Is this America's most inspiring garden?
'Wayne?' queried Ian, and I had to admit that it didn't sound like a destination sort of place. As I drove the rental car through deep suburbia, even I began to doubt our mission. I almost punched the air when we found the entrance. It's one of those places: if you think you're lost, you're probably there.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Pandemic hangover and 'corporate greed' blamed for Vegas tourism collapse
A Sin City regular has blamed a pandemic hangover and 'corporate greed' for the tourism collapse in Las Vegas. It comes as figures from the city's convention and visitors bureau show tourism is down 11 per cent, while overall visits to the Nevada city are down six per cent this year. Meanwhile, the Golden Gate Hotel & Casino - the oldest gaming hub in the city - has announced it is replacing human dealers with electronic games. The former Vegas regular took to Reddit explaining they believe the tourist boycott is down to two things - 'the pandemic' and 'corporate greed.' 'I booked a trip and was on the strip the day some of the casinos reopened (after the pandemic) and it was dead, of course, but it was on it's way back,' the user wrote. As companies attempted to claw their way back into the green following the Covid-19 shutdown, the user blamed the city's decline on corporations relying on 'the common man' to recoup their losses. After having been a 'Vegas regular for over 20 years', they saw how prices were soaring following the pandemic. 'Resort fees. They started implementing them and every year they go up,' the user wrote. 'Even if you are getting comped rooms, some of these places have nightly resort fees ranging from about 40-80 bucks. 'That gives you access to Wi-Fi and usually the spa. Both things that were previously free.' The user said that food prices also took a noticeable increase, where buffets used to be served at around $20 to $30. 'Now there are fewer buffets to be had and they are all around 50 and up,' they wrote, noting that 'most are brunch only so forget about a full dinner buffet.' The gambling tables also had increased minimum bets if you wanted to sit and play. 'Pre-pandemic you could walk into most strip casinos and find 5-10 dollar tables and most would be full day and night,' they wrote. 'Now you find a rare low minimum table anywhere on the strip and most have jumped to 25-50 minimum.' But the gambling tables came with another issue as staffing numbers were also reduced, according to the user. With fewer staff comes slower service, which they said is a 'huge problem' when gambling. 'Most gamblers like to take advantage of the free drinks, but if they have to wait 20 minutes or more for a waitress to even come by and notice them, then another 20 for her to make it back around, that's a problem,' they wrote. Yet, even if gambling is not your cup of tea, other forms of entertainment have also seen prices 'skyrocket.' 'Shows and events, prices have just skyrocketed for shows,' the user wrote. 'Prices everywhere have gone up but most people can't justify paying 2-300 a ticket for a show per ticket.' They also noted that parking fees can cost a driver around 30 to 50 dollars per day if they wanted to 'park at a hotel where they were actually staying.' After having spent the last 20 years going to Vegas 'four times a year like clockwork', the user has since cut their trips down to two and even considered skipping their second trip for this year. 'People need to just avoid Vegas until they realize they have to adjust prices that reflect what middle America are willing and able to pay,' they said. Another frequent visitor said they had been 'five times since 2012, always for business' but agreed that corporate greed was a major issue. 'The first time I came, I was pleasantly surprised that I could just wander from casino to casino, having a beer here and there and some nice food in between. 'Enjoy the spectacle, hang out with colleagues and watch the crazy people,' they wrote on the Reddit thread. 'And at the end, I wasn't completely broke, or maybe even won a couple $. Now, it seems like the only reason to go to a certain casino is if you have a hankering for a specific restaurant. 'Everything else is generified and looks the same. The prices for food are astronomical... the corps have realized that people will pay anything, because once they are on the Strip for an event, they have no other options.' Another user chimed in and agreed that corporate greed has been one of the biggest factors keeping Vegas from coming back to life. 'I live in Vegas... this is 100 per cent what I've heard the locals say is the problem too,' they said. '[Big companies] talk about how they're optimizing for the high rollers now but [there] just aren't that many. 'And as they lose money they continue to raise prices to make up the difference but that just locks out even more people.' Caesars Entertainment, which runs eight casino resorts and one non-gaming hotel on the Strip, reported a 3.7 per cent year-over-year decline in net revenue in the second quarter of 2025, according to SEC filings. From April to June, the company brought in $1.054 billion in Las Vegas, down from $1.095 billion in the same time period in 2024.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
How the world's media descended on Alaska only to find themselves with no beds, no phone signal and just 12 minutes of speeches from Trump and Putin
Reporters who attended the Alaska summit have claimed there were no proper beds and no phone signal after an arduous journey to make it to the crunch talks. Members of the media travelled thousands of miles to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson for just 12 minutes of speeches from Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin. Journalists had initially been told that talks between the US President and Russian leader about brokering an end to the war in Ukraine could last up to seven hours. But three hours in, the media waiting under a large tent were informed that a press conference had been called and wider bilateral talks were no longer taking place. Mr Trump and Mr Putin were on stage in Anchorage for 12 minutes, with no questions taken from the hundreds of gathered journalists and no ceasefire announced. One American journalist was quoted to have exclaimed at the end of the press conference: 'What the f*** was that? Is that all?' Among the British reporters who travelled to Alaska with high expectations was former Daily Mail journalist Connor Stringer, now the Telegraph 's deputy US editor. Writing about the press conference finishing so quickly, he said: 'The press pack, who had flown more than 2,000 miles in the hopes of witnessing history, were left shouting into the abyss. Colleagues looked around in bewilderment. 'Almost immediately, chatter between journalists turned from astonishment to frustration, as we realised that the pair had spoken for a twentieth of the painstaking time that it took for us to each be individually screened by the Secret Service that morning. 'In the few days before the highly-anticipated summit, we had scrambled to secure hire cars and accommodation in Anchorage, which turned out to be as scarce as details of what the two leaders agreed in their talks.' With just a week to prepare after Mr Trump announced the summit, Anchorage was already strained to capacity with hotels full of prebooked tourists on fishing trips and coastal cruises. Russian journalists, unable to secure accommodation, posted disapproving pictures of staying inside a sporting arena, where they slept on cots partitioned off from one another by black curtains. The Russians also found that their mobile data roaming was not working, and instead had to connect to a wifi network provided by the US Air Force. The US hosts served the Russian journalists a selection of familiar foods - shashlik meat skewers, grilled fish and even chicken Kiev. Mr Trump did not secure a deal to end the conflict in Ukraine after nearly three hours of talks with his Russian counterpart. After the negotiations, which took place alongside senior officials, the two presidents refused to answer questions from reporters. However, both made statements, with Mr Trump saying 'some great progress' was made with 'many points' agreed and 'very few' remaining. After the summit, Mr Trump suggested there were only a few major stumbling blocks holding up the prospect of a peace deal. Speaking to Fox News, he said it was now up to Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky to 'make a deal' to end the war. Tomorrow, Sir Keir Starmer will join Mr Zelensky and European leaders for a meeting with Mr Trump at the White House. The Prime Minister and a host of European leaders will travel to Washington DC in a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian leader, whose last visit to the Oval Office ended in a tumultuous spat with Mr Trump.
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Disney's most expensive experiences revealed… and some will cost visitors MILLIONS
If you thought a regular day at Disney World or Disneyland was expensive, then brace yourself for the price of the extra experiences that Mickey and his friends have to offer. With single day tickets to the parks continuously rising, and families forking over hundreds more on food and hotels - it's easy to spend a pretty penny at the famous parks. A ticket to enter Disneyland in Anaheim, California, when it first opened in 1955 would have cost an adult just $1, which would be $11.53 today if adjusted for inflation, while children's tickets cost a mere 50 cents. At the time of opening, however, guests had to additional fees for each ride. But these cost just 10 cents for kids and 23 cents for adults - the equivalent of $1.15 and $2.65 in today's dollars. Now, it'll cost you anywhere from $103 to $206 for a day at Disneyland and a minimum of $119 for Disney World, depending on when you go and the type of ticket you buy. And if you think that's bad, some added perks can actually cost more than a house. TikTok user known as Disney Magic Daily recently went viral on the app after they curated a list of the most expensive experiences that customers can partake in at Disney's parks. From a private VIP tour to sleeping inside the castle itself, here are the most expensive experiences offered at the Happiest Place on Earth... and how much they would cost you. Victoria and Albert's at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort If you think eating out at one of the Disney parks is expensive, just wait until you find out how much it costs to dine at Victoria and Albert's at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort. It's more than just a meal - it's a fine dining experience available only for guests over 10 years old. Described as an 'exquisite and intimate upscale dining experience' and the 'culinary crown jewel of Walt Disney World Resort,' the restaurant has a strict semi-formal dress code and a $100 cancellation free if you cancel within five days of your reservation. 'From the moment you arrive, you'll be immersed in the splendor of a bygone era,' reads a description. 'Victoria & Albert's is home to sophisticated dining spaces that feature shimmering chandelier crystals, Victorian-inspired murals, delicate embroidery, intricate lace details and other stylish touches at every turn.' As per the website, the prix-fixe menu begins at $295 per guest with an optional wine pairings starting at $155 per guest. Non-alcoholic pairings start at $115 per guest. Private VIP Tour Next on the list was the Private VIP tour of the parks, where a private tour guide takes customers wherever they want to go around the park. The tour guide escorts the guests every step of the way, teaching them about the parks, giving them secret backstage access, and allowing them to skip the main lines on rides and instead use the faster Lightning Lane entrance. Prices range from $450 to $900 per hour, with a minimum of seven hours and a maximum of 10 hours. Valid theme park admission is required for each theme park visited on the tour and is not included in the price of the tour, bringing the cost up even further. The private tour includes pre-arrival planning, a flexible start time dictated by the guest, visits to multiple theme parks, and the ability to enjoy some of your favorite attractions efficiently during your visit. Club 33 The famous and ultra-exclusive Club 33 is next, which is Disney's secret members-only club located at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. The initiation fee for Club 33 costs tens of thousands of dollars alone, with the annual fees costing another $32,000, according to a couple who made headlines last year after they were banned from the club. The LA Times reported it can cost as much as $50,000 for the initiation fee to the club, and it will guarantee Disney-lovers countless perks in the park, fine dining, and a lounge where they can mingle. Club 33 is tucked away in plain sight in the middle of Disneyland's New Orleans Square. The restaurant and club is recognized only by its '33' plaque hanging above the door, with a rumored 500 members and a further 800 on the waiting list. To become a member, you have to fill out an online form, where prospective members are asked to provide their name, address, phone number, and email address. However, submitting a form doesn't mean you'll automatically become a member, with the site noting: 'If the opportunity presents itself, Club 33 may contact you.' How the club decides who to offer membership to is up to their 'sole discretion.' Golden Oak Golden Oak is Disney's private residential community in Florida where you can live on property full time. The cluster of homes opened in 2011 with mansions ranging from the low millions to tens of millions. Homeowners get VIP perks, concierge services, and live next door to the park, with houses starting at a whopping $4 million and some even reaching $20 million. In 2023, the Daily Mail reported that one home within the community sold for nearly $10 million after 50 showings. In addition, on average, residents pay up to $30,000 a year in HOA dues. Homeowners get VIP perks, concierge services and live next door to the park, with houses starting at a whopping $4 million and have even reached $20 million Golden Oak is only a five-minute short drive to the Magic Kingdom - so close that residents can see the theme park's fireworks from their homes - and a seven-minute drive to EPCOT. Disney also handles the community's day-to-day operations and provide the residents with transportation to the parks and even gives them early access to new rides. Disney's animators and actors also come to the community's clubhouse to host seminars and the community has several restaurants. Cinderella's Castle Suite Staying in the suite in Cinderella's Castle is many Disney-lover's dream. The elusive room is hidden in Cinderella's Castle and is Disney World's most exclusive spot - no one can book it and those who stay there have to win a contest or be invited. Originally, it was intended to be an apartment for Walt Disney and his family when they stayed in Florida. Sadly Walt died in 1966 prior to park opening and so it was left unfinished for almost 30 years. In 2005 the suite was finally completed and upholstered as a 'royal bedchamber,' which can sleep up to six people. The suite consists of a salon, bedchamber, and bathroom off of a private marble-floored foyer. An exclusive elevator opens to the foyer, where on display is Cinderella's glass slipper, her coronation crown and scepter, and several pumpkins from her collection. The bedchamber isn't large, but finds room for two queen sized beds and a pull-out sofa in the adjacent parlor. Both the bedchamber and salon are furnished in the style of the era of 'the Louies,' the French rulers of the period that inspired the castle and Cinderella's story. The deco is rich in detail including nooks showcasing clocks, porcelain and accessories befitting the period. Doors are richly detailed; the walls are covered with wood panels and intricate wall coverings.
