Discussion
apologies if you have already said this, but how old are you? who are you going with? what kind of holiday are you looking for? what's your buget?
all of the above can make a huge difference to the tips you're going to get!
I've been 13 times now and last time was 5 guys for a mates 40th. Without a doubt the best thing I've ever done there (that I'm about to admit on here) was a day out on Lake Mead with the hire of a speedboat/watersports etc.. think it worked out about £250/head, included food/drink etc.. every time we're out for food/beers we talk about it as one of the most memorable days of our lives
all of the above can make a huge difference to the tips you're going to get!
I've been 13 times now and last time was 5 guys for a mates 40th. Without a doubt the best thing I've ever done there (that I'm about to admit on here) was a day out on Lake Mead with the hire of a speedboat/watersports etc.. think it worked out about £250/head, included food/drink etc.. every time we're out for food/beers we talk about it as one of the most memorable days of our lives
HotJambalaya said:
OK so theres a few things here that may help people (I spend about 4 months of the year in vegas and have a holiday home there)
1) use Uber or Lyft. They're basically the same, with drivers driving for both, Lyft does promos so you might get $5 off your first 10 rides. Compare prices between the two apps at busy times.
2) Would tend to take uber/lyft from the airport. If you do take a regular cab, saying "no tunnel" should let them know you know what you're doing. If you're not paying attention and they long haul you snap a photo of their license and remember what time you took them, you can then file a complaint. I think the complaint number/website is on the license. Confront them at the end of the ride, they could let you pay less or give you the ride for free. If they dont charge you they havent actually long hauled you so you cant complain.
3) strip clubs. STOP F****G paying for transport to strip clubs! Firstly most strip clubs have their own limo service, you can call them up and they'll send it for you. This is FREE. Tip the driver $20. If you jump in a regular cab, tell him you want him to take you there for FREE, especially if you're a group. See that guy standing outside the stripclub with a clipboard? he's writing down the license plate of every cab driver arriving and the number of punters. Tomorrow the driver is going back and collecting $20-$50 per person in kickbacks. If you tell him you want XYZ club and he's persuading you to go to ABC club its because he knows ABC is giving a $50 kickback today, and XYZ is only $20 per person. HOWEVER, if you arrive at a stripclub in your own car or on foot you will pay less entry. So work it out, you could take a cab and stop somewhere across the road or down the street, and just walk over, and you'll save hundreds on entry between you.
Weed dispensaries and gun ranges also pay kickbacks but they're much less (I think about $5 for a weed dispensary).
4) Downtown/Freemont Street: Freemont is fine, a few weirdos for photos etc, but everything else is fine. Go a couple of blocks off in the wrong direction and it can get a little sketchy. Overall though, downtown is going through a big revitalisation. Recommend Carson Street Kitchen. Smashed Pig gastro pub is also popular but since its a 'british' gastro pub I havent bothered.
Container Park is also new and worth checking out with little restaurants and shops
Las Vegas premium outlets north is well worth going to to get that shopping fix out of the way.
5) General.
Odds at gambling downtown are better and table limits are lower.
Resort fees are insane and were just going up before corona hit. It will be interesting if post corona they keep them there or drop them to entice more people.
It looks like buffets are (thanks to corona) going to be a thing of the past.
Some casinos are investigating shields between players and taking your temperature as you go in. Anything immediately post corona is likely to be VERY depressing.
6) Restaurants:
As above the cheesecake factory is great, the grand lux cafe at the venetian is basically a cheesecake factory under a different name.
SW steakhouse at the wynn is my favourite steakhouse there by a mile. If you're going last minute and its full, go to Lakeside opposite and see if they have a table, the two restaurants share a kitchen so you'll get the same steak.
If you fancy doing a man v food breakfast Hash house a go go, at the Linq is the place, its actually pretty good, ridiculous portions though.
For a decent brunch at the weekend check out Herringbone at Aria
If you have a car my favourite more casual restaurants off strip in no particular order are:
Lawrys prime rib
Hot n Juicy Crawfish
Lamaii thai (tiny bit fancier inside)
Lotus of Siam Thai
Sparrow and Wolf
Partage (fine dining)
Pho Kim Long (cheap late night post club spot, perfect at 4am)
Skinny Fats
This is a solid post and well worth reading. I'm a Vegas addict and it's almost the only place I've been for hols outside Europe for the last 24 years, with 38 trips, nearly all of a fortnight or more. Agree that Fremont St isn't anywhere as bad as some are portraying it, and if you go north or south of the canopy then you obviously aren't on Fremont St anymore anyway. I've started using Uber from the airport although the pick up points aren't clearly defined on the app. I'd add that Vegas is a city where unless you're going to Hoover Dam etc, you really don't need a hire car, certainly not for the full trip anyway. It's a great city with a real buzz about it, although if you're just looking to sit by the pool all day and don't really gamble then you might tire of it quicker.1) use Uber or Lyft. They're basically the same, with drivers driving for both, Lyft does promos so you might get $5 off your first 10 rides. Compare prices between the two apps at busy times.
2) Would tend to take uber/lyft from the airport. If you do take a regular cab, saying "no tunnel" should let them know you know what you're doing. If you're not paying attention and they long haul you snap a photo of their license and remember what time you took them, you can then file a complaint. I think the complaint number/website is on the license. Confront them at the end of the ride, they could let you pay less or give you the ride for free. If they dont charge you they havent actually long hauled you so you cant complain.
3) strip clubs. STOP F****G paying for transport to strip clubs! Firstly most strip clubs have their own limo service, you can call them up and they'll send it for you. This is FREE. Tip the driver $20. If you jump in a regular cab, tell him you want him to take you there for FREE, especially if you're a group. See that guy standing outside the stripclub with a clipboard? he's writing down the license plate of every cab driver arriving and the number of punters. Tomorrow the driver is going back and collecting $20-$50 per person in kickbacks. If you tell him you want XYZ club and he's persuading you to go to ABC club its because he knows ABC is giving a $50 kickback today, and XYZ is only $20 per person. HOWEVER, if you arrive at a stripclub in your own car or on foot you will pay less entry. So work it out, you could take a cab and stop somewhere across the road or down the street, and just walk over, and you'll save hundreds on entry between you.
Weed dispensaries and gun ranges also pay kickbacks but they're much less (I think about $5 for a weed dispensary).
4) Downtown/Freemont Street: Freemont is fine, a few weirdos for photos etc, but everything else is fine. Go a couple of blocks off in the wrong direction and it can get a little sketchy. Overall though, downtown is going through a big revitalisation. Recommend Carson Street Kitchen. Smashed Pig gastro pub is also popular but since its a 'british' gastro pub I havent bothered.
Container Park is also new and worth checking out with little restaurants and shops
Las Vegas premium outlets north is well worth going to to get that shopping fix out of the way.
5) General.
Odds at gambling downtown are better and table limits are lower.
Resort fees are insane and were just going up before corona hit. It will be interesting if post corona they keep them there or drop them to entice more people.
It looks like buffets are (thanks to corona) going to be a thing of the past.
Some casinos are investigating shields between players and taking your temperature as you go in. Anything immediately post corona is likely to be VERY depressing.
6) Restaurants:
As above the cheesecake factory is great, the grand lux cafe at the venetian is basically a cheesecake factory under a different name.
SW steakhouse at the wynn is my favourite steakhouse there by a mile. If you're going last minute and its full, go to Lakeside opposite and see if they have a table, the two restaurants share a kitchen so you'll get the same steak.
If you fancy doing a man v food breakfast Hash house a go go, at the Linq is the place, its actually pretty good, ridiculous portions though.
For a decent brunch at the weekend check out Herringbone at Aria
If you have a car my favourite more casual restaurants off strip in no particular order are:
Lawrys prime rib
Hot n Juicy Crawfish
Lamaii thai (tiny bit fancier inside)
Lotus of Siam Thai
Sparrow and Wolf
Partage (fine dining)
Pho Kim Long (cheap late night post club spot, perfect at 4am)
Skinny Fats
However....the place is definitely losing it's shine for me and others. Even before Corona, the appeal is getting diluted by corporate greed (exemplified by the resort fee scam), and as already mentioned *everybody* has their hand out for money. I know there's separate discussions about the need for tipping (which I've always accepted), but when I ask the price of a drink I don't welcome hearing "12 dollars plus tip" as though it's their entitlement. I also don't think it's been mentioned yet but it's turning into a sports town very quickly. Already has ice hockey (Vikings), but is shortly getting NFL with the Raiders moving from LA and possibly an NBA team, neither of which improve a neighbourhood.
jsc15 said:
This is a solid post and well worth reading. I'm a Vegas addict and it's almost the only place I've been for hols outside Europe for the last 24 years, with 38 trips, nearly all of a fortnight or more. Agree that Fremont St isn't anywhere as bad as some are portraying it, and if you go north or south of the canopy then you obviously aren't on Fremont St anymore anyway. I've started using Uber from the airport although the pick up points aren't clearly defined on the app. I'd add that Vegas is a city where unless you're going to Hoover Dam etc, you really don't need a hire car, certainly not for the full trip anyway. It's a great city with a real buzz about it, although if you're just looking to sit by the pool all day and don't really gamble then you might tire of it quicker.
However....the place is definitely losing it's shine for me and others. Even before Corona, the appeal is getting diluted by corporate greed (exemplified by the resort fee scam), and as already mentioned *everybody* has their hand out for money. I know there's separate discussions about the need for tipping (which I've always accepted), but when I ask the price of a drink I don't welcome hearing "12 dollars plus tip" as though it's their entitlement. I also don't think it's been mentioned yet but it's turning into a sports town very quickly. Already has ice hockey (Vikings), but is shortly getting NFL with the Raiders moving from LA and possibly an NBA team, neither of which improve a neighbourhood.
Good point regarding the sports! I imagine it'll be best to visit outside of the nfl season then...However....the place is definitely losing it's shine for me and others. Even before Corona, the appeal is getting diluted by corporate greed (exemplified by the resort fee scam), and as already mentioned *everybody* has their hand out for money. I know there's separate discussions about the need for tipping (which I've always accepted), but when I ask the price of a drink I don't welcome hearing "12 dollars plus tip" as though it's their entitlement. I also don't think it's been mentioned yet but it's turning into a sports town very quickly. Already has ice hockey (Vikings), but is shortly getting NFL with the Raiders moving from LA and possibly an NBA team, neither of which improve a neighbourhood.
[quote=ikarl]apologies if you have already said this, but how old are you? who are you going with? what kind of holiday are you looking for? what's your buget?
all of the above can make a huge difference to the tips you're going to get!
I agree, been many times , like the nicer things so my answers might not be related.
Like the speed boat on lake mead, done it many times.
Stayed in Vegas in posh hotels and the next couple of nights in a tipee !
all of the above can make a huge difference to the tips you're going to get!
I agree, been many times , like the nicer things so my answers might not be related.
Like the speed boat on lake mead, done it many times.
Stayed in Vegas in posh hotels and the next couple of nights in a tipee !
When people ask me about Vegas I say it is the best of America and the worst all in a very small area. Get of the strip and there are some run down areas which is not pretty.
The shows are fantastic but get booked up early and are not cheap.
Fending off the guys trying to get you to have girls sent to your room get a bit waring best laugh was when I told one to go away as my wife was with me, stood next to me, he just smiled and said we have girls who will do both of you!
others have said it all really but my two highlights was Hoover Dam, take the tour inside fantastic and the Skywalk at the Grand Canyon. Pricy but it was worth it for us.
I would go back again but 5 days on the strip is enough for most but add in days around and easy to spend 10 days there.
We stayed in Planet Hollywood which our room was huge and overlooked the Bellagio water display. You will have great time
The shows are fantastic but get booked up early and are not cheap.
Fending off the guys trying to get you to have girls sent to your room get a bit waring best laugh was when I told one to go away as my wife was with me, stood next to me, he just smiled and said we have girls who will do both of you!
others have said it all really but my two highlights was Hoover Dam, take the tour inside fantastic and the Skywalk at the Grand Canyon. Pricy but it was worth it for us.
I would go back again but 5 days on the strip is enough for most but add in days around and easy to spend 10 days there.
We stayed in Planet Hollywood which our room was huge and overlooked the Bellagio water display. You will have great time
should be going in 3 weeks for the 10th time. Usually go for between 10-14 nights and treat it like any other summer type holiday. Sunbathe in the day time and restaurants/shows/bars etc in the evening. Sometimes go twice a year (last year went 3 times!)
I usually stay at the Mirage because I like the pool area - plenty of sunbeds and it's not too crazy like some of the pool party style hotels. Have also stayed at the Bellagio, Park MGM and NYNY. Taken the kids a few times before and always found plenty of things to do.
In a way it's ruined us because although I thought initially I'd hate it, the opposite happened and we have hardly visited anywhere else because the default is "lets go back to Vegas"! We know a lot of places to eat, where the deals are, happy hours etc so the cost for us has come down too as a result!
I usually stay at the Mirage because I like the pool area - plenty of sunbeds and it's not too crazy like some of the pool party style hotels. Have also stayed at the Bellagio, Park MGM and NYNY. Taken the kids a few times before and always found plenty of things to do.
In a way it's ruined us because although I thought initially I'd hate it, the opposite happened and we have hardly visited anywhere else because the default is "lets go back to Vegas"! We know a lot of places to eat, where the deals are, happy hours etc so the cost for us has come down too as a result!
I went once, glad I did, much like Dubai, but I probably won't ever go back.
We passed through on a road trip in July, probably 15 years ago now!
It was meltingly hot, the casinos were quite impressive, but gambling holds no interest for me really, so the constant twilight they keep the place in and the people shoveling hundreds of dollars into slot machines all felt a bit sinister to me.
We stayed, back then, in the Excaliber - It was a slightly surreal experience to be in the pool looking at people on the Rollercoaster next door fly by - but if it's still there it'll be getting very shabby now, I suspect. We bumped (almost literally) into Michael Jackson (the pop one, not the beer guide man) shopping in the hotel shop...
It's a place to say you've been and seen, for sure, but unless you're into gambling, I don't see a huge appeal.
The Grand Canyon is remarkable (I wouldn't mind walking down into it sometime) and Zion is 100% worth a visit (I'd go there instead of the GC if I could do only one, personally, but try and do both).
Death Valley was interesting, but again, not somewhere to spend a lot of time.
I've not done any shooting in LV, they certainly have lots of options, but the prices are eye-wateringly high.
It's a weird part of the States and I guess you love it or you don't.
M
We passed through on a road trip in July, probably 15 years ago now!
It was meltingly hot, the casinos were quite impressive, but gambling holds no interest for me really, so the constant twilight they keep the place in and the people shoveling hundreds of dollars into slot machines all felt a bit sinister to me.
We stayed, back then, in the Excaliber - It was a slightly surreal experience to be in the pool looking at people on the Rollercoaster next door fly by - but if it's still there it'll be getting very shabby now, I suspect. We bumped (almost literally) into Michael Jackson (the pop one, not the beer guide man) shopping in the hotel shop...
It's a place to say you've been and seen, for sure, but unless you're into gambling, I don't see a huge appeal.
The Grand Canyon is remarkable (I wouldn't mind walking down into it sometime) and Zion is 100% worth a visit (I'd go there instead of the GC if I could do only one, personally, but try and do both).
Death Valley was interesting, but again, not somewhere to spend a lot of time.
I've not done any shooting in LV, they certainly have lots of options, but the prices are eye-wateringly high.
It's a weird part of the States and I guess you love it or you don't.
M
I went for the first time last year a group of mates for a 50th birthday.
Stayed at the Luxor, a little tired but served the purpose we required. I researched and made plans before we went, once there we were just like kids in a sweet shop all plans out of the window. A little gambling, mainly drinking basicly a 3 day bar crawl up and down the strip. Fully appreciate we were paying top $$ for beers and cocktails in prime tourist spots, but we burnt through money. But every single one of us can't wait to go back and do it all again. Tacky, vulgar yes it all of those but we loved it.
Stayed at the Luxor, a little tired but served the purpose we required. I researched and made plans before we went, once there we were just like kids in a sweet shop all plans out of the window. A little gambling, mainly drinking basicly a 3 day bar crawl up and down the strip. Fully appreciate we were paying top $$ for beers and cocktails in prime tourist spots, but we burnt through money. But every single one of us can't wait to go back and do it all again. Tacky, vulgar yes it all of those but we loved it.
This sounds great, I’m going to look into it for when I go back
ikarl said:
apologies if you have already said this, but how old are you? who are you going with? what kind of holiday are you looking for? what's your buget?
all of the above can make a huge difference to the tips you're going to get!
I've been 13 times now and last time was 5 guys for a mates 40th. Without a doubt the best thing I've ever done there (that I'm about to admit on here) was a day out on Lake Mead with the hire of a speedboat/watersports etc.. think it worked out about £250/head, included food/drink etc.. every time we're out for food/beers we talk about it as one of the most memorable days of our lives
all of the above can make a huge difference to the tips you're going to get!
I've been 13 times now and last time was 5 guys for a mates 40th. Without a doubt the best thing I've ever done there (that I'm about to admit on here) was a day out on Lake Mead with the hire of a speedboat/watersports etc.. think it worked out about £250/head, included food/drink etc.. every time we're out for food/beers we talk about it as one of the most memorable days of our lives
I was watching Louis Theroux in Vegas last night and brought back some memories when I did three nights on a LA to San Fran triangle.
Not a big gambler myself but had some flutters. It was hard to understand how it all worked to be perfectly honest, the fruitys were even confusing.
I stayed at the Aria that was boutiquey and nice at the time.
Wouldn't do more than 3 days in Vegas myself.
Not a big gambler myself but had some flutters. It was hard to understand how it all worked to be perfectly honest, the fruitys were even confusing.
I stayed at the Aria that was boutiquey and nice at the time.
Wouldn't do more than 3 days in Vegas myself.
When I go with the lads we always have a day out mid holiday, Lake Mead, Grand Canyon, we’ve even been white water rafting, it just gets us away from Vegas for a day. Like others I’ve never had a problem or felt uncomfortable on Fremont St and I think Saturday night is the best time to be there.
Mrs Pete and I use Vegas to fly in and out of if we are going to the west coast, it’s an easy 3-4 hour drive and direct flights from Manchester. Hopefully next year it’ll be Vegas, Twentynine Palms, Joshua Tree, Palm Springs, Temecula vineyards, San Diego and then wing our way back to Vegas for a couple or three days.
Mrs Pete and I use Vegas to fly in and out of if we are going to the west coast, it’s an easy 3-4 hour drive and direct flights from Manchester. Hopefully next year it’ll be Vegas, Twentynine Palms, Joshua Tree, Palm Springs, Temecula vineyards, San Diego and then wing our way back to Vegas for a couple or three days.
Aldos Army said:
Where is your holiday home? I was thinking of an apartment there but am unsure whether to justify it!
I have a house about 15 minutes from the strip in a gated community on a gold course.I was originally looking at apartments, but then monthly HOA fees are really large, which put me off. The most reasonable block for monthly fees would be the Martin, where they actively kept an eye on things and even they are pretty high. My criteria on an apartment was that it had to have a strip view, which on a high floor got expensive fast.
http://lasvegashighrisecondoliving.com/idx/listing...
As for owning a house, well I ended up with one with a huge HOA fee anyway, $550 a month! -that covers the amenities like guard gated security, landscaping for the common areas, and weirder stuff like the painting of my house, and the roof of my house. I have to say, they do keep it immaculate. For a house my criteria was that it had to have a pool, which it turns out is a money pit in itself.
Approximate costs are, including my crazy hoa, around $1000 a month empty, obviously it goes up (particularly electricity) when I'm there.
I'm there around 4 months a year, so its in effect costing me lets say $15k a year, or $3750 a month to be there. So its not that cheap. I'd probably be better off renting it out and staying in a hotel when Im there, but....
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