She’s at it again!

For my second trip to Vegas, I chose to stay in the Rush Tower at the Golden Nugget in downtown Las Vegas.  There are other nice hotels in the area, however, I was sold on the Shark Tank pool.  The Golden Nugget’s Tank has been ranked in “Top 10 pools in the world” on several listings.

I loved the convenience of stepping outside onto Freemont Street and into the party zone.  Valet parking was outside the elevators, so I did not have to walk through the casino to come and go as I pleased.  I am an avid green tea drinker, so having a Keurig in the room was a major plus.  The view was spectacular too! 

It has been almost 2 years since I have been to Detroit, and boy do I crave my Coney’s and corned beef sandwiches.  My first stop on Freemont Street was the American Coney Island for a Coney and chilli cheese fries.  It was midnight Eastern Time so Happy Birthday to me!  I rejoiced again in the Pacific time zone as lady luck was on my side when I hit on a slot machine at midnight.  I cashed that sucker out and called it a night.

I drove to Red Rock Canyon to sight see the following morning.  I met a teacher who has used the 13 mile scenic loop as training grounds for more than 50 marathons. 

I stopped in the Visitors Center which offered educational information about the desert biome.  The temps were more pleasant in the low 90°s as compared to 110° in June.

I drove along the scenic route to mile marker 1 and stopped at the Calico I section to explore. 

Along mile marker 3 there were two different routes.  I picked the easy path, or so I thought!  It started off as gravel, then turned to sand.  The next thing I knew, I was climbing over large rocks.

Even though it was strenuous, I wanted to see what was at the next area and how far this unmarked trail would go.  I thought it was about a mile and back, but it had to be longer than that.  I saw this man coming from the direction I was heading.  He gave me some pointers about which ways were the easiest to get to the Calico Tanks with an overlook.  I made it up these stairs and called it quits.  I don’t know how I made it down safely.

I was about 5 minutes from taking in a view of the Vegas strip and the Calico Tanks.  I was running out of water.  I was worried I would get lost or have a medical emergency and no one would find me.  Although I am very athletic, I was not taking any chances.

That was it for me and this hiking thing.  I put the a/c on full blast as I drove along the scenic route to exit the conservation area.  I observed how the elevation and heat would make a difficult training area for runners.

On the way back to the strip, I drove by The Mayweather Boxing Gym. Only 48 hours past his last win, I’m sure Floyd was off on his private jet somewhere.  There was evidence of the fight weekend over at the MGM. 

Speaking of the MGM, I love that end of the strip and decided to check out the Bellagio.  I was looking forward to seeing the Conservatory but it was under construction as they prepared for the fall display.  I can save this for another trip.  The Bellagio’s lobby is stunning.

My co-worker told me about a pizza joint in that area, so I crossed Vegas Blvd to the Pin Up Pizza by Planet Hollywood.  I made a rule to only eat at each restaurant one time to experience more.  The perfectly thin crust had me wanting seconds and thirds. 

Another attraction I missed on the last Vegas trip was the world’s tallest Ferris wheel called The High Roller. 

Each of the pods hold up to 40 people but I was fortunate to be in one with only 5.  The wheel goes up 550 feet with beautiful panoramic views.

Back downtown, I had my photo taken with a million dollars and checked out Container Park.  It was a unique set up of shipping containers that has little boutiques and eateries.  I wasn’t too impressed with this area.

I made the most out of having a 2015 Charger rental by driving out to the Arizona State line.  I walked across the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge. 

I met someone from Frankfort, Germany who was afraid of heights and had a fit about me jumping on the barriers.

The Hoover Dam was a very powerful sight to see from ground level.  Last time, I flew over it in a helicopter.

On the way back to Vegas I stopped at the Lake Mead recreation area.  I almost took a ferry to the Hoover Dam for lunch but was glad I didn’t.  I’d rather go rafting and cliff jumping into the lake.

After the Hoover Dam, I went to the Top of the World in the Stratosphere.  I ordered a three course lunch of lobster bisque, filet mignon and lobster tail, and dessert.  Everything was delicious.  It takes just over an hour for the dining floor to make a complete rotation.  I was seated by the window, but honestly there are no bad seats in the place.  The booths have raised seating so the views are not obstructed.

Dinner included admission to the observation deck where I watched the dare devils do thrill rides 800 feet in the air.

I mentioned not being into shows on the last trip but decided to try a Cirque Du Soleil.  I’m hooked!  I picked the Zarkana production because it is located inside the Aria Hotel.  I bought my tickets at a Tix4tonight booth downtown.  To my surprise they upgraded my basic seats to the 16th row when I arrived at the venue!

I have nothing to compare Zarkana to being it was my first Cirque show, but I was highly impressed.

Another birthday in the books.  I am blessed to see another year! 

♡KelsieLou♡