What’s new in Vegas? I have been to Las Vegas many times since 1990, mainly because I have family there. In the beginning I would stay on the Strip and visit the casinos but after a while gambling lost its appeal. I think once they stopped paying out in cash and made the video games more complicated it didn’t seem like as much fun. I guess I miss the cha-ching, cha-ching sound and getting my hands dirty from handling the coins.
One of the newest attractions is Area 15. The name is purported to be a take on Area 51, the secret and off-limits government place in Nevada where some suspect it holds secrets of aliens. Area 15 is none of that but some of the activities could be considered “out-of-this-world.” It an entertainment complex that offers unique experiences along with places to wine and dine. Entrance into the world of psychedelic technology is free but the activities or experiences are not. The experiences range from $5 for Brainstorm which creates images based on your brain’s activity to $15 for a virtual bird flight to $35 for an immersive Van Gogh experience.
It is also home to Meow Wolf Omega Mart, an Interactive Surrealist Supermarket, which is part art, part storytelling, part a journey through surreal world with secret portals making it an extraordinary adventure. There are ziplines, interactive golf, dueling axes, restaurants, bars, and shops. Reservations can be made on line.
During my last few trips to Las Vegas I did not visit I visit The Strip or any casinos but this time I decided go to the Strip to take the High Roller, the world’s tallest observation wheel. It is a few feet taller than the one in Singapore which I have been on and the one in Dubai will be a bit taller than both. The Dubai one is scheduled to open this year but there have been many delays.
The giant Las Vegas Ferris wheel is 550-feet tall with 28 passenger cabins which hold up to 40 people each but I didn’t see any of the cabins anywhere near to capacity. The cabins are roomy and there is no need to be seat-belted in. It is so smooth that it is possible to wander around. A narration tells the story of the High Roller. It opened in 2014 and is part of Caesar’s Entertainment. At night it illuminated with colored lights. The complete rotation takes about 30 minutes. We timed it so we could see the sunset. Discount tickets are available for seniors, students, and Nevada residents.
The views are great but what amazed me is how every available space has a building on it. I remember when there were empty lots, huge ones, between the various casinos and it was a long walk from the sidewalk to the entrance of some of the casinos. No more, every inch now houses something.
Nearby there is Slotzilla, a zipline 77-feet high that goes to Fremont Street in a seated position or on the upper level the Super-Hero Zoom takes passenger 1700- feet soaring over the area “superhero” fashion.
I recall being told that there was a Neon Cop in Vegas to make sure there were no bulbs unlit on the neon signs. Well, not anymore because everything is digital. We visited The Neon Museum for the first time but it has been around since 1996. It is where old neon signs go when they “die.” We had to make reservations for the tour which started in the lobby of what was on the La Concha Motel. The tour through the Neon Boneyard Main Collection was interesting and followed a short walking path with benches along the way.
My first stay in Vegas in 1990 was at the Sahara, hum, the guide didn’t mention that when she was sharing tidbits about the Sahara sign. The 188-foor Stardust sign was, at the time, the tallest in the world. There is a row of hotel neon signs. Every sign has an interesting story. There are eight restored signs offsite that are part of the preservation project including the famed Silver Slipper.
There is always something different to do in Vegas besides gamble. On previous visits we went to TV’s Pawn Shop and Mob Museum. One of my favorite experiences while in Las Vegas was flatwater rafting below the Hoover Dam.
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