What happens in Vegas,
stays in Vegasgoes up on the blog 😆
I have not seen Vegas before. It wasn’t really on my bucket list or anything, but when the opportunity to visit arrived, I couldn’t say no to adventure.
I was in a pretty weird mental space but I knew the change in scenery would provide me with inspiration and positivity for new things, new beginnings. After traveling I never come back the same person as before, and every city or little corner of the world I’ve been to left an imprint on my spirit.
Traveling has such a way to humble you and empower you in the same time! It’s like you feel tiny and insignificant, but also incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to even be there.
And after that, home feels even more homely.
Viva Las Vegas
So how Vegas really is? With a multitude of movies, books and stories picturing this place as the place where everything goes and anything can happen, I was very curious to experience it first hand and see if it lives up to the myth.
First of all, it’s overwhelming. Especially on the Vegas Strip, where all the crazy casinos and hotels are located, there’s a never-ending sea of tourists and people which seem to never rest. You could say that for someone who struggles with anxiety – like myself *sigh* – Vegas is hard to take in at first. But once you get accustomed with the idea that this place literally doesn’t sleep and everyone is involved in an adventure of their own, it becomes warmer and more welcoming.
I heard opinions that say that Las Vegas is the city that never sleeps, as opposed to New York, but after experiencing both, I still think New York is more alive. Especially Times Square. Maybe I’m biased, because to me New York, (strangely) always feels like home, like an old friend that’s always there to welcome you with open arms every time you go back. But each location of this world has its beauty, so comparison really has no place here.
When it comes to the landscape, Vegas and the surrounding areas of Nevada, are very beautiful. Despite being a desert, mountains and red rocks line the horizon everywhere you turn. The heat is high and it can be unforgiving if you don’t stay properly hydrated at all times, but to me it was just like a beautiful summer day. BONUS: no bugs, yaaay! 😆 Winding roads that cut through red rock walls make it the most scenic route for an exciting road trip with windows down, blasting music and sticking your head out the window like a dog.
Hoover Dam – Boulder City Nevada
Nature and its vastness always has a way to remind us how small and ephemeral we truly are. Hoover Dam is the perfect testament to how impressive and wide this world can be.
I was so moved to see what thousands of years of erosion can do to even the toughest of elements. There’s no decay in nature, only transformation.
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. The dam was named after President Herbert Hoover.
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Boulevard (aka Las Vegas Strip) is probably one of the most impressive things to see when it comes to entertainment. The line of sky-scraping hotels and casinos that compete with each other in exuberance and opulence stretches across approximately 8 miles.
Everywhere you turn there are dancing neon lights, fabulous fountains and beautiful buildings designed to deliver a melting sensory overload to even the most closed hearted individuals.
The most impressive view is by far at night time, but the strip looks just as beautiful during the day in my opinion.
A few must see things in Vegas are:
- the Luxor hotel (which looks like a big black pyramid with a laser beam shooting up its top)
- the fountains of Bellagio
- the High Roller – the tallest observation wheel in the world (at 550 feet tall, it’s taller than the London Eye)
- the canals of The Venetian – which are incredibly breathtaking
- the Neon Museum
- the Mob Museum (hahaha)
- Downtown Fremont Street Experience
- the Stratosphere hotel, casino and observation tower
The Stratosphere Las Vegas (formerly Vegas World) is a hotel, casino, and tower located on Las Vegas Boulevard just north of the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. The property’s signature attraction is the 1,149 ft (350.2 m) Stratosphere Tower, the tallest freestanding observation tower in the United States, and the second-tallest in the Western Hemisphere, surpassed only by the CN Tower in Toronto, Ontario.
Every once in a while, let yourself be moved and shattered by beauty.
And… since I mentioned The Venetian, you guys are not going to believe this place! Everything from the ceilings to the canals, and from the casino area to the breathtaking outdoor bridges and statues, is an absolute masterpiece.
My heart literally skipped a beat (no exaggeration) when I saw the lobby hallway and the unbelievable ceilings, all decked with Renaissance paintings/details, marbled mosaic floors and sparkling chandeliers. I feel like pictures just don’t do it justice.
Reminded me of Europe. And I was in heaven 🙂 Plus I had a field day with all the paintings begging to be transformed in memes 🤣
The Grand Canal Shoppes
The Grand Canal Shoppes is a 500,000 sq ft upscale shopping mall inside The Venetian Hotel & Casino and The Palazzo on the Las Vegas Strip.
The coolest thing about this mall is that it has indoor canals, where gondolas take people around the mall. It’s seriously like a Venice replica 😍
While I would’ve loved to explore the stores more, due to time constraints I only passed by fugitively, but enough to take in all the beauty.
Fremont Street Experience
Another unforgettable landmark of Las Vegas is, of course, the Historic Downtown Fremont Street Experience.
What is it? Fremont Street Experience is a five-block entertainment district in historic downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. Basically it’s a long street filled with casinos, kiosks, concert stages, restaurants and various artists/artisans/performers, covered by a LED-light canopy called “Viva Vision”.
The Viva Vision canopy is the world’s largest projection screen and is situated 90 feet above the ground. It spans 1,500 feet in length, roughly the size of five football fields. Featuring more than 12 million LED modules and a 555,000-watt sound system, the light shows run every hour and last about six minutes each.
Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to see any the light shows because they all start after dark and I was already exhausted after walking an entire day through blazing sunshine. Hopefully next time I’ll be able to catch at least one of them 🙂
All We Need is Love
Inspired by The Beatles song, inside the Palazzo Hotel there was an art installation depicting the word “LOVE” in big red letters. I absolutely loved (haaah, the pun) the Love sign because it was a nice reminder that sometimes no matter how hard the times, love is all we need to guide us and elevate our lives with hope and motivation.
Thank you so much for reading, hope you enjoyed my adventures. Don’t forget to leave a comment or follow me on Instagram. As always, much love ❤
Danish
June 21, 2018Thank for such a lovely blog! it really inspires me to visit there and explore the city ! its definitely on my bucket list and will look in to the spots you mention! glad to hear you had brilliant time in Sin City
Hope
June 28, 2018Vegas sound and looks amazing hope I get to visit there one day glad you had a good time there. Xx