Las Vegas help -Q and A's/Meet ups etc

July 25 - December 11, 2010. Meetups before and after the concerts
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tigerm
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Las Vegas help -Q and A's/Meet ups etc

Post by tigerm »

Hi there, new to the boards but I have lived in Las Vegas some 8 years now. If you need any help/advice on anything related to the Las Vegas shows, to organize meet-ups or just to chat, feel free to post.

If you have any specific Q's about Las Vegas i.e. hotels, advice, local attractions, restaurants, things to do etc please ask and I will try wager an opinion (No I don't offer Blackjack tips, but splitting 10's is not recommended). Getting the most out of Vegas is often very tricky, most tourists do come here and end aimlessly wandering the Strip looking for things to do. The sheer amount of things to do is often overwhelming.
Also, there is a life outside of casino's in Las Vegas. Most of us are not cocktail waitresses, casino dealers or showgirls, so we have entertainment away from the Strip.

The most common question people are emailing about is the weather in December. Usually it is dry and mild, even in December. But the desert climate also has an huge diurnal temperature range. Daytimes in December would typically be mild and even warm (55-65F), the evenings do get cold (30F). Most days in December, I am in tee's and shorts outside, but by the evening I am wearing a coat and long pants.

Another Q, is what is happening in Las Vegas around 10/11th Dec. Well the National Finals Rodeo comes to its conclusion that weekend. This means some 10-20,000 cowboys, wranglers and rodeo fans will be in town most of that week. Although hotels won't book up, it does mean the prices will steadily get higher-although most rodeo fans book their trips a year in advance! It is advisable to shop around and contact hotels for promo rates. Fri and Sat hotel rates are always more expensive. There are hotels to accommodate most budgets. The most expensive hotels are MGM, Wynn, Trump, Caesars etc. The mid-priced hotels are Excalibur, Luxor, Imperial Palace. Generally, the further along the Strip you go the cheaper the hotel. If you stay Downtown, most rooms are even cheaper.

For those of filled with horror (or likely to be broke) at spending several days in Vegas, there are options to get out of town. Mount Charleston is a ski resort 20-30 miles North of the Strip. The climate is alpine and will be cold with lots of snow in Dec. They have a nice resort hotel http://www.mtcharlestonresort.com/
There are numerous coach/flight trips to the Grand Canyon. http://grandcanyontourcompany.com
Also Hoover Dam is a short ride away http://www.bestofvegas.com/Tours/Hoover ... our&ref=cj
http://www.smartdestinations.com/las-ve ... &kbid=3634

Basically you don't have to be stuck at the tables! If you have any other Q's just ask! Restaurant recommendations, entertainment or go-go dancer Q's...I'll try answer!

Safe trip!!
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Cheshire gal
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Re: Las Vegas help -Q and A's/Meet ups etc

Post by Cheshire gal »

Hello tigerm

Welcome to the Forum. :D I think you will enjoy all the information you will get here. Everyone is very kind and helpful.
Thank you for being helpful also, by giving us ideas on what to do in L.Vegas. Glad to know what the weather is like at that time of the year also.


Marie
Cheshire gal
'...and here's a man still working for your little smile' -Leonard Cohen
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carlowmike
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Re: Las Vegas help -Q and A's/Meet ups etc

Post by carlowmike »

Thank you tigerm for setting up this Las Vegas Help thread,
I know it will be appreciated by the many who are travelling to Las Vegas for the first time.
I was already in touch with you off the Forum and you have been very helpful to my group.
Because it may interest others I will Post one of your replies to me in response to some questions from us regarding bars and tours in Las Vegas ;-) :
From "tigerm" Sept 6th.

I know Vegas can become boring, if you are visiting on your own and/or not really in to gambling. Yes, there are local bars. There are several Irish bars-the Americanized version of course! A British pub called the Crown and Anchor isn't far from the Strip-again sanitized, but they serve some decent food and Guiness. If you want more of the local flavor, then you should head Downtown-which is also called the Fremont Experience. Certainly that is where I, as a local, often go. The main Fremont Experience has a low-brow middle America feel-a lot of travel reviews dismiss the area. But if you walk beyond the tourist areas towards the el Cortez casino, then there are several local bars:

Beauty Bar. 517 Fremont St. Bar Featuring Retro 1960s Beauty Parlor Theme. Concept made popular by TV series, Sex And The City.

Brass. 425 Fremont St., upstairs from Hennessey’s Tavern. Jazz Lounge and Live Music Venue.

Celebrity. 201 N. Third St. Various Live Venues.

Club 217. At 217 N. Third St.

Downtown Cocktail Room. 111 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Upscale Neighborhood Gathering Place.

The Griffin. 511 Fremont St. Cozy Lodge Atmosphere.

Hennessey’s Tavern. 425 Fremont St. Traditional Irish Pub Concept.

Hogs & Heifers. 201 N. Third St. New York ‘Bikers & Babes’ Bar That Served as inspiration for film, Coyote Ugly (and subsequent chain of bars/clubs).

Mickie Finnz. 425 Fremont St. Beach-Themed Restaurant and Bar.

Sidebar. 201 N. Third St. Cozy Wine and Cigar Bar.

Take 1 Nightclub. 707 Fremont St. Movie Theme with Cajun Fare.

Triple George. 201 N. Third St. Upscale San Franciscan Bistro.

In December, the weather will be about 60F. The nights can fall as low as 30F. Usually it is pretty dry and mild, but you can get rain or snow too. Equally it can be warmer than average and we have had warm Decembers of 80F. Recommend some warm clothes because it can get really after the sun sets.

Good Vegas tours...mmm there are a few. They are the basic tourist stuff, which is see in say London. There isn't much to see or hear that can't be found out. They do have pretty good coach trips to Grand Canyon from Vegas

http://www.grand-adventures.com/

These type of tours are pretty good value and get you out of Vegas for the day. They are very easy to find, pick and drop off at hotels. And you get to see the Grand Canyon which is pretty amazing even if you have seen it. There are also countless flight options, if you want a quicker trip.

http://www.broadwaybox.com/lasvegas/

This website goes in to some options for day trips. Hoover Dam has a good tour too, which allows deep inside the dam. Valley of Fire is worth a trip, if you like hiking the weather is perfect. Also Red Rock is 20 miles from Vegas and is easy to cycle to if you are used to that.

Mount Charleston will be a winter wonderland in December-it is 20 miles north of Vegas. It get real cold and they have snow 3-4 months of the year.
2008~Dublin x 3,- Amsterdam,- London,- Berlin,- London x 2,. 2009~Dublin x 3,- Barcelona, Sept.- New York, Chelsea Hotel Plaque Dedication and MSG Concert,- Las Vegas. 2010~Sligo x 2, Las Vegas x 1.]2012, Ghent, Berlin, Dublin, Los Angeles, New York.
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ladydi
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Re: Las Vegas help -Q and A's/Meet ups etc

Post by ladydi »

Hi tigerm!

Welcome to the Forum! I love your suggestions and your comments on Vegas. I lived there for 8 years (left awhile ago but still have many friends in the area) and second everything you have posted. Hopefully if some of the forum members are in town for several days they will consider renting a car (at least for a day, and maybe going in with another couple) and explore the beautiful areas outside of, but very close to, Las Vegas! Mt Charleston has always been a favorite of mine. Only about 45 minutes away and you feel like you're in the Sierras! Summer was great for picnics and hiking....winter for skiing in Lee Canyon and sitting around the fireplace sipping a hot chocolate and watching the snow accumulate!

Also agree about the day trip to Grand Canyon on Scenic Airlines (lol...I lived there too for 8 years!), and Hoover Dam is always great! Lunch in Boulder City is fun too as they've kept the main street looking circa 1940's!

Look forward to meeting you in Las Vegas!!

All the best,
Diana
tigerm
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Re: Las Vegas help -Q and A's/Meet ups etc

Post by tigerm »

Yes, 99% of people who visit Las Vegas never leave the Strip corridor. This is a real shame because 20-30 miles away there is some tremendous scenery from Red Rock, Mount Charleston, Lake Mead, Boulder City. A little further there is Valley Of Fire. If you are feeling really adventurous Utah, Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, Los Angeles are around 4 hours away.

If I could give you folks one piece of advice for getting about the Strip. Use the Gold Line rapid transit bus! It is much quicker than the regular bus, you have to pay before boarding and it stops less frequently than the regular bus. A 24 hour transit pass is $5 and good for all local buses. You can save yourself a lot of money and waiting by using the bus over taxi's.
If you really want/have to take a taxi cab, always tell the driver to avoid the Strip-most drivers automatically take you on the Strip because they know at night/weekends it adds $10-20 to the fare. Tell the driver to use Paradise (East side) or Industrial (West side). Taxi drivers love to just sit in traffic whilst the meter racks up.


One last thing, many of you will walk on the Strip. Please be careful crossing roads-especially when you have enjoyed some merriment!
carlowmike
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Re: Las Vegas help -Q and A's/Meet ups etc

Post by carlowmike »

ladydi wrote : Hopefully if some of the forum members are in town for several days they will consider renting a car (at least for a day, and maybe going in with another couple) and explore the beautiful areas outside of, but very close to, Las Vegas! Mt Charleston has always been a favorite of mine. Only about 45 minutes away and you feel like you're in the Sierras! Summer was great for picnics and hiking....winter for skiing in Lee Canyon and sitting around the fireplace sipping a hot chocolate and watching the snow accumulate!
I would like to travel to Mount Charleston on one of the days,
is there a bus service from Las Vegas ?
There will be three of us , so I do not mind hiring a minibus with driver and sharing with others but
I do not fancy hiring a car and driving on the "wrong side of the road" in the USA..... ;-) ,
2008~Dublin x 3,- Amsterdam,- London,- Berlin,- London x 2,. 2009~Dublin x 3,- Barcelona, Sept.- New York, Chelsea Hotel Plaque Dedication and MSG Concert,- Las Vegas. 2010~Sligo x 2, Las Vegas x 1.]2012, Ghent, Berlin, Dublin, Los Angeles, New York.
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tigerm
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Re: Las Vegas help -Q and A's/Meet ups etc

Post by tigerm »

A couple of people have asked about getting from the airport to their hotels. Obviously there are plenty of taxi's, the cost will vary but expect to pay anywhere from $10-30 for the Strip hotels. Caesars Palace costs around $20. Traffic and what route the driver can increase/decrease that amount. Most cabs have a 5 person limit.

If you are travelling alone and want to save money or want to arrive in a limo, there are several shuttle buses from the airport:

Showtime Shuttle
Open 24 hours
Strip: $6.00
Downtown: $8.00
(702) 261-6101

Bell Trans
Open 24 hours
To Strip hotels - $6.00
To Downtown hotels - $7.50
Off-Strip hotels - $7.50
Walk-up limousine - $57.00 per hour
Walk-up sedan - $46.00 per hour
(702) 739-7990
(800) 274-7433

Executive Las Vegas
Open 24 hours
To Strip hotels - $6.00
Downtown hotels - $8.00
Off-Strip hotels - $7.00
Walk-up limousine service $57.00 and up
Walk-up sedan service $39.00 and up
(702) 646-4661


Most of these are open 24 hours, and the limo is good value if there are 4 of you-more room than a cab and a little luxury. Obviously the shuttle bus may have several stops, but for $6 it is a good deal if you are solo.

There are local buses from the airport but I do not recommend using them. They don't allow bulky luggage and you will have to transfer to get to the Strip-even then you will have a good walk to any hotel.

And to carlowmike, unfortunately the local buses do not go anywhere near Mnt Charleston. Unless you are travelling along the Strip corridor, I don't recommend the local buses.
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Re: Las Vegas help -Q and A's/Meet ups etc

Post by jeanne »

TIGERM......YOU ARE VERY COURAGEOUS AND GENEROUS..I WILL CERTAINLY TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF YOU..YOU SOUND LIKE A COHENITE..SERIOUSLY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND OFFER, I AM SURE TO SEEK YOUR HELP.............JEANNE
"there is a crack in everything.that's how the light gets in " Florence 2010 - las vegas 2010....hope for Hydra......Hydra no longer a hope......now a reality..
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jeanne
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Re: Las Vegas help -Q and A's/Meet ups etc

Post by jeanne »

TIGERM......YOU ARE VERY COURAGEOUS AND GENEROUS..I WILL CERTAINLY TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF YOU..YOU SOUND LIKE A COHENITE..SERIOUSLY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND OFFER, I AM SURE TO SEEK YOUR HELP.............JEANNE
"there is a crack in everything.that's how the light gets in " Florence 2010 - las vegas 2010....hope for Hydra......Hydra no longer a hope......now a reality..
"when the gods want to punish you, they answer your prayers"
ladydi
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Re: Las Vegas help -Q and A's/Meet ups etc

Post by ladydi »

carlowmike wrote:[I would like to travel to Mount Charleston on one of the days,
is there a bus service from Las Vegas ?
There will be three of us , so I do not mind hiring a minibus with driver and sharing with others but
I do not fancy hiring a car and driving on the "wrong side of the road" in the USA..... ;-) ,
Hahaha...wrong side of the road! That sounds like me in Ireland ;-) My dear Mick...it would be my pleasure to drive you and your family/friends up to Mt Charleston! No need for bus service. We will be talking via email.
However, if more are interested, perhaps we will secure a minibus! LOL...remain calm...I will still drive :D Well....unless the number increases rapidly. You wouldn't even want to think of me driving a BUS!
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Re: Las Vegas help -Q and A's/Meet ups etc

Post by bridger15 »

Whenever I am in town for a Bridge Tournament, the Las Vegas DEUCE Bus is my favorite way of getting around the strip. It is convenient, reasonable and fun chatting with people from all over the world. I usually buy a 24 hour pass for multiple trips. NB. have the exact change.

http://www.lasvegas-how-to.com/cat.php
The Las Vegas Deuce Bus, also referred to as RTC Transit bus or formally CAT (Citizen's Area Transit ) buses, is Las Vegas' newest mode of transportation for both locals and visitors along the famous Las Vegas Strip. Run by the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC), the Las Vegas Deuce is probably the least expensive way to get around. It runs up and down the Vegas strip, 24 hours a day and stops at virtually every hotel and casino along the Las Vegas strip. Las Vegas bus stops are located about every quarter mile in each direction of the Vegas strip and are marked with signs or by bus shelters.
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KaimiK
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Re: Las Vegas help -Q and A's/Meet ups etc

Post by KaimiK »

Great thread - thank you for starting it!

Well, I think we're in the minority here, but we'll be arriving in town with two kids under the age of four! We'll be renting a car, so do plan on getting out of town for scenic drives (during nap time!) We'd love ideas about kid and baby-friendly activities/restaurants fairly close to Caesar's Palace as I'm sure we won't get too far on foot! Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

As there is at least one other family who I believe will be arriving with young ones as well, we hope to put together a child-friendly get-together at some point during the weekend! Are there many options besides noisy bars for get-togethers?

So looking forward to meeting everyone!

Kelsey
You let me sing, you lifted me up, you gave my soul a beam to travel on. You folded your distance back into my heart.
tigerm
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Re: Las Vegas help -Q and A's/Meet ups etc

Post by tigerm »

KaimiK wrote:Great thread - thank you for starting it!

Well, I think we're in the minority here, but we'll be arriving in town with two kids under the age of four! We'll be renting a car, so do plan on getting out of town for scenic drives (during nap time!) We'd love ideas about kid and baby-friendly activities/restaurants fairly close to Caesar's Palace as I'm sure we won't get too far on foot! Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

As there is at least one other family who I believe will be arriving with young ones as well, we hope to put together a child-friendly get-together at some point during the weekend! Are there many options besides noisy bars for get-togethers?

So looking forward to meeting everyone!

Kelsey
Not in the minority Kelsey, we have two kids under 6. Las Vegas can be a bit difficult if you have kids-lets face it, it is an adults playground.
There is the Adventuredome at Circus Circus, which is a indoor theme park. There are several rides for under four's. Also at Circus Circus there is the Midway, which has circus acts.
Springs Preserve is an off-Strip attraction that tells some history of Las Vegas, the desert and the wildlife. This is a lot of fun for kids. http://www.springspreserve.org/
http://www.bonniesprings.com/ Is a faux-Western town with animals to pet, horse-riding, restaurant etc. A great deal of fun for $20. I think they were running shuttle buses from the Strip, you will have to contact them for info.
There is also a zoo http://www.lasvegaszoo.com/ Be warned it is not a great zoo like San Diego etc. It is very small, but the staff work hard and need support. Again it is off-Strip.
http://www.ldcm.org/ There is a childrens museum north of the Strip, it is fun for kids.

On the Strip, you can see the Lions at MGM (free). At the MGM there is a Rainforest Cafe-which is great for kids!

At the Mirage there is Siegfried & Roy's Magic Gardens, where there are dolphins, tigers, lions etc to see. It is not too demanding for kids.

At Mandalay Bay there is SeaLife aquarium. It is quite small, and IMHO not worth the regular priced $15 entrance, because you can walk thru in 30 minutes. But we take our kids a lot because it is free for us.

http://www.townsquarelasvegas.com/ This is great for taking the kids and doing shopping. It is child friendly, it has a playground and several restaurants that are welcoming to kids like California Pizza Kitchen. Around Christmas time they will have a Santa's workshop running.

http://www.opportunityvillage.org/magical_forest.php Finally there is opportunity village and the magical forest. It is a local charity that produces this and all the money raised goes to funding this organization.

My advice with restaurants is use buffets. I know how difficult to is to satisfy younger kids at meals in restaurants. Usually they are cranky and hungry and want food instantly. A buffet means they can graze fast and eat as much or as little as they want. The casual atmosphere, means you don't have to worry about the dreaded fit or mess younger kids make. Also most places do not charge for young kids.
Buffets are usually the best places for get-to-togethers.
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KaimiK
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Re: Las Vegas help -Q and A's/Meet ups etc

Post by KaimiK »

Tigerm,

Thank you very much for that wealth of information! Even googling "Las Vegas with kids" didn't bring up most of those ideas. The off-strip ideas sound the most appealing to us and we'll definitely take that buffet advice!

Looking forward to all of this!

Kelsey
You let me sing, you lifted me up, you gave my soul a beam to travel on. You folded your distance back into my heart.
tigerm
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Re: Las Vegas help -Q and A's/Meet ups etc

Post by tigerm »

KaimiK wrote:Tigerm,

Thank you very much for that wealth of information! Even googling "Las Vegas with kids" didn't bring up most of those ideas. The off-strip ideas sound the most appealing to us and we'll definitely take that buffet advice!

Looking forward to all of this!

Kelsey

Yeah, when we have googled several "Las Vegas with kids", we have always been disappointed with the results. There is actually a book with suggestions but this is out of date and offers some bizarre suggestions for kids like the 'Liberace Museum' (yeah right!). It takes some effort to find things to do with kids-especially around the Strip.
If I think of anything else I will try to remember it. If you get fed up of buffets then the casino cafes are good value. I would advise you try to supply yourself with snacks and drinks for your room. Buying bottles of water/ juice/snacks can be expensive. We were at Caesars two weeks ago, and got caught out with our daughter getting cranky hungry. The food court was asking $5 for a juice and $4 for a muffin! Try stock up on these kind of things at a Walgreens, otherwise you can easily spend too much money.
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