Heading to Vegas this week any suggestions

[spxChrome]

Heading off to Vegas later this week. Been about 8 years since I have been and last time I went this forum had some great suggestions. So anything new or exciting I should know about? Looking for things to do outside of gambling like maybe some unknown restaurants, bars, shows or attractions to check out. Poker speaking I will be looking for single line Ultimate X and $1 DDB VP Progressives. But I am open to any feedback on my up coming trip. Staying at the Paris for a few days and then the Bellagio for a few days. Thanks.

[DougJ]

My suggestions, as a local:

(1) It's HOT here, don't try to walk the Strip. 110 degrees all week. Take Uber or Lyft.

(2) The Pinball Museum recently relocated to a great location on the South end of the Strip. It's fun.

(3) Some people liked the OmegaMart experience, not far of the Strip, near Sahara. We went because of a locals' discount and would not return, but that's just us. Artsy, quirky, with a few bars.

(4) Every restaurant at Wynn/Encore has great service and good food for the price. I'd pick any of them any day over that at Bellagio or Paris.

(5) Resorts World: you can read my "trip report" in this forum. Some people enjoy looking around the newest places. Circa: another big "NO" from me, but again, you may like seeing new places.

(6) Buffet at MGM Grand: Simply awful, too small, poor quality.
* Buffet at Wynn: fine, but must make reservation, and then you will still stand in a queue to enter, unless you are top tier player cards. Book for about 2 pm online, pay lunch price online in advance, you will then save $20 per person , but will have dinner menu items.

(7) Off Strip on Paradise: Big Shaq restaurant. Great chicken sandwiches, always a busy place every time I've visited.

(8) Arts district: Cornish Pasty restaurant, on Charleston. Awesome British food and pub. Park on any side street. It's reasonably priced, large pasties - - as good as we used to get when living in the UK

(9) Gambling: You do you, but just know paytables are quite bad at Strip hotels, more so than when you were here 8 years ago.

(10) If you MUST do a touristy thing like photo at the Welcome to Las Vegas sign (which is in Paradise, and not even in Las Vegas), then do it early morning, before 7 am. or don't waste your time. It's too busy and again, it's HOT here.

(11) If you go online to the Radio Shopping Show, Las Vegas website, you can buy vouchers for various restaurants, coffee places and a few show tickets, everything typically half off pricing. Prior to the pandemic, we saw a lot of Strip shows (i.e. The Australian Bee Gees at Excalibur) for about $10 to $20 per ticket. Show tickets now very limited on their site. They have regular sales as well, such as half off vouchers reduced to $1 or $2. Their pickup location for vouchers is off Sahara and Jones.

(12) Get the Las Vegas Advisor membership and coupon book. Well worth the price. Their location is behind the Rio hotel, off Twain.

(13) If you have a car, buy bottled water at one of the many grocery stores on Maryland Parkway . . . a mile or so from the Strip and much cheaper than the CVS, Walgreens on the Strip. Yes, those Strip stores are convenient and cheaper than any hotel gift shop.

(14) If you are one of the top tier player cards, ask about status matching at player card booths.

(15) If you want to visit Fremont Street, use the Cal parking, as it's easy to get it comped at the cashier cage with a little play or dining and then validation.

[Tedlark]

Anyone here planning a trip to Las Vegas should print DougJ's report.

And best of luck to you spxChrome when you go.

[New2vp]

Thanks Doug, quite informative. I think I may try to visit late summer/early autumn. I did copy this info and sent it in an email to myself for future reference.

[OTABILL]

One of my favorite places to visit in Vegas for Nostalgia is the Pinball HOF. Didn't realize it relocated. Thanks Doug for the Heads Up.

[spxChrome]

Thanks for taking the time to respond. Will def check out some of your suggesstions and skip some of those don'ts.

@Tedlark, thanks for the luck wishes. I've pretty much given up on vpoker... after 25+ years of playing its obvious the problem is not just the pay tables especially at higher limit levels. If you can't get it dealt to you those premium hands are rare indeed. If you look at social media most of the posting I see are dealt hands and the last 2 AWAK I have had have been dealt. And that is only because I have played enough cycles to have it happen. I digress...

Back to my original post, any new attractions in the past 8 years that are worth checking out or skipping? Free or paid doesn't matter just looking for fun things to do/see.

[FAA]

It is a bit strange. I had both a RF and SF dealt in a five month span.

[DougJ]

Additions to my list, since you are looking for more attractions here (besides gambling):

(1) The Mob Museum (Downtown) is a MUST SEE. I looked up its opening date, and it was 2012, so you may not have visited there on your prior visit 8 years ago. They have added a Speakeasy in the basement, which is a museum quality replica with bar service/snacks. Check the website before you go, they want a "password' to enter through the side door . . . authentic, but funny. Password changes weekly, so look online before you go.

(2) A classic bar: Frankie's Tiki Room on Charleston. Local celebrities (like the Goodmans) go there, and it has a collection of shrunken heads. No kidding. Fun, fun place to see and have a cocktail.

(3) National Atomic Testing Museum on Flamingo, not far off the Strip. Okay, we like it because of employment up at THE LAB (Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico), so we are biased. But, it's a cool place to explore if this sort of thing interests you. Discounted tickets on the Radio Shopping Show website in Vegas.

(4) If you do go to Circa, to see the new shiny casino, look around for the various life-sized Lego figures

[DougJ]

Forgot to mention: Wynn is status matching player cards, but only through end of August. Check out the Tier Match list on Wynn's website. Wynn never had "tiers" until recently, so hence the rolling out of this short-lived promotion.

[billryan]

The Container Park on Fremont, across from the El Cortez is a great way to kill a couple of hours. I was hooked when I heard they had a fifty-foot Praying Mantis with built-in flamethrowers, but it got even better.
The whole downtown has changed in the last eight years. If you like "quirky", add a star or two.
You can find much better pay tables on Fremont Street than you will on the Strip.
Lastly, if you have a car and have never been there- Red Rock casino is amazing and Red Rock Canyon is even better.