What to do in Las Vegas and around
People say you’ll either love or hate the City of Las Vegas. I’m thorn somewhere in between. I already was before we even started planning our trip. I was afraid that I might not like some things, as I usually always find something beautiful in everything. And I was right. There were some things that I found stupid or didn’t like.
Everything is about spending money. Everything is quite expensive. Well, there are some things you can do for free. But people sitting all day in front of slot machines, gambling, alone, didn’t quite interpret what having fun should look like. It more looked like an obsession.
The places that are like a small Paris, Venice or New York are actually quite impressive but still doesn’t give you the same feeling as when you see the real cities.
The ”What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” idiots. There are a lot of them and they can be annoying. You are not in a movie, so whatever stupid thing you do, it’s still stupid even if it ‘stays’ in Vegas. There are a lot of other ways to have fun.
Crowds and long lines. I’ve always felt anxious when there are too many people around, and all the lights and noise are making it all worse.
♥ But if you accept that Las Vegas is just a funny fake place where you will spend a few days with a good company, it can be quite fun. There are still some nice places to visit in the city. And there are some things just a short drive away.
→Where to stay
HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO – we stayed in a Hard Rock because I’m a fan, of course 🙂 It was super cool, and the staff was really friendly in the hotel, restaurants, and shops. Location is not too bad, but it’s not on the Strip. It’s best to take Uber or taxi to go to the Strip.
BELLAGIO RESORT – this is where you can spend a fortune for a night, but it’s one of the best-known hotels in Vegas, with a great fountain in front of it. But it looks beautiful, I must say.
EXCALIBUR RESORT – this castle-themed hotel is quite cheap (it also depends what time you are going), it looks comfy and nice.
THE LINQ HOTEL & CASINO – a 4-star hotel with a great location and a really nice modern interior. The price is a bit higher, but still not too high.
→What to do & see
Strolling the Strip
Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of South Las Vegas Boulevard that is known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. The main place to be when in Vegas. It’s best to just walk along and you can enter all the hotels and casinos you would like to see from inside. I must admit, the interiors of some hotels are just amazing. There are also plenty of shops, restaurant, and bars down the strip, so you won’t be thirsty and hungry.
Fountains of Bellagio + Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Garden
Bellagio as one of the most famous resorts in Vegas really offers everything. No matter how touristy it sounds, the Fountains of Bellagio are really awesome. The combination of music and water dancing to it are amazing. You can just stand there and watch it for hours. No matter how many times you have seen the Fountains, they always have more in store to wow you with.
If you enter Bellagio, across the lobby from the front desk is an opening through which a glass ceiling rises up 50 feet. This is the beautiful Conservatory & Botanical Garden. Design changes several times a year based on the seasons and Chinese New Year. The moment you walk in, it just amazes you.
THE WILDLIFE HABITAT AT THE FLAMINGO
Promoted as one of the most unique and beloved attractions in Las Vegas, Flamingo’s Wildlife Habitat is a serene paradise. It is conveniently free of charge and open to the public daily. Nestled on the Flamingo hotel’s lush 15-acre grounds, the habitat is filled with exotic birds, fish, and turtles.
THE NEON MUSEUM
Founded in 1996, the Neon Museum is a non-profit organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, studying and exhibiting iconic Las Vegas signs for educational, history, arts and cultural enrichment. When to go and how to prepare for this tour, better check those great 10 Tips for Visiting The Neon Museum
FREMONT STREET
Fremont Street is a street in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada that is among the most famous streets in the Las Vegas Valley beside the Las Vegas Strip. Named in honor of explorer John Charles Frémont and located in the heart of the downtown casino corridor, Fremont Street is or was the address for many famous casinos. Fremont Street Experience is a seven-block entertainment district in historic downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. The centerpiece of Fremont Street Experience is Viva Vision, the world’s largest video screen. The Viva Vision screen is 1,500 feet long, 90 feet wide and is suspended 90 feet above the pedestrian mall below. The screen has 12.5 million LED lights and a 550,000-watt sound system.
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SEVEN MAGIC MOUNTAINS
This is an art installation and exhibition. It was supposed to be there only for 2 years, May 2018 was planned as the last month. But, because of its popularity, the museum is working with the Bureau of Land Management and local agencies to secure the piece through 2018, if not longer.
”Visible across the desert landscape, Seven Magic Mountains offers a creative critique of the simulacra of destinations like Las Vegas. According to Rondinone, the location is physically and symbolically mid-way between the natural and the artificial: the natural is expressed by the mountain ranges, desert, and Jean Dry Lake backdrop, and the artificial is expressed by the highway and the constant flow of traffic between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.”
HOOVER DAM
Hoover Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the U.S. states of Nevada and Arizona. A National Historic Landmark, Hoover Dam is the highest concrete dam in the Western Hemisphere. It stands at more than 725 feet above the Colorado River. With 17 generators producing 4 billion kilowatts of electricity a year, therefore it also is one of the country’s largest hydroelectric power facilities. Operation and maintenance of the facility are solely supported by revenue from power sales.
VALLEY OF FIRE
Valley of Fire State Park is a public recreation and nature preservation area located 80 km northeast of Las Vegas, this is just 1-hour driving. The state park derives its name from red sandstone formations, the Aztec Sandstone, which formed from shifting sand dunes 150 million years ago. These features often appear to be on fire because of reflecting the sun’s rays. The entrance fee is 10$ per vehicle, the park is open daily from sunrise to sunset. There are some nice red rocks to see, you can just take a road trip through the park, but if it’s not too hot it’s best to take some great hikes.
DEATH VALLEY
And, if you have a lot more time, you can even go to Death Valley National Park, it’s around 2-hours driving one way. In this below sea level basin, you can find a lot of extremes, especially the summer heat. It’s the driest place on the continent. And yet the peaks are covered in sparkling snow in the winter. In spring it offers beautiful wildflowers. No matter what time in the year you go, you can always find the beauty and enjoy the amazing scenery. And don’t forget your camera. Find out what to see there in my post about DEATH VALLEY.
→Plan your visit with top guides
