I’m a few weeks recovered from my third trip to Las Vegas. We survived that wild west scene once again and came back poorer than ever. Not from gambling, of course, as it’s just not my jazz; rather, those Vegas prices are through the roof, which perhaps related to the insane volume of visitors…. which perhaps relates to the incomparable number of entertaining shows clustered in this single spot on our globe.
And so we stayed in Downtown Vegas not just because of the $500+ per night strip prices, the race construction and *absurd* traffic congestion, but also because it’s better (IMHO). Sitting aside the mind-warping Fremont Street Experience light display, one can take in quite a bit by foot from downtown: the (clothed/unclothed) and colorfully variable people, respectable restaurants and even some thumping nightlife, the Neon Museum, and, for a longer walk or quick Uber, the Arts District (where we spent quite a bit of time). But it’s not like we missed out on the Strip, so, without further adieu, here are some highlights/lowlights:
- The Sphere! We saw Postcard from Earth, an incredible journey across the planet via a three-acre screen with a full sensory experience. I craned my neck in all directions to absorb the entire experience and felt like I was part of the scene. Just incredible and entirely worth it. BUT, note the first hour, with the interactive robots, was hard to appreciate (people/noise) and entering and exiting the sphere is a journey in itself. Still go.
- Adele. We lucked on the ticket lottery and saw Adele. What an absolute queen; her voice is perfect and she makes it appear effortless! What took me by surprise was her intense, warm interaction with the crowd and her spicy humor. She’s that relatable, down-to-earth human that you’d want to bump into in some weirdly stressful situation, like sitting on a broken subway car in the summer. She’s make you belly-laugh and forget it was happening. BUT: good luck getting an uber/driving through traffic after Adele, U2, Sphere and 300 other shows let out. What a mess.
- Park on Fremont. What a cool spot. We didn’t eat here, but stopped a couple of times for a cocktail. The outdoor space is mesmerizing.
- CraftHaus Brewery for that Czech Pils. My heart.
- Commonwealth. Another great cocktail and an even better vibe (check out their pics) We were early so missed the crowds — walking by late at night, there was a line around the block. I read the rooftop was great but we didn’t make it up the steps.
- Thing we wanted to do but didn’t: Meow Wolf (immersive art). Long story.
- Atomic Liquors. It has been around a minute. Sit inside for the Vegas Dive Bar vibe (in a good, Bourdain kinda way) or outside to get some sun and street views.
- The “secretish” Green Fairy Garden at Caesar’s Palace. If you find the Absinthe show entrance, you’ll find the garden. And if you nose around a bit, you’ll bump into a speakeasy (we found it at last call, unfortunately). The fairy garden is well-enchanted outdoor space where you people watch and sip.
This wasn’t as short of a post as I had anticipated, so I guess that means we had good times. We typically do wherever. Each time I go to Vegas, I say not again for another ten years but I’ve never stuck to that. I guess we’ll be back in a few short years…
In the meantime, I’ve wanted to go to St. John, USVI for many, many years. And then a few years ago, Jost Van Dyke entered my realm of existence. Perhaps it’s about that time….
Travel Notch 