This was my first time in Vegas.
Also, fun fact, I was born in Phoenix but I had no idea what the city was like until this trip (I didn't stay there long)!
Las Vegas
Las Vegas is a city known for its vibrant nightlife, entertainment options, and 24-hour casinos. It's a place where you can experience a mix of luxury and excitement.
December 22
We arrived in Las Vegas around 7 PM.
After checking into the hotel and dropping off our stuff, we went out to explore the Strip. We had dinner at a Mexican restaurant to start off the trip.
Since my dad had been to Vegas before (for a business trip and before we were born), he acted as our tour guide for the night. The only hotel we visited that day was the Venetian. I was honestly shocked by the indoor river and how they designed the inside to look like the streets of Venice.
December 23
We spent the entire day on the Strip.
Our first stop was Caesars Palace, where we spent about 1–2 hours walking around the Forum Shops.
One of my favorite parts was the art pieces and fountains built in Greek and Roman styles.
The fountain show there was also really fun to watch!
After Caesars Palace, we walked to the Bellagio to see their Christmas setup. There were so many people just taking pictures! I had hot chocolate while enjoying the festive atmosphere.
December 24
We spent our day on the Strip again.
My sister really wanted gelato, so we went to Fontainebleau. Since this hotel is pretty new, there wasn’t as much to see yet.
That night, we went to the baseball park for a Christmas festival. There were so many lights and cool activities. I took so many videos—I couldn’t help myself!
December 25
My mom wasn’t feeling well, so my sister, dad, and I explored some hotels on our own.
The first hotel we visited was New York–New York. It was uncanny how they recreated the streets of New York City inside the hotel.
Later, we went to Planet Hollywood, where my dad bought a sweater from US Polo Assn. because they had a big sale.
That night, we visited Aria with my mom.
Some hotels we visited that I don’t remember the exact day for: Wynn, Cosmopolitan, MGM Grand, Encore, Paris
Hoover Dam
December 25
We drove to Hoover Dam, which marked the end of our time in Las Vegas. The dam was massive and super impressive—definitely an engineering marvel.
We took a guided tour and learned about its history and how it was built. The views of the dam and the surrounding area were breathtaking.
After that, we drove to Zion National Park. The hotel was amazing, especially because of its location and amenities. That night, we ate dinner at Thai Sapa. The food was good, but the service felt a little rude, probably because it was really busy.
Zion National Park
December 26
Early in the morning, we hiked to a sunrise viewpoint (we were a bit late though) called the Canyon Overlook Trail. We were surrounded by mountains in every direction!!!
We had brunch at the hotel restaurant afterward, and the food was really good.
Later, we went on another short hike to a river, though I can’t remember the name of the trail or the river.
We grabbed lunch on the way back and spent the rest of the night relaxing at the hotel.
Grand Canyon + Flagstaff
December 28
This was our only full day in Zion National Park, and it was truly unforgettable. After that, we headed toward the Grand Canyon.
At the Grand Canyon, I took so many pictures and videos of the rocks. Every view looked different and showed a new side of the landscape.
Our hotel was in Flagstaff, so after spending about two hours at the Grand Canyon, we drove there and explored the downtown area.
Sedona
December 29
Around noon, we drove to the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff. It was really interesting learning about astronomy, and I even got to see the sun through a telescope!!
Fun fact: the planet Pluto was discovered at the Lowell Observatory.
We spent a good amount of time there before driving to Sedona.
In Sedona, we walked around downtown and had dinner there.
Antelope Canyon + Phoenix
December 30
We only spent one night in Sedona before driving to Horseshoe Bend, arriving around 1 PM. The rock formation was fascinating, but I wouldn’t recommend going out of your way to see it.
We didn’t stay long because we had a tour scheduled at Antelope Canyon.
Antelope Canyon was absolutely stunning! The way the light came through the narrow openings made everything look unreal. I took countless photos trying to capture the swirling sandstone formations. With certain filters, the canyon looks even more amazing (the picture at the top of this blog is one I took).
After the tour, we drove to Phoenix, where we spent time with family friends before flying back home.
End of Trip
This was truly another unforgettable trip! I got to explore so many natural sights and see some incredible cities!
Below are some of the pictures that I took during the trip:
