Las Vegas Tours

Car hits pedestrians in Las Vegas, crazy week!

2005-10-19T16:33:00.000-07:00

Wow, where to begin - too much booze, large group & lack of sleep makes for confusion. So please understand if my memory is spotty. But, here goes:

This was a family trip of me, hubby, 2 daughters, 2 son-in-laws (one a vegas virgin & 2 friends. We also had 2 other friends in town at same time to see.

6 of us (daughter, s-i-l, 2 friends & us) flying in on Delta from Indiana with the other daughter & s-i-l meeting us in Atlanta from Texas for the connecting flight to LV. I had made all the arrangements for the IN group & it was sheer luck that our Texas kids had a flight change that put them on the same plane coming in. We arrived at 8pm & went to find Alejandro's Texas Grill for dinner before heading out. Our Texas daughter is the wife of a career Navy man & her doctor on base found out she was going & wanted pics of the new Wynn & Ferrari dealership since he has not been home in 2 years while in Iraq. He told her he was the CEO of a restaurant chain & gave her his business card & wrote a note on it to take care of our entire party & comp us anything we wanted! What a nice thing for him to do. We picked up our bags & asked directions to the restaurant - it was on the 2nd floor & easy to find. It was a very nice place & the food was great- not expensive & the service was very good too. We all tried different things & everyone was happy. I really liked my chimichanga (shredded beef). With beers for several of us & dinner the bill was only $150+ (that was with a 15% tip included in that. We added another $25 to the tip, thanked them & were off. We walked outside & there sat a Excursion Limo from Presidentail. So instead of taking the shuttle like we planned since the friends were going to the Frontier (free rooms to save $) we opted to go in style. The driver was Brad - what a great guy - really enjoyed him. He took us to the Paris & then went on with the last 2 to Frontier. We checked our bags & headed out to Bellagio to meet up with the friends & do an all-nighter! (it about did us all in!) We had a great time hopping around, gambling & drinking in about 8-10 places. (We saw Rupert from Survivor at the airport too)

About 9:30 am we were able to check in at the Paris. We had an offer of 2 free nights & comps to cover everything. We go to the riverboat - Caesars of Indiana regurlarly & save out comps for several months to splurge on our yearly trip to Mecca. We all got checked in, took showers & rested for a couple of hours & we were ready to go again.

Everyone wanted to play in a Hold'em tournament that was cheap since we are various levels of play & just wanted to try it. Went to Orleans ($22)- it was fun - one s-i-l made it to the final table but didn't make the money. Ate at the Orleans buffet & everyone thought it was great for the $. We went downtown to meet up with the other friends who were staying downtownwho had came in a few days earlier. Saw the light show for the 1st time - it was really something but we are not fans of the downtown area so didn't stay too long.

Had everyone meet us at 10am for us to treat them to the Paris breakfast buffet. There is nothing that compares to this feast. It is our favorite. We then did the hop - showing them as many hotels & casinos as we could on the south end of the strip. 4 of our party went to Gilley's at the Frontier with free meal comps & 4 of us went to Kahunaville with the Rest.com $25 off $35 coupons daughter bought. It was crowded & loud & not for relaxing & talking at all. Everyone met up & went all night.

Tuesday - Headed north - Venetian, Wynn, TI, Mirage, etc. Purple Reign was back in town tonight after vacation so some of us wanted to check it out. They were really good but the place is a scarry dive. While ar Caesars we decided we wanted a bite to eat so we went to that food court type place. One of the places has fish & such. We tried the lobster chowder - it was great. You can get a regular bowl or one in a bread bowl.

Wednesday - before the IN kids went home mid day we cabbed it over to the Hard Rock. All the kids wanted to play a little & pick up some souveniers. I was able to win one of the silver coins - have been collecting from as many casinos as I can. Have about 10 now. The Texas kids & us moved to LVH & the others headed home. With the hurrican heading toward their home - our Texas kids were getting worried. S-I-L is career Navy & in charge of emergency detail at his base in Kingsville. He was in constant phone contact with them & finally decided to go home the next day (Thur) instead of Friday since it was due to hit on Fri & they might not be able to get their car out of the airport & get home if they waited. Delta was great about several changes & worked with them to get them as close to Corpus as they could with no charges for the change. Several in group played a Hold'em tournament at the Sahara that nite. No wins. While we were in Bally's in the afternoon, we heard about a car hitting pedestrians in Las Vegas on the strip! It was wild out there. Apparently, a 26 yr old guy (later we found ouot his name was Stephen Reesa of Rialto California) beat his grandmother unconscious & stole her car. While driving down the strip he saw the people walking on the sidewalk as "demons" & decided to intentionally run them down. The strip was at a standstill & some casinos had the strip side doors blocked as to not add to the confusion. 1 tourist died that night & another the next morning - many, many were injured. This SCUM has repeatedly been in trouble & in jail only to get out. Well, this time is is 2 counts of murder & many of attempted murder. I hope he rots in jail.

Thursday - Texas kids left & got to San Antonio & had to rent a car to get home & had to take the rental back the next day. This was in all the storm mess & huge traffic lines. I really felt sorry for them. For the first time this trip - hubby & were alone & could do anything we wanted without worrying about others. It was really strange but we just walked around everywhere & gambled a little everywhere. I sat a a 5 cent machine at Bellagio called "all that glitters" which I had never seen before. I was just going to try it since my video poker had not smiled on me all trip. I played 15x1 (not the max 20 lines) & had a few hits of 100 - 300 coins when something came up & I got 5000 coins without even getting a bonus. I cashed out at $484 ! I hit several machines over the days for $100 - $200 but this was my biggest win.

Friday - We checked out, stored out bags with the bell captain & headed out for our last day. We & took the Wynn & Ferrari pics for the good doctor. Hubby got in one last round in the poker pit at Bally's. He actually was way up on his hold'em play for the trip but lost on slots.

We got to the airport about 8 for a 10:20 flight. Hubby has a defibulator & airline must have put something in computer because the 1st security person looked at our tickets & sent us to the VIP line where there were only about 6 people. We were able to bypass the long lines - great - it took us about 5 minutes to get thru. Well another fantastic trip is over until next Sept - booooooo! Wish we could go more often.

Great about this trip:
sharing it with our kids for the 1st time & just being together
Paris breakfast buffet (as usual!)
Free rooms at Paris
the split crab legs at Paris dinner buffet
surprising win at Bellagio
Brad & Presidential Limo

Not so great:
Orleans lunch buffet (wasn't bad, just not as good as normally is)
Bally's Big Kitchen buffet - what a waste of time, money & calories
Texas kids having to leave early & experiencing such a mess with the hurricane.

Thanks for reading ---- we are already starting our coundown to Sept 2006!!

Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Las Vegas at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Las Vegas tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.

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Greetings from the Flamingo Hotel Las Vegas

2005-07-31T20:01:00.000-07:00

In the past, I've stayed at Mandalay Bay and the Mirage. I was a little leery of the Flamingo. I shouldn't have been. It an older property, and not as nice as the others, but is still fine -- and much cheaper. The rooms are reasonably large, the beds are comfortable, there's a good sized closet and a good sized safe, and the location is ideal. It also has a very nice pool. On the down side, it's somewhat worn around the edges; I wouldn't want to walk barefoot on the carpeting in the room. The restaurants are nothing special, and the casino is just fair, but it's easy enough to leave the hotel for food and gambling. I checked in at the airport, and tried the $20 trick. Either it worked, or I live right. I got a strip view room on the 22nd floor (22104). Directly facing me was Caesars Palace, to the right was The Mirage, and to the left was Bellagio and its lake. In the distance was The Rio Hotel, as well as a beautiful mountain backdrop. Look down and you could see Las Vegas Boulevard. Perfect!

Wynn Las Vegas. I didn't stay at the Wynn, just visited. There have already been a number of detailed reviews. I'll just say that it's not revolutionary; it didn't blow me away. However, it's probably the nicest hotel on the strip, incrementally better that the others. On opening day, I got to walk through several of the restaurants, and the night club La Bite, as well as the shops and casino. I visited three other times, and eaten there twice. I also purchased some ridiculously overpriced but delicious chocolates at one of their shops. I like the airy feeling of the hotel, the casino is open and easy to navigate, I must be one of the few who liked Le Reve, and my initial impression of the restaurants is that they're top notch (although I have a lot more eating to do before I'll know for sure). When I stay there in September, I'll see what the rooms and pool are like.

Food ---- This trip was solo, so I ate most of my meals alone. It takes a little getting used to, but Las Vegas is an especially comfortable place for singles. I'd feel comfortable eating by myself even at most of the top dining spots. Sometimes a table for one is a good choice; sometimes there's a bar which serves the complete menu.

Delmonico Steakhouse. One of the high end steak houses, it's located in the Venetian. I ate dinner at the bar, where a full menu is available. Overall the meal was very good: very good foie gras; an excellent bone-in rib eye steak with three sauces (béarnaise, A-OK [like a fancy version of A-1], and a third sauce that I liked but can't remember anything about); bananas Foster ice cream pie that was good but not to die for. A number of wines are available by the glass.

Okada. Here comes a long winded review. This Japanese restaurant and sushi bar is in Wynn Las Vegas. I got there at opening time the first night it opened (April 28). No tables were available, but I snagged what turned out to be a prime spot at the sushi bar. I've eaten sushi for over thirty years, and have tried many of the top spots in Vegas. Okada has the potential to be the best. The quality of their sushi is top notch, and the prices aren't too bad. In fact, some prices are below those at places like Shintaro or Hyakumi. In particular, they had o-toro at $8/piece. When I last went, Shintaro charged $25/piece, and Hyakumi charged about the same. Other memorable items: uni/sea urchin (very firm and fresh); unagi/eel (not just warm, but ever so slightly crisp); tamago/egg (not one of my favorite types of sushi, but quite good here); o-toro/tuna belly sashimi (great flavor and texture, melt-in-your-mouth); hamachi/yellowtail (very rich and flavorful); awabi?/abalone (two pieces, each with a different flavoring); ama-ebi/raw shrimp (great flavor, but they don't serve the heads as tempura). The sushi chefs were also excellent. Somehow or other, the man who appeared to be head chef recognized me. He had been a sushi chef at Shintaro before moving to Okada, and knew me from there. However, there was one major flaw. When I was seated, I was informed by the waitress that I must order each piece of sushi from her. The sushi chefs were apologetic, but confirmed this rule. This was a disaster in the making. Not only does it tend to spoil the interaction between customer and chef, but it slowed orders down to a crawl. Fortunately, after a couple of painful rounds of ordering, the chefs saw what was happening and ignored the rule. After that, I had a great time. I'm sending a letter to Wynn Las Vegas urging them to change the rule.

Hyakumi. Located in Caesars Palace. Prior to Okada, it was my favorite sushi bar in Las Vegas. As good as ever. Order ama-ebi/raw shrimp, and as a bonus they prepare the shrimp heads as tempura. It sounds weird, but it's delicious. They also had ankimo - kind of a pate made out of monkfish liver. Also delicious! Ankimo isn't always available, and I don't know if it's on the menu; just ask for it.

Shibuya. MGM Grand. Japanese restaurant and sushi bar. Looks nice, but the sushi bar gets a failing grade because you must order from the waiter (see my comments on Okada). At least partially due to that, the atmosphere is sterile, even though the sushi is good. It might be better to get a table at this restaurant.

Michael Mina. At the Bellagio, this restaurant emphasizes seafood, but has other good choices as well. I ate at the bar; it's a pretty friendly spot if you're eating by yourself, and a full menu is available. I tried the seasonal tasting menu (pricey at a bit over $100) and the accompanying wine pairings (pricier still at $80 or $85). Picasso is better, and no more expensive, but I still enjoyed myself. The meal included hamachi tartare; lobster salad; (third course that I can't remember); kobe beef, foie gras and lobster mashed potatoes; trio of desserts, including an improbable but excellent sasparilla float. Excellent meal.

Bouchon. I had breakfast here. It's more formal than most breakfast spots, but is very bright and cheerful - a good place for a leisurely meal. French Toast Bouchon style is like sweet bread pudding, with apples. I had heard wonderful things about it, and was a bit disappointed. It was good, but not memorable. However, given the nice atmosphere, I'd be inclined to return and try something else.

Wynn Buffet for Breakfast. I'm not a big fan of buffets, but was curious. I tried out the breakfast buffet the day Wynn opened. The restaurant is pretty, and tables are spaced nicely apart. Service was friendly; coffee came quickly. There's a varied selection of food. What I tried was good, including: muffin; some sort of smoked fish; two Chinese dishes that I had never heard of before (one with beef, the other I forget); a type of link sausage. The omelet station looked good, there was a lot of fruit and pastries available, as well as Mexican dishes. All in all, pretty good. I haven't eaten at any of the other top buffets, and thus can't offer any comparisons.

Aloha Kitchen. This is a couple of miles off the strip, not too far from UNLV. There are a couple of other locations as well. It caters to the large local Hawaiian community. A typical meal is the mix plate, consisting of a large amount of white rice, a scoop of macaroni salad, and one or more items such as kalua pork, chicken katsu, and pork lau lau. Spam is also a mainstay (spam sushi!), or try the loco moco (bed of rice, hamburger patty, fried egg, and a big ladle of brown gravy). Health food lovers need not apply. Their food is cheap and filling. I like it a lot.

Carnegie Deli. At The Mirage. The new kid on the block, it's a branch of a New York deli. It should have stayed in New York. Their sandwiches consist of two regular size pieces of rye bread, with what must be a pound of deli inside. Large bamboo skewers hold everything together. If that's not big enough, you can order the Woody Allen, which combines corned beef and roast beef for an even bigger sandwich. You don't pick up the sandwich, you lift off the bread and use a fork. Sounds good so far, but the corned beef was only fair; same for the pastrami. At breakfast, I tried the matzobrei, pancake style. It was just an omelet with a little matzo thrown in - very disappointing. Their menu doesn't even mention sour cream as an option – you have to ask for it.

Rosemary's. This is way off the strip - perhaps a 20 or 25 minute ride. After hearing so many good things about it, I had to give it a try. Well…it was worth it. To save money, order from the prix fixe menu (available only at lunch). It includes an appetizer, main course, and dessert, for $20. A la carte is much more expensive. I had Hugo's Texas BBQ Shrimp and Maytag Bleu Cheese Cole Slaw (sounds weird, tastes great), grilled mahi mahi, and goat cheese cheesecake. The food is served in large portions and is very rich. Oh yes, this is another place where I ate at the bar, and felt quite comfortable.

Lotus of Siam. Lotus of Siam has a reputation as an excellent Thai restaurant. It deserves its reputation. There are numerous reviews out on the Internet. My observations: (1) reviewers warn against the buffet, which is standard Chinese. From what I saw, I'll second that view. Order interesting Thai food from the menu. (2) I had Nam Kao Tod (minced sour sausage mixed with green onion, fresh chili, ginger, peanut, and lots of crispy rice); charbroiled catfish; sticky rice with mango. It was a lot of food, and everything was very good. (3) The address is on Sahara Avenue. However, that's the BACK of the restaurant. Don't run away in horror; instead, drive around to the other side. It turns out to be a shopping mall, with the entrance to Lotus of Siam.

China Grill. At Mandalay Bay. There are two things of note here. First is the size of their salads. I ordered Peking Duck Caesar Salad; my companion ordered plain Caesar Salad. The waiter warned us that the salads were very large, and that one was more than enough for two people. When we told him that we were ordering no main course, just the salad for dinner, he paused and then said that might be OK. The pause should have warned us. These salads are obscenely large. They're served on dinner plates, piled so high that it's impossible to transfer some to your plate without causing a landslide (saladslide?) that ends on the table. I'm a big eater, and finished less than half…but it was very good. The second item of note is the bathrooms. Think translucent glass, music and LCD monitors - in the stalls.

Jean-Philippe Petisserie. This was opened as part of Bellagio's new Spa Tower expansion. Their pastries are wonderful - both beautiful and delicious. I can vouch for the cheesecake in white chocolate, Chocobana (chocolate mousse, caramelized bananas, dark chocolate cremeux, hazelnut dough), Opera (chocolate ganache, coffee butter cream, almond biscuit, espresso syrup), and the Pecan Tart (pecan caramel, espresso cream, pecan buttercream, hazelnut dough). The gelato was good, but not in the same league as the pastries.

Activities ---------- Hiking. I love to walk and take day hikes, but am not a dyed-in-the-wool hiker. At the end of the day, I want to go back to an air-conditioned hotel room. I also have no sense of direction whatsoever, and can get lost in an elevator with two sets of doors. Having said that, hiking is one of the highlights of my Vegas trips. Go to Red Rock Canyon, about 30 - 45 minutes west of Las Vegas. It's beautiful, and there are trails for all skill and fitness levels. I highly recommend a guide name Neil Sobelson, sole proprietor of Hike This! His web site is http://www.hikethislasvegas.com/. He specializes in customized hikes. That's right, for just you, or the two of you, or your group of friends. He'll ask about your interests and physical condition, and will tailor a hike to meet your needs. I've gone with Neil twice for hiking, and once for rock scrambling (see below), and have always had a great time. Warning: it can get HOT; hiking in the sun when it's even 80 degrees can be brutal. March and April are usually good; May can be hot, so hike early in the morning. In any case, make sure to take tons of water. For a half day hike, take a minimum of two quarts of water, or more if it's hot.

Rock Climbing. You know, with ropes and harnesses and all that good stuff. This was my second time doing rock climbing. My first time was an introduction with no more than 30 minutes actual climbing time. This would be a full day, with hours of climbing. Rock climbing is strenuous, scary, and incredibly exciting - and this from someone who was afraid of heights not too long ago. I highly recommend it, but make sure to get a good instructor. I used American Alpine Institute (http://aai.cc/). My instructor was Jason Martin. He was very good, spending lots of time on basics and on safety. He also put me through the wringer, which is what I wanted. I was able to complete some climbs, but not others; by the time I cried uncle, my arms were trembling so much I had trouble controlling them. I got to find out just how much I could do. I can't wait to go back. A note about trembling arms: this is an indication I was dong things all wrong; “use your legs, not your arms”. I've heard from more than one person that women, who have less upper body strength than men, usually learn faster than men – presumably because they have less opportunity to do things the wrong way.

Rock Scrambling. This is half way between hiking and rock climbing. It involves climbing over and around rocks/boulders that are anywhere from a foot tall to ten or more feet tall. No ropes, just arms and legs. My guide was Neil Sobelson of Hike This! (see hiking, above). Again, Neil is highly recommended. This doesn't take too much skill, mostly just good balance and a lot of care. However, it does take good leg strength and lots of stamina. This was my first time, and I think I'm hooked.

Kayaking. Boulder City Outfitters (http://www.bouldercityoutfitters.com/) offers a guided kayak tour of the Colorado River in Black Canyon, below Hoover Dam. The government limits kayak permits to 30 people per day, with no motorboats allowed on weekends. It's beautiful, great fun, and beginners are welcome. However, be warned that it's a very strenuous trip. Yes, it's downstream, but it still requires continuous paddling for eleven miles, it takes most of the day, and there may be a headwind.

Walking The Strip. I love to walk The Strip. There's a different feeling at different times of day. To me, it seems that the porn slappers were a little less aggressive than last year – or maybe I've just gotten used to them.

Shows ----- Penn & Teller. If you've ever seen them on TV, you know what to expect. Nonetheless, good fun. Arrive early, and you'll be invited to get up on the stage and examine a couple of large boxes they use in their show.

We Will Rock You. The music is good, but the dialog ranges from annoying to downright embarrassing. If you can mentally filter out everything but the songs, you'll do fine. I couldn't.

Ka. This is one of the Cirque de Soleil shows. I'm not sure if this was good. I say “not sure” because I was exhausted from rock climbing that day, and repeatedly fell asleep. I even dreamt, combining rock climbing with the show. Talk about bizarre dreams! However, I liked most of the parts of the show that I saw. It was just a little bit too dreamlike for someone in my sleepy condition. The stage moves, not just up and down, but it rotates, and tilts all the way to vertical. I don't want to give away anything, but the final scene is dramatic.

Le Reve. The new show at Wynn Las Vegas. It's water based, with a circular stage so that all seats are center. I've seen mixed reviews, but it was my favorite show. Yes, it's similar to Cirque shows, but it's very well done, and the theater feels intimate.

George Carlin. He's back from rehab, and ready to offend everyone. I liked him a lot, but be prepared for very caustic humor.

Nighttime --------- The Bar at Times Square. Located in New York New York, this is one of those dueling piano type of bars. It might have been the first in Vegas, although now they're all over the place. It's loud, crowded, commercial, and corny – and a lot of fun! If you get there before 8pm, there's no cover charge. Get there later, and you not only pay, but may have to wait in line.

Gambling -------- I'm not much of a gambler, but I decided to try craps this trip. I knew the theory, but not the practice. My observations: Many casinos offer free craps lessons. If you know the theory, it isn't really necessary to take a class, but I found it made me feel more comfortable. The dealers were invariably friendly, and glad to offer help to newbies. There are a million kinds of bets, but it's very easy if you start with the simplest bet (basically, that the shooter will win). That bet also has a small enough house percentage that you'll probably be able to play awhile before losing all of your money. Craps is fun - especially because I won big. Well, given my bet size, big means enough for a nice dinner, but it sure beats losing. Uh-oh, I think I'm hooked. This could get expensive next time! I checked out many of the larger hotels on The Strip. Table minimums are usually around $10. Sometimes you can find $5 minimums, and sometimes $15 is the lowest. Wynn Las Vegas had one $10 minimum table on opening day. The Flamingo sometimes had $5 tables, but sometimes $10 was the minimum. I've read that there are lower minimums in some of the smaller places, like Casino Royale, but didn't check them out.

Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Las Vegas at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Las Vegas tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.

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Las Vegas is One Big Jackpot

2005-07-29T09:24:00.000-07:00

Starting off with a T-time of +150 days, the departure date for our June 18 trip finally arrived. My husband, Mario, and I were out of the house and on our way to pick up our traveling companions by 4:30 a.m. Maureen and Dale were ready to go and … I’ll spare you the yada-yada-yada of the flight portion of our trip, which to sum it up was smooth and uneventful.

I had booked an intermediate car with Dollar, and was planning on using an upgrade coupon for a full-size. These coupons are based on availability, and we were disappointed to find that there wasn’t a single full-size car on the lot. I asked the attendant if there was anything else she could offer us, and she indicated a mini-van. The four of us looked at each other but didn’t need to talk about it – we were not going to take a mini-van unless we had absolutely no other choice. The attendant indicated that we could wait for some more cars to come out of the garage from being cleaned and washed, and see if a full-size came out. A lone Chrysler 300 Touring/Limited sat in the luxury aisle. I pulled a $20 out of my wallet, and asked if it was available. The attendant broke into a big, toothy smile, took the $20 and said “help yourself”. Which we did, and after Mario and Dale spent 5 minutes in the office adding Dale onto our contract as a second driver, off we went. Luxury class car rental $204.35 for 9 days (plus $20 “tip”)

Our first 3 nights were to be at the Rio (or so I hoped).

Let me explain. Dale received an offer from Rio/Harrah’s for $79 for that Saturday night, with Sunday and Monday nights free. Maureen and Dale had never stayed at the Rio, and were thrilled with the chance to stay there, especially since we’d often told them how great the rooms were. Mario and I have been receiving offers from the Rio for 4 or 5 years now – whereas this was the first offer Dale and Maureen have ever received from Rio/Harrah’s. Admittedly, the two of us don’t give the Rio much play, and we have often wondered how we’ve merited free room offers, but we weren’t about to question anyone about it. I know well enough that these offers are always intended only for the person they have been mailed to, but I thought we had nothing to lose by calling and trying to book under Dale’s offer code. I figured we’d be receiving a similar offer anyway, and somehow ours was just late coming to us. I was just going to plead ignorance when the clerk called me an idiot or even worse, anticipating her caustic reply when she told me that the offer I quoted her was not meant for me. Usually, if you receive a mailed offer from the Rio, you will also find your offer listed on their website when you login and check under “My Offers”. I kept checking right up until the week before we left, and all I got was one offer for Harrah’s Laughlin. Nothing from the Rio.

I called a Rio reservations clerk, gave her the rate code, and she put me on hold. When she came back on the line she confirmed our reservation under the $79/free/free rate. I was more than surprised it had worked, and I had visions of trying to check-in at the Rio and being told there had been a mistake and being turned away or, alternatively, being charged more than we’ve ever had to spend on a hotel room before.

I might as well fess up right now: we’re … um … frugal, and paying full-price for a 3-night stay at the Rio was more $$ than we were willing to spend. We did come up with a back-up plan, though. The 4 Queen’s sent us a 2-nights free offer, and out of caution I booked the Sunday/Monday portion of our trip at the 4Q’s. That way, if the Rio reservation didn’t pan out, then that would only leave Mario and me sleeping in the car for the Saturday night.

Okay, so now we’re at the Rio’s front desk, and I’m holding my breath the entire time the desk clerk is tick-tick-ticking away on her computer. She confirms our rate of $79/free/free and assigns us a room in the Ipanema Tower. Even as we walk away from the front desk I am expecting someone to call me back and say there seems to be a problem. But it didn’t happen.

I’d read a post that the Ipanema rooms had been renovated fairly recently, and that the rooms in the Masquerade Tower were beginning to show some wear, so I was pleased that we would be staying in that tower. Maureen and Dale were assigned a room in the Masquerade Tower.

I thought the Ipanema room was smaller than the Masquerade Tower rooms. And I didn’t like it nearly as well. Pretty picky all of a sudden, wasn’t I? – this person who only moments before had been crossing her fingers and toes, hoping against hope that she would even be staying at the Rio? Mario just sighed, and rolled his eyes when I called the front desk and asked for a room change to the Masquerade Tower. They informed me that they were not doing any more room changes that afternoon, but we could move in the morning if we wanted. I was pretty sure that the idea of this was that by the time morning came most people just couldn’t be bothered to move. The next morning I called the front desk again, explaining that we were traveling with friends, and would greatly appreciate having a room in the same tower as they were in. I believe I heard Mario sighing again as we dragged our suitcases through the casino towards our new room in the Masquerade Tower. We were assigned a room on the 16th floor with a great view of the Rio pool. I was happy. Mario was just glad to be staying at the Rio.

Over the next few days, we spent a couple hours each afternoon at the pool. That first day the music was cranked, full-blast rap and what seemed to be a variety of rhythmic jungle beat music – boom, boom, boom. I don’t really mind the music itself, but truthfully, it was being played so loud that even though we were sitting on lounge chairs only inches away from each other, we had to shout to make ourselves heard. The next two days, though, the music was more mainstream and was set at a reasonable volume, so I have to assume that the first day was not the norm. The Rio pool area itself is great, with several pools, lots of greenery and plenty of lounge chairs. This is a pool area that is definitely dominated by beautiful 20-somethings. The women were showing a lot of skin and the men were displaying a lot of muscle. The 4 of us were out of our element (we are in our late 40’s), but it made for some very interesting people-watching each afternoon. It seemed to me that many people’s activities at the pool were going to have a big impact on what they would be doing later that night, if you catch my drift.

One morning we had breakfast at the Rio buffet, using this coupon, which is good until the end of August, I believe:

http://www.harrahs.com/our_casinos/rlv/exhilaration/offer5.html

I’d recommend the Rio buffet for breakfast at least. I’ve never had lunch or dinner there, though. The selection was great, and the food was very good!

We played slots at the Rio off and on throughout our stay, but lost more than we won. I like the slots in the Carnival Court best, because that’s where the best variety of penny or multi-denominational slots are. Unfortunately, especially in the evening, this area of the casino is extremely noisy – and I stress, extremely noisy – and it definitely impacted on our playing time there.

On Sunday morning we drove out to Green Valley Ranch, intending to have breakfast at the buffet there (using our ACG coupons) and then spend a few hours in the casino. When we arrived, we realized it was Father’s Day, the price of the Sunday buffet had been pumped up for the occasion, and we saw that our ACG coupons weren’t good on Sundays. We didn’t want to spend a lot of money on breakfast, so we hopped back in the car and went to the Café at Sunset Station for a cheap but excellent breakfast.

We then played the slots for an hour or so, with no significant wins or losses. After that, we made a quick trip to Walmart, which is across the street from Sunset Station, so that we could stock up the fridge in our rooms with bottled water and Diet Pepsi.

That afternoon Mario and I attended a LVT Meet at the Monte Carlo Brew Pub. We were pleased to see Frank (the LVT Webmaster) and Dusty once again, and to make the acquaintance of BugsySiegel, dmeeks9 and TrawnaJack. It never fails to amaze me how these Meets, which bring strangers together, would, to someone looking in from the outside, believe it to be a gathering of good friends. It’s a wonderful way to meet people who share our love of Las Vegas, and it’s great fun to be able to put a face to a LVT Board name!

What a long walk it is now through the Bellagio’s new tower to get to the tram for the Monte Carlo. I doubt it actually saves you any steps if you are coming in through Bellagio from the Strip. We stopped at the Conservatory on our way back and Mario took some pictures. The display was beautiful, but not as inspired as I’ve seen it on other occasions. Someone needs to come up with some fresh new ideas, I think.

Maureen and their 3 children had surprised Dale with a Father’s Day gift of a helicopter tour to the Grand Canyon. Dale has often mentioned over the past several years how much he wanted to do this, so he was absolutely thrilled. The cost was around $300 CAD per person for about a 4-hour trip, which included a picnic lunch in the canyon. A limo picked them up at 9:00 on Monday morning. When they returned around 1:30 they were positively glowing – they said it was spectacular - an experience of a lifetime.

That night we had dinner at the Monterey Room in the Gold Coast. No Vegas trip is ever complete for us without having the $9.95 Texas T-Bone Steak Special. The price has gone up a bit in the past few years, but it’s worth every cent. You will need to bring a big appetite to get through this dinner.

Each trip we like to check out a casino we’ve never been to before, so we decided to take a drive out to the SunCoast after dinner. Not realizing that the map I’d brought along had become quite outdated, we had some trouble finding the SunCoast. First, we drove several miles past the turn we should have taken, and then when we got back on track we ended up taking more wrong turns, and went on quite the tour of the area. Eventually we made it there, more by fluke than anything else.

The SunCoast is a nice but rather small casino. Mario and I settled down at a Twilight Zone slot machine, and managed to turn $20 into around $180. We have a rule that we cash out once we’ve tripled our money, or if we hit a nice jackpot, we play it down to the nearest $20 and cash it out. Then we will put another $20 in and see how that goes. It seems to work well for us, at the very least keeping us within our gambling budget for the day.

We decided to call home before we went back to our hotel, and our son told us that our basement had flooded on the day we left Calgary. We’d had some torrential rains in June, but since we live on a hill, we had never been concerned about water damage to our home before. Apparently, we only had a few inches of water coming in, which had actually seeped up from the sump and through some cracks in the basement floor. At least it was clean rainwater and not a sewer back-up.

On Tuesday we moved to the MGM for 3 days. We’d booked under an email special that I saw mentioned on the Deals forum of LasVegasTalk - $59/night weekdays for slot club members, which, among other things, including a $35 dining credit at any of the MGM-owned restaurants, buffet or eateries. Maureen & Dale didn’t actually belong to the slot club, but they joined online and then booked the room.

Once we’d dropped our suitcases off in our respective rooms, we threw on our bathing suits and met Maureen and Dale downstairs for some pool time. Maureen commented on how huge the rooms were – even bigger than the Rio rooms. What?? Our room was more or less a standard hotel room, certainly not anywhere near the size of a Rio room. She described the huge bathroom, with not only a tub but a separate glass shower; a nice living room area, a fridge, a bar, etc. etc. Somehow, without asking for one, or even realizing it, they had been given a suite! Very nice!

To access the MGM pool you have to walk through the Studio Walk, which is the MGM’s shopping mall. I’d read several negative comments about how far away the pool area is from the room elevators, but truthfully I didn’t think it was that bad – just a 3 or 4-minute walk. The pool area is very large, set amongst an abundance of palm trees, flowers and shrubs. There are several pools and a lazy river. Inner tubes are available for around $15 a day, but you really don’t need one to float along the lazy river. The lazy river was great – we loved it!

Later that afternoon we drove out to Texas Station, where we’d planned to do a little gambling, and then have dinner and a movie. First stop was at the Fatburger in the food court for one of their fantastic chocolate shakes – I don’t even want to guess how many calories those things are, but then again if you have one of them when you’re on vacation, the calorie count is zero. Or so I’ve heard.

While we sucked back our shakes, Mario and I had some good luck on a slot machine called Password. We played this machine for quite some time, and cashed a few nice little jackpots out of it, to the tune of close to $200.

We had planned on having dinner at the Texas Station’s buffet using our ACG coupons, but the line-ups were long, and the four of us didn’t really feel like waiting in a line-up, especially seeing as we were not all that hungry – a buffet was probably more than we needed that night, anyway. In January of this year, Mario and I had met up with Grenadier (from the LVT Board) and his wife, Henny, who are Texas Station regulars. I recalled Grenadier mentioning at that time that the clam chowder served at the Texas Star Oyster Bar was excellent. That seemed like a good idea for a lighter meal, and as we passed by, we saw that there were plenty of tables available. All four of us ordered a bowl of clam chowder which, indeed, was delicious, and far more filling than we had anticipated. I loved the thin crisp parmesan bread wafers they served with the soup! Maureen & Dale had ordered a side dish of calamari to share, which they said was very good. Mario and I ordered a side dish of hot chicken fingers. More like chicken fists – they were absolutely huge, and served dripping with hot sauce. The soup had pretty well filled me up, and I could only get through ½ a piece of chicken, but it was excellent, simply excellent. We will return there next trip, without a doubt.

After dinner each couple went their own way to gamble for a few hours, and we met at the theatres for the 10:00 showing of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Mario thought it was pretty good, and Maureen, Dale and I sheepishly admitted to sleeping through most of it. The story line was just so unbelievable; I couldn’t get interested in it. And that’s my excuse, and I’m sticking with it. Maureen and Dale said they were just plain tired.

Since we had that $35 MGM dining credit, we decided to try the buffet for breakfast on Wednesday morning. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t anything special, either. I’m glad it didn’t cost us anything.

Maureen and Dale planned on seeing the Titanic Exhibit (which Dale raved about afterwards!) over at the Tropicana that morning, so Mario and I hopped in the car and drove over to Green Valley Ranch to play some slots. For some reason, we always seem to do fairly well at GVR, and this morning was no exception. After a couple hours, we left about $80 up. Fiesta Henderson then fairly quickly relieved us of that $80.

We had planned on meeting Maureen and Dale at the pool that afternoon, but by the time we got back to the hotel, the weather had deteriorated, it had rained, and there was still lightning and thunder in the air. The pool was closed.

Since we had tickets for We Will Rock You (purchased at ½ price online with Goldstar Events - http://www.goldstarevents.com) that night, we decided we should find a place to eat not too far from the Paris Hotel.

Maureen and Dale hadn’t ridden the monorail yet, so we decided to take it from the MGM all the way to the Sahara, and then back to Bally’s. Then we would walk over to the Barbary Coast and have supper at the Victorian Room.

Mario and I hadn’t eaten at the Victorian Room in years, but we remembered it as a great place for a casual meal, with good prices. Once we were seated, I was surprised to see that the tables had tablecloths on them, and this was not the casual café I had remembered. I did think as we approached the restaurant that it was odd there wasn’t a line-up at the door, like there always used to be. And the menu – well, an open-faced turkey sandwich was $14; a burger was $10. Yikes. I wasn’t very hungry, and all I wanted was something light and simple, like a chef’s salad or a taco salad. The waiter informed me there were no salads available at dinner time. Give me a freakin’ break. I grudgingly settled on a bowl of clam chowder soup. Maureen and Mario each had the turkey sandwich, and Dale had an open-faced hot roast beef sandwich. The waiter got a little snotty when I ordered only soup.

There weren’t that many people in the restaurant, and it took 45 minutes to get our meal, during which time we were virtually ignored by our waiter. Coffee and/or water refills would have been appreciated, and we had to stop a passing waitress for refills. My soup should have been served much hotter than it was, and the meals were mediocre. A definite “will not eat there again” experience.

We then walked over to the Paris Hotel and picked up our We Will Rock You tickets at the box office. Mario and I went over to Bally’s for a while, and lost some money on their slots. I don’t think we’ve ever won a cent at Bally’s.

Our seats for We Will Rock You were in the Radio Ga Ga section, about ¾ of the way from the top of the theatre, off to the right of the stage. The theatre is fairly small, and I don’t really think there are any bad seats. We Will Rock You is a fun show – the music and dancing was very good, and there is a bit of a campy feel to the show. Lots of humour, and even some sad parts. There were some young kids sitting in front of us, and I thought there was some dialogue that wasn’t appropriate for their ears – but I guess it depends on what you expose your kids to ordinarily (probably nothing they haven’t heard in the schoolyard anyway, I guess).

I stopped and bought my eldest son a Queen t-shirt to add to his collection of rock memorabilia, and then we strolled over to the Bellagio to watch a couple fountain shows. I can’t remember the name of the first show we saw, but the second one was Viva Las Vegas. It doesn’t get more appropriate than that.

We walked back to the MGM and said goodnight to Maureen and Dale. We played some slots for a couple hours, and had a bit of luck on a Matchgame slot. It was around 1:30 by that time, and both of us were hungry. By rights we probably should have just gone to bed, but we were on holidays, dammit. We could do whatever we wanted to do. We got a table at the Studio Café, which was extremely busy even at that time of night. I ordered some type of Chinese chicken salad, which was excellent, and Mario had a clubhouse sandwich, which he enjoyed. We sat for quite a while afterward, chatting, and by about 3:00 we were more than ready to drag ourselves through the casino and up to bed.

On Thursday morning we hopped in the car and headed to the Grand Lux Café at the Venetian for breakfast. This is my favorite place for breakfast in Las Vegas. We all chose the small buffet they offer, rather than ordering from the menu. The buffet includes an omelet bar, fresh fruits, yogurt, excellent breads, muffins and pastries, and all the other usual breakfast items. I believe the price is around $13 per person.

After breakfast we drove out to the Valley of Fire. It was a hot day, and the car gauge showing the outside temperature read upwards of 115 degrees at times. Las Vegas Norm had kindly given me some pointers as to what sights not to miss, and we stopped at each one he had recommended along the way.

Atlatl Rock

There were many petroglyphs on the rocks, and it would have been interesting to know what stories these prehistoric Indian rock writings told. There was a natural arch in one area that offered a great photo opportunity, and we stopped to take some pictures of each other.

A little further on we came to an area called the Mouse’s Tank, which is a natural basin in the rock where rainfall collects and can remain for several months. Intriguing, seeing as this is such an arid environment. We thought we would take the short walk to see what it was all about. Bad idea. The sand we were walking through was so fine that it was like red icing sugar, and it made walking rather more difficult, not to mention that Dale, Maureen and I were wearing sandals. Hot, hot, hot toes! That “short” walk took at least 20 minutes or more, back and forth each way, and we Canadians from the Great White North don’t tolerate heat all that well. We had thought to bring our bottles of water with us, but since we’d read that it was a short walk, we thought we’d only be gone no more than 15 or 20 minutes total. Our tongues were practically dragging on the ground by the time we got back to the car. All further sightseeing at the Valley of Fire that day was done from the comfort of our air conditioned vehicle.

On the way back to town we stopped at Overton Beach Marina on Lake Mead. We bought some very much appreciated cold drinks, and relaxed for a little while as we took in the view from a picnic bench.

The plan was to stop one more time, at Lake Las Vegas, before heading home to the MGM, but somehow, somewhere, we took a wrong turn, and missed it entirely, so we ended up back in Las Vegas.

I understand that the San Remo Hotel and Casino has been bought out by Hooters. It must be happening soon, because it looked like some of the signs have already been removed from the front of the property. I don’t know how many times I’ve read that the $5.95 Prime Rib Dinner is well worth the money, and I wanted to go there once before the hotel went through its conversion.

Dale, Mario and I ordered the Prime Rib special, and Maureen ordered a Monte Cristo sandwich. Maureen regretted her choice, because the sandwich was apparently deep fried and tasted rather nastily like fish. If it had been me, I would have complained and sent the sandwich back, but I don’t think Maureen likes to do that, so she ate as much as she could, and left the rest. Our prime rib dinners were good, and well worth the $5.95 price tag.

That night, Maureen and Dale had “2 for 1” tickets for Folies Bergeres, which they’d won on the free spin in front of the Tropicana. This worked out great for them, as one of the things they wanted to do this trip was see one of the traditional-types of Vegas shows. That really didn’t interest us, and Mario and I decided to head over to the Bar at Times Square in NYNY for an evening of Dueling Pianos. I wanted to get there early enough for a table, which are at a premium, so we were there by 7:30, with the entertainment scheduled to start at 8:00. Some basketball final was on TV, and many people in the bar were glued to the game. Of course – it HAD to go into overtime, and Dueling Pianos didn’t start until shortly after the game ended, at 9:00. Just a note here – the drink prices, as if they’re not bad enough already ($6.50 for a rum & coke), go up when Dueling Pianos starts, but that night even though the show started an hour late, the drink prices went up right on time nonetheless. I believe my second rum & coke cost close to $8.00.

Anyway, even over-priced drinks won’t keep me away from Dueling Pianos, and we had a great time that night. The camaraderie, laughter and good fun we enjoy in that bar cannot be beat. We stayed through two sets, and left shortly after the first pair of entertainers came back for their second set.

Mario told me, on the walk back to the MGM, that when I’d left the bar at one point in search of a ladies washroom, a woman who had been acting quite strangely moved over to sit in my chair at our cozy little table for two. She had drawn our attention earlier because she had walked into the bar with a guy, but she crossed over to the side of the bar with tables by herself, and sat down at a table of women she apparently didn’t know. The other women seemed rather surprised, but this strange woman didn’t acknowledge them in any way – she stared straight ahead and didn’t say a word. When the music was playing and absolutely everyone in the bar was singing at the tops of their lungs, this woman continued to stare straight ahead – totally unaffected by the music. When one of the entertainers encouraged all the women in the bar to get up out of their seats and sing, we all did, yet she sat there like she was made out of stone. In any event, when she moved into my chair and tried to engage Mario in a conversation, Mario told her that his wife would be back in a minute or two, and the chair wasn’t available. She stared at him for a minute and then got up and sat back in the chair she was in earlier. It would seem that perhaps she was a hooker, but her methods were very strange – there were at least 50 young, single drunk guys on the other side of the bar who would probably have enjoyed her attention.

Friday morning was check-out day. I tried to do the video check-out but the $35 food credit had not been applied to our bill, so we had to go down to the front desk to check-out. The desk clerk got the bill straightened out, eventually, and off we went to the Orleans for breakfast.

The Courtyard Café has some great early morning specials, but we arrived too late for those. You can always depend on a good meal at this restaurant, at a reasonable price. We were not disappointed, and after breakfast we arranged to meet Maureen and Dale at 10:00. We had fun playing several slot machines, Turkey Shoot being one of our favorites, but left the Orleans that morning lighter in the wallet.

I like to shop: Maureen LOVES to shop. The men dropped us off at the Fashion Show Mall, and they walked over to the Wynn Hotel to spend a few hours there.

When we met back up with the men again later, Maureen said she hadn’t even made it out of Macy’s yet, and here I’d sailed through several stores and was ready to leave. Maureen needed more shopping time, so we scheduled that in for the next day.

We were spending the next 2 nights at the Golden Nugget, so we hopped in the car and headed for downtown. We had reserved the GN under a $79/night weekend special, which included several good coupons. Check-in was quick and we were assigned rooms in the south tower. Maureen and Dale wanted to relax for a few hours at the pool, but the two of us elected to wander around Fremont Street for a while. We walked up and down Fremont Street, and then settled in at Las Vegas Club to play some slots. Let’s just say it would have been significantly cheaper to go to the pool.

We spent the evening at Texas Station, and this time we did have the buffet for dinner. The line-ups were bad again, which apparently was because there was only one person on the till that night and lots of people were paying by credit card, which slowed progress down a lot. By the time we were almost to the front of the line, another till opened that was only taking payment by cash, and we got through in no time after that. It must be a favorite buffet for the locals, as there sure were a lot of families in line, and SO many kids.

Dale is a “rib guy” – he just loves ribs, and he raved about them at Texas Station. I’ve never heard anyone say “mmmmmm” so many times during any one meal.

I found the abundance of unruly kids at this buffet very annoying. Their parents allowed them to run all over the place, yelling and fooling around, and taking food from the buffet without supervision. This resulted in spilled food on the counters and floors, and the mess around the ice cream machine was simply disgusting. Some parents need a serious kick in the a$$. We’ve eaten here several times before, and this was the first time we’d seen anything like this. Maybe Friday nights are a good time to stay away from there.

After the buffet fiasco it was time to play some more slots. We played Men in Black for an $80 profit, and then sat down at a slot machine that was called something like The Great Cheese Caper, which was fun, and paid us a couple small jackpots. We gave some money back on a few other slots over the next while, but managed to walk out of there in the black. At midnight we met back up with our traveling companions, and drove back downtown. Mario and I walked over to the Plaza (now that it’s virtually stink-free, thanks to new carpeting), and spent a few hours playing a slot machine we’d discovered at Green Valley Ranch – the theme was something about magicians. We did pretty good on that slot, but gave some of our winnings back on some other slots we played afterwards.

By around 2:00 we were ready to call it a night, and I remember remarking how relatively cool it was outside that night.

We met Maureen and Dale the next morning for breakfast at the Carson Street Café. This restaurant is consistently good, and today was no exception. We used one of our coupons we’d been issued at check-in, which was good for up to 4 people for $3 off each of our meals.

After dropping Maureen off at the Fashion Show Mall to continue her shopping experience, Dale, Mario and I drove over to the Imperial Palace to take part in their 11:00 Texas Hold’em lessons. The table was full, and we had an entertaining dealer doing the teaching. Most of us were fairly familiar with the game already, and we had a great time playing just for fun over the next half hour or so. After that, a table was opened for anyone from the lessons that wanted to play for real, and most of us moved over to join in. A few other stragglers showed up, and the table was full. I’d apparently picked up a horseshoe when I sat down at this table, because for the next 10 or 15 hands or so, I raked in the great majority of the pots. Then I started getting dealt mostly garbage, and for the rest of our time at the table I rarely stayed in past the flop. The horseshoe moved over to Dale, and he won some very nice pots over the next hour or so. Mario couldn’t get a hand if his life depended on it, and when he did manage to pull something even half-decent, he never got the cards he needed to win a hand. The players at the table were a happy and fun bunch, and we greatly enjoyed our time in the poker room. $30 profit for me; $46 for Dale; Mario lost $50.

Once we’d picked Maureen up from the mall, it was pool time once again for her and Dale. Mario and I begged off, and we met up with them later for dinner at the Golden Nugget buffet. We had 2 for 1 coupons, so we figured we might as well use them. The buffet was good enough, but I don’t know that I’d bother to go there again.

We’ve been to enough buffets (do ya think???) that we know not to over-indulge at them. It’s tempting to try everything that looks good and stuff yourself to the point of being uncomfortable. But it’s so not worth it.

Maureen and I hadn’t seen the Wynn Hotel yet, so that was the plan for our last night in Las Vegas. Yes, readers (or … maybe … reader, if even one of you is still with me?), there is an end in sight.

We parked at the Fashion Show Mall and walked across the street. Maureen and Dale had some things they wanted to see first on that end of the Strip, so after we arranged to meet at the car at midnight, they went off towards TI.

Thankfully, a walkover to the Wynn is in the final stages of being built, so soon there will be no need to cross over at street level.

The pond and waterfall in front of the main entrance to the Wynn is very nice. Inside the casino there is small garden area, where they hang different colors and sizes of fresh flower “balls” from the trees.

We played slots the rest of the evening at the Wynn, and accumulated more than 500 points on our slot card. Once you have 500 points on the blank slot card you are given initially, you can then go sign up for their slot club. You are awarded 2 free buffets at that time, which must be used within the next couple of days.

Once we got back downtown for the night, Mario and I spent a couple hours roaming in and out of the various casinos on Fremont Street. We were getting a little peckish, and decided to stop in at the Carson Street Café for a late night snack. We settled on nachos. They sucked – which is probably a good thing, seeing as by rights we really didn’t need to be eating just before going to bed anyway. The type of cheese they used to melt on the nachos was too moist and it made the chips mucky and limp. Yuck.

Sunday morning. The day we dreaded. Reality was looming. Our hope that 9 days in Vegas would be long enough for us was not to be. It was still not long enough. Not by a long shot.

We packed up our suitcases, checked-out of the Golden Nugget, and found a gas station to fill up the car in anticipation of returning it to the Dollar lot.

Since we had to use those two free buffets at the Wynn, or lose them, we offered one to Maureen and Dale, and off we went to experience the Wynn Buffet. We were worried that the line-ups might be bad on a Sunday morning at 9:00, but they weren’t.

The dining area is beautiful, light and airy. And if I had to sum up the food at this buffet in one word, it would be - wow!

Someone had mentioned to me the night before that the crab legs on this buffet were – and he held his hands out 2-feet apart from each other. I had laughed at his exaggeration. This morning, as I was wandering around the buffet checking out the selection, I actually saw someone with a full plateful of 2-foot long crab legs.

All four of us wished we had been hungrier that morning, because there were so many great-looking dishes that we would have liked to sample. One bakery item that really sticks out in my memory is the small cinnamon buns – absolutely wonderful – light and moist and perfect. Even the bacon was somehow better than regular bacon – it was cooked very well, but it wasn’t all curled up and greasy – each piece was straight as a poker and had a light hickory flavor. The orange and grapefruit juice was served by a chef at the buffet itself – because it was fresh squeezed the chef needed to keep stirring it to keep the pulp from settling.

We spent some time just enjoying the ambiance of the dining area, leisurely sipping our coffees, and reflecting on the past 8 days that we’d spent together.

As we walked back to the car, we decided to leave the Strip and spend our few remaining hours in Las Vegas at Terribles. Initially, when we had begun to plan this trip, we had booked Terribles through Vegas.com for the week-night portion of our stay. The pool area was remarkably nice, the rooms were decent, if not fancy, and the nightly rate was $34. Somehow it seemed fitting that we should spend at least some time at Terribles, since our plans had changed quite a bit since those initial planning stages.

Much too soon, it was time to leave for the airport. Our diabolical plan that one of us would win a huge jackpot just before we left, so that we could extend our stay at the very last moment, never came to fruition. It was a very sad and sorry-looking group of travelers that handed off the car keys to the Dollar lot attendant that day.

Well, that’s what I did on my vacation this year. I give you credit if you actually read through this long dissertation. You must be very much in need of a Vegas fix. I hope I provided that for you, and thank you for sticking with me through this.

Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Las Vegas at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Las Vegas tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.

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Hot Hot Hot in Las Vegas

2005-07-26T22:56:00.000-07:00

Hot! Hot! Hot! That pretty much sums up the trip. The weather was beastly hot...100 in the shade but I shouldn't complain being that MN might not see summer this year. On this trip, I'm meeting a friend of mine in Vegas and it has only taken us 10 years of planning to actually make it happen. Also, this is my second trip this year to my favorite city.

Flight out (7:30am)from the Humphrey terminal on Sun Country airlines was a breeze and it was nice that they gave out free hot breakfast sandwiches on the flight. Remember those days? Watched Ocean's 11 on my portable DVD player on the way out. Actually the guy sitting next to me enjoyed it too. Arrived at McCarron at 8:30am and it was smooth sailing from the time I got my bags to the time I picked up my rental car from Dollar. I rented an SUV that put me back about $238 for the week. Met up with my friend (DK) and we started our adventure.

HOTELS: We both checked into our hotels. I stayed at the Aladdin and she stayed at Sam's Town. I got a great nightly rate of $49 and her nightly rate at Sam's was $39. Can't beat it. I did the ol slip a $20 to the check-in guy, flashed the pearlie whites and asked for a strip view. I got a strip view all right but right below me was a view of the roof top of the casino only to find out later that at night, an orange light from the roof shines into my glass window making it hard to see the city lights. However for $49 a night, I can't complain and actually, the large bathroom with the huge soaking tub made up for the lack of view. Nice room overall! Sam's Town is a really nice hotel off the strip on Boulder Highway. DK's room was normal size and very clean. Nice decor too. I think what impressed me the most about Sam's is the fabulous staff that works there. Very polite, fun, and helpful! I did not find that to be the same at the Aladdin. Actually, complete opposite. An example is that during my stay, I couldn't get my club card to work around the second day so I walked over to the club desk and reported the fact. This woman lectured me on the topic of demagnatizing and how I need to keep it away from my room key and cell phone. Thank you for the info.....NOW BACK OFF! I told her that I simply wanted her to demagnatize the card and I would be on my way. She just kept lecturing and her demeanor was less than civil. My players card did not work the rest of the trip and I made sure to keep it separate from everything else. I just let it go. No comps for me.

RESTAURANTS: DK and I hit a couple buffets while in Vegas. The World Carnival at the RIO and the one at Sam's Town. Sam's Town was by far the better buffet which really surprised me because years past, I would have voted the one at the RIO to be the best but they have changed their setup and alot of the food was dried out and cold. We also ate at Samba's at the Mirage which is a brazilian all you can eat steakhouse. I was not impressed with this place at all. I've eaten at a similar place in New York City called Churrascaria Plataforma and there is just no comparison. Pretty disappointing in fact. I absolutely LOVED Chin Chin a Chinese Cafe which is located at New York New York. The pork potstickers were huge and so tasty. I also had the chicken fried rice and General Tso's Chicken and I can't say enough about them! YUMMY!!! DK and I tried to get a In-N-Out burger during our stay but holy smokes....around 1:00pm or so, the line both outside and inside was a block long. I've had them before and they are wonderful. Maybe next trip I'll be successful. We had lunch at the Top of the World restaurant at the Stratosphere and this was absolutely wonderful! Of course the views were spectacular and the food was pleasantly tasteful and reasonably priced because it was lunch. I've been there at night as well and that is equally if not better but you certainly pay for the night views and menu items. The day we went, the winds were gusting at around 30 to 40 miles and so they closed the rides down. We noticed little sand storms developing way out in the distance too which was something to see.

GAMBLING: I'm normally a very lucky person. In past trips, I've won pots as low as $450 and as high as $1,000 but this trip was a total bust. Which is just fine. I just enjoy the entertainment of the machines. I have to tell you, we gambled at every casino there except for Mandalay Bay, MGM & TI. I think my luckiest spots were at The Orleans, Westward HO, Bally's and Sunset Station. I played mostly nickel machines this trip which is so not like me. I usually play dollar slots. My favorite nickel slots in Vegas are Frank Sinatra, Twighlight Zone, Gilligan's Island, and Monthy Pythons Holy Grail. I took out $100 from a penny Twighlight Zone machine at Barbary Coast. I was shocked and so were the 2 other players on either side of me. I must have hit 6 bonus rounds one right after another and picked the right doors etc.... DK is strictly a BJ player and we had a good time playing the tables. She did really well at Sam's! Hopefully she will share her experiences on this board. Had a great time gambling downtown! The 15th marked Vegas's 100th Birthday so they had a huge party downtown. Bands, cake, etc.....it was super crowded (more so than normal) but it was a fun. Bottom line: I started out with $1,800 and came back with $700. I guess that is not too bad but usually I can come home even + whatever pot I had won.

ENTERTAINMENT: I booked myself a helicopter night flight while in vegas and it was ok. It costs me $60 for a free shuttle pickup at my hotel and a 12 minute flight around the strip. I sat in the back and on the right side of the heli which did not give me a good view of the strip. But it was fine. I met some great people. Two gals from Britain who at that point of their trip had done everything from horseback riding in the Grand Canyon to Bungee Jumping at Circus Circus. They were having a blast! DK and I saw Danny Gans. Very entertaining. We actually were moved up to the front row seats because there were 2 no-shows and they don't like having empty seats in the front. Lucky us! Danny does a hilarious Jeff Foxworthy and Johnny Carson skit. I've heard negative reviews on him but I thought he was great! Last trip in January, I saw "O" and Celine Dion. Both were fabulous and I highly recommend "O"!!!!

HOTEL REVIEWS: As mentioned earlier, we hit nearly every hotel in Vegas. My favorite hotels to gamble at because of either atmosphere or great drink service are: The Westin (drink service), Venetian (fun people and great free bands), Sunset Station (great all around), Golden Nugget (great all around), RIO (hot waiter guys), Sam's Town (fun BJ w/ 70's disco music)and The Orleans. There are others but those stood out on this trip. Worse and would not visit again: Bourbon Street, Slots of Fun, Stratosphere, Ellis Island and The Plaza. Of course my all time favorite hotels that i love to just hang out at are: NY NY, Mandalay Bay, Mirage, Bellagio, etc.....they are just so grand but not to gamble. Green Valley Ranch...beautiful area but tight on the slots. Did not get a chance to visit Wynn. Next trip for sure. Up to this point and of all my trips to Vegas the past years, my favorite hotel room in Vegas has been at the RIO. Oversized rooms with floor to ceiling windows and if you get one that faces the strip and the pool, it is great!

MISC: I've learned a few things this trip.
1. Never keep your players card(s) next to your cell phone or room key and if you do, play dumb and tell them that you had it in your back pocket the whole time and don't know why it demagnatized. Or just tell them that you lost it. Also, Bally's seem to offer the best comps. Played there about 4 hours total and earned $40 in comps. I stayed there in January and ended up earning $85 in comps and they paid for all my meals.
2. Never to go to Vegas during the hot months unless of course you love the desert heat. I prefer the months of March and October.
3. Regarding the Aladdin, with Plantet Hollywood now the owners, the arabian nights theme will be no more and the hotel/casino will have a hollywood theme thruout. I'm not sure what they are going to do with the Desert Pasage shopping mall but it sounds like it will all be gone by the fall of 2006. This might be a good time to grab as much Aladdin named memorabilia as possible.
4. Valet! Valet! Valet!
5. Visit some of the casino's off the strip if you can. They are loved by the locals and seem to be alot looser in slots. Also, drink service is better.
6. Make sure you have a good battery in your car before you park it at the airport for the entire week. Actually, I know this can't be helped but when I arrived back to MN (the Humphrey airport) around 12:30am...I discovered a dead battery and had to wait one and half hours for a jump. Got home to bed around 3:00am. Reality had set in that the vacation was over!!!!!

Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Las Vegas at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Las Vegas tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.

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my experience at the Aladdin was great

2005-06-29T17:57:00.000-07:00

To start things off my experience at the Aladdin was great!!!! Do not listen to any of the bad reviews about this hotel. I went with 3 of my friends and we arrived at the hotel around midnight, both check-in and check-out were very fast and our room was upgraded complimentary. We stayed in one of their resort rooms on the 21st floor (south tower) and had a fabolous view of the strip. The bathrooms are spacious, bright lights with double sinks, separate toilet room, cozy tub and a spacious standalone shower. Other reviews complain about the hardness of the matress but neither me or my friends had a problem with it so probably that's a matter of preference. The only negatives I found with the room is that it was a litter bit dark. The pool is just a regular pool, they should have a much better pool for a hotel of this calibur. For the ladies, when you need to apply your make-up do it in the washroom because it is much brighter in there. On the second day there, one of the sinks and our shower was backed up causing a sewer like smell in the room. We called maintenance and in 10 mins someone came up and fixed it and they called housekeeping to clean up after their mess. If you arrive in Las Vegas on a late flight , you might want to try the Surf Buffet in the Boardwalk hotel (about 5 mins walk away). It's open 24 hours they have a $9 buffet that includes a killer steak but the service stinks do not go there with high expectations. I also recommend going to Denny's for breakfast, they have a good filling breakfast menu and the staff are nice. It's about a 10 min walk away from the hotel ( in front of the Monte Carlo hotel). If you're into clubs I recommend going to PURE @ Ceasar's Palace. If you are more into the grown and sexy crowd (24-whatever) this is the club for you. Only negative about this club is that the drinks are expensive so bring lots of $$. Great music and a real party atmosphere. If you are more into the barely 21 crowd then I recommend ICE. There are people on the strip that sell club passes, if you can get it buy it so that you bypass the line and probably pay a lower cover. My friends and I got a bunch of passes for different clubs for about $5. We by-passed the line @ PURE and paid only $10 and when we went to ICE we got in for free. Overall my experience at Aladdin was great and I can't wait to go back again

Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Las Vegas at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Las Vegas tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.

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The New Wynn Resort in Las Vegas

2005-06-20T16:37:00.000-07:00

In trying to decide what to do for our honeymoon I tossed around the idea of staying at the new Wynn resort after talking to my Virtuoso travel agent. She really gave the property high praise. I did check it out on Trip Advisor and was a bit nervous, but we booked anyway. Our rate was only $179 a night for 4 nights.

We arrived in Vegas after our committment ceremony in Los Angeles. We did have a some friends meeting us in town so we were very excited to get the long weekend started. Everyone at the hotel was very friendly to us. Our travel agent told the concierge that we were celebrating our union and the hotel greeted us very warmly and gave us a free upgrade to a corner suite. The view was spectacular. We did not have to wait in a long line at all. 5 minutes is all. When we got to our sexy room we were surprised by a plate of dipped strawberries and champaigne. It was a very nice touch from the management - I am sure it was encouraged by our travel agent.

The room was pure luxury. Incredible fabrics and colors. Top of the line linens and furnishings. We were happy to have such a great bed too to christen our marriage. ; ) It was really pure heaven.

We ate at a few of the restaurants (including the buffet). They were OK. Overpriced as many have suggested. I liked the Bellagio buffet and Paris buffet much better. The country club restaurant was excellent. We did not play golf because it was way too hot and too expensive. But the grounds are beautiful. Bartolotta was very nice. The chef came out to meet us and offered us free dessert. The chocolate soufle was yummy!

I did not enjoy the Waterfall show that much, it gets old fast. I wish this hotel had a bit more kitsch to it like Mirage or Venetian. But I get what Wynn was trying to do. It is very sophisticated... like a work of fine art. You will not find a lot of street types in this hotel.

One thing that really stood out was the pool area. We had a blast hanging out at the rear pool with our friends. The bartenders had a ball serving us too. We all went out several times dancing at Ghostbar at Palms and also Gypsy. What fun we had! We met several other gay couples at the pool and we ended up having drinks and dinner with them. This place is so chic it is of course going to cater to a loyal gay crowd.

This place is FABULOUS! Fit for a queen! Everyone treated us so well. No one even blinked that we were two young gay men on our honeymoon. We were telling everyone we met that we just got married and everyone wished us a sincere congratulations. We even joked with the maids and they would laugh and smile.

I am so glad that Wynn has brought such a sophisticated resort to the strip. It really is top notch class act. We will return again and again. In fact we have booked a trip with several more of our friends for Labor Day weekend.

Give the Wynn a try, you will be very glad you did! Even if Gay Marriage isn't legal yet, The Wynn Las Vegas treated us like we were more than equal. Thanks Steve!

Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Las Vegas at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Las Vegas tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.

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Great Value At The Tropicana

2005-06-20T16:34:00.000-07:00

I booked this room through the net as it was the cheapest price of any of the main strip hotels, and I hadn't stayed there before. I figured the extra $10 for a tower room was worth the upgrade price, since it was so cheap.

As we were staying for 8 nights originally, I got a room in the Paradise Tower on a lower floor and the desk told me to call down the next day and they would move me up to a room higher up the tower with a better view. We ended up on the 15th floor which was a newer renovation, and I'm glad I did the upgrade. It was a great room with a fantastic view, a fridge and a safe in the room. The TV had poor reception, but I wasn't really there to watch TV, so it didn't matter to me.

Unlike other reviews I've seen, I didn't have a problem with the hotel itself regarding smells, and the room (non-smoking) was very clean and in good shape. The shower left a little be desired, but was better than most hotels I've been in where water pressure was concerned. It was also a rather large bathroom, with a separate alcove for the toilet which made it feel rather spacious.

It was a good hotel to stay at, close to everything, and right next to the MGM which had a monorail connection that could get you farther down the strip if you wanted to take a short trip. It was also convenient for any convention travel, since I was attending a show at the LV Convention Center. It certainly beat taking a cab to the show every day, which is something I've had to do in the past.

The buffet was a little lacking (I prefer the Harrah's Buffet in terms of food and choices.) and for the money, wasn't a great deal, though it wasn't bad, just not as big as other hotels that are newer on the Strip.

For the price we paid ($110 a night on average) it was a good bargain, and located near a lot of the attractions on the strip. The casino was adequate, and although we're not table players, we found the help we did meet up with friendly and helpful while playing the slots.

Its a great buy and I recommend it to anyone who wants to be on the strip and save some money.

Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Las Vegas at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Las Vegas tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.

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We flew in and out of Vegas for a week at the Grand Canyon

2005-06-11T20:33:00.000-07:00

We flew in and out of Vegas for a week at the Grand Canyon. We stayed at the Orleans on Memorial Day weekend and found the room to be very nice and very clean. The bathroom has a window that opens so you can get fresh air in your room which was a nice feature. The rooms are large and comfortable and very quiet. We liked the hotel so much that we booked it again the following weekend before returning home. The second weekend, our room was smokey after requesting a non-smoking room, but we were quickly and cheerfully given a different room which happened to be in their newer tower which was very nice. Security officers required show of room key to board the elevators to the rooms making it a safe environment. I highly recommend the Orleans.

Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Las Vegas at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Las Vegas tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.

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My Las Vegas

2005-06-05T17:44:00.000-07:00

Of course, we did the basics: the Eiffel Tower at Paris, the gondolla ride at the Venetian, the Coney Island roller coaster at NY, NY, and the shows! The shows are just about everywhere! We took time to see the free attractions too, like the pirate battle, the volcano, and of course, the dancing waters. I like to stay at the Bellagio and enjoy all the water shows.
Quick Tips/Suggestions:

I love Las Vegas Blvd at night during the week. There is much less crowding during the week. On the weekends I like to get to the less heavily traveled areas. I go to Hoover Dam early in the morning, and spend some time downtown. On my March 2002 trip Noni and I went to LA on the weekend while everyone else seemed to be coming to Vegas. It was several hours of driving, but well worth it for us.
Best Way to Get Around:

I like to walk, but the size of the resort hotels on the strip make them seem closer than they really are. If you plan to walk, wear comfortable shoes. I enjoy the monorails, and even the buses aren't bad, although they make several stops and have to deal with busy traffic on the strip--especially on weekends. Next time, I might take a helecopter flight out to the Grand Canyon.

Summer in Las Vegas

2005-06-03T21:01:00.000-07:00

With so many hotels and shows, it is really hard to decide what to do in Vegas! We decided on the MGM Grand since it is the largest hotel in the world. It was a good choice, but once we got there, we decided that we wanted to stay in a more centrally located hotel the next time (MGM is at the end of the strip, which makes it a very long walk to most of the tourist attractions). The pros about MGM are that it is a huge tourist attraction, so you’ll be right in with the action. The pool area is AMAZING! There are several excellent restaurants and two nightclubs, Tabu and Studio 54. So if you’re into being in the middle of all the action, MGM is the place to be!

We decided to see Mystere, the cheaper of the Cirque du Soleil shows. It cost us $95 a ticket, and our seats were not that great. I would not recommend Mystere unless you have children under the age of 12 or 13. It’s just not that interesting for adults.

If you want a good adult show, go to MGM and see La Femme. The all-natural girls (that’s right, no implants) are easier on the eyes than most. The show, which originated in France, has kept its exotic eroticism at the MGM. The hotel built La Femme its own theater, complete with comfy red chairs and couches. The drinks are expensive, but this show, at only $50 a person, is well worth it!

The other great show we saw was Penn and Teller at the Rio. We got to meet Penn and Teller at the end! These tickets were $70, I believe. We got our tickets on Vegas.com, which is a wonderful site because they get you awesome seats! We were in the front row for Penn and Teller in a huge auditorium!

We also used paradisefoundtours.com to book a day trip to the Grand Canyon. It included a bus trip with a photo-taking stop at the Hoover Dam, a stop at a desert shop for snacks, and lunch prepared by the Hualapai Indians at the West Rim of the Grand Canyon. I highly recommend this day trip! The west rim of the Canyon has no railings whatsoever, but go there if you want the best 360-degree view. I had a blast!

Quick Tips/Suggestions:

Take a cab from the airport - $8 to just about any hotel. Stay on a lower level in your hotel if possible – it is easier to find in the monster hotels like MGM. Also, staying on a lower level is much safer in case of a fire. Take comfortable shoes, because you will be walking A LOT! Take dressy clothes – people really do dress up in Vegas! You want to fit in, right? Don’t shop in the hotels for clothing because it is all incredibly overpriced. I heard that the malls just outside of the downtown area had better prices. Ignore the people on the corners with cards and newspapers. If you take a card from them every time, you will end up with about 100 nudie women cards! Don’t get angry with them because you’ll just get worked up over nothing; it’s their job to advertise the call girls and you yelling at them won’t make a difference. The best place to gamble is Mandalay Bay because of the excellent service and the beautiful, relaxed atmosphere. Best Way to Get Around:

Walking is the best mode of transportation in Vegas; that way you can go in and out of the hotels and casinos and really see everything. Taxis are a long wait most of the time and fairly expensive, and the tour buses don't really go to all of the cool places. I would recommend walking as far as you can within close proximity to your hotel and then taking a taxi one time to the other end of the Strip just to see it.

Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Las Vegas at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Las Vegas tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.

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The Mandalay is the newest acquisition by the MGM Mirage Group Las Vegas

2005-06-02T22:44:00.000-07:00

That’s right—7.9 billion dollars! The Mandalay is the newest acquisition by the MGM Mirage Group, owners of half the properties on the Strip.

Q:What does this mean to you?
A: Being treated like a million dollars simply comes standard.

Vacations can demand lots of exploring time off-property. Mandalay Bay solves that issue, consciously constructed to be the ultimate vacation experience. All things desired to deliver a sated stray from home are found on one property. Las Vegas has been reinvented. Welcome to destination Mandalay Bay!

Mandalay Bay shines among Sin City’s competition for more reasons than this sky-scraping hotel’s precious-metal-tinted windows, a 43-story golden treasure visible to and defining the hopes of every passenger in a window seat landing at the airport. Imagine this: three hotels, 16 restaurants, 7 pools on 11 lagoon acres, Broadway venues, world-class spas, live music, hot dance clubs, professional sporting events, top concert entertainment, and its own unique retail shopping plaza (containing another 45 shops and restaurants!) set on 60 lush acres!

Mandalay’s Towers rise tall, providing a stay where the casino welcomes you to and from your room. About 3,300 rooms and suites opened their doors in 1999. THE hotelis the latest in sophisticated service and boutique atmosphere. All 1,100 rooms are suites. A stand-alone tower connected to the main hotel by easy indoor access provides its own restaurants, lounges, and clubs. The Four Seasons affords access to the amenities of Mandalay. It is complete with a private pool and building exclusively for its discriminating guests.

This is gamblers’ paradise. Slots sing seductive siren's songs, beckoning us to depart with our dollars or fund the fantasy of the ever-elusive progressive jackpot. Choruses of cheers float to the ceiling from the craps tables while the snap of crisp cards on blackjack tables create a symphony hall effect in 135,000 square feet of casino. Mind your obsessions or let them go wild, depending on what you can afford.

From the famousHouse of Blues and The Gospel Brunch; to Chef Hubert Keller’s San Francisco French culinary extravaganza, Fleur de Lys; to the tropically Cajun and Caribbean fare of Rum Jungle, doubling as one of the hottest dance clubs in town; and to Broadway’s Mama Mia musical and the host of live bands playing throughout the various club venues in the casino, boredom is illegal.

Quick Tips/Suggestions:

Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino at 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S. in Las Vegas, Nevada 89119
877/632-7800

On the Monorail, a ticket is needed for each ride. A single ride is $3 from your boarding point to your chosen disembarking point. The tickets are conveniently sold at the stations, and there are discounted values available.

$10 Unlimited Day Pass - This is good for exactly 24 hours.
$20 Dollar Ten-Ride Shareable Family Pack Pass - Each ride is counted from a get-on to get-off stop.
$25 Three-Day Unlimited Pass - Non-shareable

Careful with the ticket. Bent ones will not work. Place it safely, since it is like cash in your wallet or purse when not using it.

There are no fee charges to your credit or bank cards. There are no refunds.

Check the Internet before your trip for discount coupons and free passes. Show tickets should be reserved ahead of time. And always, always, always keep your wallet safely in your front pocket and cash separate. Any crowded situation is a pickpocket’s payday.
Best Way to Get Around:

The Mandalay property is meant to be walked. Familiarizing yourself with the property to ease navigation to your locations is a good idea. There are maps at the check-in desk or VIP reception. If you find reason to leave for a while during your stay:

A tram is available in the Mandalay and swiftly delivers you to the Luxor and the Excalibur. It is a short walk across Las Vegas Boulevard to the MGM Grand and the Monorail.

Taxis are available at all hotels and can be very expensive.

The Monorail recently expanded from three to seven stops. It is inexpensive, and on busy days, faster than cabs on Las Vegas Boulevard.

Open 7am to 2am, it runs in a continuous loop from the MGM to the Sahara in about 15 minutes.
Kids under 5 ride free.
Stations are under armed security and monitored by closed-circuit TV, making it one of the safest mass-transit systems in the country.

Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Las Vegas at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Las Vegas tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.

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Where do you start with highlights in Las Vegas?

2005-06-02T22:39:00.000-07:00

Where do you start with highlights in Las Vegas? Race for Atlantis is a must do at Ceasar’s Palace, Star Trek - The Experience is another not to miss. For sheer wonder, go to Freemont Street at night and see the spectacular light show. Go on a helicopter ride over the city at night.

Probably the easiest highlight to tackle is simply to wander down the Strip at night and look at all the hotels in their glory. Quick Tips/Suggestions:

Drink plenty of water while walking about, it is very hot in Vegas and you dehydrate very quickly.

Try to visit as many hotels as possible, they are attractions in their own right. Best Way to Get Around:

Walking is the best way of getting around, although if you need to go from one end of the Strip to the other, a taxi is probably a better idea. There are also moving walkways operating between many of the hotels, just hop on and let the path do the walking. Shuttle buses also operate up and down the Strip. If you plan to go further, then the car is the only viable option.

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How to have a free Las Vegas Vacation

2005-05-30T22:56:00.000-07:00

I don't drink, I don't smoke, and I don't gamble. But Las Vegas is one of my most favorite places in the world. There are thousands of shows, lots of food, and eye candy everywhere. Almost every hotel on the strip has a featured show (mostly for free). Must sees include Treasure Island, Ceasars Forum Shops (statues come to life), the water at the Belagio, and acrobats at Circus Circus. Quick Tips/Suggestions:

How do you get Vegas for free? (Well, if you don't have friends or family in the area, you may have to pay a little for a hotel.) Go to a timeshare presentation in the early afternoon when nothing is happening on the strip anyway. There are reps in almost every hotel and on every corner. After the presentation, they give you show tickets, dinner vouchers, and sometimes even cash.

Other tips: Bring good walking shoes. If you have a fear of people, don't go at all. You will be shoulder to shoulder with lots of them. Best Way to Get Around:

There are plenty of taxis (with scantly clad women portrayed on them), but if you don't want to spend to dough, walk! Parking at any of the hotels on the strip is free. So park at one end, and walk down one side. Then come back down the other side, and you're back at your car.

Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Las Vegas at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Las Vegas tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.

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Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam And Las Vegas

2005-05-24T17:37:00.000-07:00

Going to the Grand Canyon was great. So was the Hoover Dam. A lot of people think that the Grand Canyon is just a "big hole in the earth" but it really is magnificent.

Walking the Strip and going to all of the casinos is fun. All casinos have different décor/themes that distinguish them from each other.

There are a lot of varied museums that you can see, depending on your interest. Being from NYC, I did not feel the need to go to another wax museum, but there are other things to do besides gamble. For instance, I really had more fun on the roller coasters than in the casinos.

Vegas is a dynamic place, it’s kind of like being in a make-believe land; anything you want is yours for the having (with the right amount of $$). If you’re thinking of going, you’re thinking too hard: just go!

Quick Tips/Suggestions:

The Strip is VERY big. I recommend a central hotel like the Flamingo, Harrah's, Bally's, Ceasar's, or Bellagio.

Food can be cheap but the cheaper it is, the worse it is. My advice is not to eat the $0.99 pound hotdog at Circus Circus. The Bellagio has a GREAT buffet. I recommend eating there.

It is best to stay at a hotel on the Strip. Many people don't realize how big the strip is. Staying off-strip can be a real pain.

Do yourself a favor... read the coupon books before going out. I really felt stupid paying 15 dollars for something when back at the hotel I had a coupon for 50% off.

Oh, and try not to spend all your money at the airport... there are slots right at the gate and they are NOT generous. Book any bus-tours before you leave on your trip. It's a LOT cheaper booked ahead of time.

Best Way to Get Around:

Walk or take the free monorails (one is between Bally’s and MGM Grand; the other runs from Excalibur to Mandalay Bay with a stop at Luxor). You can take a bus to the Freemont Street Experience and there are public buses available. There is also a strip-tram that runs cheaply. We found walking to be the easiest and must fulfilling way to see Vegas. If you are going to the Grand Canyon or Hoover Dam, I'd take a tour bus. It was a looooong drive to the Canyon, and I was glad I was a passenger on a bus and not the driver. Don’t rent a car if you plan to stay on strip. It’s not worth it.

Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Las Vegas at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Las Vegas tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.

Other valuable resources

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Las Vegas Like A local

2005-05-24T17:29:00.000-07:00

When you first visit Las Vegas, of course you'll want to see the sights of the Strip. There are so many you won't want to miss.

When you return for a second, third, or fourth visit, you will want to go off the Strip. There are so many hotels that cater to the locals. They're beautiful and somewhat smaller, and have a much friendlier staff. They offer cheaper gambling, such as $3 blackjack, $2 craps, and even $.01 slot machines.

Food and entertainment options are much more reasonable as well. Most of these hotel/casinos have first-class restaurants, movie theaters, bowling alleys, and fine entertainers. Here, on weekends and holidays, you can avoid the crowds and congestion of the Strip.

Some of the hotel/casinos that you shouldn't miss are:

The Orleans - West Tropicana The Gold Coast - West Flamingo The Suncoast - Fort Apache Green Valley Ranch - off Route 215 Sunset Station - in Henderson Texas Station - northwest Las Vegas Quick Tips/Suggestions:

Be sure to join their slot clubs. Coast Casinos and Station Casinos offer great slot clubs, and their offers are available at any of the above hotels.

The Club Coast Card is offered and accepted at The Gold Coast, Suncoast, and Orleans. If you play at any of the above, you get points to use at any of the others.

The same holds true for the Station Casinos. One card is used at Texas Station, Sunset Station, and Green Valley Ranch.

It's much, much, easier to earn comps for food and rooms at these casinos than at the hotels on the Strip.

Remember, live like a local and enjoy!!! Best Way to Get Around:

These hotel/casinos are best reached by taxi, or if your stay is more than a few days, consider renting a car.

Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Las Vegas at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Las Vegas tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.

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Viva Las Vegas

2005-05-24T17:27:00.000-07:00

Being our second trip to Las Vegas, we were more aware of what we wanted to get out of the trip this time. We hired a car and were able to visit Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire, and the Hoover Dam at our own pace, rather than being on a coach trip and having limited time.

We would return to the Valley of Fire if we visited the area again, as the scenery was so magnificent, and having arrived there in the afternoon, we had not given ourselves as much daylight as we would have liked to get the best from the visit.
Quick Tips/Suggestions:

Discount coupons are available everywhere you go in Las Vegas but sometimes are misleading. It is best to think very carefully before making decisions on bookings and not be allowed to be "rushed in".
Best Way to Get Around:

We enjoyed having the convenience of the hire car but did not use it when visiting the Strip or downtown, as public transport is very reasonable and aware of routes/one-way systems, etc.

Las Vegas For Two

2005-05-16T15:28:00.000-07:00

My wife and I stayed in the New York-New York and visited about 80% of the hotel casinos on the Strip. The weather was fair, though it did rain the last day we were there. I got rained on in a place where it only rains 20 days a year. I considered it luck.

The Hoover Dam was quite an experience, and I'm glad we did it. I only wish we had more time to see the Grand Canyon, as well. Downtown Vegas is where the real Vegas feel is: Binion Horseshoe, Golden Nugget, and the prime ribs! I also know that the next time I go, I will not waste a night there on walking around and gambling anymore when I can watch a Vegas show. We caught We Will Rock You, a rock musical featuring Queen songs and produced by Tribeca Entertainment (De Niro's company), playing at the Paris.

Las Vegas was one trip I will never forget, and I hope to come back one day. When I do, I hope Tony Bennett is still alive and maybe stops by the Nugget. One thing I can say to describe the city of lights: This is the only city that really knows how to treat travelers.

Quick Tips/Suggestions:

For most Buffets you have to wait but if your eating out at a restaurant you must make a reservation or wait the usual hour-long lines. Be prepared to wait at clubs too. I'm from Miami and I can tell you the club scene in Vegas is not worth waiting an hour (no I didn't try to tip the doorman). Most clubs cost $30 to get in I'd rather spend my money on a show.

Best Way to Get Around:

Best way to get around is in a taxi or walking. By walking you could stop by every hotel you take liking to.

This is the only city I have been in that you have to wait in line for a taxi. State laws rule that a taxi has to pick you up in front of a hotel or other buildings. So forget about waiving one down. If you slip the guys in front of the hotel that wave the taxi's for you he'll sneak you in one, but watch out.

Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Las Vegas at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Las Vegas tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.

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Grand Canyon Tours
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A Las Vegas Trip Story

2005-05-16T15:05:00.000-07:00

One of the most memorable and romantic things we did was have dinner 800 feet in the air. We dined at the Stratosphere overlooking the entire city of Las Vegas, while we rotated around in the tower. The view was amazing. The dinner was fabulous, and the service was perfect. We also had breathtaking views from the Hoover Dam. Another wonderful thing was seeing my own home state re-created 3000 miles away. The New York, New York was so detailed, that there are things you would only realize they managed to re-create if you were from here.

Quick Tips/Suggestions:

Decide before you travel to Las Vegas if you plan to stay within Las Vegas, or if you plan to travel to many of the outside attractions as well (such as the Hoover Dam, Area 51, and the many other "outside" things there are to do). If you intend to stay within Vegas, then you most likely don't need a car. If you intend to go "outside" then it would probably be best if you did rent a car, as most of the outside attractions are a distance.

Best Way to Get Around:

If you opt for renting a car, the best thing we found is to pick a grouping of hotels to visit that are located next to each other. You park at one hotel at one end of this "grouping" and visit the hotels, come back to the car, and move on. This way you don't find yourself across town from your car. If you don't rent a car, you can take taxis everywhere (for a decent price) or you can just utilize the fact that a large number of hotels are connected. They are connected by indoor walkways, outdoor walkways, moving sidewalks, and even trams. In most cases on the strip, you can enter one hotel and have access to 4 other hotels from that one.

Be careful of the traffic in Las Vegas, it is definitely a jog across Las Vegas Blvd. as it seems that they have their lights timed very poorly. The lights along the Blvd tend to change before you are even halfway across the street! We witnessed a total of 5 accidents in the 1 week that we stayed there...and those were only the ones we actually saw.

Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Las Vegas at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Las Vegas tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.

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Las Vegas I Will Sleep When I am Dead

2005-05-15T23:18:00.000-07:00

The highlight of this trip was the wave pool and lazy river at Mandalay Bay. I’ve never had so much fun at a pool before. We body surfed the waves, we jumped the waves, we got knocked over by the waves, and we watched cute boys in the waves. It was fun in the sun. Then we rested by taking an intertube down the lazy river – a river/pool with a 2 mph current that lets you relax and enjoy the ride.

Just staying at Mandalay Bay was a treat in itself. Normally out of my price range, I managed a great rate for Sunday night – my last night there. Thus far, it’s my favorite Vegas hotel – but I haven’t stayed at the Bellagio or the Venetian yet. The casino was exquisite, the room was huge (with two vanities), and we requested a great view and got just that!

Two staples of every trip my friend and I make to Vegas are a trip to the Luxor Spa and Friday night '80s night at the House of Blues. Friday night always hosts '80s dance music at the HOB - it’s the music of my generation, and every song inspires me to boogie on the dance floor. Then, my aching feet and aching everything else gets taken care of the next day with a wonderful massage and facial at the spa.

The newest slot machine game and my favorite of the trip was the Men In Black penny slot. Frank the Dog and Zed make an appearance, and it’s one of the most interactive and fun slots I’ve ever played. Frank the dog even sings, “And now we’re back. From outer space.” It gets stuck in your head.

Last, we tried something new this year – the Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues on Sunday afternoon. It was a great breakfast followed by some “church up in here.” Don’t expect to sit much – you’ll be on your feet! I even went up on stage!

Quick Tips/Suggestions:

Tips: Always look in the complimentary hotel magazines for coupons – Mandalay Bay even handed them out when you checked in. Look online as well – I printed out a ton of coupons for the Dessert Passage mall in the Aladdin before I left.

Also, take lots of change for playing the slots and also for tipping.

And always, ALWAYS request a room with a view. Can you believe that some people just take what they’re given? We requested views in both hotels and ended up with something fantastic to look at.

Best Way to Get Around:

You could walk - and this I recommend if it's your first trip. That way you'll get the whole experience. But now that I've been a few times and done the touristy side of Vegas, I take cab rides and save my feet for the dancing and shopping!

Something new I learned this time as well. The line for cabs at the airport was REALLY long - 15 planes landed all at the same time, so someone my friend met on the plane suggested we split a limo. Why not, we're in Vegas. There was a Town Car owner with a sign that read, "Knight Group." Our very knowledgeable new friend asked how much to take a town car - $35. But I was thinking, what about the poor Knight group? Well, there was no Knight group; he just can't solicit overtly at the airport. Good to know! We saved about 30 minutes in a taxi line, and our new friend picked up the tab. Woo hoo!

Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Las Vegas at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Las Vegas tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.

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Valuable Links:
Grand Canyon Tours
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The Fantastic And Unforgettable Las Vegas

2005-05-02T00:32:00.000-07:00

If someone had told me 3 months ago that I’d be spending Christmas in Las Vegas I would have told them they were mad. So when Rachel asked me to go 3 weeks before Christmas to attend their wedding there was no way I could say no. It was a trip I’d never thought of really making and certainly wasn’t high on my destinations list, or at least that’s what I thought. As the trip got the closer and the more I thought about it, the more I actually realised I really wanted to go.

We flew out with Virgin Atlantic from Gatwick on the 23rd and some 10 hours and 4 films later arrived at Las Vegas, McCarran airport. It is a long flight to Vegas but taking off the 8 hours time difference meant we arrived at about one local time having left Gatwick at 10.30. The hardest part of the whole trip was next to come though as we stood in the immigration queue for almost 2 hours. The airport thankfully is right on the side of the strip so after that long arduous wait for immigration it isn’t a long transfer to the hotel. There are a number of shuttle buses and taxis available to take you from the airport to your desired hotel. If, however you fancy arriving at your hotel in style there are also Limos for hire outside. The Limo will cost you about $35 plus tip but the shuttles and taxis are very affordable.

At one point Las Vegas boasted 19 of the 20 biggest hotel complexes in the world and when you see the size of them it’s not hard to understand why. As you drive towards The Strip (the main street) there is a number of 4 and 5 story Travel Lodges. They cost about the same as the larger hotels on The Strip itself but not many people actually realise this before booking up. Due to the sheer number of rooms available in Vegas, some 124,270, they need to keep the prices competitive. So there are plenty of bargains to be had, with the flight likely to cost more than the hotel.

It’s hard to really imagine how Las Vegas will actually look. I’d built a mental picture in my mind but nothing prepared me for the views looking out of the hotel and onto The Strip. It’s hard to believe that a once small quiet town has developed into something as spectacular as this. It was during the construction of the Hoover Dam that Vegas started to expand, as the workers needed somewhere to spend their hard earned money on women and gambling. From there sprouted this truly amazing place that boast such sites as The Eiffel Tower and A Roman Coliseum.

We were staying at the Aladdin Hotel. It’s around about the middle of The Strip and offers guests the chance of a fantastic view of the Bellagio fountains. With some 52 floors and about 4000 rooms the Aladdin is a huge hotel. Like a lot of Vegas locations it has just about everything that’s needed under one roof. Each casino/hotel complex is pretty similar in this respect. All along The Strip the hotels seem to all have a large casino coupled with a number of attractions and a shopping centre. For instance the Aladdin had roughly a miles worth of shops in the fantastic Deserts Passage.

The main reason Vegas is famous though is nothing to do with the shops or the fantastic sights on offer around The Strip. It’s more famous for the Casinos and when I saw the size of these places it was easy to see why. In fact an amazing 9 billion is made from these casinos every year and with the casino floor being the size of a decent sized Tesco’s that figure almost seems a bit light. I didn’t have much cash to spend while I was there due to Christmas and everything else but I still managed to spend at least 3 hours a night in the casino playing various machines. With a jackpot of approaching 3 million dollars on some machines it was almost too hard to resist.

There is a lot more to Vegas than the Casinos though. If you have the time then the Grand Canyon and The Hoover Dam are both close by and it’s possible to do a number of excursions direct from your hotel lobby for around $40 - $60. We didn’t have time to do either trip but one day I will be going back to visit both of them. There are still literally hundreds of things you can do within Vegas itself and most of them are located along The Strip. It doesn’t matter what you are looking for, whether it be a magic show, play or even a wax work museum there are plenty of places worth visiting.

One of the best in my opinion was certainly the Las Vegas version of Ben Elton’s hit Queen Musical. I haven’t been to see the original London version yet but this one was fantastic. It’s showing at The Paris Hotel and tickets start at a very reasonable $50. A bit of the humour has been adapted to suit the American audience but regardless it was very funny. We didn’t get to see any other acts but with headliners such as Cirque De Soleil, David Copperfield and Celine Dion there is pretty much something for everyone.

The shows weren’t the only attractions that caught our eye. In fact it got to the point where 5 days really didn’t seem to be enough as every hotel offered an attraction of some sort that is worth visiting. The Roller Coaster on top of the New York New York casino seemed to draw us towards it on Christmas Day. Apart from a slight mishap it was a great ride and, although a little steep at $12 a go, was still well worth it. For the thrill seekers amongst you there are a number of attractions around, with the Luxor’s I-max cinema and Circus Circus having a fantastic indoor theme park. There are also a number of rides on top of the Stratosphere Tower, which unfortunately we didn’t make it to. The rides on top of there look to be quite extreme as they are some 345 metres above The Strip.

There are also a large number of museums with Madame Tussauds well worth a visit, it’s a lot better than the London one and Tussauds pass holders get in for free. Tussauds is located at The Venetian Hotel along with The Guggenheim Museum, which unfortunately we didn’t get to visit but it certainly sounds worth going to. The only attraction that really disappointed me was The Shark Reef at The Mandalay Bay as it didn’t seem to be any better than a Sea Life Centre. Even the promise of a Great White was a slight exaggeration as it was only a baby rather than the larger one we were told was there. It cost us almost $13 and the value for money seemed to be sadly lacking, but that’s another review.

I already briefly mentioned the shopping aspect of Vegas and around The Strip there is no shortage of places to shop. There are designer shops all over the place with the Bellagio home to a lot of the more exclusive shops. If you are looking for clothes the best place to go would be the Fashion Show Mall or The Forum shopping centre, both located along the Strip. A lot of the shops seemed to be quite expensive in the other Casinos but I found The Forum at Caesar’s Palace to be quite reasonably priced. One of the most fascinating shops in Vegas has to be the M&M store. A 4 storey building with every item of M&M merchandising you can think of. So whether it’s a T-shirt or a fridge magnet or one of 21 different flavours of M&Ms they can be found here.

You’ll also find the need to eat and again there is pretty much something for everyone. So whether you fancy McDonalds or a $35 a course lobster claw dinner from The Bellagio then you will be sure to find it. We had all our meals at the hotel and with the various restaurants located in the Desert Passage there is plenty of choice. There is an average of about 8 places to eat in each casino, all very reasonably priced and easy to find. There is even a 24 hour Starbucks in the Aladdin for those of you, like me, who love a good cup of tea.

The biggest problem we found with the food and drink search was actually finding a bar to sit down and have a drink. All the restaurants had small areas you could sit in but no where really encouraged you to go there and have 4 or 5 drinks, it was more get you in get you out. It was, however, cheaper to get drinks as you played on the various machines in the Casino as it only costs you what ever you want to tip the waitress rather than the bar price. The other thing that impressed us were the cocktail bars in various hotels shopping complexes, where you could buy large cocktails to carry round with you whilst you took in the sights of Las Vegas.

One of the other main reasons people make trips to Vegas, and the main reason for our trip, is to get married. It’s said there are around 315 weddings a day in Vegas and at a cost of roughly $35 dollars it is easy to understand why. Each casino seemed to have a wedding chapel of their own and there are also a number of independently run chapels. They all go to great lengths to make sure you have a special day and have a number of packages available. If you really feel the need to get married on the spur of the moment you can even use a drive thru chapel and not have to leave your car and I wouldn’t be surprised if they throw in burger and fries with it as well.

Getting around in Vegas is relatively easy. Of course you have the option of walking but the shear distances involved can be too much for some people. So rather than walk everywhere it is probably easiest to get the Monorail, which runs from the MGM Grand to The Sahara and Excalibur to Mandalay Bay, stopping at various other Hotels on the way. It is reasonably priced with a day ticket costing about $3. There are also bus routes and taxis on The Strip but during most of the day and night it is totally packed and it’s actually easier to walk. The cost of a taxi is very reasonable though and if you intend to travel anywhere off The Strip it’s certainly the best way to travel.

I felt we really got the timing of our visit spot on. As Vegas is in the middle of the desert the summers can be unbearably warm. Christmas time however is quite similar to our summer time and although the Americans were complaining about the cold, I spent most of the trip wearing t-shirts and even came back with a reasonable tan. It did rain on the last day of our visit but we were already on the way to the airport. They don’t get much rain in Vegas, but I’d certainly recommend going during the winter.

It is without doubt an amazing place and nothing can really prepare you for just how surreal the whole experience is. I would definitely recommend visiting Vegas to anyone who thinks they would like to go but is still a little unsure. There is plenty to do even if you don’t feel that gambling is your type of thing. The fountains outside the Bellagio for instance are a sight not to be missed and certainly something that will stay with me for the rest of my life. The next time I visit it will certainly be for longer, with a lot more money as there are still loads of things I’d love to do.

For More Information

Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Las Vegas at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Las Vegas tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.

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Valuable Links:
Grand Canyon Tours
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Las Vegas
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Comprehensive Guide To Las Vegas

2005-04-26T00:16:00.000-07:00

I have been long-haul on British Airways, and can tell you that the services and facilities – eg, leg room, space, food, in-flight movies etc – do not differ greatly. Nonetheless, I do give a lot of credit to Virgin Atlantic for an easy, stress-free flight. Although the space in the economy seating – what do you expect, I’m not willing to pay £8000 to sit in first class - was limited (I am about 6”1’), I still had free movement and enough space to sit comfortably for 10 hours. The service from the stewards was top-rate, and we were continually offered free drinks. I can not remember what I had to eat on the flight, but we had two meals per flight, as well as snacks, all of which I found reasonable – do not believe the harsh stereotypes of disgusting aeroplane food (unless you are flying with EasyJet I suppose.) In-flight entertainment was excellent, with a choice of 9 or so movies to keep me entertained, as well as music. All the movies are updated monthly, as to keep it up to date, so you will not be watching any films that have been out more than a couple of months.
and I feel more beautiful.

It should be noted that there are many stop over flights, which enable you to visit other parts of America such as San Francisco. However, this is time consuming, and if you are only really going to see LV, it is definitely worth flying direct.

After the flight, we nipped into a taxi which drove us to our hotel in a couple of minutes. As the strip is fairly modern, the first hotel being erected just after WWII, everything is built together efficiently and effectively, so no long distance journeys from destination to destination. One thing to say about the taxis is to ask the driver lots of questions. A small percentage of the time, they can be a bit grumpy and impatient, but many have a tremendous and fascinating local knowledge of the area. I gained a lot of information about LV’s history, as well as ideas and places to visit.

Nonetheless, the taxis are fairly expensive – all running on the same meter due to a number of businesses owning the whole ‘taxi industry’ in LV – and I would suggest the bus. The buses run almost constantly up and down the strip, though if time is limited (which it probably is as there is so much to see) it may be worth spending a few extra dollars on a taxi.

However, walking the strip is what I would recommend the most, especially on warm, pleasant days. Although the strip is 4 miles long, and it wouldn’t be too wise to walk it all, walking enables you to stop and look in shops, cafes, restaurants or hotels at your own leisure. There are monorails joining some hotels, which is an easier way to travel – free and direct. However, they are very limited, and I would only recommend using the one linking the Excalibur, Luxor and Mandalay Bay.

ACCOMODATION

We stayed in the Excalibur, in the southern end of the strip. The room was fairly standard – bed, air con, table, sofa, television etc. However, this really isn’t important at all, for the simple reason that you spend such little time in your room. As this was our first visit, we weren’t quite sure where to stay, but the Excalibur is a lively, relatively cheap option. I would also recommend Circus Circus as one of the cheapest options, but it is more family orientated in the hotel.

Every Hotel has a casino, with literally thousands of various slots, as well as tables for blackjack, roulette and craps (amongst others). In many hotels, there are also poker rooms to compete against fellow gamblers. For the high rollers, there are separate rooms to gamble away thousands at a time – not greatly appealing to me!!! When gambling, free drinks are given, though you often have to wait for a long time to be served by the few waitresses there are covering a huge casino floor.

There are often food courts in the hotels as well, with a few small cafes and restaurants in addition to the usual McDonalds and Pizza Hut. I would urge everyone to visit a buffet at least once during a visit, all of which are fairly cheap.

Lots of hotels have arcades for the U21’s, but most are not as ‘up to date’ as all the information guides say. They are fairly standard, just as you would see in England. I would highly recommend the arcade at Circus Circus. It is huge and also has an indoor theme park with an indoor log flume.

LAS VEGAS WEATHER

Throughout the year, the weather is mainly sunny. I feel it is best to go between March – June, as in the summer months my friend told me it was uncomfortably hot on occasions, and it was best to stay inside with the air condition. In summer, it is also far busier leading to cramped, sweaty conditions in many of the leading hotels.

TIPPING

Though slightly irrelevant at this point, tipping is an important factor in LV. From taxi drivers to blackjack dealers, it is claimed you should “tip everybody.” It is hard to suss out how much you should give, but a couple of dollars per taxi fare should be sufficient, and if receiving a free drink in the casinos, it is customary to leave a one dollar bill.

SHOWS AND ENTERTAINMENT

I can not speak highly enough of “The Tournament of the Kings” at the Excalibur. In a small arena, you are divided into countries cheering on your horseman in jousting and fighting events throughout the evening. The atmosphere is immense, as is the action and drama. This is a really professional show where the actors do really go at each other with their swords, adding to the realism and excitement. Throughout the evening, I had to remind myself we weren’t in the medieval era!!! Served with half a chicken and wedges was fun, having to eat it with your hands – you can see how the atmosphere is set – and the overall meal and entertainment turned out to be great value for money. I got talking to a couple of Americans just before the show who had seen the show no less than 34 times. WARNING – if sitting in the front row, make sure you eat fairly quickly as the horses can kick sand up into your meal.

There are shows throughout the strip with huge stars such as Elton John and Celine Dion. However, performers often change and it is best to research who will be there at the corresponding dates. Huge musical shows as well as sports events are usually held at Caesar’s Palace.

The gondola rides in The Venetian are a must for any romantic couples, serenaded as you travel through a canal inside the hotel. Definitely worth doing, as the scenery is beautiful – sounds a bit strange doesn’t it as you are inside, but the ceiling is painted like the sky and the shops and cafes around are stunning. Be warned though, you often get the feeling you are being stared at by others along the river.

The Stratosphere is another must for everyone visiting LV for the first time. It gives a fantastic view of the strip – a great photo opportunity. It also has the fastest lift in the world, climbing 120 floors in about 20 seconds – apparently going 21mph.

There is quite a number of simulator rides and Imax 3D experiences, some of which are worth visiting. Most are only a few dollars, and quite fun. Obviously these change frequently, so I could not recommend a certain film to you.

There are also a number of free shows which are performed nightly in the overall attempt to gain the upper hand from hotel to hotel. I can recommend a few…

Treasure Island outdoor show – amazing sound, action and fireworks telling a story of enemy pirates. It includes dancing and fighting, as well as a huge moving boat – amazing considering this is all just outside the hotel. (Performed three times per night.)

Exploding volcano – outside the Mirage every fifteen minutes. I was unsatisfied with this spectacle, which lasted around two minutes. Worth seeing though if you are walking past.

Fountain Show – at the Bellagio. Huge jets fire masses of water in time with the music. There are also different demonstrates, so I saw the fantastic fountains about six times in all. Really spectacular.

The Conservatory – inside the Bellagio. Absolutely amazing plants, as well as a real life scene from Monet’s famous paintings. Really worth seeing, along with the famous Italian glass inside the hotel.

The Freemont experience – downtown, to the North of the strip. This is definitely worth seeing, with millions of LED lights giving a daily laser show on the ceiling!!!

M+M world is a huge building dedicated to the wonderful chocolate that is M+M. Interesting.

FOR THE ADVENTUROUS

The Rollercoaster around New York New York is not for the faint-hearted. Apparently, the views are great and you even get to see the strip upside down, but the queues are often long and slow moving.

The stratosphere has a number of rides, including a rollercoaster. There is also a ride that tips you over the edge of the building, as you sit there facing down 120 storeys – not really my cup of tea!!!

EATING AND DRINKING

As I have mentioned, it is definitely worth checking out a buffet or two, but there are a number of other fantastic bars and restaurants. I am only going to mention a few of the ones that stood out for me, because there are numerous restaurants, all serving great food.

Coyote Ugly at New York New York is a lively bar just like in the film, with table top dancing and a wild, party atmosphere.

Eiffel Tower Restaurant at the Paris Hotel is a great restaurant with terrific views, as you suddenly find yourself in France, which I found out is actually in America, not… France?!?!?

The Cheesecake factory is amazing for a light lunch or massive cheesecake – at Caesar’s Palace.

The Terrace Restaurant at the Bellagio is a stylish place to dine, with the additional factor of the magnificent fountains as a show every fifteen minutes.

SHOPPING

There are a fair few shopping centres but I would only recommend the Premium Outlet Centre just North of the strip. It sells clothes at an amazing price, half of what you would expect to pay in England. If you have children or grandchildren, it is definitely worth getting them some clothes, as there is loads of Nike and Adidas items!

For the more lavish shopper, get to the Mall at Caesar’s Palace. It has shops from all the best designers such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton and D&G. Quite expensive though, as you can imagine.

There are also masses of souvenirs which are a must, located all along the strip.

GRAND CANYON

It is essential for anybody on a single visit to fly via plane or helicopter over the Hoover dam and around the Grand Canyon. It is safer to book in advance, but you can get great deals from operators on the strip. We flew to Grand Canyon, had BBQ lunch on the rim of Grand Canyon, flew down into basin by Helicopter and went on a boat along the Colorado river and back up in the Helicopter and flew back to Vegas for £150 each. The views are simply breathtaking, and I would love to meet anybody who could put the whole experience into words.

GENERAL LAS VEGAS BOULEVARD

Las Vegas is not simply about gambling. For me, it was more about looking at the overwhelming sites in and around the hotel – here are a few of the fantastic hotels and what they represent…

Luxor – pyramid

Excalibur – medieval castle

Venetian – Venice

Paris – Paris (obviously)

Caesar’s Palace – well you can imagine, absolutely awe-inspiring.

New York New York – fantastic skyline of New York and Statue of Liberty (with memorial to Sep 11.) x

There is also constant building work along the boulevard, meaning rapid growth for LV. In ten years time, I think the Strip will be twice as big and popular as it is now. My prediction is that there will eventually be a “London Hotel” – though I will claim the idea, just think of the possibilities; Houses of Parliament, London Dungeons, London Eye?

MY TIPS AND IDEAS

Plan a basic itinerary before you arrive and list all the things you plan to see, and then tick it off once you have – it is very easy to forget to go somewhere which you will regret later.

Spend time visiting each casino, and collect as many souvenirs as possible – eg money pots, used decks of cards and matches.

Avoid the roads as much as possible – its extremely dangerous crossing seven lane highways – use bridges from hotel to hotel as much as possible.

Avoid travelling on the roads at weekends; it becomes extremely congested at times.

When checking out at the airport, especially terminal two at the McCarren airport, it is worth checking in your bags as early as possible (usually around four hours before boarding) and then getting a taxi to the Hard Rock Hotel/Cafe for lunch - just off the strip by the airport. This means you waste minimal time waiting around at the airport, and the hotel has a huge variety of memorabilia which is worth seeing.***

Watch out for any fashions or clothes people are wearing – in a couple of months, it is likely to be a hit in England, but double the price.

This is possibly the best advice I had from an American whilst standing in the queue for breakfast – “Think 24 hours, not 12!” Everything is always open, so go to bed when you are tired, not necessarily at conventional hours. There is too much to see for you to be wasting time sleeping – there is always time to sleep when you get home!

For More Information

Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Las Vegas Tours at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for Grand Canyon tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.

Valuable Links:
Grand Canyon Tours
Las Vegas Tours
Hoover Dam Tours
Las Vegas

The Best of Las Vegas In Two Days

2005-04-19T22:11:00.000-07:00

Just came back from my 4th trip to the "Sin City". What amazes me most is that in the last decade none of my visits to this city was the same. They are always adding something new and fascinating. If you visited Vegas before 1995 you would not recognize the city today. The skyline is completely different and so are the attractions. It is "Orlando" of the west and you will surely have lots of fun.

Following is a list of must-see in order of preference and after that I will suggest an itinerary to see it all.

1- The Hoover Dam Tour

2- The Water Show at the Bellagio lake;

3- The view from the "Eiffel Tower" in Paris, Vegas;

4- The "Shark Reef" at Mandalay Bay;

5- The "Desert Passage" at Alladin;

6- The "Luxor" atrium and architecture;

7- The "Stratosphere" Tower;

8- The "Venetian" canal;

9- The "Manhattan Express" and skyline at New York, New York;

10- The Treasure Island and Mirage outdoor shows.

How can you save time and see all of these in a short time? It is easy unless you are a gambler and get stuck in the first casino you enter. A solution: break in change whatever you can afford to loose (in my case it was $20.00 in nickels and that's a lot of coins!). That way every place you visit you can play the slot machines for a while and try your lucky. If you are not familiar with casino rules it is my duty to inform that you can drink for free as long as you are playing. So, waste a few coins and you can sip a drink in every casino while you rest between walks. All you have to do is tip the nice attendant girl $1.00 . Sometimes the drink takes a while, so play slowly. Believe me, I drank way more worth than my $20.00 + tip. So, if I did not win a penny at least I drank for free. Who knows? You might also hit a jackpot by chance! One more thing? stop drinking and playing if you finish the coins you were allowed to loose. You've gone too far by then.

Now that we are all set let's start our city tour. You must divide The Strip (Las Vegas Blvd) in 4 sections. Each takes about 1/2 day to cover. So, you can do it in just 2 days, but if you have more time in town go slower and enjoy more of each casino and attractions.

SECTION ONE: Mandalay Bay/Luxor/ Excalibur/N.Y.N.Y and MGM.

You should do this tour in the morning since the only thing you might wanna see at night in this area is the bright light coming out of the top of the pyramid at Luxor, but you can easily do that later at night driving by car along The Strip.

I suggest you to park at N.Y.N.Y since it is well situated, free and has walkways over the strip to 2 other casinos. To reach the further ones you will take a tram.

The N.Y.N.Y main attraction is the Manhattan Express, a really scary roller coaster that runs outside and inside the casino. I love those type of rides but this one is way out of control . It is also pricey at $12.00 but if you are not dizzy enough at the end of the journey, the second ride is "only" $5.00. Would you dare? Be warned: in the beginning when the cars are climbing you can see your reflection at the mirrored windows of the hotel skyscrapers and that by itself will freeze your heart. It is very, very high as you have absolutely no idea looking at it from the street level. There are 2 horrifying dips and what I think is the worst, you will shake like crazy and have a pain in your neck at the end. You do not feel as safe as you do when riding Disney's roller coasters, that is for sure. Should you go? It's up to you, but don't blame me.

Besides the coaster you want to walk down to the casino throughout New York alleys and neighborhoods filled up with restaurants and shops and go outside to see the statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge replicas up close. If you are looking for the best spot where you can frame the whole building in a picture you'll find that at the Tropicana Casino in the opposite diagonal corner. The view from here is not obstruct as it is from the caged walkways over the streets.

Next you can either go to MGM for a free look at the lions or cross the walkway to Excalibur. At the latter you will have photo opportunities at the entrance to the castle. Wander around the casino a bit and immerse yourself in a medieval time. Take the tram all the way to the Mandalay Bay. Here you must visit Shark Reef ($14.00). It is an awesome aquarium where you will be surrounded by sharks in every single direction, that is, above, bellow and all side walls. Worth the price!

Now you can either walk or take the tram back to the Luxor next door. This casino has an amazing architecture, probably as remarkable as the original pyramids in Egypt if you do not consider the historical value of the latter. Here you'll find rides and an IMAX theatre which pale compared to the rest. Definitely the huge atrium interior is something so extraordinary that you can't avoid contemplating it with your mouth opened for quite some time. The elevators are called "inclinators" because they ascend diagonally, but unfortunately you have to be a registered guest nowadays to ride one to the top. The pool area on the other hand is one of the few ones in Vegas where you can wander free and it's worth to see the building from this perspective. Also take a look at the Sphinx (you have to go under it to go back to the tram station). Don't forget to come back here at night to see the light coming out of the pyramid summit. It can be seen even from space!!!

Time to retrace your steps back to N.Y.NY., get in your car and go on to the next area.

SECTION TWO: Alladin/Paris, Vegas/Caesar Palace/Bellagio

This is one of the best areas on the Strip. Choose to do it in the afternoon and evening hours so that you can enjoy the lights and the outdoor shows.

Park at the Caesar. The shopping here used to be the best in town a few years ago, but now some newer casinos have outshine it a bit. Still, it is an impressive casino that you can not afford to pass by. Go to the Forum and then watch the statues to come alive hourly. Take the walkways to the outside area to contemplate the gardens and roman statuary. At this time this area is under construction and you bet it will be amazing in a near future with the Coliseum addition.

Next door is Bellagio, the beautiful! The most dramatic and inspiring of them all. If you only have time to visit one casino, look no further, this is the one. Belaggio is also the most luxurious. The splendid blue lake at its entrance and the dancing-water show will take your breath away and make you fall in love with the place right the way. The best picture you will take of the Eiffel tower (located across the street) can be taken from the higher grounds around the mid section of the lake sidewalk near the casino main doors. The water show starts at 3PM, but during the night hours it runs more frequently at 15 minutes intervals. Explore every corner of this building you can possibly go to, it is exuberant in every aspect. Do not miss the colorful sculptured glass-flowered ceiling at the main lobby.

I had the opportunity to watch "O" at the Bellagio. This is by far the best show I've seen from the Cirque du Soleil which I admire immensely . What an incredible acrobatic circus in the water spectacle ! Probably one of your best night out choices in Vegas.

Now, take the outside moving walkways and go to the Alladin, located across L.V.Blvd. This casino is a newer version that replaced the old one imploded a few years ago. The best here is the mall next door called "Desert Passage", an adventure à la Arabian Nights storyteller. Either if you like shopping or merely browsing around my advice is not to miss it.

Finally finish up this section at the Paris, Vegas. The heart of the casino is the Eiffel Tower foundation against a realistic blue and cloudy sky. Lights are dim and the atmosphere is naturally romantic at the "sidewalk cafes" and bistros. Even the hostess will greet you in French! This is certainly a good area to have dinner and a cocktail. A must is to cross the bridge and take the elevator to the top of the Eiffel tower itself (U$12). This is in my opinion a better view than the one offered at the taller Stratosphere because it is more centered on the Strip and so you will have a great close-up view of the surroundings. You have to remain at the tower top plateau at least to glimpse the water show at the Belaggio Lake down bellow. You can hear the music all the way from up there! Also, check outside the casino some other famous landmarks like the "Triumph Arch" and the "Louvre" museum façade.

SECTION THREE: Mirage/Treasure Island/Venetian

In a second day start by visiting this area. You can park for free at the Venetian. Go to the Grand Canal to do some shopping or to admire the view of the gondolas crossing the inner waterways all along the path. Check out the San Marco Square and the exterior Italian architecture.

Across the street visit the tropical and lush Mirage. Go to the check-in area to see the aquarium and visit the free White Tiger exhibition. They also have a small zoo and Dolphin Habitat that costs $10 to get in. I particularly did not care much for it, but would definitely recommend for kids.

Late in the afternoon you must watch the Buccaneer Bay pirate show a the Treasure Island . It gets crowded, so try to get a sit at a table at one of its restaurants to observe the "battle" comfortably. Expect fire, smoke and visual effects. It is not too long, but it is free. Right after that go back to the Mirage to catch up a volcano explosion every so often atop its front courtyard waterfall.

Now, head to the last section of the Strip toward the tall Stratosphere tower.

SECTION FOUR: Stratosphere/Downtown

You should get here by sunset, so that you can admire the view from the tallest structure in town. You can see the entire city, as far as the mountains and the desert all around. At the top you can dine, ride a corkscrew roller coaster or do the "Big Shot" up on its antenna like shaped pinnacle. Both are fun, but I preferred the latter . You can combine it all with the third ride (the elevator itself to the top) to save some money.

When the night falls go to downtown Las Vegas at Freemont Street. Here the lights are the old Vegas style and great for pictures. Quite hot under it too! You must wait for the top of the hour when they have the Fremont St. Experience show. This is an unforgettable moment and a highlight of your trip to Vegas. Suddenly the casino lights are turned off all at the same time and above you , extending 4 street blocks , millions of computer controlled micro-lights will form pictures, as if it was a movie rolling on the sky, accordingly to the music that fills up the air. It is a surreal sight, something like the future in a different planet or a dreamlike fantasy like this 2 incredible days you just had in Las Vegas.

There's more to see while here, but you can rest assured that with little or no time in your hands you will see absolutely the best you could possible see and know the city like a pro. Enjoy it!

For More Information

Paradise Found Tours maintains a website for Hoover Dam at http://www.paradisefoundtours.com. The site provides information for hoover dam tours, special news, fees and other pertinent information.

Other valuable resources

Hoover Dam Tours

Grand Canyon Tours
Las Vegas Tours

2005-04-05T15:09:00.000-07:00

Go to Las Vegas for a family vacation? That's what I first thing I thought of when my dad suggested it. And now I am glad I went.

Just more than a year ago my dad suggested that we took a family vacation to Las Vegas. I thought there can't be anything there for families, but I was wrong. There was Circus Circus with an arcade area with rides and games. The M&M's factory was right across the street from where my family & I stayed at New York New York. The Bellagio has from 8 pm till midnight water shows every 15 minutes. It had to have been my favorite, but then there is the MGM Grand Adventures. They had tones of rides and water rides ( they were the best when it was so hot out ). We also watched Treasure Islands ship battle, The Mirage's volcano blasting, and The Luxor light show. We also went into the Coca-Cola factory were they had souvenirs.

Even with everything to do we never got to do everything in 5 days. However, they still have rules were if you are 18 and under can't stand were the slot machines are to watch a show. But there are other ways to watch it. And you have to watch those pockets of yours for pick-pocketing and spending so much on souvenirs.

All I know is after going and coming home I am ready to go back, again. And So is the rest of my family.

2004-09-30T23:45:00.000-07:00

My wife and I have been to Las Vegas 5 times in the past two years. In the past we have stayed with friends who live in Las Vegas, but for this trip we decided to stay on the strip.

We left BWI on New Years eve on USAIRWAYS. The flight had one stop in Philadelphia. I used upgrades so that we could fly first class. The flight going out was excellent. The flight attendants were very good, the food was ok and the champagne got us in the right mood.

We landed in Las Vegas at approximately 9:00 PM. My wife's cousin picked us up at the airport and took us straight to a party at one of her friends house. Stayed there until after midnight and then we went to try our luck at the Sun Coast casino. Dropped about $80.00 playing VP. Spent the night at the counsin's house.

The following day (Jan 1st) we had lunch at a friend's house and then went to check in at the Flamingo. What a fiasco that was! The lines were extremely long and the front desk staff seemed to be very slow. It took us 1 hour to check in. We were given room 17095 which overlooks the tropical garden/pool area. The room was ok for a comp. That night we watched the Gladys Knight show at the hotel (very good show), had something to eat at Lindy's (not that great), and lost about $100.00 playing the $1 slots. Called it a night around 1:00 AM.

On Jan 2nd we met some friends at Harrah's and ate a late breakfast there. The buffet was good with a nice selection of food. After breakfast we walked down to the Barbary Coast and caught the free shuttle bus over to the Gold Coast casino. My wife won $95 playing Let it Ride and I won $500 on the $1 slots. We ate an early dinner at the buffet, which I had read about on the LVA as being one of the best deals in town. We weren't disappointed. After that we went back to the Flamingo, threw a fews things in a bag and then proceeded to the Aladdin to spend the night. The check in at Aladdin was very prompt, very organized and very courteous. We were given room 2691 in the North Tower which overlooks the Bellagio. The room was extremely nice and the view was fantastic. After check in we went next door to Paris to play some slots and listen to a fantastic band named Cat Daddy. Dropped about $100. Went back to Aladdin to play for awhile and the wife won $250 on $.25 Jeopardy and I won $200 on the machine next to her. Turned in around 1:30 AM.

The following day (Jan 3rd) we checked out of the Aladdin and went next door to Paris for breakfast at the Village Buffet. Outstanding!! After breakfast we walked down to the Venetian, the Mirage and Caesars. Spent most of the time window shopping and taking in the sights. Had dinner at Harrah's. Went back to the Flamingo and won $150 on the $5 slots, but dropped it all and more on the $1 slots. My wife dropped about $250 playing the tables and some slots. Went back to Paris to listen to Cat Daddy. Spent the night back at Flamingo.

On Jan 4th we checked out of the Flamingo. A friend picked us up to take us to breakfast and then we went to the Cannery, a new casino that had just opened the day before. I dropped about $100 playing the $1 and $.50 slots, and then I went to the lounge to watch football. My wife lost about $80 playing the VP, but she won it back at the roulette table.

Got to the airport about 2 hours before our flight and was able to upgrade to first class again. Arrived back at BWI the following morning.

Overall good trip. Flamingo was disappointing, Aladdin was very nice, and Cat Daddy was great!

Las Vegas and classic soul

2004-09-22T22:34:00.000-07:00

This is lengthy. Thanks to all that contribute to these reports and to the discussion boards. I learned a lot leading up to our trip. I took my wife to Vegas and wanted to do my homework so as to pack as much variety into her short first visit. We have a 15 month old daughter that we didn't want to be away from for too long. I booked the trip on Expedia. Got the flights to and from DFW non-stop, two nights at GN and a rental car for two days for $610. Avis was easy and quick, but I picked Sunday afternoon to get there hoping that most activities wouldn't be hampered by droves of people. I asked for an upgrade and got three sizes larger for $7 a day. Tipped the guy $5. He seemed happy with that. I really familiarized myself with LV's layout before going since I knew I'd be driving around. I saw that we were close to Koval Ln. so I decided to find Ellis Island, which was easy, and parked right in front. We had the $4.95 steak dinners and with a beer each our ticket was $14.14. My wife was impressed. The service was good but the waiter wasn't particularly friendly. That's okay. We didn't want chatted up anyway. I decided we should get downtown. I parked in the parking garage across the street from the GN. At the desk I showed a $20 while getting out my license and credit card mentioning that I'd appreciate anything in the way of an upgrade or other consideration. I was happy to find we were placed in the North Tower but away from Fremont and down the hall from the elevator with the only view worthwhile, the swimming pool. We had to show a room key every time we went up to our room but the security was reassuring and the guys were very friendly as was the desk clerk at check-in. The room was as I had requested - king-size bed and non-smoking. We wondered if it mattered that much since each night we came in we reeked of smoke and the odor was there in the morning. We freshened up and headed for the casino which was just steps away from the elevator. My wife wanted to see the Fremont Street Experience so we walked around looking at the lights as dusk arrived and about 45 minutes later the FSE cranked up with some Classic Soul. It was all right but the center section was being upgraded and for the life of me I couldn't tell if our end was the new end or if it was way down there at the other end. It lost something not being continuous all the way down, not that I ever thought it was all that spectacular. But my wife liked it. She was liking everything so far. I was anxious to get out to the Strip so we got the car and took a few back streets until we were at the base of the Statosphere Tower. Man is that thing huge. I remember when just the legs sat there for awhile when Stupak ran out of dough. I was surprised that traffic was light, so we headed down the Strip and my wife got her first glimpse of those many places she had only seen on TV and in movies. It was fun. Actually it was turning into more fun than I had ever had there before. But that's as it should be. You romantics will understand. I turned off behind Harrah's but somehow ended up parking at IP. It was confusing getting in and out of there. But I wanted to be at IP just about that time because my wife's 16 year old daughter was waiting to spot us on the webcam out front. When we called, she said she was watching us, so we did a little dance there to the amusement of passersby. Again, my wife was impressed and her daughter got a kick out of it too, especially because she couldn't be embarrassed by what we were doing. We headed north and saw the Mirage volcano erupting across the street. We stopped in Harrah's just to look around and then crossed the street to go over to TI. Unfortunately, once there my wife got a big old whiff of cigar smoke and got a little green around the edges. She excused herself to the restroom and I waited, losing a few bucks in a .25 slot. She returned less a few cookies and with watering eyes, but she rallied and we got back into seeing the sights. We lined up for a Sirens show and thought it was all right, imagining what must be involved in a production that huge. I can see why some people think it's ho-hum. Viewing it from the bridge definitely would improve the show but who wants to jockey for a position there an hour or more before it starts? Not me. Wife = not impressed. We headed across to stroll the front exterior area of the Venetian and of course I had left the 2 for 1 coupon for Madame Tussauds in the car. Thinking we could go tomorrow doesn't always work out. Especially in Vegas. The Venetian was amazing, even just the outside. We headed south, stopped at the Flamingo then headed down to Paris, but the fountains caught my wife's eye and we dodged some light traffic to cross and watch two shows at the Bellagio. Seeing it on TV doesn't prepare you for the sound generated by the massive cannon-like pressure that sends the water so high. Wife = impressed. Me, too. Somewhere around this time I tried calling a friend that had a little band gig out there at Caesar's, but got his voice mail. I thought the Boardwalk looked kind of close so we headed down there. It was, as is so often the case on the Strip, farther than it looked. I wanted to see the Motown tribute band, Spectrum, only to find they had just finished for the night. Geez, it was only 11:00pm. We split a Philly Cheesesteak there that was pretty good. My friend, John, called about that time and said he was wiped out (tired) so we said we'd hook up with him on Monday, his day off. We walked around Paris for awhile and marveled at the Tower. I suggested we head back downtown but my wife surprised me and wanted to go to Caesar's. I remembered the entrance being way off the street, but was pleased to find it has been moved closer to the street and we were inside in a matter of minutes. I always hated how big and easy to get lost it was in there, but I made an effort to watch where we were going and it wasn't such a pain afterall. We went back to the Forum shops, mainly to see the sky-like ceiling that changes from dawn to dusk to dawn again. We didn't stay long enough to see it change much. It was either just before dawn or just after sunset. Everything was pretty much closed. I sat down and played a .25 slot at the Mercedes jackpot circle of machines, hit my first three 7's and cashed out for $75. I like the pay ticket (TITO) system. Beats carrying around a bucket of quarters. So now it was time to find our car and go back to the GN. The drive downtown was no problem and we were heading for the elevator when I had the urge to try some more .25 slots. I hit a few small winners on a slant top machine that was paying out as it went. My wife snagged a couple of my quarters and immediately hit 180 coins. Her machine stayed hot after mine cooled down and now, at 2:00am, she was getting the bug. I convinced her to cash out a little later because I wanted to get up early. She did and walked away with around $80. We actually had our first free drinks while playing then.

Day two started after just a few hours sleep. I got up and showered first and while she got ready I went down to get us some Starbucks. I stopped off at a .25 VP machine and quit after winning $15 figuring what could be better than getting my Starbucks paid for and then some. We decided to forego breakfast in favor of getting on the road - destination Lake Mead Recreation area and Hoover Dam. It was really not as far as I anticipated and was a beautiful drive. The dam is very impressive, especially considering it is in a locale where everything is on a grand scale. I had downloaded a self-guided walking tour which was all the information we needed and fit our timetable. Wife and me = impressed. We headed back to Henderson. I wanted to stop at Green Valley Ranch but there just wasn't time. We drove past and headed for Red Rock Canyon. Very beautiful place. Go there if you get the chance. But who are those crazy rock climbers? We got a kick out of the wild burro signs. Back to town and time for lunch at the Main Street Station buffet. It was extensive and cheap, but the food wasn't special in any other way. Service was good. I'm glad we stopped there because upon using the men's room I remembered part of the actual Berlin Wall had been installed there. Now it was almost time for my wife's treat, a massage and visit to the spa at the GN. First she managed to ring up a bunch of credits on a .25 machine close to the one from the early morning stop. I gladly offered to cash them in as she headed for her appointment. This gave me a chance to walk around downtown a bit and try the Fremont and Four Queens. I won a bunch of quarters before I left the GN but gave most of them back at the other places. I guess I should have gotten a massage, instead. Back at the room, my wife was showered and applying her makeup. She was ready to go in a few minutes and I went to the safe to retrieve a little more cash. BTW - the room was very nice with iron and ironing board, hair dryer and so on. Bathrooms are small, but okay by me. Perhaps some other time we'll lavish ourselves with nicer digs. We got the car, showed our room key at the exit and headed out south on I-15 while arranging with my friend John to meet at the Aladdin. I drove us down the Strip again, middle and south this time. I reluctantly parked at the MGM but it did give us a chance to stroll through the casino as we made our way to the street. We walked down to the Aladdin and this was the worst sidewalk area we had to contend with while there. There wasn't much room in places, some construction, and plenty of pornslappers. They didn't bother us though. And we were never confronted by any timeshare people our whole stay although there were several 1/2 price show hawkers out and about. While we waited for John, my wife headed for the restroom to take out her contacts. She just had a terrible time with the climate, smoke, and whatever. I played yet another .25 slot, this time near the escalator to the Spice Market buffet and turned $10 into $100 on my third spin. My wife came back with John on our cell phone. He was downstairs waiting so I cashed out and paid for our meals. I liked how things were going in that respect. Spice Market is everything people say it is. Very, very good. I had many Alaskan king crab legs and peeled shrimp. We all ate heartily and John and I caught up on many things since our musical associations back in Ohio in the 70's. He's still doing it for a living. For me it's a hobby and a way of contributing service to the Lord and my church. John regaled us with some great stories from his travels around the world these last seven years and his recent experience in the studio. The album should be out in a few months. It's some guy who has a Red Piano show out there. After a quick photo exchange, we had to say goodbye in order to make our Blue Man Group show at the Luxor. We walked there via the Excalibur and arrived with too much time to spare. I could have used the 40 minutes we sat in our seats waiting for the show to begin to gamble in the casino. The way my luck was going, I might have won enough money to pay for the show. Anybody that doesn't like the BMG is close-minded or has sensitive ears. Everything about the show was excellent including the live band on the perches above and at each end of the stage. Audience participation is required and gladly given. Two people were chosen at different times to join the BMG on stage. Video plays a large part in the production. On at least three occasions one of the BMG was right beside me as I sat on an aisle. The visuals and sounds are wonderful and the comedic value is excellent. At just under two hours, I was surprised that we were there that long. But don't come late, you might get a surprise. Wife and me = very impressed. After that we walked around the Luxor and marveled at the construction. We stood outside at the foot of the Sphinx which is actually half again as big as the original. We caught the El back to Excalibur then crossed the street to NYNY. Pizza was okay there, slots were tight. People were a bit rude. My wife knocked some guy's arm down as he tried to push me out of the way of a picture he was taking. It happened so fast all I could here was the guy whining as we walked away. It was about this time we noticed that there seems to be a lot of hoochie mamas out and about at night there. I don't think they were working girls because working girls wouldn't be trying to draw so much attention to themselves. I suppose it's nightlife and were I twenty years younger and single, I might find it interesting. Some of it, anyway. We crossed over to the MGM and tried a hit and run method on our way through to the exit leading to the parking garage. We played a few spins on every .25 wild cherry machine we saw hoping to catch a quick and sizable score, but nothing came of it. We headed back to the GN and as I looked for a machine that had been productive earlier in the day, I found that aisle roped off and all the machines were being disassembled, I assume to be replaced. We went to bed at 3:15.

Next day I used express check out and we headed over to the Palace Station to play and eat before our flight out. I managed to hit three blue 7's and I cashed $75 on the way out. Returning the car was a breeze, except it seems like gas stations are scarce when you need one. Checking in at the airport wasn't difficult as we heard it could be, but then we were flying out on a Tuesday afternoon. We had time to spare before boarding. Back in Dallas we stopped for pizza at Campisi's and I showed my wife what I didn't spend. I gave most of it to her to pay for a summer condo stay at the coast. Wife = impressed and she says she wants to go back to Vegas. Me = :) Thanks for reading.

I gambled in Las Vegas and I took Some Tours

2004-09-22T22:12:00.000-07:00

i flew out of england on 19th february heading for orlando where i was visiting my friend before heading on to vegas. after a fantastic stay in the sunshine state where we visited disney world and both the universal theme parks i arrived at orlando airport for my 9.15pm flight with delta on sunday the 22nd of feb only to be told it was cancelled due to rain in vegas.. by the way did i tell you that my flight from england 4 days earlier had to return an hour into the journey because of engine problems and i ended up staying in a manchester hotel for the night and losing 24 hours with my friend in florida. oh well im not going to let that ruin my time in the usa so after spending the night in another hotel i arrive back at mco early monday morning and leave on time for dallas where i am delayed for another 2 hours before finally departing and getting into a wet las vegas around 12.45pm. after a speedy check in at the barbary coast hotel i make my way to room 339 on the 3rd floor only about 20 yards away from the lifts. nice spacious room with 2 queen beds and a view of flamingo hotel and a little of the strip. i will say right away i liked my room very much and i think barbary coast is a great hotel in a great location and at a reasonable price. i had no complaints and would certainly stay here again in the future. anyway im in vegas at last and seeing as i am only here for four and a half days there is no time to lose so after changing and showering its off out to begin the fun. i was to busy this year to write down when and what i did so i will categorize and comment on the things listed below...

food & drink...shows...gambling...tours...thrills...others.

food...i am a simple eater and love buffets so every morning just like last year i eat breakfast at a different hotel and this year they were harrah's,imperial palace,treasure island and paris, the worse one was without doubt paris where the service was slow in fact i had eaten over half my food before my drinks arrived and the bacon was warm at best not to mention that the credit card facility was not working meaning it took ages to get seated despite the fact it was not exactly over crowded. as for the other 3 well there was little difference in my opinion i liked them all and had no complaints at all though my favorite is still the pharaoh's pheast at luxor. unlike last year where i had a dinner buffet every evening this year i seemed always to be on the move and in a hurry so i got burger and fries from macs 2 nights and ate as i was walking the strip,one night i ate at the luxor pyramid cafe while waiting to see blueman group and enjoyed a nice thick juicy burger and fries with coke. i also got a hot dog with onions,fries and a coke at the flamingo which was ok and did the job. my first meal in vegas soon after i arrived was at the barbary coast in the victorian room which consisted of a 16oz t.bone steak with fries,onion rings,bread rolls and hot tea which was very tasty and great value at only $14.00 plus tip. being from the uk i am a lager drinker so i was on fosters most my stay apart from a couple of margaritas including a yard of margarita from the luxor which was drunk at the bar and then on the strip as i made my way back to my room.

shows...i saw blueman group at the luxor which was very original and without doubt the loudest event i have ever attended. they did cancel the show i was due to see on the wednesday because of low ticket sales so i saw them the next day and it was more than worth the wait and i even got my photo taken with a blueman..lol. great venue and fun with audience participation. i saw rita rudner at ny ny and she was very funny and put on a great 75 minute show with plenty of topical gags as well as looking beautiful. the venue is to small though and the seats to close together with no stadium seating which she is trying to get the management to alter but apart from that i would recommend seeing her show if you get the chance. i saw momma mia at mandalay bay and being an abba fan of course i loved it and can see why its one of the top shows in vegas at the moment. the venue was spacious and very nice and the show lasted for about 2 hours with a 15 minute interval about half way through. if you like abba even a little you must not miss this. the only afternoon show i saw was bottoms up at the flamingo which was free with the purchase of one drink which was 8 dollars in total and for such a small ammount it was worth spending an hour at the only topless afternoon show in vegas which also contained some very raunchy material and though corny it was quiet funny in places. if your a bit of a prude or easily offended i suggest you miss this show.

gambling...i actually did very little gambling losing roughly 250 bucks at the black jack tables and probably $100.00 on the slots where i played mostly video poker. i can and do gamble in england probably more than i should so when in vegas there are to many things to do apart from sit at a table or slot for hours and hours wasting your holiday time so i limit myself and when i lose a certain ammount i leave and do something else.

tours...i did the helicopter tour of the las vegas strip on my first night and it was a great sight cruising over the strip in my first helicopter ride which was wonderful and so much smoother than i imagined it would be. i also went on a grand canyon tour via helicopter which was simply amazing and a fantastic experience. i had done the plane/bus tour in 2003 but flying over the canyon,lake mead, hoover dam and eventually inside the canyon and landing on the floor is something i will never forget as long as i live. I highly recommend Paradise Found Tours for making the arrangemnets.

thrills...first i did the ny ny co aster 2 times (1 from front) which was quiet good though hardly worth $18.00 for 2 rides. i then moved onto speed the ride at sahara which was good though not as fast i had expected and though its over quiet fast its worth doing specially from the front seat with your eyes open. one ride is $9.00 so get the $12.00 day pass where you can ride as many times as you wish all day long. next it was into the adventuredome at circus circus to get the day pass for $19.95 to ride the coaster canyon blaster which is ok for an indoor coaster. chaos which was something different spinning you around 360 degrees as well as upside down and inside out...a fun ride worth taking the time to do a few times as long as you dont get sick easily..lol also did the rim runner which is very tame apart from a average drop at the end into the water which does leave you soaking wet if your in the front seats. all in all worth the 20 bucks if you can put up with the many kids running around screaming. last stop on my thrill kick was the stratosphere and an all day ticket costing $24.95 allowing you admission to the observation tower as well as unlimited rides on the high roller,big shot and the new ride x.scream. i did the high roller first which is very mild apart from the fact your going around a building over 900 feet above ground at 30 mph which is good fun specially when its windy. next i did the big shot for the first time ever and it was a blast shooting you over 160 feet into the vegas sky at 45 mph and the bit at the end when the ride stops and you leave your seat is quiet a feeling. also the views you see as your feet dangle into thin air are just spectacular and would be hard to better anywhere in the world. lastly i headed for the newest and so i had been told scariest ride in vegas if not america or even the world...lol...x.scream. sitting in one of 8 seats 886 feet above ground level soon the 30 foot metal lever hanging over the side of the tower lowers and shoots you to the end at 30mph and leaves you dangling there for a good few seconds with very little between you and the concrete floor way below. it does this a total of 3 times before one last surprising spurt up and down before taking you back to the safety of the tower. the difference riding the front row 2 seats as against the other 6 is vast simply because in the front seat you have nothing in front of you so the feeling is multiplied and the views if you can open your eyes are brilliant specially after dark when the strip and indeed vegas is lit up in neon. i did the high roller 3 times,the big shot 5 times and x.scream 6 times and though it was a little chilly in the february night i had a great time and cant wait to get back up thee again...so much fun for only $25.00...yipee.

other...riding up to the top of the eifell tower in a glass sided elevator and seeing the views around from 460 up was very nice and the best view of the bellagio fountain show anywhere i would think...cost $12.00 if i recall.

freebies...big elvis (pete vallee) at the barbary coast lounge tue-fri 3pm-6pm was a great show and well worth checking out. the bellagio fountains i never tire of seeing. the flamingo wildlife habitat looked beautiful and is certainly worth spending an hour there. the rio waitresses getting up on the table and dancing at regular intervals is one not to be missed by the men reading this (:-) the mirage vocano is always a nice sight specially when its chilly. the sirens at ti is quiet good as long as you get there early enough to get a good view though i don't like the fact the british ship always gets sunk...booo. the air show at tropicana each afternoon in the casino is ok if you have not seen it before. tigers at mirage and lions at mgm again ok if you are seeing them for the first time. lots of good lounge acts to see nightly at most of the hotels with cat daddy at ballys highly recommended by my friend. just walking the strip after dark is always a buzz and the hotels themselves are often a work of art and you can spend hours looking around then not to mention hours trying to find your way out of them...lol.

anyway after sampling all of the above and more my time was up and its time to leave this one of a kind town and head back home to reality. i wake at 4.00am and check out before five which only takes a few minutes.i get a taxi to the airport for 12 dollars with tip and eat breakfast at mccarran before taking off on time and head for my first connection in salt lake city. now i must tell you i had booked to change in atlanta originally because as the americans amongst you will know the weather in the states in february specially in the north can get very bad but delta cancelled this flight and sent me to slc instead with only a 35 minute stop before my next connection so to say i was worried would be an understatement. anyway despite snow and only one run way being open i made it with one minute to spare after running like hell from gate c4 to gate d10 though they did have to wait 10 minutes for my baggage to be loaded. after a smooth flight to orlando we landed only a few minutes late and so i had just over 2 hours before my next flight left for england with virgin atlantic. take off on time at 6.30pm and 8 hours or so later we land in manchester and after a couple of hours wait its on the coach for a little over 2 hours journey back to birmingham where my mother and sister pick me up and drive me home arriving at 1.00pm exactly 24 hours and over five and a half thousand miles after i left my hotel in vegas (32 hours minus 8 hour time difference from vegas to england) final thoughts...despite a few transport problems i had a fantastic time in vegas and will be back again in the near future thats a certainty. if you got down this far thanks for reading this shortened report i hope you have as much fun in vegas as i did and will again i'm sure.

just to be in Vegas baby

2004-09-22T22:09:00.000-07:00

Reason for the trip:

Supposedly to attend the CES (Consumer Electronic Show) but mainly just to be in Vegas baby...........

Since half of us have been to Vegas a few times, we decided to make our accommodations as cheap as possible. Greg and I started planning and looking for travel and stuff many months ahead. We stumbled on an amazing deal at the Terribles Casino. We paid $9 a night for 2 nights and around $50 for each of the other two. Adam waited a couple of days too long and paid about $100 more total than we did. Gee, when did we actually let him in on that piece of info? But no way can he complain about $200 for 4 night’s accommodations in Vegas.

I started trying to get my old friend Scott to join us. I told him that he was free to stay with me. So he jumped right in as well. It was pretty cheap to get him from CA to NV.

Tim and Sue decided they were coming too. But since it was a few weeks later, they could not get a reservation at the Terribles. So they were going to stay at the beautiful Key Largo Casino across the street. Not a great place but they were going to get some Choice Hotel credit for the stay.

All was going well with the reservations. Greg, Adam and I were to fly to LV Yeah, ol’ M.H. had to pay more for that too since he didn’t have the Rapid Rewards Card! and get there around 4pm. Scott was to get there about an hour before and wait for us. Tim and Sue were coming in the next day.

Well all seemed ok until the actual flight.

Greg and I drove to BWI together. His parents were dropping off Adam. We met at the gate, but soon heard the news that our flight will be late. Dammit, Dammit Sonofabitch!!

Our flight was a bit weird anyway. We were flying out of BWI, the plane was to stop over in Norfolk and then make the cross-country trip to Vegas. Well, I guess the plane was coming from Norfolk as well and was running at least an hour behind. Eventually that 1 hour become closer to two. Again, Dammit, Dammit Sonofabitch!!

Eventually, our plane was at BWI. We quickly got on board, only to have to taxi back in for a technical problem. WTF!!!???? What kinda grab-asstic nonsense was that!? Another half hour later, we were finally off. I really do appreciate them taking care of technical “issues” but it was just cutting down on our Vegas time.

One stop and many hours later, we land in the desert. Poor Scott was stuck waiting for us at the airport, since he was staying with me, all the reservations were in my name, and he could not go anywhere without all his belongings.

We gather our luggage as well as check in at the CES airport booth. We get on the Alamo/National shuttle. We had reserved a Quickrent, so we just needed to head to the Economy row and pick out a car. Problem was there was no Economy row. Finally their “helpful” staff gets us to the right row and we pick out a nice car. Ever seen that episode of homicide…? After loading all of our luggage in, we try and start the car. Nope....................The battery is dead. So we get out and grab the car next door. Yes...........this one works. We are finally on the road.

Checking in at Terribles is pretty easy. Scott and I get a decent room at the rear of the hotel. Greg gets an upgraded one on the second floor. Yeah, because I had to wait behind some disorganized ass-clown and the manager had to get involved. The room WAS nice though! Adam gets a pretty noisy room close to the casino floor. It will be pretty convenient for his many naps, so he is happy. To quote Bette Davis: “What a dump!”

We are all hungry and looking for some beers. We decide to walk over to the Hard Rock. Mr. Lucky’s has the $7.77 Steak and Shrimp special. I was going to drink an Anchor Steam beer, but they were out. So the waitress recommended Fat Tire. Fat Tire gooooooooood. But it’s not distributed East of the Mississippi. L Scott has had this often, so he said that would be fine. I think we all agreed that Fat Tire might be some of the best beer we have ever tasted.

The food was good and filled us up nicely. We saw Apple’s Steve Wozniak at the Hard Rock. Yeah, I didn’t tell M.H. because, Mac Addict that he is, he would have caused a bad scene and ruined Woz’s night. Pretty cool thing for geeks like us.

After leaving we decided to keep walking. After a few long blocks we stumbled into the world famous Ellis Island Casino and Brewpub. We went immediately to the bar and ordered some of the brews. I had a wheat beer; Adam had a root beer and a beer. Scott and Greg also had some type of beer. Pretty tasty for a buck. Not the best, but you really cannot beat the price. We tried to take our beers into the Karaoke lounge Nicholas Cage was sighted there earlier in the month, but were scolded against taking our beers from the regular bar inside. G-damn rent-a-cop! So we just said screw that and left. After finishing those tasty drinks up, of course.

After the travel delays, we were getting pretty tired. I think if things had gone more smoothly we may have stayed out longer, but I know I was exhausted. M.H. especially, as you’ll see, he talks a good game, but sure can’t party with the big boys! J We all decided to head to bed and get up earlier than normal for Vegas.

The next morning we all met at the car. We were going to eat at the amazing this is where food goes when it dies! Wow!!! Paris breakfast buffet. Greg and I had eaten there on previous trips, so we knew it was well worth the expense. We have our own Vegas diet. Stuff yourself silly at a good breakfast buffet and that will take you pretty well until your dinner meal. No need to slow down for lunch.

The food was awesome as usual. Scott and Adam were amazed by the selection and quality. Especially the salmon scrambled eggs! The best part was Scott going back to get one last plate, just “to have it’. I think he stared at it for a few minutes. I think if he had a camera he would have taken a photo of it.

We decided to head over to the Aladdin. They have this great slot tournament. You pay $25 and play a certain amount of credits for possible prizes. These are special slot machines just for the tournament. Scott was very close to getting a prize, but it was not to be. You still get consolation prizes. Scott got a $20 food credit. Adam and I got an Aladdin fleece jacket and Greg picked up some other kind of jacket. I think it became payment to his Dad for watching his house the obscure but heavily enforced, “Schwag Tax.

Another cool thing is they put $10 slot credit on your slot card. You can only get the $10 back if you win an equal amount. I did very well with this. The Price Is Right machines were very good to me. I left about $25 richer. Not bad for free. And I had a free jacket. The rest of the losers were just that......losers. This would be the start of a major sore issue for Adam. Oh yeah! His Vegas luck is non-existent. I think he would continue to lose on EVERY machine he touched. I think he even lost at the ATM. LOOOOOOOSER!!!

We got back in our car and headed to Red Rock Canyon. It is a great stop to each of out trips. Adam had never been to a place such as that. We must have climbed on every rock imaginable. Fun was had by all. Yeah, and to this day you can hear M.H. recount the tale “Remember when Priebe got lost in the sticker-bushes…that was cool…”

After such a wonderful nature setting we needed the extreme. The 3 east coast geeks wanted to go to Fry’s Electronics and revel in the “fun” of motherboards and processors. Scott was not as excited, but was willing to go wherever. So we started driving towards the southern part of the strip.

About half way back we spotted the most bizarre thing. It was a giant Energizer Bunny. Having no alcohol that day, I knew it couldn’t be some kind of beer-driven haze. It really was a giant, hot air balloon size, bunny. We decided to track it down. But, numerous dead ends later, we finally gave up. If we had stayed on our initial road, I think we would have gotten closer, but........

The Bunnyquest over, we pulled into the Fry’s parking lot. Inside, Adam bolted towards the computer goods much a like a bull in Pamplona and almost pushed an old lady down to get to the Mac Section!. He is always good for a laugh.

We spent close to an hour there looking over all the things we were too cheap to buy. Surprisingly, we left empty handed. But the breakfast was wearing off, so we needed to find some food.

We drove over to the MGM and parked in the largest known parking edifice. I guess attached to one of the largest hotels in the world it is only fitting.

We wandered through MGM, Grand Canyon Experience and Showcase Mall. I think we decided to put Scott’s food voucher to good use and eat at the Aladdin buffet. Since I was still ahead at Aladdin, I thought that was a mighty good plan as well.

What can I say about that meal? It was way better than the more pretentious Belaggio buffet. The themes were well executed and the meal excellent , but Scott and I almost got taken out by a 500lb “buffet destroyer” on one of those gimp carts. I think Scott stared at his plate a few more times.! I know that I personally ate more dessert there than I should have.

We then “rolled” ourselves down and across the strip, catching one of the great fountain shows. Can’t get better free entertainment than that. We just had to re-enact the “Ocean’s Eleven” scene!

Adam was getting pretty tired, but this was no time for a nap (more on that later).

Greg wanted to try the Monte Carlo brewpub. Since I was not a big drinker anymore I planned on killing some time in the casino. Adam was sleepy WHATEVER! so he planned to do the same. Scott and Greg decided they were going in and try a few. Being in Scott’s proximity made me way more extraverted than normal. Pretty funny, since less that 24 hours these two had never met each other, but they were like two good friends by now.

Adam and I wandered around, had a soda, looked at a couple of shops and just basically stood around. Eventually we were standing around back by the Brewpub, watching the bar band on the monitors outside. I guess Scott and Greg saw us (they looked like a couple of lost dogs) and decided we needed to come inside. Scott came and got us. He said the band was pretty entertaining and then dragged us inside.

It was a nice and big bar, with a pretty indifferent staff. But the band was pretty good, with a pretty diverse set list. The lead singer was very attractive as well. We did not know their name, but we soon would.

The band took a break. Soon after, Scott went looking for the bathroom. I guess somewhere after he had met up with the band and chatted them up. He knew the singer’s name and the band name (Clockwork). He even knew what music the singer liked.

Soon the band was back on stage talking about our own Scotty. He definitely makes an impression.

Scott decided he was going to buy beers for the band. So he talked to the bar management and sent up a round. The boys in the band seemed very appreciative.

Eventually, we had tired of the Monte Carlo Brewpub. it was way better than I expected, although I think that Clockwork had something to do with that. Oooh yeah… The funny old couples dancing added to the fun as well. Yeah, they were as embarrassing as my parents!

I had just gotten a call from Tim and Sue. They had landed and decided to check in at the CES booth. This ended up being a bad experience for them, but we would meet with them soon.

We started walking further down the strip figuring we would hear from them soon. Well...........New York, New York, Excalibur, Luxor and we finally hear from them as we near Mandalay Bay. We decided to meet in front of Red Square.

By this time Adam was in sleepwalking mode. I guess he just needed a good nap.

Everyone met. Tim and Sue had never met Adam, and they hadn’t seen Scott for a few years. Tim, Greg and I had fun together last year. But we were one big happy group now. Adam wanted sleep, but.........

Tim and Sue were hungry. We thought that the Tropicana’s 24 hour diner would make for a good meal. It did just that. But instead of walking over we decided to pile into Tim and Sue’s rental car. I guess 6 people are not meant for a Hyundai/Kia/Daewoo............, but we made it.

Adam, of course, fell asleep at the table.

After talking and eating, it was getting pretty late. So Tim and Sue headed off to their luxurious hotel. We needed to get Adam some beddy-time “time”.

After walking by the amazing Hotel San Remo, and crossing Tropicana Avenue, we found our car in the MGM Parking structure. A quick drive back and Adam was headed to bed. The three of us divulged in some high finance gambling on some of the numerous penny and nickel slots that Terribles has. I won a little and finally stumbled to bed.

Thursday morning was here. Time for CES. We were to meet Tim and Sue at the Terrible Buffet, but they were closed. So instead we had a fabulous McDonalds breakfast. The McDonalds is located next to the Sportsbook. Scott become excited when he saw the news on one of the Sportsbooks monitors that Joe Gibbs was coming back to coach the Deadskins. Since Adam, Greg and I like the Ravens we teased him about it. I think he was in such a good mood he didn’t even care.

A short walk over to the Alexis Park and we were on the shuttle to CES.

This was Greg and mine’s third trip in a row to CES. Truthfully we are getting a bit tired of it. It is a great show, but little changes from year to year. I think you should have a gap of a couple years between visits.

Once inside we split off. Tim and Sue in one direction, Greg and Adam in another. Scott and I went off as well. We all planned to meet up later.

Scott had only a passing interest in most of the exhibits. But soon Scott became an exhibit of his own.

At CES, the car audio booths have big-breasted, slutty-dressed women signing autographs on their equally slutty posters. Scott was in his own kind of heaven. It was amazing to watch him interact with these “ladies”. He would schmooz and chat them all kinds of ways. I think that most of these women really liked him and missed him when he left their booths. Scott has that kind of personality. Women love him and guys just idolize him.

We also caught a performance by 3 Doors Down at the Sirius Satellite booth. Not my favorite band, but they sounded good in an acoustic setting.

Also spent some time at the TechTV booth checking out some our favorite personalities from that late, lamented channel. Scott scared Martin Sargent, host of Unscrewed. Martin may be the one person who Scott’s effervescent personality frightened. But we got a good group picture out of it. We also saw Cat Schwartz and a few other of their staff.

After a few more schwag items, we hopped on the shuttle to the Embassy Suites. Not only was it the shortest shuttle line, but it was only a short walk back to our digs.

Adam needed a nap. The rest of us hung out, gambled, snacked and otherwise relaxed before our night downtown.

With Adam sufficiently rested, we drove downtown, parked at the 4 Queens, and walked to one of our favorites the La Bayou. Not sure why we love this hole in the wall, but it is on our not-miss list. Tim and Sue met us there.

We were hungry and thirsty, so we headed over to our favorite LV restaurant, the Triple 7 Brewpub. It is located in the old-fashioned Main Street Station Casino.

We were seated at a large round table and order some drinks. Adam, Greg and I had the beer sampler. Scott and Tim had a single beer. Sue was not drinking (After being hit by a flying shoe this one time she was drunk, I was glad.). We also ordered some sushi as an appetizer.

The food was excellent and quite cheap. The beer was also quite good. Even when we have had some indifferent service here, we really love this place. Don’t miss it!

We left the Main Street Station, making sure we did stop and see the Berlin Wall in the men’s restroom. Not sure why it is there, but………….

The La Bayou was of course our next stop. A few cheap beads and some heavily liquored up drinks later, we left. I of course won a bit more on the slots. Adam, of course, did the opposite.

We wandered across the street to Mermaids. Not as fun as La Bayou, but at least Greg broke his losing streak. He won a quick few dollars on a nickel or so.

There was a big gathering at the middle of the Experience. LG Electronics had brought in some of the world best BMX, inline-skaters and skateboarders for an exhibition. It was, in one word, awesome. There was some great runs, especially from skateboarder Sandro Dias. It was fun seeing the reaction from some people who have never seen X-games type sports. This one group of older African-American men were in heaven.

Eventually, they took a break for a performance by the Bea Sisters. They are an act that is popular with the Hilary Duff crowd. I wanted to stay around and check them out. The rest didn’t want to look at the hot girls fearing they were too young. They changed their mind later when they found out the sisters were in their 20’s. Of course, we were back in Maryland by then…………………………..losers………………

We walked down past the canopy to the El Cortez. It is a real dump, but Sue and I wanted to stop in and check it out. One of our cousins used to be a pit boss there. Not sure where his now though.

I of course cashed out nicely on a slot machine, Sue won some money on Roulette and Adam lost some more.

The only other thing I can mention about the El Cortez is that the cocktail waitresses are HOT!!!!!! Hehehehehehe.

We stopped and watched a few more minutes of the skateboarders. They were on their second session and the runs were even cooler. LG even gave some prizes away. That may be the only thing I did not win all week.

Scott and Tim wanted to venture into the Girls of Glitter Gulch strip club. Sue even gave him some money and sent him along. I didn’t want to go. I figured it would be let down from Olympic Gardens from a year before. Also, although I was winning left and right, I was feeling cheap tonight.

Greg, Adam, Sue and I decided to head to some kind of coffee shop for some java and maybe some ice creams. We decided to check out the smelly Plaza. The smelliness should, of course, been a tip off to stay away.

On the way, we lost Adam. He disappeared. Sue thought she saw him go in someplace, but she could not be sure. Oh well………

The Plaza had good milkshakes and some decent coffee. But the surroundings were pretty awful. The service was not much better. But since we were killing time while Scott and Tim finished their “adventure” we didn’t mind.

Eventually we found Adam. He was quiet about his whereabouts. Soon after Tim wandered out with a big smile on his face. A few more minutes later Scott came out as well. I guess he was very popular with the staff. Of course………

We called it a night and agreed to meet at the Paris Buffet the next morning.

On Friday morning, the 2 groups met at the buffet of the gods. Once again we stuffed ourselves silly and planned our day.

Adam, of course, needed a nap already. So Greg and I were going to drive him back to the hotel.

Tim, Sue and Scott decided to walk the strip. Greg and I wanted to go over to The Orleans Arena and buy our tickets for the hockey game that night. We planned on meeting Scott back at the Venetian.

An hour or so later, we were at the Venetian for a round of unexpected entertainment. Tim, Sue and Scott were standing near the entrance to the Adult Video News Expo. There were some strange and wonderful sites.

Sue and Tim headed off to Henderson in search of some kind of amateur radio gizmo.

Scott decided we should look into attending the AVN show. He did some of his schmoozing, but we still found the show way too expensive for what it is.

Instead we decided to head to the Stratosphere and see their afternoon show. Tim and I had tried to see this in November 2002, but it was dark.

We decided to give Adam a call to see if he wanted to go. Sleepily he said yes. So back to him up and away we went.

Of course, the show was dark. So we wasted a trip to the Strat.

Since Adam looked unhappy, I decided to try and cheer him up. We went to the Sahara to ride the Speed roller coaster. I had been on it before I knew it was a pretty fun ride.

Scott, Adam and I purchased all day tickets. Greg declined and headed to the Nascar store.

After 1 hellicious ride, Scott decided that was enough for him. At least someone knows his or her limitations. He then headed for the Nascar store and started hitting on the 40 + -year old cashier.

Adam figured to get his “money worth’s” we needed to do at least 10 rides. I was up for that.

10 rides later I had a minor headache, but it was obvious that Adam was close to exploding. I wasn’t sure if he was going to spew or what. He did not spew, but the moron did sit in the rear of the car. Not a good idea when you are spew-worthy. I did not help by making some high speed cornering maneuvers. Not on purpose, of course……………

Adam needed a nap now like he has never needed a nap. So back to the hotel for him. Scott also wanted a rest, so stayed back at the hotel as well.

Greg and I planned on meeting Tim and Sue at the newly opened Margaritaville Café at the Flamingo. We also figured that we had enough time to go to the Barbary Coast and see Big Elvis. If you have not seen him, then you should.

We found out Big Elvis was sick that day, so our plan went out the door. I won a large amount of cash after playing 3cents on a Rock Lobster penny slot. Another good day for me.

We then walked next door, and met them at Maragritaville. We only had appetizers and margaritas, but we thoroughly enjoyed the place. We picked up some souvenirs here as well.

It was getting close to hockey time, so we scooted back to the hotel to pick up the sleepy heads. Then we drove over to the Orleans Arena.

The Arena is beautiful. The game featured the hometown Las Vegas Wranglers against the Peoria Riverman. Unfortunately the game was a loss for the Wranglers. But our own Scott was a featured entertainer. My Hero! He managed to get his mug on the Video Scoreboard more than any other in the place. He was more animated than the team mascot. It was great fun.

We were all pretty hungry after the game, so we stopped at In and Out Burger for a meal. Great as always.

After the meal, Adam was wanting some more sleep. Scott was also ready to head “home.”

Tim offered to drive the sleepy guys back to Terribles. Sue, Greg and I wanted to head to the Boardwalk Casino and see the Prince cover band, Purple Reign. Tim was going to come back and pick up Sue later.

Purple Reign was amazing. It was like see the real thing. The band and dancers were great as well.

After awhile we called it a night. Not bad for our last night in town. I of course hit for some more winnings on the penny slots before going to bed.

The next morning we all ate at the Terribles Buffet. It was not terrible, but not worth any more than the $4 we paid each. We all said our goodbyes to Tim and Sue. They were staying one more night, but the rest of us were leaving that day.

We drove Scott out to the JW Marriott on Rampart to meet a friend of us. We said goodbye there. We were all sad to see Scott go. Even those who only knew him for a few days missed him.

After making 2 more stops, at Sonic for a drink and Ethel M’s for a present for Adam’s parents, we headed to the airport.

The travel home went way more smoothly than the outgoing adventure. The best part for me was hitting for $50 on a slot machine by the gate. Just one more thing to annoy Adam with……………….

A good time was had by all.

Best day of My Life

2004-08-14T22:49:00.000-07:00

I holidayed in Las Vegas recently. I stayed at the Riviera hotel which was the first hotel built on the strip. It is a lot cheaper than most of the newer bigger hotels on the strip, but is still a good, comfortable hotel.
Whilst we were there we visited the Grand Canyon. We took a helicopter trip from Vegas, see www.paradisefoundtours.com, and landed at the foot of the canyon. Seeing really is believing, its stunning !

We then flew on to Boulder City, to take a raft down the colorado river. This was brilliant. We boarded the raft at the foot of the Hoover Dam and floated down the river for 3 to 4 hours, stopping twice for Lunch and a walk. It was a superb day, and this raft part really added to the day. Do it !

Las Vegas: Not Only Casinos..

2004-08-05T23:52:00.000-07:00

Vegas. the very name conjures up images of elvis in his jump suit, sinatra with his rat pack and massive hotels with anything can be bought for the right price.

It’s been described as america’s playground or a disney world for adults. a place where you can take time out from the hum drum of normal life and become someone else for a few days. someone cool. someone sharp. someone more suited to the movie lots and hot spots of hollywood than the sales section of d. sproggit and son, hull.

Las vegas is all these things and more. it’s currently the fastest growing city in the usa, with over 5,000 people a month moving in. although the official statistics fail to mention how many people move out after they learn the hard way that they can’t get their pay check past the casino door.

The size of the city is the second thing that hits you as you fly into mccarren international airport at the south end of the world famous strip. the first is the strip itself, which can be seen from many miles away. huge hotels all themed differently and lit up spectacularly at night, which is when you should aim to arrive if possible. there’s the luxor, the pyramid shaped hotel shooting out the most powerful beam of light on earth straight into the sky. there’s the mgm, the emerald coloured giant. the worlds biggest hotel with over 4,000 rooms and it’s own theme park. there’s the bellagio with it’s dancing fountains, there’s the mirage, with it’s erupting volcano and there’s caesars palace, perhaps the most famous of them all.

All these sights greet you while still on the plane. imagine what’s on the ground. slot machines. these bleeping, flashing, coin laden teases are one of the first things you see when you walk out of baggage claim. ignore them and head for the hotels. that’s where the real pleasure lies.

A couple of years ago, friends of mine who’d just returned from a five day break to Vegas were explaining how they’d spend their evenings wandering from one hotel to another, occasionally having a gamble, maybe grabbing a free drink from a cocktail waitress, but usually just walking and watching. At that time, I thought they were a bit odd. Fancy going somewhere and just walking around the local hotels. Very strange! But it turns out they were justified in their entertainment choice. These monster hotels have everything you could wish for on a holiday. Caesars Palace alone has over 2,500 rooms, a casino area of xxx, 16 restaurants, countless bars and two shopping areas (one of which is one of the most expensive and sought after retail sites in the whole of America). The main shopping area is home to such names as Gap, Banana Republic, Gucci, Virgin, The Disney Store, Planet Hollywood, Ralph Lauren and Vesace. Enough to keep the most hardened shopper going. If you consider that Caesars Palace is just one of over 15 such hotels located on the strip, you’ll understand how just visiting the hotels can keep you going for your entire holiday.

Of course the casinos are one of the main attractions for people coming to Las Vegas. The lure of that one lucky role of the dice, or that killer hand or just that lucky dollar in the right slot machine at the right time. It’s what attracts the people in the first place, it’s what keeps them coming back and it’s worth remembering it’s also what makes the hotel owners rich.

But don’t stop there. Play some golf on one of the world class courses that surround the city, take a helicopter tour of the Hover Damn and the Grand Canyon, take in a show by one of the worlds top performers, perhaps even get married by Elvis. The list is endless, but money is required, so just watch you don’t hand all of it over to the casino on your first night.

Las Vegas. This is a city that you will either love or loathe

2004-08-05T23:25:00.000-07:00

This is a city that you will either love or loathe. it’s quite possible that you could even love to loathe it or just be loathe to love it. it doesn’t really matter because this city demands your attention. a lot of people think it’s tacky and i can understand why they think that. but if it is tacky, then it’s tackiness on the grandest scale you can think of. blackpool is a place i think of as being typically tacky. las vegas is not like that in the least. it’s tackiness is done with such finesse it is really enjoyable.

i stayed there for two days and two nights and it was just great fun and i have never seen anything like it. i stayed with my son during a self-drive touring holiday and we stayed at the imperial palace hotel. this was considered a slightly above average hotel but the rooms and facilities were incredible, and for only $60 per night. in the uk this hotel would easily rate as a 5* hotel but in las vegas, it was, as i said, slightly above average. the best time to visit las vegas is during the week. it is then reasonably quiet and the hotels drop their prices by significant amounts. we stayed from tuesday to thursday and it was excellent.

all of the action in las vegas takes place along “the strip”. this is a road that runs through a part of the city and all of the major hotels are located here. all of the good hotels have themes, such as excalibur, mgm, and so on. the list is almost endless. you are free to wander in an out of these hotels at any time of day or night. in fact, you are encouraged to do so. don’t forget why the city wants you there – it’s to gamble and they hope you’ll gamble very hard. hence you are welcome at any of the establishments at any time of day or night. the strip never sleeps.

apart from the heavy traffic along the strip, las vegas by day is much like any other very busy city. it really comes into its own at night when all the lights and attractions just go into overdrive. This is really when it must be seen. The other great thing is that all of the hotels have at least one major attraction. My son and I tried a lot of them. If you are a Star Trek fan, then you can go to the Hilton for the Star Trek Experience. We did this and it was really, really good. After some sabotage on of the lifts, you are transported to the future and you get to travel on the bridge of the Enterprise. There are lots of tricks they play that keep you guessing all the way through. An enjoyable experience. Another great favourite was the Stratosphere, a hotel which lies at the very end of the Strip. This is a very tall hotel and you can get a ticket to go to the top for look out all over Las Vegas – it’s a most impressive view. Whilst you are at the top you can get tickets to go on their rides. They have two – a monorail that runs around the outside of the hotel and a ride that fires you vertically into the air. My son and I tried both. The vertical lift is tremendous and you accelerate 100 feet into the air and at its peak, you leave your seat before you plummet back down. A fabulous sensation. The monorail was really a bit weak in comparison and the only thrill is that you are going around a hotel several hundred feet up in the air. This hotel is a must to visit just for the view. Outside one of the more majestic hotels, the Bellagio, you can watch a fantastic water show that uses high powered jets of water and lights all impeccably timed to music. Outside of the Treasure Island hotel, a sea battle takes place with lots of fire and explosions. Of course, all of these things are here for one reason only – to get you inside!

The other great thing about Las Vegas is that it is so cheap to eat. Every hotel has 24 hour buffet service. Here you can eat all you want with prices ranging from $5 to $15. For the “expensive” buffets, you will eat like a king! In fact, if you are a very late night person and like to eat late, these prices for the buffets drop to around $2 between the hours of 2 and 6 am (I forget the exact times but it was something like that). In these hotels, the gambling never stops so all of the restaurants will allow you to continue placing bets. It’s amazing really, to see people at breakfast playing Keno – a sort of bingo and lottery game combined. The slot machines really are everywhere, including petrol stations, shops. After a while, you can really do with a break from the continuous noise of these machines.

A nearby local attraction is the Hoover Dam. It was less than an hours drive from Las Vegas. I would say that this would be an essential visit and it is worthwhile taking the tour. There are two tours offered. The most popular is the shortest tour which takes you down to the bottom of the dam and explains how it was built. It is really amazing and the interesting thing is that, even though it was in the middle of nowhere and the logistics were challenging to say the least, it was completed ahead of schedule and within budget. The other tour offered is longer and goes deeper into the system. The number of places are limited and the tour fills up quickly. We had to take the shorter tour, which I would recommend, because the places were taken for the next two hours or more. Perhaps next time, if I go back.

I really enjoyed my time in Las Vegas and would readily go back. I don’t gamble so I had no problems with any of the hotels. The scale of these hotels is difficult to convey but some of them having shopping centres inside of them that you would take all day trying to go through. Most of the largest hotels in the world are in Las Vegas and they will really look after you. If you are going, try to choose a hotel suitable for you. They are all on the web. I booked my room directly over the web. If you have a family, choose a hotel that is more family oriented. If you don’t, choose one where families are unlikely to go. The theme of the hotel often gives a clue. I found it a great place to visit but, as I said, avoid the weekends when it gets really expensive and very busy.

Update:

Here are some links that people may find useful.

http://www.bellagiolasvegas.com
http://www.circuscircus-lasvegas.com
http://www.excalibur-casino.com
http://www.imperialpalace.com
http://www.luxor.com
http://www.stratlv.com
http://www.treasureislandlasvegas.com/
http://www.tropicanalv.com
http://www.paradisefoundtours.com
http://www.grandcanyontours.us/

Las Vegas Strip

2004-08-03T23:50:00.000-07:00

The Mirage is interesting for the action going on outside: a fake volcano, surrounded by an artificial lagoon, erupts every 15 minutes, belching smoke and fire, and 54 artificial waterfalls cascade down the exterior. Not that there isn't glitz galore inside. You enter through a miniature tropical rainforest. For a small fee you can watch dolphins frolic in a giant tank. Should you actually check in, you'll do so at a counter backed by a long aquarium filled with over 1000 fish. The Mirage is the bête noir of water conservationists; it uses over four million litres of water a day. No wonder Nevada is running dry.

One of the original casino-cum-theme-parks, Circus Circus is tackiness incarnate. You can take in free circus acts in the tent-like interior, a 'midway' with carnival attractions, and a roomful of video games. Adventuredome is a mini amusement park in a giant dome behind Circus Circus. It boasts a rollercoaster, flume rides, fake dinosaurs and a water slide. Circus Circus is located on the northern half of the Strip and attracts a lot of families (ie rambunctious kids), so either head for or avoid it accordingly.

Car buffs won't want to miss the Imperial Palace Auto Collection, which includes rare models and dozens of vehicles once owned by the rich and infamous. There's Czar Nicholas II's 1914 Rolls Royce, Japanese Emperor Hirohito's 1935 Packard and Adolf Hitler's 1939 Mercedes. You can also see the cars of several US presidents, and Howard Hughes' 1954 Chrysler (the air purifier cost more than the car). About 200 vehicles are on display. The museum is located in the Imperial Palace casino, on The Strip.

Las Vegas: Top family-friendly destinations

2004-08-03T23:49:00.000-07:00

Las Vegas may be the gambling capital of the U.S., but this booming desert resort now rivals Southern California and Orlando as one of the country's top family-friendly destinations. Why settle for just the Mouse when you can witness pirate ships sinking, watch volcanoes explode, and see wild tigers put on a show?

Millions of kids romp around The Strip as if it were the latest theme park. There are happy-face rides for the under-10 set and mind-boggling virtual reality games for older teens.

And if you're hungry for a show, the youngsters won't have to suffer through Wayne Newton. Such kid-appropriate acts as "O" by Cirque du Soleil at Bellagio or EFX starring Tommy Tune at the MGM Grand pack 'em in; all but a very few are PG-rated and many have been created with children in mind.

Another big plus for families: the price. There are a number of quality, low-cost entertainment options, such as King Tut's Tomb & Museum at Luxor. And with a little looking, you can find first-rate accommodations and restaurants for hungry and finicky family members at a bargain.

Las Vegas: Glitter Gulch

2004-08-02T23:51:00.000-07:00

The blocks around the intersection of Fremont and Main Streets in downtown Las Vegas are known as Glitter Gulch. The first neon sign in the city went up here in 1929; now millions of lightbulbs and miles of neon tubing bathe the Gulch in perpetual daylight. This is where you'll find Vegas Vic and his pal Sassy Sal - two of the best-known neon icons in the country. Some of the city's most famous casinos are in the Gulch, including the Golden Nugget and the Gold Spike, as are most of its strip clubs. Aside from slowly cruising down Fremont Street and basking in the multicoloured glow, there's little to do apart from gamble, drink or watch naked people slither around poles. Shopping consists mainly of souvenirs.

The remains of Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park may pale in comparison to nearby Glitter Gulch, but this is where it all started. Beginning in the 1850s, this adobe quadrangle provided refuge for travellers along the Mormon Trail between Salt Lake City, Utah, and San Bernardino, in southern California. Some of the original walls are still standing, and displays of artefacts and photographs illustrate mid-19th-century life on the frontier. There's an ongoing archaeological dig outside. The fort is a mile north of downtown.