Luggage question (please help)

What do you do if you get to LV early and your check in time is at 3:00pm? We will tuch down in LV at 11:00am and I dont want to be carrying our luggage around the strip till 3:00pm (check in time). My question is, will the hotel hold our luggage? and Do you recommend it? We are staying at the Excalibur and this is our first time to LV.

Luggage question (please help)

Yes you can check your luggage at the hotel. I%26#39;ve done this before and never had a problem.

Luggage question (please help)

When I was there a couple of weeks ago and changed hotels twice, each time I got there before noon and they had a room ready for me so I got it right away. You may get lucky and get a room as soon as you arrive at your hotel. If not, you can leave your luggage at the bell desk and they will deliver it to your room once you get one.

If you flight gets in at 11, by the time you get your bags and yourself to the hotel it will probably be noon. There%26#39;s a decent chance they will have a room available at that time, but if not, as gabby says you just check your bags at the bell desk. Just don%26#39;t forget to tip them when you retrieve them. This is a very common service and you shouldn%26#39;t have any concerns about it.

Wow its that eazy, thanks for the advice and i will not for get to tip. Speaking of tip, how much? $5.00?

By the way - you can actually leave your luggage at any hotel with the bellhop- doesn%26#39;t have to be the one you%26#39;re staying at. They are happy to hold your luggage for you while you gamble in their casino.

Have a fantastic first trip!!

This is slightly unrelated to this topic, more along the lines of checkout. However, I thought the info may be helpful. Twice, we have been able to acquire a much later checkout than the norm by speaking to casino host and asking for a later checkout so we can stay and gamble until it%26#39;s time to go to the airport. They took care of the rest and I was able to checkout at 5PM free of charge.

Not only can you leave you luggage at the bell desk of any hotel- you can leave just about anything you don%26#39;t want to carry around with you - packages, coats, etc. I have done it countless of times and I have never had a problem. I tip $2/3 for one carry-on and $5 for two pieces of luggage.

Where's it gone? Restaurants List

A few weeks ago I came across a great list of restaurants on the forum. It had been lovingly compiled by a guy who%26#39;d never been to them but had put in a ton of research and used several web sites, peoples%26#39; reviews, guides etc. The list was really detailed and greatly useful but I%26#39;ve scoured 15 pages now and can%26#39;t find it - can anyone help?

Where's it gone? Restaurants List

This is an extremely fast moving forum and the first 15 pages will only take you back a few days or so!

I can%26#39;t actually remember the post you%26#39;re talking about. Hopefully somebody else will. You could try the forum search. Use ';restaurant'; plus another one or two key words and filter your search by date, not relevance.

Where's it gone? Restaurants List

Yeah, it really is a speedy forum. I%26#39;ve tried refining my search but to no avail. Hoping someone else remembers.

Its always a good idea to copy the info you want and save it on your computer.

do you have an idea of the date? What was in the title? Was it just about restaurants?

I remember that I saved this one i hope this helps

STEAK DINNERS (24 hours)

Ellis Island: 10 oz. Sirloin , 4.95 (not on menu, must ask for it)

Orleans (Courtyard Café): 16 oz. T-Bone, 10.95

Gold Coast (Monterey Room): 16 oz. T-Bone, 9.95

Suncoast (Siena Café): 16 oz. Porterhouse, 10.95

Terrible’s (Bougainvillea Café): T-Bone, 7.99 (not on menu, ask)

Hard Rock (Mr. Lucky’s): Steak and three Shrimp, 7.77 (not on menu, ask)

Rampart (Promenade Cafe): 16 oz. NY Strip (no salad), 7.99

Bill%26#39;s Gamblin Hall %26amp; SALOON (formerly the Barbary Coast) (Victorian Room): 16 oz. T-Bone, 11.95

Wildfire (Dante’s Grill): 20 oz. Porterhouse, 5.99

Arizona Charlie’s Boulder (Sourdough Cafe): 14 oz. Porterhouse, 7.99

Skyline: 7.95

Gold Rush: Porterhouse or NY Strip, 5.95

Ellis Island: Top Sirloin and 5 Shrimp, 6.95

Tuscany (Marilyn’s Café): 18 oz. T-Bone, 9.99

Best Western Mardi Gras (Paradise Rd): T-Bone, 9.95

roca jr: thanks, that%26#39;s a useful list.

i%26#39;ve managed to compile a sort of list for myself today and am now thinking i got mixed up about what the op%26#39;s list was about - too many late nights and work! sorry for any inconvenience.

Not sure what the other list was, but try these sites.

List of menus

http://www.usmenuguide.com/lvstrip.html

Rankings

www.ratelasvegas.com/hotelrest/hrestrank.html

Some guys list and review of many restaurants. (this may be it)

http://home.comcast.net/~lasvegasvacation/

This isn%26#39;t the list you are talking about but I saved this post by clicking on ';+Save Post'; in the top right corner and it%26#39;s widely known as a pretty accurate list, courtesy of VHB :

http://tinyurl.com/362f22

Steak specials

$4.95: 10-ounce steak at Ellis Island. Includes potato, bread and green beans.

$7.77: Gambler%26#39;s Special: Steak, three grilled shrimp, a choice of potato or broccoli and a salad. At Mr. Lucky%26#39;s 24/7 in the Hard Rock Hotel. It%26#39;s not on the menu -- you%26#39;ll have to ask your server -- and is available around the clock.

$9.99: T-bone steak dinner and a beer at Terrible%26#39;s Bougainvillea Cafe. It%26#39;s not on the menu, so ask your server about this special. Available 24 hours.

$7.99: Porterhouse steak at Arizona Charlie%26#39;s Boulder Café.

$9.95: 16-ounce T-bone steak dinner at Gold Coast%26#39;s Monterey Room.

$9.95: Steak and shrimp at the Best Western%26#39;s Mardi Gras Café on Paradise Road.

$9.99: New York steak buffet at the Riviera. Available Saturday-Thursday, 10 p.m.-6 a.m.

$10.95: 16-ounce T-bone steak dinner at The Orleans%26#39; Courtyard Cafe. Available 24 hours.

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Prime rib specials

$9.95: Prime rib dinner at the Skyline Restaurant and Casino.

$7.99: Prime rib and shrimp dinner at Arizona Charlie%26#39;s Boulder%26#39;s Sourdough Cafe.

$8.95: Prime rib dinner at the Suncoast%26#39;s Cafe Siena. Includes baked potato, grilled vegetables, dinner salad and a beer. Available 24 hours.

$10.99: 12-ounce prime rib dinner at the Casino Cafe at Circus Circus. Includes potato, vegetable, roll and soup or salad. Available Sunday-Thursday, 3 p.m.-11 p.m. Holidays are excluded.

$10.95: 10-ounce prime rib dinner at The Orleans%26#39; Courtyard Cafe. Available 24 hours.

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Other Dinner Specials

$2.85: Chicken Super Bowl over rice with choice of teriyaki sauce or gravy at Aloha Specialties at California, available Sunday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

$2.85: Hamburger with macaroni salad at Aloha Specialties at California, available 24 hours.

$2.85: Teri burger with macaroni salad at Aloha Specialties at California. Available Sunday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

$4.75: Chicken Tofu Saimin noodles at Aloha Specialties at California. Available Sunday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

$4.75: Loco Moco (a bowl of rice topped with a hamburger patty, fried egg and drenched in brown gravy) at Aloha Specialties at California. Available Sunday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

$5: Large Saimin noodles dish at Aloha Specialties at California. Available Sunday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

$5.99: Half-chicken dinner at Terrible%26#39;s Bougainvillea Cafe. It%26#39;s not on the menu, so ask your server about this special.

$7.99: All-you-can-eat pasta, salad and bread at Pasta Palace at the Boulder Station, available Sunday-Tuesday, 4 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

$8.99: BBQ Pork Rib Dinner includes coleslaw, BBQ beans, corn and french fries in the Boulder Café inside Boulder Station. Available daily, 4 p.m. - 11 p.m.

$19.99: Shrimp, Steak %26amp; Lobster Trio at Pasta Palace inside Boulder Station. Special starts at 4 p.m.

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Hot dog specials

75 cents: Hot Dog served from a vendor%26#39;s cart at the sports book at the Gold Coast. Available 10 a.m.-6:45 p.m.

$3.50: Nathan%26#39;s hot dogs served at a cart by the Monorail station at MGM Grand.

$2.50: Giant hot dog at Casino Cafe at Circus Circus.

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Breakfast specials

$1.99 cents: Two eggs, home fries and bacon or sausage from midnight-7 a.m. at Victory Café at the Cannery Casino Hotel.

$1.95: Two scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy and bacon or sausage at Ellis Island. Available from 11 p.m. - 6 a.m.

$1.95: Two buttermilk pancakes with two eggs, bacon or sausage at the Suncoast%26#39;s Cafe Siena. Available Monday - Friday, from midnight - 9 a.m.

$1.95: Two buttermilk biscuits with country gravy at the Suncoast%26#39;s Cafe Siena. Available Monday - Friday, from midnight - 9 a.m.

$1.95: Two eggs with bacon, breakfast potatoes and toast at the Suncoast%26#39;s Cafe Siena. Available Monday - Friday, from midnight - 9 a.m.

$3.29: Sirloin steak and eggs at Arizona Charlie%26#39;s Boulder%26#39;s Sourdough Cafe.

$3.29: Ham steak and eggs at Arizona Charlie%26#39;s Boulder%26#39;s Sourdough Cafe.

$2.99: Three egg, hash brown and toast at the Texas Cafe at Texas Station. Available daily, 12 a.m.-11 a.m.

$2.21: ';Deuces Wild'; includes two scrambled eggs, two slices of bacon, two sausage links, with two triangles of French toast at Promenade Cafe at JW Marriot Las Vegas Resort, Spa %26amp; Golf. Available daily, midnight-5 a.m.

$2.21: ';Jack Stack'; includes four buttermilk pancakes served with whipped butter and maple syrup at Promenade Cafe at JW Marriot Las Vegas Resort, Spa %26amp; Golf. Available daily, midnight-5 a.m.

$3.21: New York steak or ham steak, two eggs cooked any style, breakfast potatoes and toast at Promenade Cafe at JW Marriot Las Vegas Resort, Spa %26amp; Golf. Available daily, midnight-5 a.m.

$2.95: Ham and eggs with breakfast potatoes and toast at the Suncoast%26#39;s Cafe Siena from midnight to 9 a.m.

$2.99: New York steak and eggs, breakfast potatoes and toast, served from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. at the Upper Deck at Las Vegas Club.

$2.99: Two giant pancakes with bacon or sausage, served from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. at the Upper Deck at Las Vegas Club.

$2.99: Two Ranch eggs (any style), bacon or sausage, breakfast potatoes and toast, served from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. at the Upper Deck at Las Vegas Club.

$2.99: Corn beef hash, two eggs (any style), breakfast potatoes and toast, served from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. at the Upper Deck at Las Vegas Club.

$2.49: Pancake sandwich at the Texas Cafe at Texas Station.

$3.45: New York steak and eggs, available 11 p.m. to 11 a.m. at Ellis Island.

$3.99 Steak and eggs at Sam%26#39;s Town. Available 24 hours.

$4.99: New York steak and eggs at the Golden Gate. Available between midnight - 2 a.m.

$3.99: Breakfast skillets at Boulder Cafe at Boulder Station. Includes three eggs, hash browns and a short stack of pancakes. Available 24 hours daily.

$4.99: Steak, two eggs, hashbrowns and toast, served 11 p.m. to 11 a.m. at Baja Beach Cafe at the Fiesta.

$4.99: Graveyard special at Casino Cafe at Circus Circus. Includes two eggs, hash browns, toast, bacon or sausage and coffee. Available daily, 11 p.m.-5 a.m. Holidays are excluded.

$5.99: Three eggs with choice of ham, bacon or sausage, hash Browns and short stack of pancakes at Sunset Cafe inside Sunset Station.

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Shrimp cocktail specials

99 cents: The original, classic shrimp cocktail at the Golden Gate%26#39;s San Francisco Shrimp Bar %26amp; Deli

$2.99: The ';Big Shrimp'; cocktail at the Golden Gate

$1: Skyline Restaurant and Casino

$2.50: Giant shrimp cocktail at Casino Cafe at Circus Circus.

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Drink specials

$2.50: Well drinks at the The Plaza

$1.50: Corona at the Fiesta

How to clean military surplus wool blankets

Trip Report 9/8-9/15 Part Four:Mixing Business with Pleasure

I realized that I had been ';violating'; etiquette by posting two of my previous posts up in this section. So I will return to proper form and post the details below.

Trip Report 9/8-9/15 Part Four:Mixing Business with Pleasure

It’s Tuesday, a short day at “the office”.

For some reason, I wasn’t particularly hungry this morning. So instead of enjoying my last breakfast down in Legoland, I decided to pack up 90% of my stuff before heading down to the official breakfast over at the Convention Center. It actually turned out to be a decent meal, although a stack of pancakes would have really set it off.

Including the aforementioned mandatory breakfast meeting, my fourth and last-day on duty would only be four hours long, ending at 11:00am. At 11:01, I said “See ya, suckers!’’ and proceeded to wander the actual tradeshow floor for a bit to pick up a few mementos before heading back one last time to the Riviera to do a quick sweep of my room before finally (!) leaving for my next home away from home.

But before I get to that… I have to say that as much I as disparaged the Riviera towards the beginning of my report, it actually wasn’t so bad, especially after I was able to switch to a non-smoking room. It’s just not the choice I would have made for myself. I will post a more detailed hotel review in the coming days. For now, I will say that if you can appreciate the beauty of an aging classic that has become a budget option on the Strip, you either have wheels or are prepared to take the Deuce, trolley or taxi, or are comfortable enough doing the Sahara/Circus Circus/Slots-A-Fun circuit, then you just might like the Riviera. I have to admit: at least the “Splash” neon sign is one of the more fun landmarks in Vegas.

Anyway… onto my second vacation in one month!

A chatty cab driver took me from the Riv to Bill’s Gambling Hall and Saloon, formerly known as the Barbary Coast. I had been here before to check out Big Elvis and thought it would be a convenient place to stay. When I originally booked my room online, the rates were $80/$60/$60 for my three-night stay. However, on a whim I checked the rates again and they had dropped $20 a night! So I called Bill’s to cancel so that I could re-book online and they were kind enough to adjust the rate for me instead. That was great customer service!

Bill’s is only six floors high. The four floors of rooms above the casino are topped off by Drai’s after-hours nightclub. Because of this, check-in is possibly the shortest of any casino on the Strip. Unfortunately, with my 12:30 arrival, my actual room wasn’t ready yet. So I checked my bags with the bell desk and proceeded to wander the immediate Strip area. I would end up checking up on my check-in status twice before I was actually able to get to my room around 4:00. In the meantime, I got to sample a few casinos.

I headed south approached Paris just in time to watch the Bellagio fountain show. That was a nice start to my journey. I went inside Paris and looked around for a bit. Since I had been studying French recently, I had hoped to encounter a few staff members and practice a bit, but unfortunately everyone I met spoke English, sometimes with an accent that was disappointingly not French. I ended up hanging out in the cobblestone “French village” area for a while. I contemplated getting lunch at Le Village Buffet but my appetite was still strangely not up to par.

Next I went to Planet Hollywood, formerly the Aladdin. It was still very much under construction. Pedestrians passing by will find themselves walking in the street at some point behind various orange cones and barricades. I could appreciate the modern if garish theme they were going for in the casino. I *didn’t* appreciate the hordes of salespeople that met you at the door to entice you to check out their Planet Hollywood condos. It was enough to discourage me from coming back unless I had a specific show or dinner to attend.

I made my way back up north and went over to Caesar’s Palace. I was specifically trying to locate Cleopatra’s Barge, an allegedly cheesy club experience complete with a dance floor resembling a ship that was supposed to cater to latter-day Gen X’ers (such as myself) as well as Baby Boomers who were looking to dance the night away without having to deal with the hassles of the “hot” clubs. I had hoped to stop by this place as early as this evening or at possibly with some other local friends I was to meet up with later on in the week. I also happened upon the Shadow Bar which looked like a fun place to hang out and people-watch.

I finally was able to officially check into Bill’s and took all of 30 steps from the front desk to the elevator. They honored my request of a room facing the “quiet side” towards the Flamingo. A view wasn’t really necessary for me; I just wanted to avoid the street-side traffic late at night. Now this is where things get kind of fuzzy for me. After I unpacked my stuff, I remember lying down for what I intended to be a short nap to re-charge for my first real Night on the Town. However, I woke up several hours later and realized that the ten-hour days, not to mention my resistance to the 3-hour time change had zapped more out of me than I had realized. So at approximately 10pm, I decided to – you guessed it – call it yet another early night in Las Vegas.

I promise, it really does get better! LOL There%26#39;s actual gambling in the next one! : )

Trip Report 9/8-9/15 Part Four:Mixing Business with Pleasure

';There%26#39;s actual gambling in the next one! ';

Whew...I was just thinking.....No way he walked through all those places and didn%26#39;t gamble!! But...sounds like you didn%26#39;t!

In Paris you should have checked out the bathrooms by the Sports Book....at least in the women%26#39;s over there they have ';French to English'; phrases playing in them....you could have practiced some there! LOL.....

OK.....on to the gambling!!! OH...and we still have yet to find out who the famous person was that you met.....that was you wasn%26#39;t it?

I appreciate your patience, CO. : ) I didn%26#39;t exactly win the jackpot but I do like to think I have an interesting gambling story or two.

I did partake of one of the Paris restrooms and I think I do recall hearing someone on the speaker talking in French. It would have been nice if it were a real live person... but I suppose not in the restroom. LOL

And yeah, I was the guy who said he met some famous people. Those stories are coming too. : )

Actual gambling, LOL! Nice set of TR%26#39;s thus far, Tony. Thanks for sharing.

Tony, Tony, Tony.........the suspense is killing me! Can%26#39;t wait to hear more..........

I%26#39;m loving this TR!! Keep it coming!!

Okay I have narrowed it down... which one?

OKAY so paris or planet hollywood? why? I have heard good things about the bathrooms at both and my goal is center strip, nice room, nice bathroom and great view. Just my husband and I for 5 days the week of christmas.23 - 28. We normally stay at thehotel and like everything about it minus the location and the fact that you can%26#39;t be sure of a strip view. I know I just wrote about the same thing, but It is narrowed down much more now. Thanks again!

Okay I have narrowed it down... which one?

I%26#39;ve stayed at and enjoyed both; however I would choose Paris. That said, if a big sunken marble tub is important to you, go with PH. When I stayed there it was the just-opened Aladdin, and we didn%26#39;t care for the casino, but the room and location were both great.

Cheers,

LuvBreezes

Okay I have narrowed it down... which one?

All things being equal, I would vote for the Paris. People on this forum have posted some negative things about Planet Hollywood--HOWEVER, i have no first hand experience there.

Me? I would choose PH. I think many here like Paris better, but the place has just never done it for me. I don%26#39;t like the casino%26#39;s atmosphere, personally, and if you want a great view then you%26#39;ll usually have to pay for the upgrade at Paris. At PH, upgraded views come much easier. And if you can get a resport room at a reasonable price, even better. If you want a tub with a great view, check out PH%26#39;s resort vista rooms.

Thanks you guys, I am close to booking with paris, I may wait until the beginning of next week to make my final choice and see what happens. I have went through prob 50 pages of posts so far, and paris doesn%26#39;t seem like a bad choice. My husband doesn%26#39;t really care where I pick b/c he picks vegas and I pick the hotel ( no need to mention that I would pick vegas too)!! :-)! but I just don%26#39;t really see the need to stay somewhere that costs as much as bellagio or the wynn everytime we come, maybe the next trip we will try the wynn, but it has taken me time to not want to stay at thehotel, because I looove it, but I don%26#39;t love the location. If anyone has anything to add let me know!! Believe me I could change my mind before I pick- or if you think for some reason I shouldn%26#39;t wait, let me know too!

If I pick paris should I go ahead and get the strip view now or wait til I get there then upgrade?

Paris is slightly more central. I think you%26#39;d be fine either way. As far as whether to book the strip view or try for an upgrade - if you really want the strip view and will be unhappy if you don%26#39;t have it, book it ahead of time. If you%26#39;re willing to try for the upgrade understanding that you may not get it, then don%26#39;t book it.

I am not dead set on these hotels, just give me your input on where you think I should stay- Everyone! You can help make my choice! I know I just wrote I may book with paris, but I am still not sure, I am not wowed w/ it yet, and I kind of like more of a modern feel so the ph just being renovated is good maybe. Thanks everyone!

My recommendation is to choose one, decide to live with the consequences (which couldn%26#39;t be entirely bad at either hotel) and then try the other one your next trip. One of my favorite things about Vegas is that each time I go I find a new reason that I didn%26#39;t know about before to make a return trip!

You%26#39;re right, I should, I am over-analyzing I guess because I liked thehotel so much, but it is part of what I have seen called %26#39;mega-resorts%26#39; and everything is very far. So I will surely enjoy one of these places more if just for that reason alone.Don%26#39;t get me wrong I don%26#39;t think that many things are a short trip in vegas- another thought- which hotels of what I have mentioned has a good sports book? Thanks!

Paris.

If bathrooms are your thing, then PH is going to be better for you. We%26#39;ve stayed in Paris at least 15 times and like it, but the bathrooms are nice, nothing special - one big room with a double sink vanity, marble tub (not big or jacuzzi) and glass shower. I think PH has big soaking tubs and more room in the bath. We stayed at Bally%26#39;s last weekend in a jacuzzi King suite and that was a nice bath - as big as a bedroom. THEHotel has some of the nicer bathrooms we%26#39;ve stayed in.

IF you aren%26#39;t set yet, look at the photos of Venetian - I think the baths there are the most gorgeous on the trip (we haven%26#39;t stayed at Bellagio or Wynn, though). We just stayed at South Point in a one BR suite and that bath was great, too, albeit the tub was too tall to get in and out of safely for me.

Don%26#39;t fret too much about it, I know you%26#39;ll be happy with whatever you choose - you%26#39;ll be in Vegas!

Reno (or Sacramento) Airport to Nevada City, CA

Hi,

I need to get from either Reno or Sacramento airport to Nevada City, CA, one-way.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

Reno (or Sacramento) Airport to Nevada City, CA

I think Sacramento is about 20 miles closer to Nevada City than Reno. If renting a car isn%26#39;t an option you might want to try to post a request for a rideshare on Craigslist. http://sacramento.craigslist.org/rid/

Reno (or Sacramento) Airport to Nevada City, CA

Hi, Take the best fare you can get. Great drive from either Sacramento or Reno....Yes, Sac probably little closer.

If you are driving, yes, I think Sacramento is a little closer. Either way is a pretty and scenic trip.

If you are coming in winter, the Sacramento to Nevada City route is less likely to have heavy snow or bad road conditions. You might see a little, but the likelihood is greater coming over Donner Summit.

advice for trip Oct 24-27

We are travelling to Vegas in October and looking for tips on good places to go to learn to gamble (craps, blackjack) where the cigarette smoke is not overpowering, eat and have fun without worrying to much about wearing fancy clothes or tipping our way into places. It%26#39;s a trip to get away from the kids and relax for a few days. We are staying at the Signature and are in our late 30%26#39;s.

I have read some reviews that the piano bars and Kahunaville are good places to hangout. Friends have also suggested that we try Isla at TI for Mexican food. A suggestion for a good place to go for a special birthday dinner on the 26th would also be appreciated.

advice for trip Oct 24-27

The attire in Vegas is generally quite casual and dress codes are enforced at management discretion anyway. So long as you%26#39;re not dressed in ripped jeans and a muscle shirt you%26#39;re not likely to get turned away from many places. For dinner at nicer restaurants I never both to dress more than business casual.

Some casinos have early morning sessions to teach more common games like crap, roulette, and blackjack. Even if they don%26#39;t, if you go to a table at a slow time (particularly an empty one) the dealer should be more than happy to help you learn the game while you play.

Cigarette smoke is not nearly as a big an issue as it used to be, I%26#39;m a non-smoker and I never really run into situations where it bothers me.

As for food, what types do you like and how much are you willing to spend? There are dozens of world-class restaurants in Vegas that would suit different tastes.

advice for trip Oct 24-27

Most or some casinos have crap lessons, early morning. You will see a sign on the crap table, late at night (after 2 AM) or early morning at 7 AM or so. But easiest is to ask a crap dealer, if they have classes or not.

As for learning BJ, not sure if the casinos do, but since its an easy game (less rules than craps) you can learn by reading a book, or even online. (Just google for it).

Most places you can wear casual, or business casual, so don%26#39;t worry about that.

Bars and stuff.....don%26#39;t even plan, just go in wherever you see people are having fun.

Smoke? The newer hotels tend to have a better A/C system, and have less smoke than the really old ones. You will be fine.

For food we like just about everything with the exception of exclusively seafood restaurants as I have an allergy.

For the birthday dinner we would like something ';unique'; whether it be food or atmosphere, basically a place we would not be able to go to at home. We would go up to $200 US for the meal budget wise including drinks. Something with a fairly large menu and a bit on the romantic side would be best.

Well if you%26#39;re into Japanese food at all, the teppan-yaki at Shintaro at Bellagio is quite a memorable experience.

Mon Ami Gabi%26#39;s steak-frites is quite enjoyable too and they have a nice list of French wines as well as a wine cart which changes daily.

I%26#39;ve never eaten at Fiamma at MGM but I%26#39;ve been told it%26#39;s got very good Italian food.

Smoking is now limited to the casinos themselves and to bars that don%26#39;t serve food. Areas of the hotels and lobbies are smoke free so smoke is not the issue it once was. Also, the newer casinos have excellent ventilation systems to make it almost a non issue.

We had a very nice meal at Postrio at the Venetian a week ago, it%26#39;s a Wolfgang Puck restaurant. Stack at the Mirage and Fix at Bellagio are also excellent. I%26#39;d suggest Prime at Bellagio but it might be hard to get out of there for a max expenditure of $200 with more than a drink or two per person plus entree and a couple of side dishes or entree%26#39;s plus salads and coffee.

Many casinos will have a smoke-free pit of gaming tables. Also, isn%26#39;t the Westin casino totally smoke free? That %26#39;s just down the street from you at the intersection of Koval and Flamingo.

octvegas: We will be there the same week as you will be. Can personally vouch for nice meals with views at Mon Ami Gabi at Paris, and at Olives at the Bellagio. We are not foodies, but the meals at both places were way above average. We will be staying at Ballys after 5 stays at Aladdin/Planet Hollywood. Looking forward to trying out Battistas, Ellis Island, and the Westin Casuarina restaurant, Suede.Not familiar with any restaurants that require more than a sport jacket for men; Vegas is VERY casual. Nice jeans with actual shoes and a sport jacket and I find myself overdressed as compared to everyone else lol.Great pizza at NYNY for a lunch, buffet at Rio looks to be a cut above other buffets. Avoid Planet Dailies at Planet Hollywood: non-union inexperienced Kids running a restaurant ruined a lackluster visit in April at Planet Hollywood; hence our switch to Ballys 10/22 thru 10/27. Just go with the flow and eat when and where you feel like. I find overplanning in Vegas is useless, as you resent having to leave a slot machine to go wait in line for a meal lol.As far as smoking is concerned, I am a smoker so I would suggest the newer casinos for you, if smoke really bothers you. Imperial Palace and Casino Royale seemed smoky to me. Have a great time

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Boss just extended my LV trip for next month!

Just got the word that I will need to workour booth at a convention following the meeting I%26#39;m producing on the 22 - 23 of October. So I%26#39;ll be in town through the 27th! This great news (I love Vegas) and sad news (no one is going with me). I just got back on Monday, so this is a pretty quick return trip.

I don%26#39;t mind being alone in Vegas, but five days alone is a pretty long time. Guess I%26#39;ll have to see if there is a M %26amp; G during that stretch - that would be a blessing. The convention is at the Hilton, but looking through the reviews, maybe I%26#39;ll stay somewhere else and rent a car for the convention.

Boss just extended my LV trip for next month!

Will you be there on Oct. 21st? There%26#39;s a M%26amp;G on the 21st...........

Boss just extended my LV trip for next month!

no - shoot. I don%26#39;t get there until Monday the 22nd. That is my luck. Last week, I missed the M %26amp; G by one as well.

Just got the final schedule - I%26#39;m there until the 28th actually. Did anyone see a M %26amp; G for around that time?

Hilton is not bad, the best point is that it has a monorail stop right in front of it. You can get to strip in 5 minutes.

Don%26#39;t know your budget but, if you want to switch hotels, get one that has a monorail stop so you have easy access to convention at Hilton.

Some choices are: Bally%26#39;s, Harrahs, Paris, MGM, Flamingo

my designing dream

OK, I give up...

What is THE Hotel? I keep seeing it in TRs...

OK, I give up...

its part of mandalay bay,but the more upscale part of the property.

OK, I give up...

Copy and paste this:

…tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g45963-d496876…

The Hotel at Mandalay Bay.

Thank you. I thought that it was an achronym for something, and been trying like crazy to figure it out!

emtfire, don%26#39;t feel bad, I had no idea what it was for a long time.

Las Vegs Golf

VHB GOLF LIST

What follows is my own list of 5, 4, and 3 star courses for folks to consider when coming to LV to play golf.

5-Star

Wolfcreek in Mesquite, This one is a jewel and fees run as high as $350 pp

Bali Hai right by Mandalay Bay on the strip. Very pricey around $300

Wynn, only for guest to the tune of $500, and it is not that nice IMO .

Braers Best is very good for $250

Royal Link # $275

TPC Canyons @ $269+

Wolf Creek At Mesquite is as jewel for about $275

Dropping down a notch to 4-Star is some good value

Badlands

Boulder Creek

Paiute Snow

Paiute Sun

Paiute Wolf

Red Rock

Prim Valley

Rio Secco.

All of these will fill you challenge level and price books

Las Vegs Golf

i would put cascata on the 5 star

Las Vegs Golf

You don%26#39;t goto Vegas to play golf-

Your better off playing at

Pebble Beach

Oregon Coast

Myrtle Beach

Kiawah Island- Ocean Course (Charleston Area)

TPC- Sawgrass in JAcksonville

Phoenix/Scottsdale Area

Pinehurst

Any of the courses in the British Open rotation.

Better value on the dollar, plus more historically rated courses.

I have played golf at a lot of the courses mentioned above along with some others that I really liked;

Rhodes Ranch

The Revere Courses

Desert Pines

Sienna

Silverstone

The Stallion

Casa Blanca - Mesquite

as an 18hcp, all of these courses were enjoyable and I feel reasonably priced.

I have played in other ';Golf Meccas'; such as Palm Desert, Scotsdale, Myrtle Beach, Oregon Coast, Central Oregon, The courses in Vegas stack up with any of these locales. I work at a golf course and hear a lot about different courses.

Would Love to Play Wolf Creek just haven%26#39;t gotten a roundtuit.

The Only course I%26#39;ve played in Vegas that I didn%26#39;t enjoy was Badlands, It kicked my Buttom.

VHB no more ';Local Experts'; in the Vegas Forum?

Be in Vegas tonite.

jimimac, I resigned my LE tag because there has been a serious illness in my family and I have to resume my position in my company and do not have much time for the forum. So I occasionally drop in and pick and choose topics to participate in.

Yes Badlands will eat a high-handicappers lunch that is why I like to play money games there. However desert target golf is unique to the desert southwest and very challenging.

The above list is just a sample of what I think is the best in the area and by no means comprehensive, just good value.

Some corrections and additions:

Bear%26#39;s Best

Reflection Bay

Silver Stone

Places to avoid at all cost:

Black Mountain

Las Vegas Golf Club

Boulder City

Desert Rose

Calaway

For value and very good quality any of the Paiute or Boulder Creek courses are excellent. For far less then $200 (even down to $100 depending on time of year, time of day, and week) you can play world class courses at those 5 courses.

Clemson, even though there are less expensive places to play, It is almost impossible to get to places like Monterey, Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head, etc as inexpensively as LV, Not to mention how inexpensive it is to stay in LV with blinding choices of places to stay, eat, and things to do besides golf. You are free to say what you want, not many are buying it, and I dare you to get a tee-time at Pebble Beach if you are a nobody with less than a year advance reservations.

Homie

It%26#39;s always good to hear from you.

I hope %26amp; pray things on the home front are going better.

It is much cheaper to play at Hilton Head or Myrtle Beach than Vegas. Plus the courses have more hystorical value than the Vegas courses.

Vegashomeboy- you are the one who thought Kiawah Island the OCean course is in Hiawai- that came from a previous post. I have played all along thge east coast and the Phoenix area and you get much better value for your money as well as the quality of course is ranked higher than those which appear on your list. I would not bring my knowledge of courses into question.

VHB...

Thanks FOR THE INFO

after all this is Vegas forum

We will try PAIUTE...

VHB,

I have never seen Wolf creek at $350 pp. I have seen $180, but not $350. When have you seen them charge that much?

If someone wants a better deal at wolf creek, take one of their earliest twilight rates (around $105-120 pp). Be aware that it gets dark very early in Mesquite, as it is just on the eastern edge of the PST zone.

Clemson,

I have also played a little at Hilton Head and MB. MB is cheaper, but I still think Vegas courses stack up very, very well.

Are pools open in months from nov - march?

are there any pools open at hotels during these months? how cold does it get down there in the winter months?

Are pools open in months from nov - march?

http://www.travel2vegas.com/poolschedule.html

As for the weather, you can google that information, but as in weather anywhere, you will just get averages.

Good Luck

Are pools open in months from nov - march?

A lot of hotels do have a pool open all year round. You%26#39;d have to be the very keenest of swimmers to even think about getting in a pool during the winter, unless there%26#39;s a freak warm spell.

Many hotels do keep one pool open during the winter months. Whether you would want to take a dip in that pool is something else. I think January is the coldest month- average highs-50s but there were times that the highs have only been in the 30s and at night it has dipped into the teens. So- it can get very cold- and it sometimes snows.

Sure they are open, these guys are walking over to the pool now.

lasvegassun.com/from.ed/…P000024583.jpg

The Rio has at least one heated pool open year round. I have been there in late November and the water was fine, you just have to be lucky enough to catch a day that is at least 65 and sunny.

wow is it really that cold? i am going in december, i guess i should be packing warmer clothes?

It%26#39;s not cold compared to Toronto, but it is cold compared to Miami. Las Vegas is not in the tropics, it%26#39;s in the desert, and deserts do get cold. In December, you will find it pleasant during the day and a little chilly at night - a light jacket or sweater would be good for walking around outside at night. You might even want to bring gloves just in case.

That may be too cold to swim, but the hot tub would be nice....

Bellagio pools were open when I went in January. We even saw someone swimming albeit a child but it was warm that day. We are from New England and in January anything over 30 is warm to us.

mjm 9 98 - we went over Christmas week a few years ago and it snowed and the others years was 50-60 degrees and windy, so yes it is cold, depending on where you are coming from. 50-60 for us in Dec. was okay as we are from Minnesota and if it gets that warm here in Dec. or Jan. we are out in t-shirts and shorts.

For the Slot lovers

Playing Realistic Slots on line

First I was addicted to TA and now I am addicted to this website for playing slots.

They have the slots I have played in Vegas with bonus rounds. (Wheel of Fortune - 2 games ) (Texas Tee), etc.

You don鈥檛 have to sign up to play, which I haven鈥檛. You start with 2000 points. When you loose it all, close out your browser and then go back to site, you will then start with 2000 again.

I hope the slot lovers out there enjoy the site

bluesqcasino.com/BSQCasino/鈥?/a>

If anyone knows of any other good sites, let me know

Thank

Suzanne

For the Slot lovers

Cool... Pookaloki found something shiny.... this%26#39;ll keep me entertained for hours!

For the Slot lovers

I%26#39;ll have to check out that site....

There are also some at

http://www.freeslots.com

That site also has a pretty good VP trainer on it.

I also think the Harrah%26#39;s website has a ';virtual casino'; when you log in to check out your Total Reward card information......

Someone else posted www.skybetvegas.com.

I am totally addicted to the Cleopatra game on here. I hope they have it in Vegas. You start with 3000 credits and do the same thing...just close out and go back when you run out.

Freeslots.com is cool too....I love playing until I can get back to LV. I actually improved my reading of the 9 line slots by playing here....

McCarran Airport

I was on their website looking to see if my flight was going to arrive in terminal 1 or 2. Their airport maps are very primal. My flight is due to arrive in terminal 1 in ';D'; gates. I always fly continental, and

do not recall how far of a trek this will be to baggage claim. Am I seeing correctly that I will have to take a tram? We only had to do this one other time awhile back, and I remember the hassle of dragging luggage.

Also, I am aware of the new laws in Las Vegas, so when I saw the

following on McCarran website, it confused me!

Smoking:

McCarran International Airport is a non-smoking facility. Smoking is permitted in designated areas only.

Locations: Throughout the airport

Can anyone say, ';double talk?'; LOL

I just found this comical.

McCarran Airport

The ';D'; gates are serviced by the tram, yes. The ';D'; terminal has three separate concourses, all of which feed into the central core, from which you%26#39;ll take an escalator down one level to the tram station. It all depends on how far down one of those concourses your gate happens to be. From where the tram arrives in the main terminal, it%26#39;s not too far to walk to the escalator to baggage claim.

I%26#39;m not sure what they mean by ';designated areas only.'; It%26#39;s my understanding that smoking is banned indoors, period. They used to have the glass lounges, but no more. Maybe they mean curbside only now? It is a bit confusing, yes.

McCarran Airport

hi sue

ive just returned from vegas and was told that it is a no smoking airport.

you cant smoke anywhere only outside

hope this helps

deb

I also have used Continental and you do have to take the tram. I only bring a carry-on but the distance to the baggage claim from the tram was not that great.

I don%26#39;t know where you were looking on the maccarran site but this is what I found under smoking:

In compliance with new Nevada state law, smoking is now prohibited in all indoor areas at McCarran including restaurants, bars, and lounges. Smoking is permitted outdoors near ticketing and baggage claim

VP, Yes I also saw that, and I know that is indeed correct. That is why I found it peculiar when I saw the other statement. When searching their site, I clicked on smoking and that came up. I have no problem with the new laws.

Thank you everyone for answering regarding the terminal..I always like to have an idea before hand, so no surprises.

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tiny myspace

A call for a moratorium...

.... on the use of text message abbreviations on this forum. If you think about it, even the mobile carriers have to subtitle their ads for text messaging to sell the product. I was thinking, if I have to ask my 16y/o wtf ';bff'; means, this must not be normal. lol

Just a thought.

Doc

A call for a moratorium...

I prefer that we don%26#39;t use text typing here, there is a place for everything and texting should be used where it was intended to be used, on mobile phones. However, I also don%26#39;t text and that is purely choice on my part. Maybe it%26#39;s because I%26#39;m the daughter of an ex high school English teacher but seeing text typing just doesn%26#39;t seem right to me.

I also don%26#39;t have a 16 yr old child to translate for me! ;)

A call for a moratorium...

Im w/u on dat doc.

itz diFicult 2 undRst%26amp; sumtyms

wrist slashing time!!! ;-)

Sorry, I found a web site that translates and could not resist. I don%26#39;t have a cell and would spend more time trying to figure out how to use it and what the codes mean.

It is the age thing.

I am 50, and only use my mobile phone as a phone, not for texting, or camera, or internet access, or ........

But you have to realize that we have some young members here, that texting comes natural to them, so they tend to abbreviate some words.

I don%26#39;t mind the use of DH, DW or BFF, but sometimes, I have to read the post few times, to understand it.

And if I don%26#39;t, then I won%26#39;t answer it. That is the Posters loss (or as they say, The OP%26#39;s loss)

Gabby, LOVE the slippers...

Omg Doc! My bff this this is so nbd! Lol I heart you!

ok w/me

Although I agree that all those abbreviations can get tired sometimes, expecially for those of us of the older generations, but I do think things like IP, ElCo, CP,MB should stay, also locked in to our TA vocabulary should be VP, BJ, and other gambling terms, and I also have no qualms about voting to keep DW, DH, MIL, etc, as I think we all know what those mean.

In other words..Keep the basic ones we know like family members, hotels, and gambling terms, and get rid of the other stuff you find on the average 15 year old girls phone.

I think you peeps are getting old and crotchety. I like them - down with the ban!

for jungle

give me a hint...shall I roll the '; DICE ';

for jungle

pm if you prefer

for jungle

No, give me a hint...

open wide....do you know??

As Colonel Klink said, ';I know nothing.';

What%26#39;s the question?

Or maybe that was Schultz...

Jungle/Diceman

Unusual question?

OK, so I have a friend from High School that I haven%26#39;t seen in a few years that works in the kitchen at Hard Rock. I would like to try to contact him, but that is all the information that I have. So...

...Do I call the main number and ask for him by name? I am sure that with a place that size, whomever I speak with may not even know who he is. Any suggestions on how to reach him before I get there?

Unusual question?

How much time before your visit? You might try sending him a letter in care of the casino%26#39;s human resources dept.

Camille

Unusual question?

I can%26#39;t imagine the kitchen management would be happy if someone tried to interrupt the work flow with a personal phone call- that may well cause problems for your friend. Other than sending him a wriiten note with your hotel c/o the HR Dept , as was suggested, I think it would be a good idea to leave his workplace out of your efforts to contact him.

We leave here on the 6th of October, but are Headed To San Francisco first for 2 days. So We won%26#39;t actually get to Vegas until the evening of the 7th. What would I say? ';Please give such and such my cell phone number and ask him to call me?';

Luloo,

I agree with you. Unfortunately, that is the only contact info that I have right now. He (and his wife) both work there.

No, if you send it addressed to HIM in care of HR dept., I would think they would deliver it to him and not open it themselves.

Camille

Like Camille said address it to him in care of the hotel. Just keep the note brief, give the dates you will be in Vegas and your cell number. They can call you anytime, if no cell then state the Hotel you will stay at and then that is all you can do.

Lulu is also correct as to keeping the Hotel out of it except for the note. I would not call or show up there, could cause a problem unless he is in management.

Maybe call the Hard Rock and ask them what would be best.

I complimented a buffet worker at the MGM buffet my last trip, to a hotel person. She told me she%26#39;d send a message to the buffet manager passing along my comments.

Maybe they can do this with you?

Just a thought....

Well, it sounds like the best advise is the HR suggestion. I will give that a shot, and hope that it gets to him.

This could be a total long shot, but if you know his name and his wife%26#39;s name...have you tried searching an online phone directory (or even google) to see if you can find his local telephone number at his house?

I did try that. There was nothing under his Last name.

Which hotel?

Okay, so we loved a lot about TheHotel, but we don%26#39;t like the location. We want to go more center strip. We like room in the bathroom and a good view. The more I read, the more I don%26#39;t know where to stay. Again we liked Thehotel but we don%26#39;t like the location and sometimes it is a little much. We are going the week of christmas, 23- 28.

The first few hours of my search, I was leaning toward the sig this time, but again location is not what we want. I am not sure we really wanted to spend as much as it costs to stay at bellagio or venetian or ceasers, but if it makes all the diff we might. Then I was kind of leaning toward a TI strip view, but I just don%26#39;t know. Thought about a mgm celeb spa suite, then read about how huge MGM is. Then I read a few good things about PH, Paris, Mirage. I have even read some good things about monte carlo, although it has been said it is in a diff catagory and then there is the construction thing. So I am still lost. We love the clean modern look of thehotel, but I don%26#39;t think that is our main reason to pick a room we just want a nice room with bathroom space and a view is really great. I think that if we find a nice enough room at a nice enough price, I may be able to convince my husband to stay on vacation longer. Please help, any advice is definately appreciated! Thanks!!

Which hotel?

Well, based on what you%26#39;ve said, Paris might be a good choice - everyone seems to really like the bathrooms there. You can get a strip view room from which you can watch the Bellagio fountain show (of course they charge more for these rooms.) One of the few things people don%26#39;t seem to like about Paris is the pool - and in December, you wouldn%26#39;t be using the pool anyway.

I would absolutely rule out Mirage because their bathrooms are pretty small.

Which hotel?

Paris is good.

There may be good deals going for Venetian and Wynn.

The good winter deals haven%26#39;t come out yet for Venetian. I would book a backup choice but keep in mind something better may come along. Last Thanksgiving week Venetian had rooms for $129.

Not sure how much you%26#39;re looking to spend but I got a basic room at Venetian for $219/night that week. Venetian has large (650 sq.ft plus) ';suites'; instead of standard guest rooms. The suite has a sizeable bathroom with dual vanities, a stand alone glassed in shower and separate bath. It also has a sunken living area with a full size sofa. It%26#39;s more expense then standard rooms at most other hotels but also less than junior suites.

Now I know that this is exactly what I just posted that I didn%26#39;t want, but if you could stay at the four seasons for about 200 more for 5 days than the wynn would you jump on it? I found that if I were to book it w/ my flight it would be 720$ off of my total and I already have a 100$ coupon. So I could save 720 dollars at the Four seasons and stay further down the strip and pay more than what I was just looking at or I can stay at the wynn for more than what I was looking at but a very small amount less than the four seasons. What would you guys do? No strip view for either one though but if it is a lot nicer I guess we could forgo the view. Oh the choices!

If you%26#39;re looking in that price range it%26#39;s hard to go wrong with either hotel, both are absolutely fantastic. It depends on which end of the strip you want to be near. I prefer the other end (Wynn) but what you want to do and how you plan to get around should help with that decision.

Don%26#39;t make the mistake of booking someplace you don%26#39;t want just because it seems like a great deal. 99% of the world may think the Four Seasons is lovely, but if location is important to you, then you%26#39;re just paying more money for something you don%26#39;t want. Ditto Wynn.

As nice as Four season%26#39;s sounds I think that I really want to stay further down the strip and so maybe stay in a little less expensive place than the four seasons, any info on my first post will still be appreciated! And thank you so much to everyone that has answered so far.

Stratton you are so right and that is just why I wrote my next post. Would I really be blown away by the wynn compared to the other places I mentioned? For about a hundred dollars more a night is it worth it over paris?

Well after Bellagio/Wynn/Venetian I would rank Paris next on my list. It%26#39;s got great location, is a very nice property (probably nicer than Mirage in most opinions) and is only slightly more expensive than Mirage.

Swimming in the Bellagio fountains...

Is it permitted?? Somebody told me it was a blast!!

Swimming in the Bellagio fountains...

Ring a bell?

You have the right to remain silent...

Swimming in the Bellagio fountains...

Lol.. I prefer to add a bunch of concentrated lliquid soap, and watch ithe lake suds up..... it helps to keep the strip clean! (rolls eyes)

Rotflmao!

They will only allow this after you win the wheelchair race down the center of Las Vegas Blvd, and successfully tip over at least two gondolas at the Venetian....

Make sure to use the $20 trick at Metro PD for a strip view from the jail cell. :)

There is a You Tube video of someone diving in swimming across and running like h*.

I worked in an amusement park with a Ride called the Rapids, similar to a roller coaster, the boat would come down hill into the water at the bottom of a falls. Pranksters would continuously dump dishwashing deteregent in and bubbles were everywhere.

It is but be careful you don%26#39;t stand over the fountains when they start up.

You might try a $50 trick if you want those bars to be padded! ;)

troll

Yeah, but we%26#39;re having fun, Al! ;)

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Vegas to San Diego - How Long Does it ACTUALLY take?

Mapquest says 5 hours, ';heavy traffic estimated time 6 hours 30 minutes'; We are leaving MGM on Tuesday, September 25th at 11AM - give or take 1/2 hour. Should we leave earlier to avoid traffic? Or are we ok? Anybody done this and know a good spot is to stop for gas? Thanks everyone!

Vegas to San Diego - How Long Does it ACTUALLY take?

yellow, I drive LA- Vegas every couple months. Same traffic. I prefer 10am departure but on that day at that time you should be in the 5 hour range +/- half hour. Some SD drivers may amend this but it%26#39;s not a major worry on a Tuesday at 11. 80mph for a long ways.

Vegas to San Diego - How Long Does it ACTUALLY take?

In general, weekdays are less busy than weekends.

Since you are leaving MGM which is south end of town, hopping on I-15 south heading out of Vegas is relatively quick. You avoid the morning weekday rush 7am-9am since that is mostly around spaghetti bowl (downtown area).

I personally prefer early morning start (6 or 7am) cause it is cooler. September is not too hot so you will be ok. Driving speed and traffic determines how fast to get down to S.D. I usually take I-15 south then around Riverside, CA I switch to I-215 south, avoiding all the morning rush in LA area (9-10am by the time I get to that area) %26amp; straight down to SD.

It is about 5 to 6 hours drive if you want break in between. I usually stopped at Barstow for gas %26amp; break. I also have done non-stopped to SD which then took about 4.5 hours (speed a little).

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Pick your own lobster

Does anyone know of any restaurants where you have to pick your own lobster from a tank.

Have always thought it was off-putting but as with most things, time changes everything.

Thanks.

Andy.

Pick your own lobster

You can have it flown in fresh for you...

www.clearwater.ca/home.asp?cmPageID=318

Pick your own lobster

You can find it in many Asian restaurants with fish tank especially in bigger cities. It is mostly cultural difference, Asians consider fresh seafood (thus see it with their own eyes) as the best %26amp; not off-putting.

Andy I can get u all you want.....Maine lobster that is not Canadien

Andy is saying ';have to'; not ';can';. I think Andy does not want to sentence a lobster to death and then eat it. Andy does not want a personal role in deciding which lobster will meet its death.

Camille

mmmmmm...Death valley Lobsters....aka...scorpions!

.....come to Boston....they run wild in the streets!...you just aim your car at them...and...voila!...dinner!.....I love it here in the NorthEast!

Hotel advice for 5 couples

Hi! We%26#39;ve been to Vegas many times and usually stay at Paris. A family member is turning 50 in early November and has never been to Vegas. I have accepted the role of narrowing down hotel choices. Keeping in mind that we have to cater for different budgets and we will be there most of a weekend, the following hotels might be our best choices for not only price but also proximity to the wonders of the Strip: Paris, Ballys, Treasure Island and Mirage. The Bellagio and Venetian are just too costly and Flamingo and Harrahs a bit down in the heels. We%26#39;ll have cars so easy access to them is good as well as not having to walk miles through a smokey casino to reach room elevators (why I like Paris).

A Vegas insider can probably help, right???////

Hotel advice for 5 couples

First of all, smoke won%26#39;t be near the issue it%26#39;s been in the past as only casinos and bars that don%26#39;t serve food are allowed to have smoking. The hotel lobbies and restaurants as well as other parts of the hotels are now non smoking.

As you probably know, weekends are a lot more expensive than Sun-Thurs night stays. A room that might be $99 per night Sun-Thurs can easily be $299 on a weekend night.

Of those hotels you listed, if pricing is similar, I%26#39;d go in this order:

Paris

Mirage

TI

Bally%26#39;s

Did you consider MGM at all? They have some decent promo%26#39;s going right now. There is also the Signature at MGM. The Sig is condos, but is attached to the MGM and you have full use of the MGM facnilities. The downside is MGM isn%26#39;t in nearly as good a location as the hotels you listed and the Sig can be a hike to/through MGM.

Hotel advice for 5 couples

From your list, I don%26#39;t think the prices would be close together.

Paris and Mirage probably would be more expensive than the other two.

Treasure Island is further north than both Harrah%26#39;s and Flamingo!!!!

I think Bally%26#39;s will be the lowest price hotel from your list, the rooms are old, but the advantage is, it is within few minutes of Paris.

I think the best way is to know your exact budget, the dates, and check the prices for those dates

Didn%26#39;t consider MGM because it is south of the %26#39;action%26#39; which is what first timers to Vegas seem to enjoy. Also, it is so big and so spread out that the logistics of getting from A to B can be overwhelming. The four we%26#39;ve focused on are within about 10% of each other for the weekend which is when the majority of the group can go. An upgraded room at Bally%26#39;s wouldn%26#39;t move it up the least in anyones%26#39; opinion? Thanx!

For a small easy to navigate place my choice would be TI of all of them. Although, Harrahs really is not a bad place (not as nice as TI) but if you ask for a renovated room they are nicely done.

I find TI is easy to find anyone as long as they are not playing in the corner by the Deli, because I always forget about that corner.

I had a really great stay at a good price at Planet Hollywood in July and last year when they were under construction. It was a Fab view! My only complaint was this summer house keeping was terrible compared to my former stay.

When we were in Vegas in July, we drove by PHollywood several times and it didn%26#39;t look the least inviting with all the construction. So, I think it%26#39;s off the list as there are going to be a couple first time visitors and that isn%26#39;t the way we want them to experience the Strip!

Also, it is a bit of a maze, isn%26#39;t it?

Sorry to hear you are ruling out Flamingo, like that better than Bally%26#39;s and I think nicer rooms.

I would choose Paris out of your choices, agree that MGM would not be a consideration because of location.

Where you are dealing with different budgets, you could select Paris/Bally%26#39;s and that way you are basically in the same location (those who can afford can choose Paris those who are on more of a budget can do Bally%26#39;s and you can meet every day in the middle in the Paris shops or the Creppe stand!!!!

I would cross TI off your list, I don%26#39;t think you%26#39;d enjoy the atmosphere there if you like Paris. I think WSG makes an excellent suggestion of booking at Bally%26#39;s or Paris depending on each couple%26#39;s budget. That way you get to stay at your favorite place without feeling guilty about busting anybody%26#39;s wallet!

Know the rooms at the Flamingo are nice but ruled it out due to its very - in my opinion - outdated casino decor. Low ceilings, lots of smoke, noisy. Maybe it has changed. But the Bally%26#39;s/Paris combo is the best idea yet! With my husband%26#39;s points, we can get a suite at Bally%26#39;s for what about what Paris is getting for their regular rooms (which seemed a bit tired when we last stayed there about 18 months ago).

Paris renovated their rooms this past year if that makes a difference to you, they look much better but are still on the small side.

wish me luck

9 hours till i take off feel like a kid at xmas. see some of you there till next week

wish me luck

Have a great time. I%26#39;ll be waiting for your TR.

wish me luck

Oh, yeah! I keep wanting to open my present before it gets here! I have to wait 19 more days. I hope you have a wonderful time. Win big, but mostly have a safe travel.

Camille

Good luck!!

Penny

Good luck

';Let me give you a free gift'; NO!

If anyone offers you a free gift, SAY NO!!

This may have been posted already, if it has I apologise, but this is something everyone needs to know! Here is the story:

My girflriend and I were tired and very frustrated at being lost for half an hour in ';excalibur';. We asked, who we thought was an employee where the walkway to the luxor was located.

He was very charming and asked us if we had husbands ';No'; i said.

Are you engaged? ';No';. He looked a bit bemused as he looked at the rings on our wedding fingers. ';we%26#39;re together'; I told him, He seemed to be very happy with that and said ';let me give you a free gift';.

Well, we thought we were going to get a free drink or something, but what followed was quite a lengthy exchange of information. They wanted us to prove that we lived together and wanted absolutely loads of information from us. They offered us tickets for a top class show for $40, they told us we%26#39;d get $20 of that back and a $50 voucher for the hotel to spend on either food or merchandise or gambling. It all sounded quite good until that point. Then came the BUT. ';We will pick you up from your hotel and show you around our new hotel located 5 miles form the strip';.

To some people, this sounds bearable, but the entire trip to this other hotel would have taken 5 hours at least of our day!

We managed to get out of going, but the chap that was processing our ';free gift'; was less than impressed and didn%26#39;t care about showing how disgruntled he actually was. We made up some excuse about having to meet a friend and therefore couldn%26#39;t do it, but he was trying everything to try and get us to go on this tour. Not once were we asked if we wanted to do the trip, it wasn%26#39;t an option, we were basically told we were going on it and should be grateful for the free showtickets!

Over the entire 4 days we were in Vegas, we were offered at least 1 ';free gift'; a day and I have to be honest, it really annoyed me. Maybe i%26#39;m over sensitive.

We were warned about these people the day after it happened to us, and now i want to warn everyone else!

If you are in Vegas for a week, have time to spare and are planning on seeing a show, then maybe you should do it. But for visitors who don%26#39;t have much time to do all they want to do, then stay well clear!

I do understand these people have a job to do and its a viable way of making money and helping business, but i personally feel they are taking advantage and I don%26#39;t like the way they try and force it on you.

Katie

';Let me give you a free gift'; NO!

You got suckered in by a Time Share shark... lesson learned I hope.

';Let me give you a free gift'; NO!

Katie, you got ';timeshared';.

You%26#39;ll look back on this experience and laugh about it-someday.

You earned a ';merit badge'; for this and therefore no longer qualify as a newbie.

By the way, how about a free gift?

Have just come back from veags and the time share touts were very annoying, but after a few days we learnt when they asked when we were going home we said tomorrow and they didn%26#39;t want to know us any more.

Welcome to SuckerVille... Population: You.

All you have to know about the way vegas operates is the following:

Nothing is FREE in Vegas

Remember, unless the person making the offer is some sort of casino host, you will never get anything entirely for free in Vegas. Even then, you%26#39;ve earned the comp through your play. I%26#39;ve never seen one in Excal, so maybe they%26#39;re branching out. The hotels apparently don%26#39;t care about their guests being harassed as long as the time share company pays their fees to be there. I think there was a thread on Wednesday or Thursday on clever responses to give these people. One of the better and most-used is ';no thanks, we%26#39;re flying home tonight.';

Timeshare pimps... The worst part of Vegas. I know they%26#39;re just trying to make a living, but man are they annoying.

Where are they usually located so I can have some remedial fun with them? lol

Just shake your head ';no'; and keep walking! Don%26#39;t talk to them and don%26#39;t make eye contact with them. I think people try to be polite and end up being harrassed and wasting their time. They can%26#39;t physically grab you so just keep walking and don%26#39;t worry about being polite.

';We live here'; works pretty well too.

hair coloring

My Trip Report !

I%26#39;ll post the report as a reply, but, I%26#39;m going to tell the ending of the story here first, because it%26#39;s a Vegas buzz kill and I want to get it out of the way.

My girlfriend (KJ) and I checked out of Bill%26#39;s at 5:30 am in order to get to the airport and maybe grab a bite to eat (and buy some candy from Ethels) before our 8 am flight. We both got hot soft pretzels (with cheese sauce...yum) we did, in fact get our Ethels candy, and we boarded the plane @7:30. Just as we walked on to the plane, they announced that everyone would have to get back off and wait in the terminal while they addressed a ';lavatory maintenance'; issue.

So, we waited....Around 8:30, an announcement was made that there would be about an hour delay while the issue was fixed....ok, no biggie...maybe I was meant to be stuck here...maybe those slots WANTED me to be delayed so I could win ';the big one';....maybe Vegas just needed the few remaining $$ I had in my pocket.

An hour later it was announced that a part was needed to complete the repair....this part of course, not being readily available. ETA for ';the part';, unknown. At this point they start handing out snack vouchers. (6 dollars) You know when an airline starts trying to feed you in the terminal, things are not going well. At this point, I realize that it%26#39;s labor day weekend, and alternative plans may be hard to come by. I ask if there are any available seats on the 11 am flight to Seattle. (Flights from Seattle to Portland run every 30 mins, so getting here is easy) There ARE a few seats available, but, the clerk says to ';just wait a bit, and see how things go.'; By 11 am still no part on the scene, and by now there are no available flights (on ANY airline) to Portland or Seattle....I%26#39;m angry, I%26#39;m tired....I want a free flight....I want JUSTICE!!!! (mostly I want a nap) We are given second $6 snack vouchers and eat hot dogs from Jody Maroni (mistake) Finally at noon it%26#39;s announced that the part has arrived and all should be well in about an hour. Promptly at 1 pm we board the plane....and we wait...and wait....KJ and I are tired nearly to the point of tears (we need naps more than any of the kids on board) By 2 pm we finally have lift off!!!!! Well, by the time we arrive in Portland, it is now officially holiday weekend rush hour, and takes my husband an hour to pick us up. (Normally an easy 20 min trip)

At long last, by 6:30 pm, I%26#39;m in bed and dreaming Vegas dreams, for a restful 4 full hours....then, the alarm goes off an it%26#39;s time to drag my sorry butt to work. :( (For the record, I only made it through the first half of my shift and then bailed)

Ok, now that we have THAT out of the way, we can get to the good stuff !!

My Trip Report !

Looking forward to the rest of the TR...that airport stuff can sure be a drag right when you want to get settled on the plane.

My Trip Report !

Normally I suggest flights earlier in the day to avoid delays, but oopppssss this is something I wouldn%26#39;t even have been able to avoid. (other than why weren%26#39;t you put on that 11AM flight since you asked????) Maybe there were other people with connecting flights that the airline accomodated on that flight?

Oh well you%26#39;re home safe, but that was sure a disappointing day of travel :(

My girlfriend from work (KJ) and I worked Tues morning from Midnight until 5:30 am (usually get off work at 8:30am) and headed to the airport about 8:30. We were bouncy with vegas anticipation, so it seemed like forever until our 11 am boarding time, but, finally we%26#39;re on our way. the trip there was quick and uneventful.

By 1:30 pm we%26#39;re checking in to Bill%26#39;s Gamblin%26#39; Hall. The only room they have available with 2 queens (non-smoking) is the $10 upgraded room with the Bellagio fountain view. It would have been nice to get a free upgrade, but, the view room is exactly what I wanted anyway, so all was well. I also asked for a mini-fridge (also $10/day) so i could have plenty of juice %26amp; water available. Also so I could store any possible desserts from Jean Pattisserie. (mmmm...chocolate...) We got our players cards, did a bit of gambling in Bill%26#39;s, gambled our way through the Flamingo, checked out their beautiful pool area, and headed into Margaritaville for lunch. i had the shrimp %26amp; crab pasta salad. It was delicious!! It always surprises me that seafood (in some restaurants) can taste so fresh in the middle of the desert. We collected players cards and gambled our way through Harrahs, Casino Royale, the Venitian, then, backtracked and did the same through Ballys and Paris. So far, we haven%26#39;t won much, but we haven%26#39;t lost much either, so, it%26#39;s all good. by this time, we%26#39;ve been up nearly 24 hours, so we head back to the Flamingo and have dinner at Tropical Breeze. The onion soup was good, but, the crab cake w/mango salsa was a bit bland. We manage to keep our eyes open long enought to let the slots in Bill%26#39;s suck up some more of our $$, before heading to bed around midnight. (We%26#39;re in Vegas!! Yeah!!)

Wow, I%26#39;ll glad you got the bad flight out of the way. Now you%26#39;re in Vegas and breaking even is winning! Hope it only gets better from here!

Day 2 - The beds at Bill%26#39;s are SUPER comfy, and we sleep in all the way %26#39;til 4 am. We lie in our comfy beds and discuss our upcoming day and how we can%26#39;t wait to check out the Flamingo pool. We%26#39;re up and dressed by 5:30 am and head to the Bellagio. I hear the slots calling my name and asking for my $$, so I must comply. I walk away about $20 up, so, I%26#39;m happy. We walk through the conservatory, check out the gift shop, and by then, the Jean Pattisserie is opening. Hooray!! We both have a yogurt and fresh berry parfait. (The granola in it is drenched with honey) I had no problem paying 7.95 for something this good, but, choked a bit over realizing I had just paid 5.00 for apple juice. (Good thing their slots had given me the breakfast $$)

After that, we went back to our room, changed into our swimsuits, and headed for the pool. The pool at the Flamingo is fabulous!!!! We played under the waterfall, lounged in the morning sun, then, walked up to the adult pool. I hadn%26#39;t read the sign out front, so assumed ';adult'; just meant no kids, until I saw that sign near the cafe that read ';swimsuits must be worn beyond this point'; Silly me, I%26#39;d had my suit on this whole time....well, maybe tomorrow. We passed the waterslides on our way back out and to our room and know that that%26#39;s what we%26#39;ll be doing tomorrow.

After we%26#39;ve showered up, we head out in the direction of the Tropicana. The must do on todays list is to see the Titanic exhibit. The Vegas showgirl is standing out in front of Ballys giving out free tickets to tonights show if we sign up for the rewards card. Unfortunately, we signed up for that card yesterday at Harrahs, and are now not eligable. That%26#39;s ok, we%26#39;ll check at the 1/2 price ticket booth on our way to the Trop. Of course we have to gamble our way through Ballys and Paris on our way. (no big wins, but no big loses either) We weren%26#39;t able to get Jubilee! tickets at the ticket booth, but we did get our Titanic passes for only $11, so that felt like a good deal. By the time we got to the Tropicana, we%26#39;re hungry and thirsty, so re-fuel at their tropical cafe (sorry, forgot the name) I had a turkey %26amp; avacado crossaint, which was alright, but terribly dry...had to ask for a side of mayo. Then, with our new burst of energy, we head to the exhibit. It was wonderful !! For those who don%26#39;t already know, there are hundreds of artifacts, re-created hallways from third class, a beautiful replica of the grand staircase, a recreation of the outdoor deck under a starlit sky (cold) and an iceberg that you can actually touch. Since there%26#39;s no photography allowed, I bought a small poster and some postcards for my scrapbook. Even at full price, we would consider this a must do for anyone having intrest in the history and story of the Titanic. As we were leaving (through the casino) we both heard the exciting ';ching,ching,ching'; of actual quarter machines. We quickly sign up for their players card, grab a coin bucket for all the $$ we%26#39;re about to win, and hit the slots......

After we%26#39;ve successfully emptied our buckets (they were too heavy to carry around anyway) we make the walk to Hooters to do a little shopping in their gift shop. What a nice place. Even though we have a Hooters here in Portland, I%26#39;ve never been in it. I reall liked the atmosphere, and was sorry we%26#39;d eaten at the Trop, as their menu looked really good too. Of course we sign up for their players card (wouldn%26#39;t be fair not to share some of our $$ with them, like we had with everyone else) and did a bit of gambling. After KJ buys a t-shirt for her DH, pjs for her daughter, and I buy a little something to impress my hubby, we catch a cab back to Ballys. We ended up paying full price for tickets to that nights Jubilee! performance, but, had pretty much convinced ourselves it was something we should see while shows like that are still around, so we didn%26#39;t really mind. (For the financial record, that was the only time during the trip that i used my credit card) -- more to come---

';Of course we sign up for their players card (wouldn%26#39;t be fair not to share some of our $$ with them, like we had with everyone else) and did a bit of gambling. ';

aawww...how nice of you!

What a great trip report so far! Wow delays on the way home is Vegas seems to be a trend!! A girl trip sounds fun too!

Low - We both have very kind hearts....we%26#39;re just that way.

Mtzyd - It started out that I was just going alone. I%26#39;m sooooo glad my GF asked to go along, I would have had a good time by myself, but had wayyyyy more fun with her along!

%26lt;%26lt;I hadn%26#39;t read the sign out front, so assumed ';adult'; just meant no kids, until I saw that sign near the cafe that read ';swimsuits must be worn beyond this point'; Silly me, I%26#39;d had my suit on this whole time%26gt;%26gt;

LOL!! I love your sense of humor!! That and the part about the buckets of coins being too heavy to carry anyway! =)

Sounds fun so far!

I was kinda worried about your trip after reading how it ended.... Glad it%26#39;s going grand for you so far......

Turning the big ';five---oh';

You got it right.

Calling all experts to Las Vegas.

Turning 50. And, I%26#39;m makin%26#39; a big deal about it. Can%26#39;t get over it. So, looking the best place on the strip to stay. Money is no object on that special day. Suggestions, PLEASE. One day only.

History: Have leaned toward Wynns Salon room, but 4 seasons keeps naggin%26#39; me too. What about the Skylofts.........?.........

Any personal opinions are welcome.

Thanks y%26#39;all from a North Carolina boy. Peace.

Turning the big ';five---oh';

Congratulations to you on your big birthday!!!

If money is no object....I was just browsing on the Skyloft website the other day to see what they looked like. AMAZING....you get your own butler, and all kinds of fun things!!! Have you checked them out online? I%26#39;ve never stayed there, but they look really fun! =)

Turning the big ';five---oh';

Just one night...........three suggestions, Wynn, Bellagio or Four Seasons, any of these would be wonderful! Keep in mind though, Four Seasons has no casino, I don%26#39;t know if that fact matters to you or not. However, it is right there in Mandalay Bay so it%26#39;s right next door.

Thanks to you both for your expeditious reply.

Probably would like a casino as an option should I want to play. My partner is beggin%26#39; me to choose the ';360 degree'; Four Seasons, but I like the Wynn so far, but haven%26#39;t pressed the ';submit:'; button on the reservations. You all know the deal.

Bellagio has the history (by word of mouth), but I guess there really is more to LV....and I want the latest, and the greatest, for ONE nite only..............

any continued feedback is appreciated by this boy from the south.

Y%26#39;all be cool.

';Turning 50. And, I%26#39;m makin%26#39; a big deal about it. Can%26#39;t get over it. So, looking the best place on the strip to stay.

';';Money is no object on that special day. Suggestions, PLEASE. One day only.';

Got to love this guy--';money is no object--but just ONE day';

Already have a PRIVATE residence secluded....just NOT on the strip...do you have to disect EVERYthing Hitch...you realize, you CAN bypass topics you don%26#39;t care to respond to.............now, back to those with CONSTRUCTIVE feedback................a guy who is turning 50 and MAKING a big deal about it....sorry to those who don%26#39;t make a big deal...about it....and who don%26#39;t stay on the strip....looking for...you read the ORIGINAL post without HITCHES sidebar..........

WITHOUT money being an object....where would you chose.....?????

For one day?

Bellagio or Wynn.

stay outta this Hitch.....people with constructive feedback, not Nitches perception of constructive feedback...thank you...............

1nite in Vegas ? or You only want to fork out big money for 1 nite at a fancy place in Vegas then spend the rest of the visit at a cheaper place.???

MONEY== no object??????

Stay at a cheap place for the bed, spend the BIG BUCKS on the restaurants at Bellagio, Palms, Wynn, Caesars

TarheelBill,

Welcome to the gang! I mean those of us who were born in that wonderful year, 1957!! I also celebrated my birthday in June. Great idea. Wish I could give you suggestions but I have never stayed at a higher end Vegas hotel. Best place I stayed was MGM. When is your trip?

organic cosmetics

caesars crap tables

Last time there tne minimums were $25 most of the time with $15 mins at weird times. Any changes???

B.

caesars crap tables

Same in late August/ early September during the weekends... this year. But, it was also Labor Day weekend. I only saw a $15 during the day.

caesars crap tables

People who gamble at Caesar%26#39;s don%26#39;t have to worry about table minimums.

At least the Bellagio always has a bunch of $10 craps tables 24x7 as per last weekends visit.

yes, changes daily. supply and demand. the limits in the past will not necessarily be the limits in the future. If you want to know what the limts are today call the casino and ask to speak a PB in craps.

Limits vary daily - and by pit.

Yes, things can change, but I%26#39;ve been to the Bellagio 6 or 7 times in the past year and they always have multiple $10 tables, even at 11pm on a Friday or Saturday night. Also, they usually have a greater percentage of their pit open than most other casinos which rarely open the full pit.

Mesmerized, anyone seen it?

Is it clean? We%26#39;re looking for a humorous hypnotist show, but clean.

Mesmerized, anyone seen it?

A tripadvisor user named Starz331 referenced this show in her trip report. The opinion was that this show wasn%26#39;t appropriate for people under 18- so I%26#39;d guess not clean.

Apparently it%26#39;s a fairly new show but you can try typing Mesmerized in the forum search box and see what pops up.

Mesmerized, anyone seen it?

I saw this show about 2 months ago, and I definately would not say it is clean. It includes acting out oral sx, using blow up dolls, having orgasms, and a tiny bit of accidental nudity. If any of this offends you, I would not go to this show. It is humorous though IMO.

Room Costs

I have booked with Bills for next May and they have sent me the cost of our stay.

I have read on the forum that if the prices go down by next May we will be charged the lower rate.

If the prices go up will we be charged the higher rate?

Room Costs

you must contact the hotel for any rate changes - so know it is not auitomatic that you will pay the lower rate, if in fact the rates do drop. you must ask for the lower rate. no reason to ask for a higher rate of course, so no, you will not be charged more. keep your confirmation # and info and always use it when contacting the hotel.

Room Costs

The price that you booked at will stay the same.

Unless,

You check the price on their website or any travel website and see that the price is lower, then it is up to you to call the hotel and let them know the published price is lower than what you booked. They will adjust rate.

So check often.

Many thanks.

It was reading all the reports on this forum that made me book with the hotel direct and saved a few pennies.

I had a very friendly reply from them.

Thanks once again.

cryptoapi vs capicom

Anymore places that have $1 Blackjack off strip?

Just wondering if there are casinos that have one dollar blackjack? We have a car and during the day wouldn%26#39;t mind driving to casinos off strip to do a little cheaper gambling.

Thanks

Anymore places that have $1 Blackjack off strip?

i just heard that slots o fun from 11am till 1 pm has it

Anymore places that have $1 Blackjack off strip?

I heard the Sahara did. But no matter which casino it is, it%26#39;s also going to depend on when you go (time of day, day of the week, etc.)

The Western (a dump downtown) has $3 BJ and decent rules, all the time.

The Four Queens (downtown) has one $2.00 table (8 deck shoe). I believe it stays at $2.00 24/hours per day.

Slots o Fun has one $1 table, CC next door frequently has one $1 table. There is however a huge crowd around it, and probably impossible to get seated unless you happen to be there as it opens.

poker palace had two tables on last visit

Woohoo - Canadian Dollar

Leaving Monday and the Loonie has just passed US dollar. That is a far cry from when the dollar was 1.65 years back. It will be odd travelling without taking the dollar into consideration.

I do recognize the economical issues associated with this trend but I will be selfish for 5 nights in vegas.

Woohoo - Canadian Dollar

Todays rate is .9999. Not a big difference.

Woohoo - Canadian Dollar

That%26#39;s amazing i%26#39;m not goin till next august (2008) for our honeymoon but i%26#39;m thinking about exchanging some money now cause who knows what the loonioe will be next year

Not a bad idea at all.

I can remember going to the casino in Halifax 6-7 years ago, loved the exchange rate then! However, I was looking at it from the US perspective.

Whenever we get back from a trip we immediately start buying $ from each paycheque for the next trip. This way it doesn%26#39;t seem like you%26#39;re actually taking x amount of $%26#39;s from your account all at once. Mind you when the $ was at $1.65 we didn%26#39;t go to the USA that year at all.

we only get to go every two years , so we go no matter what the rate is. going the 23rd sept. can;t wait !!!

I for one am sad about this because I need to go to Ceasers Windsor to keep my points on my Harrahs card!!! Now I am going to have to take the even exchange :-( I guess I will just hop over the border and play about $30 and come back to MGM.

Most of the travel sites haven%26#39;t seemed to have caught up yet...I booked a flight today and was surprised how high the quoted US $$ fare was once they converted it into CAD $$.

Oh well, at least I%26#39;ll save on the US $$ I%26#39;ll be bringing with me!

Here%26#39;s a tip for fellow Canadians.

My mom has a US $ bank account here in Canada. She said she doesn%26#39;t pay a fee for it and it actually earn a very small amount of interest, when the exchange is good she puts Cdn money in and it is converted at that time to the appropriate US dollars and then when she wants to travel she draws it out in US dollars .

I%26#39;m going to look into this option because I want to take advantage of the par rate but I don%26#39;t want alot of cash in the house. The rate will probably stay close to current rate till Christmas but then who ever thought we would see par.

More money to spend in Vegas or at least less guilt about spending it Lol

Gotta love par....and it%26#39;s here to stay for a while......Vegas in 3 weeks.....Yay for me!......Oh and on the US bank account....any bank will do it....so right now would be a good time for all of you who don%26#39;t aleady do this......

Just got my gangster roll of US greenback from the bank today. Will be there on Sunday. I%26#39;m gonna shop and shop and shop!!

whoohoo indeed