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Becoming an S.H.I.E.L.D Agent With Marvel in Vegas.

A visit to the Avengers Marvel S.T.A.T.I.O.N in Vegas

For this week’s post, I could have gone one of two ways: tell you all about our visit to Alcatraz or jump on the Marvel bandwagon and share our experience of the Marvel station in Vegas. Take a quick guess which one I picked?! Don’t worry, I will post on Alcatraz soon, but for now, let’s discuss all things Marvel.

We ended up at the Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N one red- hot day, looking for some shade. Billed as an ‘interactive and educational visit’ I’m not ashamed to say that I was quite happy to brave the large numbers of kids in attendance to get to see some Marvel kit. We were given headphones at the entrance and this provided us with an audio commentary throughout the exhibition, interacting with the exhibits and guiding us round.

We spent some time being ‘initiated’ as S.H.I.E.L.D agents (kids generally seemed to love this bit) and then we were off, exploring The Avenger’s exhibitions. There were the usual costumes and props on display, but the stand out features for me were Banner’s lab, Thor’s hammer and of course, Stark’s array of Iron Man suits.

Banner’s lab was a hazard-filled area which the Hulk had recently busted his way through. With a huge Hulk hand and a screen which allowed you to control the Hulk’s movements (Hulk Smash!!!), it was one of the more interactive areas of the exhibit.

Although Mjölnir (Thor’s hammer) wasn’t a huge part of the exhibition, it was a great photo opportunity, with everyone trying to get that perfect shot. Spoiler alert: neither me nor Wandering Beeb were worthy enough to be able to able to lift it – it was worth a try!

The best part of the exhibit if you are a Tony Stark / Iron Man fan was the collection of Iron Man suits, fabulously displayed in a circular exhibit, just like in the films. The Hulkbuster suit was also a feature and wow that thing is huge!

Littered throughout the experience were interactive and video game opportunities and the Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N is well worth a visit for the casual fan and super fan alike. If you can tear yourself away from the other attractions in Vegas, the nightlife on the Strip, stunning hotels and the beautiful weather, it’s a good place to spend a couple of hours.

The Marvel Avenger’s S.T.A.T.I.O.N is located in Treasure Island and costs around £24 per adult ticket. There are often 2 for 1 offers to be found – particularly if you are a guest at Treasure Island.

The Best Free Show In Vegas

Experiencing the Bellagio Fountains from the sidewalk and from above – the best free experience in Vegas

One of the most iconic features of Vegas (other than the Vegas sign or the casinos) are the Bellagio Fountains. If you are spending any time on the strip (see some of Wandering Beeb’s pictures of the Strip here), you won’t be able to miss the spectacular show that they perform.

The first time I went to Vegas, I was astounded by the sheer size of the fountains – they aren’t really comparable to anything I’d seen before.

Set on an expanse of around twenty-two million gallons of water, an underwater, crocodile-like track of jets lies in wait.

Every fifteen to thirty minutes (depending on the time of day and holiday periods) this snaking underwater spine comes to life, heralded by a booming rendition of whatever song is selected for the performance. You can see the range of music used in the performances here.

In time with the music, spiralling columns of water are boosted four-hundred and sixty foot in the air, illuminated by piercing spotlights.

The first time I went to Vegas, we’d caught a performance of Con Te Partiro (Time to Say Goodbye) on our last night. The combination of the music and graceful movement of the water had brought tears to my eyes, knowing that we were coming to the end of this particular adventure.

There are very few free things in Vegas and to have something so beautiful available to watch for free feels like a luxury you can’t afford to miss. Watching the fountains from pavement level gives you a great view, no matter where you choose to stand, but be warned, pick-pockets do operate in the area, often in co-ordinated groups, striking whilst unsuspecting travellers are gazing up in awe as the lights and water dance along with the music.

Last time I went to Vegas, we upgraded our room at the Cosmopolitan to include a fountain view. This cost around $80 extra on our room price and was worth every penny. The rooms in the Cosmopolitan are amazingly well soundproofed, however stepping on to the balcony, we had a great view of the fountains and could still hear the music clearly. Even from a distance, the unmistakable rumble of the water, crashing down from dizzying heights was just as powerful as at ground level.

Watching the fountains at night, surrounded by the Vegas lights was incredibly beautiful and because we were up higher than the busy strip below, it felt as though the fountains were marking out their performance just for the two of us. If you have an opportunity to view the fountains from above – take it, it’s worth every second.

What other ‘can’t miss’ freebies are there in Vegas? Share your thoughts in the comments.