Need Las Vegas help!

[starry_solo]

I recall that there were two 1/2 price ticket outlets in Las Vegas. One was right on the strip, near one of the larger hotels (past the Coca Cola store).

I also did an online search and came up with this:
http://www.halfpriceshows.com/

It appears to have 1/2 price tour tickets to the Grand Canyon as well (although as the other posters have said, I wouldn't go there if you only have a short trip to LV). And the Hoover Dam tour too! Wow!

And it lets you buy 1-60 days in advance. It has a $3/ticket convenience fee but that's the same fee that the 1/2 price places inside Vegas charge as well.

 

[jgates]

There are a couple of different discount companies. One runs in the front of Bills Gamblin Hall. Another I believe right in front of O'Sheas.

If you like Motown music, see Human Nature at the Imperial Palace. The show is AWESOME. Theatre is fairly small so views are good. I actually like to be near the top in the back so I have a full theater view. (And the front tables get a bit claustrophobic).

There is a Las Vegas/West travel section on this board - look for it. And also another great board - vegasmessageboard.com. They are just as great as the people on here.

 

[DisneyDreamerMN]

My DH and I just got back from Las Vegas on the 8th. We saw David Copperfiled and he was great! I highly recommend it. We also did the Hoover Dam Tour. I don't remember the company that we did it through but you can find probably the same one on vegas.com. The tour was about 4-5 hours total round trip. Have fun!

 

[marcemc]

For shows I would recommend "The Lion King" & "O" from Cirque du Soile

"Drew Carey's Improv-a-ganza" is filmed at the MGM, it's very funny, you might want to look into that.

Have fun!!

 

[clh2]

I would recommend a trip to the Hoover Dam. It is only about an hour and is worth seeeing. the tour is very interesting. Red Rock Canyon is also a short drive and nice to see. If you do not have a long trip and don't want to do the helicopter, I would choose these over the grand canyon and save that for another trip.

The best activity for the daytime is probably just walking the strip. The hotel/casinos are beautiful. You can easily spend a few hours in some of them, especially if you shop and do some of the rides/attractions. I would go to the Mirage to see the white tigers and the Bellagio to watch the fountains.

I totally agree with the above. We went to L/V last fall, and did both Hoover dam and the Red Rock Canyon. Hoover Dam was a spectacular tour - there are a couple of options, go for the more expensive one. Well worth the money. There is now the bridge that goes over the dam too, which is supposed to alleviate some of the traffice concerns that have bogged that area down for ages.

Red Rock Canyon was very nice too.

And - the casinos are fun to walk through. My favorite was the Bellagio (especially the fountains). My advice - check out in advance what the timing of the "casino specialty thing is " prior to going. I.e. the fountains at Bellagio go every 15 minutes. There was something we missed - maybe at Treasure Island that is also supposed to be neat, as we had missed the "event" by about 5 minutes, and it only went hourly.

I treated myself to a spa treatment at the Mandalay Bay - and regretted not spending the day there! (We were staying at the Monte Carlo - so it never dawned on me I could spend a longer time there.)

Have fun! Would love to go back in a a couple of years - next year is complicated, so it'll have to wait for about 2 years.

 

[Mkrop]

We did the one day tour of the West Rim Grand Canyon through Pink Jeep Tours, the pick you up, drive you there and then we had a helicopter tour, and a pontoon boat ride down the Colarado.

DH and I saw Mystere and really liked it.

 

[KKB]

Pick up the magazines in taxis & at hotels.
Check out restaurant.com--many on the strip (always google for latest code...I always get 70-90% off the gift certificate)
Yes--Groupon & LivingSocialDeals...I have several restaurants on the strip at 1/2 off. Travelzoo has been showing some good ones, too.
Order 2American CAsino Guides from Amazon (will run you about $26 w/ free s/h). Many many coupons--$25 free play at Venetian alone more than covers the cost of the book.
Las VEGAs Advisor Member rewards book is more expensive--$40 but it does get you access to their member boards (they are OK)--but it has several coupons for free shows. YOu can see the listing of coupons on their site. If you gamble, they are giving $100 free play for $100 losses at TErribles near the strip.
Sign up for EVERY players card--and USE THEM. You will be AMAZED at the free offers that will show up in the upcoming months. Several offer goodies for signing up, also--especially offstrip or downtown.
Tropicana has a terrific deal for new players right now--lose up to $200 and they will match it in free play--half immediately, half activates in 30 days, good for a year.
For a first trip, I don't recommend any offsite trips--there is SO much to see on the strip alone, you will be PLENTY busy. Depending on how many days you are staying, do head downtown for an evening--cheap food, drinks & gambling & VERY entertaining..but if you are just going a weekend, not enough time.
I don't recommend a car--no need. I recommend a taxi from the hotel (say NO TUNNEL when you get it--and be firm if necessary!) It is just a few dollars more to cab from airport to midstrip than take the shuttle--and SO much faster. Along the strip you can walk. Cab downtown is about $25--ACE bus for $3 is way to go--be sure to buy your tickets at the machine at the bus stop BEFORE you board!!
If you have not made hotel ressies, I recommend midstrip--Monte Carlo is often the nicest midstrip property for the best price these days & they even have a decent pool.
Have a GREAT time!!!!
Anymore questions--just ask! Over 20 trips in as many years, I have lots of info!

 

[leslie826]

Thank you all so much! I am overwhelmed by the possibilities, but now I have a great start! We will only be there for 3 nights, so I will have to choose wisely. I do have a few questions relating to where we are staying. We will be at the Hilton, which I realize is off the strip. Is the monorail a good way to get around from there? Or should I plan for lots of cab fare? Also where is the closest tix4tonight booth?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Closest tix4tonight should be at either the Riviera - across the street to the right a block or so - or Circus Circus across the street from the Riv.

Monorail depends where you're going.

 

[KKB]

BUT staying at the Hilton, I do recommend it--$28 each for 3 days unlimited.
The ACE bus also stops at the Hilton & is only $7 unlimited each day & runs along the WHOLE strip--from Mandalay Bay to the south, north to downtown (even north to the outlet malls). For $21 each for 3 days, it is likely a much better value.
Monorail site:
http://www.lvmonorail.com/
ACE bus site:
http://www.lasvegas-how-to.com/ace-rapid-transit.php
One thing I really dislike about the monorail is the LONG walks from it to the strip; the monorail is on the far east side of most properties, and the strip is on their west side--I could walk from MGM to Ballys faster than taking the monorail, when you take into consideration the walk from the strip to the monorail on each end.
Here are the Tix4tonight locations:
http://www.tix4tonight.com/locations.html
Sincerely--for only 3 nights, I would not plan any activities offstrip--MAYBE downtown. But honestly the strip will keep you PLENTY busy!

 

[jgates]

Leslie - If you are at the normal Hilton, you probably would be economically best to do the monorail. However, if there are a couple of you & you plan on spending most of the day on the strip, it might be cheaper to take a cab over & be dropped off and picked up conveniently at the hotel you want to start/end at, vs. HAVING to hike back to a hotel with a monorail stop & then hike to/from the stop.

I haven't heard anything bad about the Hilton, but it is definitely not my top choice, as I like being on the Strip.

 

[HayGan]

If you like Motown music, see Human Nature at the Imperial Palace. The show is AWESOME. Theatre is fairly small so views are good. I actually like to be near the top in the back so I have a full theater view. (And the front tables get a bit claustrophobic).

I have to strongly recommend Human Nature as well! It was an absolutely FANTASTIC show! You can often get very good deals on these tix.

I also strongly recommend Beatles - Love by Cirque du Soleil as well.

These are two of our must do's on EVERY trip now!