help with vegas

[beast/del]

We are going to 4 days in July. I would like any help with all the "to do's" and "not to do's". What is the best to see and the best way to get around in vegas? What casinos have the better shows?

Any help is appreciated....
Thanks

 

[Mattsmommy]

The buffet at the Bellagio. I am not a buffet person but this one is really awesome.

 

[neffernie]

The monorail has a multiday pass that is a pretty good deal, ride all you want for one price. Also if you are going to any ticketed shows, check out the Tix4Tonight stands. They sell discount tickets for shows that haven't filled up. You probably won't get any Cirque shows but we got tickets for Tony and Tina's Wedding (dinner and interactive show- hilarious!) for half price.

 

[disneysteve]

Go to Fremont Street and see the Fremont Street Experience, a free light show on a canopy running a few blocks over the street.

Go to the Rio hotel and see the Mardi Gras parade in the sky. It runs on a track along the ceiling over the casino. Very unique. You can even pay to ride in the parade. Just watching is free.

Go to Madame Tussaud's at Venetian (unless you've been to the location in NYC). The wax figures are incredible and you can get right up next to them to take pictures which is really cool. And be sure and tour the property while you are there. The place is phenomenal. Stroll the shops around the grand canal. If you'd like, you can take a gondola ride.

See the fountain show at Bellagio a few times (it changes). Also, walk around the lobby and conservatory and don't miss the chocolate fountain at the chocolate shop.

Visit Luxor. The place is incredible just to walk around and view the decor.

New York New York is also neat to walk around.

Visit the Forum Shops at Caesars.

If you are of an age to remember him, visit the Liberace Museum.

Vegas is a town with endless things to see and do. I always say it is like Disney World for adults (not that Disney World isn't for adults, but you know what I mean).

 

[mrsstats]

Go see Big Elivs at Bills Gamblin Casino on the strip. Free show, great time.

 

[akcire]

We love the Hoover Dam, you will need a rental car or a tour bus. We have always had a car.

My husband likes to play blackjack, and is a great fan of this dumpy casino in front of Circus Circus called slots-o-fun. He goes and plays blackjack for I think $2 or $3 a hand, whichever works out for the payouts. He can play for hours with very little down side.

If you get to that end of the strip you can check out the midway in Circus Circus. Last time we went, while my husband played blackjack, I went to the ski-ball area in Circus Circus. I made some kids really happy with the giant stuffed animals. I am a ringer! When I was a kid my aunt and uncle owned a ski-ball machine, my uncle won it in a poker game. He set it up in the garage and my cousins and I played endlessly. Needless to say carnies hate us. The midway has lots of other carnival games, but truly I am awful at all the others.

There is an M&M store and a Coke store at the other end of the strip near MGM, sort of across from NYNY.

Treasure Island outdoor show is cool.

Old Vegas is cool, some of the new stuff a bit over the top. The shows are pricey so you may wish to pick one favorite to see.

Just wander around and see the sites. My husband and I usually play a game where we try and pick out the worst work uniforms. Currently we are torn between the Cesear Palace guards (you will see) and the cocktail waitress's in the Imperial Palace (envision a polyester swimsuit, meant to be fitted to the extreme).

Have a great time, if you gamble set a limit. We have gone many times for work and seen co-workers go a little crazy. You have not lived until you have to lend your boss money for cab fare, after he lost his shirt at a casino.

Also if you do not know how to gamble, or would like to learn the rules risk free most of the casinos have lessons or classes during the mornings. I have done a craps class about 10 times, still have yet to play a live game, but I do enjoy the classes. I normally stick to poker, playing against the house is too risky for me, I'd rather play against other people. I used to play poker with my Grandma and her friends at her nursing home--they taught me well. Also I don't look like someone who should know how to play?

Have fun!

 

[Cristy]

We just got back today! The deals there are wonderful. First, the airfare was cheap.

Second, the room rates are really reasonable (We stayed at the Monte Carlo, but most places on the strip are running at special rates right now).

We picked our moderate to pricey meals out- Gallagher's at NYNY, Trevi at Caesars Forum, Mon Ami Gabi at Paris but balanced that with food courts at Monte Carlo (McDonalds, Subway, Sbarros, Starbucks, a Chinese Restaurant and a Mexican Restaurant for choices, and at the Venetian they had a wide variety of vendors at their food court - Arthur Treachers, Nathan's Hot Dogs, Johnny Rockets. I am not sold on the quality at the food buffets, but at the Excalibur they had an eat all day buffet for $29. There were many 2 for 1 offers. Take the booklets from the taxis and the other coupon promos.

There is a CVS Pharmacy next to the Monte Carlo. We stopped there to pick up water bottles and a Pepsi six pack as well as donuts for breakfast. They also had snack items and fresh fruit.

Transportation: We always take the taxi from the airport to the Hotel. Seems to cost more if they take the highway rather than Tropicana Ave. to Las Vegas Blvd. I am too impatient to wait for other modes of transportation when we first get in.

The double decker bus is called the Deuce and runs 24/7 on the Las Vegas Strip. They are about 4-5 minutes apart, except for after midnight for a few hours when they are 10 minutes apart. Really- it's been tested by us.They only accept exact change, but you can buy passes at kiosks located along the strip (we got ours outside MGM HOtel). A ride costs $3 each way. One day pass is $7. We got a 3 day pass for $15 each. That gives you unlimited starts and stops along the strip. Was worthwhile for us. This will take you from Mandalay Bay at one end of the strip to Fremont Street Experience (and the bus terminal) at the other end of the strip.

Lots of free shows: Dueling pianos at NYNY, every casino has live entertainment in the bars that we did not have to pay for.

We used the Tix4Tonight shops as mentioned in the other recommendation. - They have a location next to the big COKE bottle across from the Montew Carlo. Almost all half price tickets. Note that they did have some Cirque when we were there- Mystere and Love only. (But Cirque is running their own 25th Anniversary promo right now- buy a ticket at regular price and the second ticket is $25. No one else can beat that. Check out cirque web site for details. We bought our tickets in advance for Zumanity and picked them up at will call.)
We paid $59 for Bette Midler tickets that were to be in the Mezzanine and we ended up in the front middle of the Rear Orchestra- great seats! If you use them -TIX- (multiple days for tickets, be sure to take your ticket stubs and the brochure back to them the next day (when you purchase tickets for that day) and you can use them for VIP admission for ticket purchase and you will get a reduced rate on the processing fee, which is usually $5 per ticket (not bad). We also got Terry Fador, Blue Man Group, and Wayne Brady tickets there.


Hope this helps a bit. If you need more detail, pm message.

 

[Echo queen]

We will be going to Vegas in July also, will stay tuned for more info.

 

[hockey mom]

It is going to be really hot so try to keep water on you but on the flip side the inside of the casino's are freezing

Conservatory in Bellagio- free and a must.

Dueling piano's at Harrah's and the flair bartenders just outside of Harrah's

Dealtainers in Imperial Palace- good and free

Trip up the Eiffel tower to see the fountain show from Bellagio is nice.



I

 

[disneysteve]

Also if you do not know how to gamble

This is a HUGELY important statement. Lots and lots of people go into a casino not having the slightest idea of how to play the various games. There are lots of places online to learn the odds and the proper strategies for the various games. I'd start at wizardofodds.com. When you look at the house advantage on various games, you will realize that some games give the casino an edge of as much as 15% or even more. Those are the games you want to stay far away from.

Blackjack, for example, can have a house advantage of just 0.28% as compared to a game like the big six wheel where the hotel logo space has a house advantage of more than 24%. That is a total sucker bet. At blackjack, though, the house advantage for the typical casual player is probably more like 15-20% because most players don't follow proper playing strategy. They hit when they should stand and stand when they should hit. They don't take time to educate themselves on proper play before sitting down at the table.

Wizardofodds has strategy sheets for various games. Study them and memorize them BEFORE you make your first bet unless you just want to hand your cash over to the casino folks.

There are plenty of online sites where you can play casino games for play money to help hone your skills.

 

[beast/del]

Thanks for all the suggestions.... How is Zumanity?

I appreciate all the thoughts

Adele

 

[Cristy]

I have enjoyed all Cirque shows I've seen. I am partial to LaNouba (WDW) since that was the first Cirque show I had seen.

Note that Zumanity is for audiences 18 years of age and older. Theme is sensual. At times there are topless female entertainers. Some of the guys are quite sensual. If you go don't miss the preshow which is about 15 minutes prior to show time.

I enjoyed the show. There was some interaction with the audience. The theater is not as big as other Cirque shows. We went based on the recommendation of other people who had seen the show. This show was sold out. To see parts of the show you can catch a preview on the internet at their website prior to making your decision.

 

[LoriKay]

What is the cost of Madam Tussaud's? Are there coupons available for this? And, is it possible to watch the Bellagio fountains from anywhere that's inside? TIA!

 

[disneysteve]

What is the cost of Madam Tussaud's? Are there coupons available for this? And, is it possible to watch the Bellagio fountains from anywhere that's inside? TIA!

Madame Tussaud's is $25/person. There may be discounts somewhere. Not sure.

As for Bellagio fountains, it might be possible to see them from inside but why would you want to? I don't think it would be nearly as enjoyable.

 

[Cristy]

Madame Tussauds: $5 off for up to 2 people, $10 total.
Coupon is located in the Vegas to go books that are free lots of places. Also, the same coupon is located in the 24/7 Magazine that is in all taxis and many shops.

Children 6 and under are free.

The Bellagio Fountains can be viewed from the rooms in the Bellagio, some areas in Paris. You cannot hear the music though, and that is an important part of the dancing waters. They now only play one or two songs, so standing is not that difficult to watch the show as it is only 5 minutes or so. Not like it used to be, about 20 minutes.

Used to be able to see them from the Monte Carlo, and I will miss that... now that they are building the City Center between the two buildings.

 

[Cristy]

I agree with other that recommend looking online for gaming information. If you would like to try craps, many casinos offer lessons at 11a every morning.
Saw promotional signs at the tables where they offered it.

 

[Cristy]

I agree with others that recommend looking online for gaming information before you go if you don't understand gaming but would like to try while you are out there. If you would like to try craps, many casinos offer lessons at 11am every morning. Saw promotional signs at the tables where they offered it.

 

[ah1126]

My best advice is to remember that everything in Vegas is huge! You look down the strip and think "its not that far, lets just walk". Trust me, everything is at least twice as far away as it looks. If you think it will take you 15 min to get there, give yourself at least 30 min.

Also watch out for the time share people. We didn't realize what we were getting into and wasted most of a day on this. We got free show tickets out of it, but it wasn't worth it.

Something fun we did at MGM was screening for a new TV show at the CBS Television City Research Center. We watched a screening of a new TV show and were asked to rate different things while we were watching. After the screening they ask a few people to stay behind and be part of a focus group. We were picked for the focus group and they paid us! I can't remember how much they paid but I think it was around $25 each. I will have to ask my DH if he remembers how much they paid. It was really neat to be part of this group then watch the show when it came out! We screened Veronica Mars. I think we had to get there in the morning and get tickets, then come back at an assigned time. They also gave us a goodie bag with coupons for the CBS store.

Hope you have a great time!

 

[kwhite1022]

If your into great authentic Italian and also like wine, I recommend Baspisto's Hole in the Wall. Off the strip, but very easy to get too. All dinners come with your choice of red or white house wine (all you can drink, so becareful ), salad, garlic bread and entree, and cappachino for dessert (best dang thing I had while in Vegas). They are a little more pricey....but for us, after buffet after buffet, this was like a dream come true...food with amazing flavor!!!!!

 

[mjantz]

I always recommend Lance Burtons magic show to anyone going to Vegas. He's at the Monte Carlo & its an awesome show. Better than Siegfreid & Roy IMO and yes I've seen both.

Check out the Las Vegas Advisor website for deals on just about everything. We don't gamble either but we're looking to go in August & I'm sure it will be great.