Las Vegas

The promise of a reunion with old friends—and a visit to one of the country's newest and most hyped venues—drew us to America's playground. Las Vegas has never been near the top of my list of cities I'd like to visit, but I thought it could be an interesting place to experience at least once. As we disembarked at Harry Reid International Airport (direct flight from Albany!), we were immediately surrounded by brightly-lit gaming machines, the vague scent of cigarette smoke, aggressive air conditioning, and competing soundtracks emitting from hidden speakers. These were to be the hallmarks of almost any indoor environment we were to visit for the next few days!

Mountain biking at Red Rock Canyon: Rashna gamely agreed to spend most of our first day mountain biking at nearby Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. We woke up early and took an Uber to the tiny town of Blue Diamond where we rented mountain bikes at the Trek Rental Center there. We rode the "3 Mile Smile" loop, climbing about 2,000 feet into the desert via twisty single-track. Along with wonderful views of the surrounding mountains, we saw lizards, burros (wild donkeys descended from those used in past mining operations), and even a road runner. The trails were very different than what we are used to in upstate New York and Rashna really rose to the challenge as we navigated loose gravel, chunky rocks, and a few rowdy descents. We were grateful that we brought some mountain biking basics like hydration packs, gloves, and a bike computer to help us navigate. The desert heat was intense and we definitely took a few hours to rehydrate and recover. But this excursion was one of the highlights of our visit.

Walking the Strip: Our normal approach to exploring a city is by walking in it— sometimes more than 10 miles a day. We quickly learned why most people wait until sundown to venture outside their Vegas resorts and hotel rooms as blast-furnace level temperatures sent us running for the nearest air conditioning. We did enjoy walking outside when the sun set as the bright lights of the various hotels and attractions were strangely alluring.

Food: As per usual, Rashna prepared a list of must-visit vegan restaurants, of which there are a surprising number in Las Vegas. The Modern Vegan, Crossroads Kitchen, and Chef Kenny's Vegan Dim Sum were highlights. We were also lucky to have an excellent vegan-friendly café in our hotel. The number of restaurants in Las Vegas is stunning. The quality of food was high and the professionalism of the staff (especially in the resorts) was top-notch. We found portions at restaurants off the Strip to be generous, if somewhat expensive. Within the resorts, portions were often smaller and the prices were high. Drip coffee tended to be $6 - $7 a cup, domestic beer $10 - $12 a bottle, and most entrees were at least $25.

Mostly malls: I hadn't understood how much of the Vegas Strip is simply an interconnected network of malls. All of the world's fanciest luxury brands are represented, often in multiple locations within the same resort. There are high-end restaurants, casinos, night clubs, and outrageous spectacles such as a canal complete with gondolas (The Venetian), an aquarium (Caesar's Palace), and a wildlife habitat (The Flamingo). Our group spent an exhilarating hour or so at the Escape Game at the Forum Shops and we enjoyed delicious gelato in St. Mark's Square (a replica of the actual Venetian landmark). All the resorts and casinos are comically difficult to navigate as they are designed to keep shoppers spending money within their walls. I pride myself on having an at least average sense of direction, but I was completely lost several times. I had to admire the diabolical minds behind these commercial labyrinths.

Art district: After a few days in Vegas, I felt that I hadn't spent so much time in malls since I was 13. For a change of scenery, we decided to venture into the heat to visit Las Vegas's small art district, also called "18b." Although we only had a few hours to explore, we really enjoyed the quirky character of this area. We visited an excellent antique shop and a thriving vegan taco spot. A large warehouse filled with art galleries and shops reminded me of our Shirt Factory in Glens Falls. The prices here were more normal and it felt more like our standard city visit, as we walked up and down random streets just getting a feel for the place. Unfortunately, the extreme heat really limited us, and we tapped out before too long.

Sphere and the Backstreet Boys: Sphere, completed in 2023 at a cost of $2.3 billion, has quickly become a Las Vegas entertainment landmark. Sphere uses a vast LED display (on both the inside and outside of the structure) to create an immersive experience. On our final night, we saw the Backstreet Boys perform at Sphere as part of a residency they are doing there. The nostalgia (25 years since their "Millennium" album!), fun music, and incredible venue was an appropriately over-the-top finale to our trip.