Vegas Vacay

Water Meets Ingenuity - Pictured is the bottom side of the Hoover Dam and the entrance of the Colorado River. Started in 1931, the Hoover Dam was the largest dam in the world during this time and supplied much needed energy and clean water to millions of people.

Nothing says summer like a girls trip! Over the last couple days of July, our family decided to take a generational Vegas girls trip with my grandma, my mom, my sister Kayla Hilzendeger, and me. We stayed at the Paris Hotel which offered fantastic views of the strip and a great centralized location for walking and exploring the surrounding area. Our first location to explore was the Hoover Dam, which is only about a 45 minute drive from the Vegas strip. We wandered through their visitor center and learned the history of the dam’s creation and operation. We were also able to walk on top of the dam to see some amazing views of Lake Mead and the Colorado River. Our next stop was the West Rim of the Grand Canyon and the famous Grand Canyon West Skywalk. The Skywalk is a huge glass bottom walkway that extends 4,000 feet above the Grand Canyon and offers amazing views of both the Colorado River and Eagle Point. We were also able to hike to Guano Point, known for offering some of the best 360-degree views of the Canyon. On our last day we spent exploring the numerous hotels, casinos, and shops on the strip such as the Venetian, Bellagio, Caesars Palace, MGM, Coca-Cola store, and the M&M building. We also had the opportunity to go to the top of the Strat Hotel Observation Tower which is the tallest observation tower in the U.S., standing at 1,149 feet tall.

Overall, getting to explore so many amazing places and seeing some of the highest and lowest views, all while sharing laughs with family made it an amazing trip, and although we were only there for three short days, we did as much as the 115 degree heat would allow and enjoyed every minute.