Las Vegas advice?

[Sprucegoose]

Any advice welcome from hotels, things to do, grand canyon tours etc.

Should I hire a car to the grand canyon? Shows?

 

[munitalP]

Oh Vegas..

I like off the strip hotels so have previously stayed at the Las Vegas Hilton the last couple of times in LV, now the Las Vegas Hotel. Old and glamourously appointed.

Things to do:
Shop at the Premium brand marts (or whatever they are called), amazing discounts on brand names.

Visit the Hoover Dam, take a tour, follow up with a helicopter tour of the same facility.

Catch the lion show at MGM

Have Bouillabaisse at the Provincial at Paris Casino.

Shop at a Walmart, it's an experience

Walk the strip while drinking a Daiquiri from a large coughtail class hanging around your neck.

Hire a Mustang, drive back to LA. (tip, when choosing a hire car from a major chain I.e. AVIS, get a car with CA plates not NV plates, then there won't be a relocation fee!)

Get crazy and gamble ;-)

Vegas is full of things to do, with a hire car you will enjoy your stay far more unless your motive for being in Vegas is gambling. Last year wife and I ate at an authentic Mexican Taco joint we found while driving aimlessly around Vegas, we shopped at shopping malls again found while aimlessly driving around and didn't regret 1 minute of having a car.

 

[Major]

As well as the things above I booked a tour which picked us up from our hotel, took us to Boulder City Airport and from there a Twin Otter ride over the Hoover Dam and on to the Grand Canyon. You spend some time along the rim of the Canyon and then a Chopper down through the Canyon landing next to the River. A boat ride up the River for a few K's and drift back down followed by another Chopper ride back to the rim. Lunch up top and then fixed wing back to Boulder City and back to your pub.
A great day

 

[amaroo]

Stay at the Mandarin Oriental

Do the chopper ride to the canyon, dam, strip....don't book this at the last minute

Eat at MESA Grill - Bobby Flay's restaurant located in Caesars Palace

Another good meal can be had at Texas De Brazil located just past the airport

Hit the Premium Outlets for super cheap shopping

Catch a show

Enjoy & don't stay for more than 3 nights

 

[blackcat20]

Stay at the Mandarin Oriental
Hit the Premium Outlets for super cheap shopping

The outlets at the north end of the strip are better than those at the south end.

Yard long margaritas from La Salsa Cantina in the Planet Hollywood shops (Miracle Mile).

Chopper over the grand canyon is definitely worth it.

 

[Deewhy]

The outlets at the north end of the strip are better than those at the south end.

+1 on that. Easiest way without a car is to catch the bus that runs up and down the strip

 

[DJSYD81]

We were in Vegas over New Years this year. Had a blast and didn't get bored in 5 days.

We stayed at Planet Hollywood, close to all of the action and I didn't have a problem with the hotel or staff, was just a bit confusing getting out of the casino!

Things to do:

Shows - We saw Holly Maddison Peep Show (which was what it was) and also Cirque De Soleil Beetles Love which was great.
Helicopter - We flew out to the Grand Canyon and landed at the bottom and had a light lunch there with about 30 mins on the ground, flew over Hoover Dam and the strip on the way back. Highly recommend it.
Outlets - As mentioned the North Outlets are better but both offer great bargains. We spent a day shopping and could've done more.
Old Vegas - Check out the Freemont Street experience, it is really cool to wander through all of the old Casinos etc.
New York New York roller coaster is heaps of fun.
Check out the shows that some of the Casinos put on hourly, Bellagio water fountain, Ceasers Palace etc.
Wander the strip and people watch - The card flickers/clickers get annoying but just ignore them.
Wander through the Casinos as they are all so different and always have something on.
Eifel Tower - We did this at night and it was great with all of the lights on the strip. It is half the size of the real one.

Vegas really is what you make of it and there is always something to do and see.

Enjoy.

 

[BAM1748]

interesting place for a visit
The Atomic Testing Museum and the NTSHF - Las Vegas, NV

 

[file51]

Hire a Mustang, drive back to LA. (tip, when choosing a hire car from a major chain I.e. AVIS, get a car with CA plates not NV plates, then there won't be a relocation fee!)

Sorry, this needs correcting.

The plate on the car has nothing to do with one-way (relocation) fees

Key is to pre-book with any of the major companies as most have a no fee policy between Nevada & California
(Plus the ownership, or home location of the vehicle has nothing to do with where the car was first registered)

<Source = 50+ One Way rentals between CA & NV since 1992, plus worked in senior management with Avis for 10+ years)

 

[file51]

The outlets at the north end of the strip are better than those at the south end

+1 on that. Easiest way without a car is to catch the bus that runs up and down the strip

If you are referring to the Premium Outlets (North) you need to catch another bus as it is a little way off the strip (closer to I-15)

A block or so North of the Little White Wedding Chapel, then head west on E Charleston then north on S Grand Central

Sadly I know this place too well… at least twice a year the minister of war and finance gives me a list of things she wants from Ed Hardy, Skechers and Juicy Couture… I remain sane knowing just how much money is saved buying the items there, rather than here

 

[Foreigner]

I prefer to be on the strip. Ask for an upgrade at your hotel. Leave tip for your housekeeper.

One mistake I made on last visit was to check out in the morning whereas my departure was past midnight. In hindsight, I ought to have paid for an extra night and rested in guestroom instead of walking around and around the gambling dens.

 

[netgrom]

I prefer to be on the strip. Ask for an upgrade at your hotel. Leave tip for your housekeeper.

Also tip $20/$50 when you are checking in and you will have very good chances of getting a room upgrade and if they can't they should give your tip back, known as the credit card sandwhich put the tip in between your credit card and identification, I recently did this at the Bellagio and got up-ed from a standard room to a view room on high floor, in some cases they will also waive the resort fees for you

 

[smit0847]

Also tip $20/$50 when you are checking in and you will have very good chances of getting a room upgrade and if they can't they should give your tip back, known as the credit card sandwhich put the tip in between your credit card and identification, I recently did this at the Bellagio and got up-ed from a standard room to a view room on high floor, in some cases they will also waive the resort fees for you

Thats a great idea, never thought of that.

Has anyone scared a seat upgrade by slipping a $50 into their passport at airport checkin?

 

[file51]

Also tip $20/$50 when you are checking in and you will have very good chances of getting a room upgrade and if they can't they should give your tip back, known as the credit card sandwhich put the tip in between your credit card and identification, I recently did this at the Bellagio and got up-ed from a standard room to a view room on high floor, in some cases they will also waive the resort fees for you

There is a great 67 page thread about this on FT

$20 Trick - It works very well - FlyerTalk Forums

I have tried it several times with 100% success rate (cheaper hotels $20, premium hotels $50)

 

[Shelf]

For something a bit different, you could goto 'the gun shop'. It is a firing range where you can shoot pretty much anything (from WW2 stuff to modern assault rifles). IIRC it is a few KM off the strip & when i went it was full of Aussies and English tourists.

I'd recommend a walk along the strip at night time, the Bellagio water show is always popular.

 

[blackcat20]

A Cirque du Soleil show is also worth a look. Not cheap but amazing. I've only seen O so can only vouch for that one, but I've heard good things about all of them.

 

[Grooba]

Enjoy & don't stay for more than 3 nights

Good tip! I was there for 9 nights a few years back (went to see my old man who had a conference there) and really after 2/3 days there's not much else to do except gamble.
Remember, the house generally wins.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Thats a great idea, never thought of that.

Has anyone scared a seat upgrade by slipping a $50 into their passport at airport checkin?

Actually depends on the airline, but I would slip the chief purser, a man if you have the 'right' airline and he will move you once settled......