Tokyo Disneyland

     Greetings audience! This is Stephen Gaiber: The Autistic Traveler and right now I am going to discuss part II of my Asia Disneyland trip by talking about both Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. First let me tell you that the Disability Assistance Card is harder to use in Tokyo than Disneyland or Disneyworld or even Shanghai Disneyland as a lot of people in Japan don't speak English and I had a hard time communicating with them particularly for the Monsters Inc: Ride and Go Seek. They also ask what type of disability you have and because of how hard it is for them to understand it can be hard for them to know that it's just difficult for you to wait in line. They mistook my difficulty of waiting in line and thought I needed someone to go on the rides with me. It's not as disabled friendly as the other Disney parks and it can be exceptionally annoying to show proof of disability, which is not even legal in the U.S. Also the technology isn't great because there's no wi-fi in the park and the app is only for those with a Japanese cell phone. It also is exceptionally crowded. Despite these setbacks, it's a big and fun park with a lot to see.

     The park is currently doing a lot for its 35th anniversary and advertising it throughout the park. It opened on April 13, 1983. It has a lot of things that Disneyland and Magic Kingdom have to offer such as World Bazaar, which is the equivalent of Main Street U.S.A., Adventureland, Westernland, Critter Country, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, and Toontown. There are a lot of rides that, despite being similar to those at other theme parks I've enjoyed, I can't wait to tell you about.

      I am now going to talk about the rides and attractions at Tokyo Disneyland that I enjoyed. I liked It's A Small World. For those who don't know, it's a boat ride that shows people from all different countries as well as diversity. In Tokyo Disneyland it also shows characters from different Disney movies, such as Lilo and Stitch, Frozen, Finding Nemo and Dory, and Moana. This ride is a lot of fun and the song "It's A Small World After All" is extremely catchy. You can find the ride in Tomorrowland.

     Another one of my favorite rides is Pirates of the Caribbean. Unlike the one at Shanghai Disneyland, this is the same experience like the one at Disneyland and Magic Kingdom. It's a boat ride that shows pirates robbing and causing trouble. Throughout the years, they've updated the ride to match the movies, so there are Captain Jack Sparrow and Barbosa and the dog with the keys in the jail scene. This ride is a lot of fun. Another ride that is a lot of fun is Jungle Cruise. It's another boat ride with animatronic animals that act like actual animals, such as hippos and elephants. It also shows Indians. This is a wonderful ride to explore a fictitious jungle.

     I also really enjoyed Tom Sawyer's Island, which is a little island where one would have to take a boat to. It's a land full of wonder and exploration where one can take a wonderful walk and site-see what's around the island. I hope one would go exploring there. Even though the attractions are very similar to Disneyland and Magic Kingdom, one would still have fun seeing them at Tokyo Disneyland.

    It wouldn't be a time at the Disney parks without seeing entertainment, parades, and fireworks, especially for the 35th anniversary. There is an amazing daytime parade called Dreaming Up! The parade features all types of Disney characters celebrating the 35th anniversary. Those characters include Aladdin and Jasmine, Beauty and the Beast, Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Pinocchio, and Big Hero 6, as well as many others. This is a fun activity midday to check out and be reminded of what makes Disney so amazing. The best way to end the evening is to check out the nighttime celebration Celebrate! Tokyo Disneyland. It shows all the wonders and attractions of Tokyo Disneyland and how it has grown and expanded throughout the years. It ends with fireworks.

    Well, let's now talk about the second Disney park at Tokyo Disney, Tokyo DisneySea. This park opened on September 4, 2001. Let me give you the summary: While I did like the park, I felt it didn't capture the magic of the other Disney parks I have been to. The only two parks I like this better than are California Adventure and Hong Kong Disneyland. I do think it's beautifully scenic and has a lot to offer, such as the canals that represent Venice, the Aztecs from Chichen Itza, and a volcano. It has a lot of Disney attractions, such as Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror, Toy Story Mania, and Indiana Jones: The Temple of the Crystal Skull. There are also some different rides, such as Sinbad's Storybook Adventure, Raging Rapids, Nemo and Friends SeaRider, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Journey to the Center of the Earth. This park displays all the water and ocean scene of all the parts of the world.

     Well, it wouldn't be a Disney park without meeting some characters and some entertainment. Some of the characters I met include Jafar and Frollo. The Disney parks were prepping for Halloween a month and a half early since they were advertising all the villains. One show to check out would be Happiest Celebration on the Sea to celebrate Tokyo Disney Resort's 35th Anniversary. It was a fun visual boat show lasting 10 minutes. Unfortunately, due to rain, Fantasmic was canceled so I can't compare it to the one at Hollywood Studios.

     The main shopping center for the Tokyo Disney Resort is Ikspiari. It's the equivalent of Downtown Disney in Anaheim or Disney Springs in Orlando or Disneytown in Shanghai. Let me tell you, it doesn't feel like a Disney shopping center like the ones in Anaheim, Orlando, or Shanghai. It has restaurants such as Outback Steakhouse and TGI Fridays; it however doesn't have a lot of Japanese restaurants. It has a Disney store and a movie theater. The hotels that are in the Tokyo Disney Resort include Tokyo Disneyland Hotel, Disney Ambassador Hotel (in the Ikspiari shopping center), Tokyo DisneySea MiraCosta (located right outside DisneySea and you can see DisneySea from outside your resort), and Tokyo Disney Celebration Hotel. These hotels are OK but aren't as focused on the Disney theme as other Disney hotels are. Also a heads-up: Unlike the other Disney resorts, the monorail here isn't free.

     Overall I did like the Disney parks in both Shanghai and Tokyo. I felt Shanghai was the best with it being excellent visually and more original than the other Disney parks in Asia, but the rides were hit or miss. I felt Tokyo Disneyland was fun and big, but felt like a copycat of Disneyland in Anaheim. Tokyo DisneySea was visually scenic but didn't feel like a Disney park. Both were better than Hong Kong Disneyland. If one happens to be in both Shanghai and Tokyo for an extended period of time and is a Disney fan, one should definitely check them both out. The difference between Disneyworld and other Disney parks is that the Walt Disney World Resort feels like a big city, whereas the others feel like just a theme park. I look forward to potentially going to the one in Paris next summer and look forward to sharing my new adventures with YOU.

Shanghai Disneyland

     Greetings audience! It's Stephen Gaiber: The Autistic Traveler. Earlier in September, I had the pleasure of going to Asia. However instead of exploring the jungles of Thailand, exploring where the Vietnam War took place, seeing the Great Wall of China, seeing the Hong Kong Harbor, or going to a geisha house in Tokyo, I went to three Disneyland Parks. That's right, I went to Shanghai Disneyland, Tokyo Disneyland, and Tokyo Disneysea. For this blog, I will be focusing on Shanghai Disneyland and the next blog will be about the Tokyo Disney parks. Let's first talk about the history and what led up to this park's construction.

     In November 2009, the Chinese government approved of the resort and on November 5, 2010, the Walt Disney Company made a deal with Shanghai Shendi Group to build the park. Disney owns 43% of the property, while 57% is owned by Shanghai Shendi. The park had a soft opening on May 7, 2016 and had its grand opening on June 16, 2016. The park consists of lands such as Adventure Isle and Treasure Cove, which were my two favorite aspects of the park, as well as Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Mickey Ave., which is the equivalents to our Main Street U.S.A., Gardens of Imagination, and the new Toy Story Land.

     One of the best parts about the park is Adventure Isle. I feel that this is a fun and visual part and feels different than just a typical Disney park. It has many attractions such as Soaring (also at Epcot and California Adventure), Roaring Rapids (also at Animal Kingdom), and many others. The architecture of the land feels like you're entering a world full of adventure. A unique part of the land is Camp Discovery. In this exhibit one gets to do a rope course and it feels like you're going on a journey because at times there are zip lines and obstacle courses. This is a unique experience and you won't feel that you're at Disneyland. Another good part of Adventure Isle is Explorer Canoes, a ride in between Adventure Isle and Treasure Cove.

     Another great visual land of Shanghai Disneyland is Treasure Cove. It's based off the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. As most of you know the first Pirates of the Caribbean is one of my favorite movies. Its another visually stunning part of the park with all the pirate ships. It WOWED me to look at the ships and it felt like I was on a pirate island. The main attraction is Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure, which is a must do for any Pirates fan. This ride has a lot of the characters from the film series and doesn't feel like the usual Pirates of the Caribbean ride at most Disney parks. The Eye of the Storm: Captain Jack Sparrow Stunt Spectacular is another fantastic show at Treasure Cove. It's a stunt show featuring Jack Sparrow causing trouble and him weaseling himself out of by saying silly catch phrases and stunts. It truly is a lot of fun and the best show at Shanghai Disneyland. If one wants a Pirate's life and wants to explore their life, then Treasure Cove is the best place to shiver thee timbers.

    The rest of Shanghai Disneyland consists of Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Gardens of Imagination, and Toy Story Land. I am now going to discuss what else I liked about the park. My second-favorite ride was the Voyage of the Crystal Grotto. This fabulous boat ride gives one a tour around Fantasyland showing many Disney statues such as Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Fantasia, and The Little Mermaid. This was an excellent ride to see all the Disney wonders that made your childhood awesome. Marvel Universe is a must-go if one is a Marvel fan and wants to meet awesome characters such as Captain America or Peter Quill. The Toy Story Land feels awesome with all the statues of Woody, Buzz, Rex, and Mr. Potato Head. If one plans on spending the whole day at Shanghai Disneyland, you should stay and watch Ignite The Dream: A Nighttime Spectacular of Magic and Light. This nighttime show shows many clips of Disney movies as well as Disney songs and fireworks.

     If one wants to take a break from the park and still feel some Disney magic, Disneytown is right outside the park. It consists of restaurants such as Cheesecake Factory and Wolfgang Puck. It also has Disney and Lego stores. It's a miniature version of Downtown Disney in Anaheim and Disney Springs in Lake Buena Vista. One can spend a short amount of time and have fun. There are also two resorts: Shanghai Disneyland Hotel, which looks like a giant mansion, and Toy Story Hotel, which is based on the Toy Story movies. They are fun to look at but don't focus on themes like the Disneyworld resorts.

     Overall I did like Shanghai Disneyland. I don't think it has the same feel as Walt Disney World as I feel that is the real Disney vacation. I do think it's a visual delight. Other than the Pirates of the Caribbean and Voyage of the Crystal Grotto, the other rides were hit or miss. If one has a disability and wants to not wait in line, one can get Disability Card, which allows you to get a return time to come back for the ride and not wait in line. If one is in Shanghai for an extended period of time and likes Disney, this is the park to check out.

Gene Autry Museum

     Greetings audience! It's Stephen Gaiber: The Autistic Traveler again. Today we're going to talk about a trip I made to the Autry Museum of the American West. I went on a Tuesday, and the second Tuesday of every month is free. There was recently a remodel, after which the center has expanded and become better than ever. This museum explores the world of the wild wild west and what makes it so special

    The first exhibit I'm going to talk about is Rick Bartow: Things You Know But Can't Explain. Bartow started his career in art after serving in Vietnam and recovering from PTSD and alcoholism. Kind of like American Sniper and Thank You For Your Service. I think it's amazing that people find passions during rough and stressful times. I've been through periods of stress and things that have gotten me through them are movies, trips and even work at times. Some of Bartow's works include large-scale paintings, drawings, prints and sculptures. These types of art combine haunting combinations of animal and art. I encourage you to explore this unique artist's body of work, but come before January 6 or it will be gone.

    My favorite exhibit to check out was La Raza. This exhibit is very timely, especially in this time for immigrants in this country. This exhibit displays all the struggles of being an immigrant, particularly from Latin America and Mexico, and all the protesting they had to do for their rights. The bilingual newspaper La Raza gave a voice to the Chicano movement. It showed how they are stronger together and how important it is to fight as a team. An interesting fact is that The Race photographers are not only journalist but artists capturing the Chicano movement. These pictures are a powerful tool for political activism. I love this exhibit because of how it shows the history and fights of the Chicanos even today, and how all groups of people have had to fight for their rights and defeat oppression. See this exhibit ASAP, before it leaves on January 10.

     One of the best permanent exhibits is Art of the West. This exhibit includes works that display how life was portrayed in the west. It also includes old movie stars who portray the west such as John Wayne. This exhibit speaks of the west as both a home and a destination. It deals with three primary themes: Religion and Ritual, Land and Landscape, and Migration and Movement. I think this is an interesting exhibit because it shows how life was portrayed in the wild west and all the different parts of the west.

     Another permanent exhibit I liked was Western Frontiers: Stories of Fact and Fiction. This exhibit focuses on guns. I like seeing all different types of guns because I like action movies. This exhibit showcases the roles that guns have played in the west. Guns have been used for hunting and trapping, the conservation movement and popular culture in the west. This exhibit would be great for those gun lovers or even those who just like to look at guns.

     I think that if one is at Griffith Park, one should go visit the zoo and the Autry Museum. I am impressed with the expansion at Griffith Park and feel it made the museum more interesting. When I visited years ago, the museum was small to the point of feeling forgettable, but now it's easy to spend hours there. Please feel free to watch my video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odDWpgGHi_A.

FDR DRLC Dinner 2018

     Greetings audience! It's Stephen Gaiber: The Autistic Traveler again. This blog will be about something completely different than travel. On Saturday, September 15, 2018, I went to an excellent dinner fighting for those with disabilities. I went to the FDR Dinner for the Disability Rights Legal Center. It was an amazing event. There were three different awards and I'm going to discuss them and what they represent. The three awards presented include Vanguard Award, Chuck Siegal President's Award, and Dream Award.

     A lot of different people and companies come in and discuss how they help people with disabilities. My two mentors -- Keri Bowers, who is head of The Art of Autism, and Tom Iland, who wrote the book Come To Live -- were there to sell their services. Starbucks managers from West Los Angeles were there to discuss how they hire those with disabilities. Exceptional Minds, an animation and visual effects school in Sherman Oaks, attended the event. Elaine Hall aka Coach E and Julia Moss came in and promoted the amazing Miracle Project. I might potentially be part of that program in the coming months.

     The first award given was the Vanguard Award, which was presented by The American Cancer Association. This award was presented in the Disability Rights Legal Center fight to help those who are battling cancer. Battling cancer takes a toll on your life from employment to battling insurance to getting the life-saving treatment necessary. The Disability Rights Legal Center goes out of its way to make sure people get the legal support they need and sue whomever to get those rights. This award is a great honor for the American Cancer Society because of what they do to fight cancer. The speech was amazing.

     The next award is a significant award for both the disabled and film communities. The Ruderman Family Foundation presented Chuck Siegal President's Award. This award is presented for displaying disability in film. The example they referenced was Dwayne Johnson having a fake leg in the movie Skyscraper. This award spotlights characters with different abilities and their inclusion in entertainment. I hope that they bring up shows like The Good Doctor or Atypical -- both dealing with autism -- for the next award ceremony.

     The best part of the night was the Dream Award, which was presented by Scott Silveri, the creator of Speechless. Micah Fowler, who plays J.J. in the show and also has cerebral palsy, and Cedric Yarbrough, who plays Kenneth, gave the speech in honor of Scott. Scott gave an amazing speech about how disabilities have had an impact on his life. The example he brought up was his brother, who had cerebral palsy and was mistreated in a home. He died at the age of 41 due to lack of care. Scott talked about how he made it his mission to help those with disabilities, including by creating the show Speechless, which is about a family who work to help their disabled son J.J. I liked the first two seasons, and season three is coming up in a couple weeks. Also, Coby Bird, who made cameos in episodes of Speechless and The Good Doctor, was in the audience. What an excellent way to end the award ceremony.

     The night concluded with the director giving an amazing speech about how history repeats itself and what the direction of our country is. I felt this was an amazing award ceremony and I am glad that I got to write a piece for them. These groups of lawyers really go out of their way to help those with disabilities achieve their potential and fight to sue whomever they need to. Hopefully I will be able to attend the award ceremony next year.

Top 5 Labor Day Destinations

    Happy Labor Day, audience. This is a very important blog post because some people might want to think about getaways for Labor Day. After all, it is a nice time to have those last-minute celebrations. Do something before going back to school (if you haven't started already), a weekend off from work, or because you CAN. Here are 5 top destinations for your Labor Day holiday.

                                                         1. New Orleans

    

     This is a great holiday destination, particularly if you live near the South. It's a year-round party destination. Some of the highlights include nightlife, jazz, history, and food. Labor Day will be a particularly busy weekend due to people visiting from all over to join its parties, parade, and Southern Decadence events. It's also LGBT-friendly. Let's hop off and have a party in the city of jazz.

                                                          2. Lake Tahoe

  This is the largest alpine lake in California and one of the most beautiful. It goes into both California and Nevada, and it has waters that look as blue as the Caribbean Sea. One reason this is an excellent Labor Day destination is that it's still summertime, but not exceptionally hot. This makes Lake Tahoe ideal for swimming. There's also a fireworks event over the lake after dusk. If one wants to go somewhere far but still driving distance from L.A. or San Francisco, this would be a great getaway.

                                                     3. Charleston

  What a coincidence, I went here last year the day after Labor Day during Hurricane Irma. It's a charming city with Southern hospitality. Charleston is great for water lovers with some of the best beaches on the east coast. It's a shame that Hurricane Irma didn't allow me to explore Myrtle Beach, but that's a different story. Some of the popular things to do on Labor Day weekend include the annual Lowcountry Jazz Festival, the festive farmers market, and sunset cruises around the harbor. This beautiful city won't let you down and if you feel like it, take a horse carriage ride around the city.

                                                     4. Sedona

     This small destination has a lot to offer and if you live in the west, this is an excellent place for a getaway. This is a place sacred to Native Americans, and visitors come for the healing energy, the amazing red-rock scenery, and multiple recreational activities. For those who like and believe in meditation, this is an excellent place to do some breathing exercises and take a tour with a native guide. Other activities include a scenic hike, spa treatments, hitting the back roads, as well as browsing galleries and boutiques.

                          5. Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming 

     Grand Teton National Park has a lot to offer hikers, such as some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the country, as well as wildlife such as elk, moose, and bison. One would enjoy hiking trails that lead to waterfalls, a horseback expedition, or trout fishing in Lake Jenny. Lake Jenny Lodge is a luxury eco-resort with private cabins and excellent views. This is an excellent nature destination.

     There are many different types of short destinations that one would want to check out for an excellent 3-day weekend to finish summers. From beaches to cities to nature, there's something for everyone. I hope you have an amazing Labor Day.

San Diego

     Greetings audience! It's Stephen Gaiber: The Autistic Traveler, and in this blog we're going to discuss my most recent getaway to San Diego. It's a well-known city in way south of California. I think San Diego has a lot to offer, such as theme parks (SeaWorld and Legoland in Carlsbad), Balboa Park and its museums, activities in downtown such as the Gaslamp district and the USS Midway, beaches such as La Jolla, Pacific and Mission Beach, and lots of activities for everyone. My personal opinion is that if you're looking for many tourist attractions paired with activities for the entire family, San Diego is your best choice. Now let's talk about some of the history of San Diego.

    Alonzo Erastus Horton got off a San Francisco streamer and strolled ashore in 1867. He was a worldwide traveler such as myself and felt that he had never saw anything more pretty. Though he wasn't nearly the first person to visit San Diego, he was the biggest real estate influence in San Diego. Alonzo Horton had a lot of influence in making San Diego what it is today, such as by creating jobs that helped stimulate tourism in San Diego. Centuries earlier, the area had belonged to the Southern California costal region's first Americans, known as San Dieguitos. The San Dieguitos were descended from Asians that crossed the land bridge in the Bering Strait in search of game, and from others who moved over the Sierra Nevadas and down the Pacific slope. Not unlike the modern Californians, they always found the best places to live. Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo was the first European to come, not to colonize San Diego but to find a northwest passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. I feel very inspired by a lot of the people who made San Diego what it is today, especially Horton since we both love to travel around the world, dream a lot, and make our dreams a reality when we find something we're passionate about. This is some of the brief history -- for more information, please visit http://www.sandiegomagazine.com/San-Diego-Magazine/San-Diego-Covered/San-Diego-History/.

     For those interested in saving money and still do the activities they want to do, one should explore the Go San Diego Card. I've talked about activity savings cards before, so I'll just elaberate on the Go San Diego Card. It's pretty much an all inclusive activity pass, where you can do as many activities as one can go to. One can do activities all around San Diego County. Those activities include the musuems at Balboa Park, San Diego Zoo, Belmont Park, Birch Aquarium, Legoland, San Diego Harbor Cruise, Legoland, Petco Park Tour, USS Midway Museum, San Diego Zoo Safari Park as well as many others. If one decides to get the 3, 5, or 7 day pass, they can get a premium attraction such as Seaworld, 3 Day Hop On and Hop Off Trolly, and Speed Boat Adventures. If YOU decide to leave San Diego and explore Orange County or Hollywood, some of the attractions included are Knotts Berry Farm, Knotts Soak City, a Whale Watching and Dolphin Cruise, Hollywood Museum, and Tour of the Dolby Theater. This is an excellent pass for those who want an all inclusive pass. For more information, please visit https://www.smartdestinations.com/san-diego-attractions-and-tours/_d_Sdo-p1.html?pass=Sdo_Prod_Go&allInc=true.

     One of the most notable parts of San Diego is Balboa Park, which has beautiful architecture as well as many different museums. I feel it's an excellent park that one can explore for the entire day, and it's also very close to Downtown San Diego. Some of the museums in Balboa Park include the Museum of Man, San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego Natural History Museum, and many others. They are plentiful, but very small and easy to do. It's easy to spend less than 30 minutes in each museum. My favorite is the art museum because of how nice the art looks. The most famous part of Balboa Park is the San Diego Zoo. The zoo hosts 3,700 animals across 650 species. The zoo has expanded throughout the years, including with the Panda Trek in 2017, which can require patience due to long lines. Other exhibits in the zoo include Elephant Odyssey, Gorilla Tropics, Outback, and African Rocks, which opened last summer. I even hung with King Julien from Madagascar, who likes to "move it, move it." Also feel free to take a gondola from one part of the zoo to the other. If you are a zoo lover, this is a zoo you should check out. Please visit my video about the San Diego Zoo at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4CLOI0jXOI

     Well, San Diego is an excellent place to go for tourism, museums, the beach, and more. It's a big county with a lot to see from north to south to east to west. If you are an active person, you should get the Go San Diego Card. I hope you will experience why San Diego is a unique place to visit, and I look forward to sharing more adventures with YOU soon.

An Annual Getaway To Las Vegas

     Greetings audience! Today I am going to discuss my annual Vegas getaway and talk about things that you may or may not be aware of. Most of us know about or have been to Las Vegas, especially coming from Los Angeles. Today I am going to discuss the history of the strip, discuss my particular hotel and why I recommend it, and how Vegas keeps growing and expanding throughout the years.

     First, I'd like to tell you the cheapest and most affordable way I go to Vegas. The reason I started going to Vegas every year is because of the Megabus. You can either catch it from Los Angeles Union Station or Riverside Station. If you know the dates you want to go and book it from the minute tickets go on sale, you can get your tickets for as little as $1 each way. So with the booking fee currently, if I book from the minute it’s available, I can get the fare for $4.50 round trip. They also offer fares to San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland. The bus ride consists of picking up passengers from Riverside and, at the bus driver’s discretion, a stop in Barstow. Then the bus goes straight to the Las Vegas South Strip Terminal. The ride can take from 4.5 to 7 hours, depending on traffic, but it beats driving yourself! For more information, visit https://us.megabus.com/.

     Las Vegas has a history of its own, full of resorts and vibrant lights that make it more unique than other cities. I mean, who could dream of many countries with their distinct symbols -- such as the Pharaoh in Luxor, Excalibur’s Castle, the Empire State Building, the MGM Lion, and flamingos -- all within a three-mile radius. This was what the visionaries of Vegas dreamed about when they saw three miles of desert road. These visionaries kept on pursing their dreams of making the strip a reality. It came with much criticism and laughs along the way, since no one believed in them. They inspire all of us, myself included, to follow our dreams no matter what anyone else thinks.

     Let’s talk about how the strip has expanded over the years. On April 3, 1941, the El Rancho Las Vegas opened up with 63 rooms and in 2004 became a Hilton timeshare. The famous Flamingo Hotel was the third hotel that opened up, with 105 rooms on December 26, 1946 -- what a fascinating post-Christmas present. On November 1, 1979, Imperial Palace was created and became the Linq area, which we will discuss when I talk about how the strip has grown. I felt that learning about the history of the strip was fascinating and I learned so much about one of the biggest casino destinations in the world. If you want more information about each of the hotels and more history, please visit http://www.lvstriphistory.com/.

     Now I am going to talk about the hotel I stayed in on this trip to Vegas. It's the Royal Resort. It's a no-thrills hotel behind the Encore Hotel and near the convention center. It’s not in the most central location but still accessible to a lot of the strip action, especially if one takes the bus. It has late-night pool hours for those who like to swim and don't want to be pressured into leaving the pool because of pool hours at the resorts. The best part about this hotel is that there are, at least as of now, no resort fees. Most of us who've been to Vegas know the pain in our wallets that resort fees can cause and how there's no way around them, even when staying at non-resort or non-strip hotels. This hotel doesn't have a casino, but with all the hotels within walking distance, there's no need to worry. For those who just don't care about staying at a fancy resort with resort fees, this is an excellent place to explore. You won't regret staying here. I just wish they offered breakfast, even if it was $10 more a night. I might stay here every year if the price is right.

     Well audience, I can safely talk about one thing that keeps happening to the strip throughout time. The strip keeps on expanding for its tourism market. Some of the new additions are the T-Mobile Arena, the Linq, and the High Rollers Ferris Wheel. The High Rollers Ferris Wheel lets you explore the city from the sky, and the T-Mobile Arena hosts loads of events. The Linq area has an In-N-Out Burger, a Ghirardelli, an Irish Bar, as well as many great restaurants and a shopping area. Another nice place to check out, especially for Disney fans, is Magical Memories in the Forum Shops in Caesars Palace. It has art work representing scenes from many Disney movies and is definitely worth checking out for any die-hard Disney fan. The strip always is a changing environment, from a street in the middle of the desert to a family destination to an adult playground to a place that has something for everyone.

     So now YOU know how I feel about going to Vegas. There are lots of reasons that I in particular go every year, from the cheap bus ride to the lively resorts that make you feel like a kid again. Even though I'm not a big drinker or gambler, just walking the strip and checking out the hotels is enough reason to go to Vegas. I’m so excited to see this paradise just keep on growing. For more information, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAlyxFtXX4s.