first time in vegas next week

[Adam]

Just now, Stradling said:

Really?  I never met him, even when he walked past me, I was with family (well now she is family), and I wasn’t 100% positive it was him, so I sent him a message on here to confirm.  I really miss reading his stuff.  He is truly the most gifted writer this board has ever had.  No offense @halothunder.  

I've seen them and hung for a bit at the last two So Cal BCs. Paul is one of my favorite guys. Such a cool dude. 

[cez]

yeah, red, that's kind of how we're thinking of it.

WEIRD that they make it hard to get out of the place where they make a ton of revenue, right?  lol. 

looks like it'll be between 104-106 as a high while we're there, which is totally doable for me. we get up to 110 where i live quite a bit. 

i'll post about it here when i get back. thanks for all of the feeback so far. 

[Stradling]

Just now, Adam said:

I've seen them and hung for a bit at the last two So Cal BCs. Paul is one of my favorite guys. Such a cool dude. 

Reading his stuff is what it would be like to have been cool in life.  

[cez]

only fast food place i'm going to is shake shack, and not even for the burgers.  mostly for the frozen custard. 

[Stradling]

1 minute ago, GOPSnowflakesHateCezero said:

only fast food place i'm going to is shake shack, and not even for the burgers.  mostly for the frozen custard. 

Then we can’t be friends.  

[gotbeer]

On 7/29/2019 at 9:26 AM, GOPSnowflakesHateCezero said:

not interested in table games, but will be budgeting $500/day total for video poker and slots...looking for the nice-ish casino floors, i guess.

 

At that amount per day budgetted for video poker and slots, you should have no problem.  Just sit at the bar, play video poker and keep the drinks coming.  As far as nice-ish casino floors.  It'll be the area you are in Vdara, Cosmo, Aria.  Outside of that, Bellagio, Venetian Caesars, and Wynn.  

On 7/29/2019 at 9:26 AM, GOPSnowflakesHateCezero said:

things to do anywhere on the strip would be nice. we prefer to eat at bars and lounges that are attached to nicer restaurants, any food goes. i'm usually not into fancy/noveltly cocktails, but he is. we were looking at the dueling pianos thing at NYNY, but we're not sure it's worth the price for a table. things like that.

 

There are plenty of bars lounges.  And most restaurants have some type of lounge.  Especially the fancier ones.  Not sure on fancy/novelty drinks.  Outside of of course the Downtown yard long smoothies that you puke over since they have so much sugar and booze in them.  One that is kind of specialty that I've been wanting to try though is the Ice bar at Mandalay Bay.  It's a bar made of ice and serves vodka.  

[Tank]

28 minutes ago, Stradling said:

Really?  I never met him, even when he walked past me, I was with family (well now she is family), and I wasn’t 100% positive it was him, so I sent him a message on here to confirm.  I really miss reading his stuff.  He is truly the most gifted writer this board has ever had.  No offense @halothunder.  

None taken! I mean, I miss him, too.

[Sully151]

The climbing in Red Rocks is pretty great!

We might have different ideas on what is fun though. And 106 might make climbing tough, better get up early.

[Taylor]

On 7/30/2019 at 9:26 AM, Stradling said:

There is an In N Out just off the strip by the LINQ.  

When we moved back to California from Colorado, we stopped in Vegas just so we could eat at the INO.

[well_red]

Best video poker bar is in the front of the cosmopolitan — typical 5x.25 max stakes but real bartenders who makes real cocktails.  There is also a bar in Paris Paris that had double down on most machines, hard to find around the strip but sure fun way to win/lose some cash.  The most fun video poker machines are the ones that play out the same hand 50 times, hard to find but cut down on the variance so your money lasts longer.  I’d suggest off strip for food, take an Uber, Lotus of Siam and Raku are great.

[cez]

thanks, well

i'm definitely going to be playing video poker at the chadelier bar in cosmo

plane takes off at 6 am tomorrow, connects in seattle, and i arrive at 10:30 am.  hoping to get early check in, but we'll be okay with waiting.  we're both just taking a carry on suitcase. 

supposed to be 111 the first day, then down to 109 and 106 the following days, but less that 14% humdity the whole time. toasty, but we'll be fine. 

thanks for all of the advice. 

[gotbeer]

1 hour ago, GOPSnowflakesHateCezero said:

thanks, well

i'm definitely going to be playing video poker at the chadelier bar in cosmo

plane takes off at 6 am tomorrow, connects in seattle, and i arrive at 10:30 am.  hoping to get early check in, but we'll be okay with waiting.  we're both just taking a carry on suitcase. 

supposed to be 111 the first day, then down to 109 and 106 the following days, but less that 14% humdity the whole time. toasty, but we'll be fine. 

thanks for all of the advice. 

In Vegas it's always beer thirty.  So if they don't let you check in, bell hop your bags, and head to the bar.

 

[Brandon]

Just don’t take any movie advice from GB

[gotbeer]

4 hours ago, Brandon said:

Just don’t take any movie advice from GB

$5 movies at the local casinos like Palms and Southcoast.  Usually on Monday and Tuesdays.

[cysomeawfulpitcher]

I went through Vegas on I-15 a week after the tragic shooting for my nephews birthday party in St George, UT.  Surreal, to say the least.  Painful day on both levels for me since Tom Petty is one of my music heroes.  Cried hard when he and Cornell died.

[cez]

just got back from my 3 night stay

loved it

figured out right away that i don't like slots and stuck with video poker almost the whole time. my buddy played slots the whole first day, and ended up switching over to table games most places we went with a little video poker thrown in. 

the chandelier bar at cosmo is great for the type of gambling and drinking i like. $1.25/hand playing around 100 hands per hour (steady but not too intense), and you can get enough drink vouchers to keep you lit on good drinks from the bartenders. it costs 2 vouchers for their signature cocktails which were all really sweet and gross to me, so never again. yeah, i know you can get free drinks on the casino floors, but it's pretty hit and miss during weekdays, and the cw's seemed far more interested in the people playing slots and video keno...gee, i wonder if house edge has anything to do with that, heh.  $60-$80 of my money was enough to keep drinks coming for 6+ hours at the bar in cosmo. conversation with the bartenders and randoms at the bar was fun, too. some hoochie slut tried to play me or something when she saw i was alone, and put in 20 bucks playing video blackjack next to me, all the time trying to tell me to come with her to the tables and have a good time. she said i would bring her luck. i watched her waste another 20 before telling her i was gay. the look on her face as she left was gratifying.

did some $5/hand vp at bellagio and uber'd up to wynn for the same one night, and some $1.25/hand on a tour of all of the other mgm properties as well as planet hollywood.  ph was pretty decent, and maybe i'll look at staying there since the location is so good and the prices aren't terribly unreasonable for rooms.  didn't like the vibe at aria, and i thought luxor was a stinky shithole with bad air conditioning. loved mandalay bay's casino floor because it was so open. excalibur...just no. nyny was good for restaurants and bars, and the casino was okay, it was just super crowded walking anywhere in the resort, and that was on a tuesday afternoon. 

overall, i spent a lot less on gambling than i had budgeted, and was able to have a great time. 

i liked vdara a lot, but honestly, the only time i was in my room was to sleep.  i've already booked there for december, and will go ahead and keep it because i got a good deal.  but i'm thinking about a basic room at nyny next time after that. it's not center strip like vdara/ph/bellagio/aria, but it's only a short walk across the street to the park mgm tram to get to center strip.  i'm too much of a low roller to get comp'd nights anwhere, but i'll look for good deals at other properties besides mgm.

will definitely go back for xmas, dec 22-26th, but mix in a couple of days of shows and spa with little to no gambling or boozing. also, i have to check out the venetian and palazzo next time. didn't get around to it this time. 

anway, this ended up being a big blog post or something. sorry. 

[gotbeer]

3 hours ago, GOPSnowflakesHateCezero said:

 

will definitely go back for xmas, dec 22-26th, but mix in a couple of days of shows and spa with little to no gambling or boozing. also,

 

My advice for going on Xmas, and especially for xmas day.  Anything on Xmas day make reservations.  Especially if you are going to have a nice dinner.  While Xmas week is their absolute dead time of the year, Xmas dinner at the better places are packed.  I made reservations a few days in advance at Flamingo's steak house, and they were turning people away left and right.  

Also, since Xmas is a very slow day, you can get good deals on shows.  I was able to see Absinthe at Ceasars for free from some facebook post by some marketing firm.  And it was by far the best show I've seen in Vegas.  This year Christmas is on a Wednesday, which I think isn't a usual dark day for shows in Vegas.  So you should be able to score a good deal.

[mrwicked]

I'll be there labor day weekend. First two rounds of Zima on me for anyone wearing a Steve HillenFinley jersey (and a shot of your choice if it's signed by José Arredondo).

[Lou]

7 minutes ago, mrwicked said:

I'll be there labor day weekend. First two rounds of Zima on me for anyone wearing a Steve HillenFinley jersey (and a shot of your choice if it's signed by José Arredondo).

Don't fall for this guys. He made the same offer a while back, except with a fishnet tank top instead of a jersey.

I'm still waiting for my Zimas

[red321]

20 hours ago, GOPSnowflakesHateCezero said:

just got back from my 3 night stay

loved it

figured out right away that i don't like slots and stuck with video poker almost the whole time. my buddy played slots the whole first day, and ended up switching over to table games most places we went with a little video poker thrown in. 

the chandelier bar at cosmo is great for the type of gambling and drinking i like. $1.25/hand playing around 100 hands per hour (steady but not too intense), and you can get enough drink vouchers to keep you lit on good drinks from the bartenders. it costs 2 vouchers for their signature cocktails which were all really sweet and gross to me, so never again. yeah, i know you can get free drinks on the casino floors, but it's pretty hit and miss during weekdays, and the cw's seemed far more interested in the people playing slots and video keno...gee, i wonder if house edge has anything to do with that, heh.  $60-$80 of my money was enough to keep drinks coming for 6+ hours at the bar in cosmo. conversation with the bartenders and randoms at the bar was fun, too. some hoochie slut tried to play me or something when she saw i was alone, and put in 20 bucks playing video blackjack next to me, all the time trying to tell me to come with her to the tables and have a good time. she said i would bring her luck. i watched her waste another 20 before telling her i was gay. the look on her face as she left was gratifying.

did some $5/hand vp at bellagio and uber'd up to wynn for the same one night, and some $1.25/hand on a tour of all of the other mgm properties as well as planet hollywood.  ph was pretty decent, and maybe i'll look at staying there since the location is so good and the prices aren't terribly unreasonable for rooms.  didn't like the vibe at aria, and i thought luxor was a stinky shithole with bad air conditioning. loved mandalay bay's casino floor because it was so open. excalibur...just no. nyny was good for restaurants and bars, and the casino was okay, it was just super crowded walking anywhere in the resort, and that was on a tuesday afternoon. 

overall, i spent a lot less on gambling than i had budgeted, and was able to have a great time. 

i liked vdara a lot, but honestly, the only time i was in my room was to sleep.  i've already booked there for december, and will go ahead and keep it because i got a good deal.  but i'm thinking about a basic room at nyny next time after that. it's not center strip like vdara/ph/bellagio/aria, but it's only a short walk across the street to the park mgm tram to get to center strip.  i'm too much of a low roller to get comp'd nights anwhere, but i'll look for good deals at other properties besides mgm.

will definitely go back for xmas, dec 22-26th, but mix in a couple of days of shows and spa with little to no gambling or boozing. also, i have to check out the venetian and palazzo next time. didn't get around to it this time. 

anway, this ended up being a big blog post or something. sorry. 

we've done the hilton timeshare "salespitch" a few times...nice big suite room for $149 bucks + a bunch of food comps along the strip for the a 4 day weekend and two hours of your time to tell them you aren't buying a timeshare because it's stupid

[Vegas Halo Fan]

On 7/29/2019 at 7:05 AM, Tank said:

There’s a hotel with a volcano that erupts every 15 or 30 minutes. It’s worth seeing once. Mirage. It's every half hour. Used to be every 15 minutes.

theres a minor league baseball team in town, the 51s(?) and they might be in town. The Aviators, AAA farm club of the Oakland Athletics. Right now they are outdrawing the Miami Marlins (first year in a new ballpark northwest of the Strip near 215 and Charleston). Not knowing when you're going to be here, no idea whether they are home. Take 215 to Charleston, turn toward Red Rock Casino, follow the signs.

Gold & Silver Pawn is in a really crappy area on the strip, but if you like the tv show, it’s worth seeing the store. About half the things for sale inside are t-shirts with their pictures on it and a bunch of water bottles and mouse pads. 

They have some kind of outdoor mall/factory outlet place for shopping. Don’t know the name but I think it’s near Caesar’s. There are several of these now, don't know of one near Caesars, but there is one south of the Strip and one near Downtown.

Mandalay Bay Shark Reef is a nice place to see, you actually walk through a tunnel where sharks swim both above and below you.

If you have transportation to go off Strip, Ethel M Chocolate Factory offers free tours, free samples and plenty of stuff to buy (both edible and not). They also have a cactus garden which is free to walk through. The "M" in Ethel M stands for Mars, as she was the matriarch of the famous Mars candy family. East on Sunset well past McCarran Airport, then straight ahead at the light as Sunset turns off to the right to go into Henderson.

The Welcome to Las Vegas sign is on the southern Strip near the southern edge of McCarran Airport. After years of people simply stopping their cars in the middle of the street and jumping out to take a picture, there is finally parking nearby.

Hoover Dam is about a 30 minute trip to the south on US 93/95 outside Boulder City, which was originally built to house the construction crews who built the dam. It is the only city in Nevada in which gambling is illegal.

Valley of Fire State Park is about half an hour north of the city off I-15. Several movies and commercials have been shot here, including the Soren Alien Planet sequence in Star Trek: Generations.

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is west of the city. Scenic drive in which you don't have to get out of the car if you don't want to. Take 215 to Charleston and turn away from Red Rock Casino, follow the signs.

If you're into shopping, it's hard to beat the Forum Shops at Caesars.

If you are into NASCAR, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway is about a 20 minute drive north on I-15. Tours are available.

One tip for the first time tourist: Don't be fooled into believing that the hotels are close together just because they are next door or a couple of hotels away. These places are massive, and hiking it gets tiring, especially during the summer. Buses are frequent but often crowded,  Uber/Lyft can be a good alternative. Taxis depend largely upon the driver. I have always had good experiences in cabs here.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

Almost forgot - you can easily check on the progress of the Raiders new home at I-15 and Russell Road. Went past there today taking my stepdaughter to the airport, looks like most of the structural steel is already in place. This time next season, we will be preparing for the season opener.

T-Mobile Arena, home of the Vegas Golden Knights, is next to what used to be called the Monte Carlo. It was just renamed, I forget what it is called now.

If you're interested in seeing the UNLV campus, go east of the Strip on Tropicana. The Thomas & Mack Center is one of the first things you will see.

[gotbeer]

8 minutes ago, Vegas Halo Fan said:

 

T-Mobile Arena, home of the Vegas Golden Knights, is next to what used to be called the Monte Carlo. It was just renamed, I forget what it is called now.

 

Park MGM I believe.

[gotbeer]

On 8/9/2019 at 7:58 PM, Vegas Halo Fan said:

 

One tip for the first time tourist: Don't be fooled into believing that the hotels are close together just because they are next door or a couple of hotels away. These places are massive, and hiking it gets tiring, especially during the summer. Buses are frequest but often crowded,  Uber/Lyft can be a good alternative. Taxis depend largely upon the driver. I have always had good experiences in cabs here.

Don't forget about the Monorail.  It's not to bad to get from the MGM to the Caesars side.  And to the Convention Center.  Although you could use the rail at Park MGM/Vdara and get to Bellagio which kind of accomplishes the same MGM to Caesars.  But at least with the monorail you can get the far end of the Caesars group, Harrahs which is the closest to Venetian.  

[Vegas Halo Fan]

On 8/8/2019 at 4:25 PM, gotbeer said:

 

My advice for going on Xmas, and especially for xmas day.  Anything on Xmas day make reservations.  Especially if you are going to have a nice dinner.  While Xmas week is their absolute dead time of the year, Xmas dinner at the better places are packed.  I made reservations a few days in advance at Flamingo's steak house, and they were turning people away left and right.  

Also, since Xmas is a very slow day, you can get good deals on shows.  I was able to see Absinthe at Ceasars for free from some facebook post by some marketing firm.  And it was by far the best show I've seen in Vegas.  This year Christmas is on a Wednesday, which I think isn't a usual dark day for shows in Vegas.  So you should be able to score a good deal.

I have been here as a tourist on just about every major holiday. Gotbeer is right about Christmas. It's a good time to get just about anything at a slow time generally. Thanksgiving isn't a bad time either, although there tend to be more tourists than Christmas because of the long holiday weekend. Avoid New Year's Eve, as the place is packed and prices run very high.