5 ways to keep calm in Las Vegas
For many people, being suspended 550 feet off the ground in a glass-enclosed pod would produce a state of panic, but for me it brought on a state of zen. Of course, the soothing music being piped into my headset and gentle voice guiding me into a variety of yoga positions inside the world’s tallest Ferris wheel, the High Roller, helped.
Welcome to Las Vegas, where anything — and everything — is possible, including relaxing. On a recent visit, I indulged in a variety of activities that left me feeling calm. My instructor for the observation wheel yoga class kept my mind focused and my body somewhat pliable. The hour-long classes cost $75 per person for up to six people in a pod. Visit www.caesars.com/linq/high-roller.
Here are some other pacifying pursuits in Vegas:
At the Mirage Hotel’s Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, a yoga studio with panoramic windows underneath the dolphin pools allows yogis of all ability levels to get their Om on while watching these beautiful mammals glide through the water. The one-hour class costs $50 per person. Visit www.mirage.com.
Maverick Helicopters and Silent Savasana offer visitors a “heliyoga’’ experience that includes a private helicopter flight to the top of Valley of Fire State Park. Once there, guests take a 75-minute yoga class in the beautiful setting. The 2½-hour experience costs $3,499 for six people. Visit www.maverickhelicopter.com.
Check out the Congfu Tea Service at Cha Garden in the fairly new Lucky Dragon hotel. Home to the city’s only tea sommelier, Cha Garden is an indoor-outdoor tea garden that offers a 45-minute tea service. Prices range from $12 to $58 for a pot of tea, which serves two people. Visit www.luckydragonlv.com.
Take in a private gondola ride — complete with a singing gondolier — down the “Grand Canal’’ in the Venetian Hotel. The Old World-style gondolas float beneath bridges and balconies, alongside cafes and shops, making passengers forget they’re in a hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. Rides, which last about 15 minutes, are also offered outside the Venetian Hotel. A shared gondola that seats four costs $29 per person, and a private gondola for two is $116. www.venetian.com.
