Emma @ theweekendabroad.com, Author at The Weekend Abroad

Family Vacation: Variety in Vegas

Vegas this time around was for my brother’s 21st birthday, so the long weekend getaway was filled with all your usual Vegas activities excluding nightlife excursions – shopping, shows, and eating good food.

Shows

Zarkana by Cirque du Soleil: The first thing that comes to mind when I recall this show is, “I definitely would not have been able to attend if my parents hadn’t paid for this”. I say this because we paid for the cheapest tickets at $98 per pop. I absolutely recognize the immense work that goes into each Cirque show, but that is a bit much! Nevertheless, I really did enjoy the show. It was filled with some pretty unique and mystical death-defying acts. So much so that two performers tripped and nearly fell while in the act, which sent the audience to a roar of both horror and joy. I still say that my favourite Cirque show to date is Mystere though – I really have never sat that far off the edge of my seat or held my breath for as long as I did during that show.

Brad Garrett`s L.A. Comedy Club: We were fortunate enough to go on the weekend that Brad Garrett (of Everybody Loves Raymond fame) was actually performing at the club, and I must say that this was one of the funniest shows I have ever seen. I was laughing nonstop at each of the four acts, and was doubly glad that I didn`t sit in the first two rows, as Brad makes fun of almost everyone in that section. The club is of the smaller variety with dozens of photographs and portraits of famous comedians draped on the walls, which provides a cozy, intimate atmosphere. If you`re in Vegas, seriously see this show.

Food:

Javier`s Fine Mexican Cuisine at Aria: The most expensive Mexican food I have ever feasted on, but was in fact one of the best enchiladas I have ever had. The decor inside is quite spectacular as well.

Fashion

Outfits in Vegas… (I usually don’t take photos like this, but our hotel room had a full length mirror so basically ‘when in Rome’…)

Some purchases from Vegas:

Camping in Humboldt County

I had the fortune of visiting Humboldt for what will likely be the last time in a while, and what I wanted to highlight during this visit was my camping excursion there. We set out to Trinidad, California, which is nestled beautifully right on the Pacific Ocean, to Patrick’s Point State Park.

The fee to camp and enter the site is $35, which I’ve heard is quite good in comparison to B.C. prices, and I must say the campgrounds are probably the most attractive ones I’ve seen. Each spot is nicely secluded from the others by greenery, as if you each have your own little home in the ‘neighbourhood’. Apparently the park is bustling with visitors during the summer, but I would say there were no more than 15 groups at this campground in the middle of May.

After choosing our site, we set out to explore the beach right by our plot and to walk the various little trails of the park. Patrick’s Point is scattered with numerous lookout points, including the picturesque Wedding Rock – aptly named for its attraction as a wedding photo destination.

I won’t go into too many details, but we definitely had a lovely stay while there. The grounds were incredibly well kept and provided a beautiful and relaxing getaway for 24 hours. You’ll also see and hear some great – and adorable – Californian wildlife during your stay there.