A few weeks back, I was in desperate need of a change of scenery and Natty Guy had one of his annual company Las Vegas trips coming up so I decided to hitch a ride.
Now, don’t hate, but I’m not typically a real Las Vegas kinda gal. The artifice. The forced fun. The expense! What ever happened to all those $2 steaks I heard about in the 80’s? But….she grew on me a bit this trip. And the Neon Museum was part of the reason why.
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The Neon Museum
The Neon Museum: This Las Vegas gem is somewhat newer…founded in 1996. A fantastic space, they house a collection of restored neon pieces dating from the 1930’s to present day. Eleven of the pieces at the Neon Museum have been fully restored and other pieces have been rehabilitated or preserved (both less costly options). It is an INCREDIBLE trip back in time!
We took the guided tour, which was pretty informative. Neon really hasn’t been used in Las Vegas since the advent of the LED light. Only Old Town requires that actual neon still be used. The tour runs for about 1 hour and is best in the evening when you can appreciate the signs lit.
Brilliant: The Light Show
We opted for a ticket that also included the Neon Boneyard, an adjacent property that houses a show called “Brilliant“. I’d feared this would be a bit hokey, a la various “Sound and Light” shows throughout the world but it was quite well executed and, if you are visiting at night, I think worth the small additional expense and extra half hour of time.
Other Trip Standouts:
- Hoover Dam: So…my primary reasoning for visiting this site was so that I could hear someone exclaim “I’ll be your damn tour guide“. But the site itself actually holds up. It is immense and the fact that they completed this monstrosity ahead of schedule is just incredible. Gobs of Art Deco artwork and design were an added bonus.
- Valley of Fire State Park: This park is a wonderful counterpoint to the artifice of Las Vegas. Less than 2 hours away, this park features bright red Aztec sandstone rock formations, petrified trees and petroglyphs dating back over 2,000 years.
- Wing Lei: This fantastic property was the first Chinese restaurant in the US to be awarded a Michelin star. As you likely know by now, the Natty’s are foodies and an evening here was money well spent. We opted for the Imperial Peking Duck Tasting. The food NEVER STOPPED. They even gave us a boxed cake to take home and enjoy later!
Until next time…keep cultivating a simple, stylish, and satisfying life!
I’ve always wanted to see the Hoover Dam! That dessert assortment looks DELICIOUS! So much to do, I need to go back to Vegas! I haven’t been there in 2 decades! Crazy!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
It was about 10-15 years since my last visit and I was amazed at how it continues to change and grow!
Sounds like a good chance of pace and a nice getaway. I am not a fan of LV either at least not the casino part. But my dad loves it so growing up we were always in LV for his birthday. I guess you can say it’s become a tradition. I still don’t like the casinos but the lights at night and the buffets are fantastic! I do have to agree that it’s not cheap any longer but if you love foodies, it’s still cheaper than eating out at a regular restaurant.
Maureen | http://www.littlemisscasual.com
What a fun family tradition! And I love all the lights as well – so pretty!