We left Ottawa early the morning of the 23rd. After a connection in Toronto we were on our way to Las Vegas.
We arrived in Vegas in the afternoon. After picking up the rental car and then checking into our hotel we went out for a walk on the strip.
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| From the Tropicana looking toward the New York, New York hotel |
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| In the lobby of the MGM Grand |
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| Monte Carlo Hotel |
It was nice to see some Christmas decorations.
The next day, Christmas Eve, we drove the ScenicRoute from Las Vegas to Death Valley National Park in California. This did not disappoint. After about 30 min out of Vegas the scenery becomes very rugged and raw. The temperature was a very pleasant 16 degrees C. In the summer Death Valley can reach highs of over 50.
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| At Badwater Basin |
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| At Natural Bridge |
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| On the Devil's Golfcourse |
We then drove north to Furnace Creek where we stopped for a late lunch at a ranch. It was great weather and the views were good too. We then took a more direct route back to Vegas and returned to the hotel as the sun was setting.
Later we enjoyed an excellent dinner in the hotel restaurant.
The next day was Christmas, which we had planned to spend in town and on the strip. The strip was crowded but everyone was in good spirits. We took a short monorail ride to the Manderly Bay at the south end of the strip and started our journey north.
If you have been to Vegas then you will know that each hotel has it's own theme which is followed to decorate the inside. For example the Luxor Hotel (which is actually shaped like a pyramid) is decorated as ancient Egypt. Caesar's Palace? That's right, ancient Rome.
Around noon we stopped for lunch at a great mexican restaurant in one of the hotels. Again everyone in good spirits wishing you a Merry Christmas.
We continued north as far as Caesar's Palace then crossed the street and headed back south to our hotel. The strip was packed with holiday foot traffic.
Later that evening we enjoyed a really good Christmas Buffet in the hotel restaurant. Everything from Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Vegetables, Salads and more. It was a nice way to finish the day.
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| The view from our hotel room |
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| The Conservatory at the Bellagio |
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| Inside Caesar's Palace |
Boxing day was to be our last day in Las Vegas. Today we were planning to visit Valley of Fire State Park, which is about 1 hour north east of the city. It was another pleasant drive with great views and 75 mph speed limits. We arrived at the visitor centre around lunch time and purchased some lunch and found a nice picnic area. After lunch we drove a scenic route and walked the White Domes Trail. This was another high point of our vacation. After we finished our hike we climbed some nearby rocks to enjoy the view. We took the scenic route back to the city. Even while driving I was relaxed and enjoying the vacation.
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| Where we ate lunch |
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| Lunchtime Visitors |
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| Sandy start to the White Domes Trail |
Later that evening we enjoyed our final dinner at the hotel. Another great meal. We then packed up the rental car and returned it to the rental car centre which was a short drive. A shuttle bus then takes you to the airport.Our flight left Las Vegas around 11:45 pm and in less then 4 hours we were back in Toronto to clear customs and get our connection to Ottawa. I even managed to sleep most of the flight. Everything went smooth and we landed in Ottawa about 9 am.
In summary this was a really good trip. It was nice to get away from the cold and overcast weather for a few days. It was also good to get to spend some time with my daughter. We both had a good time.
