Beautiful Art of Downtown Las Vegas

Every time I'm in Las Vegas, I marvel at the wonderful art there is around the city. There's almost nowhere as packed with the variety of art, be it wall murals, sculptures, signs, there is in the downtown area of Las Vegas. They have a designated arts district and you can see some of the most diverse and interesting artwork wherever you walk. 

You've probably seen some of my other art posts about Las Vegas*, and though I didn't get to spend a ton of time in the city this time, I did get to see quite a few different pieces. I had half a free day after the Travel Goods Show that I wanted to spend downtown, and I did, but mostly inside, because it was cold and rainy, which is not really conducive to doing a street art walk.

The Plaza has had this mural for quite some time and it really captures the feel of the city. It's called Tribute to Cassius Marcellus and is a collab of two Brooklyn-based artists that go by Faile. This is their largest piece. 

I caught this fun mural outside of a toy store from the shuttle going to the show. It was painted by an artist that goes by @jacselah (I think this is actually their name) and they have a better picture of it on their Instagram. I loved the bright colors. It's very eye-catching and perfect for a toy store. Rogue II specializes in vintage toys and is the second Rogue Toys store, hence the name.

These two pieces can be found on the Fremont Street Parking Garage, also known as the Red Garage, and the one on the left done by the artist named Raul Oprea, who goes by Saddo. He's a Romanian  artist. The one of the right was done by Greek street artist that just goes by "b.".

The Circa Hotels is one of my favorites in the downtown area. It's 21+ and is really beautiful. They have an awesome food selection and they never changed the name of the garage, so it's still the Garage Mahal, which I find amusing. The mural behind it is on another side of the Plaza Hotel and is called Cultivate Harmony, done by Shephard Fairey.

Not every piece of art is an intentional work of traditional art. I dined at Park on Fremont - just steps from the Fremont Street Experience - and was pulled in by the colors of this bike with the restaurant sign and the textures of the wall. 

Speaking of Fremont Street Experience, you can watch the canopy come to life all day/night long with fun LED displays and music videos (these start at 6pm) that are made especially for it by a handful of artists you've heard of, like Imagine Dragons, Chainsmokers, Katy Perry, and Shakira.

I loved this wall. So vibrant, even in the dreary weather. I couldn't find any info on who painted it, but it did give me Agostino Iacurci vibes, who has done several other murals in downtown Las Vegas. They are an Italian artist that uses these same colors and palm tree design in their work, so maybe it's them.

Behind Park On Fremont are some other great businesses and even the alley behind them got an art glow up. This piece, and the electrical boxes, is by Pretty Done, who has a lot of other pieces in downtown, and is on the back wall of the nightclub Octopussy.

Here's another piece by Pretty Done. It was along the whole wall around the back garden of the ENGLiSH Hotel, where I met some friends to do dinner at Pepper Club, the on-site restaurant. If you see it, you should listen and go inside. The food was delicious.

I'll never pass by a set of wings without taking a picture :)

Obviously, this is just a sample of what you can find downtown. Each year, new art is added as part of the Life Is Beautiful art and Music Festival and some pieces come from past Burning Man festivals. I love that, because it allows me to get some of the best parts of Burning Man without having to endure the rest of it that I would neither like, nor could I afford. 

Tell me your favorite city for street art? 

*Free Art in Las Vegas | Meow Wolf's Area 15 in Las Vegas

Why Solo Travel Has Become So Popular

More and more women are traveling solo. In fact, more women than men are willing to go on a trip on their own. We don't always travel alone because we are single. Sometimes we go for work. Sometimes we can't get our friends to coordinate their schedules. Sometimes our spouses don't like to travel (this still seems crazy to me). Sometimes we just want some alone time. 

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I just came back from 4 1/2 days in Las Vegas alone and I had the best time. I met up with friends and family, went to a travel show, did some sightseeing on my own, talked to a bunch of strangers, and even went out to some nice restaurants on my own. 

I'm not one to care what other people think of me, but I also know that most people are too busy with their own lives to judge you for eating by yourself. I also find that staff giver you a little extra attention when you're alone and keep an eye on you more than they would if you were with others, especially if you eat at the bar. 

Remember: if you want to do something, stop waiting for other people to go with you, because while you're waiting, you're missing out on some really great stuff.

Have you traveled solo before? Where?

2024 Trending Travel Products

I've just returned from the Travel Goods Show, which I haven't been to since 2020 (it was cancelled the following two years and I couldn't justify a trip to Chicago last year) and it's back in Las Vegas and under a new group of organizers. There were new things, like panels and workshops, the last day was a short day instead of a full day, and a ton of new brands.

I've noticed a few exciting trends when it comes to products that just dropped or are coming in the next few months:

Women-owned travel brands

Women are really shaping the travel experience now. For so long, every bag was made by men for men and you just got a box with a zipper and no innovation. Travelon has really been at the forefront of using women to help design bags that are pretty, but also functional. Now, women innovators are moving beyond luggage, and it's very exciting. I'll be wearing home a tank top with pockets, to keep all your essentials close to your body, whether you're traveling or walking the dog or running errands. I'll be trying a new brand of laundry sheets that are low sudsing and can be used for handwashing as well as machine washing. I'm also testing out a new over-the-tray organizer for the airplane. 

There are still new, innovative bags, too! A great carry-on that comes with it's own legs, in case there is no luggage rack in your room, but also so you can use it as a table in the airport to set your drinks on, play a game on, or use your laptop. My new favorite thing is a carry-on roller bag that has a child seat on it, so you don't also need to push a stroller through the airport when you already don't have enough hands for everything. Pop them on there, strap them in, and run to your gate.

Quiet sustainability

It seems like the brands doing the most are promoting it the least. They feel like the brand comes first and their talk about their sustainable practices come further down as what their customers care most about. I love that they're doing it and they aren't crowing about it, but I also wish they would put that out there a bit more. One of the companies that are doing the most are a brand I've followed for years and had no idea how much they were doing. People out there making quality products and saving the earth to the best of their ability, and not asking for any accolades for it. It's truly *chef's kiss*

Everything is recycled

Eco-friendly and sustainable products are so popular. Almost everyone I talked to is using recycled materials in all or the majority of their products, be it water bottles or scraps from their bigger items. I love it. Not only do you get a quality product, but you feel good about your choices as well. The tank top I told you about is made from recycled water bottles, there is a great travel blanket line made of recycled materials, and a company making fanny packs from the remnants of their backpacks, which are all different and have a little signed card inside with the person who made it.

Colors!

Everything isn't black anymore! I saw green and yellow and blue and lovely pale Spring colors and an orange day bag. I'm so excited to see more color at the airport. it's also easier to find your bag, if you had to check it, amongst the sea of black bags if it's a fun color. 

Personal-sized roller bags

80% of travel bag sales right now are carry-on size. I don't even own a bag that's bigger than 22" anymore. Everyone is trying to save money. The new hot thing is a bag that's 15-19" and I saw a lot of these that would fit under the seat on the plane. I have a couple smaller roller bags, though I would love one that would fit under the seat. I think this smaller roller bag is great for everyone, but specifically for those with disabilities or back problems that can't really travel with a backpack, but still want something similar in size. There's no picking it up and putting it down a million times, because you can just roll through the airport onto the plane.

Travel comfort

All of us trying to travel on a budget and being stuck in economy seats need to make ourselves more comfortable any way we can. There are a lot of companies trying to help us on our journey (both of them!). I'm loving the tray organizer, a plug in device that turns anything into a bluetooth device, so you can use it on those seatback screens with your wireless earbuds, a super lightweight wraparound eye mask that covers your ears, too, and an emergency panty pack that has you covered (literally!) when unexpected things happen to you away from home.

My predictions: In the future, I think you're going to be seeing more products for those with disabilities and mobility issues. We're already seeing more of them becoming mainstream, which I love. It's hard being a disabled traveler and in some places it can be nearly impossible. I get really sad when I realize great places I've been are really not that accessible for everyone. I see that already starting to change a bit in the travel products space, and that's awesome.

What innovations in travel products are you hoping for?