Toes in sand, cocktail in hand at Mandalay Bay

Mandalay Bay, a Las Vegas desert oasis.

By Vince Font

In the discriminating traveler’s lexicon–especially frequenters of top-notch Las Vegas hotels–two words are synonymous with elegance: Mandalay Bay. But if elegance is all that comes to mind, you probably haven’t been lately. You could write a book on the amenities and attractions, but it’s the Mandalay Bay Beach that’s most likely to inspire true poetry. Sound a trifle melodramatic? Wrap your mind around this: Mandalay’s got a beach, in the middle of the desert.

While other Las Vegas hotels offer swimming pools, the Mandalay Bay Beach is an 11-acre, 1.6 million gallon body of water surrounded by 2,700 tons of sand and fed by a 7-foot wave pool capable of creating man-sized waves. If that’s not enough, there’s a quarter-mile lazy river in addition to the other 5 available pools (one of which, the Moorea Beach Club, is 21-and-over and “topless optional”). If you’re not already impressed, your fun detector may be broken.

But not everyone goes on Las Vegas vacations to take in the sandand surf. Maybe you want to do a bit of gambling as well. Situated mere feet from the crashing waves is the Beachside Casino, a three-story, glass-fronted gambler’s paradise where even the dealers dress in beach attire.

I’ve saved the best for last. Beach-front casinos and artificial shores are one thing, but if you’ve never been to a dive-in concert, you haven’t really lived — at least not until you’ve experienced the Mandalay’s beach concert series. Held on a stage that overlooks the water, you can you catch the likes of Blondie and the B-52s from the comfort of your beach towel or a floating chair in the wave pool. Of course, you could only do that at Mandalay Bay in Vegas.

Vince Font is a freelance writer born in Puerto Rico and currently escaped to Utah. When not dreaming of interstellar travel, he’s on the hunt for weird, wacky, and off-the-beaten-track vacation destinations. Next stop: The Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast.

Tagged: Las Vegas