# Going to Vegas... help!
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-vegas-help/220413
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [December 22, 2003, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-vegas-help/220413 "2003-12-22T05:33:55Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@raizok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raizok)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2003, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-vegas-help/220413/1 "2003-12-22T05:33:55Z")
Hey guys, my friends and I are planning a trip out to Vegas in March. Aside from walking the strip and visiting Area 51 š what else is there to do?
Weāre not huge fans of gambling, and our ages range from 25-32, have any Dopers seen/done things in Vegas that they would reccomend?
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### Author:  [@HeidiKay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeidiKay)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2003, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-vegas-help/220413/2 "2003-12-22T06:22:24Z")
Just about every hotel Iāve been to in Vegas has a booklet (canāt remember the name right now) that has -tons- of listings of all the shows and attractions. Thereās a lot of great stuff to do for free and really cheap. Thatās always the first thing I look at as soon as I get in. Have fun!
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### Author:  [@The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Asbestos_Mango)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2003, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-vegas-help/220413/3 "2003-12-22T06:35:41Z")
Um, Area 51 is a good coupla hundred miles from Vegas as the crow flies. And if youāre going to go there, better rent a 4x4. The route out there is basically dirt cattle ranch roads, off the Extraterrestrial Highway. The folks who run the Little AleāInn are really nice, though. Rachel is basically a trailer park with its own gas station, but I wouldnāt mind taking a vacation there just for some peace and quiet.
Also, avoid the Strip. The good deals are downtown, as far as low-minimum games. Say hi to Bryan at the Golden Gate for me. Oh, and if you play craps at the GG, bet for the dealers, especially on day shift. Bryan will give comps to even small bettors if they take care of his dealers. I know, I used to work for himā¦ š
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### Author:  [@raizok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raizok)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2003, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-vegas-help/220413/4 "2003-12-22T06:50:38Z")
I should also mention that Iām leaving with a pack of single males, so if there are venus that feature oil or jello wrestling with scantily clad females, Iād appreciate hearing about it as well š
Thanks for the advice already folks, so much for seeing Area 51 ā¹
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### Author:  [@Lazlo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lazlo)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2003, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-vegas-help/220413/5 "2003-12-22T08:46:28Z")
Two words: **The Beach.**
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### Author:  [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2003, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-vegas-help/220413/6 "2003-12-22T10:59:33Z")
Clark County is essentially Las Vegas. If you go outside of Clark County, āhouses of ill reputeā arenāt so ill-reputed. š
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### Author:  [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2003, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-vegas-help/220413/7 "2003-12-22T11:07:30Z")
Itās about $250 each, but my fiance and I took a helicopter down the bottom of the Grand Canyon for a champagne brunch.
Absolutely breathtaking.
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### Author:  [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2003, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-vegas-help/220413/8 "2003-12-22T11:30:13Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by raizok \*
> \*\*Hey guys, my friends and I are planning a trip out to Vegas in March. Aside from walking the strip and visiting Area 51 š what else is there to do?
>
> Weāre not huge fans of gambling, and our ages range from 25-32, have any Dopers seen/done things in Vegas that they would reccomend? \*\*
OH, My GOSH, you lucky duck!! I Loooooove Vegas. Yes, thereās a ton to do without gambling. Thereās a great discount shopping mall a few miles out of town. Thereās āWet and Wildā (I think thatās the name of the water park).
The Stratosphere āBig Shotā. NYNY Roller Coaster, the āSpeed demonā?? (might have the name a bit skewed).
The shows. Did I mention Shopping? And one of the hotels (is it the Bellagio? I donāt remember) just opened a museum with a flower garden, art and a Harley Davidson display, among other things.
Have a blast!
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### Author:  [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2003, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-vegas-help/220413/9 "2003-12-22T11:38:12Z")
The light show at the āOldā part of Vegas is kind of cool, and there are all sort of cool little kiosks and performance art.
Also, thereās a little tiny stand inside of Binionās Lucky Horseshoe, that has THE best Pastrami and Corned beef sandwiches in the WORLD.
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### Author:  [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2003, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-vegas-help/220413/10 "2003-12-22T13:33:10Z")
Are you going to see any shows? Youāll have to pay dearly for them, but I highly reccomend Cirque du Soleil and the Blue Man Group.
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### Author:  [@CheekyMonkey613](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CheekyMonkey613)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2003, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-vegas-help/220413/11 "2003-12-22T13:39:55Z")
Dolphins at the Mirage. Shopping in Caesars. Emerilās. Light show ādowntownā (which is the OLD Vegas, not the typical "Strip Vegas). Hard Rock which isnāt close to the other Hotels. Fountains at Belagio. Pirate show at Treasure Island. Helicopter rides. Rent a car and drive to Red Rock Canyon. Buffets.
Oh and last but not least, get married at a drive-thru chapel on a scooter. š
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### Author:  [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2003, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-vegas-help/220413/12 "2003-12-22T14:50:52Z")
I too strongly recommend staying on Fremont Street. The Golden Nugget is very nice. Take the bus or a cab down to the Strip when you need/want to go there, but donāt stay there.
See Penn & Teller at the Rio, their shows are always terrific.
Drive down to the Hoover Dam.
Be sure to see the pirate battle at Treasure Island, itās cool and free.
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### Author:  [@murphyboy99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/murphyboy99)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2003, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-vegas-help/220413/13 "2003-12-22T16:33:39Z")
If you or any of your friends have done any rock climbing, you should check out red rocks. Itās all bolted, but you would need some gear. Even if you donāt climb it might be woth checking it out. Itās an odd place and itās really hard to judge the perspective of the rocks.
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### Author:  [@McDeath\_the\_Mad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McDeath_the_Mad)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2003, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-vegas-help/220413/14 "2003-12-22T17:05:47Z")
āDeja Vousā is pretty cool as well if you like looking at the ladies. $20 cover, but you can bring your own booze.
MtM
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### Author:  [@John\_Kentzel-Griffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Kentzel-Griffin)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2003, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-vegas-help/220413/15 "2003-12-22T17:52:28Z")
General Questions is for questions with factual answers. IMHO is for opinions and polls. Iāll move this to IMHO for you.
**DrMatrix** - GQ Moderator
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### Author:  [@Duderdude2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duderdude2)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2003, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-vegas-help/220413/16 "2003-12-22T19:34:33Z")
I too would recommend the pirate show at **Treasure Island** if they hadnāt destroyed it 2 months ago! Now itās some stupid thing about sirens
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### Author:  [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2003, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-vegas-help/220413/17 "2003-12-22T20:59:57Z")
As someone whoās gone to Area 51 (and I mean nosing up to the āNo trespassers allowedā line, not hanging with the gawkers at the Extraterrestrial Highway), Iāll just say you _definitely_ want an off-road vehicle. Though to be honest, given how long you have to drive outside of Vegas to get there, IMO itās not worth the trip.
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### Author:  [@hypnoboth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hypnoboth)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2003, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-vegas-help/220413/18 "2003-12-22T21:10:14Z")
Someone has already mentioned the shows. In particular, there are two instantiations of Cirque de Soleil in Vegas ā Mystere and O. No one should live without seeing Cirque. It is magnificent. It is what the circus will be when it grows up.
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### Author:  [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2003, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-vegas-help/220413/19 "2003-12-22T21:29:25Z")
As others have said, stay downtown ā for decent, cheap accomodations and food. (And often some sad, but irresistible people watching. There are some utterly divey old casinos that attract the broken dregs of society: imagine a bus station with slot machines and granny-aged cocktail waitresses. You really gotta check out that scene.) You can foray out to the Strip for more high class (if such things exist in Vegas) activities and people watching.
If you want to interact with the natives, drive to one of the casinos on the way outskirts of town; thatās were the locals hang.
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### Author:  [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)
#### Post date: [December 22, 2003, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/going-to-vegas-help/220413/20 "2003-12-22T21:33:34Z")
Go to āTop of the Townā. It isnāt too far from the Stratosphere Hotel.
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