What to do in Las Vegas?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Besides gambling, what are some fun things to do in Las Vegas? I’ve never been there and I’m going for the first time ever July 5 through 9.

I’m going because I signed up for a 3 day magic workshop with Jeff McBride. I’m going to have some time the day before to do some stuff, so what would be fun to do?

I don’t really have the funds to gamble. I’m mainly interested in any particular shows that you think may be good, or anything else that you might think would be good for an evening on the town that doesn’t involve gambling.

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i just got back from a trip there. since i’m 20 and a year shy of gambling priveli(i don’t know how to spell the rest of this word…it’s still early), i was forced to rely on other entertainment. i saw two shows, both pleased me greatly. one, the blue man group. the music is fucking awesome and there are some really funny side things they do between numbers. two, O! at the bellagio. this one’s supposedly sold out through july, and for good reason - it’s probably the best show in vegas. it’s a cirque de soleil show, with a fucking amazing stage (the pool changes depth and shape in seconds) and even more amazing stunts by the performers. if you can get tickets, don’t pass this one up. other things to do, ride the roller coasters (one at new york, new york; one at nascar cafe; one on top of the stratosphere). check out the forum shops at ceasar’s palace, too. my sisters and i played this game we made up called ‘touch the most expensive thing’ there. fun with at least two people (i won’t say what it is, but the most expensive thing in the forum shops is $108,000). other than that, sometimes it’s fun to just marvel at the decoration of these places (check out the glass flower skylight at the bellagio), it’s pretty amazing sometimes. have fun!

3

Just walking through the different themed casinos is pretty interesting, IMHO. The amusement park at New York, New York is good. Several casinos have those – ugh, I don’t know what they’re called – motion rides, but you really don’t move anywhere. The one at Caesar’s is called something like “Journey to Atlantis”. It’s expensive (about $12 for a three minute ride), but a neat thing to do once.

For shows, I second the suggestion of Blue Man Group at the Luxor.

I found a book that I really liked, a collection of essays and articles about Las Vegas called “Literary Las Vegas.” Each article focuses on a different aspect of Las Vegas, and while it’s not at all a guide book, it gave me an idea of what I was interested in.

If you decide to gamble just a little bit, I would suggest going downtown to the older, seedier part of the strip. You can soak up more Vegas atmosphere, if you like that sort of thing. It’s possible to gamble with a fairly small amount of money, especially if you’re doing it just for the experience and not because you think you’re going to be the next high roller (something I have been trying to impress upon Mr. Del, although with limited success).

I also liked the Elvis museum, which is pretty awful as far as museums go, but fun in a tacky sort of way, plus it had a good Elvis gift shop.

There’s a few guide to Las Vegas that just about every hotel has at the front desk, and it lists all of the shows. Some shows have early performances that are a little less expensive. You might want to do a big show, like Blue Man Group, and then check out the guide to find something smaller that appeals to you. There’s lots of magic shows (but if you’re going there for a workshop, you might be magic-ed out), and there’s still plenty of shows with girls in skimpy costumes and feathers and kicklines, that I personally think are a riot. YMMV.

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I love Mystere (cirque du soleil) at Treasure Island. It was incredible but then again all of the cirque shows are. But for my money the best entertainment in Vegas was Trent Carlini(sp)Elvis impersonator extrodinair! I cannot remember the hotel he is in though, I think it is the holiday inn next to mante carlo. I had a blast at that show. He was a lot of fun. If you are an elvis fan or even just like him it’s worth going.

My 2 cents :smiley:

5

Getting married.:slight_smile:

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Star Trek: The Experience at the Hilton is worth going if you’ve got the slightest interest in Trek. The hours aren’t too convenient, but it’s worth it and lots of fun. And shopping afterwards at the gift shop or hanging at Quark’s Bar is neat, too.

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Behold my username!
The suggestions posted here are excellent. It is possible to do plenty of stuff in Vegas that does not involve gambling or huge amounts of money. And Delphica is right: gamble downtown if you’re gonna do it at all. They do have a covered area there too, with a light show on it at night, I believe.
Walk through the Forum Shops.
See the works of art at the Bellagio.
Check out the replica of King Tut’s tomb and treasures at the Luxor.
Check all hotels for free or cheap day shows.
MGM Grand has a theme park.
I highly recommend the Liberace Museum (not on the Strip, but not far away).

That’s a short list but it should be plenty.
Have fun!!

8

Well, the entire city of Las Vegas is devoted to one thing: taking your money in creative ways. But one thing that suprised me about Las Vegas was that you often got more than you paid for on food. If you went to a place that offered $2 steak and eggs, you got real steak and eggs, not a piece of leather and two slabs of rubber. It’s still true.

There are lots of good deals on food. Generally, the coffee shops in the major resort hotels are good and inexpensive, although they can get pricey at the newer ones like Luxor and Paris. I especially like the Tropicana’s and the MGM’s is OK, too.

Buffets! Nearly every hotel has them, and many of them have huge lines. None of them are appreciably bad, and some are quite good, though a bit pricey. At $15 per person, the Mandalay Bay buffet is very good. I’ve heard that the Luxor, Monte Carlo, Cesar’s, and Bally’s all have good buffets, too, but haven’t been to any of them. (I hate standing in line.)

There’s a great little microbrewery in the boutique area on the north side of the Mirage. Average prices. Very busy on Friday and Saturday nites.

Breakfast at the San Remo is very good - they have a buffet, but get the smoked turkey benedict instead. Awesome. And they have a good deal on prime rib at night, too.

Last time I was there, the Stratosphere had apparently taken over the Aladdin’s niche of having the least expensive prime rib. I don’t remember the price because I don’t like the Stratosphere…

There are a lot of expensive places, too. But I stay away from them. With all of the inexpensive food, I’d rather save my money for shows and gambling. And at some (e.g., Rainforest Cafe), the food is actually worse than the less expensive fare.

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Wow, bughunter, I am impressed. And I thought I knew where all the chow was in Vegas…
The Coffee shops are generally a good deal, I agree. Sometimes you’re really taking your chances with the buffets, and those lines get REALLY long. I went to the Luxor buffet when it opened, and it was bad, but who knows; it may have changed by now.
The Imperial Palace used to have an awful buffet, but I’m told it’s terrific now.
And while I’m at it…I’ve never been to Mt. Charleston, but I hear it is just 30 minutes from Vegas and cooler, of course.
There’s also Bonnie Springs Ranch, not too far off (haven’t been there either).
And Henderson. (Isn’t that where they have the house that looks just like the one on The Simpsons?
Sorry for rambling.

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bug and viva, you both forgot what many people consider to be the best buffet in vegas…the rio’s world buffet. not only the best food, but i think its also the biggest, with the largest selection of food. just about everything you can think of is served here, from all parts of the world. they even have a sushi bar (i know you’re thinking, sushi? at a buffet? but its not bad.) if you’re going to a buffet, this should be the one. have fun! -cm

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It was suggested to me that I HAVE to catch Lance Burton’s act. Anyone seen it?

I’ve also been told that Ceasar’s Magical Empire is also a cool spot.

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I run hot and cold on Lance Burton. The magic is good (I especially like what I’ve seen of his work with cards), but I think the show itself leaves something to be desired. Then again, I’m a huge Penn and Teller fan, and I’ve never been able to get behind that whole “magician in a tux” idea.

Looks like P&T will be out of town while you’re there, though. Too bad. You could have caught the show after you finished up with that yummy Rio buffet. :slight_smile:

You could go see Sigfried and Roy, if only so you can feel justified in howling “Haaaaalllooo Sigfried!” “Haaaaaloooo, Roy!” every once in a while. That’s what I do, at least.

When I go to Vegas, I don’t plan too much (aside from my show tickets, which I always get ahead of time). I grab a bottle of water and some sunblock and start walking down the strip. Something fun always comes up. (I don’t gamble either.)

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All magicians are mere shadows compared to Penn & Teller. :smiley:

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I totally agree. When we went a few years ago we spend hours just walking around the Casinos, walking the strip, and going downtown. The best part about this is it costs $0.

I would also recommend The Shops as Caesar’s Palace, which is also fun just to walk around in. Cirque de Soliel, I heard was FANTASTIC, but it would have set us back over $300 plus we didn’t have much time so we settled for the Tournament at Excalibur.

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I was told that the Tournament at Excalibur was pretty cool. What are some of the specifics on that?

Juniper200: I’m not too worried about Penn and Teller. They’re coming to Kalamazoo next March and I have front row seats. Should be a lot of fun.

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There’s also Grand Slam Canyon, an inside amusement park at Circus Circus. There’s Wet 'N Wild, a water amusement park. The forum shops at Caesar’s are the best, worth going to. I think there’s a motion ride at Excaliber’s. I went on them twice when I was younger, I went on the roller coaster and a motorcycle. At Luxor there’s the King Tut’s Tomb, already mentioned, and a pretty spiffy arcade. And, if push comes to shove, there’s always Hoover Dam.

17

3 words:
Red Rock Canyon.

Go there, and you’ll wonder why you pissed away any time over on the strip. Hike, bike, climb, stroll, or sit. Incredible.

And Bonnie Springs Ranch/Old Nevada is a total trip. Hasta have one of the neatest bars you’ll ever find in the middle of nowhere. And Old Nevada is about the hokiest thing you’ll ever see. Loads of laughs.

Also consider a day trip over to the Hoover Dam. Book the hard hat tour ahead of time.

18

[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Dragwyr *
**

We saw the Tournament at Excalibur, and it was pretty good. However, I had kids with me, and while it was cool, I’m not sure if it’s the kind of thing I would go to if I had been kid-less. It costs less than O, but as I recall our tickets were about $35 each, putting it on par with other hotel shows.

It’s pretty much a Medieval Times sort of thing. The audience sits in sections, and each section cheers for one of the knights. The knights have a tournament, and then some stuff happens to move the plot along. The special effects are of the Broadway show variety – good, but not the most amazing thing you will have ever seen. Some of the knights came out and talked to the kids after the show, so this was the highlight of the vacation for them (the kids, not the knights). It’s definitely the kind of show where the more you get into the spirit of things, the more you will enjoy it.

For a good kid-friendly entertainment, it was the way to go for us. One disappointment was the dinner – it wasn’t good or filling. The gimmick is that you get your dinner medieval style, so you are eating with your hands. I’ve been to other places where this happens, and the food is actually great. This food was not. With so many decent places to eat in Vegas, it seems a shame to spend so much on a show with dinner, when the dinner isn’t even tasty.

Another thing I thought of that I liked doing was the Sigfried and Roy zoo thing at Treasure Island. They have some fancy schmancy name for it, like Exotic Wild Animal Habitat Adventure, but it’s a zoo. There are dolphins, as well as a selection of big cats. It’s not very large, but the animals are very interesting. If you do this, I would suggest going early in the day before it gets to be a bajillion degrees. The animals all have cooling systems, but you, the viewer, are standing in the sun. No doubt to punish you for doing something as immoral as going to a zoo.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by delphica *
**

I thought about seeing S&R… especially since I heard they were thinking about retiring…but the price is WAY too expensive. The zoo sounds like it might be fun though.

These are some great suggestions. I’ll probably print this thread out in the next day or two so I can remember all this stuff when I’m there.

Hey, any dopers from Vegas? We could hook up for a little bit. I’ll probably have the most time on Thursday, July 5.

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If you want to find religion, ride the Big Shot on top of the Stratosphere. It’s the only thing I’ve ever done that I will never, ever do again.