We had a yurt booked on the Oregon Coast for a spring break adventure. We were planning on relaxing, playing board games, looking at lighthouses, exploring the tide pools and, if we were lucky, maybe seeing some whales. We were packed for a cold, rainy, laid-back spring break. Then our phones starting showing us storm alerts. Freeways were in danger of closing, blizzards were coming. I was looking forward to some family time, but not stuck in a snowstorm in a minivan level of family time.
After checking road conditions, and looking for any place that still had lodging or campsites, we realized we had very few options. The only option we could make work was Las Vegas, which was the exact opposite in every way from our original plan. So we packed swim suits and shorts and headed for a hotel outside of Vegas.
Ten hours later we arrived tired, but in one piece. We heated up some food in the microwave and then went to see what we could see.
Ethel M's Chocolate Factory was close and still open for forty-five minutes so we headed over. Alas, we got there the week the factory wasn't in operation so we didn't get to see the chocolates being made. But we did get to eat chocolate, and that is always good. Especially these chocolates. The factory also has a two-acre cactus garden, which the teenagers were not super excited about. That is until we got there.
We spent a lot of time looking at all the crazy plants and taking a ton of pictures.
As you can see, Libby was not able to make it, as her semester was still in session. I missed her cute face a ton, and I can't wait to see her this summer. Ethan and Bailey were able to get the time off work to come with us, so we were still a sizable group.
After exploring the garden and eating some more chocolate, we returned to the hotel to rest and maybe hit the hot tub after a long day of traveling.
We did have to stop to take a picture of the neon lights. The kids were fascinated with how this particular casino's lights twinkled and moved.
We got changed and headed down to check out the pool and hot tub. The pool was crystal blue and the temperature of snow melt in February. Sam was the only person who managed to get more than a couple toes in, but he never stayed in for longer than two minutes. The hot tub was not clear* and smelled bad, so we all just went to bed.
*in the hotel's defense the hot tub was clean and lovely for the rest of the time, thankfully!
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