So the wife and I are heading out to Vegas tomorrow night to attend the Consumer Electronic Show{:target="_blank"}, and I’m looking for some last minute advice. First off, what’s the best way to get from the airport, to our hotel? We’re staying at the Riviera which is right across the street from the Convention Center. We’re already planing on seeing at least one “showgirl” type show, as it’s just something that we want to say we did, and I’m thinking about Pen and Teller as well. Anything else that’s really good?
Also, best/cheapest places to eat while we’re there? This is sort of a throw away vacation, as I really wanted to go to CES, and the tickets were free, so we’re trying to spend as little as possible. So good, inexpensive things would be appriciated.
While we’re already married, we thought it might be a hoot to go to one of the places in Vegas and take our vows again, maybe with an Elvis preacher or something. Is that legal? Does that change our marrige or anything? Can we have it video taped for posterity? Anyone ever do anything like that before?
And anything else we should be sure and see/do? Most of our days will be taken up by wandering the show floor, playing with gadgets, but our evenings are free, so suggest away!
It’s as cheap to take a limo from the airport to the hotel as it is to get a cab, really. Last I knew, it ran about $30. Besides, you get to pull up to your hotel in a limo.
Cheap food abounds on the Strip. One of my personal favorites is the Holy Cow, on the north end by the Stratosphere. You can’t miss it, just look for the big lighted Holstein wearing neon sunglasses. There are lots of other really great, not-so-inexpensive places like the Samba Grill, too. I’ve never eaten there, but Dr.J loved it.
You might look into the dinner show at the Excalibur; it was around $40/person when we went five years ago, and we all had a wonderful time. Oh, and the $8 pina colada in the souvenir stein is well worth it.
Renewing your vows in Vegas won’t alter your marriage in any way, any more than renewing them at your church would.
The cheapest way to get there is to take a shuttle from the airport. Just walk outside to ground transportation and look for a ticket booth. Tell the person in the booth the name of the casino, and he’ll give you a ticket. Make sure you get in right line and verify with the driver that the bus is going to the Riveria. I don’t know about the Riveria specifically, but I think the strip is like $4 one way. You can get a round trip ticket if you want. The advantage of not getting a round trip ticket is you can hop in the first shuttle that shows up at the Riveria and pay in cash. This way you don’t have to wait for your specific shuttle company to show up.
Probably the best free thing to do is to watch the fountains at the Bellagio. It’s a series of fountains that are set to music. They go off every half hour. I’m not doing a very good job of describing it, but it’s amazing. Outside of that, bring a good pair of walking shoes/boots and walk the strip, probably best at night. The Bellagio has the fountains, Paris has the Eiffel Tower, which I guess you can go up, New York New York is a mock copy of New York City complete with a roller coaster, and the Luxor has that giant light shooting out of the pyramid.
The Bellagio fountains are every 10 or 15 minutes, not half-hour.
The Eiffeil Tower at Paris requires $$$ to go up. If you want a tall view for cheap, try the Stratosphere Tower instead.
If you’re a geek, do the Star Trek Experience at the Hilton. Worth the money, but check the hours first.
Treasure Island used to have a pirate show, but now it’s changed to something different. Haven’t seen the new show yet. The Mirage is next door, and the gigantic aquarium in the lobby is worth a look-see.
Only Vegas shows I’ve seen are “Splash!” and “Foilles Bergere”. Both are good, though pick Splash! if you want an adult-oriented (read: topless) show.
Other people have covered the from-the-airport question.
The best place to eat is also one of the cheapest: Lotus of Siam. This is a small Thai restaurant in Commercial Center (a strip mall not too far from the Strip, but you’ll need to take a cab). It’s been called the best Thai restaurant in the country. I cannot recommend this place enough.
I’ve also eaten at Craftsteak in the MGM, which was quite good but also quite expensive. Emeril’s place a couple doors down from Craftsteak is also good and you can get away with a cheaper meal; order a sazerac while you’re there. I wasn’t terribly impressed with Aqua in the Bellagio, but I thought Nob Hill (I think it’s also in the MGM) was good.
I thought the show “O” (it’s one of the Cirque du Soleil shows) was fabulous; that’s the only big-name show I’ve seen. Note that tickets for the big-name shows seem to run about $100 each, so be prepared.
If you are hungry between 11pm and 5am, I recommend going to the Teahouse at Imperial Palace. Order the prime rib sandwich special, it should be about $6 per special.
Staying at the Riv you’re right in the middle of the “cheapie” section of the strip.Across the street the Westward Ho used to have $1 Heinies and footlongs.Check the signs outside the place.Next to that Circus Circus has free high wire acts floating above your head on the casino floor, Also(probably,with the exception of the Boardwalk) the cheapest buffet on the strip.We’re not talking gourmet dining here,but you did say cheap.
A few Marriage Chapels are within easy walking distance north same side as the Riv on Las Vegas Blvd.(I refuse to call this section the strip),as is the Holy Cow which has been mentioned.
Fairly easy walk to the Pirate Show at the TI (Spring Mountain/Sands-next major cross street south of the Riv-the opposite direction of the Wedding Chapel walk.)
If you want to see Penn and Teller they’re at the Rio (if they’re there now),an abt.$10 or minus ride from the Riv with the tip).
If you go to the RIO you might as well go across the street (roughly) to the Palms and check out the Ghostbar.Might see Brittney Spears or Paris Hilton there.At least Hilton ** always seems to be there **
Finally,spend money,I’m getting tired of these sales tax increases
Ah, the CES show. Where hundreds of companys blow tens of thousands of dollars to entice people to buy thier stuff when in reality, everybody just wants a free trip to Vegas to catch a boobie show and eat cheap.
I’d suggest some stuff, but its been 6 years since I lived there and the town has been torn down and rebuilt at least 4 times since I left.
I live here and I can reccomend the buffets for lots food for a decent price. The Rio buffet has got to be the biggest in the world. It’s HUGE. The Orleans also has a nice buffet.
For a different type experience I recommend going to Fly Away. They simulate sky diving. Basically they have a giant verticle wind tunnel and you jump in and fly. They teach you how to do it. It’s a blast. You can find more information here.
The free shows others meantioned are really great.
Word of warning on the Rio buffet: when I went in October it was not as good as it had been in the past, and IIRC I recently read that it was being redone & some of the food stations were down (with no reduction in the price, of course). I can recommend the buffet at the Gold Coast (across the street from the Rio and Palms) as having good food at a reasonable price.
Inexpensive but good afternoon shows are Ronn Lucas at the Rio and Mac King at Harrah’s; comedy ventriloquist and magician, respectively.
Crazy Girls at the Riviera is an inexpensive but fun girly show. The new free outdoor pirate show at TI isn’t bad; more glitz and show than the old one.
Wait a minute, am I in a bad section of town or something? Being unfamiliar with Vegas, I just assumed that everything on the strip was pretty much ok. And since it was close to the convention center, I was thinking of convieniance. I know in Orlando, the closer you are to the convention center, the better the accomodations. If it’s truely scummy, please tell me now, so I can try and change.
Thanks to everyone for the information. I’ll be printing this out and taking it with me. 6 hours until I’m on the plane!
CrazyCatLady - The Holy Cow is no more. Building vacant, and the brewery is shut down. Lurkmeister - TI has shut down the pirate show, and is remodeling the lagoon for a new show. Sorry.
We just got back from Vegas. If you are at the Riviera, you are at the cheap end of the Strip. But it will be ok. Not as nice as the Bellagio or the Venetian, but ok. Our prefered location is the Imperial Palace. Also not opulent, but newly remodeled and very nice.
As far as buffetts go, try the one at the Luxor.
For shows, Penn and Teller is a good bet, as is any show by Circ de Soliel. For that matter, check out The Blue Man Group. For a cheap titty show, La Femme is ok, as is the Folies Bergere.
Just to reassure you, the neighborhood is perfectly safe. The north end of the Strip is mostly older hotel/casinos which are less expensive and not as fancy as the newer ones at the south end. When I go to Vegas I usually stay at Circus Circus or Westward Ho to save money on my room (since I don’t spend much time there anyway) and if I want to do anything at the other end just hop on the Strip bus.
Which reminds me of another tip; for $5 you can get a pass good for unlimited rides on any bus for 24 hours. There are two busses that run up and down the strip and also to Downtown Vegas; the regular fare is $2 so if you’re going to do more than one round trip it’s a good deal.
Don’t kid yourself that there are “perfectly safe” areas anywhere. On a previous trip we were sitting in our car on the strip waiting for a left turn signal onto Sahara when some hopped up meth-head frat boys jumped out of their truck and beat the crap out of a homeless guy, this included them shoving him into the side of my car which still has a dent. (To my amazement the homeless guy just got up and staggered away.) The area where the Riviara is would be considered “less newly developed” but not “seedy.” Downtown is pretty “seedy.”
Not sure if the Monorail is up and running yet (they were in the testing phase last time we were there) but that’ll be a great way for you to travel up and down the strip. I know it stops at the convention center for sure on that end.
On safe.Depends on time of day.Across from the Riv is a MickyD’s that used to draw some scummy looking people late at night.
Anything ** North ** of the Riv isn’t as safe as south at night.
I’m not talking high crime here,but that section from the Sahara northward is where you’ll see an occasional streetwalker (tho I can’t recall active solicitation) after about 9 pm or so.After midnight,all bets are off there.
Those Motels in that section (roughly across the street and north of the Statosphere) accomodate that trade.
Whatever you do if you’re at the Statosphere (abt.a mile north of the Riv) don’t venture westward into the Naked City.Nothing but crime there.
If you are into magic shows, Lance Burton’s show at the Riviera is a must see. Also I’ve heard that Mac King’s show (I’m sorry, I don’t know where) is considered the best show for the money.
As far as wedding chapels go… on the strip I saw one called, “The Say, ‘I do’, love Drive-Thru”. Not sure how good it is, but I thought it was neat.
Disagree. I’ve eaten repeatedly at the MGM Grand and Monte Carlo buffets, and recommend them. If you’re on a budget, the MGM Grand is cheaper but still good.
For breakfast, IMO the Flamingo Hilton buffet is a good one. I like getting a seat near the waterfalls and watching the ducks go by.
