Homage to Harry Potter-Land

Okay, so I admit it. I have loved and always will love Harry Potter. Ever since my little adolescent hands got a hold of the first book, I've been enchanted by the Boy Who Lived. You can imagine my thrill when my sister and I planned a trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando. If you're a fan of Harry Potter, either the books or the movies (or both), I very much suggest you go! I daresay you will not be disappointed. 


The excitement began as we walked through Universal to the entrance of Hogsmeade. I looked up and saw this sign and geeked out a bit:

Respect the spell limits!

Once inside, you can take a walk through Zonko's and Honeydukes. Both looked like what I imagined they would, and sold all the candies and merchandise that were mentioned in the books. My sister was tempted to buy an extendable ear. We decided against it. 

We soon spotted the Butterbeer truck and went running to it. We'd only been waiting 10 years to try it! As expected it was quite pricey, I think about $10 bucks for a mug. But, you got to keep the mug, so obviously it was worth it. Even though I use the mug as a junk collector now. Oh, well. The point is it was absolutely delicious and I will genuinely miss the taste. 

Cheers!

It was around lunchtime when we decided to head to The Three Broomsticks for some food. They had a few options to choose from, and I think both of us opted for turkey legs and some sort of potato side. It was a little cafeteria style, but the decor was awesome. 

The Three Broomsticks

We then moved further into Hogsmeade and came across the Owl Post and Ollivanders. The Owl Post was pretty cute, and I think you could even drop off mail there and it would be stamped with some Harry Potter-esque mark. At Ollivanders you could get matched with your own wand, and purchase ones seen in the movie. We didn't have the time to wait in line to get "chosen" by a wand, but I imagine I would have a nice cherry wood with Veela hair in the middle. I'm just guessing, of course...


After all that browsing, we were ready to finally get to Hogwarts! It was a short trek down the path and all of a sudden, there it was in all its glory:

Hogwarts Castle

We proceeded to get in line for the main event, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. Thankfully the line wasn't too long and we were inside the castle in no time. We got to see Dumbledore's office, the Dark Arts classroom, and a lot of other fun rooms before getting to the ride. The ride was sort of like an interactive roller coaster, not anything extremely fast, but it had so many twists and turns and things popping out at you that I actually got a bit scared! It was so much fun that we went on it again, and if we had the time I probably would have just kept going. We also went on the actual roller coaster in the park, called Dragon Challenge. You could pick one of two Dragons to ride, and it was definitely a rush! After the ride we decided we'd had enough thrill for one day, and got our Harry Potter fix, so we headed back to the hotel. 


And so concludes my review of Harry Potter-Land, aka The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I give it two-wands up! Okay, I'm done with the puns. 


Have you been to to Universal and/or WW of HP? What did you think?

Using Social Media On Vacation

Vacations come in many different styles and one person's getaway can be completely different than the next person's. No matter what type of vacation you're taking, social media can really come in handy. Below are some ways you can use it to your advantage on your next trip.


There are 901 million active users on Facebook (newsroom.fb.com), which means there's a big chance that wherever you go, you'll likely meet someone who uses it. This also means that there's a big chance that the restaurants, hotels, and stores you visit use it as well. You can use this to your advantage to not only get more information about the area, but to possibly score some deals as well. If you can, do some research before your vacation and "Like" some pages of places you know you will be going to. Many companies have giveaways, and some have deals just for people who Like their page. This will be a lot more useful if you have a smartphone to pull up websites, but even if you don't, they might accept a print-out of their coupon or giveaway. 


In 2012, over 465 million Twitter accounts have been created so far, and one million more are created every day(infographiclabs.com). Like Facebook, Twitter is a great way to get information and connect with businesses on vacation. However, Twitter is the way to go if you want information now. Many companies update their tweets multiple times a day with relevant information. This is a huge benefit to you because you can access any deals or giveaways at any time, wherever you are (as long as you have a smartphone or device to use Twitter). Before you get to your destination, try to follow as many businesses as you can that you're interested in. An easy way to find these businesses is to hashtag the city name (i.e. #SanDiego). Chances are you'll find a few companies in the area that will use that hashtag, and once you start following them, Twitter will start giving you suggestions under "Who to Follow". This really comes in handy! I've personally seen some restaurants offering a free meal for new followers. It really is a great way to get to know the area, and possibly get some free stuff along the way. 


For restaurant reviews while on the go, Yelp is a great App to download. Foursquare is also really helpful while on vacation. You can share your own experiences and get personalized recommendations. What's also neat is that you can "Check-In" to certain places, and sometimes there will be a check-in special, like a free drink or appetizer. Score!


As you can see, there are many ways to use social media to your advantage while on vacation. While some people may enjoy leaving their phone in their hotel room and checking out of the hi-tech world, there is no doubt that using social media is advantageous and can get you some cool stuff along the way. There are many more social media websites and apps that I did not list, so go explore the online social world and see what you find! 


What's your favorite social media application?

How to Have the Best New Year's Eve Ever

If you are planning on spending New Year's Eve in the States, I highly suggest traveling to Miami. Obviously every big city will have over-the-top celebrations, but Miami is perfect if you enjoy warm weather, glitz and glamour. I had the best NYE of my life, and didn't even end up spending all that much. You can too, if you plan appropriately and don't mind taking some risks. Here's how below:

Me and some friends were on vacation at the end of December and had a few days to spend in Miami before boarding our cruise. We ended up staying at a pretty cheap hotel by the airport and it turned into a sort-of nightmare, but we powered through it. Apart from the extremely rude front desk worker who would not accommodate us in the least, our room never being cleaned once in a 3 day period, and most of the room falling apart, we had a pretty good time.

We had decided to stay a few days in Miami before the cruise because we had tickets to a New Year's Eve party downtown with Nicki Minaj and figured we would want some recovery time. Tip: If you're looking to go to an amazing New Year's Party in a big city, go to newyearseve.com (I'm 90% sure that's the website we used). I googled "New Year's Eve Miami" and a few sites came up, and this website had a huge list, and a couple clubs that featured big name acts. It came down to Nicki Minaj or Lil' John, and it didn't take long to decide we'd rather party with the Queen Barb herself. We purchased the tickets around the 1st or 2nd of December and at that time tickets were at $50.00 for ladies, and I think around $100 for guys. We were a little apprehensive about these tickets, so we called the club beforehand to ensure they take these tickets we purchased online and they would have them at will-call. They did, so we decided to buy them, and it's a good thing we did because a few days later they went up to $100, and then a few days after that to $150! If you can plan in advance for New Year's, it's always best to do so as it may save you a ton of money.

After spending a couple hours getting ready, we called a cab and headed for downtown Miami. We were staying by the airport, so it was probably a 10 to 15 minute drive downtown, but so worth it to see the lights from the city as we drove over the bridge. The party was at a club called the Mansion, and we probably arrived around 10 pm or so. We wanted to make sure we could take advantage of the free drinks as long as possible. Oh, I didn't mention before they were free?!? Well, they were, and we certainly made use of that. The theme of the party was "All Pink Everything", and Nicki was not kidding. Everything was pink and sparkly and what I imagine heaven looks like. We had a blast walking around and taking everything in, taking a bunch of pictures with strangers, and getting excited for Nicki to show up. We also noticed people from the VIP had masks and hats, and we wanted some as well. We ended up meeting some people that so very nicely gave us the masks, and the hats. Either that or we stole them, I can't remember. That part's a little fuzzy.

It was nearing midnight, and by that time we were in the main room of the club dancing the night away. Pretty soon we heard that Nicki had arrived and the whole club went crazy, and then she made her appearance. She then led the countdown to midnight and it looked something like this:

New Year's Eve at the Mansion

Soon after, me and my friend decided we wanted to get a little closer to Nicki and ended up sneaking our way into VIP. We were already dancing on a platform, so we "snuck" into VIP by stepping down onto a couch and into the VIP area. Pretty stealthy work, I know. No one ended up seeing us, or no one cared, and we got right up to the stage. Nicki was sitting at the side of the stage and I really wanted her attention, so I started jumping up and down and waving my arms and screaming her name. It worked! She looked over and actually stared at me for a few seconds. I was happy with that, so I stopped. She then came to the front of the stage and everyone went crazy trying to climb up and take a picture with her. Naturally, we wanted one too, so we ended up asking some strangers if they would so kindly lift us up so we could get some pics, and they did. Both of us had her sign our hands and got a picture with her, and my friend actually got a hug from her! It was a-maze-ing.

Nicki arriving to the club

So, to recap, we spent just $50 each and got admission into the most beautiful club I've ever been to, free drinks all night, souvenir masks and hats, and meeting Nicki Minaj. It was the best NYE ever, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Why did I get stuck next to this person? And other "ugh" moments

It happens to the best of us; you're excited to take off to your next adventure, when suddenly you notice the person you're sitting next to smells, or talks too much, or takes your arm rest. The list can go on and on. Here are my top "I can't believe I got stuck sitting by this person" type of people. 


1. Crying children


Now, I realize that kids will be kids and some may have meltdowns at times. I also realize that parents may not be able to control their crying child due to illness, or being scared, or what have you. That being said, it is one of the worst things to be seated right next to or in front of a kid that's throwing a temper tantrum. It always seems to be right when you're trying to relax or fall asleep, too. Those ear piercing shrieks make me want an Appletini or two, and fast. 

2. Ew, You Smell

The scene: You're trying to enjoy your packet of pretzels and cup of Coke, when suddenly you are hit smack in the face by a most unpleasant odor. You look to your right and you see the culprit, your seat neighbor eating her egg salad sandwich. Um, ew!?!? First of all, rude! Secondly, where are your manners, miss? Surely it is common sense not to bring something that smells that God-awful onto a plane, or any type of small space that you share with others. And, scene. 

Another version of the Smelly Person was one I personally experienced while waiting at a terminal for a flight out of the country. I was already feeling a bit on-edge as it was my first time flying internationally and I had lots of things running through my mind. My boyfriend and I were seated next to each other and he left to go get a snack, and set his backpack in front of his chair. I started reading my book and a few minutes later felt someone sit next to me. Thinking it was my boyfriend, I didn't look up, until a few moments passed and I noticed this horrendous smell. Sort of like B.O. mixed with garlic mixed with rotten eggs. I looked over and a strange lady had taken his spot. Not wanting to be rude, I took a few moments to think of what to say to not hurt her feelings that she had taken his spot. I ended up with the generic, "um, excuse me, sorry but that's my boyfriends spot" with a meek smile. She tore her eyes from the Michael Jackson special on the TV (he had just passed recently) and gave me a glare. "NO, I am NOT moving" is all she said (shouted, really), and quickly turned back around to watch TV. I couldn't believe she had just said that and I got really embarrassed as everyone seated around us looked at me and gave me the "Oooh, that's awkward, I feel for you" look. Not only was she the rudest person I had ever encountered in my life, but she was the most horrible smelling person as well. This includes the wandering cross-dressing prostitute we encountered in Paris (and that's saying something). WHO was this vile woman and WHY did she smell so bad?? I will never know, but I was able to get back at her after we were called up to the gate over the loudspeaker and told we were upgraded to first class, so naturally I waved the tickets in her face as we were leaving and said "Gotta love karma!"

3. The Talker

Usually I enjoy a light-hearted chat with a stranger whenever it comes up, but normally those only last a minute or two, and are either about the weather, or some type of current event. I'm definitely not anti-social, however I enjoy my peace and quiet when on a plane. I do not want to hear about your latest ailment, where your kids go to school, or your in-depth itinerary of your vacation, unless I ask. Of course, I never ask The Talker, because he/she doesn't care if I really want to know these things or not. They're just talking for the heck of it. At this point I usually pretend to fall asleep, or put on the good ol' headphones. 

4. Ignorant People

There are many types of ignorance, however I'm specifically talking about the ones who do not follow and do not care to follow the rules. When the captain says to turn off all of your electronics, he means it. This does NOT mean that you can sit there on your stupid phone, pretending to not have heard, or worse, thinking you're above the captain's orders. If the plane ends up crashing because your stupid phone or electronic was on the whole time, I am forever blaming you. 

All of the above know how to ruin a perfectly good plane ride. Is there anyone you would add to your list?

Independence Day: How America Celebrates

Every year as the Fourth of July approaches, I always picture my holiday going something like this:

A friend knocks on my door, wanting me to hurry up and get outside to play a game of night baseball. We run slow motion through the neighborhood, while the neighbors enjoy a large barbecue on the street complete with string lights and sparklers. Meanwhile, fireworks are going off, casting just enough light to play in the dark, and Ray Charles is slowly and soulfully serenading us with "America the Beautiful". Yes, I just described the best scene from the movie The Sandlot, and I still wish every year this would happen (although instead of baseball, I think I'd prefer enjoying drinks on a boat). 

Part of the finale-taken by my phone

My usual 4th of July is a lot less glamorous than I'd like it to be. However, this year I'm determined to make it the best one yet. It's already started off on a great foot with our local  fireworks show. It's a big production and music is played over the loudspeakers in time with the fireworks. It was so much fun and exactly what I had imagined. 

The park at dusk

While this holiday is typically marked by fireworks and barbecues, I decided to do a little research and see what some unique and fun traditions are being celebrated across the country. These are my top favorites:

1. Welcome America! Philadelphia's 4th of July Celebration

• Being America's birthplace, I would definitely expect a big show from this city, and it looks like they deliver! They start festivities a week prior to the 4th, and some events include the Taste of Philadelphia, outdoor movies, a fashion show, and more. On the 4th, you can begin your holiday with a history lesson, listening to speeches and excerpts from the Declaration of Independence. After follows the parade with hundreds of participants. Then comes the Party on the Parkway, an all day event with blocks and blocks of entertainment to enjoy, including three music stages. Finally (and my favorite part), the "Largest Free Concert in America" starts on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, and an amazing fireworks show over the Philadelphia Museum of Art. http://www.welcomeamerica.com/

2. Boston Harborfest

• There are over 200 events going on for the holiday in Boston, and over 40 on the actual day. Some highlights include a walking tour of Boston, USS Constitution Cruises which feature a 21 cannon salute to the Country and an appearance by the Blue Angels, a mini show by harbor seals, a tour of a burial ground, a reenactment of the Boston Tea Party, and of course, amazing fireworks. http://www.bostonharborfest.com/index.html

3. Fourth of July in Colonial Williamsburg

• Being the history nerd that I am, I have to include Colonial Williamsburg. I was able to visit C.W. when I was a kid, and it was one of the coolest places I'd ever been to. For those who aren't familiar, it is basically a large village (a few hundred acres) with hundreds of buildings all restored to look like Colonial times. You can go into all of these buildings, most being shops, restaurants, houses, and businesses. There are also people dressed in character that will talk to you like they would have back then. Okay, so this may not appeal to everyone, but like I said I'm a nerd and I think it's awesome. Anywho, back to the 4th of July. It is an all day event, complete with an "old time" parade, multiple bands, a symphony orchestra performance, and ultimately fireworks. http://www.colonialwilliamsburg.com/

4. San Francisco's 4th of July on Fisherman's Wharf

• I was 12 the last time I was in San Francisco, and I remember visiting Fisherman's Wharf and can imagine it being a lot of fun for this holiday! There are a lot of live bands going on at Ghirardelli Square and Pier 39, as well as cruises to take, and San Francisco's firework show over San Francisco Bay. http://www.fishermanswharf.org/

Whatever your plans are for this 4th of July, have a safe and happy holiday!

The Art of Packing

Hello, and welcome to my first edition of The Art of Packing. I call this the first, because I'm referring to packing for trips ranging from an overnight to a couple weeks vacation. This won't apply to packing for a move, a long term study abroad trip, or any other trip lasting over a couple of months (That packing list will come later). Also, please keep in mind that I am a woman in my early twenties, and as my name suggests, I like to travel in style when possible. I am writing this for like-minded individuals, and/or for those who will appreciate the advice.


I like to think I am a pretty good packer (though I do not come close to my mom-the professional. Hi, Mom!) as I have had a good amount of experience. Unpacking is a completely different experience and I am terrible at that part (I still have an un-emptied suitcase from 2 weeks ago).


So, let's get started. I will first begin with overnight trips, as they are the most common, and easiest.


How to Pack for an Overnight Trip


My friends always laugh when I arrive for an overnight trip with my rolling suitcase in hand. "Why do you need a suitcase for one night?!" is usually the response I get. However, I always bring it, because for one, it fits everything, and two, it's always best to be prepared. That being said, here is a list of what I always pack in my suitcase (mind you, it's a small suitcase):


1. Toiletries bag with travel-sized toothpaste, shampoo & conditioner, deodorant, hairspray, lotion, floss, toothbrush with cap, brush, comb, Chapstick, sample sized perfume, hair ties, razor, bobby pins, Q tips, small pack of Kleenex, and nail polish. It's very easy to forget one of these things, and they all come in handy at some point.


2. The "Unmentionables" aka under-things of your choice. I always pack a pair of socks too even in the summer as you never know when cold feet may strike. Also, don't forget a strapless bra!!


3. The bottoms: One pair of dark jeans, one pair of jean shorts, one pair of colored shorts. This can obviously be changed depending on the season, but I'm writing this for warmer weather.


4. The tops: One going out top, one sweatshirt/zip up, one casual top.


5. I always pack one dress, either a going out dress or a summer dress depending on the occasion, and it doesn't take up much room.


6. Don't forget overnight clothes!! This has happened to me one too many times!


7. For shoes, I usually just pack a fancier going out shoe, as I'm usually already wearing some flip flops, and between the two, that's all you should need for a short trip.


8. The randoms: A clutch, eye mask (I am a very light sleeper), book (for car rides if needed), and a pillow if you can fit it. Usually I can, which is great because then you only have one thing to carry.


And voila! You are now done packing for your trip! Easy, huh? You're welcome. :) 

City of Sin

The last time I paid a visit to Sin City was when I was 10 years old, approximately 13 years ago, to visit relatives. As one would guess, I wasn't able to partake in any wickedness the city is known for. I made up for that with my recent trip to Vegas.

I had covered the basics of Las Vegas in 2000; touring the Strip, seeing Sigfried & Roy's white tigers, going on the New York, New York roller coaster, taking in the light show on Fremont Street, and the like. This time around, yours truly got to see a whole lot more of Las Vegas. Unfortunately I can't share everything with you, (what happens there stays there, remember?) but will be happy to tell you my travels and tips!

Our hotel view-love those mountains!

My three-day trip first began when my boyfriend and I (whom I will refer to as 'S') got a good price on a hotel not too far from the strip. They had a great deal going on at check-in where for $50 dollars you could pick two tickets to a large variety of shows, plus get 2 free buffets and $50 worth of playing money at the Luxor. Sounds awesome, right!? Like any deal, it was mostly too good to be true, as we had to endure a 1.5 hour spiel about time shares. But, we got an additional free lunch out of the offer, and once the presentation was over we were on our way (and feeling pretty good we didn't cave and buy).

For the show, we chose Cirque du Soleil's Mystere. I had previously seen Saltimbanco and loved it, and wanted to add another Cirque show to my plate. Mystere was interesting, for lack of a better word. The acrobatics were amazing, but I was a little thrown off by the theme-and the adult baby that kept making an appearance throughout the show. Don't get me wrong, it was a great show, but I probably would not go see it again. After the show we decided to take a stroll down the Strip and use our gambling money at the Luxor. I had forgotten how much fun it is to see the hotels and all that they offer! In the casino, I decided to try my hand at Black Jack, which I had never played before (or any card games, for that matter). Both me and S ended up ahead, so we erred on the side of caution and decided to stop. It was so much fun though-I can't wait to play again! After that, we headed down to the buffet area and I was overwhelmed at first. Sure, I'd been to a buffet before, but nothing like that. I spent a good five minutes planning my strategy and execution, and quickly decided salad bar was out. Who was I kidding, I was going to end up with five desserts anyway, so no need to have salad take up any space. Even after all that planning, I ended up taking those desserts but not having room for any of them. Later, we decided to go out on the town. I foolishly wore a pair of black heels that night that I hadn't worn for over a couple hours at a time, and by this point I'd been wearing them all day. So naturally, by 9 PM, I wasn't up to much walking. I decided to power through it as this was our only night to live it up in Vegas. We went to a couple bars but realized it probably wasn't the best night to go as it was a Wednesday night during the off-season, and there were not many people around. That didn't stop us from having a good time, though. After an hour or so I suddenly remembered that I had to check off one of my Bucket List items: dancing on the bar at Coyote Ugly. Ever since I had seen that movie I promised myself I would do it one day. Not wanting to disappoint my 12 year old self, we went to New York New York and visited the bar there. It was not very crowded and I wasn't so sure about getting up there anymore, and I kept waiting for a good song to come on. Finally after about 5 subpar songs, I decided to just get up there. I danced around to a stupid 80's song and came back down. Sadly, it wasn't up to my expectations, but I was glad to be able to check it off my Bucket List! Next time I'll have to visit the real Coyote Ugly-Hogs and Heifers Saloon, and maybe then I'll feel a bit more satisfied. 

The Strip At Night

The next day, we got up early and went back to the strip. We had originally planned on going swimming, but as luck would have it we were there during an unseasonably cold streak, so we decided to visit as many hotels as we could and do some exploring. With so many different themes and activities, it's hard to pick a favorite hotel! I really liked the style of the Venetian, with the indoor canal and gondola rides available. It let us have a small taste of what Venice might be like. 

The Venetian

When I was 10, I remember walking into the MGM and having that feeling of being overwhelmed and in awe of the sheer size of everything. This time around, I was starting to wonder if I'd get that feeling again. We had stepped inside nearly every hotel on the Strip and while I admired every one of them, I still hadn't gotten that "feeling". Granted, I was about 4 feet tall back then so everything looked bigger-but still. Finally, the lobby of the Luxor changed my view-it was huge! I was a happy camper and glad to have the feeling of awe back. 

The Luxor Lobby

That night, S told me he had a surprise for me and of course a thousand things were running through my head; A helicopter ride over the city? Tickets to a sumo-wrestling match? A life size sculpture of me made out of candy? After all, this was Vegas and virtually anything could be possible. He led me to the Mirage Hotel and there he surprised me with tickets to the Beatles Love Cirque du Soleil show. I had wanted to see this show SO BADLY and had a hard time trying to contain my excitement. After jumping up and down and making a bit of a scene, we waited in line for the doors to open. Finally we were let in to the lobby and it was awesome, it was decorated exactly like I imagined it would be; tons of colors,  fun props and of course, Beatles music. 

Walking into a Beatles Wonderland

We were then led to our seats and I kept wondering when the guy would stop walking and point us in the direction-he kept getting closer and closer to the stage and I started getting more and more excited, until we were directly in front of the stage in the first row. I looked at S and thought there must be some mistake-I had never been this close at a show before. It wasn't a mistake, so I sat down and thanked my lucky stars-and S-and waited for the show to begin. It is hard to describe the whole show, and I don't want to give anything away, but it was honestly the BEST show I had ever seen in my life. If you love Beatles music, or even like it somewhat, you have to see this at some point. It showcased a good 20 songs, and every song had its own theme. There was so much going on, and I would say it was a 4D experience. I was amazed throughout the whole show, and didn't want it to end. If you ever have a chance, GO SEE IT!

After the show, we headed back to the hotel to get a good night's sleep, as we had to get up at 5 AM the next morning! We had purchased tickets for a bus trip to the Grand Canyon and Skywalk, and while I was excited it was hard to be enthusiastic about anything at 5 in the morning. Since we purchased the tickets online, I wasn't sure what to expect about the whole thing, but once we got to the tour headquarters I felt more at ease. They gave us more detailed information and sent us off with coffee and a granola bar. Our bus driver was great-really funny and knowledgable. We drove through Las Vegas and the surrounding counties until we hit the Hoover Dam. I hadn't seen it before, so it was nice to have a few minutes for pictures. 

Hoover Dam

After that, we got back on the bus for another two hours. I hadn't realized how far away the Grand Canyon was from the Vegas area. I had always assumed it was pretty close but it is actually a good 3 hours away. No wonder this trip was designated 12 hours on the website! But, our tour guide had great commentary along the way and entertained us pretty well. After a long and bumpy road, we had finally made it to the Grand Canyon! It was definitely worth the drive as it's not very often you get to see a view like this:

Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon experience was different than I imagined. I had always pictured it as being very sunny and hot, while climbing up and down various hills and spotting tourists on donkeys every now and then (blame it on the movies, or maybe I just totally made all that up in my head). It was a tad different, as we were there in November in the coldest week they'd had (low 50's), and it was cloudy and windy. Also, I didn't spot any donkeys. However, the weather didn't change the amazing view of the Canyon, and it was truly spectacular. It definitely put things into perspective for me, seeing something so naturally breathtaking. I also never knew how close you could get to the drop-offs as there are no barriers! You could literally fall right off! Every time I got about five feet from the edge I got a little dizzy and a big adrenaline rush and decided to knock it off and be sensible. S and I had a really fun time with our mini photo shoot and have some great pictures to show for it. 

We also had tickets to the Skywalk, which is pictured above. It's built so it juts out approximately 70 feet over the edge and the drop from the Skywalk to the ground below is between 500-800 feet. The floor is made entirely of glass. Camera's and any other personal items are not allowed on the Skywalk, so if you want a picture you have to purchase one. There are a couple photographers on the walk that take multiple pictures of you in different poses. We ended up choosing one that looked like we were about to fall off the ledge. Yeah, a bit cheesy, but you just gotta do those things once in awhile. We were able to stay on the Skywalk for about 10 to 15 minutes. If you ever visit the Canyon, I would say spend the extra money and get a Skywalk ticket, it was definitely worth it and added a unique perspective of the Canyon. 

After the SkyWalk we had one more trip to the Hualapai Ranch, a Western/Cowboy themed place not far from the Skywalk. The brochure said there would be a "Wild West Show", so again, I got excited thinking it would be like the movies; an old fashioned cowboy quick draw. It may have been because we were there during the off-season, but it looked more like a ghost town than anything else. There wasn't any type of show to see, but there were little stations set up where you could throw a tomahawk, learn how to rope, and quick draw. We tried our hands at roping and it's a lot harder than it looks! I was a little better at the tomahawk throw-and a little better than S. :)

It wasn't perfect, but at least I hit the board!

We ended our trip with a red-eye flight back home, very tired but happy we could fit so much in our 3 day trip. Las Vegas has so much to offer, you definitely can't see it all in one vacation. I can't wait to come back and make some more memories! What's your favorite Vegas memory?