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This is definitely one of the more eclectic and romantic ways to spend some time in Vegas. If you are with a gender-non-specific-significant-other (Hey, I'm happy to have readers, I don't care who or what they sleep with...) then this will get you some serious cuddle-time. But be careful, if you are with a drinking buddy, this may get you punched in the nose. First, a warning. There are two gondola rides at The Venetian. The first is outside. This ride is short and dull, with little to see and the blazing Vegas sun roasting you alive while you ride. Avoid this ride at all costs, as it is every bit as expensive as the indoor ride. The second ride is the one you want; it is inside the Grand Canal Shops, and is about a half-mile long all told, winding through the very nicely decorated shopping mall. It's quiet, it's air conditioned, and it's romantic. Best of all, the boat isn't floating in raw sewage like it would be in Venice! Last time I was there you had to get there relatively early in the day to get a reservation for later that evening. Gondolas hold 4 people, and if you only buy 2 tickets then you will have 2 other people sitting with you. Spend the extra cash and buy 4 tickets, it's well worth it. The gondoliers are all opera singers, and they are good enough that crowds gather at the midway point of the ride to hear them sing their big numbers. All in all they sing about 3 songs over the course of the trip, and since it's in Italian it all sounds good and musical. They converse with passengers throughout the trip, usually plopping out really cheesy Italian jokes in a really cheesy Italian accent. While I'm sure the Italian Anti-Defamation league isn't thrilled, if you don't take it too seriously it's all just part of the fun. After all, you are riding a boat down a river in a shopping mall. The ride takes you down the entire length (and back again) of the canal in the Grand Canal Shops, under low bridges, and over a 30' waterfall. (Ok, I'm just making sure you're paying attention, there's no low bridges.) The view is spectacular, since the height of the walls guiding the river do wonders for blocking your view of the rabble and old ladies with Keno crayons, and just leave you looking up at the faux sky and faux Italian village decor. There is even an all-white gondola especially set aside for those who can afford to blow thousands and thousands of dollars on a Venetian wedding package. Personally, I don't want to set expectations so high at the start of my marriage, but if you think you can handle the added pressure, go for it. I'll be down the street at the drive-through wedding chapel, giving our love something to work up from. This is a WhatBrianThinksAboutLasVegas.com must do! If you don't have a date, steal someone else's, but this is not to be missed.
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