Vegas, Baby!

[cbh76]

Hello all-

I will be taking a long weekend in Las Vegas, NV (sorry New Mexico) and I was wondering if any locals or previous visitors could point out some interesting places to photograph. I will try the obvious things like skyline at night and may try making the 3 hour trip to Scotty's Castle in Death Valley if time and wife permits. :)

I will be there in mid April.

[form]

Vegas sign, bellagio conservatory, fremont street, Nelson NV, Venetian indoors and outdoors, etc. Lots of great gaudy stuff here.

[cbh76]

Thanks, Joey!

Any ideas about the Springs Preserve or the Wetlands Nature Preserve? Sounds like they might be a welcome diversion.

[mullkv]

I went to Vegas about eight years ago and the thing I remember most was the Freemont experience!

[reneethomas]

Hello all-

I will be taking a long weekend in Las Vegas, NV (sorry New Mexico) and I was wondering if any locals or previous visitors could point out some interesting places to photograph. I will try the obvious things like skyline at night and may try making the 3 hour trip to Scotty's Castle in Death Valley if time and wife permits. :)

I will be there in mid April.

Where are you staying? We are going to Vegas too, arriving on the 15th. I am shooting for the Spring Preserve myself. Trying to figure out where you can and cannot take your camera. I know you cannot photograph any of the performances you pay to see but what about the free ones like the Circus? I was told the Fremont Street Experience is a must see too.

[FlyingPhotog]

Where are you staying? We are going to Vegas too, arriving on the 15th. I am shooting for the Spring Preserve myself. Trying to figure out where you can and cannot take your camera. I know you cannot photograph any of the performances you pay to see but what about the free ones like the Circus? I was told the Fremont Street Experience is a must see too.

I'd double check with each Casino show room.

We went to see Barry Manilow* (a gift to SWMBO) at the Hilton last year and were bummed to find out afterward that I actually could have taken a dSLR in with up to an 85mm lens.

It does vary from place to place.

(*BTW, the man puts on a helluva show...)

[cbh76]

Where are you staying? We are going to Vegas too, arriving on the 15th. I am shooting for the Spring Preserve myself. Trying to figure out where you can and cannot take your camera. I know you cannot photograph any of the performances you pay to see but what about the free ones like the Circus? I was told the Fremont Street Experience is a must see too.

I'm not sure yet, we are going with a few other couples and we are all staying in a timeshare belonging to a friend. I think it is on the strip somewhere but I won't know until next week.

Anyone made the trip from Vegas to Scotty's Castle in Death Valley? Google maps says it takes around 3 to 3.5 hours one way. I was wondering how accurate that is. I've always wanted to visit there but am afraid I don't have over seven hours to spare.

[alyson]

The Strip. From Mandalay Bay to Wynns.

[dunefreak]

You can get some good shots of the Paris Eiffel tower from the top of the Bellagio parking garage. ;)

[cbh76]

You can get some good shots of the Paris Eiffel tower from the top of the Bellagio parking garage. ;)


Good tip, I will have to remember that one.

Nice shot btw.

[cbbplanet]

i'm going to vegas too on the 5th of april. where would be a good place to get skyline view? and thanks for the tip to go top of the bellagio parking garage! and also, wheres the vegas sign? i go there a lot but never pay attention to where it actually is.

[form]

I remember the one time I went to the wetlands nature preserve east of boulder hwy; it was nothing but tall dead grass and general dry desert. Springs preserve has been mentioned to me before as a wedding location but I haven't shot there.

[jdmcelica]

do the helicopter tour =)

[dunefreak]

Good tip, I will have to remember that one.

Nice shot btw.

Thank you! :D

wheres the vegas sign? i go there a lot but never pay attention to where it actually is.

The LV Welcome sign is at the south end of the LV strip. It's just south of Russell Rd. They recently built a very nice little parking lot right in the middle of the road's median. Too many people were parking on the median and causing accidents I guess. LOL It's nice now because you can just pull up and park without the hassle and worry about dodging traffic in order to get a shot.

[Burnzz]

i'm taking the wife to Las Vegas for her B-day, May 1. We live about 7 hrs. away, we make it down there once or twice a year. Good call to go before summer.

I was able to volunteer at Nellis Air Force base last November for the Aviation Nation airshow. Nellis is next to the Las Vegas Speedway, northwest of town, about seven miles. It is home of the Air Force Thunderbirds.

http://www.tentpeople.com/photogallery2/g2data/albums/Aviation%20Nation/normal_Img_6009.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3298/3333313300_88ec68ea3d.jpg

[5Dmaniac]

Valley of Fire is only a one hour drive from Vegas and well worth a trip - better and quicker than Death Valley IMHO. Also Red Canyon (just outside of Vegas) is a beautiful drive.

[cbh76]

Thanks for all the great tips!

We will only have a car for a day or two, but I will try to make it to Red Canyon.

[cbh76]

Well I'm off in the morning, thanks to all for their great advice, I think we will only have time for Red Rock Canyon, Hoover dam, Freemont Street, and maybe some night time shots of the strip. I'll post some pics when I get back.

[Burnzz]

Valley of Fire is only a one hour drive from Vegas and well worth a trip - better and quicker than Death Valley IMHO. Also Red Canyon (just outside of Vegas) is a beautiful drive.

i've been back a week, stopped at Kolob Canyons and Valley of Fire as we headed into Las Vegas. Thanks for the heads up, would love to go back again.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2129/3527530502_9f9e91f62b.jpg

[cbh76]

I thought I would post some now that I am back.

Red Rock Canyon:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2195/3530451974_ee0e9b1b13_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3596/3530435064_40d92f709d_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2034/3530440006_a2185405d7_b.jpg

[cbh76]

A few more.

The Mirage
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3545/3529639299_9d0f73e076_b.jpg

Inside the Venetian
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2443/3529641649_7de4cd9ef8_b.jpg

[dunefreak]

Looks like you had a good time. Funny, I have almost the exact same pics at Redrock. Those are some good spots. ;) LOL

[cbh76]

We had a great time, just not enough of it.

Red Rock Canyon is an amazing place, will have to go back someday.
We went out there a few hours before our flight back to Reno, had to rush through it unfortunately.

[Burnzz]

finally made it to Red Rocks

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5048/5325338431_dbd9896037_z.jpg

and caught fireworks NYE on the Strip

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5048/5318451949_94dd458a9e_z.jpg

[Gomar]

I was there 2 years ago. Not as exciting or as impressive as I hoped it would be. Mostly because I have seen all of it on TV and movies hundreds of times. Fremont st.(downtown), well, some say it renewed the area; others say it ruined the original decor and view. I agree with the latter, it sure did ruin the old Vegas I was hoping to see. I really was not impressed with the silly and way too loud lazer light show. As for Bellagio's fountains, its just water shooting high up to loud music.

[pgriedl]

I rented a car one night and drove out to Ryolite to shoot the few old buildings and some star trails. It was way out there but you end up with the whole little ghost town to yourself.