Forgot to mention, if you like Indian food, try the Mon-Fri lunch buffet at Ghandi’s (corner of Flamingo and Paradise, behind Morton’s Steak House)…about $11.00 for a great buffet, clientele mostly Indian, great selection of food…a bit far to walk from the Strip, so you might want to take a taxi - depending on how much you like to walk. Very authentic, no glitz, no glamor, just real Indian food - nice selection.
Also the Springs Preserve.
I’ve been there twice; in November and January (to get married). The weather is great and there are tons of free things to see (the lion environment at MGM Grand is very cool). If you’re interested in seeing all the glitter and glam, just walk into any hotel on the strip. The noise level alone is mind-boggling.
We’ve decided we’re not Vegas people. It’s just not our bag, but I think everyone should go at least once. It’s like a planet unto itself.
Elton still does a great show. 
Thanks, everyone. DMark, you’re right about booking shows; I hadn’t thought of that. So far, I think we’re pretty set on seeing one of the Cirque shows (La Reve?) and maybe Blue Man Group. I’m campaigning for Jubilee based on DMark’s recommendation, but don’t know if that’ll fly.
Otherwise, one friend is completely jazzed for the Star Trek Experience, whatever that is. Bouchon for breakfast sounds good, although we’ll also probably try the buffet at Paris.
I’d love to do some of the sightseeing tours outside Vegas, but I’d have to do them alone, which would kind of miss the whole point of the trip. So unfortunately, those are out.
One last question, though: I hear that Elton John is playing in Vegas. Has anyone seen his show? Is it any good?
I went to the Star Trek Experience years ago, when it was the beaming up, going on the bridge, and escaping in a shuttle thing. It was fun. My friend loved it and she’s not even a fan.
I think they have the Borg in 4D experience now.
Since my friend and I are a bit nutty, we went into the jacuzzi (outside!) in the bitter cold of the Las Vegas evening. It’s only really bad before you get in. After a while, you get so warm that you have a bubble of heat around you when you get out. Then you run for the door and get inside as fast as you can!
This is probably an unpopular opinion but my family tried the Bellagio Buffet (slightly over $30 a person if I recall correctly) and we just weren’t impressed.
In the end it still tasted like buffet food-constantly heating over a chafing dish. It didn’t even matter that it was higher end/had more variety. Plus, none of us had any interest in eating a trash barrel worth of food and I found it pretty disconcerting to watch other people grabbing a gigantic plate of crab legs, eating one and then throwing all of it away.
I don’t know if other buffets are this way but it was sort of like my personal hell-an unpleasant visual spectacle of gluttony and run-away waste. I don’t know if the more normal/local frequented buffets are the same but it seemed like people were going out of their way to be extra-gluttonous/wasteful at the Bellagio because of the higher price. I wish we had just spent the money on eating at a regular restaurant.
I saw Ka at the MGM Grand. It wasn’t bad but I was very exhausted and fell asleep. My parents really enjoyed it, though.
My favourite part of the trip, honestly, was the Hoover Dam, though I"m not sure if engineering marvels are your thing. I also find the desert scenery around Vegas to be visually fascinating since I was raised in very rainy climates. However, the charms of Vegas proper seem to be lost on me since I don’t drink, gamble (and watching other people do so makes me physically uncomfortable and sad for them…especially the desperate people at the slots who look like zombies) and L.A. has better ethnic food.
Holy Hell, I did not shop at Ceasars Palace! Caesars Palace is strictly for the fountain show, the aquarium and the cheesecake. Ok, I did stop to look at the LV shoes. Just look. No way could I afford so much as a change purse out of there.
The best entertainment show in all of Vegas is the Mac King Comedy Hour, which runs twice most afternoons (check listings for specific details). It’s inexpensive, only lasts an hour, is suitable for everyone, very centrally located in Harrah’s Casino, and just wonderful. It’s a comedy magic show, but even if you hate magic, you’ll love this show. Why? Because Mac King is as good as entertainment gets. You will laugh out loud, and you will have a good time. On most days you can probably get a ticket on the door even if you haven’t booked in advance, but obviousy advance booking is more reliable. This isn’t because the show isn’t popular - it is! Very popular! But Mac works in a good size room with plenty of capacity, and because it’s an afternoon show a lot of people don’t bother to book in advance and just turn up and wait in line. If you aim for the first show of the afternoon and can’t get in for any reason, you can always decide to catch that day’s second show a couple of hours later, and meanwhile go get something to eat.