Key Takeaways
- Las Vegas vacation memories capture the glitz and glamour of family travel, once free from excessive fees.
- In the past, families left with vibrant photos and films, making memories at iconic spots like the Strip and themed hotels.
- Today, visitors face extra costs like resort fees and parking charges, changing the vacation experience.
- Despite the rising costs, Las Vegas remains a popular photo-worthy destination full of lights and excitement.
- Preserving old Las Vegas vacation memories through digitization allows families to relive those cherished moments.
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Why Las Vegas is more than just a typical vacation
Las Vegas Vacation Memories: Reliving the Glitz, Glamour, and Hidden Costs Behind Family Travel Magic
Picture this: It’s the 1970s. Your family piles into the station wagon, the air smells of desert heat and sunscreen, the neon signs of Las Vegas Boulevard blaze into dusk like a thousand tiny fireworks, and you pull up at your hotel where even the lobby seems charged with a low hum of excitement. Everyone’s got a snap-happy Kodak in hand, a box of slides or a reel of Super 8 film ready to capture every laugh, every shimmering fountain, every family group photo in front of the giant neon cowboy, or the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign.
Las Vegas wasn’t just a destination for gambling — it was a sensory overload of glitz, pools, shows, buffets, and themed hotels that screamed “holiday.” Families didn’t just leave with memories—they went with physical slides, film canisters, photo albums full of bold, saturated color, and home-movie footage that played back the trip over and over in living room projectors or VHS tapes. What made it one of the top photo-travel destinations? The neon-lit Strip offered mega visual contrast to everyday suburban scenes: glowing marquees, dancing fountains at Bellagio Hotel & Casino, hotel exteriors shaped like pyramids, castles, or volcanoes.
- Themed photo spots — the giant cowboy sign (Siegfried & Roy sign), the “stork” at the Flamingo, the erupting volcano at Mirage Hotel & Casino, the gondolas at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas.
- Poolside, mid-afternoon: the family cover shot, Dad in a Hawaiian shirt, Mom with sunglasses, kids in floaties. The lighting was vivid, the setting exotic compared to “normal” vacations.
- The ritual of returning home with boxes of 35 mm slides or Super 8 film reframed the trip as archive material — a story to show friends and family, to revisit, to digitize later (hello, ScanMyPhotos.com!).
“We shot two rolls of 24 on the Strip, then I stuck my Super 8 in the lobby fountain showing. It felt nothing like our ski trips back home.” — Jim, Seattle.
“Slide trays piled up in our attic — Vegas one year, Disneyland the next, but Vegas had the glow that just popped.” — Pat, Fresno.
Las Vegas in the 60s, 70s, and 80s had a distinctive vibe that truly captured the essence of the era. Imagine choking cigarette smoke drifting through casino lobbies, showgirls dropping feathers, and the swagger of the Rat Pack. Picture diners with jukeboxes, mouthwatering buffets, and the late-night neon reflections shimmering in the pool water.
In the 1960s, Las Vegas showcased big lounge acts and vibrant neon signs, marking the beginning of large-scale hotels. The 1970s saw the rise of larger resorts and themed architecture, creating even more opportunities for memorable photos, like the pyramid at the Luxor or the Earthquake show at MGM.
By the 1980s, vacations in Las Vegas became a spectacle. Families began to see the city as an exotic destination rather than just a gambling hub; parents would book shows, kids would collect novelty T-shirts, and everyone would pose for pictures by the giant “Welcome” sign, at the hotel pool, or in front of the Cirque du Soleil tents.
It was about togetherness, escape, shimmering lights, laughter, the sense of “we’re somewhere else” in visual terms: bold colours, cinematic lighting, and every snapshot promising a “remember this” moment.
Las Vegas today: the glare still strong — but the cost is heavy.
Fast-forward to today: the themed hotels are more elaborate, the shows more high-tech, the photo spots still there—but so are the fees. Guests now walk away with memories and a growing stack of “extra charges” that feel less like part of the vacation and more like a last-minute bill.
Here are some of the complaints:
- Many travelers feel that the perception of overpricing is growing. One industry expert says, “Consumers are convinced that Las Vegas isn’t the value it once was.” Las Vegas Review-Journal+1
- The dreaded “resort fee” remains a persistent issue, often exceeding the advertised room rate. City Cast Las Vegas+1
- Parking, which once might’ve been free or trivial, now hits you. For significant properties like MGM Resorts International, self-parking for hotel guests is currently listed at $20 per day (every day) at many Strip resorts.
- Additionally, there are fees for premium dining experiences, early check-in, resort fees, and exorbitant prices for items such as coffee and show tickets. It’s no longer enjoyable when you consider all the hidden fees.
You might think that a parking fee of “$20” isn’t too bad compared to some horror stories of fees over $40. However, those charges can add up quickly, especially when you have multiple nights of parking, several cars, and other additional expenses to consider. The final irony is that your last memory might be at the exit gate. Imagine a family pulling up to the hotel exit on check-out day: you’ve had a fantastic holiday, enjoyed filling buffets, and been dazzled by entertaining shows. The slides and home movies are already in the back seat, ready to be scanned and cherished. But then you reach the exit gate, see the parking charge pop up, hand over your card, and suddenly, that becomes one of your final memories of Las Vegas.
Let’s do the math using the MGM guest self-parking rate:
- If you stay 5 nights, that’s $20 x 5 = $100 in parking alone.
- Add that to nightly resort fees, food markups, show tickets… the “fun” turns into “cost centre”.
What should be a light-hearted send-off becomes a nagging afterthought: “Thanks for coming. Here are the fees. Drive safely. Can’t wait to see you back.” But the real message is: “By the way, if you had any money left, we’re about to take it now.”
A Little Contrast Memory for Context
Remember when parking was free? You could pull up, drop off your bags, get your roll of film ready, and walk in with everyone smiling—without anyone checking the meter times. That simplicity allowed vacations to feel like a getaway, truly. Today, the fees seem like an added tax on your memories.
Las Vegas continues to attract visitors with its photo-worthy experiences. The lights, the themes, the laughter of families, and the reels of home movies still exist. However, somewhere between the nostalgia of “two rolls of slides” and “Dad with a Super 8 camera,” the business side has intruded: resort fees, parking charges, and various nickel-and-dime tactics. The memories remain precious, but the costs can certainly add up.
Whenever you or one of your customers at ScanMyPhotos.com scrolls through those old Vegas slides from the ’70s or ’80s, remind yourself: the vacation felt different—electric, collective, memory-making—in a way that few trips do. And if you head back today, keep one eye on the photo ops and the other on the exit gate.
FAQ’s
Why was Las Vegas such a popular vacation spot for family photos? The city’s bright lights, themed hotels, and showy backdrops made every photo feel cinematic. Families captured moments that still sparkle decades later.
How have Las Vegas vacations changed over the years? While the glamour remains, modern travelers face resort fees, parking costs, and added charges that can dampen the fun. The city’s spirit is still alive — but pricier.
How can I preserve my old Las Vegas vacation photos? Digitize your 35mm slides, prints, or home movies through ScanMyPhotos.com to relive and share your favorite Vegas moments with today’s generation.
