This has long been on my list so glad I was able to strike it off with the current visit. Here's my little rundown of some helpful notes from my visit!

1. The Neon Museum is located away from the strip so you’ll need a ride over.
2. You’ll also want to visit when the weather is cooler – the entirety of the exhibit space is in the outdoors so walking around might be a challenge during the highs of summer.
​3. Though created in the 1990s, the signage here is from the 1930s and after. Although it might appear that all the signs have been randomly dumped in this yard space, there is a method to the madness so read on ...

Weather gods decided to play party poopers today. Landing into Cancun was through bumpy cloud cover and reasonable downpour, though the greenery from above was a welcome sight. The immigration process was fairly quick but lines were long. Information received later was that sometimes chartered flights arrive at the same time as commercial flights, which if they do, you just need to be ready for the mass exodus of people waiting at the same time for documentation. The transfer to Hotel Fiesta Americana Condesa was convenient via private cab. I was here for the Cancun Travel Mart - appears so were many others!

Having visited Portland one other time, this trip was to enjoy the city a tad bit more and possibly in a leisurely manner. For my stay I chose the Jupiter NEXT Hotel, a modern boutique hotel close to the Pearl District. The minimalist décor and large wall murals are a plus. The large lobby area and upstairs coworking space were also great. The sleek design of the furniture was welcome. I liked the location also for it being somewhat central to a few different things I’d be doing during my days here and walkability to restaurants and shops. 

About less than an hour’s car drive from the strip in Las Vegas lies this lovely scenic spot that attracts quite the tourist interest from visitors and locals. Per the name you would have guessed that there is red rock all around and this is a great venue for an activity away from the strip. You can go hiking or rock climbing, or simply take a scenic drive for sights around the Mojave Desert. The 13-mile drive has many stops for walks and picnics or overlooks but it is only one way so if you miss a stop, you will have to come back around again. Luckily your fee allows you entry all day so you could totally just be driving around in loops if that is all you’d like to do. 

My home base for the days of the IMM and NYT events was the New York Manhattan Hotel in Koreatown. Didn’t think much of it when I first booked the spot but boy is the location pretty darn awesome! Right in the middle of a bustling street with Koran BBQ places all around, as well as a few other options so here’s my take 5 on restaurants you can try if you happen to find yourself in the area...