Sin City: Las Vegas, Nevada
Trip 1 - March 2020 I resisted visiting Las Vegas for years because it didn't seem like a good spot for a wholesome family vacation. In fact, in 2021, WalletHub ranked Vegas as the "Most Sinful City in America," based on many metrics. But in 2020, when it emerged as the logical starting point for a western road trip with my family, I reluctantly went. It didn't take long to learn that there is so much more to "Sin City" than I realized! So this year, we made another trip to see the places we missed.
Now that we've completed a comprehensive tour of the region, I can comfortably recommend it to fellow travelers. It's a perfect launching point for Death Valley, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and the Mojave Desert Preserve. It's also less than three hours from Zion National Park (in Utah) and the Grand Canyon (in Arizona).
We started our first trip in the city, staying at an Airbnb on the western side of the strip ("The strip" is where most casinos and entertainment venues are located in Vegas). We "stayed local" the first day and visited the Red Rocks Conservation area as we acclimated to the three-hour time change. This stunning national park boasts sandstone peaks, desert flora and fauna, tortoises, and petroglyphs made by Native Americans, all less than twenty miles from the strip. The thirteen-mile loop through the park is one-way, so you must drive the whole loop to exit. Along the way are several overlooks and parking lots which are the origin points for excellent hiking and climbing opportunities. (Note that, as of this writing, the park requires online reservations for entry).
On day two, we visited the strip during the daytime (before the street performers and revelers emerged), walking through the various casinos' shopping and tourist areas. For me, highlights included the Bellagio fountains, where the water dances to music, the Venetian's Venice canal replica (complete with gondola tours), and a roller coaster at the New York casino. After many more dazzling sights and sounds, we ate an early dinner then took in Cirque du Soleil's "O" show, an impressive display of daring and talent.
Carefully reading some of the many online show reviews will help choose a suitable performance – some are very family-friendly, while others are described as "raunchy." We avoided those. Also, note that some street performers are scantily clad (or mostly naked). And although the city is "cleaner" than in years past, one doesn't have to look any further than the sidewalk to see advertisements for strip clubs.
On day three, we drove 2-1/2 hours west to Death Valley. This national park, known for being the lowest point on the North American continent, is also a place of extreme temperatures. Part of the Mojave Desert, Death Valley is the driest and hottest place on earth! We were thankful to visit in March. The geographic variation in the park is astonishing – from sand dunes to salt flats to towering peaks to rocky canyons – it has a little bit of everything. We drove to several highlight spots (Twenty Mule Team Canyon, Dante's View, Zabriskie Point, and the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes), then stayed overnight at the Inn at Death Valley. Camping was another option, but I'm not a brave soul who’s able to fall asleep to the sound of snakes slithering near the tent. (This is what happened to my son and daughter-in-law in the Fall of 2020 when they camped in Death Valley).
On day four, we spent the morning visiting Artist's Pallett, Devil's Golf Course, and Badwater Basin. It was fun trying to identify Star Wars filming locations along the way.
Returning to Vegas, we stayed in another Airbnb on the city's eastern side for two nights. From there, we visited the nearby Hoover Dam, waiting most of the day for our tour time. Thankfully, it was worth the wait – the inside of the dam is fascinating, and the tour guide shared fascinating history along the way.
Leaving Las Vegas the following day, we drove along Route 66, stopping in Kingman, AZ, for lunch in a quirky old diner. In Kingman, we could see how the old towns dotting Route 66 have declined since their heyday in the 1950s and ‘60s. After a brief tour of the local history museum, we were on the road again, headed to what will forever remain the most bizarre part of our journey: Grand Canyon Caverns.
Grand Canyon Caverns - U.S. emergency surplus
Located in the middle of nowhere, the dusty entry lane to this roadside attraction boasts creepy curiosities, such as old police cars with mannequins inside. After being given poker chips as admission tokens in the gift shop, our guide led our family and a few others to a cramped elevator that took us in shifts down into the earth's bowels. Inside, we found a café, an "open-air" hotel room, a large store of dusty U.S. government disaster supplies from the last century, and some carcasses from long-deceased animals. We all had vague concerns that no one would ever see or hear from us again – but after a detailed tour of the cavern, complete with disturbing tales of its history, we were safely escorted back up to civilization. Whew!
Finally, we drove to Sedona, Arizona – ending our western road trip with some of the beautiful hikes and vistas for which the region is famous.
Sedona, Arizona
Each day of our 2020 road trip, the news about "the Coronavirus" grew more concerning. We returned home, expecting the kids to miss a week or two of school. If only we had known what was coming, maybe we would have stayed in the Grand Canyon Caverns.
Trip 2 – March 2022 Fast forward two years. As COVID restrictions lifted across the country, we felt compelled to spend spring break 2022 back where it all began for us – in the Las Vegas area. Since it's only a 4-1/2-hour drive from Los Angeles, my middle son was also able to join us, a major bonus! For this trip, we stayed in one house the whole vacation, in Summerlin, just west of the strip.
We couldn't resist hiking Red Rocks again, but this time we also visited the Valley of Fire (a Nevada State Park), and Zion National Park in Springdale, Utah. We also rented a boat on Lake Mead one day.
For me, Valley of Fire now joins Death Valley as one of my favorite parks. Again, visiting in cooler weather is key – parts of the park are closed to hiking in the summer due to the dangerous heat. The weather for our trip in early March was perfect. The vistas were beautiful, and we were thrilled to see longhorn sheep! I've always wanted to see them in the wild. A one-hour circular hike took us through a sandy, rock-walled canyon and across beautiful, rolling stone formations.
Back in Vegas (just a forty-five-minute drive), we had a fun dinner at Otero in the Mirage, then arrived at the theater for the Beatles' Love show (Cirque du Soleil). Unfortunately, I mixed up the ticket dates, and we missed the performance! Very disappointing (and costly), but everyone was a good sport about my big error.
Wakeboarding on Lake Mead near Hoover Dam
Shaking off our setback, we enjoyed another fun activity the next day - renting a boat on Lake Mead. The reservoir (the largest in the U.S.) formed when the Hoover Dam was built in 1935 to generate electricity from the Colorado River. Though the temperature of the water was a chilly 56°F, my son brought his wet suit and wakeboarded near the dam. We picnicked on a sandy beach with a visiting pair of ducks and cruised through the Black Canyon's towering cliffs. It was an incredible experience, even if we were very chilly! (Note that a boater's license is required to rent a boat on Lake Mead).
On our last day, we made the almost-three-hour drive to Zion National. It was the last day that cars could enter the park before the "high season" began, when visitors must park in Springdale and take a trolley. Since we were arriving just before lunchtime, we pre-ordered sandwiches from Oscar's and ate them in the car. Sadly, however, the park was already quite crowded. Although we were able to drive the tunnel road and hike the incredible Canyon Overlook Trail, we had to wait several hours to enter the stunning Zion Scenic Drive. When it finally opened up to more cars, a bus broke down and blocked the entrance. Still, we had just enough time to walk to Lower Emerald Pool. On the drive, we even saw wild turkeys, deer, and an egret.
Las Vegas is a unique destination that, despite its reputation (well-deserved) for being a bastion of depravity, is also a mecca of outdoor surprises. The fact that it is completely encircled by incredible state and national parks alone makes it well worth the trip. And after I reached out to the friendly people at Cirque Du Soleil, they kindly agreed to honor our mixed-up tickets for a year. Now, we have a great excuse to return to Sin City to catch the hikes (and show) we missed!