Las Vegas (4/30-5/2 2021, 11/27-11/29 2021)
- MGM Grand mlife.com, $475 for three nights inclusive of resort fees and taxes, free parking
- Red Rock canyon (to the west)
- 25 minutes, 23 miles, $15 for vehicle, 8-430pm
- A must-see in the area are the petroglyphs, only a short trek from the Willow Springs Picnic Area, the drawings are estimated to be over 800 years old
- https://www.redrockcanyonlv.org/lasvegas/hikes-trails/
- Easy trails are Pine Creek canyon, lost creek trail, red rock canyon scenic drive, lost creek and children's discovery trail, Moenkopi trail, Fire Ecology trail, Red Springs broadwalk
- Requires reservation at the Rec.Gov website with $2 processing fee; should be able to use the national park pass
- Small place, about 10 miles, one-way drive only; Red Canyon overlook is outside of the park with public and shaded shelter place with overviews
- Valley of Fire (to the northeast)
- One hour, 50 miles, $15 vehicle, 630-7pm
- https://www.vegas.com/attractions/near-las-vegas/valley-of-fire/
- Easy trails are Fire Wave trail, While Dumes trail, petroglyph canyon via mouse's tank trail (did that), rainbow vista trail, elephant rock trail, fire wave and pink canyon via seven wonders trail, atlatl rock
- Can't use the national park pass, probably worth another visit
- Seven magic mountains (on the way back to home)
- 35 minutes, 25 miles, free
- Death valley
- 2.5 hours, 150 miles, $30 vehicle
- https://www.nps.gov/deva/learn/news/upload/2020-2021-Winter-Visitor-Guide-508-compressed.pdf
- https://www.nps.gov/tripideas/death-valley-must-see-spots-in-1-3-hours.htm
- Eating
- Lobster me, 15 minute walk on the same street side of MGM, 10-12am
- Luke's lobster, 40 minute walk in the fashion show mall, 12-7pm
- Ping pong pang, 10-3am, 4000 W Flamingo Rd, 10 minute drive (yes, Cantonese dim sum)
- Sakana, 11-12am, 3949 S Maryland Pkwy, 10 min drive (yes, Japanese buffet)
- Gordon Ramsey Fish and Chips, 25 minutes walk, close to Flamingo
- Aria tea is opposite the x-pot, on 2nd floor of the Palazzo (no, very light peach tea flavor)
- Kungfu tea should be a couple blocks away
- Tiger Sugar is at the one block ahead of the Viet Noodle Bar (yes, strong tea flavor)
- SK Seafood (Cantonese)
- Asian BBQ Noodle (Cantonese cafe)
- Shanghai Taste (Shanghainess cafe)
- Makino Buffet ($35 and senior has discount, evening starts at 5:30pm, morning 11:30am)
- Taco El Gordo (10min drive from Park MGM, can probably walk from Wynn, 10-2am)
- Beef Abobada (marinated beef, good)
- Carne Asada (flank steak; mulita is with cheese)
- Lengua (beef tongue)
- Vampiro (grilled taco flour on top)
- Al Pasto (spit grilled pork)
- Strategy - Crack Shack / Istanbul Mediterranean (evening), Wicked/Wynn (lunch), Taco (evening), Ping Pang Pong (lunch)
- XHS recommended barbecue heaven - Rollin Smoke Barbeque (4115 Grand Canyon Dr Ste 00, Las Vegas; 3185 Highland Dr, Las Vegas)
- XHS recommended Cantonese cafe - no wait; 88 Noodle Papa (4276 Spring Mountain Rd unit c-104, Las Vegas)
- Free things to do
- The arts factory 12 minutes drive
- Flamingo wild life exhibit
- Freemont street experience, 15 minutes drive
- Rainstorm show Monday-Thursday top of each hour 10:00am - 11:00pm; Friday-Sunday every half hour 10:00am - 11:00pm at miracle miles shop, 14 minutes
- Wynn lake of dreams show, Shows are complimentary and run nightly every half hour beginning at dusk.
- Mirage volcano show The Volcano is located outside the Las Vegas Boulevard Main Entrance Walk into the Casino and turn left just past the Front Desk. Continue outside through the Main entrance towards Las Vegas Boulevard. The volcano will be on your right; 7-10pm
- https://www.visitlasvegas.com/experience/post/free-things-to-do-in-las-vegas
- Chinatown, spring mountain 99 ranch
- Try getting a free parking spot at Fashion Show Mall, Shoppes at Mandalay Palace, and the Shops at Crystals (FREE Parking)
- Flamingo Wild Life Habitat (FREE)
- Lake of Dreams at Wynn Las Vegas (FREE)
- Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens (FREE)
- The The LINQ Promenade (FREE)
- The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace (FREE)
- Mike O’ Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge (FREE, arrive early to get free parking, 42 min drive from Park MGM)
- Welcome to the Las Vegas sign, 5200 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89104 (FREE)
- Fashion Show Mall (FREE), Watch the models walk every Friday – Sunday from 12pm to 6pm, 3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S., Ste. 600
- The secret garden & dolphin habitat at The Mirage (adults $25, senior $20)
- https://mirage.mgmresorts.com/en/amenities/siegfried-roys-secret-garden-and-dolphin-habitat.html
- High roller at the Linq, reservation online (anytime $35, 30min in one roll, starting at after 4pm)
- Ethel's Chocolate Factory and Cactus Garden (2 Cactus Garden Dr, Henderson, NV 89014) - https://www.ethelm.com/pages/botanical-cactus-garden
- Mandalay Bay aquarium https://mandalaybay.mgmresorts.com/en/entertainment/shark-reef-aquarium.html (adult $29, senior $27)
- Paris Eifel Tower (anytime $25, senior $20 with ID reservation online, same day not available)
- 4/30-5/2 2021 MGM Stay
- Drive 4 hours from the Irvine to MGM. MGM self serving garage, turn at the second left at the Tropicana avenue then slide right in. 3C/D is close to one of the elevator, then 3J/K to the far side of the elevator
- MGM underground is the garage/uber ride-share takeoff; garden arena is close to the west wing that has the street dance show; also the david copperfield show is at the theatre place
- From MGM, it's 30min walk to Bellagio, another 30min to the Venetian area
- Pirate show permanently cancelled; Volcano show is right on the strip and in between Mirage and TI
- The WA and Aria area are my favorite, very contemporary
- Death Valley
- One day strategy http://lovehardtraveloften.com/united-states/death-valley-day-trip/
- Father's view, Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, creek visitor center, Gold mine recovery, Zabriske point, Artists pallette, Artists drive, Badwater basin, Dante's view (the last two were the most impressive spots)
- Coming out of death valley, go north to connect to 95 to go south into Vegas, will by pass a correction's center, but smooth drive and not much traffic
- Hoover Dam
- Drive 40 minutes passing the security check point, then park at the right first parking lot (free) to go up the pass-through bridge; then drive onto the dam, pass a couple paid fee parking lots, into the upper hills in Arizona for free parking, nice walks, 2 hours
- Lake Mead
- Another 15 minutes, it's national park recreation, so can use the annual pass
- Drive through the many overlooks, but roads are rugged, drive and hike, very rugged but organized
- Drive on and out of the other entrance and into the Vegas direction
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