It’s only polite to ask your coworkers what they’re doing for Christmas. The expected response is, “going home to visit with my family” or “staying in town and having a quiet holiday,” and then a response of, “Oh that’s so nice!”

This year, I had a different response at the water cooler, “We’re going to Vegas,” which was responded with either a, “THAT’S AWESOME” (coworkers who have kids and assume we’re taking full advantage of the DINK life) or a, “Oh, that’s different,” (coworkers who think I must be the ultimate sinner).

Sometimes I left it at that (let them think what they wish), however the reason behind our visit to Sin City for Christmas was, we were visiting Kyle’s mom, who lives a couple hours away.  Outside of it being the most convenient place to meet up,  it was easiest on the wallets and just sounded like a good time.

I’ve had a few things on my want-to-see list that just don’t work into the trips to Vegas with my college girlfriends. To say I was thrilled to offer (insist) to do the first draft of our itinerary would have been an understatement.

First stop: The Neon Museum: This place has been on my bucket list since my first trip to Vegas in 2010. The museum is really a graveyard of neon signs from casinos and hot-spots around Vegas, most of which no longer exist.

Next Hot-Spot: The Hoover Dam:  If I’m being completely honest, I’ve never actually ever wanted to go here. It just seemed like a full day of travel into the desert to see a whole lot of wall holding back water. Terrifying. But, when you’re married to an engineer I guess you should expect to be tricked into this activity at some point in your life.

Upon arrival, I immediately changed my tune about the tourist destination. It was cool, but so scary I refused to let us get too close (you know, leaks happen).  While at the end of the day I don’t regret the road trip I definitely wouldn’t go back or recommend it to someone in Vegas for Vegas. I mean, it’s just too overwhelming …

Bucket List Item: Cirque du Soleil Beatles LOVE Show  …Love, Love, Love…. and I left really wondering how I didn’t end up as a circus performer. 

Vegas Rock Climbing: Thinking back on my last 30 years, this has to be one of the coolest things I’ve ever seen. The photos I’m sharing do not do the Valley of Fire State Park any favors because the place is absolutely unreal. For two people who consider themselves outdoorsy because they like eating on patios, we took to the desert wilderness pretty quickly. We spent hours hiking around and climbing the rocks, and I really wish we could have spent another day out there with some proper shoes and jackets. #IWILLBEBACK

Although I’ve been to Vegas now 5 or 6 times, each time gives me unique memories. The city is nothing but fun and adventure – as long as you go into it with the best attitude and a willingness to go with the flow. Whether you’re with your best friends, your fiancé or mother in law, you’re going to have as much fun as you can handle, and that’s what I love about this place.