Vegas

[GenevaSaint]

Off to Vegas on Thursday, any shouldn't miss "experiences". I've got a couple of other guys who've been before but would like some independant voices. Obviously will do the hotels, might do Grand Canyon trip. Any advice on clubs of the ladies and normal varieties also, dress code for said establishments? Any other tips greatly appreciated.

[stevegrant]

Dress codes for the nightclubs vary massively. Most of them will have promoters hanging around the hotels during the day giving out promo entry vouchers, so it's a decent idea to check with them before you head out for the evening.

 

For example, there are basically no dress code requirements at all in Coyote Ugly (in New York, New York), but in Studio 54 (MGM Grand) it's much more "smart casual", no trainers, etc.

 

Studio 54 is highly-rated, but having been there last year I thought it was a load of crap. Overpriced and overcrowded.

[dune]

Put all your money on red.

[Gemmel]

Off to Vegas on Thursday, any shouldn't miss "experiences". I've got a couple of other guys who've been before but would like some independant voices. Obviously will do the hotels, might do Grand Canyon trip. Any advice on clubs of the ladies and normal varieties also, dress code for said establishments? Any other tips greatly appreciated.

 

I always felt slighty guilty for claiming back "Naked mud wrestling", on my expenses, but I soon got over it..... Try and squeeze that in if you get a chance.

 

The Wynn Hotel is worth a visit even if you are not staying there. They have a Ferrari dealership in the reception of the hotel, which basically sums up Vegas.... It's just all a little bit mad

[iansums]

Off to Vegas on Thursday, any shouldn't miss "experiences". I've got a couple of other guys who've been before but would like some independant voices. Obviously will do the hotels, might do Grand Canyon trip. Any advice on clubs of the ladies and normal varieties also, dress code for said establishments? Any other tips greatly appreciated.

 

Change that to 'must'.

[buctootim]

Havent been there for a few years, but basically if you're after 24 hour women, alcohol, gambling, and a good dose of tack -its pretty hard to miss regardless of where you go. Have fun.

 

Edit: Quad biking in the desert is great.

Edited 11 October, 2010 by buctootim

[RonManager]

Put all your money on red.

 

Put all your money on black.

[Alanh]

There is so much to do there that it all kind of blends in. I think you have got to come back saying that you did a bit of gambling and ideally left in profit. You've got to go to a show and trhere are so many different sorts you will find something that suits you. The desert around Vegas is worth a trip - about 3 - 4 hours to Death Valley - is an option, and I believe Red Rocks is also worhtwhile. The hotels vary massivley from incredibly tacky - Excalibur - to incredibly high end - Bellagio.

 

I recommend giving yourself a day to take in the insanity of the place before judging anything.

[Whitey Grandad]

I was there for a few days in the early 80s for a TV studio equipment exhibition but it's all been pulled down and rebuilt since then. We did do a day trip to the Grand Canyon though. Two of us got up at 4:00, taxi to the airport to pick up a hire car, 6 hours driving to the south rim, 4 hours there, then 6 hours back to Vegas for about 11:00 pm. We had time for lunch and to walk down the Bright Angel Trail for 60 minutes, then back up for 85 minutes, just to give us some sense of the place. Well worth the effort but it is about 360 miles each way. All this after going to bed at 2:00 am after a company dinner. My wife was pretty p!ssed when I called her after midnight to tell her where I'd been. She was in the garden cutting the grass.

[Whitey Grandad]

Just one word of warning. We were in Bermuda in September talking on the beach to an american couple. She had won $3000 dollars in Vegas on her last pull on a slot machine. She had to pay tax on her winnings of 30%.

[doughnutman]

The Bellagio fountains were pretty good when I went (under 21 so couldn't enjoy the gambling/drinking part) . Visit all the hotels on the strip all have got their own little bits of entertainment. Will definitly going back when I can so that I can experience it properly!

[Mewsta]

Havent been there for a few years, but basically if you're after 24 hour women, alcohol, gambling, and a good dose of tack -its pretty hard to miss regardless of where you go. Have fun.

 

Edit: Quad biking in the desert is great.

 

Definitely worth doing! Had an awesome time!

[Jonnyboy]

i heard most taxi drivers try to sell you powder and women, true?

[LVSaint]

There is so much to do there that it all kind of blends in. I think you have got to come back saying that you did a bit of gambling and ideally left in profit. You've got to go to a show and trhere are so many different sorts you will find something that suits you. The desert around Vegas is worth a trip - about 3 - 4 hours to Death Valley - is an option, and I believe Red Rocks is also worhtwhile. The hotels vary massivley from incredibly tacky - Excalibur - to incredibly high end - Bellagio.

 

I recommend giving yourself a day to take in the insanity of the place before judging anything.

 

We just got back from a weekend trip into the eastern areas of Death Valley in an RV. It's only 2 hours out and a great experience for an alternative view of the area (Zabriskie Point is cool). Not too hot right now either. 30 mins west of the city is the Red Rock Canyon loop. An hour out to the east of the city is Valley of Fire which I recommend, and then of course you have the national parks in the south of Utah and Grand Canyon to the south if you wanted to make an extended trip of it. Hoover Dam also worth a visit if you have a car and is only about 30 mins out.

 

 

In the city itself and the Casinos? I have nothing else to offer as I hardly ever see the Strip.

 

Make sure to see the City Center hotel and casino complex. Penn and Teller at the Rio are fun.

 

(If you're traveling direct from London with BA or Virgin, try to book a seat near the exit. If you're in the back of the plane, you're looking at over an hour in the Customs line as the international terminal is still ****ty.)

Edited 11 October, 2010 by LVSaint

[keithd]

I bloomin love the place

 

As has been said, go to Death Vally National Park, amazing place. Zabriskie Point at sunrise, Badwater Basin, Artists Pallet and a total must is Dantes View - 5000 feet up overlooking all the points previously mentioned

 

And whilst you're in Vegas itself I'd highly recommend Freemont Street. Get the Deuce or the Ace (buses) for about $7 a day, go to Freemont at night and take in the atmosphere, the lights and of course some gambling jealous...

[Big John]

so jealous, always said i'd go back but at least we have the memories of a truly amazing trip.

 

Grand Canyon, will literally take your breath away, words cannot describe the view, made me feel quite giddy. However I personally wish we'd took a helicopter down to the bottom as the 4 = hours on a coach is boring and monotonous in the extreme, stopping at the Hoover Dam en-route didn't take the edge off it either. Weigh up the cost versus the time wasted on the coach and fly if you can afford it. TAKE A JUMPER.

 

Although they will get on your nerves by the end of your hol grab a handful of flyers on your first day out and about, sift through them in your room as there can be some decent bargains in amongst the callgirl ones.

 

Go to 'lounge' shows in the afternoon, there are some very good turns around.

 

The must do thing above all (including the canyon) is to get yourself up to the top floor restaurant of the Stratosphere. Great food and it revolves whilst your eating, you get helicopters peeping in on you too. When you finish go up to the open platform and have a ride on this little baby:

 

[Mr_Red]

Went in may this yr to the bellagio (reasonably cheap on a weekday).

Truly mental place.

Recommend checking out all casinos on the strip, mirage, Caesars, treasure island, the Venetian and Paris were great.

Hoover dam worth a trip if you like that sort of thing.

Ihop have awesome pancakes for breakfast.

Gourmet all you can eat buffet at bellagio is something else. Defo worth a visit.

The Mexicans on the street are funny.

[keithd]

the canyon trip we did in June was a helicopter to the canyon floor followed by a raft along the Colorado river then back up to the rim of the canyon to an Indian reserve called eagle point then along to a place called guano point which gives you the most truly awesome 270 degree view of the canyon, also included was a trip to a cowboy ranch but we ran out of time. think the whole trip was about 7 hours. pricey but no regrets at all

[FloridaMarlin]

A bit pricey, but for your farewell, blow-out meal have a steak at Smith & Wollensky.

[LVSaint]

the canyon trip we did in June was a helicopter to the canyon floor followed by a raft along the Colorado river then back up to the rim of the canyon to an Indian reserve called eagle point then along to a place called guano point which gives you the most truly awesome 270 degree view of the canyon, also included was a trip to a cowboy ranch but we ran out of time. think the whole trip was about 7 hours. pricey but no regrets at all

 

Do you remember which chopper tour you did? I know an English guy (Manc) who runs the HeliUSA Vegas division. I need to get in touch with him to see if I can get a nice deal. Never been on (any kind of) chopper before.

[Saint-scooby]

Do not go to Badda bing and do not google it, infact dont read this message...

 

It will end in tears

[keithd]

Do you remember which chopper tour you did? I know an English guy (Manc) who runs the HeliUSA Vegas division. I need to get in touch with him to see if I can get a nice deal. Never been on (any kind of) chopper before.

 

The company were called Sundance Tours.

 

Oh looking at a pic above that i missed last night, the rides on top of the Stratosphere are well worth doing too. Expensive - but then again you are in Vegas - but worth it for a good buzz. I only did the Big Shot - the shoot up in the air job - rather than the hang over the edge rides. Dunno how long they've been doing it but they now do a kind of freefall off the edge of the Stratosphere. You get into a harness type afair clipped onto a sort of zip wire thing and jump off. you dont start decelarating till you get down to the lobby! sod that.