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We're heading to Vegas on the 23rd for a few days and we've never been. It's going to be my Mom, husband and me. Any suggestions? What to do, where to eat, where to avoid or what to avoid, any tips in general?
Don't drive on the strip. Just say no! There is a cute little trolley you can take. Or there's the monorail too. Or take a cab.
If you get a chance, go downtown. See Fremont Street and the light show. Prices are reasonable downtown and the gambling odds are better. Minimum bets are lower too. I spend my gambling money downtown. More bang for the buck!
For a lovely relaxing lunch, try the Flamingo Hilton. You can sit and eat and watch the flamingos, secretary birds, and swans. After lunch, you can walk around the grounds too.
There's just so much to see and do there, you will never fit it all in. Go online and google Las Vegas coupons and you will come up with a bunch for all sorts of activities. You'll find a couple magazines in your hotel room. Coupons there too! If there's a show you have to see get your tickets in advance from somewhere like vegas.com.
You can spend a bundle shopping there if you want. Be sure to try Ethel M Chocolate. If you see the jerky store downtown check that out too. I always shop the pawnshops downtown. Sometimes you can find a real bargain.
Seriously, the place is crowded and as you are walking through the casinos people will probably brush up against you. Hang onto your stuff and men should put their wallets in their front pockets.
Other than that, the poster above me pretty much covered it.
You will have the best time. There is so much to see, places to eat, etc. and the shopping, too.
My husband and I love the slots - that's it as far as gambling goes. Do you know where you are staying? Go to Ceasars Palace - they have a shopping mall that is really lovely and great restaurants. Each of the large casinos is like a self contained city. Go to Bellagio, The Venetian, The Paris Las Vegas, MGM, Have fun!!!
Make sure you have comfortable shoes because you will be doing A LOT of walking. Check out some of the great bargain-priced eateries. I mean many things about Vegas have changed but not this. You can still get $4.99 steak breakfasts, $1 foot-longs, $2 cheesesteaks, etc etc, it's just a matter of knowing where to look. Also USE THE COUPON BOOKS. Just go to the front desk of the hotel and ask for a coupon book, it has many great coupons like 1 free blackjack play, free margarita, discount souveniers, craps match-play etc.
Where exactly are you staying? Some of the hotels that are a must see are The Bellagio, The Venetian, The Wynn, and the old ones downtown. Freemont street experience is entertaining but make sure you told on to any cash you have on you, it's very easy to steal something when the person isn't paying attention to their belongings.
There are some great websites about visiting Las Vegas and what to do/see etc, check those out. Hope you have a fun and safe trip.
If you are into IMAX movies, they have a theater at Caesar's Palace. It was pretty neat when I went.
Also, if you head down to Boulder City, you can take the tour of Boulder Dam (at least I think you still can - this might have changed after 9/11).
If you're into auto racing, and are there at the right time, there's the Las Vegas Motor Speedway northeast of downtown. I believe they have stock car racing most Saturday nights through the summer. There is also a dragstrip there, but I have no idea of the drag racing schedule.
If you were going to be there in December, I'd suggest the National Finals Rodeo, if that's your sort of thing. It usually sells out pretty quickly though, so tickets might be a little hard to get. Since you're plans didn't mention going in December, I guess you can cross this off your list.
There is a lot to see and do in and around Las Vegas. That is one of the reasons that it is so popular as a vacation destination. I've seen a little bit of it, and have enjoyed what I've seen, but I've also had enough of the crowds, so I usually just pass through when I'm there.
Have a fun time on your trip, and don't try to be in a hurry. It will take a while to get through most of the popular areas, so just expect that. Take your time, and enjoy watching the crowds, and you'll be fine.
If you want to see some beautiful scenery go check out Red Rock State Park and the valley of fire. Beautiful scenic drives. Take lots of water though. Tremendously hot there this time of year. Hoover dam is not far from Vegas either.
1. GET a players club card at the casinos before you drop a quarter into any slot. This is for every casino that you go into and want to try your luck. If you want to play the slots or gamble a lot then it is best to stick to the hotel you are staying at. This is how you get comps. On your last night ask what you have so far. We had a nights stay covered at The Venetian and some credit for one of their restaurants w/ our comps one year. They will also send you specials in the mail and you can get discounts. Each person get their own card but it can be on one account. There is a slot to put them in on the slot machines and if you sit at a table then give it to the dealer.
2. If you want to have dinner at one of the nice restaurants you need to plan ahead and make reservations. You can do this when you get there and scope out the ones in the hotel your staying at. Where are you staying?
3. Walk the strip. You can break this up into two days as there is SOOOO much to see. Do one side one day and the other side another. Go in and out of all of the casino's and see what sites they have to see. The lions at MGM, the mall at Ceasers - The Forum, the beautiful flowers in The Bellagio, the water show at Bellagio (great at night too), the canal in The Venetian that you can take a gondola ride on, etc. Next door to the MGM is the Coke-Cola and the M&M stores. What is your favorite color? You can get just about every color and shade of M&M there. Walk down one side and then take the trolley or public bus back to your hotel or take the bus to the end and work your way back. Comfortable shoes were mentioned and this is a must. If you want to check out the show in the "sky" at the Rio there is a place to go and get a ticket for a ride to it as it is not located on the strip. Don't gamble here, total ripoff. If you have to decide between going to see the show at the Rio or something else, do the other.
4. Freemont is neat at night. The only place I'll gamble at down there is the Golden Nugget.
5. The pirate show at Treasure Island. From our room at The Venetian we could watch it.
6. Not into gambling but love to shop, this is HEAVEN for shoppers. OMYGOSH!!!!! I love to gamble but this place is like something else to go shopping. The Flamingo has some neat shops too. They also offer some classes for different table games. But the shopping in Vegas can get you into trouble if you don't watch it When hubby saw the two pairs of shoes I bought he wanted to know what hooker I stole them from, lol. I LOVE those shoes.
I agree with momof2dfw. These are great tips and I've learned a thing or two myself. Thanks everyone.
Here are some attractions at various hotels located from south to north on Las Vegas Boulevard. If I'm wrong on the locations, someone please correct me. Whenever I go to the strip, (which is not all that frequent), it always a whirlwind of activity and I can't remember everything. My husband, on the other hand, is a walking map and has a great sense of direction. All hotels listed below are located on the west side of strip except for MGM Grand, the Venetian, and the Flamingo Hilton which are on the east side.
*must sees.
TheHotel at Mandalay Bay (furthest south)
Only if you happen to end up here somehow, go to the Mix Lounge. It offers breathtaking views from the 64th floor. I think it opens at 5 or 6pm. Take the express elevator for more stunning views. If you end up taking the regular one, be sure to take the express one (located at the rear of the lounge) back down. The adjoining Mix restaurant is expensive but the food is grand. Don't eat there unless you want to spend big bucks.
For more casual dining, go to Mandalay Bay Resort's casino floor. TheHotel and Mandalay Bay Resort are two separate hotels sharing a casino floor. There's a good asian noodle place called Noodle Shop. Attractions are Shark Reef and Mama Mia, a very popular show.
*Go see the Lion Habitat at the MGM Grand, the world's largest hotel with about 5,000 rooms. David Cooperfield's magic show is playing there.
*At the Bellagio Hotel (one of LV's nicest), go check out the famous water fountains with 200 ft. streams of water choreographed to music. It runs every 15 minutes and lasts about 10 minutes. The Bellagio is connected to Caesar's Palace via a crosswalk. Use that. It's easier.
*Caesar's Palace's shopping area is known as The Forum Shops, one of the most popular must see tourist destinations. It's modeled after streets in ancient Rome and features street entertainers (mimes), and other fun stuff to make people smile. Fun! There's plenty of nice restaurants, coffee places, a food court, and casual restaurants like The Cheesecake Factory. At the Cheesecake, stick to the pasta dishes and avoid the meat and asian dishes. The food court is great for on-the-run food when you're pressed for time. Avoid Bertolini's. Nothing special. This year will be Celine Dion's last year performing at Caesar's. You might want to catch this one if it's not already fully booked.
*Check out the Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage Hotel. A tram conveniently runs from Mirage to Treasure Island.
*The Venetian, one of my favorites, features old world Italy and gondola rides. There's a Noodle Asian restaurant for casual dining. Blue Man Group is playing there and there's also Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum.
*The animals at Flamingo Hilton Wildlife Habitat is located behind the Flamingo Las Vegas.
*At Treasure Island, there is the Mystere Cirque du Soleil) show. From what I've heard, you can't go wrong with any of the Cirque shows. Other Cirque shows are: MGM Grand (KA), New York, NY (Zumanity), Mirage (Love), and Bellagio (O). Visitor reviews can be found at:
Across the street from Treasure is the Fashion Show Mall which is connected to Treasure via a pedestrian bridge. The Wynn Hotel is also nearby.
*For another awesome view, go to the Stratosphere Tower at the Stratosphere Hotel (furthest north). At the top are thrilling rides and a restaurant. A cab ride is necessary to get there from Treasure Island.
These are just a few of the attractions. There are many more and the number is staggering. You won't be able to see everything but certainly enough to experience the glitz of the strip. Your trip might be more memorable if at least one show is included in your itinerary. Many shows are booked well in advance and tickets purchased from ticket resellers are more expensive, especially for the popular shows and seats.
Getting around
Between 11-12 am, people are checking out of the hotels and it might be difficult to get a cab. Wait times can be up to an hour.
Traffic on the strip can be very heavy and cab rides very frustrating and expensive, however, cabs may be the most convenient means of getting around. If you're walking, wear comfy shoes. Carry dressy ones if you must. Carry water with you in case the heat sneaks up on you.
Then there's the monorail. It operates along the Las Vegas resort corridor and takes less than 15 mintues to complete the entire run. Stations are: MGM Grand, Ballys/Paris, Flamingo/Caesar's, Harrah's/Imperial, Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas Hilton, and Sahara. I never took it so I can't comment on its convenience or value. Based on some reviews, some people hated it, some liked it. The monorail can be quite a hike from the stations to the back of the casinos. Here are some links to give you an idea of the geographic area it covers and some alternative means of transportation.
Have fun (you will!) and win big at the slot machines.
desertgirl
Last edited by desertgirl; 05-14-2007 at 07:15 PM..
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. Check out some of the great bargain-priced eateries. I mean many things about Vegas have changed but not this. You can still get $4.99 steak breakfasts, $1 foot-longs, $2 cheesesteaks, etc etc, it's just a matter of knowing where to look. Also USE THE COUPON BOOKS. Just go to the front desk of the hotel and ask for a coupon book, it has many great coupons like 1 free blackjack play, free margarita, discount souveniers, craps match-play etc.
When hubby saw the two pairs of shoes I bought he wanted to know what hooker I stole them from, lol. I LOVE those shoes. 
