USA Road Trip 2023 - Part 1 (page 6 of 9)

VIVA VISION LIGHT SHOW 3 - FREMONT STREET EXPERIENCE - DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS - NEVADA

Different performance in part 3.

https://youtu.be/B6m2KDGQkX8

VIVA VISION LIGHT SHOW 4 - FREMONT STREET EXPERIENCE - DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS – NEVADA

Different show in part 4.

https://youtu.be/Og-ZDEsnQ9s

FREE LIVE MUSIC - FREMONT STREET EXPERIENCE - DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS - NEVADA

The best place to see free live music in Las Vegas is on one of the 3 stages at the Fremont Street Experience: Main Street Stage (between Golden Gate and Circa), 1st Street Stage (between Circa and Binion's), and 3rd Street Stage (near Fremont, between Four Queens and The D).

Free concerts by local bands happen every night. Music starts at noon on weekends and at 6:00 PM on weekdays, continuing into the early hours of the morning.

Fremont Street concerts are free 364 days a year. New Year's Eve is the only paid event of the year where you'll need to buy tickets.

https://youtu.be/k__vai6Um-I

CHUCKY - FREMONT STREET EXPERIENCE - DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS - NEVADA

Chucky is one of the characters you’ll run into at the Fremont Street Experience.

https://youtu.be/JB2RuuVmYSY

LAS VEGAS STRIP - PART 1 - NEVADA

Officially known as Las Vegas Boulevard, the Las Vegas Strip is one of the most photographed and visited avenues in the world. The Strip is home to the city’s most famous hotels and casinos.

The Strip is about 4.2 miles long and is bounded by the Stratosphere Tower to the north and the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino to the south.

The best time to visit the Strip and soak up its atmosphere is when Las Vegas lights up in the evening.

https://youtu.be/-pWrAaKmUh4

LAS VEGAS STRIP - PART 2 - NEVADA

Continuing along the Las Vegas Strip.

https://youtu.be/_IMZ4DebOVA

LAS VEGAS STRIP - PART 3 - NEVADA

Continuing on the Las Vegas Strip.

https://youtu.be/cFkXnpjVMmk

LAS VEGAS STRIP - PART 4 - NEVADA

Continuing along the Las Vegas Strip.

https://youtu.be/TQPnUJZmUqQ

LAS VEGAS STRIP - PART 5 - NEVADA

Continuing along the Las Vegas Strip.

https://youtu.be/ySt_rEzmJb4

TOM DEVLIN'S MONSTER MUSEUM - BOULDER CITY - NEVADA

Tom Devlin's Monster Museum is located in the historic town of Boulder City, Nevada, between Las Vegas and the Hoover Dam.

After years of professionally creating monsters, Devlin decided to open a museum to share his personal collection with the world and preserve the art and history of special effects makeup.

We didn’t visit the museum because we were there outside of its opening hours, but the vehicles displayed outside really intrigued us.

I suggest checking out this site if you'd like more information about the museum: https://tomdevlinsmonstermuseum.com/.

https://youtu.be/wMJj_l9-6hs

HOOVER DAM - NEVADA & ARIZONA

Hoover Dam is located in Black Canyon on the Colorado River, near Boulder City, on the border between Arizona and Nevada. It was built between 1931 and 1936 and was inaugurated by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Thousands of workers labored on the dam's construction under extremely difficult conditions, which unfortunately resulted in the deaths of 112 of them.

Filling Hoover Dam created Lake Mead, which stretches 185 km upstream and is one of the largest artificial lakes in the world.

The dam is used for flood and sediment control, hydroelectric power, agricultural irrigation, and domestic water supply for Nevada, Arizona, and California.

Hoover Dam has become a major tourist site and welcomes nearly a million visitors each year.

https://youtu.be/CFd4zgmxKYc

LAKE MEAD - LAKEVIEW OVERLOOK - BOULDER CITY - NEVADA

Overlook located near the Hoover Dam in the state of Nevada. It offers stunning views of Lake Mead and its islands, as well as one of the tunnels of the historic Hoover railroad.

https://youtu.be/3H5ULA9EUmQ

NELSON GHOST TOWN - SEARCHLIGHT - NEVADA

Nelson Ghost Town is, as the name suggests, a ghost town located in the state of Nevada. This remote and wild region once held treasures that few people had ever seen.

The Spanish were the first to discover gold mines here. The Techatticup Mine opened in 1861, and the news spread quickly.

However, shady characters, war deserters, prospectors, and others—all hoping to make a quick buck—flocked to the area, leading to conflicts. Nelson became a booming town but earned a reputation as a rowdy place.

The mine was depleted and closed in 1941.

In 1994, Tony and Bobbie Werly bought the town and turned it into a tourist attraction. The site is a mix of old buildings and piles of all kinds of objects and vehicles.

It has also become a popular filming location. Many music videos and movies have been shot here, including the most famous one, *3000 Miles to Graceland* with Kevin Costner and Kurt Russell.

The site is open for visits, weddings, and photo shoots.

Location: 35.70956, -114.80480

I suggest checking out this website if you'd like more information about this ghost town: https://nelsonghosttown.com/.

https://youtu.be/xDjLpQ5dw4k

SCENIC ROUTE THROUGH JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK VIA THE NORTH ENTRANCE - CALIFORNIA

Joshua Tree National Park is located in the state of California. We entered the park through the north entrance on Park Boulevard, a nearly 100-kilometer road dotted with several viewpoints and the starting point for numerous hiking trails.

Park Boulevard lets you admire the magnificent Joshua trees that the park is famous for, as well as stunning rock formations.

I suggest checking out this website if you'd like more information about the national park: https://www.nps.gov/jotr/index.htm

34.13553, -116.05209 National Park Drive 34.07717, -116.03659 North Entrance

https://youtu.be/SBTwoG-8G0g

HIDDEN VALLEY TRAIL - JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK - CALIFORNIA

34.01237, -116.16810 Start of the trail (counterclockwise) 34.01403, -116.16911 Sports Challenge Rock (climbing rock)

Hidden Valley Trail is an easy 1-mile loop trail located in Joshua Tree National Park in California. Just note that there are stairs and rocky steps at the beginning and end of the trail.

This trail winds through a scenic valley surrounded by large and beautiful rock formations. It also offers exciting climbing opportunities.

Along the trail, you’ll find educational signs about local plants and wildlife.

Between the late 1800s and early 1900s, the valley was used by cattle rustlers looking to stay hidden.

https://youtu.be/W_7DgNcBK0k

BARKER DAM TRAIL - JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK - CALIFORNIA

Barker Dam Trail is an easy 1.1-mile loop trail located in Joshua Tree National Park in California.

The trail winds past multiple stacked boulders that are truly spectacular.

It leads to Barker Dam, where we were hoping to see a beautiful desert oasis, but it was dried up when we visited.

The trail then meanders through the Mojave Desert, letting us discover the plant life of the region, including the Joshua tree, Mojave yucca, and pinyon pines.

Just before returning to the parking lot, there’s a sign pointing to the petroglyphs. The main petroglyph area is on a large boulder right behind the sign.

https://youtu.be/fhAUpS80tew

CAP ROCK TRAIL - JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK - CALIFORNIA

Cap Rock Trail is an easy 600-meter loop trail located in Joshua Tree National Park in the state of California.

You can admire beautiful Joshua trees along the route, as well as spectacular monzogranite rock formations.

33.98914, -116.16357 Trailhead

https://youtu.be/d1Y5Ylx9-Xo

KEYS VIEW TRAIL - JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK - CALIFORNIA

Keys View Trail is a paved loop trail about 400 meters long. It’s located in Joshua Tree National Park in the state of California.

This trail offers stunning views of the Coachella Valley, Mount San Jacinto, Mount San Gorgonio, the Salton Sea, and the San Andreas Fault.

You’ll find interpretive signs along the way with info about the region.

On clear days, you can even spot Signal Mountain in Mexico.

33.926859, -116.187498 Trailhead

https://youtu.be/DL6oGINfKU8

HALL OF HORRORS TRAIL - JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK - CALIFORNIA

The Hall of Horrors is a slot canyon located in Joshua Tree National Park in California. Actually, it’s two slot canyons side by side, hidden in a large rock formation in the middle of the park.

The entrance to the slot canyons is about 600 meters from the start of the trail, which is a 1.1-kilometer loop.

The first slot canyon we visited is very narrow. A large boulder suspended in the air between the two walls of the canyon marks the entrance.

The second slot canyon is a bit trickier to reach because it’s about 4 feet deep due to a large boulder blocking the access.

However, once on the ground, it’s easy to walk around inside the canyon since the passage is much wider than the first one.

Since this canyon has no dead ends, we turned back and climbed the boulder to exit the canyon, then continued our hike to complete the loop, which brings us back to the parking lot.

33.99877, -116.14495 Trailhead (left side) 34.00050, -116.14724 Entrance to Slot Canyons (Hall of Horrors) 34.00091, -116.14683 End of Slot Canyon 1 34.00097, -116.14690 End of Slot Canyon 2 34.00010, -116.14734 Left junction - Return to parking lot

https://youtu.be/5h467YwotQI

SKULL ROCK TRAIL - JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK - CALIFORNIA

Skull Rock Trail is an easy loop trail located in Joshua Tree National Park in the state of California.

This 1.7-mile (2.7 km) loop trail starts near the road and winds through numerous rock formations, some of which have spectacular shapes, including Skull Rock, which looks like a human skull.

It all began a long time ago when raindrops collected in tiny depressions and started eroding the granite. Over time, two hollow eye sockets formed, and the rock began to resemble a skull.

33.99199, -116.06773 Parking (or roadside) 33.99211, -116.06840 Start of the trail 33.99774, -116.05949 Skull Rock 33.99437, -116.06112 Jumbo Rocks 33.99331, -116.05958 Elephant Rock

https://youtu.be/DjNNfwN0eqg