Date of Trips: January 23-26, 2025
November 20, 2021
We just got back from Vegas, and I wanted to share the highlights from both of my trips—plus most importantly, all the details on visiting the absolute gem that is Valley of Fire State Park (think Utah and Arizona landscapes, but without the crowds!).
Our first visit was just a quick stop on the way to California, so we didn’t get the full experience—but this time, we went all in. Shows, concerts, casinos, desert adventures… we did it all. Well, except for food. I’ll be honest, we didn’t exactly prioritize dining and ended up eating most of our meals from CVS (no regrets). This time, we stayed in Fremont, and I totally fell for its kitschy, old-school Vegas charm. Anyway, here’s our itinerary and some helpful tips if you’re planning your own trip!
🔹Things we did:
-Sunrise at the Valley of Fire State Park
-Saw The Eagles at The Sphere
-Stayed in Fremont, walked the downtown area
-Absinthe Show
-Cirque du Soleil “O”
-Motown Show at The Alexis
-Hoover Dam
-Visited the Casinos and walked the strip
-Amazing Massages off the strip at Massage Well
🔹Things that were recommended and plan to do next time:
-Spiegelworld’s DiscoShow (same producers as Absinthe)
-Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (30 minute drive from the strip)
-Lake Las Vegas
🔹Details with links and photos:
▪️Harry Reid International Airport:
Navigating the airport was pretty easy. Once you land you take the train to ground transport- the red line if no baggage and blue line if you checked bags. We used uber to our hotel and followed signs for Rideshare upstairs across the sky bridge- then the elevator to V then followed the signs.
We ended up getting a car on our second day and I’ll say I really liked having a car in Vegas. Parking was easy and it was much more convenient than ubering everywhere our first day. Please note that when ubering to the airport to collect the car, the car rental is in a completely different area. When we dropped off at the end of the trip, we waited 40 minutes on a bus to the terminals so keep this timing in mind.
▪️Accommodations:
Our first trip we stayed in the Encore Hotel and our most recent trip we stayed in the Fremont Hotel and Casino.
-The Encore was very nice and felt fancy. I loved the view and the technology (in room alexas, automated blinds etc)
Encore Resort Suite | Luxury Hotel Suites | Encore Las Vegas
-The Fremont Hotel was 11 miles from the airport and it took nearly 30 minutes by car.
I was pleasantly surprised with the Fremont. It was inexpensive but had a nice view and the room was comfortable. I absolutely loved the location within the Fremont Experience.
Fremont Hotel & Casino | A Downtown Las Vegas Hotel Resort | fremont.boydgaming.com
Fremont Street Experience in Downtown Las Vegas
▪️Valley of Fire State Park:
Not surprisingly, this field trip was my favorite part of Vegas. Valley of Fire was magnificent, like rivaled the beauty of Southern Utah— but zero crowds. We did this as a sunrise excursion. It took us an hour and 10 minutes from Fremont to get to the Visitor Center and we left at 4:40am. The website states it opens at sunrise so we weren’t exactly sure we could get in (and were prepared to watch sunrise from the parking lot). But luckily, the self-serve kiosk was working at 5:30am and we were able to buy our $10 pass with a credit card to display on the dash.
We drove to the trailhead for the Fire Wave Trail. We ended up doing a 3.2 mile loop with hitting the Fire Wave, White Domes and Seven Wonders. Here is the AllTrails link.
Fire Wave, White Domes and Seven Wonders Loop on AllTrails
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/nevada/fire-wave-white-domes-seven-wonders-loop?sh=sxlnu6
We started the trail at 6am and stopped about a half mile in for a bit to watch the colors.
We made it to the actual Fire Wave at 6:45 and watched the sunbeams stretch over the mountains. Even though the clouds kept the sun from hitting the Fire Wave itself, the whole scene was still absolutely stunning.
We continued along the trail to see the highlights including the slot canyons.
Some rocky ascents required but nothing technical
Very sandy trail- definitely would recommend a boot because my tennis shoes were not optimal
Since it was still dark when we arrived to the park, when we finished hiking we took the scenic drives along Mouse’s Tank Road and Valley of Fire Road. Highly recommend setting aside some time to enjoy the scenery and take some pics.
We also hit the Hoover Dam on the way back. Eh, I’ve seen cooler (Enguri Dam in Georgia 🇬🇪). I’d skip it unless you’re an enthusiast. Another option would be to stop at Lake Las Vegas for brunch on the way back. We didn’t have time before our massage appointment.
◾️The Sphere: We saw The Eagles at The Sphere and it was such a great experience. With traffic, it took 30 minutes by car to get to the uber drop off from Fremont. We arrived shortly after the doors opened and found the lines manageable and very organized. You cannot bring outside food or drink. We were seated on the floor level and there were two bars conveniently located nearby. There were food options upstairs but we only used the bars downstairs. After the show, we were herded with the rest of the crowd through the Venetian to the uber pick up.
◾️Meow Wolf: I missed out on Meow Wolf while in Santa Fe so I prioritized visiting while in Vegas. I bought a timed entry for general admission and we ended up spending two hours browsing the interactive experience. We never solved the mystery but the employees were helpful in explaining the lore.
Meow Wolf | Immersive Art Experiences & Interactive Exhibits
◾️The Fremont Experience: Our hotel was located inside the Experience and I had no idea what to expect. I loved the vibe downtown. Colorful, vintage and fun. There were tons of concerts each evening and great street performers. There was even a zip line. I’d say this is a great area to stay if you were bringing kids.
◾️Doowop show at the Alexis: Steve booked me a surprise show at Alexis Park and I absolutely loved it. It was a small ‘old Vegas-y’ venue near the airport. The show featured all my Motown and Doowop faves and I danced the whole night
All Motown – Alexis Park Las Vegas, NV – Tickets, information, reviews
◾️The Strip: Most of our time on the Strip was on our first trip when we stayed at The Encore. I loved that I could pour an entire Prosecco bottle in a cup and walk around everywhere with it. I enjoyed the fountain show at the Bellagio and walking around the Venetian. On our recent trip, I loved seeing “O” Cirque du Soleil and “Absinthe”. “O” is the classic Vegas show and astounding, but I think I enjoyed “Absinthe” more. We saw them both the same night back to back.
◾️Massages: We’re always seeking therapeutic massages after a hike and usually look for inexpensive options. We found Massage Well on Sahara and at the risk of hyperbole- I’ve never had a better massage. We went twice on our short trip. Here’s their website.
🔹To Close:
I wouldn’t call myself a Vegas type of girl, but I had an absolute blast on both trips. Downtown had such a cool vibe, the shows on the Strip were incredible, and of course, I had way too much fun playing the slots (see the 0.01 winning ticket). But hands down, the highlight for me was sunrise at Valley of Fire State Park—just us with the stunning landscape and total silence. I’d go back just for that in a heartbeat.
If you’re planning a trip and need any tips, feel free to reach out! I
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