Vegas: My Second Travel Photography Story

In January 2024, I traveled to Vegas for two days as my college graduation trip, and of course, I brought my camera. This was my second attempt at travel photography. 

Photography always has the power to tell stories and specifically for Vegas, photos will give you a good idea of must-see sights. I know you all are wondering, but I did not gamble once in Vegas and I do not think people need to do that to have the real experience. My authentic experience came from being able to tour the resorts on the strip, which all had their own unique theme. Another thing I loved about Vegas was the plethora of candy shops, and the alcohol choices, as well as the Cirque du Soleil show which was fabulous!

Let’s take a look at this gallery from Sin City!

Fremont Street

This was the first tourist attraction I visited and this is a great nightlife option in Vegas. All along this street is a decorative ceiling that is always changing themes, diverse eateries, bars, and street performers. When I was there, Latin dance music was playing at a booth; I nearly jumped in! It is also pedestrian only, so no need to worry about crosswalks and cars! This street is home to retro hotels and casinos including the Fremont, Golden Nugget, and Four Queens. In addition, there is also an opportunity to go zip lining over Fremont Street, and I wish I had done that!

The Stratosphere

This landmark also has a casino and hotel inside and is found on the north end of the strip. The Strat is also the tallest freestanding tower in the USA and there is even a diagram inside of how they compare to other notable towers! Places on the diagram include the Space Needle, the Tokyo Tower, the Eiffel Tower, etc… At the very top, there is a 360 walkthrough where you can see all of Vegas from above! I did not have the money for this but there is also an opportunity to sky jump off the top of the stratosphere and ride a rollercoaster that hangs off the edge! Luckily I will for sure be back in Vegas and then I’ll ride on the rollercoaster. 

Gordon Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen

No, I would never want to cook with Gordon Ramsey but I still find it amazing that I was able to see the concept restaurant inspired by a reality show. The menu also features signature dishes from the show. As you can see, it attracts a lot of tourists daily! 

The Candy Shop Collection 

Hershey’s Chocolate World

“I’ll take ya to the candy shop!” hahaha! You may have seen other Hershey’s Chocolate stores in places including Niagara Falls, Hershey, PA, NYC, etc… What is unique about the Vegas location is that it is part of the New York-New York Hotel and Casino which means it includes a chocolate statue of Lady Liberty! Don’t eat it though, obviously! Like most Hershey’s stores, there’s a colorful flavor wall of candy, and a bake shoppe that sells a plethora of elegant Hershey and Reese’s desserts. Of course they’re pricey but that also means they’re delicious! 

M&M World

Similarly, there are also several M&M stores all over the world, and this Vegas attraction was actually what I was looking forward to most! As an M&M gal, I searched the entire four floor attraction for the right inexpensive gift for myself and ended up with a brown M&M keychain. But, most of the store had accessories separated by all M&M colors as well as an M&M car in the store! This location was actually the first M&M location ever and like the Hershey store, has a candy wall, both separated by color and mixed! 

Coca-cola Store

Right next to the M&M store, this exhibit is the third one in the U.S. aside from Atlanta and Orlando. Not only does this store sell Coca cola themed accessories and clothes, but there is an opportunity to personalize a bottle as well as sample a variety of Coca-cola flavors with the Taste of the World Beverage tray! Think of wine tasting but with soda! 

Elvis and Marilyn-candy style!

Only in Vegas will you find Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe in It’s Sugar! Hence “Viva Las Vegas”. While there are also many It’s Sugar stores, this sculpture is what makes the Vegas location stand out. That, and the sign next to a life-sized jelly bean on a bench! 

SWEETNESS OVERLOAD! 

I have been dying to go to a Sugar Factory location for the longest time, and finally got to go in Vegas! The rubber ducky is the symbol for this sweet chain and most, if not all locations also have a restaurant where they serve literal “pretty patties” and creative milkshakes! The goblet bar pictured also serves smoky goblet drinks that many celebrities have actually endorsed! While there is so much to say about the Sugar Factory in general, you can find the nearest location near you on the website and enjoy the experience! 

The Strip Themed Resorts Collection

Excalibur! 

Oddly enough, I was not too impressed with this one, but might be because I expected too much going in. I’ve always been a fan of medieval themed buildings, but I did not see much medieval inside. Maybe if I had seen the Tournament of Kings show and the Fun Dragon, it would have been more interesting. But, I even expected the music to be more medieval-esque but instead Sympathy for the Devil was playing! A better place to play that would’ve been Hell’s Kitchen! 

Treasure Island

Why couldn’t the pirate get into the movies? Cuz it was rated RRRRRRR! Funny enough, there used to be pirate shows at this resort where I guarantee you that they would’ve told jokes like that. However, they were stopped when people started turning them into strip shows, boooo! At least the ship is still there, as well as a variety of seafood restaurants! 

MGM Grand

“The Entertainment Authority of Las Vegas”, this is home to the biggest names of music and entertainment. I did not actually go inside, but as you can see, David Copperfield performs there often. 

Bellagio Lobby

When people think of the Bellagio, they think of the magical fountain outside. While that is a notable part of the resort, tourists often leave out the ceiling with the glass flowers! You see them the minute you walk in, and can’t help but to look up instead of trying to navigate through the cluttered crowds. The Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens are also inside with vibrant, seasonal scenes of plants, flowers and trees. When I visited, the garden was Chinese New Year themed, which meant there was a dragon in the garden! It was incredible to say the least. 

New York-New York

On the side of the resort that isn’t the Hershey’s store-the New York-New York has a very realistic Statue of Liberty as well as a 180 degree roller coaster. My cousin rode the coaster and loved it and claimed he could see all the big resorts on the strip from the top! Also, when you look at the resort from far away, it really does look like NYC with the buildings and the Statue! Can’t make it to the actual Big Apple? Just come here! 

The Mirage

Normally, this resort has a volcano show, but by the time I visited, it was in the process of being closed down. This tropical themed hotel was also where my family and I saw a Beatles Tribute Cirque du Soleil! No one was more excited for that than my dad, but I really enjoyed it and highly recommend any type of Cirque du Soleil. Many of the resorts here have shows of some type!

The Luxor

As you can see, this resort is Ancient Egyptian themed and if you look closely at the ceiling, a pyramid shaped building. The Egyptian theater is also known for shows performed by longtime comedian Carrot Top. The Luxor also includes King Tut’s Tomb Exhibition where tourists can learn all about the discovery of King Tut’s mummy, Egyptian murals, and a giant sphinx outside! 

Caesar’s Palace

You may recognize this lobby from the iconic 2009 film, “The Hangover”, but what’s also cool is that it’s Ancient Rome themed! No, Caesar did not live here, but that is a sculpture of him pictured above with me. As you may know, it is one of the most luxurious resorts in Vegas. The architecture, fountain, and Roman statues are what makes this place so worth the visit. There is also a colosseum themed theater where various shows are performed including stand-up comedy by Jerry Seinfeld! When I go back to Vegas, it will likely be to see a comedic act by Seinfeld, and with seeing the colosseum, it’ll be a win-win! 

Paris

Want to go to Paris but think it’s too crowded and far away? Just come to the one in Vegas! The Eiffel Tower is real enough and when you go inside the resort, you’re actually inside the tower! You’ll know when you see the parts of the tower in the middle of the casino. Past the casino area is a Paris like street with France flags, a realistic sky ceiling, Parisian architecture, as well as a couple French restaurants! Outside there is also a realistic Arc de Triomphe! Do I even need to go to the real Paris after seeing the one in Vegas?

Saved the best for last-The Venetian! 

Much like Paris, it is amazing how authentic this place is. I literally felt like I was in Italy with the architecture, the gelato shops, the Italian restaurants, the sky ceiling, the music, and the makeshift Venice Canal! In addition, you can take a gondola ride in the Canal here as well, with gondoliers who dress up in striped gondolier outfits and sing in Italian. It does not get more real than that! I loved this place so much that after the Cirque du Soleil, I visited again! 

This time, I used the camera to capture proof as to why Vegas felt like I was in a bunch of different parts of the world at once. Instagram saw it first but, from Venice to Paris to New York to Ancient Rome and Egypt as well as several candy shops, this was the best graduation trip a gal could ask for. The camera also helped me zoom in on key parts from afar, with the most notable one being the outside of the New York-New York Resort. Even if you don’t gamble, don’t dismiss Vegas or you’ll miss these incredible sights!

Although I am fairly new at travel photography and writing photo essays, still don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions! 

Yes, this photo essay has a P.S. as well! But I thought I’d share a list of cocktails named after hit songs by The Beatles!