Gluten Free In Las Vegas

Mr. Charming and I have visited Las Vegas many times. Especially last year, when we spent almost the entire month of September there for our Anniversary and the Food Allergy Blogger Conference.  It's also where we celebrated our one year wedding anniversary. It's only a four hour drive from our house and provides tons of entertainment. 

Although we arn't drinkers or gamblers, (I know a lot of you are thinking, what else IS there in Vegas?) we enjoy seeing the fun themed hotels, the shopping, (oh the shopping!) and all of the yummy eateries. There's actually a lot to see and do, even if you aren't into traditional "What Happens In Vegas, Stays In Vegas" antics. 

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Initially, finding restaurants here that are Paleo or gluten-free proved to be more difficult than some of our other West Coast travels, but I have picked out some of my favorite places, as well as some of my favorite sight-seeing spots that can take you away from the "sin" side of the city, and more to the fun, innocent side of it. (OK, innocent may be reaching, but you know, it's Vegas, so always proceed with caution, haha)

Since we take Route 66 part of the way, we usually stop off at some of the BEST antique stores. Right before getting into Las Vegas there is a strip of stores that always has fun "Old Vegas" memorabilia. As far as accommodations, we always opt for a time-share type resort, as it's best to have a kitchen when staying in Vegas. I don't trust the buffets, (although I'm sure some are fine) I don't do it. So I try to plan my breakfasts in the hotel room and find safe eateries for lunches & dinners. And there is a Whole Foods Market at the end of the strip which has been a life saver for me on many trips when I needed to stock up on extra supplies or snacks!

View of the Paris Hotel

Fountains at Caesar's Palace

For a sweet, refreshing treat, Caesar's Palace has a yummy gelato stand that offers dairy free options. I went with a strawberry sorbet, and although they aren't sugar free, it was my one splurge vacation treat. For in room meals we usually bake turkey or chicken breast with veggies, and breakfast is usually eggs or oatmeal with fruit and healthy fats like coconut or avocado to give us energy. The strip is A LOT bigger than you may assume, and it is A LOT of walking. So wear comfortable shoes and pack snacks! 

I was pleasantly surprised to see Buddy V's (as in Buddy from Cake Boss) restaurant inside the Venetian had gluten-free options when I was craving Italian food. The restaurant is really cute & I think that's the main reason why I wanted to go. It reminded me of Italy and was hidden away from the busyness of the casino. 

Buddy V's

There is an incredible amount of things to see and do in Las Vegas. Some of our favorite sights include:

Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay - It's inexpensive and I love sea creatures. It's a cool & relaxing walk-through to give you a break from being out in the sun or walking through smokey casinos.

Paris Hotel - You can take a ride up into the Eiffel Tower, giving you a 360 degree view of the Strip. It's best at night, and don't forget your camera!

Venetian Hotel - This and the Palazzo are some of my favorites for shopping. Or browsing, since some of the stores have the top designers in the world, such as Gucci and Jimmy Choo. But it's fun to play Carrie Bradshaw and browse. The architecture here is also breathtaking and it's romantic to take a gondola ride. They are pricey but worth it. You can choose outdoor or indoor, we prefer doing the indoor, as I didn't feel like the outdoor ride with the traffic of Las Vegas Blvd. felt like Italy. haha. Our gondolier sang us a love song as well and we got to kiss under the kissing bridge. (cue the collective "awwws" or gagging noises. Whichever. I don't care that we are nauseating sometimes. haha)

Caesar's Palace Show - Inside the hotel, aside from the MASSIVE shopping mall, there is an animatronic show that is a MUST SEE, starring the Greek God's having a battle. It's one of Mr. Charmings favorite things to see. It's what we usually sit and watch while enjoying our aforementioned dairy-free gelato. 

One of the MANY shows. - Las Vegas is known for it's shows. We prefer the music or comedy shows or the epic Cirque Du Solei shows. Again, quite pricey, so we only opt for this on big splurge trips or if we are traveling with others. We usually keep our Vegas trips on a budget since it's like a stay-cation for us, being so close to home. 

Siegfried & Roy's Dolphin and White Tiger Habitat at the Mirage - This is one of my FAVORITES and we go here each time. It's small, but still worth the money because it's very interactive. You can have up-close dolphin encounters for an extra fee, and sometimes you can see the baby white tigers and lions. When we took my sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Siegfried was there and we got to talk to him about how the habitat came to be and get our photo with him. 

Mr. Charming, our family & I with Siegfried.

Me with Christina Aguilera's Outfit at Planet Hollywood

Shopping For Clothes. BO BO BRITE!

Other Places To Eat: 

Margaritaville at the Flamingo Hotel - They serve Udi's Gluten Free Buns with their burgers and use a dedicated fry fryer. 
Hecho En Vegas at the MGM Grand Hotel - The chef's daughter has Celiac, so they use good practices and offer a gluten-free menu. 
Yardbird at the Venetian - Upscale, southern, gluten-free goodness. 

There are also PF Changs, Pei Wei, Sammy's Woodfire Pizza and BJ's nearby for more options. 

What are your favorite tastes and sights in Las Vegas? I'd love to hear from you!