Lucky for me, there is a lot to see and do at the McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. My Southwest Airlines flight has been delayed for at least an hour and changed gates at least once so far. I lunched at Pei Wei, read some on my Kindle, took some photos, and now I am looking for something exciting. I will report back if anything wonderful happens.
The Stratosphere was my home for the last 7 days. This joint has become my budget hotel of choice in Las Vegas. I really enjoyed my time there, and if you wanted to, you could stay on the property the whole time and have everything you need.
From the very top of the Calico Tanks Trail in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area you will enjoy a most awesome overlook with spectacular views of Las Vegas. If you have the time and energy, load up a backpack with a picnic and enjoy your time at the top of the peak.
The Calico Tanks Trail in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is a 2.5 mile trail full of beauty. The guide lists this as a trail with a “Moderate” rating, defined as “Uphill sections include up to 1,000 feet of elevation gain; single digit mileage; uneven terrain and some rock scrambling.” The rating board must be crazy, because at times I felt like a full fledged rock climber while working my way to the top. Don’t worry – the trip is worthy of every bit of “rock scrambling” that you must endure. 🙂
Today’s mission was the Calico Tanks Trail in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. Red Rock Canyon has a 13-mile scenic drive that is peppered with wonderful photo stops and hiking opportunities. It is only about a 25 minute drive from the Las Vegas Strip. I had heard that the view from the end of the Calico Tanks Trail was super, so I decided to focus my afternoon and early evening on this special hike.
After way too much yummy food in Vegas, I decided a long walk at night would be good for me. I headed South on Las Vegas Boulevard to see what I could find. This reflection of Excalibur was my favorite scene of the night.
Another nice thing I found at The Shops At Crystals was this water art. The water levels would rise and fall as each tube had its own mini tornado going on. The colors would change intermittently to make for some fun photos.
From Bellagio, I took a tram ride to CityCenter and explored the Shops At Crystals. They are celebrating the holidays in a big way.
Ever had the desire to see the world’s largest chocolate fountain? You can find it at Jean Philippe Patisserie in the Bellagio. They have snacks, drinks, desserts, and of course – lots of chocolate. They have cakes on display of all sorts and my favorite one was Olaf sitting in the top corner of the restaurant. I ordered a large white mocha and slurped it down on my way to my next Las Vegas destination.
earthrobert 