Visiting Vegas, Stuff to do?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Hey all,

I’m going to be in Vegas this weekend for a conference and am looking for suggestions of (cheaper) things to check out while I’m there. I’m staying at the Riviera (not the best place as I understand it) and I don’t know much about Vegas other than that the main action is further up the strip. If anyone has any advice, I’d much appreciate it.

Oh, i’m looking to gamble away $50-$100 bucks (well, i’m looking to gamble that much, but it amounts to the same thing). Thoughts on the most enjoyable way to do it?

2

Dunno about the gabling, but if you’re like my husband and me and you want something non-Vegas to do while you’re there, the Atomic Testing Museum is really cool.

3

Pinball Museum

Bellagio Fountains

Stratosphere Thrill rides

4

Your first trip? The first thing I would so is simply walk the strip end-to-end, at night. Then wander through a half-dozen of the better casino-hotel complexes. Unbridled capitialism overload, for free.

5

I’m going to be in Vegas for the first time in February. For a whopping 45 minutes. I wonder what I can see as I run past on my way to the next terminal?:stuck_out_tongue:

6

Slot machines and bleach blondes in Spandex.

7

The Bellagio fountains are worth seeing and free. Ditto for Freemont Street.

8

There’s a thread in Cafe Society that suggests that the area north of the Stratosphere is not a safe place to be after dark. So if you want to head all the way to downtown, catch the bus.

(That said, I walked all the way from Mandalay Bay to Freemont Street and lived to tell the tale.)

9

I have a section of my website called “Cheap Thrills” that gives some suggestions as well.
One of the most fun things to do in Vegas is simply wander in and out of the large casinos to check them out, and of course people watching is a cheap and very fun thing to do, especially if you have someone with you to nudge and say, “check that one out!”

10

Throw a spur-of-the-moment Vegas Dopefest. I’ll come!

Or not – I’m booked all of Saturday. Ah well, hi DMark, LVGeoGeek, and kurilla! What’s the possibility of a VegasDope for July 2-3-4-5?

11

If you like Thai food, one of the best Thai restaurants in the country is in Vegas. When I went here last October, I thought it was good, with the best Tom Yum Kung I’ve ever had, but not swoon-worthy… It did have lots of esoteric Thai specialties, which may be why so many foodies I knew raved about it. Website here. (Saipin Chutima is the owner) The restaurant is difficult to find and small, but worth the visit, IMO.

12

Yes, it’s my first trip, and thanks for the suggestions.

Gray Ghost:
Thai, really? My conference buddy is looking for good food. We might check it out :smiley:

13

If you’re looking for dinner while you’re visiting Fremont Street, my suggestion is Hugo’s Cellar in the Four Queen’s Hotel-Casino. Make sure you save room for dessert - Jim and I still talk about the chocolate dessert we had there years ago. It’s not cheap, but it’s an experience to remember. You feel like you’re in old Vegas, and Frank Sinatra could stroll in at any moment.

We also really enjoyed the Liberace Museum - it was worth the price of admission just to see a Rolls Royce completely covered in mirrors. :slight_smile:

14

For cheap gambling, go for blackjack. Slots are boring. Blackjack is fun, and the house advantage is low (though you will lose in the long run). Plus you get to chat with other players at the table as well as the dealer while you play. Also most places will give you free drinks as long as you sit at the table for at least 20 minutes or so. Remember to tip the drink server a buck or so each time. Also tip the dealer a buck or two when you hit a blackjack.

Find a lower end casino - last time I was in Vegas (about a year ago) you could still find $10 min bet tables at most of the mid to low casinos, especially during daytime hours. This is about as low as it goes in Vegas these days.

Look up a Blackjack table, and try to get it down. You can certainly play without one, but you’ll swing harder. Most of the main casinos won’t allow surrenders, so keep that in mind.

Nearly every place raises table limits when night comes (usually 6-7 PM, IIRC). However - if you sat down at 4 PM and they raise the limits at 6 PM, every casino I have ever been at will allow you to keep betting at the 4 PM limits. The pit boss loves you if you have been sitting there for two hours.

Remember - luck comes and goes. Playing optimally you can lose ten hands in a row. Playing as a complete neo you can win big. I like Blackjack because swings usually aren’t that big - sure, the house will win every time in the long term, but you can certainly swing for a while, enjoy some nice conversation, have a few free drinks, and feel perfectly compensated for a few hours of entertainment.

Of course, you can also be running hot, hit a couple of lucky hands, and win a few hundred dollars. Or run cold, lose ten in a row, and bust within 20 minutes. That’s why it’s gambling.

If you’re up for some nature, I highly recommend hiking or driving Red Rock Canyon or Valley of Fire. Both are parks not far from Vegas. Gorgeous desert scenery, which for this midwesterner, were absolutely breathtaking. Plus nothing cures a mild hangover like a late morning walk through a perfectly silent desert park.