Any advice, must sees etc for Las Vegas?

[Usarka]

Heading to Las Vegas in a few days then onto San Fran.

Doing the usual drinking, gambling, Alcatraz (in that order!), but anyone been and have any tips, "must do's" or words of wisdom?

And for any haters, I've just spent a week "Usarka vs Wild" in the Sthn Alps so I've earned it :wari:

Chur in advance.

[merv]

Be going to Lost Wages myself shortly so can't offer any advice on that yet except I do plan to have a look at Hoover Dam and we will do Grand Canyon, Monument Valley and Four Corners while we are at it.

However, when in San Fran you've got to ride the crazy cable cars and we found the trick is buy your ticket but then don't queue up at the end of the line go up a block and wait there to get on with minimal queue because usually there is a space especially as others get off.

[scott411]

Hoover dam is defiantly worth the trip out there, the strip and all the casino's are worth the walk at night as well,

[Laava]

Make sure to visit the Miracle Mile Shops there is an indoor thunder lightning and rain event on the hour, where the big pond is. And it's free as is all the outdoor shows at dark. Blue man group was at the Venetian when we went and was mind blowing. You will have a ball no matter what you end up doing. Cirque de Soleil Ka was also mindblowing if it is still running.
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[Fatt Max]

Was there a couple of years ago

Hoover Dam, amazing

The town of Boulder, funny as fuck

The MGM Grand, a glass cage right in the middle of the casino with real live fecking lions in it.....what the fuck...!!!

Mandalay Bay aquarium, brilliant

The fountains at the Bellagio (a la Oceans 11)

The outdoor roller coaster at New York New York

The outdoor pool at Ceasers Palace, like a Roman baths with scantily clad chicks serving cold piss and a burger bar called (wait for it) Snakus Maximus......brilliant

Mud Wrestling at the Frontier Bar down the end of town, called Dirty Girls and Cold Beer. The bar is like the boozer in From Dusk Till Dawn and has heavy metal bands playing, great place to get seriously drunk in

The Venetian, amazing place, check out the ceiling

The buffet breakfast bar at the Flamingo, best we had plus check out the swimming polls at the Flamingo, it has real fecking Flamingo's in it (Couldnt eat a whole one though, bastards to catch)

The Luxor, mind blowing joint, had the best crumpet as far as I was concerned

My tip is to chill during the day then pick 3 or 4 casino's a night to visit and get into it. Although it is Vegas it has a really relaxed dress code and the people are great. You will meet amazing people from all over the world who, as soon as they hear an accent, will leap on you and be your friend for life. On the plane back home from McCarron to LA, I sat next to a Russian Showgirl, legs up to her armpits and an arse like two eggs in a hanky. Very very VERY friendly chick

Have fun

[MSTRS]

Las Vegas? Advice?

Horrible place. Avoid at all costs.

[Laava]

Have fun

You couldn't do anything else! And it's a great place to take the family for a holiday! Surprised me!

[scott411]

Agree on teh Luxor, pretty cool place to stay. planet hollywood is awesome to with teh Miricle mile shops in the same building,

pretty cheap deals on shows and hotels at www.vegas.com

[MisterD]

How are you getting to San Fran? I did a road trip a few (shit, like 15!) years ago: San Diego to Grand Canyon and back to SF.

I drove from Las Vegas through Death Valley then up to Yosemite NP and across to San Fran.

[Usarka]

Good stuff guys, keep it going anyone else. Another on my list is to go to the gun range and shoot an MP5.


How are you getting to San Fran? I did a road trip a few (shit, like 15!) years ago: San Diego to Grand Canyon and back to SF.


Unfortunately we're flying due to time constraints and distrust of each others driving! Might do a day tour to the Nappa though, then driving is someone elses issue.


Make sure to visit the Miracle Mile Shops there is an indoor thunder lightning and rain event on the hour, where the big pond is. And it's free as is all the outdoor shows at dark.

Is that the outdoor part with the roof? I heard that was worth checking.

[Hitcher]

The shows in Vegas are brilliant, but can be expensive and the newer ones can be hard to get tickets for on the nights that you may be there.

Cirque de Soleil shows are fantastic. The "Love" show is only ever going to be performed in Vegas and it's brilliant.

We went to Penn and Teller one night. Superb!

Go and play on the rides atop the Stratosphere tower. I only managed two of the three. Mrs H is fearless. I am considerably less so.

Walk around the main streets after dark. There are lots of buskers who are pretty darned talented.

Helicopter rides to the Grand Canyon are a good option too, albeit expensive options. They'll get there by doing a loop that includes the Hoover Dam and the new road bridge in front of it. You'll come back to the airport via an aerial run down the Strip: it's like being in your own personal version of the introduction to CSI.

You don't need to go gambling to have fun in Vegas, although "gambling" can make the prices of drinks and nibbles considerably cheaper.

[awayatc]

Gambled in Vegas....
Horrible odds...
Got married there...

and lost.....:bye:

[SPman]

Mexican touts on the main drag offering "girls to your door in 15 mins"...........

[MisterD]

Oh, words of wisdom Alcatraz-wise. You need to book the trip at least a day in advance, I was only in SF for a day before heading down the coastal highway to LA so had to make do with a boat trip around the island and under the Golden Gate.

I still plan to go back and MTB in Marin County - the Repack Run is on my Bucket List.

[Usarka]

Go and play on the rides atop the Stratosphere tower. I only managed two of the three. Mrs H is fearless. I am considerably less so.


Is that the ones on the outside of the tower? Thanks for the name of the hotel, it's definitely on the list just needed to know where :D (ps - welcome back).

[-df-]

words of wisdom?


just the 1 thing...there are 2 types of strip clubs over there...the type that sells piss (topless), and the type that does not (full nude)...

[Usarka]

Also, if one is taking advantage of the fabled free drinks on the gaming floors (do they still do this???) what is an appropriate tip for the waitress?


just the 1 thing...there are 2 types of strip clubs over there...the type that sells piss (topless), and the type that does not (full nude)...

Huh? What's the logic behind that. Are the second ones "not really strip clubs at all" :innocent:

[-df-]

Also, if one is taking advantage of the fabled free drinks on the gaming floors (do they still do this???) what is an appropriate tip for the waitress?



Huh? What's the logic behind that. Are the second ones "not really strip clubs at all" :innocent:

Well I did get pulled out the back for a quick free taste of what they offered to tempt me, so yeah...they are a mix of both...and tell you what...after being awake for 36+ hours after the flight, I REALLY wanted a beer...ended up drinking them out of red bulls (generally free drinks once inside after paying cover charge...I'd paid my cover charge so was going to get my moneys worth)...didn't help the whole getting to sleep thing...but thats not really the point of vegas!

actually another thing, if you are staying in a flash hotel, when they ask you if you've been there before, say no...infact never been to the states before...worked for me (was true for me), lady said she'd make sure I got a nice room then, got put right up the top of the Ventian Hotel over looking the strip while my work mate got stuck at the bottom overlooking some drain pipe.

[scott411]

Also, if one is taking advantage of the fabled free drinks on the gaming floors (do they still do this???) what is an appropriate tip for the waitress?



Huh? What's the logic behind that. Are the second ones "not really strip clubs at all" :innocent:

yep drinks are served free at most of the casino's, how much you tip depends on how quickly you want them to come back, i always only did a couple of dollers,

and if you want to go to a strip club spearmint rhino's is the one to go to, all the taxi's will take you there for free as well, but as above, you can drink so the bottoms stay on

[Bald Eagle]

. stuck at the bottom overlooking some drain pipe.
That would be vegas then