NYE in L.A. and Vegas. Ending the Year in Style

Every movie, tv show and the industry in general imprints an idea of what Los Angeles should be, but nothing truly prepares you for the real thing. The city is unbelievable, a total mix of everything you have imagined and more. As we drove from Rodeo Drive to the Griffith Observatory I could only stare wide eyed at the great difference between each area; from the elegance and greatness of Beverly Hills, to the much lower profile of downtown LA or the amazing streets filled with stars by the famous theaters over by the walk of fame. To be honest the actual Hollywood sign had the least of my attention; while there were places like the Chinese theater, the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Sunset Boulevard, you couldn’t keep your eyes on one single spot. Everything about this city was great, entertainment, food, everything was beyond reality.

Our plans for New Years Eve and the day before were to visit Disneyland, the original Disney Park, where everything began. Seeing as we wanted to enjoy both parks we took a day for each, visiting California Adventure first and then spending New Years Eve day at Disneyland itself. Disney California Adventure is truly an amazing place, different from all the others parks you may have visited and filled with a mixture of all that is Disney with a touch of more extreme attractions. Even though it rained late at night, we stayed until the very last second enjoying the rides out in the cold. New Years Eve day had a rougher rush than before, since the event was going to be celebrated at the park, it was filled with people and we could barely get on any rides. This was all worth it when we got to sit on Main Street and watch the fireworks that brought the new year.

To end our trip, we took a short flight to Las Vegas where we stayed for the last few days. It was a dream from the start. We stayed at the Luxor hotel which was like sleeping in a museum of sorts, filled with ancient Egypt all around. Even when you’re not planning on gambling or partying all day, there is a lot to do in Vegas; first off the walk along al the hotels on the Strip will have you busy. Here you can enjoy what every hotel has to offer, from shopping at Caesars Palace, or riding the indoor rollercoaster at New York-New York, you wont be still for a moment if you don’t want to. One of the greatest experiences for me was being surprised with tickets for Cirque du Soleil’s show One. This show in the Mandalay Bay is completely Michael Jackson music, mixed up with the magic of the Cirque; it was unforgettable.