Day 1 — Thursday, July 9
Arrival → Welcome dinner → Sphere
🟣 Sphere anchor
✈️ UA 2449 SFO→LAS • 12:00 PM → 1:50 PM
🟣 The plan: Fly SFO at noon, land 1:50 PM, flat-rate cab to Palazzo and settle in, early Yardbird welcome dinner 5:30 PM, then the 10-min indoor walk via Venetian → Sands Expo skybridge to Sphere for the 8 PM Wizard of Oz. The whole evening is climate-controlled and walking distance.
~9:45 AM
Mill Valley wake-up, drive to SFO
Relaxed morning — no rush with the noon flight. SFO long-term parking, one car shared between J+T+Sally.
12:00 PM
UA 2449 SFO → LAS departs
Nonstop, 1h 50m, Main Cabin — all three on the same flight. Jackson + Sally conf LS061E, Tracy conf K48JX1. Checked bags are fine — first bag free on Jackson's Silver.
12:14 PM
Richard lands LAS — UA 1799 from IAH
Picks up his rental car and checks in at Palazzo first (comp room).
1:50 PM
J+T+Sally land LAS
Grab bags, straight to the taxi stand.
2:15 PM
Flat-rate cab to Palazzo — check in, convene with Richard
~15 min. LAS taxis run a flat fixed rate to the Strip — just queue at the terminal taxi stand, no pre-book needed. Rooms confirmed via Richard's host; standard check-in 3 PM if they're not ready early.
3:30 PM
Settle in — unpack, rest, freshen up
Plenty of slack before dinner. Pool dip or coffee at Bouchon Bakery if energy allows.
5:30 PM
🎉 Welcome dinner — Yardbird Table & Bar (Venetian)
All 4. Modern Southern — famous fried chicken, shrimp & grits, mac & cheese. Early seating clears the 8 PM show comfortably. 📋 Book on Resy.
7:15 PM
Walk to Sphere via Sands Expo skybridge — J+T+Sally
~10 min, fully indoor + air-conditioned. Time for the exosphere LED + atrium exhibits before doors. Richard heads to the casino instead.
8:00 PM
⭐ The Wizard of Oz at Sphere — J+T+Sally
The 1939 classic remastered across the 16K wraparound LED dome. Sec 207, Row 13 — 200-level center, 3 seats together. NO late seating — be seated by 7:55. Bag policy: clear/small only; no photography during the show. 📋 Complete Ticketmaster purchase · Ticketmaster
~9:30 PM
Show ends — walk back to Palazzo
~10 min via the same indoor route. Convene with Richard at the hotel.
10:00 PM
Optional nightcap or call it
Electra Cocktail Club at Palazzo for a slow drink — Bellagio fountains are slotted for Friday night.
Day 2 — Friday, July 10
Grand Canyon by helicopter → Bouchon
🚁 Maverick “Wind Dancer” 7:00 AM • conf# 80154547
🏊 Pool afternoon • Bellagio fountains 9:30 PM
Booked ✅ Maverick “Wind Dancer” — 7:00 AM, J+T+Sally (Richard sits it out, rejoins at brunch). Closed-toe shoes mandatory for the canyon walk. Layers (cold at altitude, hot on ground). No perfume/cologne in the small cabin. Physical passport / REAL ID required at check-in.
5:15 AM
Wake-up (J+T+Sally) — in-room coffee or Bouchon Bakery grab-and-go
Richard sleeps in.
5:45 AM
Uber to the Maverick terminal
~10 min — 6075 S Las Vegas Blvd. Complimentary shuttle covers the ride back.
6:15 AM
Check-in — Maverick Las Vegas Strip Terminal, safety brief
Conf# 80154547 — Jackson Elsegood, Tracy Wang, Sally Gibbs. Everyone is weighed at check-in; physical passport / REAL ID required.
7:00 AM
“Wind Dancer” departs → Grand Canyon West Rim
~45 min in an Airbus H130 EcoStar — theater seating, wraparound glass. Hoover Dam + Lake Mead flyover en route.
~7:45 AM
Land 3,500 ft below the rim at Grand Canyon West
Maverick's private bluff, 300 ft above the Colorado River — ~30 min on the canyon floor with champagne + light snacks. Hats + water; it's warm down there even at this hour. West Rim is Hualapai tribal land, the only place helicopters can land in the canyon.
~8:15 AM
Return flight — Strip flyover included
~9:15 AM
Back at the terminal — shuttle to Palazzo, arrive ~10 AM
11:30 AM
Late brunch on-property — Bouchon or Bouchon Bakery
Richard rejoins. Real meal after the early start.
5:00 PM
Spa wind-down / cocktail at Electra or Rosina
Slow re-entry into Strip pace. Optional Canyon Ranch spa appointment for Mum + Tracy.
7:30 PM
Dinner — Bouchon (Venetian)
Daniel Boulud French bistro on-property. Roast chicken, mussels, croque madame, salade Niçoise. 📋 Book on Resy.
9:30 PM
Bellagio Fountains on the top of the hour
10-min Uber south (or Richard drives in his rental). Fountains run every 15 min after 8 PM. Stop into the Conservatory while you're there if energy's good.
10:30 PM
Back to Palazzo — casino / drinks / wind down
11:30 PM
Optional (J+T only) — Elderbrook at Marquee (Cosmopolitan)
~10-min Uber south. Doors 10 PM, headliner late.
Day 3 — Saturday, July 11
Pool day → ShangHai Taste celebration
🚗 Off-strip • Richard drives
💦 Pool / spa morning • Chinatown celebration dinner
🚗 The off-strip night: Saturday is the free day — no clock-watching, no commitments until 7 PM dinner. Then Richard pulls up his rental at Palazzo valet and drives the group ~10 min west on Spring Mountain Rd to ShangHai Taste, Chinatown's local-legend Shanghainese.
9:30 AM
Slow morning — breakfast in room or at Bouchon Bakery
1:00 PM
Light lunch poolside or Black Tap (burgers + shakes)
2:30 PM
Free afternoon — split per energy
Spa options (Canyon Ranch — book ahead) or Forum Shops at Caesars. Casino / sports book / drinks for others. Optional: Grand Canal gondola.
5:45 PM
Convene at Palazzo, dress smart-casual
No formal dress code at ShangHai Taste, but you're going out for the marquee meal.
6:30 PM
Richard pulls up rental car at Palazzo valet
All 4 load in, drive west on Spring Mountain Rd ~10 min.
7:00 PM
🥂 ShangHai Taste celebration dinner
4266 W Spring Mountain Rd, Chinatown • Shanghai Plaza. Upscale Shanghainese in a glass open kitchen — xiao long bao, sheng jian bao, scallion oil noodles, lion's head meatballs, braised pork belly, whole steamed fish, pea shoots. 📋 Book on Resy or by phone.
9:00 PM
Richard drives group back to Palazzo
10:00 PM
Nightcap or call it — Sun is departure day
Electra Cocktail Club at Palazzo, or one slow walk down the Strip to see the lights one more time.
Day 4 — Sunday, July 12
Brunch → Departures
☕ Bouchon brunch 9:30 AM • checkout 11 AM
✈️ UA 1799 LAS→SFO 1:34 PM → 3:14 PM
9:30 AM
Group brunch — Bouchon at the Venetian
Last family meal. Croque madame, eggs benedict, brioche French toast, mimosa or Bloody Mary. 📋 Book on Resy.
11:00 AM
Hotel check-out, bags to bell desk
11:30 AM
Last walk through Grand Canal Shoppes / final casino spin / coffee at Bouchon Bakery
12:00 PM
J+T+Sally flat-rate cab to LAS (~15 min)
Richard stages his own departure separately based on his return flight (drops rental, flies UA IAH).
1:34 PM
UA 1799 LAS → SFO departs (1h 40m)
3:14 PM PT
Land SFO — pick up car, drive to Mill Valley
Home ~5 PM Sun. Plenty of decompression before Monday.