From this spot in the center of Grant Park, you have a great view to the north of the skyscrapers along the river and to the west along Michigan Avenue.
Buckingham Fountain in Chicago’s Grant Park
View from my temporary home in downtown Chicago
I was staying at the Travelodge on Harrison Street – which was about the cheapest hotel I could find in the neighborhood south of the loop and near Grant Park.
My hotel was located about four blocks from the Adams/Wabash station on The Loop – one of the stops for the Orange Line. I was also about a block from the Harrison Station of the Red Line – which runs north to the Cubs’ Wrigley Field and south to the White Sox’s Rate Field.
One amusing note: My sister visited Chicago about a month before me. I didn’t know it at the time, but she also took a picture of the moose.
View looking west from the Las Vegas Strip
Much closer, just across Interstate 15, you can spot off-strip casinos like The Orleans, The Rio and The Palms.
The Las Vegas Strip in June 2026
Amidst the familiar bright lights, 2026 is the year we see the new guitar going up on what used to be the Mirage and will soon be the new Hard Rock Casino.
Bellagio Conservatory in transition
It’s not only free, but it changes on a seasonal basis.
The changes mean there are brief periods when the exhibit is closed as they change from one season to the next.
I happened to be in the neighborhood when a new exhibit “Summer 2026: Paradise” was being put in place. That meant I couldn’t walk though the exhibit and most of what you saw while walking past were workmen and small construction vehicles.
One interesting thing I saw on the way to the tram from the Bellagio to the Park MGM was a back lot with what looked like pieces of the incoming exhibit.
Remaining 2026 exhibition dates via the Bellagio website:
– Summer: June 13, 2026 through Sept. 12, 2026
– Harvest: Sept. 19, 2026 though Nov. 7, 2026
– Holiday: Nov. 14, 2026 through Jan. 2, 2027
Las Vegas Athletics domed baseball stadium under construction
Located on the southeast corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Tropicana, the facility is just south of the MGM Grand Casino and east of the Excalibur Casino on the Strip – where the Tropicana Casino used to sit.
Aerial views of the Grand Canyon and Lake Mead on the way to Las Vegas
A trip to Las Vegas means sitting on the right side of the plane and seeing the tail end of the Grand Canyon near the end of the flight and then Lake Mead right before landing.
Along the way you can see a lot of the desert southwest.
Pacific Beach and Crystal Pier in San Diego
Long ago I “learned” to surf here, although I never did it enough to get good at it.
I’ve probably taken the photo of looking south at Crystal Pier a hundred times. Same for looking north from the cliffs to the beach that leads in the direction of La Jolla.
And I think every time you go to the beach, you always look for at least one good photo of a sea bird.
Huntington Beach Pier in Surf City USA
After getting into SoCal on an early morning flight, I headed to Huntington Beach. The Huntington Beach Pier makes a convenient landmark and both a great backdrop and ideal vantage point to take pictures of surfers.
There are also parking, plenty of shops and places to eat within walking distance.
Finished murals created for San Antonio’s Viva Fiesta Paint Jam
These murals near downtown San Antonio took shape in April at 811 South Flores Street at the corner of Guadalupe at The Strip Club.
