Las Vegas was not the main goal of our month-long trip around the USA – it simply lay on the way between the national parks of Utah and Zion, so it would have been a shame not to stop by. We spent two nights here (6–7 October 2018), and on the way onwards we stopped at the Hoover Dam on the border of Nevada and Arizona. I describe the whole route of the trip in my 30-day USA itinerary.
Table of contents
- Las Vegas by night
- Egypt, New York, Venice and Paris in one city
- The Hoover Dam
- An abandoned motel
- Practical information
Las Vegas by night
We arrived in Las Vegas on 6 October, straight from Bryce Canyon National Park – a drive of 423 km. We explored mainly at night – that is when this city comes alive. All night long the streets were full of people who would strike up a conversation for no reason at all (in a good way). At first glance you can see why most of them come here – to have fun. Lots of casinos, extravagance, lights and alcohol; slot machines are everywhere, even in fast-food restaurants.
Most of the attractions lie along the main street – the Las Vegas Strip. The hotel-casinos compete with each other in grandeur, and many of them were built as replicas of famous places from all over the world. For us these were two nights of rest from rushing around the national parks – and also the only hotel nights of the whole month-long trip (at a decent price).
Egypt, New York, Venice and Paris in one city
What we liked most were the replicas of buildings from other places in the world. In the “Egyptian” part stands the pyramid-shaped Luxor hotel, with a huge sphinx in front of the entrance and a beam of light shooting into the sky from its top at night.
A few steps further is New York – the New York-New York hotel with a replica of the Statue of Liberty and New York skyscrapers, and next to it the medieval castle of the Excalibur hotel.
At The Venetian hotel Venice has been recreated – with bridges, canals and a square just like in the real city.
Paris is represented by the Paris hotel with its replica of the Eiffel Tower. Opposite, in front of the Bellagio, lies a lake with fountain shows – from its shore at night you can see half the Strip.
In our opinion two nights in Las Vegas are more than enough – on the very first evening we announced on Facebook the start of our own “The Hangover”. We planned the order of the sights around Karolina, who was flying back to Poland on 8 October – that is why we visited Las Vegas before Zion National Park rather than after it.
The Hoover Dam
On 8 October we set off from Las Vegas towards Zion National Park, but first we drove to the Hoover Dam – about 50 km south-east of the city. The dam blocks the canyon of the Colorado River exactly on the border between the states of Nevada and Arizona. It was built in 1931–1935, and when it was completed (1936) it was the largest hydroelectric power plant and the largest concrete structure in the world – it was called the eighth wonder of the world. It is about 221 m high, and its power plant has a capacity of about 2080 MW. A brilliant piece of engineering.
The dammed water forms Lake Mead – the largest reservoir in the USA by capacity. The pale band on the rocks around the lake shows how much lower the water is today than when the reservoir was full – the result of years of drought in the Colorado basin. The water reaches the power plant through four intake towers standing in the lake right next to the crest of the dam.
Below the dam the canyon is spanned by the arch bridge Mike O’Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, opened in 2010. It took over the traffic that used to run along the road on the crest of the dam, and its walkway offers one of the best views of the whole dam.
An abandoned motel
Near the dam we also stopped at an abandoned motel – once fairly well known. It was built in the 1930s and closed in 2009. The complex has several buildings; the rooms are mostly empty, but the office and the laundry, among others, have survived. Comparing photos from a dozen or so years ago with its current state, you might think they were two completely different places. Abandoned places like this are usually private property – before you go in anywhere, check whether you are allowed to.
From there we drove on to Zion National Park; the whole route is in the 30-day USA itinerary.
Practical information
- How much time – one or two nights are enough for Las Vegas; you mostly explore in the evening and at night, when the Strip is lit up.
- Accommodation – hotels in Las Vegas can be reasonably priced (it was the only city where we stayed in a hotel during the whole trip), but prices depend a lot on the day of the week and events in town.
- Getting to the dam – the Hoover Dam is about 50 km (about 40 minutes’ drive) south-east of Las Vegas, so it is easy to combine with leaving the city – although you then have to make a detour to get to Zion.
