Thanks to JMT for reminding us of this LVRJ poll, but it might be interesting if we did such a poll ourselves.

The following might be a bit long-winded but I hope it encourages each of you to list your own BESTS of all that Las Vegas has to offer.

So here's a start. Please feel free to add your own BESTS and later on we can see if it matches the LVRJ poll.

Off the top of my head, here are my "BESTS"|:

1. BEST PLACE TO EAT: ELLIS ISLAND

Any meal at the "coffee shop" at Ellis Island. Every meal I've ever had there is "good and cheap". I prefer the prime rib but many Ellis Island diners recommend the steak special. To be honest, I've never had a bad meal here yet!

2. BEST PLACE TO GAMBLE (Slots)

It's impossible for me to limit the best gambling place to just one, so here are a few I've found to pay off rather consistently -

The Palms
Eastside Cannery
Sun Coast
Ellis Island

3. BEST 'FREEBIES: (Freebies are the inducements that the casinos offer to get you inside and start gambling)

The Palms - Tons of free stuff and even free money just for entering the casino with your Player's Card and standing in line for a few brief minutes. Get a logo jacket, shirt, hat, glasses, blanket, screwdriver, and even a real live ten dollar bill or $3 to $1,000 in compt play.

The M Resort - More free stuff and toofers at the buffet or the coffee shop.

Eastside Cannery - Free money on your card to play the slot machines. I get $5 every couple of weeks and buffet toofers and free entry into $25,000 slot tournaments.

4. BEST LOCAL TOURS

The Strip Hotels - A two morning tour of the Strip hotels

First day starting at the south end beginning with Mandalay Bay and continuing on down both sides of the Strip until you reach Flamingo Road. I suggest the following itinerary for your 1st Day Hotel Tour:

Mandalay Bay - Check it all out including the Four Seasons lobby and the wave pool if it's open. Then walk through the shopping mall to the Luxor and then to the Excalibur.

Cross the street and tour through the Tropicana and stand in line to pull the slot machine handle at the hotel entrance and win a couple of show tickets or a deck of cards, Most interesting part of this hotel is the BlackJack table in the swimming pools (summer only).

Then cross over to The MGM Grand and visit the lion habitat and a possible walk through the restaurant "mall' with a short stop to watch and grade some forthcoming TV show close to the swimming pool entrance.f

Cross over to NY, NY and take a look. Depart the casino at the ESPN location and walk on down to the Monte Carlo and check it out ... Ain't much really, but catch the CityCenter tram at the MC terminal and take a free ride to the CityCenter shopping "mall" called Crystals.

Walk through Crystals and take a look at everything you never wanted and look for the closest exit that leads to the Aria Hotel/Casino and look inside

Then find the nearest exit that leads to the Vdara Hotel and check out the lobby and possibly a nice lunch at Silk Road.

Then it's just a short hop on a connecting walkway to The Bellagio. Check it out and do your best to be outside in front to watch the water show which is actually must better during the evening hours.


Then cross the street to Bally's and walk through this hotel/casino to the Paris Hotel and Casino.

Then to the street once more and continue on to Planet Hollwood with a possible walk through their shopping mall. (You won't miss much if you miss it.)

Then back to the street and pass the Harley Davidson place and the big Coca-Cola bottle and eventually you'll be in front of the MGM Grand again.

Cross the street and catch the tram in the Excalibur terminal and ride all the way back to the Mandalay Bay where your car should be parked.

That's day #1. Roughly a three mile trek.

Day 2 - later.

Also worth seeing -

Red Rock Canyon
Valley of Fire
Hoover Dam - That new bridge is spectacular and more than likely the Ninth Wonder of the World - But don't go there when the traffic is bad.
Top of the Stratosphere at night.

5. CHEAPEST "COCKTAIL SPECIAL" (Non compt)

The $2.50 Beer and a Tequila shot special at the Western Hotel and Casino.
Definitely not a place for minors.

More to come

Good Topic!

My Bests are:

Best quick quality breakfast:
JJ's Boulangerie at Paris for a ham, egg, & cheese crossiant with beverage $10.99.

Best Hotel:
Paris

Best hotel attraction:
Fountains at Bellagio

Best Casino(s) for Atmosphere:
Caesars & Encore

Best PaiGOw Dealers:
Paris

Best Video Poker & Slots:
Palms

Worst paying slots:
Aria

Best Go-cart track:
Pole Position Raceway across from Palms

Best transportation around Vegas
The Duece 3 day pass $15

Worst transportation:
Cabs from airport that run up fares by taking long ways to hotels

Best Slot Card perk:
Diamond Lounges at Harrah's properties. Good snacks and drinks. Some even offer no fee ATM's

Thanks, Ed. Let me make a few comments on your input above.

Paris - Your choice for the best hotel. Can you elaborate on that? I'm always disappointed when I initially enter Paris through the parking structure due to the dirty and uncared for elevators. I guess I'm one of those persons whose initial impressions are lasting impressions. But I have to admit that I've ever stayed at the Paris and you are one of the first I've heard to pick it as a favorite.

I've had a great buffet lunch there but never did have a breakfast at JJ's, but I will try it on my next trip through. I like the central location of the Paris parking structure, so I usually pass through at least once a week to visit the Strip and all it has to offer.

I never have played Pai Gow but it is a very popular game! What is the House Advantage?

Aria slots- I always play the "ALIEN COWS FROM PLANET MOOLAH" slot machines limiting my self to five or ten pennies a play until I see the machine warming up a bit and then I increase my play to twenty-cents and sit back and wait for the Big Win which usually always happens before losing $20.

But those darn cows at the Aria don't allow you to play those 10 or 20 pennies! Instead you have to feed them 25 cents a play and that $20 investments disappears into the pasture pretty darn fast. I compensated by risking a five-dollar bill at a quarter a pull with no payback in the least.

Ar that precise moment I decided to hold my slot play until I returned to my favorite Moo-Cow Pasture in The Palms. It's difficult for me to take those Strip cows seriously now.

So i have to agree with you about The Palms. In fact I was there last nite and those Moo-Cows made my evening enjoyable once again.

It seems that a lot of people like the Deuce but I prefer to walk no matter how far down the Strip my next destination may be. I usually trek through each casino to check out the action and return to the street and enjoy 'people watching'.

I seldom use ATM's in a casino but when I do there's usually a $3.75 fee. Do the feds set a limit on those fees. That's a big expense for a $20 bill from my own account. (Yea! Yea! I'm not a high roller except when I'm trying to impress my poor relatives.)

I enjoy those fountains too but I've only actually stopped once to watch it and that was at the very beginning when it first started squirting water. Now I merely drive past or walk a bit faster while the others enjoy the chance to stop, rest a bit, and watch. I do notice that I tend to keep my pace in time with the music though.

Here's another favorite of mine as recommended by JMT a while back -

Coachmen's Lounge - It's been a while but I thoroughly enjoyed this small, local bar and restaurant. It's like the OLD Las Vegas. I hope it's still there as I plan to take some OLD Las Vegas fans there soon.

Worst transportation from the airport to the Strip hotels! Has anyone ever figured how the difference in fares between both routes? One of these days I plan to measure the distance from the airport taxi pick up area to Caesars to see what the exact route difference actually is.

Once I determine that, I can multiply that difference by the route info I see on sides of all those taxis going up and down the Strip. But maybe someone has already figured that out!

Will,

My favorite is Paris because of the check in process being quick and organized, the rooms are very nice with 42" LCD's and comfortable beds. I also like the location on the strip and the dealers. The management allows teh dealers to have fun with the players and even when your losing you have a great time at Pai Gow. In regards to the parking garage I have never been in it so I cannot comment.

I believe the house advantage in Pai Gow is around 2%.

I think it's funny you mentioned the Alien Cows at the Palms. That is the one machine I actually made a profit on last trip. I was playing the alien cows on the Monopoly Big event and won the 50 free spins. Too bad I was only playing .01 per line. during the free spins the cows filled reels 2,3,4 & 5 and dropped again on reels 2, 3, & 4. Gave me a $130 win for the free spins on a penny per line.

At the Aria I played a couple new nickel and penny games and after losing $200 on 2 machines I never went to a bonus round. I did win it back on a .50 machine But, I don't like machines that can't even give you 1 bonus round during your play time.


In regards to the fare from the airport to Paris I have caught the drivers taking the freeway to the exit behind Bellagio. This will almost double the fare. This last trip the cab driver told me there was construction behind Paris so he took the strip from MGM down, costing me $4 extra. Found out that was a bunch of bull. I wish they would connect the monorail to the airport.

Ed

Ed, thanks for the above info.

Another "funny" alien cow bit here.

I also played the Big Event version of Alien Cows and came to the conclusion that the payoffs on the machine itself are few and far between and assumed that is was due to the fact that it had to 'pay off' the Big Board instead and only when you got the BIG BOARD bonus were you able to 'recapture' those winnings that you never hit earlier.

Make sense?

I come away a Moo-Cow winner over 90% of the time I play that "game". In fact, it is so productive that all my casino friends have started playing it as a result of my recommendation and one such individual won $120 just the other day.

In the past, I've managed to win 125 free spins, but only managed to collect about $50 on such occasion. It appears that the more free spins you get, the winnings are less and less.

When that machine was first introduced to the public, I played it in Reno and many a time I managed to get three or four cows lined up from bottom to top. ANd they would all come up for the next three to four spins before disappearing completely.

SInce that time, the casinos have tightened them up or have removed them completely. The South Point removed three Alien Cows a few months back and when I asked why, one floor person explained that they didn't give the House an even break and couldn't be reprogramed for some odd reason.

I'm a nickel and dime player so I never do win big, but I do win consistantly and am always happy when I leave a casino with $20 more than I entered with.

For obvious reasons Alien Cows will not be around too much longer though.
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Here's a new BEST OF LV which probably won't make any Best List outside of Talk Vegas dot com.

The new "throughway" heading north along I-15 from the vicinity of Russell Road off ramp down to Sahara Bl off ramp. No stop and a very speedy way to head on down the highway. But be careful when you get anywhere near the Sahara turnoff. Major accidents happen there very frequently.

BTW, There is one other machine you can play that is even more productive on a pretty constant basis. All Moo-Cow fans know this winning machine and it is often difficult to find one vacant.

Can you name it?

1. BEST PLACE TO EAT:

Wow, That's a tough one, I don't think there is a correct answer to this one. Sometimes I'm just in the mood for a hamburger, other times i want a steak and still other sushi.
Delmonicos @ the Veneatian is high on my list, Bobby Flays Mesa grill is another fav at Caesars, and the Palm resturant for a cheap but fine lunch, or Fatburger for a sloppy but oh so yummy burger. I could go on and on here....

2. BEST PLACE TO GAMBLE (Slots)

It's impossible for me to limit the best gambling place to just one, so here are a few I've found that I have fun at.

Main street station, M resort, Caesars Palace, California, Wynn, Sams Town, Canery (both)

3. BEST 'FREEBIES: (Freebies are the inducements that the casinos offer to get you inside and start gambling)

I like free shirts, so Main Street Station, Fremont, California rate high here. Here again, it all depends on what you like. Caesars & Flamingo, usually give us some sort of gambling cash $100 to $300, so the Doe, Ray Me is a big insentive too!


4. CHEAPEST "COCKTAIL SPECIAL" (Non compt)

doesn't apply to us, as the drinks are always comped. I like M resorts self serve idea however.


_________________________

I'll give it a go.

1. Best Burger
In & Out, Special mention to the Huntridge - .R.I.P

2. Worst Burger
Burger Palace, Second floor of the Imperial palace. Do not go there no matter how hungry you may be. Ask a waitress for some pages from her writing pad, put some salt on them and you will have an idea of how this burger tastes.

3. Best Buffet
I have to go with the Wynn and the Mirage a close second.

4. Worst Buffet
One guess...... Imperial palace

5. Best fine dining
Since we have only gone to one fine dining establishment (and I am not even sure if it is classed as fine dining) and that was on an invitation from some friends staying at Monte Carlo I have to say "Brand" at Monte Carlo.

6. Best off Strip hotel
Red Rock

7. Best Poker room
Bellagio The only problem I have with this room is there are no cup holders or trays to be found. Without fail someone has spilled a drink while I have been at the table including myself.
The off duty card room manager was playing at my table and even he couldn't answer why this was. Mirage again is a close second

8. Best Hotel
I have only been slumming between Imperial Palace and Harrahs as well as a short stay at Paris and Rio with my son but we did stay at the Mirage many years ago so I guess that would have to be my best.

9. Best Gambling
I really cannot remember ever having a winning trip so they are all best and worst on my list. If I would just stick to poker I probably could find a winning trip or two once in awhile but I love to spend time with Terry while we are there otherwise I may as well of gone solo.

10. Best suckup if wife reads this post
See #9 above

11. Best porn slapper
There's a cute little lady about 4'9" usually outside the south entrance to Flamingo that when you divert your eyes (we all do that right?)she will kinda cut you off with an end around Peyton Manning would be proud of. She can snap those cards so loud it makes you jump.

I will continue later. We are heading to Casino Niagara which is the best casino to go to when you want to appreciate all Las Vegas has to offer.