Las Vegas

[John Junk]

So I'm going to vegas this weekend for my buddy's bachelor party.  Is there anything to do besides gamble and go to strip clubs?  I'm guessing not.  Not that I'm complaining, I'm just not a huge gambler.  I went to Atlantic City one time and wanted to shoot myself.  Any reccomendations on places that are interesting or fun or are better than other places to gamble? Any tips on what to do when I lose all my money in the first two hours and have 46 more hours to kill?

[B_Buster]

I recommend the Sapphire Gentleman's Club. It makes the Bada-Bing look like...well, the Bada-Bing.

[Jason]

I've been twice. Once to get married.
Don't get the shuttlebus from the airport if there are two or more of you, it'll be cheaper to go by cab and you won't have to visit every hotel on the strip before getting to the one you are staying at. I made that mistake twice.

The first time I went I was determined not to gamble but ended up putting a few dollars in the slots here and there as I wandered around, at the end of my stay I'd spent maybe 70 or 80 bucks that way. The second time I avoided the slots and sat at the tables playing 21. I met a few funny people, drank for free and broke even or rather I won enough to cover what Megan lost. It was a much more enjoyable experience.

The Peppermill is well worth a visit. The website doesn't have any pictures but it has a real old school vibe.
http://www.peppermilllasvegas.com/lounge/

[Susannah]

You could go see Prince? 

http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/nevada/las-vegas/prince-las-vegas.php

I've never been to Vegas, but that seems like it would be fun...

[John Junk]

Thanks for the replies!  Yeah, I would love to check out Prince, actually.  I hear that's like a zillion dollars though.  You really have to make it "Prince Day" or something.  I think you have some good tips there, Jason.  I gotta brush up and sort of re-learn a few card games before Friday.  Luckily I don't really have the gambling gene, I more or less have the "instead of putting money into this card game I could just go to a bar and pay for the booze directly" gene.  Some call it alcoholism.  But I do like to see Paul Rudd and that chick from Mad TV tear it up on Celebrity Poker Challenge now and again.

[erika]

there's a second city theater in vegas. also, don't lose all your money gambling or on booze cuz there are AWESOME restaurants there. go to the delmonico at the venitian.

[Laurie]

I wanted to see Prince months ago at my local Hard Rock Indian Loves Indians Resort and Casino, but the cheapest tickets were $300. No dice. I think I'll put the money I did not spend on that concert toward a laptop or something.

[Emily]

ou ou, i LOVE VEGAS!!!!!!

stop in at the luxor and take the isoscelator (i coined that term (really its an inclinator)) its like an elevator but it goes on an angle. you can't really tell that you're going on an angle, but you know and that makes it worth while.

Have a great time!

[buffcoat]

John H,

I used to think San Francisco was America's greatest tourist city, followed by Boston.  But it's Vegas, baby.

http://www.lasvegasfanclub.com/index.html

Quick recommendation: Vegas has some intense casino-themed rides and roller coasters, if you like that sort of thing.  Speed: the Ride at the Sahara (a great, filthy, old-style casino at the unfashionable end of the strip) kicks you all the way up to top speed (70 mph) at the very beginning of the ride.  Hold onto your fillings.

There's a 4G ride on top of the tower at the Stratosphere nearby.  The Manhattan Express coaster at New York, New York is a pretty standard ride but fun.


You should also go downtown to check out old Vegas.  You can still get a $4.99 prime rib special at the Golden Gate, which is not nearly as bad as it should be.  Don't get the shrimp cocktail, though - the shrimp are tiny.

Spend some time just walking around the city - it looks like a Neon Monster, a Kitsch Monster, and an Incongruous Architecture Monster had a fight and everybody won.


My favorite casino is the Mandalay Bay, although just to walk around in.  If you're rich, the Wynn is great.  If not, you can have a moderately expensive lunch at the clubhouse and just look out at people cheating on the old Desert Inn golf course.

I hit 15 casinos in one day, but I had to take the monorail and move pretty fast.  Have a great trip!

[kenkwan]

I stayed in downtown (Old Vegas), which I liked more, but I like to gamble. I did enjoy just walking the strip, stopping in the odd casino, though. There are a few freebies you probably know about (the show at Treasure Island, the fountains at the Bellagio). One thing I kindof would've loved to get to, but didn't, is http://www.liberace.org.

[Laurie]

Please resist the urge to say the phrase "Vegas, baby!" or call anything or anyone "so money." If any of your friends (or even people you do not know very well or at all, but are tagging along with the bachelor in question) use this phrase, stab them in the gut with a corkscrew. They will thank you later.

I think this is sound advice.

[buffcoat]

John H. - I think it's ok to whisper "Vegas, baby" to yourself as you get off the plane.  But I'd agree not to say it in public.

Kenkwan is right about gambling downtown - everything is much cheaper.  You're probably not going to sit next to Ben Affleck in Binion's, but your money will last you longer (and you won't have to sit next to Ben Affleck).

I happened to see the Bellagio lightshow from the "Eiffel Tower" at the Paris casino.  Very impressive - if you can time your visit right, I'd recommend that.  Do not go to Aladdin/Planet Hollywood.  It sucks.  Bally's and Harrah's are not very interesting either.

Treasure Island is a good mid-price place to stay.  The interesting casinos to walk in (my opinion, of course) go like this, from one end to the other:  Mandalay Bay - good, Luxor - interesting but cheesy, Excalibur - sucks, New York, New York - interesting, MGM Grand - huge and pretty cool, Tropicana/Harrah's/Imperial Palace/Bally's - boring, Bellegio and Venetian are very impressive feats of commercialism, Mirage is all about Seigfried and Roy.  I already mentioned the Wynn, Sahara and Stratosphere.

Take the monorail if you want to go up and down the strip a lot.  A day pass will get you all over the place.  You'll need to take a cab downtown.

There's a pretty big shark exhibit waaaay out at the end of the Mandalay Bay shopping center - all the big casinos have shopping centers and restaurants now.

[kenkwan]

I hated the strip around Circus Circus, Westward Ho, down to the Mirage. If you want to go to the Statosphere, just take a cab. The Strip between Circus Circus and the Starosphere is S K A R Y!

[Sarah]

All I know is a friend of mine won a Mustang playing the slots in Las Vegas.

[bookem_dan-o]

Check out the IMAX theatre at the Branden Theatres at the Palms. They were playing the IMAX version of 300 when I was there last month.

And I second the advisory to avoid the part of the strip north of Circus Circus. I don't find it particularly scary (although many people say not to wander in that area at night)), it's just that there's nothing much to see or do there.

But I really like Slots-A-Fun for some reason...it's right next to the Circus Circus hellhole, and right across the street from the Peppermill.


You could also shoot full-automatic machine guns at the Gun Store on E. Tropicana. I'd advise you NOT to go there if your flight out of Vegas is the next day, however. Unless you enjoy the exhaustive TSA anal-probe that you will invariably recieve if you show up to the security checkpoint with gunpowder residue embedded in your underwear.