Las Vegas: What to See and Where to Go

From Yosemite National Park, we drove to Las Vegas, Nevada for five nights.  This was the first time in Vegas for my dad, Mia, and myself.  I really enjoyed Vegas; and if you'd like to know what we did while there, keep reading!

The Strip

        You could easily spend a whole day on the Las Vegas Strip--we did.  There's lots of free parking on the Strip, and we parked in the free garage at Treasure Island.  From there we walked down the Strip, stopping at most of the casinos/hotels.  There's lots more to do than just gamble in the casinos/hotels, and most of them have themed decor that is really cool (the air conditioning is also a relief from the Nevada heat). Some of our favorites were Caesar's Palace, Paris, The Venetian, and New York New York.  The interior of Caesar's Palace had fountains, "cobbled streets" and huge Roman statues that gave the feeling of walking through the streets of Ancient Rome.  This was personally my favorite casino/hotel.  Paris and New York New York used the same theming technique with their shop and restaurant areas, but of course they were themed after different cities.  It was so cool to explore these beautiful casinos/hotels, and the decor was very authentic. 

A ship outside of Treasure Island

The Mirage has lush botanical gardens that are free to view

Caesar's Palace

Be sure to visit the Fountain of the Gods in Caesar's Palace, which has sculptures of Jupiter, Neptune, and Diana. 

The exterior of New York New York!

And the interior!

New York New York has big Hershey stores with Hershey-themed candy, T-shirts, pillows, and more. 

The America restaurant in New York New York has a giant United States on its ceiling

The Eiffel Tower at the Paris Hotel & Casino

Paris was gorgeous!

We visited Paris and didn't even have to board a plane 😉😉

The Venetian was so grand!

The canals at the Venetian had gondolas that you could actually ride in!

The ceiling of the Ventian has gorgeous paintings on its ceiling

        Shows and entertainment in Vegas can get pricey, but free entertainment is offered all along the Strip.  Though these shows are short, they are still cool to see.  The first one we went to is featured at the Bellagio fountains.  They have a water show seven days a week; though their hours vary depending on the day.  There is also a volcano show at night, located by The Mirage.  The heat off of the volcano show was incredible--we could feel it all the way across the street.  In addition to the free entertainment, we booked a show at Cirque de Soleil for that night, and I recommend the show if you love acrobatics.  The acrobats were so talented, and my favorite act was a duo who did an act similar to the choreography in Rewrite the Stars from The Greatest Showman.  

Must Dos Outside of the Strip

        The Strip was really cool, but there was so much more around Las Vegas to do on our remaining three days.  If you come to visit Vegas, don't limit yourself to just the Strip.  Go see the Hoover Dam, play a couple games of vintage pinball at the Pinball Hall of Fame, and enjoy a gorgeous drive through Valley of Fire State Park.  

The Pinball Hall of Fame is a nonprofit business. The only money you pay is to play the pinball games.  There's Pirates of the Carribbean, The Mandalorian, Game of Thrones, and lots more!

Mead Lake Visitors Center is a short drive from the Hoover Dam and has a great little museum

If you're planning to visit this State Park, be sure to do the Seven Wonders Trail.  Any trails that you want to do should be accomplished before noon, or else the heat is intense. Even if you have to get up early, hiking in this beautiful state park is worth it. 

Atlatl Rock in Valley of Fire State Park

Pastel Canyon, along the Seven Wonders Trail

Balancing rock is a short walk from the visitors center

        Be sure to take your time in Las Vegas and enjoy its many attractions.  You won't be disappointed!