Vegas Tips

[Lacey]

So me and my two cruise buddies booked a long weekend in Vegas Jan 30-Feb 2 to at least lessen the blow of no cruise or vacation. None of us have been to Vegas before, and none of us are big into gambling, though we'll probably spend an hour or two playing video poker or something. We're staying at Planet Hollywood.

We'd like to see a Cirque show, but holy balls those tickets are expensive. Anyone know any ways to get cheaper tickets? Like NYC has for day-of tickets and things?

Anyone have favorite restaurants or buffets?

We're thinking of renting a car for one day and driving to see some parks/nature stuff around. Any suggestions? Grand Canyon's a little too far for us, I think.

Any other suggestions welcome! :D

[cuddlemonkey]

The dinner buffet at the Rio is pretty good, and quite large. If I remember correctly, it's seperated by region. They've got a little teppanyaki grill which was good. The southern food was kind of boring (though it might be beacuse I'm picky about my favorites). Overall, though, it was quite good.

Also, there's a Kona Grill that's 15-20 minutes from the strip. I became hooked on that place in Kansas City a few years back.

I can't help you with tickets, though I'm pretty sure you can get them day-of. Cirque should be a hot ticket, though, so it might be sold out if you attempt that route.

Good luck. :)

[therealshell]

I dunno why, but I've never liked Vegas.

[lulugirl]

www.vegas.com is a great site to check out shows/concerts/food. You can make dining reservations from that site too.

Restaurants: These are all great, and not that expensive (at least for Vegas)
Trevi-Ceasars
Postrio-The Venetian
Tao-The Venetian
Mon Ami Gabi-Paris
Pink Taco-Hard Rock

Check out the water show @ Bellagio. You can do this from the strip, or there is a great bar in Bellagio, where you can sit outside and see it.

If you end up renting a car, Hoover Dam is pretty cool to see, as is the Red Rock canyon area.

I could spend hours just wondering thru all the beautiful hotels.....

Have FUN!

[PolyesterAngel]

Don't take jager shots on the roof of a hotel, don't trust some guy you just met to sell you ecstasy because he'll accidentally sell you roofies and remember that tigers like pepper, they HATE cinnamon.

[Joyful1]

Check out the neon graveyard!

[cuddlemonkey]

Don't take jager shots on the roof of a hotel, don't trust some guy you just met to sell you ecstasy because he'll accidentally sell you roofies and remember that tigers like pepper, they HATE cinnamon.

However, having Mike Tyson punch one of your friends is a must do.

[CyndieGrams]

One of our "must dos" is to have nachos at Margaritaville (@ the Flamingo). There is an outside bar, stage area outside of Harrahs that usually has some decent live music. And, we have also had some really great times at Toby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill inside Harrahs. I'm really not much of a country music fan but we always have a lot of fun with the bartenders there. We also like to eat at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill which is inside Caesar's Palace. Yes, you can get discount tickets to shows....there are two locations on the strip but I can't remember the name of them. One is on the same side of the street near Planet Hollywood and the other is in a mall down toward the Palazzo, but on the other side of the street (the Caesar's Palace side).

We didn't go to downtown Vegas until our third trip, and it really is another must do....just to see the light show at night! We took a taxi and it didn't cost us that much.

You can take a day just to walk the strip and check out all of the hotels/casinos...they are amazing. The casino is Paris is one of my favorites....they used to have a band called Jonathon that performed in a little area at the back of the casino..they are pretty good if they are still there.

On one of our trips we rented a car and drove to Hoover Dam...that was fun and pretty interesting.

You will have so much fun...I love to go to Vegas and I am definitely not a big gambler!

[Amicustoall]

There are lots of great shows in Vegas. Blue Man Group has a permanent show there, as did Stomp last I knew. Both are great shows. I don't remember what we paid for Stomp tickets, but it was above what I pay for their traveling show, but not a lot. I do not get the strip when I am in Vegas, at least not often, but for someone that loves to watch people it is great. If you are going to have a car, the drive to Red Rock is worth the trip, and I concur about Hoover Damn. Go on the dam tour!

[PolyesterAngel]

However, having Mike Tyson punch one of your friends is a must do.

Yes, that is a must :)

[Michelle in WI]

Go to Tix 4 Tonite (or however it's spelled). It's next to M&Ms World. You can get half priced tickets. Go see The Amazing Jonathan. Vulgar, violent at times, and hilarious.

My favorite buffet was the Spice Market in Planet Hollywood.

[garyrulez]

Also, Penn and Teller is reasonably priced and it's a great show. They stick around after every show, sign stuff, and talk to the audience until everyone is gone.

[garyrulez]

Michelle, tell Lacey about the show in Vegas where you walk onto the casino floor and they're filming The Sopranos- that one's free, too, I think.

[Michelle in WI]

Yes! Free murderous stare from James Gandolfini when the girl behind you says "Oh my GAWD! Tony Soprano!" between takes.

Dude, it wasn't me!

[katezilla]

We have seen Amazing Johnathan in Vegas - another recommendation there.

Zumanity (a cirque show) was FABULOUS.... lots of nudity. :)

If I go back, I *need* to go see Love at the Mirage.
Hope you have a great time!

[garyrulez]

Zumanity (a cirque show) was FABULOUS.... lots of nudity.

That's exactly what the Journal said!

[Lacey]

thanks for all the tips so far everyone!! I heard about tix4tonight (or whatever) but I don't think they have cirque tickets because they're often sold out. Maybe we'll just bite the bullet and pay $100/ticket or whatever. Everyone seems to think it's totally worth it.

We certainly plan to do a lot of people watching and just wandering around looking at hotels/casinos and everything else. Where is the neon graveyard?? Heard about it, but don't know anything about it, sounds cool.

[Mobitz]

thanks for all the tips so far everyone!! I heard about tix4tonight (or whatever) but I don't think they have cirque tickets because they're often sold out. Maybe we'll just bite the bullet and pay $100/ticket or whatever. Everyone seems to think it's totally worth it.

We certainly plan to do a lot of people watching and just wandering around looking at hotels/casinos and everything else. Where is the neon graveyard?? Heard about it, but don't know anything about it, sounds cool.



I have had luck going to the box office right before (seconds) the show starts and asking what discounts they have. I saw Mama Mia 3rd row for 60% off face value. BUT...if they are sold out, then you can't do it... so It is a gamble... but sometimes that's the fun of Vegas... you never know what the day/night will bring you! :)

I can only handle vegas for 3 nights max...then I want out!! Red Rock is nice to hike around and not very far away. A nice get away!!!

I always hit up the spa when I'm in vegas. There are so many to choose from. Most of them have fabulous ammenities....you could spend all day there in their saunas and pools. I believe ceasar's (i have not gone there yet...) has a room in the spa where it snows! Crazy! http://www.harrahs.com/qua-caesars-palace/signature-roman.html

[katezilla]

Eric and I had a lot of fun just walking through all the hotels and seeing the different themes and attractions each had to offer. I remember there is a HUGE FAO Schwartz at Ceasar's. It seems like every month there is a new hotel built and another torn down, so there's always something to watch!

Don't forget , you can't hail a cab on the strip itself, you have to go wait in the hotel's Taxi Queues.

[Amicustoall]

Mob it takes far less for me to be ready to get out of Vegas, and as I said I rarely get to the strip. I only went to Vegas because my mom and dad lived there, and now that my dad is gone, I don't know when I will venture back there.

[Mobitz]

Mob it takes far less for me to be ready to get out of Vegas, and as I said I rarely get to the strip. I only went to Vegas because my mom and dad lived there, and now that my dad is gone, I don't know when I will venture back there.

I have a family trip in March...It's been almost 1.5 years since my last trip there. I probably won't go back for a while after that. Unless... a convention pops up that I have to go to!



Oh...Lacey... you don't need a cab... take the Deuce... it's cheaper!! (and sometimes quicker...I hate Vegas traffic!). Edited to clarify I hate the strip traffic.

http://www.rtcsouthernnevada.com/transit/route/deuce/Deuce(6-1-08).pdf

[garyrulez]

In Vegas, I've:

- seen someone commit suicide
- caused John Elway to say to his then wife "let's get the fuck out of here"
- had Jenny McCarthy flirt with me (jokingly, for the record)
- almost had my best friend die

I love that place, man.

[Lacey]

Gary, you know you're going to have to tell all of those stories, so get to it!!!

[garyrulez]

Well, the first time we ever went to Vegas, we took a cab downtown (where the old Vegas casinos like Binion's are). The cab driver said he had to let us out a little down from Fremont Street, because something was going on and they had the road blocked.

We got out of the cab, and every single person on the street was standing still, staring up at the top of one of the hotels. Before I even had a chance to look up, all of their heads dropped simultaneously. Then, I looked over at the hotel and saw a bunch of EMT's climbing up onto the carport over the lobby- that's where he landed.

Literally, the first thing I ever experienced in Vegas.

The weirdest part was that literally an hour later, you wouldn't have had a clue that anything happened.

[cturtleemmers1]

So, I just got back from Vegas... You have to go see the Freemont experience. Its a free light show that is just awesome.

- Hoover damn is a must because you really can't comprehend the size of it.

-There is a hotel/bar off the strip called Artisian theres art all over the walls and celling. And has reasonable drink prices. Its a very interesting place to visit. http://www.theartisanhotel.com/

-Go to the Palms on a Saturday night and buy the all access pass to the 4 clubs that they have.. Ghostbar, Moon, Playboy club, and Rain. Its like 50 bucks but totally worth it, cause you can pay up to 30 bucks just to get into 1 club. http://n9negroup.com/newhome/index.cfm

-I forgot when you are going but check out Dinner in the Sky, You eat dinner 200 ft. in the air http://dinnerintheskylv.com/

-Do the rollercoaster at the Stratosphere. Don't waste your money on the one that goes around and around... It does not go 45 mph and it will just make you puke. But do the one that goes off the side of the building. And try to get in the front row.

-Take good walking shoes because if you look at a map it looks like all the casinos are right next to each other but in reality most are pretty far apart.

-When getting into a cab ALWAYS tell the cabby that you want to go the fastest/shortest way possible other wise they will drive down the strip to rack up your fare rate. Oh and if you find a good cabby get his number and call him up whenever you need a lift. We used the same cabby all week and he suggested local hotspots to go to.
And if I think of anything else I will let you know.

[Amicustoall]

Having been around during the construction of the Stratosphere, and having knowledge regarding the how it was built and how unreliable it is, I would not go near the Stratosphere, much less the roller coaster.

[garyrulez]

Turtle makes a great point- nobody in Vegas knows more about what's going on than the cabbies.

[Lacey]

Well, the first time we ever went to Vegas, we took a cab downtown (where the old Vegas casinos like Binion's are). The cab driver said he had to let us out a little down from Fremont Street, because something was going on and they had the road blocked.

We got out of the cab, and every single person on the street was standing still, staring up at the top of one of the hotels. Before I even had a chance to look up, all of their heads dropped simultaneously. Then, I looked over at the hotel and saw a bunch of EMT's climbing up onto the carport over the lobby- that's where he landed.

Literally, the first thing I ever experienced in Vegas.

The weirdest part was that literally an hour later, you wouldn't have had a clue that anything happened.

That's sort of interesting in a morbid curiosity way. Crappy way to start a trip/day though!

Now onto the Elway story. I hope it involves someone being an asshole! :D

[Lacey]

So, I just got back from Vegas... You have to go see the Freemont experience. Its a free light show that is just awesome.

- Hoover damn is a must because you really can't comprehend the size of it.

-There is a hotel/bar off the strip called Artisian theres art all over the walls and celling. And has reasonable drink prices. Its a very interesting place to visit. http://www.theartisanhotel.com/

-Go to the Palms on a Saturday night and buy the all access pass to the 4 clubs that they have.. Ghostbar, Moon, Playboy club, and Rain. Its like 50 bucks but totally worth it, cause you can pay up to 30 bucks just to get into 1 club. http://n9negroup.com/newhome/index.cfm

-I forgot when you are going but check out Dinner in the Sky, You eat dinner 200 ft. in the air http://dinnerintheskylv.com/

-Do the rollercoaster at the Stratosphere. Don't waste your money on the one that goes around and around... It does not go 45 mph and it will just make you puke. But do the one that goes off the side of the building. And try to get in the front row.

-Take good walking shoes because if you look at a map it looks like all the casinos are right next to each other but in reality most are pretty far apart.

-When getting into a cab ALWAYS tell the cabby that you want to go the fastest/shortest way possible other wise they will drive down the strip to rack up your fare rate. Oh and if you find a good cabby get his number and call him up whenever you need a lift. We used the same cabby all week and he suggested local hotspots to go to.
And if I think of anything else I will let you know.

Thanks!! Did you do a tour for Hoover Dam or rent a car?

[garyrulez]

That's sort of interesting in a morbid curiosity way. Crappy way to start a trip/day though!

Now onto the Elway story. I hope it involves someone being an asshole! :D

I would submit him...

We were eating at the Cheesecake Factory in the Forum Shops at Caesar's. It's sort of a crazy ass mall, basically, and it has high vaulted ceilings, like the capitol building or something. You know how weird acoustics can get when you're in a room with vaulted ceilings? Like, you can literally hear something 100 feet away, but can't hear the person next to you?

Okay, so 4 of us are sitting there eating and I see John Elway, his then-wife, and his kids all come out of the aforementioned FAO Schwartz. I said to my friend Doug, who is from Denver, "that's John Elway", I said it in a normal or slightly less than normal speaking voice, but John Elway, who was 50 feet away at the time, heard me, turned to his wife, and said "let's get the fuck out of here".

[cturtleemmers1]

Thanks!! Did you do a tour for Hoover Dam or rent a car?

We rented a car. Found a little town that was created just to house the builders of the Dam. We had dinner at a resturant there and had some of the best Chicken piccatta I've ever had. We did take the tour at the Dam because my uncle was being a butt. It was like 35 dollars and you got to go in the walls of the Dam or something like that. If you rent a car you will pass a casino just before the Hoover Dam that has a heliocoptor ride. Don't waste your time stopping. Even though it says the rides are only 25 bucks. Its a 5 minute ride that's it.

[Lacey]

Anyone done the $20 trick for room upgrades?? Supposedly Planet Hollywood is great for upgrades, at least according to websites who track that stuff.

[cturtleemmers1]

What's the 20 dollar trick?

[Amicustoall]

Lacey sorry I don't. As I said I never stay in a hotel, and I have tons of friends that go there often, but they get comp'ed rooms.

[Michelle in WI]

Lacey, the best way to get a comp upgrade is to call ahead, ask for the name of the front desk manager on duty, and then send a fax to the front desk to the attention of that manager. Tell them you're celebrating a special occasion (anniverary, whatever) and very politely ask if there is anything they can do to help make your stay more memorable. It's no guarantee, obviously, but it very often works. I've heard the $20 tip doesn't actually get you anywhere, usually.

I did that the last time we went to Vegas (we really were celebrating a special occasion) and we were upgraded to a jacuzzi suite. It was awesome.

[garyrulez]

Anyone done the $20 trick for room upgrades??

We tried unsuccessfully (all males) to get into Light, which at that time was kind of the hot club. There was, in fact, a massive throng of people trying unsuccessfully to get in. I saw a guy try for ten minutes to get a bouncer's attention and when the bouncer finally came over he slipped him a twenty. The bouncer said "I'll see what I can do".

And he never came back.

[Ellen from Saint Louis]

Make sure you don't just walk through the Bellagio lobby where the Chiluly ceiling is. Walk past the front desk, then into the "conservatory" (more glass) then to the Pastisserie, where there are cakes and a chocolate fountain.