2013 - Las Vegas, NV

vegas.com
vegas2go
http://www.wheretraveler.com/classic/us/nv/las-vegas/
CheapoVegas.com

WELCOME TO LAS VEGAS:

Once you get out from the gate, you first see...

then...

TRANSPORTATION:

Buses:

You can either take The Deuce or the local bus RTC (Route # SDX – Strip & Downtown Express). Fare is $6 for 2 hours all access or $8 for 24 hours all access. You have to buy your ticket before getting in the bus @Ticket Vending Machines (TVM) provided at the stations. The Deuce, a double-decker bus, runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week on The Strip.

Free trams between hotels, 2:

1. The Mirage - Treasure Island
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Excalibur - Luxor - Mandalay Bay
   
   
   
   
   
3. Bellagio - Crystals - Mandarin Oriental - Monte Carlo
   
   
   

Car rental:

All hotels have self parking for free. It is highly recommended to rent a car while booking the flight tickets online for better prices ($40 per day). Try to avoid renting a car in the hotel; it is above 100 US$ per day (inquired at The Mirage and at Paris). On site rental car reservations are gone fast. I rented at last minute online at Enterprise. The closest Enterprise is located at the Westin Hotel on Flamingo. If you rent a car from Dollar Rental, there is one booth located at Treasure Island.

HOTELS:

I stayed at The Mirage and visited:

1. Paris
   
   
2. Bally's
   
   
   
3. The Venetian
   
   
   
4. Treasure Island
   
   
   
5. MGM Grand
   
   
6. New York New York
   
   
   
7. Excalibur
   
   
8. Mandalay Bay (I only walked inside. The name Mandalay Bay did not attract me at first, but once inside, it is more than I expected.)
9. Luxor (I only walked inside)
   
   
   
10. Flamingo
    
    
    
    
    As the hotel name says, there is a garden with flamingos and various types of birds.
    
    
    
    
    
11. Bellagio
    
    
    
12. Monte Carlo
    
    
    
13. Wynn
    
    
    
14. Palazzo (I only walked inside)
15. Caesars Palace
    
    
    

Both Mandalay Bay and Wynn are very beautiful, but located at the opposite edges of the Strip.

I highly recommend staying in the middle of the Strip. My top 3 choices are Wynn, Bellagio and Monte Carlo. 

Next visits: Aria, Vdara

EAT & DRINK:

In restaurants, you pay after eating. In buffets, you pay before eating. According to a cashier's response, tips are from 1US$ to 2US$ in average.

Tix4Dinner and Paradise Garden Buffet

Tix4Dinner offers discounted price dinner at restaurants. You can buy them at theTix4Tonight booths. The choices offered by Tix4Dinner did not attract me much but I tried one dinner at Paradise Garden Buffet@Flamingo. The buffet was ordinary. Ask for a table near the windows so you can watch the flamingos.

Mon Ami Gabi

Have a Steak Frites at the French Bistro Mon Ami Gabi @Paris across Bellagio while enjoying the musical fountain show. Ask for a table located at the patio.

Buffet @Wynn

This is the best international buffet. I had lunch on a Thursday for 26.99 US$ (28.10 US$ with taxes).

Diablo's Cantina @Monte Carlo

Have a Corona Margarita a.k.a. Mexican Car Crash at this bar.

Fat Tuesday

How can you forget mardi gras? Have one of the mixed drinks in those mugs @Fat Tuesday near Casino Royal/ across The Mirage.

Senor Frog @Treasure Island

The first time I went to Senor Frog was at Cancun. Now, I found back the frog, but when will it be a prince?

Before and after.
I was very hungry after a good night of sleep.
Then I was ready for a new day of walking.

La Crêperie @Paris

Une crêpe salée. Une crêpe sucrée.

Roasted Chicken
(rotisserie chicken, sun dried tomatoes, asparagus, basal pesto & shaved grana padano).

Blueberry Lemon
(blueberries, lemon curd, berry sauce & Chantilly cream).

FREE SHOWS:

• Volcano Eruption @The Mirage
  Eruptions every night hourly, on the hour starting at 5PM. Last eruption at 11PM.
• The Sirens @Treasure Island
  Daily at 7PM, 8:30PM, 10PM & 11:30PM
• Musical Fountain Shows @Bellagio
  Mon – Fri from 3PM to 8PM every 30 min & from 8PM – 12AM every 15 min
  Sat + Sun + Holidays: from 12PM – 8PM every 30 min & from 8PM – 12 AM every 15 min
• Blue Man Group Procession @Monte Carlo
  Daily at 6:15PM Casino floor
  There is a 1 min stop in front of the reception
• Rain Storms @Miracle Mile Shops
  Every hour, on the hour from Mon – Thur Every half hour from Fri – Sun

SHOWS:

1. Jubilee! @Bally’s (67.95US$)
   
   
   
2. Criss Angel Believe @Luxor (65.95US$)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. Fantasy @Luxor (43.00US$)

For Jubilee, I compared the price at the box office@Bally’s. Finally, I got a better price and seat at Tix4Tonight. For Criss Angel and Fantasy, I bought a combo @Excalibur. Luxor/ Excalibur have a special deal for 2 shows (check out Luxor’s website).

If you have already made your choices (Cirque du Soleil, concert), purchase the tickets online at the box offices.

For cheap tickets, do not buy at box offices. Do your homework first, read the free magazines WhereTraveler or Vegas for the schedule & prices.

For cheap and last minutes tickets, go to any of the Tix4Tonight booths. It opens at 10AM, but line up starts at 9AM. Although the prices are discounted, it is recommended to check out the prices ahead so you can compare.


SHOPPING:

Miracle Mile Shops and Fashion Show Mall are ordinary shopping malls. However, have you ever been in a rain storm inside a shopping center? Then, Miracle Mile Shops is the place to go. The Fashion Show Mall has a beautiful architecture. I only had the time to pass by in front of it.

For luxury collection: The Venetian, Crystals@CityCenter, Esplanade@Wynn, the Forum Shops@Caesars.

MUST GO:
There are 2 Premium Outlets: North and South. This time, I went to the North by Taxi (15 - 20 US$ for one way from The Mirage and  8 US$, from Stratosphere).

 

 

Line up for taxi to head back to the Strip!

TO DO LIST ON THE NEXT ADVENTURE @SIN CITY

• Shows: Blue Man Group, Cirque du Soleil, The Beatles,
  a concert, Peepshow and Chippendales
• Restaurants: Steakhouse at Bill's Gamblin Hall & Saloon, Serendipity 3 @Caesars Palace, Wynn's buffet for breakfast and dinner, Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville
• Nightclub/ Lounge
• Premium Outlet - South
• Welcome to Las Vegas sign located just south of Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip 
• Rollercoaster @New York New York
• At least one of the attractions on the top of the Stratosphere.