Have a work trip just outside of Las Vegas next week. Looking for tips on things to do, places to eat, etc in Vegas. I'm not really a huge gambler, but will probably visit a few of the casinos. Any must do's or things I definitely want to avoid?
OT: Las Vegas
- Thread starter Trojanbulldog19
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Unless you are taking kids with you, don't bother. It's become such a family oriented town.
I went there for the first time a couple months ago. Prepare for everything to be stupid expensive (if you are anywhere around the strip area) - although it may not be a problem for you if you are on a work trip. The various hotels/casino's are neat to browse around in, but damn you walk forever to everywhere it seems. Probably the coolest thing I did while I was in the city was ride the Highroller. It's the world's tallest observation wheel - climate controlled and you can even pay to drink on the thing.
I would recommend taking a day out and driving to the Hoover Dam (30 minutes outside the city). You can spend some of the morning checking that out, then drive further East to the Grand Canyon. If you drive to the South Rim state park it is around 4 hours East of the city. Highly recommend doing that, than wasting your time in the city, but that's just my opinion.
I would recommend taking a day out and driving to the Hoover Dam (30 minutes outside the city). You can spend some of the morning checking that out, then drive further East to the Grand Canyon. If you drive to the South Rim state park it is around 4 hours East of the city. Highly recommend doing that, than wasting your time in the city, but that's just my opinion.
Hoover Dam is definitely worth the trip if you haven't been (or even if you have).
Red Rock Canyon National Park is pretty sweet.
The Grand Canyon's a drive but might be worth it if you have the time.
I definitely plan on doing the hoover dam at least one day. we are actually meeting in Boulder City which is right next to it. Probably won't have time to make it out to the grand canyon. I've been to it before, I've wanting to go see it again and spend a little more time and actually go down into the canyon.
The highroller sounds pretty cool. i've been to vegas before, but just drove through one time and then flew into the airport one red eye and then drove out of town. It's been about 15 years or so since I did that.
The highroller sounds pretty cool. i've been to vegas before, but just drove through one time and then flew into the airport one red eye and then drove out of town. It's been about 15 years or so since I did that.
Catch a show or two while you're there. I won't recommend a specific one since everyone has different tastes, but I've enjoyed most I've seen there ---- Penn & Teller, Blueman, Rock of Ages (my favorite, but think it's cancelled now), and a couple of others I can't think of now. Even the cheesy magic shows are entertaining.
I will say if you like piano bars, check out Billy Kraus & Tall Tom in the Paris. They only perform a few nights a week but are great. Take a trip up the Eiffel tower while you're there - great view of the city and Bellagio fountains across the street.
Plenty of great places to eat - trip advisor is your friend. It can be expensive but maybe that's not a big deal if it's a work trip. I've always been there on work so have been able to splurge.
Checkout Fremont St just to say you did it.
I will say if you like piano bars, check out Billy Kraus & Tall Tom in the Paris. They only perform a few nights a week but are great. Take a trip up the Eiffel tower while you're there - great view of the city and Bellagio fountains across the street.
Plenty of great places to eat - trip advisor is your friend. It can be expensive but maybe that's not a big deal if it's a work trip. I've always been there on work so have been able to splurge.
Checkout Fremont St just to say you did it.
I'd take the helicopter tour to Grand Canyon instead of driving.
It's incredible, and less than $300, or about as much as a nice meal w/ drinks will cost you.
It's incredible, and less than $300, or about as much as a nice meal w/ drinks will cost you.
I'd recommend searching Las Vegas up in the top right corner. I asked earlier last year and got great responses.
If I get some more time, I'll type more, but the highlight for us was hiking Red Rock (this was awesome), In-and-Out burger, Michael Jackson One, downtown Vegas.
If I get some more time, I'll type more, but the highlight for us was hiking Red Rock (this was awesome), In-and-Out burger, Michael Jackson One, downtown Vegas.
I take an almost annual March Madness trip out there and have gone a few times with the wife the last 5-10 years.
Here are some food recs.
Lunch - Yardbirds in Venetian. Mesa Grill In Caesar’s. Otto in Palazzo/Venetian shops. Lagasse Stadium in Palazzo.
Dinner - for Italian.... Giadas in Cromwell, Il Mulino in Caesars, Lavo in Bellagio.... for steak Cut in Palazzo, Delmonicos in Venetian, Rose,Rabbit,Lie (cant remember specific casino attachment).
Shows in order of best to good:
O at the Bellagio was stunning. Highly recommend.
Love at Mirage (if you like Beatles music, do this)
Absinthe at Caesars
Penn and Teller
Zumanity (topless chicks throughout, fair warning)
Human Nature (Motown edition)
I have also seen Rock of Ages in London and it was great, but I think it’s done in Vegas.
For gambling, all tables on the strip are likely going to be $10-$15 minimums during the day and $15-$25 at night. You can find $5-$10 tables off the strip st places like Stratosphere/Rio/Palms, but these casinos are not nearly as nice as the ones on the strip.
Ive been downtown to Fremont, but it was not for me.
Have fun.
Here are some food recs.
Lunch - Yardbirds in Venetian. Mesa Grill In Caesar’s. Otto in Palazzo/Venetian shops. Lagasse Stadium in Palazzo.
Dinner - for Italian.... Giadas in Cromwell, Il Mulino in Caesars, Lavo in Bellagio.... for steak Cut in Palazzo, Delmonicos in Venetian, Rose,Rabbit,Lie (cant remember specific casino attachment).
Shows in order of best to good:
O at the Bellagio was stunning. Highly recommend.
Love at Mirage (if you like Beatles music, do this)
Absinthe at Caesars
Penn and Teller
Zumanity (topless chicks throughout, fair warning)
Human Nature (Motown edition)
I have also seen Rock of Ages in London and it was great, but I think it’s done in Vegas.
For gambling, all tables on the strip are likely going to be $10-$15 minimums during the day and $15-$25 at night. You can find $5-$10 tables off the strip st places like Stratosphere/Rio/Palms, but these casinos are not nearly as nice as the ones on the strip.
Ive been downtown to Fremont, but it was not for me.
Have fun.
We were there the 26th-29th of December and was surprised by the number of kids there. Young kids too. I don’t feel like the town is gearing itself towards kids, it it certainly felt like a lot of foreigners were vacationing in the US with their family and made a Vegas stop with no where to dump their kids.
I haven't been in years but I would love to go opening week/weekend of March Madness just to sit in a betting area, making bets, drinking and watching the wall of screens with games on them.
Im fully prepared for the barrage of downvotes coming... but Fremont is for NASCAR and wrestling fans.
I went for the first time in early December. Everything on the strip is really far apart so you can walk it but once you get to the 3rd casino you’ve probably walked a mile. It is also an open container city if you are into that. I enjoyed Fremont street. Casino’s were much closer together and things were cheaper and more laid back. Contrary to others’ opinions you don’t have to be white trash to enjoy Fremont.
Ate at Blue Ribbon in the Cosmopolitan. It was very good. Had good raw oysters and steaks. Everyone in the Cosmopolitan had more money than me. Very pricey. Best meal we had was some steakhouse in The D casino on Fremont. Wonderful steak and they had a signature butter based dipping sauce. Wish I could remember the name but you can find it in The D.
I second the Hover Dam recommendations. It was really cool and an easy trip. Only downside is we went on Sunday and couldn’t do the inside tour of the dam.
ETA: The Bellagio fountains are a must see. Free and they do shows 4 times an hour at night.
Ate at Blue Ribbon in the Cosmopolitan. It was very good. Had good raw oysters and steaks. Everyone in the Cosmopolitan had more money than me. Very pricey. Best meal we had was some steakhouse in The D casino on Fremont. Wonderful steak and they had a signature butter based dipping sauce. Wish I could remember the name but you can find it in The D.
I second the Hover Dam recommendations. It was really cool and an easy trip. Only downside is we went on Sunday and couldn’t do the inside tour of the dam.
ETA: The Bellagio fountains are a must see. Free and they do shows 4 times an hour at night.
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I go once or twice a year for conventions. I last went in August and it was my first trip sense weed was legalized. So if that is on the menu, good for you.
Not sure how long your there, but after a few days on the strip, you will feel like gout has set in and you will be tired of fighting for a table that has less than a $25 minimum. Head up to Fremont Street. It's a lot more touristy than it was 10-15 years ago, but you can gamble cheap, eat a little more reasonably, and hit up the weed dispensary, if you so choose.
If you go to Fremont Street make sure you eat at Nacho Daddy's. Best nachos in the world (I like the buffalo chicken nachos, but the BBQ, filet mignon, and lobster nachos are all good too... Oh and you can get a scorpion shot, with a real scorpion in the shot of your choice)
Another must see is the praying mantis at the container park on the East end of Fremont. I have never seen it sober, but nothing cooler with a few in you than a 60' mad Max style praying mantis shooting dual forty foot flames will blaring Joe Walsh full tilt.
The strip is awesome if you have never been. Don't let anyone talk you into the seafood buffet at The Rio. Back in the day it was tits, now it's like seafood night at Shoney's.
Not sure how long your there, but after a few days on the strip, you will feel like gout has set in and you will be tired of fighting for a table that has less than a $25 minimum. Head up to Fremont Street. It's a lot more touristy than it was 10-15 years ago, but you can gamble cheap, eat a little more reasonably, and hit up the weed dispensary, if you so choose.
If you go to Fremont Street make sure you eat at Nacho Daddy's. Best nachos in the world (I like the buffalo chicken nachos, but the BBQ, filet mignon, and lobster nachos are all good too... Oh and you can get a scorpion shot, with a real scorpion in the shot of your choice)
Another must see is the praying mantis at the container park on the East end of Fremont. I have never seen it sober, but nothing cooler with a few in you than a 60' mad Max style praying mantis shooting dual forty foot flames will blaring Joe Walsh full tilt.
The strip is awesome if you have never been. Don't let anyone talk you into the seafood buffet at The Rio. Back in the day it was tits, now it's like seafood night at Shoney's.
When the mob bosses took perceived card counters out to the desert and buried them next to Hoffa...
Definitely have to check out a show just finding the right one will be the trick and finding what’s available. Used to enjoy piano bars, but I haven’t been to one in a while. Fountains are on the list. I use trip advisor and yelp a lot. I just wanted some six pack recommendations. Usually some good stuff put on here in other threads. Lots of good stuff in this thread. Pretty pumped about this trip. Should be able to eat good and have a good time outside of work.
Thanks for the food recs. I usually try to avoid eating chain so always good to get some good local places. Looks like I need to check out penn and teller and rock of ages. I’ve seen that mentioned a few times.
Who has the best roulette tables? That’s really the only thing I’ve ever done at casinos other than the slots.
Who has the best roulette tables? That’s really the only thing I’ve ever done at casinos other than the slots.
2 suggestions:
(1) Japonais at the Mirage. Tapas style sushi and such. Get "the Rock". Incredible. They bring you slivers of raw filet, and they bring you a hot rock to cook them on at your table. Phenomenal.
(2) Binion's Steakhouse at the top of Binion's on Fremont. Cool, old-Vegas feel. And your waiter will probably have stories about Sinatra coming for dinner.
(1) Japonais at the Mirage. Tapas style sushi and such. Get "the Rock". Incredible. They bring you slivers of raw filet, and they bring you a hot rock to cook them on at your table. Phenomenal.
(2) Binion's Steakhouse at the top of Binion's on Fremont. Cool, old-Vegas feel. And your waiter will probably have stories about Sinatra coming for dinner.
This thread is the first I had ever heard of Fremont. Sounds like a mixture of gulf coast, Beale street, bourbon street, and Vicksburg. Lived in Vicksburg for 5 years. Didn’t go to the casinos hardly at all after the first couple of years. Praying mantis sounds cool though and bbq nachos sounds great. See that it’s the old school casinos with some canopy over it. Looks interesting enough I’ll probably go over there one night. Just there for 4 nights so I’ll be trying to do a lot quickly after work and still get enough sleep to work the next day.
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If you’re an Uber person, it’s not quite as convenient in Vegas. It’s still probably going to be a lot cheaper than taxi, but some casinos have designated pickup areas that aren’t always as convenient as the taxi pickup / drop off. And wait times can be significant just because traffic on the strip can be crazy with so many pedestrians, whereas there are usually taxis lines up at the casinos picking people up. Same goes for the airport.
If I’m paying, I use Uber. If it’s going on the company card, I’d use a taxi in Vegas.
If I’m paying, I use Uber. If it’s going on the company card, I’d use a taxi in Vegas.
I second the suggestion for helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon
Limo picks you up at your hotel. The helicopter takes you around the canyon for a bit, then lands on the floor of the canyon for lunch. You then helicopter back to the airport, and hop in the limo for the ride back to your hotel.
It's a very memorable experience.
Limo picks you up at your hotel. The helicopter takes you around the canyon for a bit, then lands on the floor of the canyon for lunch. You then helicopter back to the airport, and hop in the limo for the ride back to your hotel.
It's a very memorable experience.
This is something I was wondering about I’m staying about 2-3 Miles east of the airport. Had planned to try uber over to the strip and to any other places in town where I plan to drink. Might try the taxis now.
Fremont is like old school Vegas. It's not as ritzy and frilly as the strip, but it's also not as audacious and crazy expensive. It's a little bit slower pace. More normal people down there.
If you're a big roller, anywhere on the strip will be fun. I like the strip just to people watch. You see interesting characters for sure.
My favorite place to gamble on the strip is osheas across from Caesars. It's a hole in the wall but a lot of fun.
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