Home » Travel & Places » United States

Las Vegas, Nevada - Chevy Chase Vacation?

1 Comment

6 Like

Like 6

Pin It

Ranked #7,049 in Travel & Places, #191,215 overall

Vegas, Baby! It's like an amusement park for adults! But ya gotta be aware of what's there!

My first experience with Las Vegas was back in 1969... (yeah, I'm talking about prehistoric times, but hey... ) ... Back to the story. My Dad and Mom had just accepted jobs as teachers on the Pacific Island of Guam and we were on the end of our last summer "road trip" vacation (for a few years) from our home in southern New Mexico to where we'd be catching a plane in San Francisco for our flight across the Pacific via Hawaii.

Mom and Dad sat down with my sister and me -- and we tracked out our trip (we didn't have GPS units in those days... only maps). From when we were in elementary school, my sis and I would act as "assistant navigators" to help with the drive--Cub Scout and Boy Scout map-reading training came in very handy with our annual summer road trips.

And we did the road-trip in the finest Chevy Chase style (although we didn't have anyone strapped to the roof of our car)! We loaded up our Ford Country-Squire station wagon's roof-rack with our luggage, piled into the car, and said goodby to our house and friends and headed out onto the road. And one of our *breaks* in our long drive was a few days stop for "look-around" in Las Vegas.

This Squidoo lens describes some of my experiences with this interesting and unique travel destination.

Contents at a Glance

Las Vegas Welcome Sign on the South End...
The 'Big Deal' about Las Vegas is, of co...
Vegas Decorations? Or Vegas Wear?
Exploring a Different Part of Las Vegas...
View of the Mandalay Bay Casino-Hotel-Re...
Las Vegas by the Bay ... eBay, that Is!

Las Vegas Welcome Sign on the South End of the 'Strip'

The 'Big Deal' about Las Vegas is, of course, the 'Strip'

After riding in our station wagon for a few days across the New Mexico and Arizona deserts (in the middle of July even ... *hot!*) - and with the required stops at the "Four Corners" and the Navajo communities near there, the petrified forest and rock collection, the Winslow Meteor Crater, a side-trip north to the Grand Canyon, we pulled in to Las Vegas.

In 1969, there wasn't much to this city. The 'Strip' was surrounded mostly by undeveloped desert ... and the most memorable hotel/casino/resorts on the 'Strip' (at least those I think I can remember) were the Flamingo Hilton, Golden Nugget, the Tropicana, the Sands, and Circus-Circus.

And, because the main attractions of this city (that my folks were aware of) included shows, gambling, and all-around partying, we wound up pulling into seemingly the only somewhat kid-friendly resort hotel--Circus-Circus.

We stayed in town for a few days -- and because Mom and Dad were school teachers, they turned the stay into a typical "learning experience" -- we had a tour of Hoover Dam (yeah, the Dam Tour, with the Dam Gift Shop, and the Dam Lake (Lake Mead) ) -- pretty much as illustrated in Chevy Chase's "Vegas Vacation" movie -- and we accompanied our parents and gawked alongside them through a few of the other casinos -- like the Tropicana, the Flamingo, the Golden Nugget.

The interior of Circus-Circus is like being in a giant circus tent -- and while folks are gambling like crazy down below, there are trapeze acrobats doing all sorts of moves while suspended from the ceiling. My Dad and Mom tried a little gambling and maybe had a few drinks ... but because we were trying to keep our finances from breaking before our trip across the Pacific, they were sort of leery of trying any major gambling. It was fun watching their amusement with all the activity around them.

As kids, however, my sister and I weren't affected that much. But the all-you-could-eat buffets were impressive, the volcanic-like heat of the place was impressive (remember, this was July!), and all the night-time neon lights were spectacularly impressive. As a first experience, Las Vegas made an impression.

Vegas Decorations? Or Vegas Wear?

Exploring a Different Part of Las Vegas Each Time You Pass Through!

There's more to Las Vegas than just casinos, hotels, resorts, and desert!

The Egyptian Kingdom theme of the Luxor is spectacular inside and out!

Although my folks, sis, and I probably passed through Las Vegas a few more times after that first visit--mostly on a layover on flights from the West Coast to the East Coast of the U.S., it wasn't until 1985 that I had my next experience with this interesting destination. It wasn't all pleasure, however. I had just taken a new job, and I was required to go to our Las Vegas office to coordinate their office and paperwork (I'm a technical writer and this was my first "business trip"). The organization I worked for put me up in a new hotel on the Strip -- The Imperial Palace. Since I was there to work, I didn't get much chance to play. But I still managed to see a bit more of the place. Every morning around 5am, I'd get up and get my clothes on--then wander down to the big breakfast buffet in the restaurant. I'd have to pass through the casino area and saw gamblers who looked like they had been there all night. Then, after breakfast, I'd stroll back through the casino to the front of the hotel to be picked up by my Las Vegas colleagues to go to our worksite. In the evening, after they dropped me off at the Imperial Palace, I'd stroll down the Strip and find a place to eat. However, since this was in December, the weather wasn't balmy. In fact, it was downright cold. So after the first few days, I just stayed in the hotel--and enjoyed exploring the antique and exotic cars collection and museum in addition to all the shops in the hotel's mezzanine. And yes, I tried a little gambling--but mostly dumping a quarter or two into a slot machine or other contraption. Since I was very tired every night after work, I really didn't see or enjoy much of Las Vegas in the sense that most vacationers do.

View of the Mandalay Bay Casino-Hotel-Resort Looking North on the Las Vegas 'Strip'

Las Vegas by the Bay ... eBay, that Is!

More than just the Mandalay Bay!

Yes, it CAN get COLD in Las Vegas! This picture of the mountains west of Las Vegas was taken on May 30, 2010!

Las Vegas, Nevada - Chevy Chase Vacation?

Vegas, Baby! It's like an amusement park for adults! But ya gotta be aware of what's there!

Contents at a Glance

Contents at a Glance

The 'Big Deal' about Las Vegas is, of course, the 'Strip'

Vegas Decorations? Or Vegas Wear?

Exploring a Different Part of Las Vegas Each Time You Pass Through!

There's more to Las Vegas than just casinos, hotels, resorts, and desert!

Las Vegas by the Bay ... eBay, that Is!

More than just the Mandalay Bay!

Read Up On Las Vegas!

Lots of interesting things to know!

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Las Vegas in Action! Viva, Las Vegas!

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

Google Maps

The Drive to Las Vegas Can Be a Stretch - Literally! That's Why Others Choose to Fly!

Las Vegas Links!

If You Are Going to Fly to Las Vegas, You Can Get Some Deals Here!

Create your own collection of Squidoo lenses by starting here!

Just click on the icon below -- it's easy, it's fast, and best of all, it's FUN!

You Bet You Can Leave a Note Here!

by EditorDave

Explore related pages

Hey, if you are going to play with MONEY, Las Vegas makes sense, right?

Vegas in Motion! Season 1 and Season 2!

It's almost like being there!

Related Tags

Want our Newsletter?