Monument Valley – Part of the Navajo Reservation in Utah and Arizona

The Monument Valley is a three-hour-drive from the Grand Canyon. It is located northeast, right at the Arizona state border in middle of the Navajo reservation. There is only one hotel in the valley: the View Hotel. Another option to spend the night is in Kajeta, a little village 20 minutes from Monument Valley. Kajenta does not offer much; it’s in the middle of nowhere. Don’t expect more than a place to stay for one night. Monument Valley can be combined with a ride to the Grand Canyon Nationalpark or the Arches Nationalpark in Utah. Both parks are about 3 hours from Monument Valley (Grand Canyon Southwest, Arches North).

We drove from Grand Canyon to Monument Valley after sunset when it was too dark to stay in Grand Canyon and reached Kayenta in the evening. He had a room in Kayenta for one night and went to Monument Valley the following morning to see the sunrise.

Sunrise at Monument Valley – Breakfast in The View Hotel

Early that day, we drove to Monument Valley on highway 163 to see the sunrise. Sunrise is a very special time in Monument Valley: the light emphasizes the red color of the rocks even more. It is a very good time to take beautiful pictures. A viewpoint for this is the place in front of the visitor center (you also find the View Hotel here). This spot offers an extraordinary view to the popular rock formations. The view you have here is the well-known perspective of the valley. Until here, it is easy to drive yourself. A proper, solid street leads to the visitor center. The hotel had a breakfast buffet. We were thinking it’s not worth asking, this place is super-exclusive and breakfast will cost more than 20 Dollars per person. But that was wrong, I’m glad we asked because the breakfast was only 10 Dollars. Having a breakfast here was the right thing to do: sitting at your table and enjoying the view was perfect after that sunrise. I would recommend doing that.

Monument Valley is located on a plateau, quite above sea level. That is why it can be cold in winter. On the pics you see in tiny bit of snow in the valley. Watching the sunrise was really cold, even though we had proper winter clothing. You will probably need a warm jacket here, unless you come in the summer months.

Driving on 27 km Unpaved Road – Monument Valley Road

The only way to continue your route and drive in the Valley is an unpaved road called Monument Valley Road that starts at the visitor center. Lonely Planet says this can be done in a standard passenger car. But I disagree, we tried it, it didn’t work. We did the first bend of the road, drove a bit further down a hill and a little further just straight. All in all, maybe 800 meters. This little part was enough for us to give up: the car bounces, we heard bumps and noises all the time, and potholes were everywhere. The ground was wet, muddy and plashy; you could only drive walking pace. We stopped because there was a huge puddle all the way across the road. We don’t know how much water it had but it definitely looked deep. We decided to not drive any further and not take any risk with our rental car. Maybe it would have been possible to drive cross that puddle, maybe we should have been driving faster while crossing those potholes. That’s difficult to say now. For us, it was too risky to damage our rental car.

The residents of the valley offer Jeep tours. There are different tour options available. All these jeeps drive faster and with much more routine and confidence through these potholes and all the mud. We could not have done it ourselves. Anyways, most likely they try to fill the jeep that means you will have to squeeze and share the car with other guests.

We were there in very low season (you can the snow on the pics). The valley had very few visitors. In and in front of the visitor center, there are many tour options and offers available. The shortest tour was offered for 80 bucks per person. None of us wanted to pay that much. We were a group of four: we would have to pay 80 dollar per person, not per jeep. After long and difficult negotiations, the price became much less. In the end, we paid 25 dollar per person. I doubt this would have worked the same way in the main season. When we were there, there were rarely any other tourists around. I think they decided to drive for little money instead of not driving at all.

Three Sisters, Totem Pole, the Thumb and John-Ford-Point

The tour itself was nice. It leads a bit further into the valley; you get to see many rock formations that are not visible from the hotel. I wasn’t sure if I’d be interested in the tour at all, in particular because I was supposed to pay 80 dollars. I have to say, it was worth doing the tour. You get to see the popular rock formations Three Sisters, Totem Pole, the Thumb and the John-Ford-Point. John-Ford-Point is a rock ledge that was used for many shots in John Ford’s movies but also Ford himself enjoyed standing there and watching larger scenes with many extras from there.

On the tour, several ladies sell jewellery, they say it’s authentic Indian jewellery. Necklaces and bracelets are pretty and not expensive (10 – 20 Dollar). You also get to see some Indian homes, even though these homes seem a bit artificial and made for tourists. In fact, all residents don’t live here but in different area that is not open to public.

At the John-Ford-Point you can take pictures with a rented horse at the rock ledge. I didn’t do that, that’s not my kind of thing. Horse lovers can also do an entire tour on a horse. I cannot say if that is good or not. I’m rather skeptical when it comes to using animals for touristic purposes.

When you do the longer guided tour, you see some places in the park that are only accessible with a tour guide. Because we had paid so little, of course they only did the short tour. To us, that was sufficient.

At the very end of that unpaved road, a little Opel Corsa came along. Somehow, these guys made it to the very end of that road. It don’t know how that was possible. The longer you drive along that road, the less standard cars you see. All the regular cars disappear one after another. At some point of the route, only Jeeps still drive along the road except that one Corsa.

Well-known because of it s many TV and film appearances

Monument Valley has appeared in many movies. The first movie the be shot there was Stagecoach with John Wayne, by John Ford. Ford made another nine movies in Monument Valley. Clint Eastwood’s The Eighter Section was also shot here, the Totem Pole appears prominently in this one.

Many famous scenes also play here: Forrest Gump ends his long run here, Tom Cruise climbs in the Mission Impossible II opening sequence, the Transformers Autobots reunite (Transformers: Age of Extinction). Many scenes with Jonny Depp in The Lone Ranger were filmed here. Just recently, HBO’s Westworld used Monument Valley as a filming location.
A very well-known campaign is the Marlboro campaign with the Marlboro cowboy. This was also made here. Many car ads are made here as well.

When you have visited Monument Valley, you recognize it in many films, ads and publications. Everyone has already seen Monument Valley somewhere. It’s the blueprint for all Wild West Impressions. It shows how we imagine the Wild West to be.

Suggestions and Ideas

Visiting the Monument Valley is highly recommendable. It’s the best place to take nice pics. I would not recommend doing a tour in a regular car. I think the road is simply too bad. A rental jeep would have worked. Or rental car (Dodge Grand Caravan) was not right. Maybe it’s possible to drive there yourself if you have offroad experience or are a very good driver. Anyways, we couldn’t.

The 80 Dollar-guided-tour is pricy, 80 would have been too much or us. I’m glad we bargained hard and got a better price, without the tour we would have missed a lot. Although the visitor center has a great view, it’s necessary to move further into the valley and see more rock formations.

The driver was a bit annoyed and not very motivated or friendly. Maybe that was because of the low price. The tour itself was ok, we saw all important rock formations and it took exactly as long as planned.

I would always do Monument Valley if I was in Grand Canyon. It requires an extra 2 days. Driving there, spending time there and continuing your route takes about 2 days (1 night). Half a day is enough for monument valley. If you are very enthusiastic about it, you can also camp there and hike.

Our next stop was Page in Arizona. This is where you find the Horseshoe Bend, Lake Powell and Antelope Canyon. Page is about 2 hours (200 km) from Monument Valley.

See also:

Article about the Horseshoe Bend

Der Beitrag Face of the Wild West: Monument Valley erschien zuerst auf travelspotting.

Going there by Bryce Canyon, Highway 14 and Dixie National Forest

Bryce Canyon is northeast of Zion Nationalpark. A national forest is between these Utah’s two national parks (Dixie National Forest), you can either cross the forest or drive around it. The best route from Bryce to Zion is east of the forest on highway 89, highway 89A and highway 389 (via Carmel, Kanab, 2 hours, 140 km). A western route on interstate 15 is also possible (reachable on highways 89 and 20, 2 ½ hours, 230 km). There is a third option as well, a bit longer but more beautiful: you take highway 89 to reach Dixie National Forest, take highway 14 and cross the forest till Cedar City. It’s a very nice road, a scenic route but it takes a little more time (2 ½ hours, 211 km). The street can be closed in winter due to weather conditions (snow, icy roads or winds). We were there in December, Bryce Canyon was full of snow and night temperatures were below zero degrees. But we did not have any problems on that route, the street was fine. I would always recommend taking that route, it only takes a little more time and the scenic views and nature are very pretty.

Booking a Hotel in Springdale

Inside Zion NP, there is one motel called Zion Lodge. Camping is also available. We chose a cheaper option. All towns around the national parks have tourist facilities (Springdale, Rockville, Mt. Carmel Junction, Hurricane, St. George and Kanab). We stayed in Springdale right in front of the park’s main entrance. Springdale is rather artificial place, in the end only a very long street with hotels, restaurants, cafés, cinema and supermarkets. Calling this place a town is almost exaggerating. It’s very touristic and has no character. But it’s very good location compensates for all of that. You can see the mountains of the national park from there. Simply looking out looking out of the hotels window makes a great view and is a huge consolation for the artificial little town. A major plus is that you can reach the national park easily: you can either drive straight and park there or (if parking is not available) take the shuttle bus for all the hotel guests.

Zion Canyon Scenic Drive: a Scenic Tour on the Shuttle Bus

The shuttle bus system starts at the visitor center right behind the park entrance. You can either take the bus or go in your own car. The shuttle busses are free (basically included in the park entrance that you have to pay anyways). Restrictions apply on self-driving tours, you can only go east on Zion-Mount Carmel Highway).

The main route north, with all the main attractions is not open to private vehicles. Only guests of the Zion Lodge are allowed to go to the hotel in their own car. The shuttle bus stops 11 times on the route. You can get off and on as whenever you want. The busses come every few minutes; you don’t need to wait a long time. Information on stops, their hiking routes and how difficult these routes are (including distances and altitudes) is available in the visitor center.

Difficult Routes: Angel’s Landing, The Narrows and Kolob Arch

Angel’s Landing is the park’s most famous route. It’s a viewpoint on a rock on 1753 meters, to reach you need to pass a 450 meters change of elevation. We started hiking early in the morning (at 6 am with the first bus). We only met very ambitious hikers who we planning to do one of the difficult routes. Angel’s Landing is their absolute favorite one. The park’s list says it takes 4 hours (12 km back and forth). The most ambitious route leads along the Virgin River. You need to cross the river, walk in the river or swim in the river 60% of the time. In the end, your reward is The Narrows, a sandstone grot with natural pools and gardens. The Narrows leads through a canyon with big, sheer canyons walls. The river leaves no space for walking trails. You need an extra permit to hike here, because the river’s water level is unsteady. After 22.5 km you reach the Kolob Stone Arch, the largest stone arch.

Unfortunately, I have never done any of these difficult routes: it’s still an unfulfilled dream to me. I really hope I can come back one day for that. Even though, The Narrows will most likely be too challenging for me.

Easy Routes for Little Trips: Temple of Sinawa and Emerald Pool Trails

We only had time to do some easy routes. We took the shuttle bus to its very end, the Temple of Sinawa. That is a smaller hike, or rather walking tour along the river. It’s an easy walk and a good opportunity to dive into the park’s atmosphere. You walk along the river’s rocks and see how the rocks orange beautifully contrast the blue sky.

Emerald Pool Trails are several smaller hiking routes along the river close to the shuttle bus line (next to the Zion Lodge Motel). You can walk a few steps up and enjoy the view from a bit further up. You can take a walk without being far from the bus line; you can just go back to the previous bus stop.

Even though this description does not sound super spectacular, I would definitely recommend doing some smaller walking tours. These tours made me fall in love with the park and are the reason why I want to come back, bring more time and do one of the more difficult tours.

You do not need any special equipment or shoes. All you need is a pair of shoes you would use for a longer walking tour. There’s only one thing in summer: don’t underestimate that it’s hot.

Zion – Mount Carmel Highway: A Self-Drive-Tour and Canyon Overlook Trail (Scenic Route)

The eastern route of the park cannot be reached in a shuttle bus, you need your own car for that. (There is a tunnel on the route with certain restrictions for larger vehicles). But you won’t have any problems with a standard passenger car. The tunnel is very long, 1.8 km. Right after the tunnel, a good hiking path starts: the Canyon Overlook Trail. Zion NP calls the hike medium level (1 hour, 1.6 km). You can park right opposite on the other side of the street. First part of the route is a path after that you need to walk on several stones and bumps, the ground is uneven. I recommend comfortable shoes for that.

The route is in my opinion not difficult only uneven. At the final spot of the tour, you have an absolutely stunning view over the valley. After all the easy hikes on the first day, this was our first opportunity to see the rocks kind of from top. So far we only had a “from-bottom-to-top-view” and only walk “under” (at the foot of) these rocks. The highway has some more viewpoints to enjoy the view. It was very nice for us to walk in nature, not near the roads. You need to be a little fit to do the tour but it’s definitely doable without being totally exhausted.

Professional Climbers in the Rocks

We left very early in the morning, the bus was almost empty. As mentioned above, we only met ambitious hikers and climbers. We could still see the climbers in the mountains. They have their tents somewhere in the air and that is how they spent the night on the way up. The bus driver says climbers like to come to Zion NP. To me, it was the first time that I saw something like this “for real”.

The bus driver also said most accidents happen on the way to Angel’s Landing because tourists overestimate their skills. Climbers know very well what they can do and what they cannot do. We were there on a Gap Day, Thursday was a public holiday and we were in Zion NP the following Friday. I was very glad that we went to the park so early. The park got more crowed all day long. In the end, a long line of cars even waited at the park entrance. Even thought, the park is big enough for everyone and people don’t gather at one spot, the silence in the morning is unbeatable. Also, the bus driver was relaxed, in a good mood and talkative. He had quite some stories to tell.

Further attractions: Kolob Canyon and Lava Point

There are two more park entrances: Kolob Canyon Northwest and Lava Point/West Rim Road. Kolob Canyon also has a visitor center. Both entrances have more hiking tours and also guided horse tours.

A Shuttle Bus System at the Main Routes – Is that a Good Thing?

Indeed, I like the shuttle bus system. Some call it touristic; of course it is, without tourism, none of us would be there. To me, these shuttle bus systems make life easier for everyone. A self-drive-route is usually quite messy. The first driver has problems with the rental car, the second one has rented an RC and cannot drive it properly, the third ones drives slowly because someone wants to take a pic and the fourth one wants to leave quickly because he has already seen the area. This list could be continued much longer. To sum up: these shuttle busses make life easier for everyone, much less chaos and mess is everywhere. Getting on and off is not a problem at all, there is only very little waiting time and everyone in the group (including the driver) can enjoy the view. Traffic is much less, the only ones around are the shuttle busses. The drivers know the area; they don’t honk, don’t block the road and don’t take the wrong road. To me, the shuttle bus system is a good concept and has entirely convinced me.

Resume the Tour: I Want to Come Back

One of the things I want to do in the future is to come back here and do one of the difficult routes. I think I could easily pass an entire week in Zion NP. The nature is absolutely stunningly beautiful; climbing up these rocks must extraordinary. Our visit to the park was, in the end, only a starting point to do more. But now I definitely know that I like it there and that I want to come back. I hope I get the chance one day. To me, this is the most beautiful national park in the US (only, I have not done some of the very famous one, in particular Yosemite NP. I cannot say if Yosemite would be better).

Der Beitrag Zion Nationalpark: The Most Beautiful Place in Utah erschien zuerst auf travelspotting.

Walking Along the Strip – Measuring Distances

Distances along the Strip are not short. It’s sometimes difficult to reach anywhere. The Strip has a 7.2 km length; most southern point is the Mandalay Bay Hotel. I was in Las Vegas several times, also in several seasons and heat periods. Once even on New Years. In winter you can easily walk along the Strip. 7 km is doable, the weather is convenient.

In summer, in Las Vegas summer means most time of the year, this is no longer the case. It is extremely hot, dry and the sun is strong. It becomes very clear that the city is in the desert. In August, I was exhausted only walking from the Flamingo Hotel to Caesar’s Palace (both hotels are located opposite of each other on the Strip). In August, you basically rescue yourself by finding shelter in an AC hotel. There is almost no pedestrian traffic on the Strip, everyone just stays inside.

In summer, never underestimate how far it is from one place to another. You look from the Flamingo Hotel to Bellagio and think it’s not a problem to walk there. But the heat makes it a problem, definitely. For any hotels at the beginning or end of the Strip, it’s better to take a cab or the bus.

Outside it is extremely hot; inside in all the hotels it is almost cold, due to the AC. That makes quite a difference in temperature. It was cold in the hotels most of the time. Better take a thin jacket or pullover with you for that.

In winter, the Strip was crowded. From the list of the 25 biggest hotels in the world, 14 are in Las Vegas on the Strip. All these people need to be somewhere. In winter, they walk along the Strip.

Las Vegas has many bridges for pedestrians. These bridges connect several hotels and help to cross the main street. Finding them is easy, just follow the crowd. Many people with different messages are on the bridges. Some ask for money, others are musicians who want to sell their music. Soliciting is common on the bridges. We ran into several demonstrations by Christian fundamentalist. They protest against the lifestyle of Las Vegas in general (gambling, gluttony) and prostitution in particular. Only a few steps away, promoters deliver flyers for prostitutes. Men always get little sheets with naked women on it and a telephone number to call and order a girl. An ad for prostitution (“Girls4less”) is on a car and drives up and down the Strip all day long.

The pedestrian bridges usually end in hotels. You need to walk through a hotel and casino most of the time to keep moving. Because of this, you cover quite some distances while walking along the Strip. Anyways, all other options aren’t any better.

Driving along the Strip in your own car is quite stressful. We happened to arrive in Las Vegas on a Saturday. The roads were very busy, full of pedestrians, many of them drunk and tottering. You need to be very careful to not crash into someone. On a weekday it’s better. Anyways, the main road on the Strip is always busy; you get stuck in traffic several times.

All hotels offer valet parking. Sometime, the valet has a long waiting line. Up to 30 minutes is normal. After shows and in the morning at check-out, waiting time can be much longer. To me, this is always a bit of dead time, time that was wasted just sitting at the valet and waiting for my car. You are not allowed to go and get your car yourself. While arriving, valet is very convenient of course; you can just leave the car in front of the hotel. Sometimes there are self-parking areas. But they are usually full and far away from the hotel, you need to walk quite a bit to reach the hotel from there.

Another option is to take a cab. In Las Vegas, cabs don’t stop at the street. There is no need to wave at them. In the hotels, there is a cab stand usually right next to the Valet. Either cabs are already waiting there or a hotel employee blows a whistle and thus signals them to come. It is possible that you are the only one at the taxi stand, and get a cab right away. But it is also possible that you need to wait in a line.

The last option to move along the Strip is to take the bus. There are many bus stands, but you always need to walk a bit the reach the next one. Schedules can be found at the bus stand, but there are also guides who give you information about the bus system. The bus system is called RTC busses.

In general, the Strip is always busy. No matter if you take a cab, the bus or your car you will definitely move slowly. Always plan enough time to reach; it’s never fast even though the distances seem short.

When Is the Best Time to Visit Las Vegas?

Las Vegas is usually combined with a tour in California. That is why many people come to Las Vegas in summer. From June till September it is extremely hot. In July, Las Vegas has an average temperature of more than 40 degrees. You should definitely consider that. In the dry heat of the desert, walking is challenging.

I liked October in Las Vegas a lot. It was warm but not too hot. It would recommend going to Las Vegas in these between-times. That means October, April, May. It don’t recommend the summer months.

I also enjoyed winter in Las Vegas, once in November, once in December. It’s warmer than Germany but still a little cool. In the mornings and evenings, you need a jacket. A pullover is not enough. Most people can hardly imagine that because they come to Las Vegas in summer. Las Vegas had snow in December several times. If you decide to go in winter, be prepared for some cooler weather.

Las Vegas is highly visited on the weekends. Many US-Americans go there to gamble. Hotel prices rise on the weekend and fall on weekdays.

When you prefer hustle and bustle, go there on the weekend. But most offers are also available on weekdays, shows are running, restaurants are open. Almost anything you get on the weekend is also there on a weekday. Only exceptions are certain shows, sports and unique events.

Is Las Vegas worth a trip? How much time do I need there?

Yes, Las Vegas is one of the cities you should have seen. It is an entirely artificial city in the desert. Because of all the visitors, the city has grown a lot over the years. Words like sea of lights, crowds of people but also light pollution get an entirely new meaning here. Lights are everywhere, everything is colorful and someone always plays music. Something is always going on, lots of actions; it’s always loud (except in your hotel room). Some people in my travel group found it too artificial, too restless, too wired and too loud. I cannot disagree. That is how Las Vegas is. A restless gambling city in the desert. But that is exactly why you should have seen it at least once in a lifetime.

Reaching Las Vegas is very simple. There are many flights from Europe, some of them even non-stop (e.g. from London). The flights are mostly cheap. Coming here might be a cheap option to travel to West of the US. The airport is not far from the Strip. There is no need to plan a lot of time for that drive, maybe 20 minutes.

Las Vegas is a good starting point for the West of the US. You can either head east to Arizona and Utah (Grand Canyon, Zion Nationalpark, Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley, Arches Nationalpark, Capitol Reef Nationalpark). There are many options, almost an endless number of combinations. Instead of going east, you can also head west to California in particular to Los Angeles.

I would stay in Las Vegas for 3 to 5 days. You have never seen everything; you can always go see another hotel. About four nights would be enough for me (assuming you arrive in the evening). I would not do much less, cause in that case you would practically see nothing. You need some time here at last. Depending on how much risk you are willing to take and how much you tend to gamble, don’t stay too long.

This is the end of the Las Vegas Article. Part 1 can be found here, Part 2 here.

Information about the Flamingo Hotel can be found here.
Information About Outlet Shopping can be found here.

Der Beitrag Las Vegas Part 3: General Advice on How to Survive the City and When to Come erschien zuerst auf travelspotting.

Outlet Shopping in Las Vegas

Two outlet malls have their own article on this blog: the first one is in Orlando, the second one in Las Vegas. (Some general information about Outlet Shopping can be found in part 1 Orlando).

Las Vegas has two big shopping malls: Las Vegas North Premium Outlets and Las Vegas South Premium Outlets.

South Premium Outlets is between the Las Vegas Strip and the airport, North Premium Outlet is between Las Vegas Strip and Downtown Las Vegas. On The Strip you find busses to both. In the bus, there are many more people with shopping bags, that’s how you can be sure to be on the right bus. Both malls can be reached easily by car as well. Parking is available but can be full on busy days. We wanted to go there on Black Friday but finding parking was impossible. But that is an exception. On a regular day, parking should not be a problem.

North Premium Outlets next to Las Vegas Downtown

We decided to visit the North Premium Outlets first. It’s located south of the Strip. That is why we did the shopping mall first and stopped in Downtown on the way back to the Strip. Being in Downtown is best in the evening when the lights are on.

The bus line is called North and Downtown Express Northbound. The bus comes every 10 to 15 minutes all day long and stops right in front of the mall. If you don’t have a rental car and don’t like busses, another option is to take a cab. It’ not that far, a cab would be possible.

The mall itself is basically a one-storey building. There is no second or third floor. It becomes clear, once again, that Las Vegas has enough space to build large buildings on the ground. It’s not only a Las Vegas thing but more a general thing in the US. The country is huge, space is available. Buildings don’t need to be high, but can be flat and large. That means you need to walk quite a bit from one end to the other. It’s doable and not a problem, but I would not suggest walking back and forth too many times.
All the malls have website with store maps on it. These maps can be printed or downloaded to your phone. You can also find maps at the entrances of the malls, there are also signs with maps on it. I suggest using these maps; I always needed them. Simply because these malls are so huge, you need to pick a few stores to visit.

South Premium Outlets Near the Airport

The South Premium Outlets are a bit smaller than their counterpart in the North (145 stores, 175 in the North). If you need all of the 175 stores, better go North. Except from that, there is no big difference between these two malls. Some brands are not available in both stores. If you fancy a certain brand, find out where it is before you go there.

One thing that this is always available is food. You always have opportunities to eat, have a coffee or just a small snack. With all these stores, a little break can be necessary sometimes.

There Are Many Stores at the Strip – Why Should I Go Outlet Shopping?
When you stay overnight in Las Vegas, most likely you are at the Las Vegas Strip. You have many shopping opportunities, some of them in short walking distance. All of the hotels have stores, some as many as a regular shopping mall in Germany. The ones that need to be mentioned are Caesar’s Palace (The Forum Shops) and the Planet Hollywood shopping mall. Moreover there are shops in the Venetian (Grand Canal Shoppes), in the City Center and in the Mirage. One thing you can definitely do in Las Vegas is going shopping.
Many of these stores are sophisticated high-end stores. Some of the famous designers have their flagship stores here. Bellagio has almost exclusively flagship stores, Caesar’s Palace has a mix of several brands and Venetian is again very sophisticated. Planet Hollywood is more normal, most stores would have been right for me. Anyways, I have to say these outlet malls were way cheaper. Going there once and doing all your outlet shopping is worth it. To us, that’s usually all the shopping in one holiday. I don’t need it every day. But it’s a great opportunity to buy my everyday clothes for a very good price.

Which Outlet Mall Should I Visit? North or South?

In the end, there is almost no difference. As mentioned above, if you absolutely need to buy a certain brand, find out where it is. Apart from that, I would go where you can reach better. If you are interested in Las Vegas Downtown, do the North Mall and Downtown on the same day. The South Mall has nothing close by, except the airport. It’s a bit in the middle of nowhere.

I would always go the outlets malls in the morning. Las Vegas is not really a morning beauty. All the lights show their beauty only in the evening. Usually, you have some time off on the day in Las Vegas. That is a good time to go to the malls. The malls become more busy in the afternoon and evening. The sooner you arrive, the better.

General Information about Las Vegas can be found here.
Information About the Flamingo Hotel can be found here.

Der Beitrag Outlet Shopping in Las Vegas erschien zuerst auf travelspotting.

Hotels in Las Vegas

Besides gambling, hotels are the main attraction in Las Vegas. I want to describe some of them here.

Stratosphere Tower

In fact, Stratosphere Tower already belongs to Downtown Las Vegas. To me, it’s always the end of the Strip. It has several rides, some of them on crazy heights. Starting point for this is the observation tower. When we were there, all the ride were closed because of strong winds. Stratosphere Tower offers a great view of the Strip and its many lights. There is a restaurant and a bar. We only had a drink and enjoyed the view.

Stratosphere Tower is a bit difficult to reach because it’s located off the main Strip hotels. When it’s hot in Las Vegas, I’d rather go here by cab or bus, walking is too far.

The Venetian

The name already tells it: this hotel is an artificial version of Venice. You can find the famous Rialto Bridge and its waterstreet here. You can take a gondola ride through the channels under and artificial sky. Colours, clouds and state of that artificial sky changes every now and then.

Shops, restaurants and casinos are everywhere. There is also a famous show: Rock of Ages. We did that show and were totally thrilled.

The Mirage/Treasure Island

The Mirage had the Siegfried and Roy show for many years. Their white tigers can still be seen there. Treasure Island also belongs to the Mirage complex. Its theme is pirates. Between these two hotels, there is an artificial volcano that explodes regularly. Right next to it is a pirate ship with the Treasure Island pirate show. Both is for free and can be seen from the street.

Paris

This hotel has rebuilt Paris. Its theme is France and you can go up the Eiffel Tower. From the top it you have a great view of the Bellagio fountains. I’d definitely recommend doing that.

Bellagio

Definitely the most well-known hotel in Las Vegas, very fancy and high-class. It has the water fountains in front of it. The show is every 15 minutes. The fountains dance to light and music. Its music changes regularly, even within a day. You get to see different performances. The hotel is also known for its art exhibits. It was featured prominently in Ocean’s Eleven with George Clooney and Brad Pitt.

New York, New York

New York New York has another big ride. It’s aesthetics are quite nice, all the New York rebuilds looks quite casual. Las Vegas tends to be a big cheesy in general. But the atmosphere in this hotel is more laid-back.

Circus Circus

This is the place to be for kids. If you visit with your family, go here. Circus Circus has a fair and a circus.

Caesar’s Palace

The forum shops in Las Vegas are the main attraction. Its theme “Caesar” can be found anywhere. Everything is in gold, many dressed actors walk around and there is also a Caesar and Cleopatra performance.

All the Las Vegas hotels are a never ending source of entertainment. They can easily keep you busy all day long.

Eating at Buffets in Las Vegas

Visiting Las Vegas is incomplete without going to one of the big buffets. A very popular one is in Caesar’s palace. It’s expensive, though (50 dollar) but the buffet itself is pure luxury. Downtown has some cheaper offers. The Flamingo Hotel has a very good breakfast buffet with windows to the Flamingo Garden.

These are just a few examples. One thing you can definitely always do in Las Vegas is eat! Check the hotels website or ads in town to see who offers good buffets.

Sometimes these buffets can be very crowded. At the main times, you might need to wait in a line to get a table. Best option is to eat early (5 – 7 pm), not much later than that. Our German dinner time counts as early to most Americans. 6 pm is a good choice to beat the crowds. 8 pm is too late; the buffets are usually busy at that time. We only ate twice a day, breakfast and an early buffet dinner. Like this, we were hungry enough to enjoy these buffets.

This article continues in Part 3:

Las Vegas Part 3: General Advice How to Survive the City

Der Beitrag Las Vegas Part 2: Hotels and Buffets in Las Vegas erschien zuerst auf travelspotting.

Gambling – At Las Vegas Strip or Las Vegas Downtown?

Gambling at the tables or machines is the main thing to do in Las Vegas. Some gambling machines are small, others are huge; some have a 25 cents or even 5 cents minimum other are more expensive and have a minimum amount of 1 or 5 dollars. All machines have one thing in common: they are colorful and designed quite nicely. Some of them show pics of movies and tv shows (Hangover, Sex and the City) other use regular card symbols or pics of fruits. Anything is possible and can be found in the casinos. These machines are designed to be fun and entertaining. For beginners, all these machines with little amounts of money are the starting point. Anyways, don’t expect to win a lot. To win, high amounts of money need to be bet, a certain risk is necessary. All the small bets are cheap but you will most likely not win a lot (only at very rare occasions, this is different). One example: I did win at one of this one-armed bandits, I used 1 dollar and got 5 out. That’s really good, five times the amount I used. Anyways, that only pays off when I would have bet more (for 50 Dollar I would have gotten 250 already, 100 would have been 500). The gambling tables offer all kinds of games. Most common is Black Jack, Roulette and this Dice game that American love so much. I know that dice game only from movies; the dice tables are always super busy. I have never really understood the rules.

I tried to watch several times but was always pushed so far to the back that I could see anything. What usually happens is: “Are you playing?” – “no” – “Please go to the back.”. Poker tables can be found a bit away from the main routes, you cannot just go there, ways and views are blocked. Makes sense, indeed.

All Casinos at the Strip have a minimum amount for the bets. If you are lucky, it’s only 5 dollars but sometimes it’s much more (15 dollars plus). If you feel like playing high, there is usually a maximum amount as well. On the strip, you will always find tables with lower bets and higher bets. Anyways, lower bets can also mean at least a two numbered amount.
In the older casinos in downtown, bets are usually lower and the minimum amount is lower than on the strip. If you like gambling at the tables, consider going downtown to do that. The casinos are exactly the same but you might lose less money in one evening.
All casinos are located very prominently at the entrance of each hotel. No matter where you want to go, you need to cross the casino (only exception is the lobby of the hotel). Everything else, restaurants, buffets, shows and attractions can only be reached through the casino. Sometimes that can be quite a walk. All casinos have very colorful carpets with many patterns on it. I always tend to walk the wrong direction in casinos. I think that is partly because of the carpet and because all the slot machines and tables look the same. That doesn’t mean that I get lost eintirely of that I’m unable to find the exit, it just means that I sometimes walk in circles and do not use the direct way out. Anyways, signs are everywhere and lead the way. But I really need these signs.

All casinos are rather dark, little light and no daylight at all. Smoking is permitted (nowhere in the US but in the casinos). Drinks are served, also at the cheap slot machines. These drinks are for free. I had a Rumcoke with very little rum. Anyways, I didn’t care. It was basically for free (only cost the amount of the 2 dollars a played at the slot machine).

Downtown Las Vegas

Downtown is the old city center of Las Vegas. This is where the first hotels and casinos were, even before the Strip. Fremont Street, a shopping street, is the center of it. All 10 downtown hotels are located at this street. Fremont Street has a lightshow experience as soon as it is dark. A curved roof over the street with thousand of lights has a light show. Several different shows rotate. Every hour on the hour, all hotels and casinos switch off their lights and the show starts (including lights and music). The show is quite nice, it’s free and quite entertaining. If you are in downtown anyways, you can do it. But it’s not a big must-see.

Where you are in the street to see the show is not important. You only need to look up/front up. Looking a bit back, you will see that the same images are shown. I read in a travel book that pickpocketers are very active as soon as the lights go out because everyone just looks up. Anyways, be sure to watch your bags and keep your valuables closely during the lightshow.

Fremont Street also has a ZIP Line and three stages with free live music. Also the mall neonopolis is there.

To me, a reason to go to Fremont Street is to see the old casinos and hotels. They have a very different atmosphere than everything on the Strip. It’s less fancy and less rich, old Las Vegas still seems to exist a bit. Very remarkable are the cheap buffets in all the hotels. We went to Main Street Station. They had a huge buffet with anything you want for 10 dollars. My favorite hotels in Downtown are Main Street Station and Golden Nugget.
All hotels in Downtown have their own shows. If you are interested in something in particular, you have a reason to come here. Also gambling is way cheaper than on the Strip (minimum amount!).

I did some reading and somewhere it said that 80 % of all Las Vegas visitors don’t even leave the Strip. I would recommend a trip to Downtown to everyone. It’s not far from the Strip, you can take the bus (same bus as the Outlet Premium Shopping Bus), a cab or drive there yourself.

Shows in Las Vegas

Las Vegas is very well-known for its shows. All shows are on a very high level, singers are dancers are the best. I have seen many shows over the years. Many years back even Siegfried and Roy, the Cirque du Soleil a couple of times and musicals and shows with famous singer impersonations. Not a single one of the shows was bad. I usually buy cheap seats, somewhere in the back and at the side. In Germany, these cheap seats usually offer a bad view, in Las Vegas they never did. I could always see very well. I visited some of the shows only because they were cheap or because tickets were available. I was never disappointed, all the shows were great.

I need to mention the Cirque du Soleil shows in particular. The biggest one is the O show in Bellagio. But there are many more shows in different hotels. At the strip, there are several small booths called “Tix4less”. You can buy tickets here for all shows that are not sold out. Tickets for the same evening are discounted. We all liked this option. The ticket booths open in the morning (I think at around 10). They have screens with lists of their offers. We could see a musical for only 40 dollars. Even David Copperfield tickets were discounted. If you are not focused on one exact show, you will most likely be able to find something here.

Discounts are also available for many other things. We found a coupon for the big breakfast buffet in the Flamingo Hotel (see Flamingo Hotel). The regular rate was 20 dollars, we paid 16. Just go to the ticket booth and see what’s on their list.

You can buy tickets for all the shows in advance online or in the hotels. In the Flamingo Hotel, they sold tickets for all the shows, not only the Flamingo’s show. You can also ask for advice here. I wanted to see the O show in Bellagio but it was too expensive for me. The lady recommended a different Cirque du Soleil show, also with water tanks but much cheaper.

Some shows are a huge hit and always sell out. To see one of these shows, you need to buy tickets in advance. Again, Bellagio’s O is an example. This show never has discounts or special offers. Some shows don’t run every day, for example Britney Spears and Céline Dion. For these, try to get information and bookings in advance. For everything else, that’s not necessary. In Las Vegas you usually get tickets and even discounts.

Discounts and Coupons

As described above, Las Vegas always offers discounts. We went toe the fake Eiffel Tower in Paris hotel. You can take the elevator up and enjoy the view of the Strip. I found a free magazine somewhere in the hotel with a coupon in it. This coupon offered an elevator ride for two for the price of one. It worked; we were four and saved half the price.
In fact, the need the paper voucher, that means they physically need the voucher. We did the same thing at the Stratosphere Tower and only had to pay half the price. Just keep your eyes open, whenever you see a magazine and coupon take it with you. You can save quite some money like this.

This article continues in part 2: Hotels in Las Vegas

Der Beitrag Gambling or not? Doing Las Vegas without gambling? Part 1: Gambling at The Strip and in Downtown, Las Vegas Downtown and the Shows erschien zuerst auf travelspotting.

Arizona/Nevada border and a clock change

Because the dam is located exactly on the Arizona/Nevada border this is where the clock changes. The eastern front of the dam (Arizona) and the western front (Nevada) differ in an hour.

The Hoover Dam is 50 km (about 40 minutes) from Las Vegas (Via I 515 and highway 93/Boulder City). The dam is close to a recovery area called Lake Mead. Hoover Dam is a good stop on the way from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon, no detour is needed on that route.

Hoover Dam – How to Drive

Hoover Dam basically targets tourist, all through traffic is lead to a different route over a bridge in close distance to the dam. Security concerns came up after September 11th and an alternative route including a newly built bridge was established (highway 93 and Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge). In the near future interstate 11 is supposed to connect this bridge to the interstate system. So far, interstate 11 has not been built yet.
The new bridge can be seen from Hoover Dam (see pics).

Parking is available right next to Hoover Dam; the parking garage is build into already existing rock formation and looks very stylish. Parking costs 10 Dollar, the parking garage can be reached from the Nevada side of the dam. Until that point, vehicles have access to the area.

Parking Garage: 81 Hoover Dam Access Rd, Boulder City, AZ 89005, USA

Hoover Dam has some security restrictions. When you cross Hoover Dam in your vehicle, security checks might come. Hoover Dam is not open to all kinds of vehicles; there are certain restrictions for larger vehicles. Information about this is available on the website.
Pedestrians are not allowed to cross Hoover Dam after darkness. That means you need to come here in the middle of the day. Don’t come too late in the afternoon. Always consider when it gets dark and how much time you need to reach and to spend there.

https://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/index.html

What will I See?

You walk along Hoover Dam, get to see the river, get to see restrained water and can look down along the huge dam. I got dizzy from it. The Colorado River has too little water; you can see it on the pillars of the dam. Some marks have come up over the years. Like this, all these news and reports about water shortage in California become clearer and more alive. It clarifies what water shortage really means.

Tours inside the dam can be booked. We did not do that, we just visited the dam from on top.

Visitors and Traffic

Because Hoover dam can be reached conveniently from Las Vegas and is also located on the main route to Grand Canyon, there are always many visitors around. Even in November, very much in off-season, many pedestrians were walking along the bridge. Traffic was quite messy and slow. The Hoover Dam website writes in summer, long waiting times and traffic jams occur. I’m sure they do. In summer I would definitely recommend coming early in the morning.

I found it quite funny to be standing at the dam and seeing that a new time zone starts just a couple of steps away.

Lake Mead Overlook

Right before the dam, and there is an overlook point to Lake Meat. This spot can be reached by highway 192. Again, you will be able to see that Lake Mead has very little water. The next larger town is Boulder City.

Is Hoover Dam worth a trip?

Yes, it is. It’s a huge building in the middle of the desert. It’s very old, when it was built it was an architectural masterpiece, work of the century. On the plus side: Hoover Dam can be reached easily from Las Vegas and is on the way to the Grand Canyon. A negative thing could be the fact the dam is always busy and full of people. I would plan about one hour of time here, if you want to do the dam tour, a bit more.

Der Beitrag Hoover Dam: A Dam in the Middle of a Desert erschien zuerst auf travelspotting.

Black Friday in the USA

Black Friday is the first Friday after Thanksgiving, the 4th Friday in November. Ads about Black Friday offers on the TV, in newspapers, basically everywhere. Everyone has a Black Friday discount.

On Friday morning Americans rush and storm into the stores. The Black Friday offers are usually very good: many discounts and really cheap.

On Friday morning we were still in Bryce Canyon, and we were planning to drive to Las Vegas that day which takes about 4 hours. We decided to stick to our original plan and not to rush. We took a scenic route and the first town we reached was Cedar City in Utah. There are only a few stores there, but all of them had discounts and special offers, not only for selected pieces but for the entire store.

Black Friday at Wal-Mart

A bit later, we stopped at a big Wal-Mart to see what’s going on there. Wal-Marts are usually somewhere close to the street and that is how we found one somewhere between Cedar City and Las Vegas. That was when we saw the real Black Friday! It was already afternoon when we were there. The store wasn’t that busy, it was just a bit full. But we did get to see the mess that was left from the morning. Signs about sold-out offers were everywhere (in particular electronics, mostly TVs). That would not have been our thing anyways; buying a TV in your holiday is pointless. But we did get to see the discount prices and have to admit: these things were really cheap, much cheaper than usually.
Many Wal-Mart offers were still available. We bought clothes, sporting goods, Blu-Rays and toys. The store was a big mess. The salesladies were trying to organize this mess a bit but looked really tense and stressed. A customer asked a lady how the morning was; the answer was “good, we’re still alive.” I definitely believe that, considering that battlefield in the store.

Black Friday in Las Vegas and Black Friday Weekend

We continued our route to Las Vegas. Las Vegas has all its famous shopping malls and outlet centers (see Outlet Shopping Las Vegas). We drove right past an outlet mall on the way to the hotel. So we thought we can give it a try. But it was impossible to find parking. Some parking areas were already closed; anything that was still open was overcrowded. And endless number of cars was driving in circles, so did we. Most of the time we had to stop and wait. That was worse than the day before Christmas in Germany. We gave up and thought Black Friday is over for us.

All the shopping malls had signs about a “Black Friday Weekend”. Many stores, mostly in bigger shopping malls, have their discounts all weekend. They were having problems on Black Friday because people lost their mind and manners that morning and totally freaked out. That is why they extend Black Friday to an entire weekend.

For usm it was the opportunity we needed. We came back the following morning and had no problems at all. When we left in the afternoon, people we already waiting in lines in front of the stores and were only allowed to enter when someone else left.

Of course, on Friday Afternoon or Saturday/Sunday, some offers might be sold out. To me, what I found was enough. I would not have wanted to buy more. I did find a lot; everything was cheap, way cheaper than usually. I did get some good bargains and was totally happy. Everyone in my travel group felt the same way.

Some Advice on Black Friday in the US

If you happen to be in the US on Black Friday, do some shopping. If you feel like throwing yourself into that big Friday-morning-chaos or if you prefer to wait until the afternoon or the following day is totally up to you.

You cannot compare a German Black Friday to a US Black Friday. What we have here in Germany is basically nothing. Only some items are on sale and offers are not valid for everything. That does not happen in the US. There, it’s an iconic day and absolutely incredible and beyond words.

We happened to be there by accident. Plus, we were in Las Vegas for the weekend. What a coincidence! Everyone, even our non-shoppers were thrilled having done that.

Der Beitrag Being in the USA on a Black Friday erschien zuerst auf travelspotting.

Grand Canyon in Arizona: South Rim and North Rim

The Grand Canyon can be split into three parts: the North Rim, the South Rim and its descent (and following ascent). Most visitors go to the South Rim, mainly because it is reached most easily and because it has the most touristic infrastructure. South Rim is a 4 ½ hour ride from Las Vegas (450 km). The route is Highway 93, Interstate 40 and Highway 64.

The South Rim consists of two parts: in the west, taking the official shuttle bus to Hermit’s Point, the end point of the route (13 km) or in the east heading to the Desert View Point (30 km). For the eastern part, you need your own car. There is no public transportation available. The shuttle bus in the west stops at various points and many locations. You can get in and out and as many times as you want. The bus runs every few minutes. I like these shuttle bus systems (see Zion NP). I think, these systems are a major asset. Larger parks, like the Grand Canyon, can be visited with much less pressure. Without these busses, everything would be very messy. All visitors would drive around in their rental cars with no organized system, no structure. The first car wants to drive fast because they try to leave as soon as possible; the second car would drive slowly because the co-passenger is taking a pic; the third car doesn’t drive at all but stop to take a pic; the fourth one is not even a car but an RV which is a bit to big for the driver who has problems and simply blocks the entire road. Plus, you would spend a lot of time looking for parking, with many people around you would most likely not even find parking at all. And last but not least, the driver cannot really enjoy the park and the view because he or she has to focus on the driving. I prefer an official shuttle. Things are organized and much easier like that.

South Rim: Hermit’s Point and Desert Point

You can hike anywhere around here. You are always close to the South Rim and either look down to the river or at the landscape on the horizon. You should definitely get off the bus and walk a few steps near the river. Everything looks different while walking of hiking, more beautiful, more impressive. The routes descending to the river are the exhausting ones. As long as you stay “on the same level” (walking at the Rim with almost no elevation), everything is easily doable. Final stop of the bus route is Hermit’s Point.

A thing you should definitely do is the self-drive tour to Desert Point. Impressions are different, the canyon and the landscape definitely looks different here. We were there in December. As you can see on the pics, snow was everywhere and made the canyon even prettier. The closer we came to Desert View, the more snow we had. It was a bit cold but apart from that, the weather was quite convenient. Compared to visiting in summer, when it’s extremely hot, I would always prefer winter. Plus, the visitors load is light; it’s a good way to beat the crowds.

Starting Point of all the tours is Grand Canyon Village and its tourist center where you find all the information you need. This is also where the shuttle bus leaves. There are two bus lines: one connects the lodges in the village and the tourist center (blue line) and the second one the village and all the viewpoints (orange line). The second one is the one I described above.

North Rim: Off the Main Routes

The Canyon’s North Rim is only 80 km from the South Rim (beeline). But you need to drive a completely different route to go there: leave Arizona and cross Utah. The roads are in general much worse on this route. That’s why very few tourists make it there, most prefer the South Rim. I have not been there but google maps says it takes 2 ½ hours to drive the last 90 km. I think, based on that, North Rim is something for enthusiasts but not for everyone. In winter, North Rim is closed.

Where to Book a Hotel: Grand Canyon Village, Williams and Flagstaff

Grand Canyon Village, right in front of the Park’s Southern Entrance has many lodges, motels and places to stay. It is possible, even likely, that all these places are fully booked. The village is located comfortably close to the park that is what defines its prices. We found it too expensive. We decided to stay somewhere else not that close to the park and found two options: Flagstaff and Williams. Williams is exactly on the way from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon, you don’t need to drive any extra distance. Flagstaff is about 50 km further east. If you plan to just stop on the way to Grand Canyon, Williams is the best option. Flagstaff is a second option if you don’t find anything in Williams. From Williams to Grand Canyon, it’s about 80 km on highway 64. We found that route very easy: it’s a straight 80-km-drive with very little to no traffic in the morning. We did not mind doing that but if you do, book a hotel in the Grand Canyon Village, also when you are planning to stay several days and do some hiking tours.

Hiking in the Depth of the Grand Canyon: Doing the Bright Angel Descend

We did not do the walk down to the river. Signs are everywhere say that the hike is exhausting and that you need many water bottles to do it, that it’s hot and that most people tend to overestimate their skills. The national park strongly advices to not do the ascend and descend in one day. To stay overnight in the canyon, you need a permit. The main route down is the Bright Angel Trail: you walk 13 km but a difference in altitude of 1360 meters. It’s definitely super-exciting to do that but only with planning and training in advance. I don’t think you should try to walk down to the river just because you are already there. I think this is something for ambitious hikers.

Flora and Fauna of the Grand Canyon: Condors

We were lucky; we saw condors flying over the canyon. Seeing these birds was very special, but we have no pics of that. The birds were flying low but it was still too high to take pics of them.

Grand Canyon Skywalk

The Grand Canyon Skywalk is far away from the National park or the South Rim. The skywalk is 400 km (4 hours) from the South Rim (beeline much less). The skywalk is a transparent glass horseshow-shaped platform on the edge of a smaller canyon operated by the Hualapai Indian tribe. They charge about 50 dollars to enter the platform. The entire glass bridge is on Indian land in a reservoir far west of the National Park. We did not visit it. I cannot say much about it. The skywalk is close to Las Vegas, only 120 km. But that is the only asset I see, I don’t know why I would want to go there. I prefer official national parks in general.

Advice and Ideas

The Grand Canyon is definitely one of the things you should have in at least once-in-a-lifetime. Even if you have never been there, the Canyon seems strangely familiar because of all the TV and movie appearances. Indeed, it only shows its real beauty when you are standing at one of the viewpoints, looking at the scenery. Hiking down to the river has to be planned properly because it’s a steady descent of many altitude meters. Hiking along the South Rim is easily possible, in warm months you need to consider the heat and the general climate. Visiting the canyon in winter is very good, I can definitely recommend that. It’s cold and snowy but very few people are there.

When you drive further east (to Desert’s Point), the tour can be combined with a visit to Monument Valley via Kayenta (see Article about Monument Valley).

Der Beitrag A Trip to the Grand Canyon in Winter: Snow and no Heat erschien zuerst auf travelspotting.

I don’t recommend many hotels. Usually, we do not stay more than 2 nights at the same place but keep moving all the time. We only spend more time in cities. In this case I want to recommend the Flamingo Hotel Las Vegas.

Just FYI, some general information in what we book: We want to have an affordable room which is clean, a clean bathroom, decent beds and the hotel has to be located conveniently, as close as possible to the center. Luxury travel, expensive food, and fancy suites are not important to us. We try to find a regular hotel with good rooms and regular, preferably low prices. If you prefer 5-star-places, luxury, spa and wellness, my recommendations are probably not right for you.

Flamingo Hotel: Located Perfectly at the Center of the Strip

The Flamingo Hotel has 3626 rooms and a colorful pink name sign. The hotel is a bit old, built in 1946. When the hotel was built, the Strip didn’t even exist. In fact, the Flamingo Hotel was one of the first ones on the Strip and the Strip kind of built itself around the Flamingo.

Because of that, Flamingo nowadays has cheap rooms in a very central location. Ceasar’s Palace is on the opposite side of the street, with the Mirage hotel on one side and the Bellagio on the other side. (Mirage is well-known for its Siegfried and Roy show). All the Strip hotels can be reached easily from the Flamingo Hotel, even Stratosphere Tower in the North and Mandalay Bay in the South. All the close hotels are in walking distance, everything else by bus or cab. In this city, in the middle of the desert, it’s important to have only short distances everywhere. Most of the time, it is so hot that you cannot walk far, in summer really only a few steps. In winter (Nov – Jan), taking a walking tour is easier. But even then, Flamingo’s location is perfect to walk either North or South along all the shiny Las Vegas Lights.

Lobby and Interior of the Hotel

In the lobby, there is no deeply impressive luxury interior (as opposed to Bellagio), no spectacular architecture or extravagant designs. There is the complimentary casino, restaurants, and cafés. Enough of everything for me, indeed more than enough. Anyways, the hotel seems to be a bit older and a bit outdated sometimes.

On the backside of the hotel (opposite the Strip) there is a garden with a pool and the animals that gave the hotel its name: the Flamingos. A huge breakfast buffet with panorama windows to the garden can be found here. I enjoyed this buffet very much and would definitely recommend it. You will anyways not be able to eat everything they offer

Rooms, Equipment and Furniture

The rooms are not spacious but big enough, furniture is not brand new but also not old. The bathroom was clean and in good shape. I think these rooms were renovated several times. Their condition is good. If you are lucky, you get a Strip-View-Room and get to see the Bellagio Fountains.

We paid 20 dollars for the room, not per person but per room. That included a 15 dollar breakfast voucher. The price is very good, almost unbeatable. Don’t expect to pay that little too. We were there on a weekday in very low season.

Breakfast Voucher

The breakfast voucher had its own rules: unfortunately it was not valid for the breakfast buffet mentioned above. We could use it for a coffee place that uses the Starbucks system. That means, you wait in a long line, place your breakfast order and they call your name when your breakfast is ready. All kinds of food were available: sweet baked goods (cookies, donuts, and muffins), sandwiches, bagels, Panini but also cereals, fruits and dairy products. All kinds of hot beverages were there. Everyone finds the right thing here. 15 dollars for a breakfast sounds a lot but the prices are high. For example a regular milk coffee is as much as 5 dollars.

The thing that did not really work was the ordering system. It was quite a mess. The line was very long, the ladies from the coffee place asked very early what I wanted. Most of the time, I was so far in the end of the line that I could not even read the signs of see through the window which muffins were available. Seating is not really available. Because of the mess the ordering system creates, many people stand and wait everywhere. All that chaos is a bit too much first thing in the morning. I think, for a free breakfast it’s an ok compromise you need to take. When we were booking the room, the emphasized that breakfast is not included. So I was mainly happy to get a free breakfast. It was always good quality; no one in our group had to stay hungry.

If you don’t feel like doing this, you can always go to the big breakfast buffet. There you get silence, space and no chaos. Anyways, you need to pay extra for that.

Final Remarks

What you get for your money in the Flamingo Hotel is good. (We are calling it money/performance relationship). That means you pay little money for a good standard hotel in a very good location. If you like that, Flamingo is the right place for you. The breakfast voucher was a surprise and an plus for us.

Expect a bit of chaos at the free breakfast place and be aware of the fact that the hotel is not a new place. If this doesn’t bother you, go there. Its location is a major asset. But be aware that for 20 dollars, you cannot get a luxury 5-Star-Place.

See also:

General Information in Las Vegas here

Information in Outlet Shopping in Las Vegas here

Der Beitrag Hotel Recommendation: The Flamingo Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip erschien zuerst auf travelspotting.