Las Vegas...what to see/do..

[Sonya]

Me and the hubby are going to Vegas next week...this is our first time...can anyone suggest things to do/see there other than gambling? Like any show that is really great or a restaurant that was really good? We are staying at the Mirage.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Sunny]

Hi Sonya.

It's probably been 20 years since I went to Vegas, but we did some really fun things. One was that we signed up for a tour of a time-share place out in Pahrump (I could hardly believe that was the real name!! LOL). The bus trip out took quite a while and the scenery was absolutely gorgeous. We went through the National Joshua Tree Forest which I found interesting.

We also took a tour out to the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon. The absolute highlight of the trip for me was flying in a six seater Cessna in the Canyon!!!!

It really was awesome!

We also toured a chocolate factory...... yuuuummmm, yuuuummmmm!

No doub there are a zillion more things to do now, but if you keep your eye out for things off the beaten path a little, you'll find some really neat things to do.

Hope you and hubby have a fabulous trip!

 

[Mona]

When my hubby and I went, we never even took in any shows..not much into those sorts of things, and also, they seemed very pricey, so we opted for something we would enjoy more.

What I loved the most was the two trips we made OUT of Vegas! We went to a ranch for a horseback ride through the desert. It was all walk though, so you may not like it. I did, because I had a real bad back last year, so the walk only was good, and also after a couple hours of riding at a walk only, I had no sore inner thighs from having to "hang on" at a faster pace! No "cowboy" walk for me when I dismounted.

I have never been in the desert before, so I was VERY facinated with it all! We rode for a couple hours then went back to the ranch for a steak supper, which left lots to be desired, but the day on horseback more than made up for it. It has been many years since the last time I rode a horse, so I thoroughly enjoyed myself. My husband told me the smile it put on my face more than made it all worthwhile!

Then, the HIGHLIGHT of our trip was a helicopter tour/trip (Maverick Helicopters) out to the Grand Canyon. It was AWESOME! SO breathtaking, I seriously was almost in tears at the feeling it put over me. It was just so wonderous. I suppose though if you are used to seeing desert it would be no big deal. And then we touched town for a champagne luncheon on a ledge in the canyon. (My hubby does not drink and I don't like champagne so we stuck to the cheese, veggies etc.) It was quite expensive to make that trip, but VERY well worth it! We knew we were going to the Grand Canyon, but wasn;t sure where or how, as there are soooo many places offering different types of packages, but hubby wanted to take that expensive helicopter ride which I was more against, but man, am I glad I let him choose! It was absolutely breathtaking!

 

[mininik]

Get on top of the Stratosphere Hotel (921 feet up) and ride the rides. You'll NEVER forget it. I am terrified of heights, so everything from the very fast closed elevator ride to the observation deck to shooting up to 1,081 feet (experiencing 4Gs on the way up and negative Gs on the way down) on the Big Shot ride was breathtaking. You can also roller coaster around the top of the thing in the X-Scream, or hang off the side on the Insanity. You can see the entire city and beyond. Night time is great for all the lights.

http://www.stratospherehotel.com/

I also love Mandalay Bay... it's just beautiful.

Other people like Circus Circus, or the older Vegas Strip...

Margaritaville is there, and the M&M shop is always cool.

Be sure to catch the free water fountain shows in front of the Belagio (as seen in Oceans 11), or the pirates show in front of Treasure Island.

MGM Grand is neat, they've got some big kitty exhibits.

I spent a week there over Christmas a couple years ago, out every day all day, and still didn't get to see everything.

I love it there and I do NOT gamble.

 

[macy--red carpet minis]

OO, I can help!

My family goes there every summer!

Vegas is AMAZING and hands down my favorite city to visit, you will have an absolute blast!!!!

You HAVE to make sure and go by the Bellagio hotel one night when the water show is going on, it's beautiful. The Paris hotel is really nice to go up the Eiffell tower and when you walk through have an amazing french pastry shop. The MGM hotel has an awesome lion exibit where the lions are in a huge habitat and you can watch them through glass. Studio 54 is in there too! Along with the Rainforest Cafe..that's a cool place to eat.

If your into rides then you really need to check out the rollercoaster at the New York, New York Hotel. Also, the Stratosphere is an INCREDIBLE ride. It is a "Drop Zone" on top of a skinny bulding that is the height of two Eiffel towers on top of one another.

If your going, go SHOPPING!!! Ceaser's Palace is THE place for shopping. It's a once in a lifetime shopping experience. And, there is a state of the art Car Muesem that has a ton of antique, fixed up, really nice cars...that could occupy your husband during the shopping

There are lots and lots of shows that you can see. It really just depends on what you like. This past summer we saw one called "The Ultimate Variety Show" and it was really good. There's almost always a singer there if you want to see one of them while your in town, you'll just need to check your dates.

Also, theres a really great Botanical Gardens--- the gardens and animals that used to be with Siegfried and Roy---that has the white tigers that you can see! It's also at the Bellagio Hotel.

Hope this was some help to you!

 

[Mona]

Oh yes, and you just have to be sure to get down to for the wonderful "Freemont Street Experience" for the wonderful lights show...the street is all "under cover"!! It is soo cool! It is the old Las Vegas...the original area.

And you can get a DELICIOUS steak dinner at Barbary Coast for a very reasonable price. They had EXCELLENT food there, and that was my favorite place to eat.

And also watch the dancing water show in front of I believe it was the Bellagio. Ride the bus up and down the strip. Get an all day pass and you can get on and off as many times as you want, all day long...GREAT investment!

Oh yes, and I forgot about Madame______(my mind is drawing a blank) wax museum!! It too is on the strip!

Stay away from the people that are on streetcorners or line the sidewalk looking to drum up casino business and "escort" services. They all stand with their hands out with "calling cards", making this silly snapping noise with their cards all the time! Also the "Casino Royale" is a DIVE..one I just even hated walking past!

Margaritaville was a hit, and people can walk up and down the strip drinking out in public!!

Oh, and we went to the top of the Stratosphere too, and I never even ride rides at the fair as I get sick, but hubby loves rides, but even he was too chicken to get on those ones that high up outside the top of the stratosphere!! We did go on the rollercoaster ride though over New York, New York. (

 

[Camelotcavs]

First let me tell you I am the queen of cheap...

Did Vegas last year with my Husband for $1000 total which included:

- round trip air for 2 from Lansing Michigan.

- hotel for 3 nights

- food

- three shows

- souvenirs

- minimal gambling

Here is a link to a strip map:

Strip Map

(I printed this and had in the binder with all my other Vegas "stuff")

Here is a list of free things to do in Vegas:

Free Vegas Shows

I went through these before our last trip there and had a schedule of what we wanted to see and the times. (I printed them and put them in a binder that I took with us so we could make adjustments.)

Sirens Of TI is a must see after dark but get there early for a good spot.

The animatronic show at Ceasear's is neat but you walk forever through their "mall" to get there.

Show at the Rio is neat but kinda short.

Here is a link to coupons:

Vegas Coupons

The drag queen show, La Cage, is wonderful if you like that sort of thing.

Michael Johns is a hypnotist - we see him every time we are in Vegas but this is an ADULT only show. He is hysterical. (wow, these two shows kinda give you a feeling for our sick humor.) his web site is:

Michael Johns

Souvenirs - we get t-shirts, the sparkly ones for our girls. All the hotel gift shops have them but if you travel north on the strip (in the area where Toby Keith's bar is - same side) there is a little shop where you can get the same shirts for $5 each instead of $25-30.

The strip shuttle does not cost much per day but you do have to wait until one has available space. If you are cheap like me the main hotel/casinos have their own shuttle service and you do not have to stay at that hotel to use them. (For example Ceaser's is on the side street) These are free and the longest wait is 25 minutes. They do not make as many stops as the shuttle, but if you know what general area you want to go to these are great.

You will be bombarded in the casinos/hotels about checking out a time share at Tahiti Village. We sign up every time. They ask for your info and usually a $20 deposit to make sure you show up for the tour. I know it sounds like a scam but if you have a couple extra hours (sign up for mornings as there is not alot of other fun stuff going on then) I say go for it. They pick you up at your hotel, drive you to the resort, give a presentation nd then try to hardsell you a timeshare - just say no!!!!

Why is this something you may want to do??? For the Freebies!!!! Shop around, the best deal we received was at the back of the Imperial Palace (near the entrance to the auto museum - very neat if you like cars - they even had Eleanor there and if you print out the coupon it is free!) They gave us $100, two tickets to the show we wanted and $60 in food coupons. Of course you get these after the hardsell at Tahiti village. Oh yeah, you also get your $20 back.

One other tip that is important - when you get off the plane go outside and purchase your shuttle tickets first (if there are two of you have one go to baggage). That way you don't get stuck in the long line for shuttle tickets with everyone else after they collect their bags.

 

[Valerie]

Oh man I LOVE Vegas!!!

We went last May....we rented a car & went out to the Skybridge.....the new see through bridge that goes out over part of the Grand Canyon....... they have a lot of improvements to make, but that was a trip I will never forget. I am very afraid of heights, but to go out on something that is see through and look down...it was pretty awesome!

As far as shows go....I say save your $ and splurge on a Cirque D'Soleil show......we saw Mystere....excellent, but around $100 a piece......next time I go, I am going to see the Cirque Water show "O"....supposed to be their very best.

I have also seen the Blue Man Group 2x.....loved it both times.....but I do like music and it can get loud!!

Just enjoy the strip......don't cross the streets without the crosswalks (I know seems like a given, but you would be surprised how many people do it & get hit or almost hit by cars).....

There is a tram that runs behind a lot of the hotels on the strip (MGM side)......I haven't taken it but heard it's pretty convenient.....I found the buses pretty easy to manage.

We took a taxi from the airport....(3 of us, same fair for 1 taxi ) and didn't have to wait long, etc. I value my time like it is $, so the faster I get someplace the happier I am.

The volcano is free outside Mirage......very cool to watch in the evening. The Bellagio fountains you don't want to miss. Also in Cesar's Palace they have some robotic type statues....the Venetian has live people statues in the "Grande Canal Shoppes"....very cool...... We have stayed at the Venetian twice and we loved it both times. I have also stayed at the Luxor and frankly it didn't meet my expecations...I have bad allergies and to me the room and part of the hotel smelled musty.......kinda like the Excalibur.

But I highly recommend walking into the hotels to take a peek...the Bellagio atrium gardens are lovely....

Mandalay Bay has a big Shark Reef thing...kinda spendy but cool.

I love the M&M Factory & the Coca-Cola place.....very fun to go to & find neat things.

Wow, I am so jealous!

Have a great time and don't let the porn pushers on the streets bug you...just ignore them, it is illegal for htem to speak to people (per our conversation with the local police) but they will flick the cards together to get your attention..just walk on by.

Oh and we found the timeshare people...they always ask when you are leaving, just tell them later today then they won't bug you.....

 

[The Simple Life Farm]

I have been a few times. I enjoyed the Lake Mead trip the best, very relaxing. If you do Hoover Dam, opt for the full tour. The grand canyoun was breathtaking.

You just gotta see the Bellagio, it is beautiful. We went during Thanksgiving, got to see their Thanksgiving "garden", then a few days later, went to see their Christmas garden.

The Ethel M Chocolate Factory/ cactus garden was cool (free samples)

All this talk has me wanting to go again!!!!! Have fun.

 

[Neil]

Me and the hubby are going to Vegas next week...this is our first time...can anyone suggest things to do/see there other than gambling? Like any show that is really great or a restaurant that was really good? We are staying at the Mirage.

Thanks in advance.

As someone else has mentioned the Skywalk over the west end of the Grand Canyon is a great trip.

http://www.lasvegasgrandcanyontour.com/bus...on-west-rim.htm

As the tour page says it is an 11 hour trip hotel to hotel but includes Hoover Dam, Lake Mead and the Skywalk over the Grand Canyon.

I stopped at the Skywalk on the way home from Worlds in Ft Worth last October. The Skywalk is something I will never forget and would love to go back and do again.

View from Guano Point

Drawing of Skywalk. The building is not there yet.

Photo of Skywalk

 

[Sonya]

oh wow, thanks everyone...I didn't expect to get so much info. I'm going to print this out and take it with me and look up all those links...I did find some coupons online. I know a few people who have been to Vegas but they primarily just go to gamble, not really sight see. We only will be there for 3 nights/3 days..I hope to limit the gambling to as least as possible (hubby loves to gamble)...so if I have things all printed out with info, it will be much easier to pull him from the table/slots.

Thanks again! Woohoo...I can't wait I'm in desperate need of a mini-vacation.

 

[Camelotcavs]

Sonya,

Since you are not too far from Lansing sign up with Allegiant Air for their email specials.

About twice a year they offer incredible deals for Vegas and Orlando.

Karyn

 

[Sonya]

Thankyou Karyn -

I'm flying out of Flint on AirTran...it was only $210 round trip each. Plus I am an Air Traffic Controller at Flint and am suppose to get upgraded to first class free...we'll see! How much was the flight from Lansing?

It is a straight through flight which is nice and it goes out twice daily at Flint, B737.

 

[Shelley]

Thankyou Karyn -

I'm flying out of Flint on AirTran...it was only $210 round trip each. Plus I am an Air Traffic Controller at Flint and am suppose to get upgraded to first class free...we'll see! How much was the flight from Lansing?

It is a straight through flight which is nice and it goes out twice daily at Flint, B737.

Just went in July with my sisters.

Go see Circe de Soleil "O" at the Bellagio!! Pricey but WELL worth every single penney!

You do need to buy your tickets ahead of time..we bought ours online.

Also, you can go downtown in the evening, that is always fun.

Oh, and go go the Venetian and take the Gondola ride!

The Secret Garden at the Mirage is a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the strip.

I've heard the aquarium at Mandalay Bay is nice but didn't get the opportunity to see it.

Even if you just go from casino to casino to take in the architecture, you'll have a great time.

Can I stow away in your suitcase??

Shelley

 

[Sixstardanes]

We are about 3hrs away from Vegas so sometimes drive out there.

Foodwise - Outback Steakhouse. I've gotten the best ribeye ever from the LV one.

FAO Swartz in Ceasar's Palace - lots of plush animals including lifesized equines!

Something weird - if the Tropicana still has it going (I haven't gone yet but want to)

is the Bodies the exhibition.

See http://tropicanalv.com/ent_bodies.asp

Have fun!

 

[Sonya]

Got back yesterday...WOW is all I can say! We did some of the things that you all told me about, but still missed alot too (which we'll catch when we go back near the end of this year

)

Thankyou everyone for all the advice and info...I want to say if you have never been to Vegas, you just have to go...it is amazing...you do not even have to gamble at all either..there is so much to see, I was in awe. We did gamble though, more than what we wanted too, didn't win...of course...it's not designed to win. But it was awesome!

Thanks again