THE TRAVELING
TASTEBUDS
The six Traveling Tastebuds together by the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign
The annual couples trip · 2026

VEGAS,
BABY!

Six friends. Three couples. Four days. An unreasonable amount of good food.

DEC 13 — 16, 2026See the game plan

COUNTING DOWN TO VEGAS…

The Traveling Tastebuds · Dec 13–16, 2026
THE HOME BASE

ALL ROADS LEAD TO THE PALAZZO.

At The Venetian, right on the Strip. Consider this our headquarters for the serious business of eating, wandering, and doing absolutely nothing on schedule.

Dec 13 check-inDec 16 check-out
3325 S Las Vegas Blvd
The Palazzo room service carrot cake, cut open to show its layers
Evidence: the carrot cake
TOP 2
IN THE
WORLD!

— Casey’s official ranking

PHOTO EVIDENCE · THE VENETIAN FILES

PRE-GAME SCOUTING.

Consider these our field studies from previous missions. The research continues in December.

Three of the guys in matching floral swimwear raising drinks at the Venetian pool
Exhibit A: the uniform was decided back then
Three of the ladies celebrating with poker chips at a Venetian casino table
Exhibit B: the house already lost once
THE ACTUAL PLAN (AND SOME VERY GOOD IDEAS)

FOUR DAYS. ZERO DULL MOMENTS.

● Booked    ◌ Just an idea
SUN · DECEMBER

Touchdown

13
  • BOOKED

    All six land 11:24 AM — both couples on the same flight

  • BOOKED

    The Palazzo stay begins

  • IDEA

    Canal stroll + a very necessary cake delivery

MON · DECEMBER

Steak night

14
  • IDEA

    Lazy morning / explore the Strip

  • IDEA

    Leave room for dinner

  • BOOKED

    Golden Steer · 9:45 PM · table for 6

TUE · DECEMBER

Your call

15
  • IDEA

    Pick a show or see the Sphere

  • IDEA

    Try a food crawl or a wild art detour

  • IDEA

    One more slice? We won’t judge.

WED · DECEMBER

See ya, Vegas

16
  • BOOKED

    Casey & Kristin fly out 9:32 AM

  • BOOKED

    George & Amanda fly out 11:00 AM

  • IDEA

    Start planning next year before landing

Ideas aren’t reservations. Check hours, tickets, and availability before heading out.

MONDAY · DECEMBER 14 · 9:45 PM

THE BIG
DINNER.

Golden Steer Steakhouse. Six seats. One reservation under Casey Peddicord. Come hungry.

Get directions Restaurant
THE TASTEBUDS TABLE
WHEN

Mon, Dec 14
9:45 PM

THE CREW

6 guests
Casey’s name

308 W Sahara Ave · Las Vegas, NV 89102

+1 702-384-4470
BOOKED!
GETTING THE GANG THERE

FLIGHT CLUB

All flight times shown in the local time zone of each airport. Check with Delta for changes before travel.

DELTA AIR LINESBOOKED

Casey & Kristin

OUTBOUND · SUN DEC 13

5:40 AM TYS → ATL → 11:24 AM LAS

via Atlanta · DL3015 · DL0945

RETURN · WED DEC 16

9:32 AM LAS → ATL → 6:56 PM TYS

via Atlanta · DL0927 · DL5258

DELTA AIR LINESBOOKED

George & Amanda

OUTBOUND · SUN DEC 13

5:40 AM TYS → ATL → 11:24 AM LAS

via Atlanta · DL3015 · DL0945

RETURN · WED DEC 16

11:00 AM LAS → ATL → 8:40 PM TYS

via Atlanta · DL777 · DL5203

FLIGHTS PENDING

Dustin & Megan

The cowboy has not yet booked a horse with wings.

Dustin in his cowboy hat giving a thumbs-up
DUSTIN, YOUR MOVE ↗
NOT BOOKED · HIGHLY TEMPTING

PLOT TWISTS &
GOOD TIMES.

The schedule has plenty of breathing room. Here are some solid candidates for whatever the group is feeling.

01
SHOW · IDEA

Absinthe

Acrobatics, comedy, and a delightfully unfiltered night out at Caesars Palace.

02
SHOW · IDEA

‘O’ by Cirque du Soleil

A water-filled spectacle at Bellagio if the group votes for pure Vegas wow.

03
SEE · IDEA

The Sphere

Go big on an immersive show or experience. Check the December calendar first.

04
WANDER · IDEA

The Neon Museum

A walk through the bright, beautiful history of Vegas signs. Great after dark.

05
GET WEIRD · IDEA

Omega Mart

A wonderfully strange, interactive art maze inside AREA15.

06
EAT · IDEA

A food crawl

Pick a neighborhood or a few restaurants and let everyone choose a stop.

Show schedules and ticket availability for December 2026 should be confirmed with each venue.

DECEMBER IN THE DESERT

HOT PLANS.
COOL NIGHTS.

~56–60°F / 39–42°F

Typical December highs / lows, not a trip forecast.

Sunny days can turn into jacket weather after dark. The actual forecast won’t be useful until closer to departure.

December climate normals

THE PACKING LIST

Your checkmarks last only while this page is open.

VEGAS SURVIVAL KIT

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO.

Tip like a regular

Cocktail servers $1–2 a drink, dealers a few dollars when you're up, valet $2–5, housekeeping $2–5 a day. Cash works everywhere.

Dress the part

Casinos are come-as-you-are, clubs are dress-to-impress, and Golden Steer asks for smart casual — pack one sharp outfit.

It's all farther than it looks

The Strip runs more than four miles, and blocks that look tiny on the map are a 20-minute hike. Comfortable shoes win.

Drinks on the house

Cocktails are comped while you're gambling. Order slow, tip cash, and drink water between rounds.

Late is normal

Vegas runs on its own clock — dinner at 9:45 PM is right on time and the Strip is just waking up then.

Book the fun early

Popular shows and tables sell out. Dinner is locked in; vote on the rest of the list soon.

OPTIONAL DETOURS · NOT BOOKED

ESCAPE THE STRIP?

If the group wants a half-day adventure, these are easy wins — all a short drive from the Palazzo. Zero pressure either way.

IDEA · ~25 min drive

Red Rock Canyon

A gorgeous scenic drive with hikes for every energy level. Go in the morning, be back for lunch.

IDEA · ~45 min drive

Hoover Dam

A jaw-dropping engineering marvel you can walk right across. Add a tour if the group wants the full story.

IDEA · ~30 min drive

Seven Magic Mountains

Giant neon totems standing in the desert. Free, quick, and practically built for group photos.

Drive times are ballpark. These are suggestions — check hours and conditions before heading out.

SLOTS, TABLES & HOUSE RULES

BEGINNER'S LUCK DEPT.

Nobody in this group is a shark, and that's the point. Six friendly rules so everyone leaves happy.

01

Get the player's card

Sign up at any casino desk before you play. It's free, takes five minutes, and unlocks comps and future offers.

02

Set the budget, then walk

Pick a fun-money amount before you sit down. When it's gone, the show's over — that's the price of a great story.

03

Slots: pick the fun one

Every spin is random, so 'hot machines' are a myth. Choose the theme that makes you laugh and enjoy the ride.

04

Tables: watch first

New to blackjack or craps? Stand behind a table for a few minutes, then just ask the dealer — they love teaching rookies.

05

Tip your dealer

A few dollars on a bet keeps the table friendly. Same goes for the cocktail server while you play.

06

What's spent stays in Vegas

Budget it like show tickets — money you're happy to spend. And no, the cowboy hat does not improve your odds, Dustin.

You must be 21+ with valid ID to gamble in Las Vegas. Play for fun, not for rent.

THE OFFICIAL-ISH PLAYLIST

SOUNDTRACK FOR THE STRIP.

Queue this up for the airport, the pool, and the walk to dinner. Elvis is mandatory; arguing about track three is part of the fun.

Find the vibe on Spotify

Road trip setlist

  1. 01

    Viva Las Vegas

    Elvis Presley

  2. 02

    A Little Less Conversation

    Elvis vs. JXL

  3. 03

    Mr. Brightside

    The Killers (yes, they're from Vegas)

  4. 04

    Waking Up in Vegas

    Katy Perry

  5. 05

    Luck Be a Lady

    Frank Sinatra

  6. 06

    Poker Face

    Lady Gaga

  7. 07

    Don't Stop Believin'

    Journey

  8. 08

    I Gotta Feeling

    The Black Eyed Peas