to get from Bellagio to the Wynn. This honestly worked out well because we had time to unwind after dinner & mentally prepare for party mode. When we arrived at the Wynn we grabbed some drinks before heading into the club since it was still a little early for a Vegas club.
When we walked into Shaq’s Fun House at XS Nightclub, we were ready to party. As we scoped out the scene I ran into David Dobrik & Shaq WHAAAAT. I was GASSED. The performers at this event were Lil Wayne & Diplo, a fire duo. We headed to the bar to get some drinks & headed into the lower crowd. It was a little hot inside so we headed outside to cool down & listen to Wayne’s performance. After getting refreshed & having some vodka Celsius’s (perhaps the beginning of the end for me), we were heading back into the mix. Diplo came out around 2am & we were in our BAG. As the night went on, people trickled out of the club which put us right up front for Diplo. We stayed out until about 4am because when in Vegas!!!
Room Service Breakfast
After a wild & long night out at XS, some room service breakfast was in order. Being at Caesar’s was fabulous for this because there was a full food court as well as so many other little food spots to order from. We got an assortment of bakery items from Dominique Ansel & OH MY GOSH. My favorite was their bestseller DKA, “Dominique’s Kouign Amann”, a caramelized croissant with flaky layers inside & a crispy caramelized crust outside. We also ordered some sandwiches from Bobby’s Burgers. A Bobby Flay concept, Bobby’s Burgers had some FIRE breakfast options. We ordered the Brunch Burger with a fried egg, bacon & American cheese on a burger, as well as the Breakfast Turkey Sausage Sandwich. The breakfast sandwich came with scrambled eggs, turkey sausage, American cheese & Bobby’s sauce. We were full & ready to take on the day. Next up was Gronk Beach at Encore Beach Club.
Hotel Exploring
I’m not sure how many of you are familiar with the Vegas climate, but it is located in a desert. Evidently, that does not mean that it is going to be warm year round. This was something we did not fully grasp LOL. As we waited to get into Gronk Beach, ya girl realized the hangover & lack of sleep was HITTIN, plus I was cold in my skirt set. I decided I would rather head upstairs to our room at the Wynn & rest up for the biggest party of the weekend, Sports Illustrated. After napping insanely hard, I felt ELITE. I met up with the gang & we walked around for a bit to check out other shops, installations, bars, etc. Another display I went crazy for was the Wynn’s Lunar New Year display. The flower carousel, the giant pink dragon, the massive geometric bear, all so colorful & perfection for a photo shoot. After walking around some more, we headed back to Caesar’s to get ready for dinner & the club.
Mayfair Supper Club @ Bellagio for Dinner
MAYFAIR SUPPER CLUB. What a freaking Vegas experience. This cabaret concept was giving me every vibe I was looking for. Acrobatic dancers spinning from the ceiling, singers belting on the center stage, live music all around us, this was Vegas. Not only did we have an incredible time interacting with the entertainers making their way around the restaurant, but our meal was DIVINE. We started off with the coconut shrimp served in an actual coconut – the details!!!! It came with a rangoon cream sauce that was so yummy. I had decided because I wasn’t drinking that evening (had to be fresh for Super Bowl Sunday) that I was going to go big on my entree. I ordered the 14 oz. NY Strip Steak accompanied by potato purée aka mashed potatoes. This meal was exactly was I needed to get some quality food in my body LOL. We wrapped up dinner, joined in a conga line around the supper club & were off to Sports Illustrated!
Sports Illustrated Party @ XS Nightclub in Wynn
The Sports Illustrated Party was the biggest party of the weekend. Kygo & the Chainsmokers were performing so you KNEW it was gonna be amazing. Like I mentioned, I had decided not to drink because I was nervous I’d get carried away & end up miserable for the game the next day. Although, just because I wasn’t drinking didn’t mean I wasn’t going to have a wild time. We ended up getting the whole way up to the front row during the Chainsmokers, a dream.
We were having the best of times dancing, getting sprayed by confetti & fog machines & being literal inches from the artists we love so much. Fun fact: the only other time I had been to Vegas back in 2019, I also saw the Chainsmokers & Kygo – truly my faves 🫶🏼 The shows were absolutely iconic, but around 3:30am we decided to head out. After all we did need to get rest for THE BIG GAME.
Super Bowl LVIII @ Allegiant Stadium
SUPERBOWL DAY WAS FINALLY HERE!!!! I felt amazing when I woke up, half because of my adrenaline & half because I didn’t drink the night before LOL great call by the franimal. On our way out of the hotel we snagged a quick coffee from Brioche, the small cafe stand inside Caesar’s. We hopped in an Uber for as far as they could take us, but there was a radius set up around the stadium for safety. It was finally a beautiful sunny day so we were gonna walk the rest of the way, but ya know those little bike carriages? A guy hit us with a DEAL so we were biked the rest of the way to the entrance. When we got to the entrance I was fully freaking out because HELLO SUPER BOWL. We scanned in with our tickets & went to check out the fan zones (one for KC & one for the Niners), photo ops, food & drink stands, exhibits, etc. before heading into the actual stadium. It was super cool that they had different fan zones & experiences for ticketed peeps before heading into the stadium. By the pics you can tell I was obvi repping the Steelers on game day because who has the most Super Bowl rings?? 👀 That’s right, the PITTSBURGH STEELERS. Speaking of Super Bowl rings….
Steelers Super Bowl Rings
One of my favorite things from the day of the game was the Super Bowl Rings exhibit set up outside of the stadium. This little walk through experience had the ring from each Super Bowl on display with sliding magnifiers to take a closer look. As six-time Super Bowl champs over the course of 35 years, the Steelers had rings that varied a lot over time. Our first win being at Super Bowl IX back in 1975, you can see the simplicity of the ring. Engraved with the team name, Super Bowl, year, etc. this was a more simple design. The big jump in complexity occurred between our win at Super Bowl XIV & Super Bowl XL. During this time gap from 1980 to 2006, the designs got POPPIN. I mean look at that beauty from Super Bowl XL. The diamond Lombardis, the jeweled Steelers logo UGH, she’s STUNNING. Now only if we can snag another win here soon….
Inside the Stadium
ALRIGHT we are now IN THE STADIUM. We walked up to our seats to check out the vibes & they were incredible. We arrived with plenty of time before pregame started because we wanted to walk around & scope out the merch stands. The first order of business after checking out our seats was to naturally find a hot dog HAHA. It ain’t a sporting event unless I’m snacking on a dog I’ll tell ya that. Something that was super surprising to me was the cost of the concessions. I mean don’t get me wrong a hot dog is not an expensive item, but at the Super Bowl it was only $6.99. Call me crazy, but the hot dogs at PNC Park are more expensive than that (outside of dollar dog night), am I right??? We had a dog & headed back to our seats to get ready for the pregame show.
Another one of my favorite parts of the day was getting to see Cam Heyward accept the Walter Payton Man of the Year award 🥲 Cam has been nominated so many times over the last couple years & I have been WAITING for him to win as a Steeler. Cam’s nonprofit, The Heyward House, helps underserved youth in the community. Be sure to check out the initiatives The Heyward House & The Cameron Heyward Foundation run & support here. An obvious AMAZING part of the Super Bowl experience was getting to hear Post Malone sing America the Beautiful. Post Malone truly has the voice of an angel. He is so unlike anyone else in the best way. Gabby was literally brought to tears during this part because she LOVES Posty.
Game time. So let’s be honest. The first half of the game was kinda meh. A lot of turnovers & not a lot of scoring or excitement. However, halftime had ALL the excitement for us to enjoy. Usher put on such an amazing show & the surprise guests really took it over the top – I mean, Alicia Keys???!?! The roller skating portion was so so cool & the crowd truly went wild when Usher ripped his shirt off 🤣 Overall, incredible especially in person.
Now it was time for the second half of the game. At this point, I wanted the 49ers to win & honestly believed they would. They seemed to be dominating the first half of the game, just not with the points to show for it. Things got really exciting near the end & then going into overtime. The record for longest field goal in Super Bowl history was broken & I got to be in attendance during the second Super Bowl ever to go into overtime!!! After much back & forth between scoring, it was obvious at the end after the Chiefs got the first down inside the 5 that there was no way they weren’t going to score a touchdown. As it would be, the Chiefs scored & the confetti popped! Mahomes was greeted by Brittany & the kids which is always an emotional moment for me. Seeing the players as real people, fathers, husbands, etc. always gets me. I was also fortunate/unfortunate enough to hear the Travis Kelce Viva Las Vegas performance live. That was something else hahahaha.
We left the stadium, walked over to Mandalay Bay to get a ride & headed back to Caesar’s to get our luggage. We booked the red eye that departed at midnight Vegas time which gave us enough time to get to the airport. We were nervous about traffic, but actually had enough time to get to the airport, check our bags & sit down at an airport diner for burgers & milkshakes – the perfect end to a perfect trip. This trip was truly once in a lifetime to be at a VEGAS SUPER BOWL. From the food to the clubs to the entertainment & the Super Bowl itself, this trip will be a hard one to beat. Petition to host Super Bowls in Vegas regularly ☝🏼🤪
At last, I shall leave you with these pics that were just simply too Vegas to not photograph.
The 412 Franimal 