Gramps and I are going to Las Vegas. What should we do while we're there?

[Radio_Lady]

Scooter 24 has a similar thread, and I've read the responses there. I thought I'd post my own thread because...

We're older folks, and we don't gamble very much, or drink very much. We will have a car this time.

We're particularly interest in restaurants or other activities OFF the Strip.

Whatever you care to post will be appreciated. Thanks.

Radio Lady in Oregon

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

1. A hooker.

:hide:

[Radio_Lady]

2. Not a bad idea, Haruka. She and I could have a spot of tea and a chat

while Gramps naps. LOL.

Ummmm -- he wouldn't remember what to do with her -- he's 73.

:sarcasm:

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

15. Oh did you see the pics of LostinVA and I at our romantic dinner in NYC?

The Olive Garden in Times Square was excellent!

[Radio_Lady]

17. No, but I've seen it now! Great photo! Thanks for posting it!

All my love to two beautiful WOMYN (Do you go along with that radical spelling? I used to use it when I was in my I HATE MEN phase, right after a divorce.)

Peace and love to you both!

Radio Lady in Oregon

[Sock Puppet]

41. Oh. You must think all lesbians hate men.

That's so cute.
:patriot:

[Radio_Lady]

42. What give you that impression? I'm one of the most liberal people you know.

It's just that I knew some lesbians who used to spell that word "WOMYN" instead of "WOMAN" (or "WOMEN") because THEY WERE PRETTY ANTI-MALE.

Hope that clears it up for you!

In peace,

Radio Lady in Oregon

[LostinVA]

44. I got what you meant

[Radio_Lady]

46. Heavens to Betsy! I was responding to Sock Puppet's comment.

In peace,

Radio Lady

[TankLV]

26. So, this elderly man's friends decide the widower of many years could use some fun,

so they arrange for a hooker to show up at his door on his birthday.

She knocks on the door and he answers, opens the door and sees this beautiful sexy thing standing there all sexy and stuff and he askes

"Can I help you?"

"I'm here to offer you some super sex!" she coos.

He responds

"I think I'll take the soup."

[Radio_Lady]

43. {{Chortling}} Thanks for posting that joke. It's an oldie but a goodie!

Mmmmm... kind of like my husband!

[LostinVA]

4. Oh boy

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

5. What?

[LostinVA]

6. Not a thing, sugarplum

[Radio_Lady]

14. Did I say something wrong or offend you in some way?

I'm sorry if I did.

[Radio_Lady]

18. OK. Are there any Olive Gardens in Las Vegas?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[TankLV]

34. a few - half a dozen or more...

[LostinVA]

38. No, I just can't believe Haruka suggested a hooker for you

[AlCzervik]

3. Red Rock Canyon, it's beautiful.

http://www.redrockcanyonlv.org/

[Sacajawea]

8. Yes...I was going to say that, but I couldn't remember the name!

[Radio_Lady]

11. We went horseback riding there on our last trip. It was beautiful!

Thanks for the link. Maybe we'll drive out this time.



Horseback riding is off my list right now -- recovering from a back injury. Damn...

[AlCzervik]

16. sorry to hear that.

a plus about red rock, they love democrats, here's their ass.

the ass holding the flat Stanley belongs to me, the other ass is the red rock donkey.
:D

[begin_within]

28. Valley of Fire State Park

Approximately 35 miles NE of Las Vegas on I-15

[ronnykmarshall]

45. That's always a landmark for me.

When we fly into LV, that's one thing I look for.

That's a beautiful picture. There's something about the desert that really gets to me. I must have been a donkey in a previous life, cuz I love them too!

[begin_within]

51. I see donkeys in a completely new light after watching this film:

"Au Hasard Balthazar" is not easy to watch, but ultimately it is rewarding and unforgettable.
http://imdb.com/title/tt0060138/

[Radio_Lady]

53. A 1966 movie that I have never heard of! Appreciate your suggestion...

will have to research it to see if I can get a copy.

Thanks for your comment.

By the way, what kind of a bird is that?

A flamingo or a heron or an ibis or something else? I have never seen a red ibis... and it was the mascot of the University of Miami Hurricanes (a white ibis, but never in colors!).

[begin_within]

56. Scarlet Ibis, one of the national birds of Trinidad & Tobago

More pictures at
http://www1.nhl.nl/~ribot/english/euru_ng.htm

[wildhorses]

7. never been--just wanted to say hi

and have a good trip. stay safe and post some pix when you get back:hug::hi:

[Radio_Lady]

12. Hey, Wildhorses. Thanks for the wave and the hug.

[Sacajawea]

9. Hoover Dam is a must see!!! They're building a new bridge near it....

just saw this on an episode of "Extreme Engineering." But the dam alone is magnificent!!!

[TankLV]

35. what they built so far blew down last winter after a strong wind...

don't know the progress - but it delayed it quite a bit I heard...

[Cannikin]

10. Is he a trekkie? Great museum and rides at the Las Vegas Hilton.

[Radio_Lady]

13. Yes, we've been to Vegas a couple of times before and did the Star Trek ride.

Thanks for the post!!!

"Beam me up, Scottie!"

[jberryhill]

25. PLEASE...

Tell me if you figured out where the doors go...

[TankLV]

36. I think that's gone now - or soon to go - we're doing the drawings to turn the place into something

else now...

there's always the 4 Circue de Sole venues to choose from - my favorites are Mystere and "O".

I heard the tropicanna still has the topless show girlie show...complete with larger feathers, etc.

Haven't been...

Trop also has the "Titanic" exhibit - with a replica of the staircase and deck, etc. - still haven't been either...

There's the Picasso exhibit at the Bellagio with it's dancing fountains, and the Hermitage Museum and some other Museum across the strip - don't remember which place - very good exhibits I hear...

We're supposed to have the Las Vegas Ballet someplace, too that I haven't seen yet - and no, it's not a girlie show...supposed to be very good...all the casino owners gotta have their "kulture"!!! (we really have become a wealthy and LARGE community in the past few years).

And I know there's a lot of "Broadway" shows and plays around town - "Phantom of the Opera" just opened not too long ago...

[seemunkee]

40. Went to the Folies at the Trop in October

I had free tickets.
It was intriguing and weird. I'm glad we went just for the nostalgia factor but the way the girls dance with their arms out and breasts exposed seemed sad and more degrading than a strip club.
Only the late show has nudity.

[Radio_Lady]

19. Ho, Jeeze! I just found out the Super Bowl is being played on Sunday, Feb. 4th!

That's our 34th wedding anniversary!

[TankLV]

37. Congrats! Should be a fun time!

The casios are the best places to watch the super show next to being there I hear...

[abbeyco]

20. Gotta agree with Hoover Dam

Also, Sunday Brunch at Caeser's Palace is great. Go check out the Freemont Street Experience and if you have the stomach for it, take the trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower at Paris and watch the water show at the Bellagio.

Have a great trip!

[mentalsolstice]

21. Go to the airport, after midnight!

I recently spent a couple of hours at the LV airport after midnight, and can say I couldn't have been more entertained!

[Rabrrrrrr]

22. Hookers!! Lots of 'em!

:rofl:

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

30. I already said that, Hitler.

[SeattleGirl]

23. Fly over Hoover Dam AND The Grand Canyon!

We did that a few years ago, and I'll tell you, R_L, it was fantastic! Absolutely breathtaking! Lots and lots of companies around there that offer the service. I booked online, and got a good rate.

A tip: If you do this, make sure you get a plane with the wings ABOVE the windows. It's a little more costly, but it takes away the chance that you would get seated by an under-the-window wing.

[Radio_Lady]

58. Hi Seattle Girl... Sounds like a wonderful trip.

I've never been on a helicopter and just once or twice on a small (under 30 seats or so) plane. If it hadn't been about 95 degrees F. while waiting to taxi to fly from San Francisco to Los Angeles, I might have been OK on one of those flights. We've also had some bumpy but non-eventful flights on Horizon Air from Portland to Seattle, too.

All I know is that IMAX movies make me very wobbly and anxious, and I try to avoid them. I'm still kind of phobic about air travel, but we've been so many places with nary a problem. I don't even think about regular commercial jet flight since I took the U.S. Air "Fight Fear of Flying" course in the 1980s. That really helped.

Hey, did anyone sign up for your DU Addicts thread? I lost it somewhere.

Warm regards,

Radio Lady in Oregon

[jberryhill]

24. Two Easy Scenic Drives -

Loop 1 - Around Mt. Charleston - Nukes, Aliens, Joshua Trees, and a brothel museum

Head northwest on 95. (option: take 157 up Mt. Charleston and come back down rt 156 to 95) Turn left on rt 180 toward Pahrump (Give Art Bell's webcam the finger on your way thru town). Stay on 160 back to Vegas and past Red Rock Canyon

Loop 2 - Dam Donkeys

Oatman, Arizona is an old mining ghost town with burros wandering around. It's not a "ghost" town, as it does have a small population and several places to eat. The "Navajo Taco" is the weirdest "southwest fusion" thing I've seen - fry bread with chili. Check your cholesterol.

South from Vegas on 95. Take 163 to Bullhead City, and then the Bullhead City Parkway south to Davis Dam Road south which then becomes Mohave Valley Highway. When you see some orchards, turn left on Boundary Cone Road. It's easy to miss, so if you get to Needles, you've gone too far, and need to go back for a couple of miles. Boundary Cone Road will take you into Oatman.



Park, walk around, have lunch. Check out the Gable/Lombard honeymoon room at the Oatman Hotel and stop into the museum. Buy some carrots for the burros. They are friendly, and are like crack junkies for carrots.

Continue on main street out of town (not the way you came in) along a spectacularly scenic ridge road into Kingman, AZ. Switchback roads, and awesome views. From Kingman, take 93 north up to Hoover Dam and back to Vegas. (coupla old mining towns like Chloride along the way) If you haven't done the dam tour, looked at the dam views, seen the dam generators, and bought your dam souvenirs, then run this loop in reverse, and start before noon, otherwise it might be getting on toward evening by the time you get back to the dam place.

[MonkeyFunk]

27. I second Oatman

I went there years ago while visiting Laughlin. It was fascinating, and my mother absolutely fell in love with the burros. She bitched the whole trip there "why are we going to see some donkeys?" but once she saw them come into town, she was hooked.

It's probably been 10 years and she still talks about it.

[MonkeyFunk]

29. If you can spare the $$

see a show. You can't go wrong with any of the Cirque de Soleil shows (there's now a ton of 'em). "Love" at the Mirage is the hottest one now, so it may be hard to get tickets, but the others are all excellent.

I haven't been, but believe it or not, people tell me the Liberace museum is great.

Go downtown to Fremont Street and see the light show at night.

Go shopping at Caesar's Palace (window-shopping, at least) and the Venetian.

Somebody above recommended Hoover Dam, and that's a good one. I found it fascinating, but I like big engineering projects.

[Unperson]

31. I hear there is gambling in Las Vegas, Nevada.

[Radio_Lady]

49. No! I didn't know that!

:sarcasm:

I would gamble if there were no smoking in the casinos.

As it is, I won't gamble with my health to breathe anyone's side-stream smoke.

[mike_c]

32. get married? I got married in Vegas once...

...at a drive in window. It ended badly, I'm afraid, but the experience was probably worth it. Maybe.

OK, perhaps just tell people that you did it-- then you'll have the cool story without having to deal with the consequences.

[Radio_Lady]

54. Already married; but we could get a quickie divorce on February 4th,

which happens to be our 34th wedding anniversary. We married on 2/04/73.

Thanks for the suggestion, just a little too late!

On edit: I wonder what they would charge for a re-dedication ceremony? I thought about having that at our 25th, but we couldn't work it out!

[TankLV]

33. Lots of great restaurants here. Lots to do...

ON the strip:

Sidewalk cafe at Paris - $10-12 range - great dinner crepes and bread.
Palm Cafe at the Forum Shops in Ceasar's Palace - great food - a little pricey.

Stay away from Batista's Hole in the Wall - way overpriced and overrated - I'd say not good, tourist trap.

Off the strip:

La Colina Italian Restaurant - Horizon Ridge at Carnegie next to the I215 between Eastern and St.Rose. - great food - $14-28 for fillet steaks. GREAT VIEW of the city at nite! My new "favorite" restaurant.

Fuegos'a in the Fiesta Casnio in Henderson - Lake Mead & I215 - great steak house - mid teens to low thirtys. Stay away from Lone Star - tastes like steak fell into the charcoal and Outback - wayyyy too salty.

Ruth Cris is good but pricey. Couple locations.

Sonoma Cellars in the Sunset Station Casino in Henderson off Sunset Road is VERY good, too - but pricey. Excellent wines, nice romantic atmosphere.

Ramanos Macaroni Grille - I like the one in Henderson on Stephanie and Warm Springs

Hadary's Medeterranian (Lebanese) - West Sahara at Monte Cristo - great humus, tabouli, greek salad, kibi, gyros, chicken, etc.

Paymon's Medeterranian Restarant - Maryland Parkway at Flamingo and West Sahara near Cimarron, also good food.

Opa - West Sahara at Rainbow - mid twenty's - good greek food.

Maple Tree - West Spring Mountain at Jones - "Vermont Maple Sugar House" - open for breakfast and lunch only - best Monte Cristos and soup in town - $10 range. Pancakes, saugsages great, too.

Pho Saigon Two - Spring Mountain near Jones - low teens to twenty - great Vietnamese "pho" soup and noodle dishes - next door there's a good Chinese Restaurant, too - best "greasy spoon" Chinese in town".

Dim Sum places (Chinese lunch specialties - try it, you'll like it!):

Cathay House - West Spring Mountain near Jones
Chinese Cultural Plaza - Spring Mountain near Arville? (the one with the Horse and Chinese Arch)
Orchids - West Sahara near Jones

Lotus Chinese - Water Street in downtown Henderson - great prices - great chinese food.

Agave Mexican - West Charleston near I215 in Summerlin across from Red Rock Casino - mid twenties up - great food - try the grilled sea bass.

Half Shell - I95 & Horzon Drive exit in Henderson - great food of all kinds, steaks, seafood, chops, & drinks and lots of beers from all over - moderate prices - chef is from Hawaii - so have lots of influence - great seafood pasta, fish and chips, steak, shrimp louie salad, caesar salad, ahi tuna tartar (Hawaiian poke), good clam chowder, specials - my favorite overall restaurant.

Green Valley Ranch Casino - great buffet - crowded - try to get there early for each sitting - $14-17 depending on day of week.

Kingfish in "village" at Green Valley Ranch - great seafood of all kinds - I like the catfish and soft shell crab when in season. Best clam chowder in town by far. Nice "shopping village" location. I think the barbecue place next door - Lousiel's - is WAY over priced and overrated and crowded.

There's a good bunch of restaurants on East Flamingo just east of the strip near Paradise on the north side of the street - part of the Howard Hughes complex I think.

There's lots of great eating all over town - just have to ask and keep an eye out.

Activities:

Lake Mead!!! - nice drive on either shore - next to wealthy "Lake Las Vegas" community - interesting restaurants and hotels to visit there. Drive to the north and west and end up in Valley of Fire - beautiful rocky national park. Drive to the east and end up at Hoover Dam.

Drive south on I15 into California - find the way to Kelso to the south - keep an eye out for "Hole in the Wall" National Park - where butch cassidy and the gang hid out - drive thru further east and end up on part of route 66 - come back thru Searchlight east of I15 back up to Henderson and Vegas via I95/I93 nice day trip.

Or stop by State Line for some outlet shopping, go a little further east into California and then north to Searchlight thru a little town that name escapes me - great little "one person" town with a small restaurant/hotel/post office. Good food - cute "half tents" with pot belly stoves and private hot tubs in back - check for vacancies. Wish I remembered it's name! Just a few miles north of I15 on way to Searchlight.

Redrock Rec Area - nice hiking area - some small hikes - a couple 12 milers.

Death Valley - great this time of year - COOL! - and you get to go thru our very own whore house town - Pahrump - on the way to it! - watch out for the 70's lincoln town cars full of little old men doing 30 on their way to and from a days "outing"! It's a hoot...

If you go up north a little further out of Death Valley - after entering thru Pahrump - stop at the Furnace Creek Ranch for lunch (reservations helpful - might be closed during part of year) - then proceed further north and exit thru the road to Ryolite - nice ghost town with some buildings and a train depot - home of the "glass bottle house". Gas up before you go - leave by 6 or 7am, have lunch at noon, and be back on the road to Vegas by 3pm. Detour a little further north to another bigger ghost town - Goldfield - actually has a few inhabitants still - more substantial buildings, too.

Can take a ride up Mt Charleston - bring the tire chains in winter! Used to have a nice restaurant at the top - but I hear it's gotten pricey - has a nice ski lodge feel (it IS a ski lodge!) - the mountain has nice challets all lining the road to the top. Quaint "christmas store" at the lodge. They offer horse drawin sleigh rides in the winter, too. There's also skiing up there somewhere...

Close to Sequoia National and Redwood National parks just over the border in California - but more than a half a day to get there..

We're only a three hour drive from LA, too!

Then there's the Ethel M chocolate factory tour in Henderson - get free chocolate samples! Nice cactus garden I hear - still haven't seen it and I've been here 11 years!

Ocean Spray factory tour - also in Henderson - more free samples.

Henderson's the burb on Vegas' southern border - can't distinguish where the one stops and the other begins.

Don't miss the Freemont Street Experience at nite - the light show is free and pretty spectacular - new one every hour after 8 or 9pm.

That's it for me - got to go to bed!

Have fun - it really is a neat city without the casinos and plenty to do...

[Radio_Lady]

47. Thank you VERY MUCH for your reply! Great information.

I'm printing your comments and will look at them tomorrow. We're on our way to a preview of the movie "Venus" with Peter O'Toole so I can't look at your suggestions today.

Warm regards,

Radio Lady in Oregon

[seemunkee]

39. Liberace museum, rent machine guns at The Gun Store

http://www.thegunstorelasvegas.com/ be sure to get the $5 off coupon on line.

Bellagio buffet was fantastic. Go for lunch and you won't need to eat the rest of the day.

Redrock Canyon is nice, so is Lake Mead/Hoover dam. Haven't been to Valley of Fire but it is on my itinerary for the next trip out there.

Day trip to Death Valley.

[Radio_Lady]

48. See Munkee, I have your suggestions on my list.

Not sure about the gun store... I've never handled a gun in my life.

Thanks so much for your comments.

[bridgit]

50. Blue Man Group...

http://www.blueman.com/ticketinfo/lasvegas

[Radio_Lady]

52. Thanks so much for these suggestions! Kicking this for the Friday morning crowd!

Great ideas, especially the tours, entertainment, and restaurant suggestions.

If anyone has anything to add, please do it as soon as you can -- only two more days to our departure on 1/28!

In peace,

Radio Lady in Oregon

[judaspriestess]

55. Shit I live here and I don't know what to tell ya

lets see, Red Rock Casino has some good restaurants, and its close to Red Rock national park which is a gorgeous drive.

what type of food do you like?

[Radio_Lady]

57. Hi Judas Priestess... Food? Almost all kinds, except I can't handle very spicy..

Don't beat yourself up about not knowing stuff. The other DUers have done an excellent job and I just printed a long list of recommendations and I think we have enough suggestions now.

So, I assume you're working and just don't have time to check the Vegas high spots? Cities are very different when you visit versus when you live there!

It took me about nine years of living in NYC to finally get to the Statue of Liberty, and I have been in Brooklyn only once and also Staten Island once (for a puppy dog show). That was when I was working five days a week or more -- so don't feel badly.

I also must admit that I lived in Boston for 28 years and never went to Fenway Park (not a baseball fan). We didn't do the Duck Truck, either, but I did get on the swanboats once when my children were very small. Besides that, in the eight years we've been in Portland, OR, there have been so many changes in Boston I don't even recognize it anymore (scenes on the TV show Boston Legal look almost foreign to me).

Have a wonderful week!

Warm regards,

Radio Lady in Oregon

[edbermac]

59. Say hello to Elvis.

And tell him to lay off the candy bars.

[Radio_Lady]

60. But... WHICH Elvis? There are so many to choose from!

:sarcasm:

[Radio_Lady]

61. Thanks, everybody... we're heading to the airport!

Good night and good luck!