Through Hoover Dam to Las Vegas
After leaving the last small towns of Arizona, we headed towards Nevada and Las Vegas. Along the way, we stopped at the USA’s largest dam called Hoover Dam. The dam sits right on the border between states, partly in Arizona and partly in Nevada. It regulates the flow of Lake Mead into the Colorado River.
Built in the 1930s, the Hoover Dam is a true marvel of engineering from that era. The construction took about 5 years to complete, and the dam stands impressively at a height of 221 meters.
Visitors can tour the dam and even join guided tours. We walked across the dam, admiring the stunning views, especially of the canyon and the bridge spanning it. Looking down, the enormity of the dam is truly striking. From the bridge spanning the canyon, there are fantastic views of the dam. A pedestrian walkway along the bridge allows for peaceful sightseeing. Hoover Dam was definitely worth a stop, especially during our journey, but it would also be a great standalone excursion from Las Vegas.
For more details about visiting Hoover Dam, you can read about it in its dedicated post โ
Viva Las Vegas!
From Hoover Dam, our next destination was the vibrant lights of Las Vegas itself. We had been eagerly anticipating this and who knows, maybe luck would be on our side and we wouldn’t need to head back home right away ๐
There’s often talk about how breathtaking Las Vegas is when you approach the city from the desert and suddenly the city with all its lights comes into view. We were looking forward to this sight, especially as evening was setting in, ensuring the lights would be prominent.
However, the experience wasn’t quite what we expected, and it didn’t match the image we had painted in our minds. By this point, we had driven across a significant portion of the US, passing several cities that had appeared in the desert, so this view didn’t feel particularly unique. Like other major cities, Las Vegas gradually rises from suburban areas toward downtown.
Of course, our approach might have influenced this perception. We came from the direction of Hoover Dam and Henderson, whereas most people likely arrive from Los Angeles. The experience might be different from that direction, or perhaps we had simply imagined something else ๐
But this doesn’t take away from Las Vegas at all. Once we reached the Strip amidst the glow of the lights, the atmosphere and scenery were incredible! Driving along the famous main street, marveling at the casinos and the bustling streets, was truly amazing!
We had booked a hotel right on the Strip for convenience. The Hilton Vacation Club Polo Towers Las Vegas was a perfect choice. The rooms were spacious, with a small kitchen and balcony, and the location was ideal. The hotel has a pool and rooftop terrace featuring a guest barbecue area with multiple grills. Overall, the hotel was clean and well-maintained. Since the hotel didn’t have its own casino, it was also quite peaceful.
The Las Vegas Strip offers a wealth of things to see and do, and you’ll never run out of activities. Our days were spent exploring attractions and casinos, soaking in the atmosphere of Vegas. Each casino is themed and not just gaming halls but complete entertainment centers. The finished details everywhere were a feast for the eyes.
Vegas is also renowned for its world-class shows, and we attended Criss Angel’s Mindfreak show, which was a fantastic experience.
For more details about the atmosphere and activities in Vegas, you can read the dedicated Las Vegas post โ
Las Vegas also has a few outlet villages, and one day we went shopping at the Premium Outlets. This place is right near downtown, and it took about 10 minutes by car to get there. The outlet village is quite sizable, with over 170 stores offering designer brands, street fashion, and many sports brands like Adidas, Puma, Quiksilver, and more.
We spent a total of 4 days in Vegas. Up until this point on our road trip, we had been constantly on the move, so it was wonderful to finally take a break. Although this stop wasn’t exactly restful, given there was so much to see and do, it was still a well-deserved pause from being on the road.
Hunting for UFOs – Area 51
From Vegas, our journey continued towards San Francisco. Along the way, we passed by the mysterious Area 51 and decided to check out the surroundings. Who wouldn’t be curious about this enigmatic place and what goes on there? Who knows, maybe we’d even spot some UFOs ๐ง๐
Of course, we couldn’t get too close; we drove along a small stretch of road that ended at a gate to the fenced-off area. The area is heavily fenced with cameras seemingly ensuring nothing goes unseen, and practically all we could see inside the fence was desert.
As we turned the car around in front of the gate, we noticed a dust cloud forming inside the fenced area and a vehicle approaching the gate. At this point, we decided it was best to leave rather than stick around to see if they had something to say to us.
And, because Americans know how to do business, right along the highway passing this area was the Area 51 UFO Cafรฉ! It’s called the Area 51 Alien Center, featuring a cafรฉ and a small shop. The place is in the middle of the desert, decorated with a UFO theme both inside and out, offering a range of UFO-themed merchandise. It was a fun place, and visiting Area 51 was certainly an interesting experience.
Stuck in the Sand Dunes
Not far from here, on the other side of the highway, we noticed large sand dunes at Big Dune Recreation Area and decided to take a closer look. We initially drove along a smaller road for a bit before switching to off-road. The dunes seemed close by, but according to the map, it was about 3 kilometers from this smaller road to the dunes.
We cautiously drove through the desert towards the dunes. At first, everything was fine, but as we progressed, the sand began to soften threateningly. We decided to turn the car around and park it in a stable spot, then continue on foot. However, our vehicle promptly got stuck in the sand and wouldn’t move. There we were, just the two of us, with a heavy vehicle stuck in the middle of the desert. Despite the car being an SUV, its off-road capabilities were no match for this situation. With each attempt, we only dug ourselves deeper into the sand.
We had no choice but to search the emptiness of the desert for anything to provide tractionโrocks, sticks, anything. However, everything we placed under the tires sank into the sand. Initially confident that we’d easily get out of this, as time passed and every attempt only sank us further, panic began to set in (in addition to the usual sweat). The sun was blazing down, and temperatures in the desert were around 45ยฐC.
Finally, we found some larger rocks further away that we managed to position under the tires, allowing us to move the car forward. We drove off quickly and non-stop until we were certain the car was on solid ground.
After this episode, we had no more interest in the sand dunes and happily continued our journey once we were moving again. So, learn from our follyโif you visit here, it’s better to walk rather than drive too far!
At this point, it was time to leave the Nevada deserts behind and head towards California!
