August 27, 2020 – WANDERLUST FAMILY ADVENTURE

Hotel Review – The Venetian (Las Vegas, Nevada)

August 27, 2020 Joseph Candora Architecture, Hotels, Las Vegas, Nevada, North America, Reviews, United States

For my first trip to Las Vegas I booked a room in the Venetian on the Las Vegas Strip on the site of the old Sands Hotel. Designed by KlingStubbins, the hotel tower contains 36 stories and rises 475 feet. The Venetian is owned and operated by Las Vegas Sands. The Venetian also serves as the seat of the corporate headquarters for its parent company.

New photo by Wanderlust Family Adventure / Google Photos

I was not disappointed the hotel was conveniently located on the strip giving easy access to other nearby attractions. The suites were immaculate in two levels with a sitting area on a lover level from the beds and a luxurious bathroom.

Attractions at the hotel were Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum,

and the Canal Shops. The shops were set up as if on a Venetian canal complete with a false sky and gondolas plying the waterway.

I am not a gambler so I cannot comment on the casino. A bit more money than some of the other hotels on the strip but worth it in my opinion.

Mount Baldy – Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (Porter, Indiana)

August 27, 2020 Joseph Candora Beaches, Hiking, Indiana, Lake/Pond, Mountain, National Parks Service, North America, United States

Mount Baldy is a sand dune located in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. It is on the southern shore of Lake Michigan and is 126 feet tall. It is a wandering dune that moves or shifts every year, and is called a “living dune.” Mount Baldy is accessible from U.S. Route 12 (also known as Dunes Highway) between the town of Pines and the western border of Michigan City, Indiana. It is a tourist attraction locally and regionally, drawing weekend and summer visitors from Chicago.

Prior to the dune’s closure, one could ascend its 302 steps and see Chicago’s skyline. North of Mount Baldy is a swimmable beach which is also part of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Due to its popularity with visitors, the marram grass which had stabilized the dune was largely destroyed, and the dune has begun advancing southwards, threatening to overrun its parking lot. Accordingly, the National Park Service has rerouted trails and planted grass in hopes of slowing the dune erosion.

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore has recently been promoted to National Park Status making it the nation’s 61st national park.

Chellberg Farm – Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (Porter, Indiana)

August 27, 2020 Joseph Candora Architecture, Historic Sites, Indiana, National Parks Service, North America, United States

Chellberg Farm is a historic farmstead which in 1972 became part of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Chellberg Farm is significant as it represents the ethnic heritage of a nearly forgotten Swedish-American settlement. The farm includes a family home, water house with windmill, chicken coop/bunkhouse, and the original barn. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore has recently been promoted to National Park status making it the nation’s 61st national park.

Joseph Bailly Homestead – Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (Porter, Indiana)

August 27, 2020 Joseph Candora Architecture, Historic Sites, Indiana, National Parks Service, North America, United States

The Joseph Bailly Homestead in Porter, Indiana is preserved by the National Park Service in Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. The Homestead was the home of Joseph Aubert de Gaspé Bailly de Messein, a fur trader, and his family. Bailly brought his family to the southern shore of Lake Michigan in 1822. The Homestead remained in the family until the death of his granddaughter, Frances Howe, in 1917. The Homestead is sometimes referred to as the “Bailly-Howe” Home. The National Lakeshore has recently been promoted to National Park Status making it the nation’s 61st national park.

Hartmann Model Railroad and Toy Museum – Intervale, New Hampshire

August 27, 2020 Joseph Candora Museums, New England, New Hampshire, North America, United States

The Hartmann Model Railroad and Toy Museum in Intervale, New Hampshire held a vast collection of model railroad toys and track layouts. The museum closed in 2018 after 27 years of operation. It was a fascinating housing of hundreds of trains and had several nice track layouts.

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