Las Vegas, Nevada
I have been to Las Vegas so many times, I have lost count. It's not that I love to gamble. I actually don't. But, part of my family lives there, that's why. Thus, when it's time for Thanksgiving or Christmas, my partner and I usually pack our bags and go. Sometimes we drive (8 to 10 hours), other times, we fly (an hour).
I recently saw these old photos and I can say that I have seen Vegas develop from its old self to the very glitzy and glamorous town it is now. Back during my very first visit, the best and most expensive hotels to stay in were the Mirage and Treasure Island. Now these hotel and casino resorts, while still good, have been overshadowed by posh hotels like the Wynn, Aria, and the Venetian.
I know some travel snobs in the San Francisco Bay Area who have vowed not to visit the place ever. I, on the other hand, love the place especially during the holidays. While I love my adopted hometown of San Francisco a lot, I cannot deny that Vegas looks a lot more festive and more decorated for the holidays. It is definitely a lot of fun.
Hello Vegas!!! Just so you know, there is a long line of people waiting to have their pictures taken in front of this sign day and night. Patience is of utmost importance, folks!
At Treasure Island, nearly twenty years ago. Gosh, how time flies!
The Luxor is a sight to behold at night.
The Excalibur is one of the least expensive hotels along the strip. It remains to be popular among visitors for its affordable price and location.
New York, New York when it had just opened back in the late 1990s.
The Stratosphere may be an inexpensive hotel to stay but it really is located on one extreme end of the strip. It's good to go its top for a bird's eye view of the city though. The view of the Vegas Strip must be spectacular there at night.
A view of the huge City Center complex. This is a mix shopping, hotel, and condo complex right in the middle of the Strip. This place is another personal favorite. I love posh places you see and this place is the newest addition to the upscale Las Vegas properties.
I wouldn't mind owning a condo here.
These aren't shabby either. Too bad I don't have an extra million in the bank. Darn it!
What a bar this was! Should you go to Vegas, do visit each and every hotel on the strip. They not only are places to gamble but their lobbies, restaurants and bars are attractions in themselves. I took this picture last Christmas 2015.
The Wynn is without any doubt my favorite hotel and resort in Vegas. The place is just grand, really, really grand. We have never stayed here yet. Their rooms command astronomical prices during the peak season. However, this hotel has the most goodlooking shops, restaurnats, and common areas. A definite must when in the City of Sin.
A quiet hallway inside the Wynn.
Yes, the Venetian does look like the stately mansions in Italy with painted ceilings.
Dale Chihuly's colored glass chandelier is a hit at the Bellagio. I just wonder how they clean each and every glass. I have seen many Instagrammers post pics of this pretty artwork.
The mall at Caesar's Hotel and Casino Resort. Vegas hotels are so huge, finding one's way out can be a hard task. It's happened to us so many times as we hotel hopped.
The statue of David inside Caesar's Forum
Paris, Paris has lost a bit of its glitz and glam but its building continues to be very pretty during the day and night.
Inside Crystals
I can't exactly remember in which hotel this was. But, people actually climb it and have their pictures taken inside this ladies' shoe.
Vegas is synonymous with buffet restaurants. Truth of the matter is, there really are lots of buffets. I have tried a few along the strip. In the last few years though, I have just frequented the ones in hotels and casinos for the locals. For a fraction of Strip hotel buffet prices, I can eat like a king at the Feast inside Red Rock Casino Hotel in Vegas' very beautiful Summerlin district. My family lives in the area. This is our go to restaurant restaurant when we get hungry and no one wants to cook at home.
A good day trip from Vegas is the Hoover Dam. Take a close look at this picture. The white colored part represents the decrease in water at the dam. I too ask myself how long this man made wonder can sustain Vegas at the rate it consumes water.
Another view of the Hoover Dam.
A view of Death Valley, California/Nevada Border on our drive back to San Francisco.