TINKERTOY ..... the 1 & only
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You sound like you have never been to Vegas before, so I am going to give you all of my information on it, including how to get the best room:
First, when you look for a hotel in Vegas consider this. All of the big hotels on the Strip are great. The two most important things are location and price. Stay on the strip in the center of all of the hotel locations so that you can walk to see all of the hotels and casinos, and all of the free attractions. The best place to stay to do that is in one of the hotels on or nearest to Flamingo Rd & the Strip. At that corner is Ceasers, Bellagios, the Flamingo, Ballys, and The Paris hotels.
The next thing to consider in picking the BEST place is price. Rates go down in the summer (and again after Thanksgiving, until about mid-January (except new years eve when prices double)). So pick a place that has the best price for you. Ceasers and Bellagios will cost top dollar (like $150 and up) per night during the summer. Flamingo, Ballys and some others you can get into for around $100, but most times for less, during the low seasons. Its also more expensive on Friday and Saturday nights by $40 to $60, so, go Sunday and stay through Thursday night.
In the summer you probably want to spend some time at the pool areas which in Vegas are fabulous. The Mandalay Bay, Monte CArlo and MGM hotels have wave pools and lazy rivers for tubing or body floating. The Flamingo has a water slide; not big but nice and refreshing.
I have stayed at Mandalay Bay, Excalibur, MGM, Monte Carlo, Bellagios, Ceasers, the Rio, the Flamingo, Ballys, and Harrahs. But the BEST place for me when I go is who has the best price. Again, all of the Strip hotels are great. So shop the web places below, look at the hotel rate calendars and go when the price is the lowest. That's the best place to stay.
Finally, do join all of the players clubs because they are your ticket to lower priced return trips. Or, if you gamble a lot while you are there you can get points to reduce your room rate. They will email you or regular mail you specials. The players clubs are free; all they want to see is your driver's license.
Now here's some more information for you.
The usual things you will want to SEE for FREE in Vegas are:
1. The volcano erupt in from of the Mirage Hotel
2. The show (spectacular) in from of the Treasure Island Hotel
3. Number one on my list is to watch the fountain displays in from of the Bellagio hotel, usually runs every 15 minutes on summer nights; runs continuously until about midnight. Each show is different so stay and watch at least 2 or 3
4. Go down to Freemont street and see the light show. There are usually 2 or 3 different shows, starting after dark and lasting about 5 or 10 minutes each.
5. Go to the MGM Grand hotel to see the Lion habitat.
6. Go to the Mirage hotel to see the white tigers that Sigfred and Roy used.
7. Go to the RIO hotel to see the Mascarade in the Sky show. It runs every 90 minutes starting about 3:00 PM.
8. Go in Ceasars' Palace and walk through the forum shops to the first fountain (its spectacular) the take the first fork to the left to go see the aquarium.
9. Go into the Flamingo hotel to see their animal habitat with flamingos and penguins.
10 The Excalibut hotel also has a free light show at night outside.
If you like roller coasters, there are roller coaster rides at the NY,NY hotel, at the Sahara Hotel/Casino, and rides for those with a strong heart at the top of the Stratesphere Casino/hotel.
There is a movie theater in the Palms (multiplex) and also another on the strip across the street from The Monte Carlo, near the MGM. There is a place called Game Works below the Coke experience that has all type video games.
Then there's shopping at Fashon show mall right next to Treasure Island, or you can take the bus south of the strip (just past the airport) is an outlet mall. There is a movie theater next to the MGM and another across from the Rio in the Palms hotel. If you like to bowl, there are alley's in The Gold Coast Hotel/Casino (beside the RIO) and in the Orleans.
I recommend the shows at Bally's, "Jubilee" (there is a "top covered" version for families at about 7:00PM) and at the MGM, "KA". These will run about $90 to $100 each; that's the going rate for production shows there now. You can try for discounted show tickets at a booth in the building with the coke bottle, for Coke World and the M&M factory. They are same day tickets; have never done this but see people doing it.
If you are a Star Trek Fan, go to the Hilton (off the strip) for "STar Trek The Experience"; it cost about $25.
Go to the Statisphere Hotel at the North end of the Strip and got to the top of the tower (its about $10 admission) to get a great view of Vegas. If you would like a nice romatic dinner (reservation required) reserve dinner there and during your meal the restaurant will rotate 360 degrees.
You can see most of the stuff on the strip by walking, so you don't need a rental car. There is a free monorail between Bellagios and the Monte Carlo Hotel and also another free one between Excalibur and Mandalay Bay. The one on the opposite side of the street you have to pay to ride. There is a free bus between Harrah to the RIO Hotel that runs every half hour. There is also a free bus that you can get outside the Barbery Coast Casino that will take you to the Orleans and some other off strip casinos.
Plan which hotels/casinos you want to visit each day so you can make the most of your walking and the free monorails and schuttles. When you get there you will probably have in your hotel room a free guide to the city called either "What's ON" or "Las Vegas Today". These are helpful guises as they have a map of the city with the hotels marked, plus useful coupons. Some coupons will give you a free souviner from certain hotels; you just have to take the coupon to the hotel.
If you want to some other things:
Go to Red Rock Canyon. Its about 20 miles West of Las Vegas out Charleston Blvd (you can pick up that street at the north end of the Strip) Its a scenic drive-through park. Go early, not in the heat of the day; there's no shade.
Drive about 30 miles southeast of Vegas and go to Hoover Dam; the National Park Service offers tours (@ $15.) there and its interesting stuff.
If you go as a couple, you will be stopped many times by folks in a number of hotels trying to offer free stuff in exchange for listening to time share presentations. They will get on your nerves. But if you don't mind sitting throug a time share you can get free show tickets or some cash.
The hotel buffets are now pretty expensive so if you want to order and eat less try one of the Denny's (one near the Casino Royal The other across from the Monte Carlo) for meals. There are also McDonalds and Burger King (in O'Sheas) on the Stip near Harrahs. You can get breakfast and dinner buffets a few dollars less at the Imperial Palace and at the Gold Coast. There is a food court in the Monte Carlo, in NY, NY, and in the Palms Hotel (across the street from the RIO. |
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