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Planning a trip to Vegas. Advice?

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Divvy

Canadians burned my passport
My friends and I are planning a trip to Vegas in august of this year. My girlfriend mostly wants to go to see shows and apparently we have to plan this far in advance.

I was wondering for those who've gone or live there, what are some of things I should consider? Are there any good deals for visiting the city? Which hotel should we stay at? What are some of the must do things in the city? What should we look out for?

I don't know much about the city aside from what I've seen in CSI and Ocean's Eleven so any help would be most appreciated!

Thanks gaf!
 

Violater

Member
free-condoms.jpg
 
If you're not in the mood to go to a strip joint and just want to check out a normal club, don't bother asking the cabbie for a good one. Most are paid by shitty strip joints to take Vegas noobs straight to them. Do your research, find a club you want to go to, and go there.
 

Ryaaan14

Banned
Join the Player's Club at all the major casinos, and gamble a LOT. My family gets a shitload of free stay offers from them.

Also free beer while you're gambling.

We always did The Mirage and Treasure Island. Both have great casinos, but I'd stay at The Venetian if I had a choice.

Go to every casino though just to walk through at least. They are all unique and beautiful.
 

Kosmo

Banned
If you like good old fun gambling, fuck the strip and head to Downtown and hit the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino. $5 Craps, dealers are super friendly, and way more relaxed than the strip.
 

RBH

Member
If you're looking for a show, I'd recommend The Beatles: Love.

Saw it a month ago in Vegas and really enjoyed it.
 

Kwhit10

Member
If you want a good deal, stay Sunday-Thursday. I've stayed at the Wynn (nicest but most expensive), New York New York, and Hilton Grand Vacation resorts.

You can get a deal at the Hilton place since it is a time share place, if you sit through a talk you can get a good deal on a two bedroom suite with a pull out couch (so sleep 6 in total) with a kitchen. But there is no restaurants or casino there. It's on the strip though so I only slept there.

If you want to see some clubs with minimal hassle, find one of those club crawl/nite tour things for $40 a person (the sale price). You get to skip the cover and the lines at 3 clubs throughout the night.
 

Ryaaan14

Banned
If you like good old fun gambling, fuck the strip and head to Downtown and hit the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino. $5 Craps, dealers are super friendly, and way more relaxed than the strip.

Ew fuck downtown for real. Too grimy and old.
 
Many of the city's best restaurants are not in the tourist areas. Everything is very accessible in Las Vegas so I recommend you take the time to explore a bit.

My favorite Asian joints are Sen of Japan, Raku, Sura Buffet, China Mama.

There's a very strange, but incredible, fusion restaurant called Trattoria Nakamura-ya; I recommend the desserts and the uni tomato cream pasta.

You're good to go for western meals on the strip however. You'll be tripping over amazing steakhouses. My favorite buffet is the seafood one in the Rio but that's a bit pricey.
 

Kosmo

Banned
Ew fuck downtown for real. Too grimy and old.

You must be under 30. The strip is almost comical with the number of young people parading around, guys with their shirts open, oversize sunglasses, gambling way more than they can afford to impress the chicks they are with. I'm not saying you can't have a great time on the strip, but the vibe is way more "look at me" than at any other time I can remember.
 
Forget travelocity and priceline. Check the hotel sites - like every day.
Vegas hotels are notorious for changing prices on a near daily basis. If you're lucky, you can score a suite for $100.
 

Ryaaan14

Banned
You must be under 30. The strip is almost comical with the number of young people parading around, guys with their shirts open, oversize sunglasses, gambling way more than they can afford to impress the chicks they are with. I'm not saying you can't have a great time on the strip, but the vibe is way more "look at me" than at any other time I can remember.

Yes I am, and yeah I find that more appealing than the traditional style of downtown.
 

Ties

Banned
Don't go out during the day. The heat will kill you.

Town Square, Aria, buffets, etc. Also there's a bunch if shopping malls and outlets here like Fashion Show and the Galleria.
 
There are tons of stands around las vegas that you can get tickets to shows for half the price.

I recommend doing all drinking from a hotel room, flask, or just get cheap beers on the strip. Or get free drinks by gambling. Otherwise you will get a crowbar to the wallet pretty fucking fast.
 

Divvy

Canadians burned my passport
So the Cosmopolitan, the Wynn, Bellagio, Hilton.

Is there a quality difference between these? Or should I just go with whatever's cheapest.
 
I'd pick the Cosmopolitan just because City Center is a visual delight. If you don't care about that, it doesn't matter, except that I'd exclude the Hilton because it's kind of shabby and poorly situated.
 
Regardless where you go do the $20 trick, and go to the secret pizza place in the cosmopolitan!

So the Cosmopolitan, the Wynn, Bellagio, Hilton.

Is there a quality difference between these? Or should I just go with whatever's cheapest.

Out of these 4 I say Cosmo or Bellagio because they are center strip.
 

Sofiya

Neo Member
Divvy, what is your approximate budget and what features in a hotel are important to you? For example, awesome pool? Great location? Best value? Cheapest?

Earl of Sandwich
Fat Tuesdays
O'Sheas
Voodoo Lounge @ the Rio
Blondies!
Cirque De Soleil Love!

O'Shea's is closing in the next few weeks :'(
 

Sobriquet

Member
I like the Venetian (and Palazzo), Planet Hollywood, and Bellagio. I've stayed all up and down the strip, and Venetian is probably my favorite.

I've never been to Cosmopolitan, though. I dislike the Wynn. I can't stand Circus Circus.
 
If you get the urge to gamble some, play the slots at the Aria and MGM Grand.
Made over (net) $700 slot jockeying for 4 days last summer.

Other than that, The Lion King (at Mandalay Bay) is a fantastic show.
 
I am thinking of going in June with some friends. Not sure what I should be expecting or how to prepare. But I'm sure I'll figure it out in time.
 

poppabk

Cheeks Spread for Digital Only Future
Bills gambling hall, it's cheap, nice enough rooms and dead center on the strip.
 
Mid-week (Sun-Thurs) deals are the best. I stayed at the Tropicana for less than $50 a night. The only "problem" is the younger crowds go on the weekends. Not too much debauchery happens at the pool on a Tuesday. If you like a quieter time it's the best bang for your buck. Not only are hotels cheaper but the tables are dirt cheap as well.

If you do plan on going during the weekend, try to make arrangements ahead of time for dinner, clubs, and anything else really. Weekends can be busy as hell and a pain to do last minute things. I would recommend renting a Cabana. Thy aren't too pricey, you are able to take a break from the sun and heat without leaving the pool, and you get waited on. If you are going with a big group it's a must a smaller group or if it's just you and your GF you can play it by ear.

As for cheap eats, my favorite place for Prime Rib is the Prime Rib loft at the Orleans. Great prime rib for a really reasonable price. It's a couple minutes off the strip so it's not too busy and you usually can get in without a reservation.
 
Regardless where you go do the $20 trick, and go to the secret pizza place in the cosmopolitan!



Out of these 4 I say Cosmo or Bellagio because they are center strip.
This; if you plan on walking around in the heat of august you might regret moving outside of the center, thought encore @ wynn is pretty nice (or was it xs I can't remember)... dress nicely tho.
 
My friends and I are planning a trip to Vegas in august of this year. My girlfriend mostly wants to go to see shows and apparently we have to plan this far in advance.

I was wondering for those who've gone or live there, what are some of things I should consider? Are there any good deals for visiting the city? Which hotel should we stay at? What are some of the must do things in the city? What should we look out for?

I don't know much about the city aside from what I've seen in CSI and Ocean's Eleven so any help would be most appreciated!

Thanks gaf!

Do the Rio, Bellagio, but if you're into gambling head downtown for some crazy low minimums on table games. Plaza hotel isn't a bad place to stay for 50/night. Drink outside in public if you've never done it without fear of ticket or arrest. It's awesome.

Avoid: people who click cards at you (it will happen), avoid dudes with "VIP" passes into clubs on the street, those things are everywhere. "homeless people" with dogs, it's sad at first, until you realize there's like 10 people on the strip with the same gimmick.


oh and don't turn down two tall blondes from sweden at 4am in the morning when in a 2 on 2 scenario like I did. Kind of a Long story hahaha




Divvy, what is your approximate budget and what features in a hotel are important to you? For example, awesome pool? Great location? Best value? Cheapest?



O'Shea's is closing in the next few weeks :'(


NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. I got so smashed at O'shea's, I was hoping to go back there in a couple months :(
 
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