going to Vegas, what must I see?

[Deep13]

My wife and I are going over Xmas. We're pretty much open for anything except gambling and pro sports. We'll take in one major show, maybe Penn and Teller, and one adult type show. We're staying at Mandalay, so we know about the shark tank.

Any suggestions? Ain't never been there.

[LynneSin]

1. If I were going to Las Vegas

if I didn't sell the ticket and actually went on it, I would rent a car and drive out to the Grand Canyon. It's only 6 hours away

[Deep13]

4. I've been there, will go again.

I seem to remember that Las Vegas is a direct driving route to the North Rim which is closed during winter. I was there the day it opened in 2002. We drove up from Pheonix, saw Lowell Observatory, Monument Valley with a Navaho guide, saw relatives in Page and Glenn Canyon and finished at the North Rim where we spent two days. It was 95 deg. F in Pheonix (approx. 38 C). It was snowing at the North Rim and deer were grazing outside of our log cabin window.

Saw the South Rim in June 2003 at the Grand Canyon Star Party.

[underpants]

8. I agree + I would ride the rides atop the tower

it's at the other end of the trip from Mandalay bay (the old crappy part) but I would ride those rides...again.

[kick-ass-bob]

2. someone counting cards.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x4432612

:D

[Deep13]

5. Yes, but we don't gamble.

That's why we always vote Democrat.

[Taverner]

3. X Rated, R Rated or PG-13 type vacation?

If R Rated the Crazy Horse is a must

If PG-13 Jousting at that casino (forgot the name) is fun, as well as going to the stratosphere and doing the base drop ON TOP of the needle

If X Rated..well....

[Deep13]

6. I think the Casino is Excalibur.

We're both non puritan adults, no ankle-biters in tow. R rated is just fine. X-rated is fine too if it is any good and not just gross.

[huskerlaw]

7. Jousting is at

the Excalibur. I hear that the roller coaster at New York, New York is quite fun. Also the fountain in front of the Bellagio.

Unfortunately, I haven't been to Vegas since the mid-90s, but we always entertained ourselves simply going from casino to casino...they all have something interesting to do/see. Also, there's fabulous shopping in other parts of the city.

[tuvor]

9. The Liberace Museum!

Not joking. His Bicentennial Hotpants ensemble is a sight to behold. That is, if you're not blinded by the light reflecting off trillions of little mirrors and rhinestone facets. Seriously, it was joyously high kitsch, and I'll go again the next time I'm there. http://www.liberace.org/index_flash.htm

There's also the car museum at the Imperial Palace, where we stayed the one time we went there. If you like cars at all, I'd consider it a must. http://www.imperialpalace.com/autos.php

Have fun.

[Deep13]

17. Hmmm, I wish my brother George could see it.

I don't actually have a brother, but Liberace used to comment on his brother George.

My my wife would like to see that. She finds tacky show-biz types to be fascinating.

[4morewars]

30. The restaraunt he owned was great !

I believe it's right next to the museum, but it's not called Liberace's, I think it's called Tivoli's.
One of the best deals in town ! A half dozen FRESH clams on the half shell....$ 4.50 ! I kid you not! And big giant bowls of pasta that you wont be able to finish.

[5thGenDemocrat]

10. Don't overplan it -- you'll see plenty no matter what you do

Las Vegas isn't a tourist town like Washington or Philadelphia where you have to go to this historic site or that. It's kind of like Sodom and Gomarrah, but with more neon. It's all size and flash and venality and it's great.
At least play the quarter slots for a little while and immerse yourself in the casino atmosphere. I won $27 at my first stop -- the (old) Aladdin -- then didn't win much of anything the last three days. Still, I left LV down just $22, so I was pretty happy with that.
Mandalay Bay is very nice. You will almost certainly have a grand old time in Vegas -- it's pretty hard not to.
Finally, my ex-father-in-law, Tom, told me that you will know when it's time to go home when you look at yourself in the bathroom mirror and your eyes look like "two pissholes in a snowbank." He was right -- that's exactly what mine looked like by the morning of the fourth day as we were preparing to head to the airport.
John
Got married in Las Vegas in 1997.
Got divorced in Saginaw in 1999.

[seemunkee]

11. Neon sign graveyard

Friends who go a lot have recommended it.

[XNASA]

12. The Star Trek Experience at the Hilton.

Especially the 3-D attraction.

I'm no Trekkie, far from it, but it's pretty cool.

[benny05]

24. Agree

But take your time through it...I was rushed because my LV girlfriend wanted to get on the 90 sec ride so fast. I wanted to read the stories behind the chronologies myself. Costumes and other gear are cool.

[terrya]

13. If I were going to Vegas, I'd see "Avenue Q" while I was there.

IF I was going to Vegas. Which I'm not.

Tony Award winning musical. Playing in Vegas now, I believe.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

14. The volcano outside the Mirage.

That's what I liked when I was a young'un in Sin City. :D :D

[RubyDuby in GA]

15. I agree with some things already here:

Liberace Museum, roller coaster at NYNY, Neon Graveyard, fountains at Belliago.
Go over to old town to see Vegas Vic. Definitely go to the top of the Stratosphere. There's a roller coaster that goes slowly around the top so you get beautiful views of the surrounding countryside and if you love thrills - ride the Big Shot. Oh yeah...I had to ride it twice!!

I love the history of old Vegas, so I always go check out the Sahara and the Hilton with the neon Pink Flamingos. The last time I was there was before they tore down the old Aladdin. The new one is supposed to be pretty cool. Also, there's a Madame Trussauds by The Venetian.

[LoZoccolo]

16. Fremont Street, old-school downtown Vegas

Even if you don't gamble, it's really cool seeing all the neon lights and stuff on the old casinos...plus it's free! They have a lot of cheap souvenier shops too. I like that kind of thing, though.

If you can brave it, you can take the bus there, but I will tell you: I've been without a car and taken public transportation in Chicago for six years now, and I've never had as eventful a bus ride than I did in Vegas. On the first bus I boarded, there were two people about to start a fight so I got off right away. On the second one, someone was arguing with the bus driver, this guy started talking about his timeshare business, and this other smelly guy was doing card tricks, plus it was crowded. Other people I've talked to have described their bus ride to Fremont Street as similarly eventful.

[Capn Sunshine]

33. At Fremont street, check out the NEON MUSEUM

It's fascinating.

http://www.neonmuseum.org/exhibits-events.html

[Horus45]

18. I hate Vegas and it's only a 2 hour drive away from me.

If you were a regular to Vegas in the 70's and 80's, then you're in for a big surprise.
Everything has changed, no more $4.99 Prime Rib Buffets or $20 show tickets.
Everything has gotten VERY expensive! I felt like I was getting ripped off no matter where I went. The place has grown so large now it is very easy to get lost, make sure you get a map if you are going to be driving anywhere. And the traffic is crazy!
I'll go to Laughlin any day over Las Vegas, Laughlin is now like Vegas was in the 70's.
The casinos in Laughlin have great, cheap buffets and hotel rooms. They may not have the headliners that Vegas has, but that doesn't matter to me when all I want to do is gamble.

[barb162]

19. Walk around the Bellagio and Venetian hotels

VERY nice

[Whoa_Nelly]

20. Ride SPEED at the Sahara

http://www.saharavegas.com/thrills/

SPEED utilizes electromagnetic force to accelerate the coaster to top speeds almost instantaneously. SPEED begins inside the NASCAR Cafe, where an extraordinary force slingshots SPEED out of its launch site and over its first hill. A steep drop follows as passengers travel 25 feet below the surface through an underground tunnel before propelling them back above the ground and then through a breathtaking loop. The coaster then accelerates from 35 M.P.H. to its fastest speed of 70 M.P.H. in just 2 seconds, as it zips through the Sahara's 192-foot-tall marquee before curving around the porte-cochere and up a steep incline - - stopping 224 feet above the ground. SPEED then carries passengers through the same exhilarating path in reverse.

[Deep13]

21. Suppose I prefer to keep my entrails on the inside?

Are you sure that thing is for amusement and not for extracting confessions at Gitmo?

[Whoa_Nelly]

22. It's fun!

Just make sure your head is all the way back when it takes off! They ahve a warning on the ride.

The ride that took all my blood and placed it outside my body was Top Gun at Paramount's Great America in Santa Clara, CA

[Deep13]

39. Holy mother of fuck!

I got two words for that: in--sane!

No way, no how, ain't gonna happen.

[Initech]

23. The Penn & Teller show kicks major ass!

[Deep13]

38. That's what Sweetie wants to see.

So we are doing that.

[Coventina]

25. I liked "Blue Man Group" at the Luxor

I also want to give a shout out to the Guggenheim Hermitage museum in the Venetian.
It's not very big, but their exhibitions are always top-notch.
So far I've seen 3 shows there, and all three have been excellent.

[AnnieBW]

35. BMG Is At The Venetian

The Blue Men are at the Venetian now. I'd suggest going to see "Avenue Q" at the Wynn. If you're a Trekkie, the Star Trek Experience is a religious experience. For eating, check the buffet at the Rio. It's a little expensive, but worth it.

[RevCheesehead]

26. I'd look for ForrestGump and let him show me the town.

Cuz he's cute and can sing purty, too! :loveya:

[ForrestGump]

29. I'd be your tour guide

:D

Any time!

[RevCheesehead]

31. But will you be my Teddy Bear?

;)

[ForrestGump]

32. If you run your faingers through mah har, and cuddle me real tight

Okay. :-)

[RevCheesehead]

34. Hooray!

My own personal Elvis! :bounce::bounce:

[KitchenWitch]

27. Take a day trip to Hoover Dam

[4morewars]

28. Red Rock Canyon too !

It's much closer than the damm. We saw wild donkeys and fed them chips ahoys. They were not happy when we ran out !

Another day we rented 4-wheelers and went riding in the desert with a guide. They picked us up at the hotel, we had a blast !

The seafood buffet at the Rio is well worth the $30 price tag, and I believe that is the same hotel Penn and teller perform at. The "floor" show there is quite a spectacle as well. I put floor in quotes because most of the show is up in the air ! A floating mardi gras parade !

If you can't get tickets for p&t, the amazing jonathan is very funny, but kinda dirty. OK, very dirty.

[AnotherMother4Peace]

36. I second that on Red Rock Canyon - great hiking or you can drive

the loop. - It's about 20 minutes from the strip. We had a suite at Mandalay Bay that we really enjoyed.

The Fremont Experience was interesting.

[spacelady]

37. We went last year so our daughter could experience snow, so the

closeby ski resort restaurant was fun with sleigh rides & fun things to eat. Avoid the M&M store & CircusCircus & try for the Bellagio Water Show. It can be so crowded & miserable, so plan carefully.