Me and my friend Heather enjoying our Gondola Ride.

Me and my friend Heather enjoying our Gondola Ride.

Las Vegas gets a bad rap of being gaudy and fake. But that is actually part of its charm and you have to enjoy it for what it is. Take for instance the Gondola Ride at The Venetian hotel. You are serenaded while being ferried around the waters of The Venetian hotel.

The start of the indoor route.

The start of the indoor route.

The inside route is a facsimile for Venice’s tight waterways, and you’ll float below bridges, shops, and cafes while the fake sky looms overhead and tourists gawk and take photos. But this felt more like a real gondola ride in Venice! The other added bonus is its always a comfortable 75 degree weather inside, so this ride is perfect for poor weather days in Las Vegas.

The large pool for the outdoor route.

The large pool for the outdoor route.

The outdoor route is much more open and is a facsimile of the Grand Canal and the general Venice lagoon. In my opinion this one is a little boring as you are essentially floating around a huge pool which is right next to a busy street. It might have some charm in the evening when you can see the city’s lights come to life.  It also is a little shorter route. Note that the outdoor route may close for weather and over winter part of this lagoon becomes an ice skating rink!

If you are wanting a romantic ride, make sure to pay extra for the private gondola, otherwise you’ll share. I actually enjoyed sharing because the other riders and I switched off taking photos of each other. Much cheaper than the official photos they try to sell you!

I really enjoyed our female Gondolier who sang beautifully and told great jokes!

If you go:
Tickets are 19.95 per person. Each gondola seats 4.
There are 2 different routes. Inside & Outside. Inside is a few minutes longer.
You must arrive 15 minutes prior to your start time & the ride lasts about 15 minutes.

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