I’ve been asked quite a few times lately what the best shows currently running in Las Vegas are. Las Vegas is a great destination to visit and enjoy premium entertainment. The shows and acts are constantly changing and re-inventing themselves.  While there are so many to choose from I have outlined some of our favorites and the ones that receive the best reviews.

Right now some of the top rated Las Vegas shows to see are:

Ka Cirque Du Soleil- I have heard feedback from people who have attended Cirque shows in the past and are frustrated that they couldn’t follow a plot line. This will not be the case at Ka. The plot follows Imperial Twins who are separated by an attack on their Far Eastern palace and overcome adversity to be reunited. The theater itself is breathtaking and don’t be surprised to see bungee jumping warriors from the ceiling. The show runs Tuesday through Saturday at the MGM Grand in the Ka Theater.

The Lion King- Adapted from the Disney animated picture, this is a visually stunning and beautiful play that takes place in the African jungle and follows a young lion’s journey to become King. You won’t want to miss this Tony-Award winning Broadway sensation. Tickets start at  $66 and shows run everyday except Friday at the Mandalay Bay Theater. Must be 6 years of age or older.

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Hello friends! Today I had the priveledge of doing a travel segment on KSL’s Studio 5 here in Salt Lake City. I just wanted to post the link in case you wanted to check it out, if so click here. I also have a typed out version of the tips I shared over at DTM Baby.

This comes a little late, being as I visited Peru almost a year ago, but enough inquiries of my travel plans in Peru have come my way that I think this post is still appropriate. When I was researching how to get there myself I ran into a lot of dead ends on the internet. So here goes, this is how I got to Machu Picchu.

1. Fly into Lima – Hop on your favorite airline’s website and see what options they have for getting to Peru.

2. Fly to Cusco – If you can get a direct flight there great. I’m honestly not sure how many there are. The Cusco Airport doesn’t have runway lights and occasionally has strong winds, so flights only land during specific daytime hours. We took an early flight from Lima and arrived around 9 am. You can catch a bus from Lima to Cusco, but unless you have a few days and nerves of steel (Peruvian driving is nothing like it is in the States), I wouldn’t recommend it.

4. Take the Train or Take a Tour – When I visited Peru the trains weren’t running from Cusco (heavy rain had damaged some of the track, so repairs were being made). Because of that fact, we had to find another way to a town called Ollantaytambo (try pronouncing that one fast), the furthest the train was running at the time. At the airport we were able to find a tour company that offered a day trip sight seeing through the Sacred Valley of Peru stopping along the way to see various ruins and take in a traditional Peruvian lunch. The stops made along the way as well as the ruins in Ollantaytambo were spectacular. Something that we would have totally missed had the train been running the whole way. If you have the time, I would recommend a tour to take in as much as possible. If you don’t have the time  you can book a direct ticket from Cusco to Aguas Calientes at www.perurail.com. Looking at their site, it has definitely been updated in the last year. We went their site wasn’t nearly as helpful.

5. Spend the Night in Aguas Calientes – The majority of places to stay in Aguas Calientes are hostels. We booked a decent place that was clean on hostels.com. Luckily we met some nice folks on the train that were familiar with the town and pointed us the right direction. If it wasn’t for them we might have spent all night searching for our hostel. Information about Aguas Calientes and a decent map of the place seemed hard to come by on the web. Its a small town, but there are so many hostels that it becomes tough to find the right place. There are a few nicer hotels in town but you’ll have to research those on your own.

7. Get Your Tickets – Get your bus and entrance tickets to Machu Picchu the day before you go. The ticket office doesn’t open very early and if you plan on being one of the first ones up to the ruins you won’t make it. Also they don’t sell entrance tickets at the gates. You have to do that back in town. We met many people that didn’t know that and had to ride the bus all the way up the mountain just to get back on the bus because they weren’t able to get in.

8. Enjoy Machu Picchu – Wake up early and catch the bus up the mountain to Machu Picchu. If you want to save on the bus fare, there is a hiking trail, but the mountain is steep and the trail looked treacherous. I say wake up early because the views of Machu Picchu are amazing in the morning light as the fog lifts off of the mountain. Also, if you arrive early there aren’t as many people around in your photos and along the paths. Arriving early is also the only way to get the chance to hike up Waina Picchu, they only grant a certain number that privilege so you have to be there early.

And that my friends is how I got to Machu Picchu. It is one of my all time favorite destinations. The mystery and beauty that surround the ancient ruins is more than I could ever explain on this blog. You’ll have to visit it for yourself…and now at least you know how to get there.

Make sure to check out the visiting Machu Picchu wiki for anything I may have missed.

Giants vs. Diamondbacks at Scottsdale Stadium

The best place to go for spring training really depends which team is your favorite you’ve either got Florida or Arizona. However, if you don’t necessarily care what team you see, or you’re a fan of west coast teams, then the best place for a true spring training experience is Phoenix, AZ. If you are an avid baseball fan you’ll be in heaven. All the spring training camps are within 30-45 minutes within each other, the weather is fantastic, and there really is something for everyone to enjoy even if they aren’t fans of the game.

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Road trips are as American as apple pie and according to AAA, each year over 44 million American’s pack up their families into the car and head out on an adventure.  Some are visiting families, some visit national parks and camp to get away from the modern world, others choose extravagant theme parks vacations while some prefer the serenity of beach getaways. There are many different options to choose from. Here is a list of the top ten best road trip destinations in the United States:

Grand Canyon South Rim: Closest airport is located in Phoenix and is still about a four hour drive, so regardless if you want to see and experience this natural wonder you will most likely be doing it by car (or train). The Grand Canyon is the quintessential road trip of a lifetime for all Americans and must be done at least once.

Yellowstone National Park: Yellowstone makes the perfect summer or winter family road trip and is a great place to encounter wildlife, camp, hike to waterfalls, and enjoy nature in all it’s finest. Your family and friends will be in awe of Old Faithful, have fun exploring the Stink Pots, and picnicking in nature’s beauty.

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