Experiencing Las Vegas
“Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.”
At the beginning of January, I tossed around in my mind places to travel. Las Vegas was one location that I jotted down. Then within a few days of writing it in my journal, I was somehow in disbelief on a 5 hour plane ride to out West. I have never been to Nevada before so I was excited for a new place to experience. When arriving, I knew I was somewhere different when the airport had slot machines in almost every spot you saw! I kept an open mind as I placed foot in the welcoming heat outside the terminal. Many times I have seen photos, watched movies and heard stories from others so I wanted to create a new fresh perspective from my point of view. Below I have created little vignettes about some of my favorite places I had visited.
Aviation Museum: Inside Maccarn International Airport, there is a 3,000 square foot museum dedicated to aviation around the Las Vegas area and beyond. Which I found fascinating! There were a variety of objects in the exhibit from airline pins, log books to uniforms pieces and more. One well known artifact on display is the Hacienda plane which had made a trip of 64 days without landing. Making it and the pilots part of the flight endurance record in late 1900’s. I loved seeing a picture of the Cessna getting fueled in the air by a truck, on the ground, which sent up the gas hose to the plane. If you are interested in aviation you should make a pit stop above baggage claim to see the museum.
Henderson, NV: With family, I stayed at The Westin resort about 20 minutes away from downtown Las Vegas. It was a beautiful place for a long relaxing weekend of vacation. Besides all of the amenities at the resort, the River Loop Trail was right down the road. I was over the moon to be able to go hiking in a desert setting again! In Henderson itself there were a handful of delicious food options and quaint places to eat.
Black Bear Diner: Something my sister and I like to do when traveling is find local small business restaurants to eat at. We discovered the Black Bear Diner and I fell in love with the eatery. This diner is a part of a small community and Eco-friendly based restaurant chain in Nevada. The food was incredible! I had a vegetarian omelet option with fresh vegetables and avocado which was out of this world. When I go back next to Nevada, I will for sure try to make a stop there again.
Hoover Dam: Since being about 40 minutes away from the Hoover Dam in Boulder City, my family and I took a day trip out to visit the historic landmark. It is definitely jaw dropping to see in person. Getting the chance to take a tour inside of the cement walls was worth it. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and took her time explaining the history behind each room we saw. I have no words on the well built structure, which having been made in the 1930’s that can last up to 200 years before need any lengthy new repairs. It was wonderful to learn about the time period in which the Hoover Dam was crafted in. Seeing what the dam meant to the US back then in the depression, it had created hundreds of well paid jobs for people to manufacture a place to collect energy, was powerful to think about. The Hoover Dam should be put on anyone and everyone’s vacation bucket list.
Zak Bagan’s The Haunted Museum: For as long I can remember, I have loved anything and everything paranormal. I love history stories of the place and the people who once where at that location. My family and I enjoy watching ghost shows of all kinds. One we watch is Ghost Adventures , whose creator Zak Bagan’s opened a museum filled dealing with the paranormal based objects as well as oddities from all over the world. It was surreal being able to see the haunted objects in person, after seeing them on television. I felt like a kid in a candy shop. Being an empath and sensitive to energies, I couldn’t help but at times feel more than one type of energy in the place. Over all the tour was immersive with so many rooms to view and excellent tour guides that made the experience fun and informational. Whether you believe or not in the paranormal, the museum is a great place to see.
The Boulevard: Downtown Las Vegas, it is a lot to take it in. It is a very upbeat and constantly moving atmosphere which is hard to take in at one glance. Not being into the whole gambling scene, I had to say I did once by playing the Wheel of Fortune in The Mirage. I honestly loved seeing the whole Las Vegas Blvd at night. To me it felt that was when the magic of the city came alive. All the lights and signs transported me to a whole other world full of vintage Las Vegas vibes. Of course one has to see the well known Welcome to Las Vegas sign on your trip. It was incredibly busy during the day, so we all got up early one morning and drove at sunrise to snap a picture. No one was there, or better yet out, so I would say that between maybe 5 to 7 am the city actually sleeps before it starts the rush again.
The Stratosphere: On the last day in Las Vegas, my uncle decided to give us a one of a kind experience by eating at the Top of the World Restaurant inside of The Stratosphere. What makes it so special is the fact that while you are sitting, the room is rotating around the building in a circle. Over an hour you will see the whole entirety of Las Vegas from the air. After eating we were able to up to the observation deck to look out over the city. Seeing it at night, over 1,00 feet above the ground, was unbelievable. You do not have to eat at the restaurant to go into to building. There is a hotel including a casino inside and amusement rides on top of the building you can visit. That experience was amazing and I’ll never forget it.
All I can say is that there is so much to do and see out in the desert mountains of Nevada. My four days there was not enough time. I know that I will have to visit Las Vegas again to see the rest of the splendor the city has to offer!
