Ninth Stop: Las Vegas, Nevada
We finally made it to Las Vegas - the halfway point of this crazy, cross-country adventure. We decided it made sense to store the camper in Vegas for a month and fly home on Allegiant to work and recoup outside of the 427 square feet of space we’d called home the past 5 weeks. Allegiant’s non-stop flight to Asheville was key. We also quickly learned that four weeks was our limit on “togetherness” before we sent the RV over the nearest cliff. As we inched toward the five-week mark, we were ready to jump without it.
So here we are...
Vegas, Baby!
Somehow, I made it this far in life without visiting Sin City. One 10-minute walk down the Las Vegas strip and I saw why. I also quickly learned my existence on this earth can be summed up in one sentence….
“I am a middle-aged, white woman who prefers sensible shoes and fully covering my midriff.”
And I’m ok with that.
I have never felt more like a mom (or a friendly version of a “Karen” with a better hairdo) OR like someone’s suburbia neighbor who regularly brings chicken casseroles to Saturday potlucks, than when I made my way through the crowds of tourists. I have SO many observations…where to start???
So we all know the temperature is hot in Vegas. It’s a desert so we’re talking mid to upper 90s for their fall weather. But this suffocating heat did not prevent female tourists from donning skin-tight leather (or I’m assuming pleather) shorts for their choice of casual wear. Add to that an even tighter shirt that is really just a bra with an extra inch of fabric slightly covering their navel and you’re good to go. I could imagine what these ladies said to themselves as they dressed that day… “Do I want one inch of fabric or two inches across my midriff? One it is!" and..."Cotton shorts or shiny, spandex pleather? Ooohhh…pleather!" I’m pretty sure the heat accumulating under the material in this desert setting could’ve successfully steamed a nice head of broccoli.
I am in no way body shaming. In fact, I wish I had the confidence to dress like these ladies but I just can’t give up my comfortable sneakers and breathable cotton t-shirts. I looked cute, if you’re looking for a dependable mom who can organize a kick ass Box Top campaign and cook macaroni. But there’s a place for us all in this world and Vegas is proof to that.
We started with a walk down the strip on a Friday evening. The younger son was horrified by the crowds and was ready to leave. (Parenting win.) The older son quickly felt comfortable, realized the strip would be much more fun without parents in tow, and started considering a return with friends. (Parenting loss.) It didn’t help that his father walked around with a smile on his face enjoying the aforementioned sites and the feathered showgirls who flirted. And then his older son pointed out they were only flirting with him because it was obvious he was the dad who paid the bills and had the money to spend on an overpriced photo with a showgirl. His excitement was deflated. (Parenting win.)
We made it to the Bellagio hotel to watch the fountains. Highly recommend. But only do it at night. I saw it the next day in the daylight and it was just disappointing. The daytime music was bad and the fountains lacked the romance of the nightly show. On our night, Sinatra blared over speakers as the fountains danced to the music. It was pretty incredible.
Another feature that stood out to me on the strip…the number of tourists traveling with kids in tow. And I’m not talking about teenagers. I mean young kids. We watched as one mom held the hand of a very young Bobby or Molly or Sue who looked confused as they meandered through the dominatrix showgirls. I will give this family a pass because the showgirls with their whips and buttocks-baring bikini bottoms did happen to be standing by the transformer and Mickey Mouse characters. Shame on you, Showgirls.
I can only assume this family based their trip on that one time in the 1990s when Vegas considered becoming more family-friendly to compete with gambling on riverboats and Native American reservations. That backfired and they returned to their roots with a growth in adults-only entertainment. There’s still plenty to do in Vegas with kids. I’d just avoid the strip at night. "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Until your kid brings it all up with a therapist one day."
The next day we decided to see a show and settled on
Cirque de Soleil Mystere thanks to the concierge at our campground -
Oasis Las Vegas RV Resort. (I reached out to a high school classmate who lives in Vegas for recommendations on a good, safe campground. She was a huge help! Thanks, Shannon!)
TIP #1: WHEN TRAVELING, REACH OUT TO FACEBOOK FRIENDS WHO LIVE IN OR HAVE POSTED PHOTOS FROM YOUR DESTINATION FOR HELP IN PLANNING. Our concierge insisted there were no bad seats at a Cirque de Soleil performance and she was right. It was incredible. I have no idea what the story was about - a giant snail, baby narrator, a puppet - but the performers were amazing. Definitely worth the money. Plus, it provided the perfect parenting moment.
As we left, we passed a group of guys with their one friend who was completely passed out in the seats. He’d missed the entire show. I told my boys…"in a group of buddies, you’ll usually have that one drunk friend - the one who has to be carried out, might wet themselves, starts fights, embarrasses everyone, and is not capable of making responsible decisions. Don’t be the drunk friend."
TIP #2 - MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY SITUATION TO PASS ON PRICELESS PARENTING ADVICE. IT HELPS TO HAVE VISUAL AIDS TO ASSIST. The next day, I really wanted to see the lights and signs of old Vegas. I had NO idea this was a destination within the city and we just so happened to stumble across it on our way to a really good brunch. (Restaurant -
Eat. Very good)
Old Vegas is called the
Fremont Street Experience. It was here where Vegas had its first hotel, first paved street, first telephone and the first structure built from the ground up to be a casino. This is where many of the famous casinos were located like the Golden Nugget, Four Queens Hotel and Casino, and the Fremont Hotel and Casino. And this is where Vegas Vic still stands today. Vegas Vic is a giant, cowboy neon sign that’s stood on Fremont Street since 1951.
So to be honest, visiting Fremont Street made me sad. In the 1990s, the street was turned into a pedestrian mall. In 2004, a barrel canopy spanning four blocks was constructed over the street to create a light and music show. I guess it was meant to preserve the area and lure tourists back to the historic block. But, like all things Vegas, it’s too much.
I felt like it took any charm away from the area and made it feel like a cheap, dirty fairground. Even poor Vegas Vic gets lost under the obnoxious, overhead canopy lights. I didn’t realize I’d photographed Vic until I went back through the photos and saw the nostalgic neon sign trying hopelessly to stand out. But the Fremont Experience did make for some really good people-watching.
The area had circles throughout designated for street performers also called buskers. These were mostly filled with people making and selling jewelry, a couple of political protests, and a few homeless people who simply stood in place. It had a very sad, “left-behind” vibe to it all. I wish I could have visited it as it was in its heyday.
We also visited the
Gold and Silver Pawn Store from the show Pawn Stars. It’s much smaller than it appears on TV and, as expected, the stars weren’t there. But it was neat to see in person even if the show is completely set up.
We spent the last night searching for a place to store the camper and truck. Apparently, RV storage in Vegas is in high demand. Plan accordingly. Also, keep in mind that the Raiders NFL team is now in Vegas.
TIP #3 - WHEN MAKING CAMPGROUND RESERVATIONS IN VEGAS, CONSIDER THE RAIDERS FOOTBALL SCHEDULE. THERE WAS A GAME THAT WEEKEND AND OUR CAMPSITE FEE DOUBLED FOR TWO NIGHTS.The next day, when the Uber driver picked us up outside the storage facility with lots of luggage and a cat in tow, he carefully questioned what exactly we were doing. I’m sure we looked like we’d been evicted, or had just stored the body from an undercover mission. But he believed our story and admitted we were one of his stranger pick-ups in Vegas. Seriously?!
So our first Vegas experience was interesting and I’m glad I visited, but I really have no interest in returning to the strip. I’m sure the city has much more to offer and I’d be open to one day venturing outside the casinos. But as far as the Sin City part, this girl is good to go. Sensible shoes and all.
Next stop, when we're back on the road...
Arizona!