Travelogue: Heaven or Las Vegas

Now that I talked about the car – the 2023 Nissan Z – let’s talk about Las Vegas. Rather, the combined experience of the new Z and Southern Nevada.

Las Vegas was never a family destination when I was a child. Granted, it would be a shorter drive from our Reseda home to Vegas than San Francisco. A flight from Hollywood-Burbank Airport would be as cheap as one up to the Bay Area. 

I’ve always believed the reason why my mother, brother, and I never went to Las Vegas because of her own morality and the way we were brought up. We often assumed she hated gambling and for what that city represented. 

It took my brother to go to Las Vegas first. It was in the mid-to-late 1980s for the Consumer Electronics Show. If you were in the computer hardware and software business, where else do you need to be?

I have been to Las Vegas once. I was changing planes in 1996 en route from the Bay Area to Philadelphia. I never left the airport. Therefore, that did not count. 

It took until a couple of weeks ago to finally get out of the airport in Las Vegas. A three-hours-or-so Delta Air Lines flight from Minneapolis-St. Paul took me directly into Harry Reid International Airport – the place they used to call McCarran. It is a vast airport with trains taking you between gates and terminals. Not to mention a vast array of gaming machines at some sports of the airport. 

My introduction to Las Vegas beyond the airport was on a cooler than anticipated day with the sun shining. It was a short drive to the Aria Resort and Casino, where Nissan put us up for the night on our program. On the way, we had to flog through some of the places off the Las Vegas Strip. I already felt the kitsch and regret. I knew I was not going to like what I would see next…

Then, we turned onto Las Vegas Boulevard – the aforementioned Strip. My stomached ached – not because I was looking for lunch. They stacked stores upon stores in front of casinos and hotels. One side of the Strip would luxury goods retailers, with a Walgreens or a smaller Target on the other side. It was quite weird, to be honest. 

Once we turned off the Strip, it was a completely different world. The Aria and its sister tower, Vdara, were glimmering curved buildings that gave a cool and stylish vibe creating an oasis away from the hustle and bustle of the Strip. 

Then, I entered the Aria. Yep, just what I thought – a casino. With all the trappings, including the humans. I was led to Nissan’s hospitality area, which was just off the casino floor. It just seemed like an oasis onto itself, except you can hear that din from the casino. This the area where the folks from Nissan and any agency involved with a specific wave uses it as their hub to serve the media participants on this program. 

An explanation is in order at this point. A wave consists of a group of journalists, content creators, and influencers that a manufacturer or one of their agencies invite to their program. It could be a group of a dozen or less people put together to experience the latest and greatest vehicles. Our group was the ninth and final wave of the 2023 Nissan Z drive program. 

Our wave was different than any of the previous ones. We were a multicultural lifestyle wave. This wave focused on content creators who are not necessarily automotive media – including photographers, influencers, and editorial leaders – like me. 

Luckily, I knew of a couple of folks on my wave. Kimatni Rawlings of Automotive Rhythms is also of Fit Dads and the Black Automotive Media Group. You may have seen him doing eBay Autos commercial talking about how much he loves wheels. He is a President Emeritus at the Washington Automotive Press Association, in which I used to be a member of. This man exhibits cool, but he delivers on a purpose to uplift his community through philanthropy and activism. It was indeed an honor to meet Rawlings. 

Dawn Gibson Thigpen is a South Florida-based automotive content creator. through her website Sassy Auto Chick. I heard of her through several people in the media circles. I also glad to meet her, as well. 

Both the Nissan and The Allen Lewis Agency people were absolutely great hosts. After all, they put on a wonderful wave that took us out of Las Vegas towards Lake Mead and back. More on that later.

Given the nature of this wave, I felt kind of an odd duck. It was clear that I was the “only gay in the village.” Yes, I am the managing editor of an LGBTQ lifestyle magazine. I am also a 21-year veteran in LGBTQ media, as well as an automotive journalist. Granted, I was not invited to this event for Victory & Reseda. I was representing the magazine instead. 

Back to the Aria, my room was spectacular. I have never been in a hotel room where the curtains automatically opened up as soon as you walk in. The room was comfortable – and massive. The bathroom alone was spectacular, combining a tub and a shower in one enclosure. It was exactly what you expect in Las Vegas.

I am not going to get into a play-by-play of the program here. Only to state that the best part of the pram was the drive itself. Then again, isn’t it always?

Heading from the Aria eastward, we drove through suburban Henderson to reach the gate for the Lake Mead National Recreational Area. The area beyond Henderson had a spooky Southern Nevada vibe – a rocky desert with barren hills. 

We got into further as we crossed the gate in National Park land. I have to admit being wowed. The landscape alone – rocky desert, mountains, lack of vegetation – simply was amazing. 

The roads weren’t half bad, either. They were smooth and offered some lovely curves. They were roads I’ve always seen from other automotive journalist’s social media channels. It was my turn to enjoy them. 

Our half-way point was at Callville Bay. It is a major boat launch for Lake Mead. It was a great vantage point for the lake with a view of the Arizona side. Little we forget that the Colorado Rivers flows through the lake towards the Gulf of Mexico. Taking in the entire landscape was beyond my imagination. 

Heading back to Las Vegas was a bittersweet. I wanted to spend more time around Lake Mead, but I did have a lunch to attend and a plane to catch. 

To be honest, I rather take Las Vegas in small doses. I get that you might think it’s the greatest place to vacation in the world. However, if one is not used to the kitsch, the glitz, and spit-elegance of Las Vegas you’d like to spend as little time in it. In all, it was simply not my vibe.

If you’re at some convention – SEMA, for example – then you’d probably concentrate on the event itself rather than get overloaded with Las Vegas’ sensory atmosphere. Especially on The Strip. 

Still, this was an item that has been check marked for the experience. 

DISCLAIMER: Travel and logistics were provided by Nissan North America

All photos by Randy Stern