I tried out Virgin Atlantic's new Manchester flights and found there's more to Las Vegas than meets the eye

Unlike most international guests who sensibly visit the desert city during the cooler months, the Brits are apparently not deterred by hot weather, often opting to go this time of year when outdoor temperatures reach 40 plus degrees most days. 

This is one of the reasons why Virgin Atlantic has just reinstated its seasonal direct flights from Manchester and they’re already in high demand. The return of the route coincides with the airline’s ruby anniversary, marking 40 years of transatlantic flights.

We had the opportunity to visit Las Vegas with Virgin as they celebrated this milestone to find out why so many Brits keep coming back to the adult playground in the desert – starting with how easy it is to get there. 

Getting to Las Vegas from Manchester

The new Virgin Atlantic flights from Manchester are running seasonally this year from June 2 to October 25, taking place three days a week on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. In total, it takes about 11 hours, although for us it was around 10 hours flying out and nine on the way back. On long-haul flights like this, comfort is paramount, and in this regard I was not disappointed with my Premium Economy seat. We also stayed in the Virgin Hotel, which was formerly the Hard Rock hotel. Located, just off the strip, it has an abundance of facilities, including several pools, restaurants, shops and bars. 

Typical Las Vegas 

Vegas’ star attraction always has been and probably always will be the strip. In the UK, casinos are often seedy late-night venues that attract stragglers looking for somewhere else to go once the bars have shut. In Vegas, it’s a completely different story. Each one of these palatial structures, designed to resemble castles, pyramids, Roman palaces and pirate ships, look like something dreamed up by Disneyland Imagineers on acid. The spectacle of these themed casinos alone is enough to pique the interest of non-gamblers, like me. 

Inside, they’re just as impressive. There are rooms upon rooms of slot machines and croupiers at their tables, welcoming casual gamblers and high-rollers alike to take their chance at winning big. For guests, there is little reason to go outside and brave the heat. Within the air-conditioned hotel walls there are numerous restaurants, shops, beauty parlours, cinemas and more. 

During our stay, we spent an evening at the Luxor, complete with its own pyramid and Sphinx, like the Trafford Centre on steroids. It can be quite an overwhelming experience standing in the centre of the black pyramid building, which is lined with hotel rooms on all sides. The garish and dated carpet alone is enough to make you feel like you’re on a Hunter S. Thompson concoction of substances. We spent the evening at the Luxor’s Play Playground, where you can play life-size Operation and other fun games with much lower stakes than in the casino. It’s like if you combined NQ64, Flight Club and Junkyard Golf and then ramped it up to 11. 

We also visited Ceasar’s Palace for another must-see Vegas experience – the shows. Adele is currently in weekend residence at the Colosseum, but we headed to the big top opposite Gordon Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen restaurant for the raunchy, exhilarating and utterly hilarious Absinthe. This Moulin Rouge-inspired show has found the unlikely winning combination of juggling, extreme roller skating and x-rated humour. Although, like many things in Vegas, I wouldn’t recommend it if you're easily offended. 

To really understand the attraction of the strip, though, you need to see it at night – this is when it really comes to life. Hoards of people traverse the strip, serenaded by buskers every few metres with the flashing lights of the signs overhead. If there is one thing you do in Vegas, it has to be a quick pit stop at the Bellagio to watch the famous fountains. 

Las Vegas beyond the strip

Having said all that, if I ever return to Vegas – which I hope I do – it will not necessarily be because of its night-time offerings. Just a short drive away from the sensory overload of the Vegas strip casinos, you’ll find the city’s thriving arts district. This time of year, it’s too hot for even the locals to wander around during the day, but we were able to get a taste of what to expect. There are murals and street art on most buildings, a burgeoning restaurant scene, craft breweries, galleries and enough Americana-filled thrift and vintage shops to fill Affleck’s Palace 10 times over. In particular, we would recommend a new restaurant Esther’s Kitchen, which offers all the staple Italian dishes with a modern US twist. 

Another new Vegas attraction is the Punk Rock Museum. Music fans of all genres are sure to appreciate this treasure trove of memorabilia, which has been lovingly collected from fans, family and friends of some of the biggest names in punk history. We were led around the museum by Morat, a British expat musician and writer, who filled his tour with eye-opening, star-studded personal anecdotes that only a veteran of the global punk scene could offer. The tour ends with a room full of guitars once owned by the likes of Joan Jett and Tim Armstrong, which anyone can pick up and play. Although my 15-year-old metalhead self was screaming inside to have a go, I sadly declined.

The real highlight for me was our Pink Jeep Tour to Red Rock Rock Canyon. It’s a tired comparison, but the desert landscape really is like something you’d see on a fictional Star Trek planet -- vast, arid and completely alien to most Brits. It’s hard to imagine how anyone could survive here, let alone build an entire city. But thanks to our tour guide, we learned all about how much life there really is among the rocks and sand. He pointed out the names of the wildlife, flora and fauna, as well as their uses in ancient indigenous cultures. We even saw some handprint pictograms that have endured in the desert for thousands of years. We learned all about the geology of the area and how the Red Rocks got their red rainbow stripes, where the good free solo climbing spots are (no thanks) and what to do if you see a rattlesnake. Due to the heat, we could only last short spells outside the AC-equipped Jeep, but I would love to come and explore in the cooler months. When we got back to the hotel, I texted my partner: “I think I belong to the desert now.”

Viva Las Vegas

When I was offered the trip to Vegas, I was curious. I saw it as my one-time opportunity to visit this crazy city and see whether it lives up to its pop culture reputation for tackiness and excess. But after a whirlwind 72 hours there, I see it differently. Yes, it’s a ridiculous place and it is a bit sad seeing people sitting at slot machines in a windowless room all day, but there is more to it than meets the eye in Vegas. I already have a list of things I’d like to go back and do – including the zip-line down Freemont St in the old town, visit the Mob Museum and do a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon – especially now getting there is easier than ever from Manchester. Las Vegas’ close proximity to LA also means that it’s a very doable stop over on a trip through the West Coast, as well.