There are 268 miles between my apartment and Las Vegas, the perfect weekend getaway. For someone who doesn’t spend a lot of time drinking or gambling, you may wonder why Las Vegas is high on my list. Here are a few of my favorite things about Sin City.

1. The shows: Cirque du Soleil, Broadway musicals, Elton John, and my favorite (CELINE!!)  are some of the headliners in Las Vegas. From someone who has seen the Celine Dion show **cough cough** over 100 times **cough cough**, no further explanation is needed. Trust me on this one, you don’t want to miss her Vegas performance. There’s a reason the Celine show (and all the others) sell out night after night. Vegas continues to invest in bringing the top performers to town year after year. I’m even excited to see how Britney fares in sin city.

2. Hoover Dam: Escape the city lights and explore the real beauty of Vegas! Skip the crowded tours from the top of Hoover Dam. Kayak down below! One of my favorite new discoveries this year was a kayak tour with Evolution Expeditions. http://lasvegaskayaktours.com/  After an early morning start at the base of the Hoover dam, you kayak 11 miles down river, with stops that include a sauna cave, Emerald Cave, and various hot springs. So much fun!

3. Red Rocks: About 20 miles West of Vegas, you can enter the world of Red Rock Canyon. Explore the panoramic 13-mile scenic drive by motorcycle, road bike, or drive and park and hike around for the day. You won’t be disappointed! I can’t wait to return and try out some of the harder hikes: Mt. Wilson and Mt. Charleston. There is so much to see!

4. Lake Las Vegas: True relaxation. Lake Las Vegas is my favorite escape. Thirty minutes from the strip and almost always a ghost-town, Lake Las Vegas has everything the strip has to offer with less crowds and gorgeous views. Hotels, Casinos, Restaurants, Pools, and paddleboarding on the lake. Heaven on earth.

What happens in Vegas doesn’t always have to stay in Vegas 🙂

PS – If you find yourself driving from Las Vegas to Los Angeles, I recommend a short little detour of Route 66 to Elmer’s Bottle Tree farm. So fun!

Follow your bliss. Even junk and old glass bottles can become something of beauty.