Hi:
New member here. Was told about this board on Fodor's. I have enjoyed reading all the interesting posts.
We are coming to Vegas in late June. SO for the first time. Me, last time was 25 years ago during my misspent youth ! We are staying at Paris and just have three short days. Any tips, advice, unknown goodies you could share with us? Thanks in advance!
annie in nyc

Paris is a marvelous experience. Excellent choice. Ask for a room overlooking the Strip. By all means, do try their breakfast buffet. It's a little pricey ($11.50 last time I was there about a year ago, but worth every penney and then some). The Eiffel Tower restaurant is outstanding. I relished the Chocolate Plate dessert as well as the view of the fountains at Bellagio.

If you haven't been to LV in 25 years you won't recognize the place. Just cruise the Strip and you'll see 3 miles of wild, crazy, wonderful, only in Las Vegas marvels. My favorite secret is the penguins at the Flamingo. They're located in the garden just to the rear of the casino. then tere are the shops at Caesar's Palace, the top of the Stratosphere tower just at sunset, pirate show at Treasure Island, volcano at the Mirage, ad infinitum.

Enjoy...

[ 27 February 2002: Message edited by: OLDJIM ]

Wow Annie, if it's been 25 years, you will notice a few changes. It's an adult Disneyland now. It will be extremely hot, so dress light and wear very comfortable shoes, yeat maintain a light jacket/sweater because the casinos are cold. At Paris, you might ask for a room facing Bellagio, and depending on your taste it may well be worth paying a few bucks extra because of the view of the lake at night when the waters are dancing. You might also be interested in the NewYork NewYork hotel. You could spend 3 days just going from hotel to hotel and enjoying the variety of themes.

There are two very good resources that could get you started. One is to go to the trip reports section of this buletin board, and backdate to read all the notes, then start reading some trip reports.(ditto for all of the sections) Another excellent source would be if you get the Travel Channel on TV. They are pretty good with Las Vegas specials.

3 days is kinda short for a first stay (25 years ago doesn't count ) Especially since we don't know what you like to do. Typically, you might want to check out the free "six minute wonders", such as the Mirage volcano eruption, the Pirate battle at TI, the dancing waters at Bellagio, statues at Caesars, the show in the sky at the Rio, and there are a few more. These are free entertainment to entice you to the hotel.


There are great places to eat and there are places to eat great amounts. There are overpriced, top of the line dining options and there are bargains. There are 24 hour coffee shops and some places that only open for dinner. And that's just dining. Were you thinking of fine dining, steaks, Italian, all you can eat buffets, cheap eats, seafood, or something else?

You might also want to see a show or two or three. There are still a few shows with Las Vegas showgirls in tall feathered outfits. Most resorts offer a house show that plays all the time and another showroom for a traveling headliner. A few places will have a daytime show. Impersonators are big for shows. Elvis impersonators, female impersonators, and entertainment impersonators. Magic is also a popular theme. Some are high dollar shows and some are cheap.

There is a big night club scene in Vegas that is fast growing. There are three very popular roller coasters. Virtual reality is popular. Shopping is real big, as is window shopping. There is a Wet and Wild water park on the strip. There are beautiful views and great Kodak moments.

We can give you very good advice if you give us a little background as to what you would like in regards to dining, entertainment, gambling, getting around town, etc.

Hi:
Thanks for the replies!
Likes...hmmmm....I guess I can say we are game for anything especially because it is my SO"s first time and my "second" first time
He loves buffets!!! I guess he'll be in heaven!. I happen to enjoy a great steak...does this help?
All the sights to see....walking is my best mode of transport?
We will be come regulars after this trip? I hope so! Such an easy trip to plan and so easy to enjoy. I am glad to see my hotel choice gets good reviews. Keep the information coming!
Thanks.
annie in nyc

Annie,

You're in for quite a surprise after 25 years!

I couldn't stand to be in Vegas without a car but I doubt you'll need one. You're almost in the center of the strip. You can easily fill 3 days seeing the sights that are within walking distance.

I second the recomendation for the breakfast buffet at Paris. Make note of the free 'theme' shows JMT told you about.

Take a cab downtown one evening to see the Freemont St. show. Pullman Grill at Main Street Station and Redwood Grill at the California would be good choices for your steak dinner.

If you want to see a headliner show you will need to make reservations way in advance. The prices are steep for these types of shows.
The breakfast buffet at Paris is great and the dinner buffet at Paris and Bellagio are pricey but they are pretty good quality. Seafood buffets tend to not do to well as it is hard to keep seafood in top condition on steam tables.
Good luck.

Three days will not be enough to see and do everything there is to see and do - but it will wet your appetite to come back and try to see and do everything - I think you will agree that Las Vegas is indeed the entertainment captial of the world. Have fun. Wendell

Here is a sample schedule I dreamed up for you. you obviously couldn't follow it to a T, but it covers the basics.

Day 1, Check in. Explore your hotel and get to know it well enough so in case you get split up, you can always meet at a given location that you will be familiar with. Go next door to the south and check out the Aladdin. It's a huge hotel with a pretty good size shopping mall. Keep going south to towards the MGM. Before you get there, you will come to a green building with a huge coke bottle elevator. IF YOU LIKE CocaCola, check this place out. It's not free, but it's relatively cheap. It's basically a Coke Museum with lots of memorbilia, history, artifacts, displays, and samples of Coke products from around the world. As you leave, on the other side is a chocolate lovers dream with an Ethel M's Chocolate store and an M&M world. (If you haven't tried Ethel M's Chocolate, it's really good) The M&M place is huge with all kinds of M&M stuff. Moving on south, you will come to the MGM. Check this place out. It is huge. Cross the street to the Tropicana, while taking in the view of NYNY and Excalibur. Great photo op. The Tropicana has a gaming museum in it, it has lots of live exotic birds in the hallways, and is an example of some of the older Las Vegas that has more history to it than actual bang for the buck. Along the way, grab any lunch that fits your fancy. I reccomend Fatburger which is located in a strip mall between the MGM and Aladdin. Great burgers and shakes. Another option might be Emeril Lagassees seafood place int he MGM. After checking out the Trop, go across the street to the Excalibur. The real beauty of the Excalibur is the outside. They cater to families, so there are a lot of kids there. One thing I like is that downstairs in the arcade area they have Magic Motion Machines. Basically its a high resolution movie of race cars or roller coasters and the seats move to make you feel like you are part of the show. It's pretty good entertainment for about $5 a pop. Leave the Excalibur and go north to NewYorkNewYork. There should be lots for you to see and do there, including a pretty awesome roller coaster. Moving on to the north you will come to the Monte Carlo. It wont take long to venture through and see the whole thing. They do a microbrewery that might be nice. There is a tram in the back that goes directly to the Bellagio. Take the tram and check out Bellagio. When you leave Bellagio, you can go across the street to Ballys, and then on to Paris which is your home base. Clean up and it's time for dinner and a show. For dinner, the Bellagio buffet ranks pretty high. Perhaps you saw something in NYNY that appealed to you. For shows, Lance Burton at the Monte Carlo is the best magic show in town. Blue Man Group plays at Luxor (next door to the Excalibur). And if you want an old fashioned Las Vegas revue, Tropicana has Follies Bergere and Ballys has Jubilee. Check out the Bellagio dancing waters after dark. You should be tired by now. Get lots of rest for a long day tomorrow.

Day 2. Paris breakfast buffet. Going north, first is Ballys, then across to the Flamingo. The Falmingo has more history than bang, but it has an excellent pool area that is worth seeing. On north to O'Sheas, then the Imperial Palace. The Imperial Palace is less upscale that what you have seen previously. I think it is less sanitary, but that point could be argued. The best part of this place IMHO is the antique car museum at the top floor of the parking lot. You can find discount or free coupons in the freebie magazines around town. On north to Harrahs which should be uneventful. There is an ice cream parlor across from the entrance that might hit the spot. On north to Casino Royale. Past that is the Venetian. You could spend a lot of time in the Venetian. It's a beauty. There is a neat wax museum there. You can ride a gondola through the canal while the guy sings love songs to you. They have a good size shopping area. Check out the restaraunts and get a good lunch. For Southwestern Cuisine, I like Star Canyon. There is not a lot going on just north of the Venetian, so I suggest taking a cab from there to downtown. Downtown has about 15 casinos compacted into a small area. It's a great place for cheap eats and low stakes gambling. If you like downtown, stay awhile. You can have a nice steak dinner at the Redwood Grill in the California hotel for about $15. Ask for the steak special that isn't on the menu. Or you could eat next door to the Redwood at the Pasta Pirate if their menu looks better to you. The Second Street grill at the Fremont is a safe dining bet too. If you just want a beer and snack food, don't miss Happy Hour at Main Street Station. They have a Microbrewery with excellent beer and some pretty good food with large protions at good prices. If you are downtown after dark, be sure and catch the show dispalyed on the awning down Freemont street. It shows on the hour after dark. Catch a cab back towards the strip to Treasure Island. if you haven't eaten, check out something in the Venetian or a buffet at the Mirage. There is a free outside show at Treasure Island of a pirate battle with an English ship. After that show, move on in and visit Treasure Island. Then go next door to The Mirage which has an active volcano outside. It's a neat little show. Then go inside the Mirage and check it out. After the Mirage, check your watch. If you have time, you can check out Caesars Palace or go to NYNY to enjoy the dueling pianos. Caesars will often have some good live entertainment in a couple fo their bars. Either way, you will be close to home for the evening.

Day 3. Pick a breakfast. Visit Caesars again. Take your time venturing through the Forum Shops at Caesars. There is a set of statues that come to life at the east end. Near the statues is La Salsa which has the best Margaritas in town. There is also a magic shop called Magic Masters which puts on a little display/sales pitch after the statue show. The Forum Shops also feature an FAO Schwartz and another more extravagant statue show at the other end of the mall. Also in the mall, is a Palm steakhouse that has lunch specials with some pretty good steaks. After lunch, head over to The Rio, behind Caesars. The Rio is a pretty high energy place that has a MardiGras type show int he sky over a part of the casino which is interesting. You can even sign up and pay a small fee to dress up and participate to ride in one of the sky floats. This should fill up your Vegas experience. If there is time, you will have seen many things that you want to investigate and things you want to do again.

That's just an efficient quick tour of Vegas. It doesn't include side trips such as Hoover Dam, Valley of Fire, or Red Rock Canyon. it doesn't include the many casinos of the Boulder Strip. it doesn't include the CircusCircus where there are circus acts all over the casino. It doesn't include the Hilton where there is Star Trek experience that is a must-do item for any Trekkie. It's just barely a fraction of the dining available. It doesn't include the NASCAR experience at the Sahara which also sports a roller coaster. It doesn't include Wet&Wild. it doesn't include the Stratosphere, famnous for the big tower with rides on top. it's not half of the upscale malls. And it's not nearly all of the casinos. Not even the Hard Rock.

As for tips and tricks, every hotel employee and public services employee wears name badges. Call them by name and treat them nice and they will appreciate it and treat you right. Hotel employees love tips for services renderd. Some even take bribes for better show seating, better restaraunt seating, nicer room at check in, etc. It's not uncommon to carry a few $1, $5, and $25 gambling chips with you at all times and have them visible when you ask for a better show seat or room, and tip them appropriately. Also tell them you just got married and it's your honeymoon and they will treat you a little better. Make show reservations as early as possible. Make dinner reservations at the fancier places. Try to dress up a little at the fancier restaurants. Tennis shoes and jeans are frowned upon at some upscale restaurants. If you think you might want to keep going back to Vegas and would like to get some offers in the mail from casinos when they have special deals, you can sign up for their slot club card. Just find the slot club when you visit the casino. Generally they just want basic drivers license type info, and issue you a card on the spot. You can sign up for many of the cards at their on line web sites. Traffic really stinks on the strip, especially at night and prime times. Don't plan on taking a cab or driving during prime times. And if you do, ask for the fastest route. There are a lot of food specials advertised on billboards, marquees, magazines, and all over. Most are junk. Ask around and get advice. Many of the reputable strip resorts will have their menu posted outside their door so you can evaluate it as you tour the hotel/casino. Comfortable shoes are a must. Drink lots of water. The dry heat can sneak up on you. It's generally safe to walk the streets but ALWAYS, even in the casinos and public areas, don't be prone to a pickpocket. Don't wear flashy jewelry, carry loose handbags, or carry lots of items that distract you from paying attention to everything you have with you. Many shows, attractions, and restaraunts have long lines, so make reservations and arrive early. Don't gamble more than you can afford to lose. While you visit the casinos, watch the people playing and you will see who pays the bills for these fancy joints. Vegas is a great people watching town.

If you have any questions, just ask.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.!!!
I have printed out your suggestions. Now I am sorry I only have three days! Well, I'll just have to start planning our next visit !

Joe, you are AMAZING!!! That is the best post I have ever seen regarding what to do in Las Vegas.
I have a friend that is going for the first time. I will email your post to her. Your suggestions are right on. I am surprised you mentioned Emerils since we got tossed out of there<G>

John, I bet if you and I went with Annie and her SO to Emerils, they wouldn't let us in.

I've had a few friends ask me about Vegas lately. They ask a ten word question and the answer is ten pages of text.

I think it's a pretty logical layout in general. Please don't hesitate to add suggestions or tips or alternatives. The south route one day makes sense. Going north on the strip on the east side of the strip is fine for daytime, but coming south by TI, Mirage, Caesars, and maybe Bellagio is a good night time route since it picks up the 6 minute wonders. And the third day filling in the blanks makes sense (to me).

Even without details on exactly how much time they will have, something along these lines oughta give her a good taste of the New Las Vegas. Since her trip isn't until summer, I still think that reading this bulletin board, especially the trip reports is the best advice we could give her.

Thanks for the compliment

Hi;
You folks are the best...I'll keep checking out this thread for your hints.
We'd be honored to go to Emeril's with you
We've been thrown out of better places


annie in nyc

There's something i've been thinking about and this may help Annie as well. John mentioned show reservations and making them in advance, how far in advance would you recommend.

Earth, Wind and fire is playing at the Hilton in May and i wouldn't mind seeing that show. Would the best way to reserve tickets be to call the hotel direct or through another source.

Ed, call the Hilton at 1-800-732-7117 or 1-800-367-7917 and ask them what is the earliest date you can make reservations/purchase tickets for the show. Also ask them if you can reserve tickets farther in advance if you are staying at the Las Vegas Hilton. Sometimes they will give guests a little advance on purchasing tickets. Each property has different rules so use the 800 numbers to find out what they are. Especially if there is a show you really want to see. Some shows allow purchase 3 months in advance. But remember, the purchases are non refundable.
Good luck.

Thanks John, they're at the hilton May 10-13, i'll give the Hilton a call soon.

Annie: You are about to have the "time of your life" Enjoy. Wendell

For sheer adventure, what about taking a helicopter ride over the bright lights of the Strip at night, as the Bellagio waters dance to the sounds of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, or Liza Minelli!

WHAT AN AMAZING CITY!!!!!!!

Joe, I've been to Vegas about fifteen times in the last 6 1/2 yrs., and I have to admit that reading your "3-day Vegas Guideline" post just gave me a SERIOUS WOODY FOR SIN CITY buddy!!!!

No kidding, as someone else said, that earlier post by Joe was probably THE BEST POST describing things to do in Vegas that I'VE EVER READ ANYWHERE!

I'm definitely gonna copy it and duplicate it to give to some of my friends & acquaintances who always ask me in their whining sarcastic voices....

"you going back to Vegas AGAIN?!" or
"what's there to do in Vegas other than gamble?!"

You all know EXACTLY what I'm talking about!

Again, brilliant post Joe... utterly brilliant!

T-11

Take Care All,
A Turned-OnC DiP

Annie: A couple of other items you might not want to miss. A "free" monorail runs between the MGM and Ballys and a "free" tram runs between Treasure Island and the Mirage - these run about once every 10 minutes, oh and while in the Mirage, don't miss Sigfried and Roys white tigers and there are dolphins in the rear - the tropical rain forest is great for photos. As you can see by JMT'S post and other tid-bits, 3 days will only entice you back. Wendell

Oh, and for a fantastic view of the lights of Vegas at night, the observation deck of the Stratosphere cannot be beat (tallest structure west of the Mississippi - elevator traveling 21 miles per hour to reach the top. Roller Coaster on top (no parachutes furnished though (G)

LOL!
I am already in the planning stages of trip #2!
Keep it coming guys and gals!

annie in nyc

Be careful Annie,
This city gets its hooks in you pretty quick! <VBG>
It started with me when I was just 12yrs old, and I couldn't wait to get back to Las Vegas, even then.
I love the constant changes, it's a city that is constantly reinventing itself. Even after my many many trips, every time I visit, I always learn something new and see something differnt. I've found that is what makes the place so exciting.
Oh, BTW, Welcome to the Board!

Annie - don't forget to file your trip report when you return - we will all be looking for this one. Wendell

I promise to file a trip report as soon I return.
annie in nyc

JMT - that was the most fantastic tour guide I've ever seen anywhere. It should be published in a magazine. You are amazing. I remember way back in the olden times on *P when you used to help people in great detail on the Computer BB.

Joyce, you are right that JMT has been around since "olden times". I think he may have been the first person ever to buy a computer back in 1886<G>

Thanks Joyce, I appreciate it. I was the first on that old BB to do on-line trip reports daily from Las Vegas. Of course, they weren't called trip reports back then. I just posted the goings on a few times per day. I bought a brand new IBM 286 laptop and took it to Vegas with me. It weighed about 20 pounds. I was still using it a couple of years ago with an old DOS program that plugged into my cars computers so I could work on my cars easier. I sold the computer and car program about a year ago on Ebay since I don't have a car with a computer that linked to that program.

Hi All:
Just got back! What a blast. We had a great time and are already planning our return trip!

National Airlines flights were good. Airport security extremely tight.

Paris Hotel was lovely and is now my hotel of choice. We had a corner room facing the Bellagio, Great service too!
Went to Hoover Dam when we first got there. Amazing scenery!
We parked the car at the hotel and never used it again but we were glad to have it, just in case.

In no particular order: Walked through just about every casino and hotel lobby between the Venetian and Luxor. Did not get downtown this trip....
Venetian-gondola ride and Madame Tussaud's
Ceasar's Palace-3D Imax ride Race for Atlantis
NYNY for just being NYNY...SO enjoyed the Roller Coaster.
(NOT ME :p )
We ate at the American Cafe...not too bad. Great waitress!
Bellagio Fountains (many times)
MGM for the Lion Habitat and for the tram between Bally's and MGM
Tropicana for the Rick Thomas and Follies Bergere shows. We won tickets to both of these on a free spin machines stationed outside the Tropicana. If you did not win a prize you still got a chit for a deck of cards.
Tram between Excalibur and Mandalay Bay. Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay. (Spectacular)
Ate at the buffet at Paris, MGM, and Harrah's all very good and we had coupons or comps for each of them .
Thanks again for your help and I look forward to my next trip!

Glad you had a great trip, Annie -

Thanks for giving us a list of some of the great stuff you enjoyed

If you have a nice airconditioned place to sit in front of the computer in, may be you could post some more in the trip report section of the Board??

Like --- how did the buffets compare, or what was your favorite attraction, or what was the biggest surprise after having not been there for 25 years ! or did you win any money !

Have pity on those of us who aren't planning a trip in the near future, and need all the virtual LV we can get!

Kes