Las Vegas and Road Trippin' to the Grand Canyon
- Bridget Rackley
- 8 hours ago
- 7 min read
Before I got married, I went on a road trip of sorts with three of my cousins. This was long before Google was really a thing and certainly before the invention of smart phones. So, what pictures I have from this trip were taken with a disposable camera-nothing digital in those days.
So, we flew to Las Vegas which was our home base for a few nights before venturing out into the Arizona desert. Of course, we walked the famous Las Vegas Strip beginning with what-at that time-was called the "billion-dollar quartet" of hotels: The Tropicana, MGM Grand, New York-New York, and Excalibur. If you know anything about the Las Vegas strip, then you know most of the resorts are themed and have various shows and performances on site. Here is a listing of the ones we went inside:
The Tropicana: This resort was tropical themed, and I believe is no longer there.
MGM Grand: This resort is them from the broadcasting company, MGM; at the time of our visit, there was a free lion habitat which housed 8 lions. We learned that the lion with the largest mane ate first. That exhibit shut down in 2012, I believe.
New York-New York Hotel and Casino: I think the name speaks for itself, but this resort does feature the Manhattan Express Roller Coaster that travels up to 67 mph.
Excalibur Hotel and Casino: This one is medieval themed and is built like a castle. We ate at their Roundtable Buffet, which was $10.49 for dinner in 2002.
The Aladdin Resort Casino: The theme was centered around Arabian Nights and had a mystic vibe about it. The resort had 130 upscale restaurants and shops in its Desert Passage area, which was divided into 4 sections: The Lost City, Morrocco Gate, India Gate to Commander's Palace, and Merchant's Harbor. However, it was bought out in 2003 and became what, I believe, is now Planet Hollywood.
The Flamingo: Obviously, this resort also has a tropical theme to it. It has hosted many residencies over the years, including Donnie and Marie Osmond. We enjoyed the Wildlife Habitat at the resort, which also included flamingo and many other species of birds.
Paris Las Vegas: This resort has a viewing deck atop a replica of the Eiffel Tower. It also has shopping along "Le Boulevard."
Bellagio Las Vegas: This is an icon in my opinion. Now, if you want really high-end shops, like Cartier, Gucci, Hermes, Louis Vuitton-The Promenade Shops is the place you will want to be! And the fountains-nothing like seeing them in person. Find a place to sit and watch the fountains perform. Check the hours/times-I think the performances are every 15-30 minutes depending on the time of year. Also, the Bellagio Conservatory and Gardens is one of the prettiest I've seen, and it is free. There are over 7,500 plants and each season the displays change.
Casesar's Palace: This is another icon, in my opinion. The architecture is just amazing. There are various replica statues on the resort's grounds, including a Statue of David. The Forum Shops have over 160 shops and multiple restaurants. Also, at the Forum Shops was a 48-foot-tall Trojan Horse standing at the entrance to one of the largest FAO Schwartz shops in the world. The Fall of the Atlantis is a mythical spectacle at the Forum. This free show blends fire, water, and nine-foot-tall talking statues.
Luxor Las Vegas: Egyptian is the theme of this pyramid-shaped resort. There are multiple statue replicas at this resort, including the Sphinx.
Mandalay Bay: This is a very pretty resort and South Seas is its theme. There is a Shark Reef Aquarium inside and many shows/performances take place here.
The Mirage: Now closed, this resort was the first megaresort to open on the strip. It had animal habitats for dolphins and tigers and an artificial volcano that erupted at night. It was also where Siegried and Roy hosted their magic show.
Hard Rock Hotel and Casio: Would the strip be complete without this resort? We actually ate dinner here one night-we just simply couldn't resist walking inside underneath that giant guitar display!
The Venetian: This is a third icon to me complete with the Gondola Rides of Venice and St. Mark's Square. The gondolas take you on a 1/2-mile ride underneath a replica of The Rialto Bridge and around Doge's Palace. If you love seeing the was figures at Madame Tussaud's, be sure to check out the one in The Venetian. When we were there in 2002, they had figures of Elvis, Cher, Lenny Kravitz, Princess Diana, Babe Ruth, Arnold Palmer, Tammy Wynette, Nick Cage, Sean Connery, and Harrison Ford to name a few.
Little Chapel of the Flowers: You cannot go to Vegas and not get a picture of one of the chapels on the strip-it's kind of a thing!!!
Stratosphere: "The Strat" is what it is typically called. It includes a 1,149-foot observation tower, the tallest in the United States. At the top of the tower, you'll find a revolving restaurant and observation deck. This resort is just north of the Las Vegas strip.
Freemont Street Experience: This is located in downtown Las Vegas and features a multi-million- dollar canopy of lights that is 2.1 miles long and 90 feet high. There are free nightly shows.
Circus Circus: One of the oldest resorts in Las Vegas, you can find arcades and anything circus-like.
Golden Nugget: This is another of the older resorts, and it is home to the world's largest golden nugget.
Rio: This Maris-Gras themed resort featured "The Masquerade Show in the Sky" and we really enjoyed this free attraction that featured a parade of lighted floats and live performers. I believe this show has since closed. We had dinner here at the Sao Paulo Cafe, but I think it has closed also.
After a few nights in Las Vegas, we headed out on a road trip, making Hoover Dam our first stop. I would like to take my husband back to the dam, because I think some things have changed since I was there over 20 years ago. The dam opened in 1931 and is named after President Herbert Hoover. One of the cools things about the dam is you can put one foot in Nevada and the other in Arizona. And the views into the dam are out of this world!
Our next stop was Grand Canyon National Park, and again, I would love to go back here with my husband. I would also like to experience the North Rim of the canyon and go on the Skywalk. I cannot describe the views at the Grand Canyon-it is truly one of the great wonders of the world. We saw the Desert Rim Monument during our visit. One of my cousins, Angela, is super afraid of heights, so she sat as far back as she could and kept yelling at us that we were too close to the edge! It is truly a beautiful place.
During our road trip, we ended up on Route 66 and there were stretches of highway where we would not see anything for miles and miles and miles and miles. So, tip: make sure you have a full tank of gas!!!!! We also stumbled upon Monument Valley, and again, this was before the internet really had all the information it has now, so we saw the Mitten Monument and Elephant Mountain-we thought that was all there was to see. We saw what we recognized from John Wayne movies and called it done. Now, I realize, there is so much more to see, and my husband and I are going next month (September 2025). I'll be sure to make a post of that trip!!!!
Canyon de Chelly was a hidden gem! The canyon is 280 million years old and was home to the Navajo tribe. The reservation itself was 2,800 square miles. It was really interesting to see the desert varnish on the canyon that resulted from being under water. There was a lot of rock art and spires in the canyon.
We made a stop at Hubbel Trading Post which was founded by John Hubbel when trade began in 1876. Walnut Canyon was not far away, and this canyon was interesting. The elevation is 7,000 feet and we were able to see the canyon villages carved into the canyon.
Another place I would like to go back to is Sedona. We spent a little time here, but not much and I know there is so much more to Sedona than what we saw during our trip. The red rocks were everywhere, and we rode through Oak Creek Canyon.
Our final stops included:
Montezuma Castle National Monument: This is a 5-story, 20-room dwelling built by Sinagua farmers in the 12th century. It was built in a cliff recess 100 feet above the valley. Montezuma Well is a limestone sink formed by the collapse of an underground cavern. The Sinagua farmers irrigated crops with its waters. Oh, and we saw a squirrel in battle with a rattlesnake!!!
Tuzigoot National Monument: Tuzigoot is Apache for "crooked water." This monument is the remnant of a village built by the Sinaguans between 1125-1400. It sits on the summit of a ridge that rises 120 feet above the Verde Valley.
This trip was one that created a lot of special memories for me. The four of us laughed until we cried. Angela, the chaperone of sorts, carried her own blanket because she refused to lay on the bed covers in any hotel we stayed!!! We all took turns driving and there were certain areas that weren't for the faint of heart. I very rarely ever say that I would like to go back to most places I travel, but Arizona is definitely one I would like to visit again and check out places I have not been yet like Scottsdale and Tucson.
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