Spring Break: Madame Tussauds Wax Museum
Disclosure: We received free tickets from Madame Tussauds in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.
While D was busy at the Adobe Summit, the kids and I had a lot of free time. We decided to check out Madame Tussauds Wax Museum located in The Venetian Hotel. This was the first time we have ever visited a wax museum.
The idea of a wax museum has always sounded kind of creepy, but fascinating at the same time. k is supposed to do a wax museum project for school where she dresses up as a historical figure, so this was a good experience for her.
The likenesses of the celebrities definitely had me doing double-takes.
There are a ton of good photo opportunities! This museum is pretty hands-on; no velvet ropes that you need to stand behind.
Warning: a couple of the scenes were rated PG-13, i.e. not very “family-friendly”. This is Vegas, after all. I quickly scooted the kids to the next scene.
Since our kids are not very aware about celebrity culture, they did not recognize most of the figures. However, if you are into celebrities, this would be a fun place to visit. Where else can you have your picture taken with the likenesses of George Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Shaquille O’Neal?
The kids’ favorite part of the museum was watching the 4D Marvel movie at the end. Although it was only about ten minutes long, I thought it was a nice addition that added value to the price of the museum ticket.
Get your selfie sticks ready! Madame Tussauds Las Vegas is the only place with no velvet ropes or barriers holding you back from getting photos with your favorite stars! Located on the Las Vegas Strip, under the Venetian Bell Tower, Madame Tussauds invites you to pose with countless figures of internationally renowned musicians, A-list celebrities, sports legends, world leaders, super heroes and more. With several newly renovated spaces, the world famous interactive wax attraction is bigger and better than ever!
Plus, don’t miss your chance to fight crime alongside Nick Fury and your favorite Marvel Superheros, before immersing yourself in the wild Marvel Super Heroes 4D Cinema Experience, featuring high-impact special effects!
Save $5 Off – Show and save! Get $5 off your admission to Madame Tussauds Las Vegas when you present the box office with this coupon. *Present this coupon at the box office and receive $5.00 off each admission. Coupon valid up to 10 people. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Not valid on previously purchased tickets. No cash value. Not for resale. Management reserves all rights. The images show depict wax figures created and owned by Madame Tussauds. 2017 Madame Tussauds. TM & Warner Brothers Entertainment, Inc. Promotional Code: USFAMILY
Spring Break: Our Stay at The Palazzo in Las Vegas
The reason for our trip to Las Vegas was that D attended the Adobe Summit for work. When he told me that he was staying at the Palazzo and that the dates coincided with our spring break, it was a no-brainer.
I was afraid that in between checking out from the Rio and checking into the Palazzo we would be homeless for a few hours. However, we lucked out because the Palazzo let us check in early (before 11:00 a.m.), free of charge and gave us a prime room on a higher level with a view of the Strip. Nice!
Waiting for D to check-in.
We had a Bella Suite, which is 720 square feet. Bigger than our first apartment-ha!
The sunken living room made it feel really spacious. There was also a desk and a dining table so D and I could both be on our laptops.
The kids enjoyed having three televisions, including one in the bathroom!
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Three-sided alarm clock–genius!
View from the 35th floor!
Night view. The kids fought over who pushed the electronic curtain buttons.
Kids, don’t get used to this!
Spring Break: Rio + Pho Bosa + Hash House A Go Go
After our failed attempt at visiting Red Rock Canyon, we drove back to Las Vegas to check into our room at the Rio. The room was super cheap–I think the resort fees were more than the room itself! Sometimes it is nice to be off of The Strip’s hustle and bustle. Our room was a long way from the elevator, which made it really quiet.
Rio is known as an all-suite hotel, and it was nice to have some extra room, although you cannot really tell from this picture.
Spacious bathroom.
The kids quickly made themselves at home.
I looked up restaurants nearby and we ended up at Pho Bosa. We had a prime parking space at the hotel that we did not want to risk losing, so we walked to the restaurant which was about one long block away. The sun was still up and there were no shady people around, so it was fine.
Yelp did not disappoint us! D ordered pho. I tried a little and the broth was really good!
I had the Brisket Banh Mi. The meat was definitely a step above what I am accustomed to in a banh mi.
The kids split a brisket panini. I was wondering if it would be enough for them, and it was.
Especially since we also ordered garlic parmesean tots!
I am a big garlic fan, so this dish was right up my alley.
For dessert, we ordered boba tea to-go.
For breakfast, we ate at Hash House A Go Go in the Rio. According to a quick search of LimByLim, the last time we ate here was pre-kids!
This location is quite more spacious than the one we went to in San Diego.
Knowing about the large portions, we only ordered two entrees for the four of us. We still could not finish our food.
Andys Famous Sage Fried Chicken Benedict served on a fresh split biscuit with tomato, spinach, smoked bacon, griddled mozzarella, chipotle cream scrambled eggs with mashed potatoes. This dish was an explosion of flavors!
We also had the apple cinnamon flapjack. This one was kind of disappointing because it was still dough-y around the apples. I guess it is difficult to cook a pancake when it is this huge!
If we go again, I want to try the chicken and waffles.
Food coma! Hash House A Go Go in Las Vegas has a kid-friendly atmosphere with meals that are perfect for sharing.
Spring Break Road Trip: Red Rock Canyon Attempt + Bobo’s Oat Bars
Our next stop was supposed to be Red Rock Canyon. Apparently, A LOT of other people had the same thought, because when we arrived, it was closed off to incoming cars. We parked on the side of the road and D talked to the ranger. He said that the situation would be reassessed in a couple of hours! Well, we did not have time to wait around, so we headed back a couple of exits and pulled off at Calico Hills, which was still open to the public.
You could still see some red rocks, so that was cool.
We did a short hike. I recently became a Friends of Bobo Ambassador, so I thought that I should bring some Bobo’s Oat Bars for sustenance.
Yup, I’m even rockin’ the Bobo’s t-shirt!
Bobo’s Oat Bars were invented by a mother-daughter duo in Boulder, Colorado. They started selling them at local cafes, and their business took off from there. (Love those types of stories!) These oat bars are so delicious and hearty. I like that they are not overly sweet. They are also dairy-free and gluten-free. These bars make a perfect on-the-go snack! You can find them in stores near you here, Amazon, or order directly from their site. I also visited them at Expo West, and was able to try their new toaster pastries–yum! If you want to become a Friends of Bobo Ambassador, please tell them that LimByLim referred you!
I need to get these two to loosen up for photos!
Although the rocks we were able to see were pretty impressive, I was disappointed that we were unable to drive the scenic loop. I guess we will have to make a return visit!
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Las Vegas Road Trip Stop: Seven Magic Mountains
D had a work conference to attend in Las Vegas that coincided with our Spring Break, so we decided to tag along. On our way to Las Vegas we stopped to check out a public art installation called Seven Magic Mountains, created by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone. It is located about ten miles south of Las Vegas. Currently it is scheduled to be on display through the end of 2018, but its run may be extended. There is a free parking lot, and admission is free. There are no restrooms, so plan accordingly. When we went its popularity was quite apparent.
It would be nice to be there to take pictures when no one else is around.
The colors are so cheerful. I can see why people are attracted to this work of art.
It is always fun to make stops on road trips like this. If you are driving to or from Las Vegas, check it out!
Pleasantly Surprised In Sedona
When I entered our Sedona hotel in the GPS from Slide Rock State Park, it said it was less than ten miles away, but that it would take about fifty minutes! We thought “that can’t be right!”, but soon enough we found ourselves in a one way lane of crawling traffic. We thought “there must be an accident”, but it turned out that it was just everyone trying to get away to Sedona on Friday afternoon of the New Year weekend. We heard from some lifelong locals that the traffic in the past week had been the worst they had ever seen. It seems that Sedona is experiencing some growing pains.
We had booked a night with the last of D’s Marriott points at the Courtyard by Marriott in Sedona. This was one of the nicest Courtyards we have stayed at!
I loved this room! It felt so fresh and modern. It made me want to put a mural in our house. 🙂
This was the view from our balcony.
It was a good thing that we stayed here last. If we had started out with this hotel, we would have been sorely disappointed by the others!
This was the view from the rooftop lounge.
We ate dinner at Gerardo’s Italian Kitchen.
This was basically our only “real” restaurant meal since that fateful night in Holbrook. D and I shared the Liguria Pizza, which had White Sauce, Thinly Sliced Rosemary Potatoes/Crispy Prosciutto di Parma/Fossil Creek Goat Cheese/Mozzarella Cheese/Topped With Baby Arugula tossed in Lemon Oil. Yes, it was delicious as it looks! k ordered kids’ pasta with Alfredo sauce and n ordered a kids’ pepperoni pizza and they shared. The restaurant was pretty busy and the atmosphere was cozy.
On our way out, wed tried a few of these Italian “cookies”, which were kind of like fried wonton strips dusted with powdered sugar. Interesting.
Back at the hotel room, the kids watched some television through our Hulu account.
D took a dip in the heated pool. Yes, he’s crazy.
We awoke to a lovely sunrise.
We took a little drive to downtown Sedona since we did not want to deal with the masses the day before.
The shops on the main street were not open yet, but they looked cute. It seemed like the Red Rocks provided a scenic backdrop wherever we went. If Santa Fe was a bit of a disappointment, Sedona surpassed our expectations.
We saw a turquoise McDonald’s and had to do a double-take.
For breakfast we stopped at Sedonuts. Isn’t their logo ingenious?
A sweet way to end our trip. And no, we did not eat them all in one sitting.
We Made it to Sedona: Slide Rock State Park
The ride from Santa Fe to Sedona was uneventful. Our initial stop was Slide Rock State Park. I had not really read up on this place, but I am glad we took the time to explore this gem.
This was the view from the parking lot. The entrance fee was $10, which is quite reasonable. During the warmer months it is $20. The park ranger kind of laughed when we asked for a map. There is pretty much one main trail that leads to “Slide Rock”.
The trail was about .5 miles long. There were some historical artifacts along the way.
This is the water “slide” that makes this park so popular. It looks a lot more dangerous that I had pictured in my head!
The park ranger said the water temperature was 37 degrees that day.
Someone was crazy enough to jump in!
He did not stay in for long!
Does going down this slide not look super dangerous? Apparently it is a really popular activity in the spring. I wonder how many injuries occur?? I am kind of glad we visited in the winter because I know D would have been tempted to try it if it had been warmer.
The area is so picturesque, though!
Hey…we have a photobomber!
Love the reflection in this picture.
Slide Rock State Park is definitely worth a stop on your way to Sedona!
Santa Fe Botanical Garden: GLOW Review
After resting for a bit at the hotel, we drove to the Santa Fe Botanical Garden to see a holiday display called GLOW. It was described as “an artful illumination of nature”, but I was not sure exactly what to expect. The adult tickets were $10 and kids 12 and under were free.
We arrived around 5 p.m., so there was still some daylight.
There were a lot cozy conversation spots and creative lighting.
I believe they were burning pinon wood.
Loved the luminarias! They were everywhere in New Mexico, even on top of the regional hospital.
This art installation changed colors every few seconds.
This was a fun little local event to check out. They were selling hot chocolate, but n had been ODing on hot chocolate throughout our vacation, so we skipped it. There was also a musician scheduled to perform, but we did not want to stay that late…D had college football to watch at the hotel!
Our appetites still were not back to normal, so we just made a quick stop at Panda Express on the way back to the hotel. Sorry Santa Fe, we just were not up to fully exploring you; I feel like we did not experience all that you have to offer.
A Day In Santa Fe
I had a lingering headache in the morning, probably from dehydration, but was feeling much better than the day before. It was time to explore Santa Fe.
We parked in a parking garage in the downtown area and walked around. Our first stop was the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum.
It is a relatively small museum, and it was fairly crowded that day. We downloaded the app and brought our earbuds for the audio walking tour. Honestly, I did not find it all that interesting, but I am sure true art buffs would disagree.
The front ticket desk let the kids borrow a sketchpad. They were invited to draw sketches of what they saw, and told to return the unused pages. The kids were excited about being able to keep the artist-quality pencils.
We walked to the Railyard District, but did not really know where to go. #PlanningFail This mural was cool, though.
There were hanging chiles everywhere!
We walked by a small frozen river.
Interesting juxtaposition of old church and modern metal sculptures.
Our main destination was supposed to be The Plaza. Unfortunately, we found it somewhat underwhelming. I think The Circle in Old Town Orange actually has more charm!
We shared two fajitas, one chicken, and one beef, from a cart on the Plaza ($5 each).
We saw some people eating Frito Pies, but that really did not sound appealing at that moment.
We did a little more walking.
There were tons of small shops, but we were not in a shopping mood.
We went back to the hotel to rest in the afternoon. On the way we stopped for a snack at a Sonic Drive-In for the very first time. The ordering system was fascinating to the kids. They were disappointed that the employees did not deliver the food on roller skates, though. We explained that the liability risk would be way too high–ha!
Petrified Forest National Park Part II
Although I still was not feeling well in the morning, we proceeded with our plans to visit the southern section of the park and drive on to Santa Fe, New Mexico. D was a trooper, because even though he was not feeling 100% either, he did all of the driving in the morning.
Our first stop was the Rainbow Forest Museum where D went with the kids to get their junior ranger badges while I stayed in the car. We nixed all of the hiking plans we had and just did short walks from the various pull-offs throughout the park.
If you’re curious about what petrified wood looks like, this is it.
It basically looks and feels like wood that has turned into rock.
I am glad these guys managed to maintain good spirits even though I was feeling miserable.
Something was really funny!
Even though we did not get a chance to do much exploring, I feel like we had a good overview of the park.
I continued to throw up bile in the car (with a bag) since I had no food or water in my stomach. After a quick internet search, I realized that I needed to drink water even if I threw it up or I would risk becoming severely dehydrated. Somewhere along our route in New Mexico, I was able to keep saltines and 7up down, and was able to do some driving.
The kids shared a sandwich from Westend Donuts & Deli in Gallup, New Mexico and they said was good. We checked into Comfort Inn in Santa Fe. We took a trip to Albertsons to pick up Gatorade, bananas, and chicken strips from the deli for the kids for dinner. This was not how I had imagined our first night in Santa Fe! 🙁