What's Good in Vegas

[Mr. B]

What's Good in Vegas?

I know this topic comes up every so often but as the topic is somewhat time sensitive I hope you guys will humor me. I am planning on visiting there for a couple days next week with a friend of mine and I'm not sure what the best use of our time will be. I would like to do some sightseeing, maybe catch a show and avoid the bad restaurants. From what I've seen so far I shouldn't have much trouble finding a decent hotel on the strip for under $200 a night. I'm open to any insight you guys can offer about visiting Las Vegas. If I can only see one or two shows, I would like to know the most what the most enjoyable ones going are. So far the only things I know I should see are the Stratosphere and the Pinball hall of fame.

 

[greenguy]

If you want to see a show, definitely try a Cirque show as ones in Las Vegas are head and shoulders above the rest and are very high-quality. I suggest O or Mystere, as these have the franchise's best director and are the highest budget. Also, a former client of mine is on Mystere's Cadre squad But I saw O and it was incredible.

I found the most fun and approachable place to gamble if you are young/twenty-something is Planet Hollywood. The tables are fun and drinks come frequently, and the dancers/cocktail waitresses are plentiful. The Flamingo had a cool atmosphere but it's not really important as nearly all the casinos are the same. I found the Bellagio and the Venetian to be too high-falutin' and stuffy for my budget, and I consider myself to be a fairly worldly guy.

Try the M&M and Coca-Cola museum. These are actually a lot of fun. You can sample Cokes from around the world and some of them are actually incredible, and others will make you glad you are in America. There are also wax museums and tons of great restaurants and bars at the Forum Shops near Caesar's and the Bellagio.

In terms of hotels, avoid Luxor and NYNY because the Pyramid rooms are shitty and both of these charge a daily "resort fee" that essentially adds about $20 onto your tab per day. Tropicana and Flamingo are a bit rundown and Caesar's is a ripoff. Look for deals at Bally's and scour Twitter and various promo sites to find wicked deals at MGM Grand, the Mirage, and Treasure Island. If you don't mind staying a block off of the Strip, Summer Bay Resorts on Koval Lane offer all-condo suites starting at 50-60 per night. Mandalay Bay is also as classy as Bellagio, the Wynn, and the Venetian but is newer and more affordable.

Sites like smartervegas.com offer promo codes and a lot are last-minute. Lots of hotels want to book rooms last-minute anyway so make sure you do your research. Also, if you are interested in a hotel and are unsure of the deals, call them up and tell them you are interested in their hotel but are also thinking of another one (their competitor---find a list of who is MGM/Mirage and who is Harrah's-owned and pit them against one another. It doesn't work to call Mirage and threaten them with Luxor because they are owned by the same people) The person on the phone at reservations not only knows of all current promotions, but they also have 10-20% of the room's rate to bargain with you.

If location is important to you, find a map of the Strip and pick something in the middle. It is wayyyy bigger and longer than any map suggests.

 

[1001001]

My wife and I go to Las Vegas frequently. We have a trip planned for August, as a matter of fact.

We like the MGM Grand. It's a nice place with lots to do, and it's a monorail stop (the monorail is the smartest idea Vegas has come up with since Blackjack!).

We've also stayed at Caesar's Palace. That was great too. The Forum shops are fun to walk through.

Some good restaurants: Rao's at Caesar's Palace. I had a Fillet Mignon there that, if it wouldn't have been so inappropriate, I would have licked the plate. Olive's at Bellagio is really good too,especially if you can get a table by the fountains. The MGM has a couple of good places too. If you like sushi, Shibuya is awesome. For a more casual kind of spot, you can't go wrong with Wolfgang Puck's. The first three are fairly pricey, but worth it.

The best show we've seen in Las Vegas is Ka (Cirque Du Soleil). It is fantastic, and definitely worth your time. You can also check Vegas.com for shows and concerts.

Have fun!

 

[Mr. B]

Thanks for the replies thus far. I'm glad to see two endorsements of the MGM grand because I see they have pretty good rates next week.

 

[propita]

Hubby and I were in Vegas at the end of March and stayed at TI for the price and free tix to Mystere. We loved Mystere. You don't need seats in the front--we had great line of sight from the back half and higher up, and some stuff is done in the air.

We also saw O. It was the 10pm show on our last night and we were tired. We liked Mystere more, it seemed like Mystere had more variety. It seemed like O had "filler"--like they lost a performance in there and filled with the comedy shtick. Funnier in Mystere to us both

And we saw Lion King. GREAT!! Sit on the right half of the theater (when facing the stage)--when Pride Rock rises, nothing will be blocked from view. And if seeing the performers' faces matter to you (it may not), sit in the front section.

We walked from TI to Wynn/Encore, down to Planet Hollywood, across to Aria/City Center, and back to TI--stopping at all the major casinos and most of the minor ones.

If you like sweets, you've got to try Jean-Phillipe's Patisserie. We were always too full! There's two, I think. One's at Aria/Vdara, the other's in Mandalay Bay--I think. Tons of restaurants. We want to go to Hubert Keller's burger place next time. Hubby's become a fan of gourmet burgers.

 

[Gryffindorian]

Definitely try to see a Cirque du Soleil show. I wish I had done it last time I went there. My friends say "Ka" at the MGM Grand is a good show. If you like the Beatles or musicals, try "LOVE" at the Mirage. I myself would like to see "Zumanity" playing at NYNY. The tickets aren't cheap, but I'm sure you can get good deals if you look on-line.

If you're into shopping, you could spend a whole afternoon walking in the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace or the Miracle Mile at Planet Hollywood. I really enjoyed the Star Trek Experience - Klingon Encounter and Borg 4D at the Hilton when I first went there in 2006. Madam Tussaud's Wax Museum at the Venetian is also worth visiting. Check out Fremont Street downtown at night.

Caesars Palace is a really nice hotel, and I liked it better than my stay at the MGM Grand in 2007.

Remember, Sin City truly comes to life at night, and walking outside in triple-digit weather (I've always gone in the summer months) during the day from casino to casino is no fun, even when I've driven a rental car.

 

[greenguy]

Thanks for the replies thus far. I'm glad to see two endorsements of the MGM grand because I see they have pretty good rates next week.

I really liked the beds at MGM Grand. Very soft and the linens were puffy. If you do do MGM Grand, don't be fooled by the West Wing rooms. They try to promote these and act like they "just opened up" for a "small upgrade fee" when you get there. Despite being newer and kept in good shape (it is all non-smoking, which is always kept better than any smoking room anywhere), these are significantly smaller than the Grand Tower rooms and some of them don't even have windows, or have very small ones at that. The Mirage also has renovated some of their rooms but not all of them. I enjoyed by stay at the Mirage very much, but the woman booking it boasted to us that they were renovated but when we got there the room was quite inferior to what she had described and didn't look anything like the photo which she herself linked us to. Perhaps that was because we booked a smoking room at the last minute.

I thought Caesars Palace was nice but even their cheapest rooms are big ripoffs compared to what you can get at TI, Mirage, MGM, and Mandalay Bay. I also found the resort to be sort of dated but still classic.

 

[Gryffindorian]

Thanks for the replies thus far. I'm glad to see two endorsements of the MGM grand because I see they have pretty good rates next week.

I really liked the beds at MGM Grand. Very soft and the linens were puffy. If you do do MGM Grand, don't be fooled by the West Wing rooms. They try to promote these and act like they "just opened up" for a "small upgrade fee" when you get there. Despite being newer and kept in good shape (it is all non-smoking, which is always kept better than any smoking room anywhere), these are significantly smaller than the Grand Tower rooms and some of them don't even have windows, or have very small ones at that. The Mirage also has renovated some of their rooms but not all of them. I enjoyed by stay at the Mirage very much, but the woman booking it boasted to us that they were renovated but when we got there the room was quite inferior to what she had described and didn't look anything like the photo which she herself linked us to. Perhaps that was because we booked a smoking room at the last minute.

I thought Caesars Palace was nice but even their cheapest rooms are big ripoffs compared to what you can get at TI, Mirage, MGM, and Mandalay Bay. I also found the resort to be sort of dated but still classic.

MGM Grand was decent, IMHO, but the room my family and I got last time (back in 2007) was comparable to Days Inn or one of these budget or mediocre inns. It was located in the West Wing as you described. The room itself was mid-sized with two queen beds, amply decorated, with meager amenities. In contrast, I stayed in a more spacious room I got at Caesars Palace a year earlier (I got a free upgrade to the Augustus Tower, with a perfect view of the Strip); it had a hot tub, flat-screen TVs in the bedroom and the bathroom (with a separate private commode), and a refrigerator with drinks and refreshments. Being on a budget, I've been looking for reasonable rates at Caesars, but theirs are higher compared to Planet Hollywood, TI, and other hotel resorts. You do get what you pay for when you choose to stay at one hotel compared to another.

 

[Gryffindorian]

Here's a photo I took of the LV Strip from my room in the Augustus Tower side of Caesars back in 2006. You see the dancing fountain in front of the Bellagio.

 

[1001001]

Hubby and I were in Vegas at the end of March and stayed at TI for the price and free tix to Mystere. We loved Mystere. You don't need seats in the front--we had great line of sight from the back half and higher up, and some stuff is done in the air.

We also saw O. It was the 10pm show on our last night and we were tired. We liked Mystere more, it seemed like Mystere had more variety. It seemed like O had "filler"--like they lost a performance in there and filled with the comedy shtick. Funnier in Mystere to us both

Yes, we've seen both of those and Mystere is better than O, in our opinion.

I still think Ka is best.

We've had good luck with MGM Grand, although technically we stayed at Skylofts (within the MGM hotel) three years ago.

And yes, there are some great deals happening at MGM. If you go to their website, and check out the Best Rates Online feature, you can probably find something good.

We got a Celebrity Spa Suite for 3 nights for $400 for our August trip.

 

[sidious618]

Steer clear of Randall Flagg.

 

[Mistral]

I've done the main Suite area of Caesar's and everything inbetween. Nowadays I stay at the Plaza on Fremont to save $, spend maybe 30% of my time on The Strip and the rest playing on Fremont. The overhead light show at night is amazing and the atmosphere isn't as uptight in the casinos.

With kids-Circus Circus. The M&M museum is a hoot-for an hour. New York, New York is cool to see(really cool for a lunch or something), and if you can get the tickets The Blue Man group is great.

 

[trekkiebaggio]

The Hooters Hotel

 

[SmoothieX]

I saw the airport and rental car counter there one time as a jumping off point for a roadtrip. Didn't visit the city though.

 

[Yeoman Randi]

Steer clear of Randall Flagg.

DRONE, that's a gorgeous picture.

We've only been to Vegas once, stayed at the MGM and was very happy with our choice.

 

[Warp Coil]

I'll be headed to LV next month for a quick 4-day vacation. My first trip there was in spring 2008, so I'll have a sense of what to expect this time around. Staying at Bellagio, which I am sure will be very pleasant. I've also got tickets for Cirque Du Soleil - "Love" that was included as part of the package deal.

 

[marillion]

The wife and I stayed at Excalibur a few years ago. It's an older property, but we got a great rate and an in-room hot tub (hubba hubba)..

Lacking a great amount of cash for blowing, we took in a dog and pony show for some time share place going up and got tickets to the Rita Rudner show (Very funny) at NYNY and some pretty decent meals. If you're easily swayed by high pressure sales pitches, avoid these.

While it may seem cheesy, the Excalibur dinner show was pretty entertaining (very kid friendly) and the food was really good.. Nothing like eating chicken with your hands..

 

[Garak]

I travel to Vegas 4 or 5 times a year, business and pleasure, and there are a couple of spots I always make sure I go to. I usually stay in the MGM Grand.

1) The Spearmint Rhino. The strip club of strip clubs. My nipples still hurt from the tweaking they got last time I was there.

2) The Gun Store. Link. Always a great time, you can get certain packages of weapons and shoot them at the gun range to your heart's content. Very fun.

3) Wet Republic/Rehab. These are pool parties, Wet Republic being at the MGM and Rehab being at the Hard Rock. Hot girls and booze everywhere. Enough said.

4) Delmonico Steakhouse. Owned by Emeril Lagasse, it's a bit on the pricey side, but by far the best damn steaks I've ever had. It's in the Venetian.

5) Tao. Another stellar restaurant at the Venetian. After dinner you can go upstairs to an open ceiling nightclub/party under the stars. Very fun.

6) For shopping, The Forum at Ceasar's Palace is pretty cool, but obviously everything's way too expensive.

7) I caught Anthony Cools, an x-rated hypnotist, when I was down there a few times back, think it was at the Paris hotel. Very, very funny and offensive show, laughed my ass off.

 

[Gryffindorian]

Steer clear of Randall Flagg.

DRONE, that's a gorgeous picture.

We've only been to Vegas once, stayed at the MGM and was very happy with our choice.

Thanks, Randi. I haven't been back there in three years and am really itching to go back. Heck, if money or time was no object, I'd visit more often, even retire there someday.

I've never been to any of the risqué shows others have mentioned. When I went to the Stratosphere last time, I noticed "Bite" was playing there (it's a vampire-themed adult show featuring topless women), though I wasn't really interested in any of those. A couple of good adult ones I hear are playing at the MGM Grand, too.

I did enjoy nightlife at MGM, with several bars, restaurants, and clubs including Studio 54. It would be interesting to go dancing there.

Caesars Palace, though it had luxurious accommodations, was more focused on shopping and didn't offer much entertainment. In fact, Celine Dion wasn't even playing at the Colosseum that summer, not that I had planned on seeing her perform.

If you're looking for bargains or inexpensive souvenirs, there are many retailers on Fremont Street and perhaps fewer in the hotel casinos.

There are just way too many places to go to and things to do when you're in LV.

EDIT:

Coyote Ugly at NYNY has some of the cutest young ladies in the area (and quite friendly, too)!

 

[Garm Bel Iblis]

Re: What's Good in Vegas?

I know this topic comes up every so often but as the topic is somewhat time sensitive I hope you guys will humor me. I am planning on visiting there for a couple days next week with a friend of mine and I'm not sure what the best use of our time will be. I would like to do some sightseeing, maybe catch a show and avoid the bad restaurants. From what I've seen so far I shouldn't have much trouble finding a decent hotel on the strip for under $200 a night. I'm open to any insight you guys can offer about visiting Las Vegas. If I can only see one or two shows, I would like to know the most what the most enjoyable ones going are. So far the only things I know I should see are the Stratosphere and the Pinball hall of fame.

Pawn Stars. Gotta go see Pawn Stars.