USA West Coast Travel Part V (Premium Outlets in S. California)

November 2, 2014 by admin
Filed under: USA, USA West Coast Travel Part V (Premium Outlets in S. California)

USA West Coast Travel Part V

Premium Outlets in S. California

Day 7(Thursday, 28.5.2014)

Las Vegas City – Primm(68 km)

Journey from Las Vegas to San Bernardino on Day 7

Iconic “Welcome” Sign

We had already stayed in Las Vegas City for two days enjoying the sights and sounds of the city and seen the Grand Canyon with an awesome scenery in Arizona. Before we left the city on Day 7, we went to the city iconic “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada” sign on the edge of the city and near McCarran International Airport. It was designed by Betty Willis and put up there by Western Neon in 1959.

McCarran International Airport near Las Vegas’ iconic “Welcome” in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Photos for Remembrance

Some members in our tour group took photos in front of the sign. My wife and I took one with an Elvis Presley impersonator, Mark, as you can see him in a photo below.

Writer and wife with Elvis Presley impersonator in front of Las Vegas’ iconic “Welcome” sign

Dr. Chua and family in front of Las Vegas’ iconic “Welcome” sign, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Tan Poh Boo and wife in front of Las Vegas’ iconic “Welcome” sign, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Kenny Cheng and family in front of Las Vegas’ “Welcome” sign, Nevada, USA

Chee Meng and wife in front of Las Vegas’ iconic “Welcome” sign, Nevada, USA

Fashion Outlets, Primm

Later, we left the place for a premium outlet, Fashion Outlets. We travelled south-west from Las Vegas City for about 68 km before we reached a Nevada border town, Primm, where Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas was located.

Tour group leaving Las Vegas in Nevada for Primm, a Nevada border town, on Day 7

Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas, a shopping mall, at Primm Town, Nevada, USA

Layout of stores of Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas at Primm Town, Nevada, USA

Like any outer outlets, it was a shopping mall selling accessories, jewellery, apparels, footwear and more. Most of them were of American brands, like Levi’s, Nike, Calvin Klein, Timberland, Guess, Tommy Hilfiger, Samsonite, Skechers, Coach, etc. We spent about 3 hours and 30 minutes there and thought that the shopping time was too long. Besides, we did not have much money to buy American products.

Nike Store at Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas

Calvin Klein Store at Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas

Levi’s Store at Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas

Tommy Hilfiger Store at Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas

Luggage Store at Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas

Tanger Outlets, Barstow

At 2 p.m. we left the Outlets and continued our journey south-westwards on Interstate 15 Freeway in the hot Mojave Desert. At 4 p.m. we reached Barstow Town and stopped at another shopping mall, Tanger Outlets, which we had visited earlier. We stopped there for about an hour for those tour members who wanted to buy some American products which they had not bought earlier. Then we left for San Bernardino in the south-west of Barstow. After an hour of travelling on the same freeway, we saw for the first time, after spending a few days at places in Mojave Desert, mountains covered with forests. They were in Angeles National Forest near San Bernardino.

Tanger Outlets at Barstow Town in the hot Mojave Desert revisited by the tour group on Day 7

Mountains covered with forests in Angeles National Forest near San Bernardino in southern California, USA

Home Town Buffet, San Bernardino

At 6.20 p.m. we arrived at San Bernardino Town and stopped at a restaurant, Home Town Buffet Restaurant, where we had a buffet dinner consisting of an array of different types of food. In the middle of our dinner, we were amused when a friendly restaurant assistant, Augustine, showed us his creative food art, as you can see it in the photo below.

Tour group having dinner at Home Town Buffet Restaurant at Barstow Town in southern California

A simple buffet dinner at Home Town Buffet Restaurant at Barstow Town in southern California

Augustne, a Home Town Buffet Restaurant assistant, proudly, showing off his food creativity to the tour group

Hilton Garden Inn, San Bernardino

Then we left the restaurant and went to Hilton Garden Inn in the town where we stayed overnight.

Tour group staying overnight at Hilton Garden Inn at San Bernardino on Day 7

Tour group staying overnight at Hilton Garden Inn at San Bernardino in southern California, USA

Day 8(Friday, 29.5.2014)

Desert Hills Premium Outlets, Palm Springs

At 9.30 in the morning of Day 8, we left Hilton Garden Inn in San Bernardino and headed south to Palm Springs where we went to another shopping mall, Desert Hills Premium Outlets, consisting of 180 stores.

Tour group getting ready to leave San Bernardino for Anaheim in southern California, USA

Wang, the tour coach driver, recording his trips in his log book, daily

When we arrived at the outlets we noticed that the stores were selling American products, and most of them were similar to those at other outlets we had gone to. Our travel agency thought we, Malaysians, were crazy shoppers and had lots of money to spend! But we could afford to buy one or two items only as the exchange rate between American Dollar and Malaysian Ringgit was high.

Entrance to Desert Hills Premium Outlets near Palm Springs in southern California, USA

A hot and quiet afternoon at Desert Premium Outlets near Palm Springs in southern California, USA

Coach Store at Desert Hills Premium Outlets near Palm Springs, California, USA

Jimmy Choo Store at Desert Hills Premium Outlets near Palm Springs, California, USA

Guess Store at Desert Hills Premium Outlets near Palm Springs, California, USA

We were quite displeased with the agency as they made us stay at that quiet outlets for more than six hours in the hot desert weather with a temperature of 38 degrees. I think the agency should consider not more than two premium outlets visits in the hot Mojave Desert in their travel itinerary for their future customers.

Writer’s wife(L) and couple resting and feeling bored at Desert Hills Premium Outlets near Palm Springs, California, USA

Departure for Anaheim

At 4.30 p.m., after long hours of unbearable heat at the quiet Desert Hills Premium Outlets, we, happily, left for Anaheim Town in Orange County. We travelled on the same route again, Interstate 15 Freeway, but we were crossing hilly areas then.

Interstate 15 Freeway crossing hilly areas to Anaheim, southern California, USA

Marriott Suites Hotel, Anaheim

At 6 p.m. we arrived at a hotel, Marriott Suites, in Anaheim Town. When we entered our respective rooms we were pleased to see the cosy rooms.

Marriott Suites Hotel, Anaheim, California, USA

A cosy bedroom in Marriott Suites Hotel, Anaheim, California, USA

A comfortable sitting room adjacent to a bedroom in Marriott Suites Hotel, Anaheim, California, USA

Dinner at Grand China Restaurant, Anaheim

After leaving our luggage in our rooms, we walked to a nearby restaurant, Grand China Restaurant, to have dinner. Our tour guide, Jay Ho, led us to the place.

Jay Ho, the group tour guide, giving direction to Grand China Restaurant where dinner is served, Anaheim, California, USA

Grand China Restaurant where tour group have dinner near Marriott Suites Hotel, Anaheim, California, USA

During the dinner I took the opportunity to take photos of our fellow tour members for remembrance. I was glad they were happy to have their photos taken. You may see them below. After dinner we went back to the hotel and stayed, comfortably, overnight there.