Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I landed at Harry Reid Airport days before Halloween for a trip for a birthday trip with friends.

Would I be swallowed whole by the glittering, gyrating maw of the Strip? Would the air reek of desperation and stale cigarettes?

Would I stumble out, 48 hours later, a shell of myself, clutching a half-eaten hot dog and a questionable tattoo of playing cards?

Mostly true, without the added tattoo, thankfully and it turns out, I had Vegas all wrong — if you don’t fancy spending days (and nights) on end trapped in a casino, here is a rundown of some great experiences to check out while you’re there.

My journey began with a hesitant shuffle, like a penguin on roller skates, onto the carpet of our hotel, the Disneyland-twin, Excalibur Hotel and Casino (Rooms beginning from as low as $100 a night). It’s a basic, slightly dated hotel — but a great cheaper option delightfully twinned with the fantastic New York, New York hotel.

Check out the amazing buffet for a hotel meal that won’t break the bank, beginning at $30 per person with every cuisine on offer.

You’ll hear a lot of “just somewhere to place your head” when heading to Sin City, and it’s true, but given certain areas, you’ll want to ensure where you put your head, means it will still be there by morning — plus it is true what they say, once you’ve seen one casino, you’ve seen them all.

The exterior of the hotel is much like all of Vegas to first-time visitors. The sheer audacity of it all — the towering, impossible architecture, the pulsing music bleeding from every open doorway, the impossibly glamorous people strolling by in outfits straight out of a sci-fi film — it’s intoxicating.

One of our main attractions was a visit to, you guessed it, The Sphere (Tickets from $140) which is located next to The Venetian. As this newspaper’s technology columnist, I was thrilled to be invited to visit the location which had been dominating my social media feed ever since it opened just weeks before our visit.

Upon arrival you are greeted with a technological marvel that’s as much an amusement park ride as it is a concert hall. I walked in a sceptic but emerged a starry-eyed evangelist. However, just a word of warning for those prone to vertigo, you will feel dizzy, and slightly unsettled.

First off, the sheer scale is mind-blowing. Curved screens wrap around you like an immersive hug, the sound system vibrates your bones, and even the seats whisper high-tech secrets as they adjust to your movements.

It’s enough to make you forget about the slightly-too-close neighbours (dancing to U2 or rumoured Harry Styles in that legroom? Not likely).

The Postcards from Earth film was a visual feast. Oceans roared, forests swayed, and astronauts pirouetted in space, all projected onto the curved canvas with such clarity you could practically touch the clouds. But honestly, once the initial “wow” faded, the story felt a bit like an excuse to showcase the tech.

Shortly after The Sphere we were treated to several amazing experiences, an unforgettable dinner at Fuhu part of the new Resorts World hotel — which wasn’t just dinner, it was a culinary rollercoaster. Asian fusion with the volume cranked — think firecracker dim sum, truffle-kissed sushi, and cocktails named after mythical beasts.

Be warned, it’s pricey, but portions were share-worthy, perfect for trying bite-sized adventures. Service was slick as the bar’s black marble with the staff and servers a delight to everyone, guiding us through the extensive menu with ease.

Also if you’re looking for a great drinking spot, check out two we frequented. Flight Club Darts located in Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian Resort is great fun for a bigger group, while for something a little more upmarket, you couldn’t do better than the Aft Cocktail Deck at The Wynn Hotel.

While it was a little too chilly (Nevada is a desert, but it still picks up a cool wind) to sit outside on the gorgeous deck of the latter spot to enjoy the waterfall show, but inside still reeks of elegance and luxury.

If eating, drinking and Sphere-ing isn’t for you, then a show will be. It can be hard to decide what to go see while in Sin City, you’re often spoilt for choice but it will dent your wallet for the bigger marque names.

For something different, we were treated to Awakening (Tickets from around $100), a top choice amongst tourists. Presented by The Wynn Hotel, the circus-esque show is a marvel of puppets, comedy and drama.

There is a moment in the show, which follows a cut-and-paste slightly predictable story involving a young chosen one hoping to capture everything she needs to ascend in her quest — where a life-size blue whale circles the venue. It’s not a trick of light nor is it a projection, it’s an actual puppet that will take your breath away.

The perfect way to end an experience in Vegas? From above with Papillion Helicopters (From $119 pp for the nighttime strip ride). It may not be for everyone, but watching the famous Strip stretched out like a neon wonderland, Bellagio fountains doing water tricks and the Eiffel Tower playing high five with the clouds was incredible and at such a great price.

All my jitters vanished, replaced by pure wow once in the air with Papillion taking Vegas from chaotic mess to glittering masterpiece, all seen from way, way up.