My family's traveled to 44 states, but no place has wowed us as much as this Southwestern city
After visiting 44 states and more than two dozen countries with my son and husband, my answer is still always Las Vegas.
Although Sin City has a distinctively grown-up reputation, the abundance of over-the-top experiences found in this Southwestern hot spot also makes it an ideal spot to take kids of all ages.
My tween has been numerous times over the years, and he's always asking to go back. Plus, our whole family enjoys it.
Here's why we love it so much and think it's a great travel destination for families.
Vegas' themed resorts are a feast for the senses
On a recent trip to Nevada, we got a room at the Paris Las Vegas for just under $100 a night. Fortunately, I've found that deals on opulent accommodations like these aren't hard to come by in Vegas, especially when traveling during the offseason.
Plus, we later got upgraded to a 1,000-square-foot suite complete with epic views of the Sphere entertainment arena and its fun projections. Even my tween was impressed.
No matter where we stay, we love walking along the Strip and exploring the fun, elaborately themed resorts in Las Vegas.
Whether we're riding the roller coaster at New York-New York Hotel, eating at the epic Caesars Palace buffets, or watching the Bellagio fountain show, we never run out of fun things to do at these mega-hotels.
There's a wide variety of immersive experiences and shows
Vegas is widely known as the "Entertainment Capital of the World," and the city's ever-evolving array of shows and experiences means that there's always something new to discover.
We've loved the jaw-dropping acrobatics of Cirque du Soleil, the head-scratching magic tricks of Penn & Teller, and the awe-inspiring interactive art installations at Meow Wolf's Omega Mart.
As my son grows and his tastes and interests change, we can continue to explore even more of the city's varied offerings. It's refreshing to have a vacation destination with so many options for fun.
It's easy to take day trips from downtown to nearby desert landscapes
The glitz and glamour of neon lights is exciting, but we don't have to go far to get away from the bustling city.
As a family, we've made unforgettable memories exploring the colorful towers of Seven Magic Mountains, which are about 25 minutes from downtown Vegas.
We've also had fun hiking in the otherworldly Valley of Fire State Park that's just about an hour from the Strip.
Vegas is also conveniently located near several otherworldly landmarks and parks.
Our family has made a day trip out of the two-hour drive from Vegas to California's Death Valley National Park.
Plus, we've driven two hours from Vegas to Utah's Zion National Park, passing magnificent red-rock canyons and snowy sandstone cliffs along the way. As avid road trippers, there are few drives we've taken that rival this one in terms of epic scenery.
Exploring these remote desert landscapes makes us feel like we're worlds away from the big city — but we can still easily enjoy Vegas' award-winning food and resorts at the end of the night.
Luckily, our flights to Vegas are pretty cheap
Fortunately, nonstop flights from our home in Orlando to Las Vegas are both plentiful and affordable. I've seen round-trip flights on discount carriers like Spirit and Frontier go for as little as $120.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
22 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Astronomer recruits Gwyneth Paltrow as ‘temporary spokesperson' amid fallout over viral Coldplay kiss cam clip
Astronomer has a surprising new face as the company navigates a social media firestorm. Actress and businesswoman Gwyneth Paltrow appeared in a cheeky Q&A video posted by the IT company on social media Friday night after two of its top staffers resigned in the wake of an extremely public 'cheating' scandal . Astronomer's CEO, Andy Byron, and the executive in charge of human resources, Kristin Cabot, both resigned after the pair was caught by surprise cuddling and smiling on the Jumbotron at a Coldplay concert in Massachusetts last week. Their smiles fell when they realized they were on camera, as Cabot covered her face and spun away from the camera, and Byron ducked out of the frame. 'Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy,' lead singer Chris Martin joked in the clip. Paltrow, who is also Martin's ex-wife, has been hired 'on a very temporary basis to speak on behalf of the 300-plus employees at Astronomer,' she said in the video. 'Astronomer has gotten a lot of questions over the last few days, and they wanted me to answer some of the most common ones,' Paltrow continued in the video. As text reading 'OMG! What the actual …' appears on screen, Paltrow reassures viewers that 'Astronomer is the best place to run Apache Airflow.' 'We've been thrilled so many people have a new-found interest in data workflow automation.' As a question about the social media team appears on screen, Paltrow jumps in again: 'Yes! There is still room available at our Beyond Analytics event in September.' 'We will now be returning to what we do best: delivering game-changing results for our customers,' she said, thanking viewers for their interest in the company. The New York-based company, which provides big companies with a platform that helps them organize their data, was previously relatively obscure. With files from the Associated Press
Fox News
39 minutes ago
- Fox News
Public shame is having a moment again and the Coldplay kiss cam scandal explains why
Public shame is having a moment again and the Coldplay kiss cam scandal explains why By Kaylee Holland Over the past week, the Coldplay Kiss Cam scandal has completely rocked the internet with memes, social commentary and op-eds since the show took place in mid-July. During the now-viral performance, Andy Byron — former Astronomer CEO — appeared on the Kiss Cam with his arms wrapped around a woman, who was later identified as his company's HR chief, Kristin Cabot. The pair were on the big screen during "The Jumbotron Song," where singer, Chris Martin, improvises songs about couples in the audience. Cabot immediately covered her face and turned away from the camera, while a stunned Byron ducked down and exited the frame. Martin then joked, "Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy." Since then, nearly everyone on the internet jumped in, eager to share their thoughts or jokes on the viral moment, including celebrities, media pundits, bands and politicians. COLDPLAY'S CHRIS MARTIN HAS WARNING FOR CONCERTGOERS DURING FIRST PERFORMANCE AFTER KISS CAM CONTROVERSY "Anybody in here with their side chick or whatever, I think you're safe here," musician Luke Combs can be heard saying during his show, in a video posted to Instagram, taken by a concertgoer. "I don't condone cheating, anymore." Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., used the viral moment to bash New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. "Commie Mamdani holding [Gov. Kathy Hochul] headed for re-election in 2026," Stefanik said on X. Even KFC's official X account joined in with a joke referencing HR oversight: "Just know our sides are always HR approved." The figureheads are among over 6 million others who have watched the video on TikTok alone. Art also imitated life with a "tidal wave of content," Free Press writer Kat Rosenfield said — pointing to a fake statement someone had written on behalf of the CEO, a reenactment by the Phillies mascots at a game and apparel such as T-shirts cheekily noting the moment. "...public shaming has been a staple of human society since the dawn of time, a necessary correction to the social transgressors in our midst," said Rosenfield. "If there's a truly compelling reason not to normalize shaming as a global, always-on public spectator sport, it's not that it degrades the humanity of the shamed; it's not even the trite "who among us has not canoodled at a Coldplay concert with his sidepiece" justification. It's simply this: When we take joy in the distress and ruination of other people, we make monsters of ourselves." LUKE BRYAN'S CHEEKY JOKE ABOUT VIRAL COLDPLAY KISS CAM SCANDAL HAS CONCERT CROWD ROARING WITH LAUGHTER But the fallout was not only cultural, as the company at the center also took action. Days after the incident, Astronomer released a statement reinforcing its values and announcing it had launched a "formal investigation," which was followed by the resignation of Byron as CEO. NYC/DC psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert said he believes the cultural obsession with viral sensations like the Coldplay scandal is the perfect mix of psychology and social media dynamics, and gives society a way to "channel judgment" on smaller issues — allowing for a mob-like mentality. "These scandals offer what I call 'safe outrage.' They give people a way to channel judgment and frustration without touching the bigger, more divisive issues in society. At the same time, they create a shared space for humor and group bonding. Memes and viral posts turn a private embarrassment into a public spectacle where everyone feels like part of the mob," Alpert shared with Fox News Digital. Alpert pointed to other similar patterns society has experienced before, such as mocking the fall of WeWork due to bankruptcy, Elon Musk and the royal family. "We've seen this pattern before: Adam Neumann became a meme when WeWork collapsed, not just because of bad business decisions but because people loved mocking his ego and excess. Elon Musk 's every misstep on Twitter instantly spawns jokes, with users flipping between adoration and ridicule," Alpert stated. INTERIM ASTRONOMER CEO EMBRACES COMPANY'S PUBLIC SPOTLIGHT IN WAKE OF KISS CAM CONTROVERSY "Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's public grievances sparked endless memes and hot takes, not because people care about British royalty but because the drama feels like a stand-in for their own family feuds. Even Will Smith's Oscars slap became less about the actual slap and more about collective projection," Alpert said. At the end of the day, Alpert noted that the reason people hyper-fixate on these types of scandals has less to do with the acts themselves, and more to do with one's own shortcomings. "These scandals are more about our own anxieties about success, failure and power. They are cultural junk food — irresistible, satisfying in the moment, but ultimately empty. In today's hyper-connected world, these narratives have become psychological pressure valves. They give people permission to judge, vent and bond, all while avoiding the larger and more uncomfortable divisions in society." In a New York Times op-ed, author Helen Schulman echoed a similar feeling and noted she was happy to see shame being resurrected, drawing comparisons to not only today's cultural field, but the political landscape and President Donald Trump 's administration. CLICK HERE FOR MORE MEDIA AND CULTURE "...in the age of Trump, it's a strange relief to watch as two fellow citizens come to realize they have done something reckless and inappropriate and not pretend they had nothing to hide. Instead, they did their best to disappear," Schulman said. Schulman also called out the "utter shamelessness" of the landscape she says America is living in, and pointed to the House and the Senate's vote to cut funding for things such as food assistance programs and healthcare. "This is legislation that is inherently shameful," Schulman said. While memes and social commentary continue to make the rounds online, and experts share their opinions about the effects of this cultural moment, Astronomer's new interim CEO, Pete DeJoy, has found the silver lining in it all. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "The events of the past few days have received a level of media attention that few companies—let alone startups in our small corner of the data and AI world—ever encounter," DeJoy shared in a statement on LinkedIn. "The spotlight has been unusual and surreal for our team and, while I would never have wished for it to happen like this, Astronomer is now a household name." URL
CNBC
an hour ago
- CNBC
Astronomer hires Gwyneth Paltrow with a wink after 'kiss cam' viral video
Data company Astronomer may be making lemonade by hiring Gwyneth Paltrow as a "temporary spokesperson" to answer questions in the wake of a viral "kiss cam" video. The company made headlines after internet sleuths identified its CEO and chief people officer as the man and woman seen embracing and then hiding their faces on a "kiss cam" at a July 16 Coldplay concert. Both have since resigned. Paltrow appeared in a television-style spot on Astronomer's social media on Friday making a pitch for the company's everyday strengths. "Astronomer has gotten a lot of questions over the last few days, and they wanted me to answer the most common ones," said Paltrow, who split with Coldplay singer Chris Martin in 2014. Paltrow cut off a question that started with "OMG!" to emphatically say, "Yes, Astronomer is the best place to run Apache Airflow." "We've been thrilled so many people have a newfound interest in data workflow automation," she added. She interrupted another question — "How is your social media team holding ..." — to make a pitch for an Astronomer conference in September. Paltrow concluded, "We will now be returning to what we do best — delivering game-changing results for our customers." CEO Andy Byron resigned on July 19, and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot followed on Thursday, according to statements from the company. Their body language after the camera captured them in an embrace led Martin to remark on stage, "Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy." Astronomer said afterward it was investigating the incident. "Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability," it said on July 18. The company confirmed Thursday that Cabot was the woman in the video. Neither she nor Byron have responded to requests for comment. Astronomer, a New York-based company, helps companies develop, grow, and analyze products using artificial intelligence.
