(vainness) Looking for FReeper tips for fun stuff to do in Las Vegas in December

10/24/05 | marty fierro

[martin_fierro]

Hi all;

Mrs. F & I are gonna be in Vegas in the week before this Christmas and wanted to tap into FReepers' recent experiences there.

We're consulting all the travel guides, but also wanted to get some FReepers' feedback as to what they thought was fun/not.

Here's a partial list of stuff we're considering doing:

ON THE STRIP

• Caesars Palace Forum Shops
  • Animatronics every hour on the hour

• Stratosphere

• Night flight over Vegas

• Bellagio
  • Fountains
  • Gallery of fine art
  • Botanical gardens

• Treasure Island
  • Sirens of TI nightly at 7:00 PM, 8:30 PM, 10:00 PM, 11:30 PM.

• Wynn (3131 Las Vegas Blvd. South)

• Venetian
  • Grand Canal Gondola ride
  • Blue Man Group

• Paris Eiffel Tower

• Luxor
  • IMAX theatre

• New York New York

• Mirage
  • white tiger exhibit
  • volcano

• MGM Grand: lion habitat

DOWNTOWN

• Fremont Street/Penny slots
  • Fremont Street Experience

• Golden Nugget - Tony Bennett

SOUTHEAST

• Hoover Dam Discovery tour

• Grand Canyon tour

• Ethel M Chocolates, Henderson NV

• Green Valley Ranch/Fado

NORTH

• Area 51

WEST

• Rio Suites Masquerade Show in the Sky daily 3p, 4p, 5p, 6:30p, 7:30p, 8:30p, 9:30p

Are any of these things especially worth doing/avoiding? What have we missed?

[martin_fierro]

Locals' input especially appreciated!

[Tijeras_Slim]

[Tijeras_Slim]

If you're interested in Cold War stuff, there's a new Museum about Nuke Testing. You can also bus tour the NTS (Nevada Test Site), but have to contact the DOE to get details. Get to see all the stuff they blew up in the 50's (lot's of it is still there)

[EX52D]

LOL...I live in Vegas and haven't done all those things. :)

[Charles Henrickson]

Just remember: What happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas!

[martin_fierro]

Ring-A-Ding-Ding PING

[Tijeras_Slim]

Mirage
white tiger exhibit

Is that where the Roy Horn Buffet is?

[Michael Goldsberry]

... fun stuff to do in Las Vegas...

Well you can...

Mrs. F & I...

*nevermind*

[Larry Lucido]

[martin_fierro]

Just remember: What happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas!

Oh, and father-in-law will be along for the ride. < |:(~

< |:)~

[Charles Henrickson]

If a funny-looking guy named Siegfried asks if you want to join his act, just say no.

[Millee]

There's a lot of locals that hand out fliers on the strip for fun/exciting things to do. Look for one of those guys. ;o)

[areafiftyone]

If you are interested in visiting any of the parks (which I did). There are great parks you can hike or just walk the trails in just about 1 hour away. Valley of Fire National Park, Red Rock Canyon etc. And its more fun doing it in the winter because its not sooo hot. Even Death Valley is great to visit and not far and you drive on part of Route 66 which is nice.

[martin_fierro]

Is that where the Roy Horn Buffet is?

If I wanted to hear from you, I'd've sent out a ring-a-ding-dong Ping.

[EX52D]

If you go on the Hoover Dam tour, go on the Hard Hat tour. It's more expensive, but I heard it is the better of the two.

[areafiftyone]

LOL Whenever I hear Hoover Dam I think of The Chevy Chase Movie "Vegas Vacation".

[onyx]

Where are you staying?

[Serb5150]

I see you've got the white tiger exhibit at the Mirage listed... make sure you don't just see the tigers in the casino, spend the 12(?) bucks for entrance to Siegfried and Roy's Secret Garden. Despite the homoerotic name, it's a really cool place that's got a dolphin enclosure, an elephant, and excellent viewing of many different big cats.

[martin_fierro]

If you go on the Hoover Dam tour, go on the Hard Hat tour. It's more expensive, but I heard it is the better of the two.

Thanks -- we did that one the last time we were in Vegas (2000), but post 9/11, I think they're only offering one type of tour anymore, and it's much more abbreviated.

[martin_fierro]

Monte Carlo.

Lah-dee-freakin'-DAH

< |:)~

[martin_fierro]

THANKS FOR THE TIPS -- KEEP 'EM COMING!

[EX52D]

That wouldn't surprise me...and I wanted to go on that tour. :(

[Clint N. Suhks]

LOL Whenever I hear Hoover Dam I think of The Chevy Chase Movie "Vegas Vacation".

Hoover Dam Guide: I am your dam guide, Arnie, please don't wander off the dam tour and please take all the dam pictures you want. Now are there any dam questions?

[ssaftler]

If you are a choco-holic, the Ethel M tour is worth the 5 pounds you'll gain there. If you are not QUITE that fanatic, I recommend finding an Ethel M store on the strip (I think they also have them at the airport) and bring home a pound or two to your chocolate-loving friends.

When my office-mates hear I'm off toe Las Vegas, I'm not allowed back in the office until I produce the requisite box of sweets!

[areafiftyone]

LOL Thats it.

[mikrofon]

Oh, and father-in-law will be along for the ride. < |:(~

Fierro Loathing Las Vegas trip?

[EX52D]

The M & M store is pretty good too, with every color of
M & M you can imagine.

[Blue Champagne]

The Star Trek Experience at the MGM Grand hotel is fun if you're a fan of the series.

Fremont Street and the shows in front of the hotels on the strip are good, free entertainment - I always enjoy them.

[martin_fierro]

The Star Trek Experience at the MGM Grand hotel is fun if you're a fan of the series.

We saw that one in 2000 (it WAS excellent), but read somewhere that it's under construction and unavilable now.

[ssaftler]

It may look nice, but comparing M&Ms to Ethel M is like comparing Asti Spumante to Dom Perignon!

[BossLady]

I say drop the father-in-law off at the Spearmint Rhino with a stack of $1s then, you the Mrs. do a helicopter tour. ;)

[EX52D]

Oh absolutely...Ethel M is for the chocolate expert! I just never realized M & M's came in every color.

[martin_fierro]

I might get really liquored up and do some stand up comedy at the Improv.

[KC Burke]

The last time I was in Vegas, I ended up dragging my late night buddies that partyed too hard to the sauna/steam rooms in the hotel we were in. I brought the poisons out and they liked it so much it became our ritual for the rest of the stay. Turned out to be the right thing for my golf game as well...all loosey, goosey....

[martin_fierro]

Mrs. F. is a major chocoholic (Me? Eh.), so I guess we'll have to underline that one.

< |:)~

[EX52D]

For the serious chocoholic, Ethel M's all the way! :)

[counterpunch]

Just remember: What happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas!

That only applies to liberals.
Just ask Bill Bennett.

 

[truthkeeper]

LOL Whenever I hear Hoover Dam I think of The Chevy Chase Movie "Vegas Vacation".

What about Albert Brooks in "Lost In America?"

[VegasBaby]

Believe it or not, but the best things in Vegas are free (or a lot cheaper than gambling or going to shows).

Free stuff:

1. Hoover Dam (the coolest part of Vegas, IMO).
2. Water show at the Bellagio is awesome
3. There's a show at the Boardwalk Casino (next to NY-NY) call Purple Reign that's a Prince tribute that's actually pretty cool (but it starts at 11 p.m. so be prepared to stay up late)
4. As someone previously mentioned, hiking Red Rock Canyon is great--I highly recommend it.
5. The lion habitat at MGM Grand is also cool.
6. Just browsing at stores. If you like to shop, there are so many different shopping malls your head will spin. The best ones are the Desert Passage (Aladdin), the LV Premium Outlets (off of Grand Central Pkwy) and the Grand Canal Shoppes (Venetian). The Forum Shops at Caesars also have a lot of good shops, but it's usually so crowded that I avoid it at all costs.

Another really awesome thing to do is to see the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay. This one costs about $18 per person to see, but it is well worth the money. If you like marine life, it's fascinating--they even have a "petting pool" where you can touch live fish, stingrays, etc.

[xcullen]

We went to an indoor range on Tropicana called the Gun Store - fired Uzis, M16s as well as a 357 Magnum and 9 Millimeter. Staff was actually nice and helpful with a bunch of rookies (me included). There is an Italian Restaurant next door that is old school vegas.

[martin_fierro]

Excellent points!

Please advise if anything more comes to mind.

[HitmanLV]

Christmastime is a fun time to visit LV. It can be cool though - ranging from pleasant in the afternoon, to windbreaker - leather jacket weather later and in the eves, so pack accordingly.

Don't rent a car - you won't need one. Bring walking shoes and plan days around casinos at the distinct parts of the strip - North, Center, South. Take advantage of free shuttles that will take you from Strip locales to offstrip casinos. The Barbary Coast I think has a shuttle to the Gold Coast, which is across the street from the Palms, so you can get to those locales for nothing. That's relatively close to the Rio, also, but a bit of a hike. I am pretty sure Harrahs has a free roundtrip shuttle to the Rio if you want to visit that.

I'm a buffet guy - eat light breakfasts/brunches and go for main event early dinners. Some great buffets are at The Wynn, The Mirage, The Aladdin, and the MGM. A big early dinner gives you a chance to satisfy yourself for the day, breaks up the day nicely with a nice sitdown/eating session to recharge batteries, and walk it off in the eve.

Either Hoover Dam or the Grand Canyon are an all-day affair (with the GC being a much longer day). Take a bus tour to either (discount coupons are near all concierge and in the free 'Las Vegas' magazines). The bus tours usually stop off for a pitstop on the way back at Ethel M for some tasty free samples and for you to buy some goodies, so you can hit that as part of one of those trips.

I vote for Hoover Dam - it's really fun and will keep you busy and interested all afternoon, won't wipe you out, and you still have the whole eve/night ahead when you get back.

I'd skip the night flight over LV. I have a problem getting in a helicopter with some those guys. It's just me.

Fremont Street is fun but not an all-day event. It's a great place to visit a weekday evening just after sunset when the lightshows start. Christmastime has many live music acts playing on Fremont and a live Santa (with some pretty, buxom & leggy 5'7" lady elves), and a small shopping area dedicated to Christmas stuff. Still, it's no more than a 3-4 hour visit unless you plan to hit some of the low limit tables. Be sure and grab a $3 shrimp cocktail and soda at the Golden Gate.

The Las Vegas bus depot is right next door to the Plaza - I like it there cause there are plenty of lowlifes and I'm a gruff guy and I like to swat away beggars, lowlifes, & stuff. Reminds me of my hometown of NYC. Stay away from there, though.

The only palatable buffets on Fremont, if you ask me, are at The Golden Nugget and Main Street Station (just north of the Plaza, it's a safe short walk but don't wander off. In fact, don't wander off anywhere when on Fremont Street.

Hit the Stratosphere either on the way to, or on the way back from, Fremont Street. Nice enough place, has a distinct personality, a little divey. About a block away is the Sahara - which reminds me and Freeper durasell a lot of divey oldschool NYC.

DO NOT WALK FROM THE STRATOSPHERE TO FREMONT STREET, OR BACK. Take a cab.

The no-mans land between The Sahara and the Wynn is kinda cool and worth a peek - maybe part of a nice afternoon stroll. Slots of Fun is kooky and lowbrow, The Riviera & The Stardust are quirky and a taste of older LV. The New Frontier is across from the Wynn and also a taste of older LV. I'd make that an afternoon.

Build an evening in the area around Ceasers - Cesars Forum Shops is a nice 90 minute stroll. Cesars is an awesome place to hang around in. The animatronics are fun. Check out the small luxury car museum - it's free, unlike the Masarati/Ferrari museum at the Wynn. Me & Freeper Mr. Jeeves routinely get in trouble at Ceasers!

The Bellagio is awesome and right across the street from Ceasers and worth a nice couple of hour visit. Say hi to Alecs the bartender and tell him Vinnie Vegas sent you.

I'd spend some quality time at Harrahs (across from Ceasers) and walk through the Flamingo netdoor. Stick your head into The Paris & Ballys either before or after a longer visit to the Bellagio (across the street), but truly unless you are staying at either it's a 20 minute total 'stick your head in, bum around, and walk out.'

Build another evening/night around TI. It's fun but the Sirens Show isn't that good and not as good as the old TI Pirate show. I'd see it if I happened to be there but I wouldn't make a point to see it. The Wynn & the Venetian are across the street from TI, and the Mirage is nextdoor. All are worth a look and a great centerpiece to build an evening around.

Build another evening/night around the South end of the strip there are a number of cool places. I suggest putting on your walking shoes and taking the trams down to Mandalay Bay, check that out, and work your way back - through the Luxor, through Excalibur, into NYNY, and then to the MGM. Take your time and enjoy - consider either the Mandalay Bay or MGM buffets.

Don't try to do everything, but you can hit most places if you center days or nights around distinct portions of the strip, so you aren't running around from one end to the other.

Don't eat at the Boardwalk buffet.

Enjoy! Too bad you will be arriving just after the Rodeo Finals end!

[martin_fierro]

We went there, too (in 2000)!

Had a great time, but I dunno if father-in-law is gonna be into it this trip.

While there I saw store management just verbally REAM some poor S.O.B. customer who had made some dumb safety error.

[martin_fierro]

YOU DA MAN

Thanks for the tips!!

Let me know if you think of any more.

[randog]

I found out a few months ago that you can go on a tour of the NV Test Site, including the repository. IIRC, there's a tour bus that goes out once a month. I can get the details if you're interested.

[mikrofon]

Note to Mrs. F: Take lots of (incriminating) video...

[martin_fierro]

So is that whole Area 51 thing overblown?

Something about visiting it appeals to me, but I'd have to talk up a blue streak to convince the other 2/3 of my troika to go.

It looks like a loooong-a$$ drive to get there, so it's gonna take more than just a visit to some cheesy tourist trap to make it worthwhile.

[durasell]

My favorite hotel there is the Venetian, which is a good example of extreme architecture. The Grand Canal is on the second floor.

My favorite clubs are the one in the venetian (sorry, can't remember the name); O.P.M. in Caesar's and the Voodoo lounge on top of the Rio. There's also a club on top of Palms, which has a pretty neat glass window in the floor you can jump up and down on thirty stories up.

[HitmanLV]

All good places!

[durasell]

p.s.

The thing you want to do in Vegas, if you have a couple of bucks -- is upgrade your car requirements. You can pretty much get a limo outside of any of the big hotels, but you have to negotiate a cash price on the spot, which can get dicey after seven or eight cocktails.

There are also specialty car rentals where you can rent a jazzy sports car or Harley.