Holidaying in Las Vegas advice

[nordicgod]

we stayed in stratosphere which was good but as people say a bit out the way and a bit shitty at that end of the strip, but a do recommend jumping off the top of the stratosphere with just a cable tied to your back, bloody great after doing that, also go and shoot some guns up at the shooting range off end of strip( past hooters) opposite the big walmart, mrs had the Iraq package(3 different guns) I had zombie package(4 different guns) and you get a free t-shirt. also do the helicopter over hoover dam and grand canyon we landed in canyon and had a bottle of bubbly with sandwich and crisps. also do the factory outlet shopping at both ends of strip, get some great bargains. don't forget to watch the fountains show. next time I go I fancy staying downtown by fremont street(great with the light up screen all along roof) either at el corteze hotel or the nugget. also had a great steak in the outback steakhouse right opposite the mirage volcano on the strip

 

[Seagull on the wing]

We stayed in Ballys...not that much time was spent there though....down below are streets that go under a lot of hotels...the fitrst street led to the Paris next door and was like being in 1930s Paris streets with shops and bars which led to a Morrocan street with the markets..and so it went on.
On the old strip they have a capony roof that doubles up as a giant video screen...at 10 o/c all the casinos turn off their lights and they show a film of the Earth being invaded by aliens and the Earth send up space fighters and save the Earth....it goes all the way down the street with the sound travelling down as well. At the end of the show you see yourself and others around you looking up at the screen.
Outside Vegas we hired a car and drove down and over Hoover Dam....believe they have a flyover now...stopped off at two Casinos that looked liked the old river steamboats...great place to see all the massive trucks...another two casinos are linked by a monorail over the highway....here you will see the original car of 'Bonnie and Clyde and all it's bullet holes ,plus an Al Capone car which was shot at but was amour plated.
Grand Canyon was great....surprisingly snowing when I went...my son was white water rafting down the Colorado river below.
Death Valley was completely different but amazing visit...one minute your driving around the flats then turn the corner and you have a vast amount of greenery of the worlds lowest golf club ...246 ft below sea level....
Not much left of route 66 but it was nice to say you had been on it.
What struck me most about Vegas was that the streets and sidewalks are so clean.
There is so much to see and do there and it is one place in all my wordly travels I'd definately go back too.

 

[butchy]

I am frequenting Vegas myself at the end of the year for the first time....has anyone ever stayed at the aria? If so is it recommended?

 

[Jesus Gul]

The recently opened Cosmopolitan is THE place to stay in Vegas.

Bellagio also nice.

Gordon Ramsay has three restaurants now - one in Caesers, one in Paris, one in Planet Hollywood.

If you like golf there's a Callaway Golf Centre with driving range and a short par 3 track by the airport. Easy to get to, cheap enough and you pass the Welcome to Vegas sign for the obligatory snaps

Oh and search out the Secret Pizza Co (if you can)

 

[Raphael Meade]

Most of the high end hotels on the strip are very, very nice.
I'd usually go for The Cosmopolitan - i think the best there currently. If you're going there for the weather then i'd pick by the best pools... Caeser's Palace has some great pools including an 'adult pool' that has topless parties throughout the summer if that's your thing
Great restaurants and i'd definitely second the shout for taking a ride out to the Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon if you haven't been before...

 

[kingcole]

I don't have enough fingers and toes to count the number of trips I have made to sin city.

My personal favorite hotel is the Mirage, but others could suit you better. You need to priorities what is important for you.

Where ever you go though, if you gamble, join your casino's players club. It will save you money at checkout, and can be anything from a few free drinks to your whole bill being picked up by the casino.

As a guide, myself spending 6 hours a day on Dice and Black Jack with my wife spending a few hours on slots was enough to cover our room, food and drinks!

For this reason, make sure you book direct with the hotel. They are not so inclined to 'comp' when you have booked via an agent.

If you fancy yourself as a Poker Player, call the poker room in advance and ask for a poker rate. Sometime they are very low, some times not so.

Best hotels on the strip for poker IMO are Venetian (across road from Mirage), Ceasers and Mirage.

If you go to a club, call ahead and arrange table service. You might initially faint when you are quoted $300 for a bottle, but this could suffice for 2 or maybe 3 or you. It will also cover getting in and you will get imense service all night from a great table and never need to get up to go to the bar. Some clubs even have your own security who will escort the ladies in your party to the loo.

Do not be tempted to book a package tour. Both BA (LHR and LGW) and Virgin fly to Vegas, but if on offer, consider LA as you can pick up a South West flight for $49 to connect and they go most hours.

The hotels are easy to book on their websites.

If you intend to gamble in different casinos, stay at a hotel that's part of a chain. There are two main ones which are Harrah's and MGM. A quick look on each website will show what properties are in their groups, but I would guess between then they have 85% of Vegas

If you want to splurge, then choose Wynn. Good location, top service, amazing clubs and the prettiest waitresses! But it will cost you, and this is one of the hotels that's not part of a group.

Where ever you go, consider doing a Sunday brunch. Most hotels do one and for about $30 you can usually drink as much champagne as you like.

Avoid the offer of a cabbie to take you to a strip club - if this is your thing do lots of research first.

All the girls sitting at the sports bar in casinos are hookers. Most are pro thieves too, so if you are included to take one back to your room, make sure everything is locked away in your safe before you get back there.

Voodoo lounge and ghost bar are excellent spots for seeing Vegas from a height. Mandalay Bay (part of MGM) has the best pool (Mirage is 2nd best IMO) but is not in a great location. It also ha a great bar on top of the tower block with amazing views.

See a show. But don't pay box office prices. There are online agencies selling discounted tickets up to the last minute. This rule does not apply if you are a big gambler, in which case your casino host may well take care of the tickets for you.

Visit Freemont street. It's a bit tacky but the overhead light show in the evening is great. Not a great place to stay, but I understand rooms here can be as low as $29 a night and if this is your budget then I reckon Freemont Street is a better bet than Circus Circus.

There are some great restaurants on most properties but you can eat a lot cheaper and as well by leaving your hotel. It all depends whether or not you are likely to get your hotel food comped.

I could talk for hours about Vegas... Just ask if there is ANYTHING you need to know.

Oh - despite common views, the winter can be dam cold. Possibly close to freezing in Jan. Spring and Autumn are great times to visit. Room rates are lower in the summer, but it's dam hot - but then everywhere is air conditioned so not a prob.

When I say hot, I'm talking 40+but unlike it's also a very dry (low humidity) heat so is can make your skin feel like it's cracking when you walk off the plane

 

[Garage_Doors]

Thanks again everyone., fantastic information which I will go through before booking.

 

[Arnois2]

Yeah the Bellagio is a cracking hotel to stay at especially if you get a lake view. Definatly take a helicopter trip up the strip and check out one of the shows. We went and saw Jersey Boys which was superb. Loads of places to eat and the best steak house you can find is in New York New York where the best bar is also 9 fine Irish men. Brilliant!! Yeah the ticky tack guys are a nightmare.

 

[Rambo]

I stayed at the Cosmopolitan in 2011, balcony view over the Bellagio fountains, it was amazing and only £100 per night.

Going back in September on 2 occasions with a visit to Hawaii in between, gonna stay in the Mandalay Bay on the way out and The Mirage on the way back.

Vegas is one of the best places on earth IMHO.

Have fun.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

I went in February this year and stayed at Harrahs, which is in a very good central location opposite the Mirage (saves you a small fortune in taxi's) and the deal i got for flights and accomodation for 10 nights was under £650.

If you are going, there is a site on Facebook called MyVegas which is a free site to play but allows you to earn loyalty gold which can then be used to get free drinks, food, rooms, show tickets etc so if you have plenty of time before you go it could be worthwhile playing and earning some rewards from there. Its a site run by the MGM change of casinos so there is plenty on offer and its reliable.

 

[KingstonSeagull]

Strip Steak in the Mandalay Bay is absolutely AMAZEBALLS

 

[The Stout Yeoman]

Hooters!!!

 

[the slow norris]

If its cheaper food you're looking for there is a great deal called the buffet of buffets. Essentially it allows you all you can eat over a 24 hr period for about 50 dollars at any of 6 hotels on the strip. Think we ate at harrahs, planet Hollywood (lovely middle eastern food) and Paris which had amazing prime rib and the misses had a huge pancake for pudding. If you time it right then you can get 4 meals out of it. We "started" at 4pm -late lunch, then had dinner at about 9pm. Breakfast the next morning then lunch again in the afternoon. So each meal worked out at about 12 dollars per person. The food is good too, and if you're just walking up and down the strip you can pop in to one of the casinos for a snack (although I defy you to feel puckish if you're trying to cram in 4 Vegas meals in 24 hrs.

We stayed at harrahs, pretty basic, nothing flash but smack in the centre of the strip opposite Caesars. We got a double queen bed room, 2 nights, 1 breakfast for 48quid all in, unbelievably cheap.

There's also a French restaurant that's part of Paris with sitting right on the strip opposite the bellagio. Every 15 mins during your meal you get the Amazing fountains going off.

 

[Springal]

Cosmo is the best buffet IMO. Snow crab, the lot . Lovely stuff.

 

[BensGrandad]

We had the buffet in Planet Hollywood, Paris and Rio of the 3 we thought that PH was the best for choice and quality. Stayed at Ballys this time which was very good.

 

[Monsieur Wabee]

Stayed at Caesar's Palace and loved the old school feel.
Had a mad giant onion at the Outback Steakhouse, and a good steak too.
Walked in to Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville, crawled out.
Was thoroughly entertained at Lil' Darlins.

Would go back to Vegas in a heartbeat.

 

[Garage_Doors]

I have finally booked a trip to Vegas, didn't take long , leave in a few weeks and planning the following.
Doing a tour of the canyon where they pick you up from the hotel, plane 35 mins to the canyon, then copter over and down it then boat trip them reversal.
Day trip to LA.
Hire a motorcycle to do Red Rock Canyon and the hoover dam.
Am i best to pre book these before ewe leave or am i going to get a better deal there or is there a possibility the tours could sell out?
appreciate any advice.

 

[The Spanish]

I have finally booked a trip to Vegas, didn't take long , leave in a few weeks and planning the following.
Doing a tour of the canyon where they pick you up from the hotel, plane 35 mins to the canyon, then copter over and down it then boat trip them reversal.
Day trip to LA.
Hire a motorcycle to do Red Rock Canyon and the hoover dam.
Am i best to pre book these before ewe leave or am i going to get a better deal there or is there a possibility the tours could sell out?
appreciate any advice.

Yeah cancel and rebook detroit

 

[BrianWade4]

I have been 13 times

PM me and I will give you some pointers...