Hi there!
Hope that you all had a great weekend. The highlight of my weekend was hanging out in beautiful La Jolla, where my favorite activity is….
…sea lion stalking! It’s the time of the year when all of the mamas give birth and there are lots of sea lions and their pups lounging around. It is too cute!
La Jolla is always packed with people, and it’s no secret as to why. I think the coast there has the most gorgeous views in San Diego, and I’ve taken a lot of my visitors there to walk around, check out the seals, and visit some of the shops and restaurants.
Any who, today I want to back it up a bit to two weekends ago when I arrived in Las Vegas for work. Before the show I was there for started, my co-workers and I got away from work to have some fun in the area. Stereotypical Vegas is not really my thing, so I enjoy exploring outside of the strip every time I’m there.
This trip we decided to go for a boat ride around Lake Mead, which was formed by the Hoover Dam and is the largest reservoir in the country when at full capacity – which it’s nowhere near given the crazy drought that has been taking place. In fact, Lake Mead is currently at about 40% capacity, which is the lowest it’s been since it was built in the 1930s.
The Hoover Dam is about a 40-minute drive from the touristy areas of Vegas, making it a nice little day trip for tourists who want to experience some fun outside of the gambling, shows, and restaurants that make Vegas a popular destination. The day I went on a boat ride around Lake Mead, temperatures were in the high 80s and the sun was shining bright, making it a warm but nice day to spend outdoors.
Lake Mead Cruises tours passengers around via a three-level, Mississippi-style paddle-wheeler. We did the mid-day cruise, but they also offer brunch and dinner cruises.
See the white stain on the mountain pictured above? It’s what they call the “bathrub ring” around the rim of the reservoir, which shows where the water used to come up to. The water levels have dropped 140 feet over the past 15 years, and the level is forecast to fall an additional 10 feet by this summer. I find this to be pretty scary, and as the water levels continue to drop and the drought keeps worsening, it’s going to have a bigger and bigger agricultural impact in Arizona and California (and thus, the entire country).
The Hoover Dam
Lake Mead receives the majority of its water from snow melt in the Colorado, Wyoming and Utah Rocky Mountains. The snowpack in the Rocky Mountains is at less than half of normal this year (again).
Since I love being outdoors in general, I always enjoy getting away for some outdoor fun when I travel to Vegas for work. One of these times that I’m there, I’m going to figure out a way to fit in a hiking excursion!
Moving on, that night my co-workers and I ventured over to Downtown Container Park – an open-air shopping center built completely by shipping containers stacked upon each another. The park features restaurants, bars, shops, an amphitheater, and a big playground area with a 30-foot slide.
I like unique places like this, and would definitely go to Container Park to hang out again. A bartender told me that at night, you have to be over 21 to enter the park, and they make it one big open bar kind of area, where people walk around with alcohol and hop from place to place. 
(source)
My co-worker was picking the restaurant that night, and very sweetly chose a vegan joint to try in consideration of me. Simply Pure is a tiny gourmet vegan eatery that uses only fresh organic ingredient. We picked a bunch of dishes to share and sat in the park’s top floor patio area.
We ordered the nachos grande, Thai basil spring rolls, zucchini noodles topped with a cashew alfredo sauce and mushrooms, as well as lettuce wraps.
Verdict? Everything was tasty, light and fresh. My co-worker commented that he liked everything, but didn’t feel full, and I kind of agreed with him, though I might have just been really hungry to begin with. I definitely got my veggie fill for the evening!
A heart display full of keypad locks outside of Container Park
Afterwards, we walked around downtown Vegas, which can only be described as chaotic.
There are outdoor bars along the path that visitors walk along with half-naked bartenders dancing around, a live event space that featured a dancing DJ on this particular night, people dressed up in everything from Spiderman costumes to an elderly woman wearing nothing on the upper half of her body besides nipple tassels, all of which you’re trying to take in as you’re trying to avoid walking into people as zip liners fly by above you. It is quite the scene, and it sums up the craziness of Vegas pretty well!
Tell me, have you ever visited Vegas? If so, what’s your favorite aspect of/spot to visit in the city? And do you think sea lions are as cute as I do?!
Believe it or not, I’ve never been to Vegas. Like you, I would not be in to the typical Vegas scene. Your trip looks amazing! I can’t believe there is an entire downtown area made from shipping containers! That is crazy and also genius!
Yeah it’s pretty cool! It is kind of funny that you haven’t been to Vegas, considering you’ve been all over the world lady!
I’ve been to Vegas but not any of the places you mentioned. That container park looks awesome! And, I love all the shots of Lake Mead.
I’ve only been to La Jolla once, but was so intrigued by all the sea lions haha!! OMGGG THAT vegan feast has my name all over it.
I just got back from Vegas on Sunday I was with a group so I didn’t get to do as much vacation stuff as I would have liked. I enjoyed the pool the most since I am from MN and we are still seeing flurries of snow here and there it was nice to be in a swimsuit after months of being bundled up. If I ever go back I would love to venture off of the strip and get in some nature. I have been to California 3 times in my life and there is still so much I want to see there I would love to check out the sea lions, they look adorable!
There is SO much to see in California! I’ve lived here a bunch of years now and I still have tons of places and areas that I haven’t explored yet… And I bet that the sunshine and warmth of Vegas felt so good after a long winter huh?!
I love the sea lions! We need to get back out there. I wish it would warm up this week!
Vegas is fun, but I’m with you on not loving the typical stuff. Container Park is really cool. I loved hanging out there. Have you been up to Mt. Charleston? It’s gorgeous – hard to believe you’re only half an hour from DTLV.
Ut oh, it sounds like someone is already getting SoCal weather spoiled?!!! Haha.
And no, I haven’t been to Mt. Charleston… but I’m going to keep that in mind for next time for sure. Thanks for the recommendation!
Its been a while since I have been to Vegas but its such a fun city! I also loved seeing La Jolla when I visited San Diego a few years ago- it was so beautiful!
Definitely, La Jolla is one of my favorite spots around here!
Aw, the sea lions are so cute! I’m surprised you’re able to get so close to them with their babies. Point Lobos was really strict about not letting people anywhere near them so we had to stalk from far away.
The nachos from simply Simply Pure look awesome too!
It’s funny you should say that actually – because you used to not be allowed to get up close to them, but this last time I went, you were allowed to walk down over where they were all lounging. However, there’s an area on the beach that I think is kind of designated as the birthing area for the sea lions, and you are not allowed over there…. and rightly so! Honestly, people are kind of dumb when it comes to that kind of stuff. I was keeping a safe distance while still getting close, but I was seeing other people go right up to the sea lions until the animals alarmed them to move or moved away themselves.
This is so interesting! Thanks for showing a side of Vegas that I have definitely not seen. I’ve never been to Vegas, but the whole gambling/partying thing is also not my scene. I’ll try it to experience it, but I would also try to seek out something more authentic. Container Park looks fascinating! I’ve never heard of it but I love the idea. The food looks delicious, too!
I’m all about visiting authentic places too! That’s what I don’t like about Vegas – so much gaudiness and fake glitz and glamour.
I can see you enjoyed yourself! The sea lions are very cute (I only saw them on TV) and La Jolla is like a dream!
It is stunning! There is just one downside of the coast of La Jolla: the horrible smell that comes from the birds and sea lions. It is not pleasant!
I LOVE La Jolla! So beautiful, definitely my favorite spot in SD! I’ve never been to Las Vegas but your pics look fantastic, it’s now on my list of places to go! And all that vegan food looks AMAZINGGGG!! my mouth is watering!
Thanks, Deanna!