Travel in Las Vegas
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Informations on Las Vegas: history, politics, economy, culture, Did you mean: Las Vegas
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Las Vegas, Nevada, is known as Sin City. Situated in the midst of the southern Nevada desert landscape, Las Vegas in many ways epitomizes American excess. Giant mega-casino hotels are built almost overnight, decorated with lavish care and attention to create a fantasy-like atmosphere. The casinos have names that evoke romance and mystery - Luxor, Mandalay Bay, Rio, The Excalibur, the Flamingo.
Las Vegas is a playland for people from all walks of life.
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Understand
Compared with other cities in the West, Las Vegas is a relatively recent arrival. It was founded in 1905, and for many years was merely a small settlement in the middle of the desert. However, several pivotal events would come together in less than twenty years to make Las Vegas what it is today:
- The construction of Hoover Dam in 1928 brought thousands of workers to the area.
- Nevada legalized gambling in 1931, and what is now downtown Las Vegas became an entertainment center for the dam workers, with casinos and speakeasies.
- Finally, in 1941, the luxurious El Rancho Vegas resort opened on what would later become the Las Vegas Strip. Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel later opened the Flamingo Hotel in 1946, starting the building boom and one-upsmanship that would continue largely unabated for the next 50 years.
Get in
By car
Southern Californians crowd Interstate 15 every weekend going back and forth to Vegas. Expect this drive to be crowded and frustrating, unless you can come and go at off-peak hours. However, many find the 280-mile drive along the I-15 restful and scenic. Attractions along the I-15 include the towns of Barstow, California; Baker, California; the Mojave Desert; and small hotel-casinos at Stateline (Primm), Nevada and Jean, Nevada. Those who traverse the I-15 should remember that they are crossing a desert, and should carry (and drink) ample amounts of water, especially on hot summer days where temperatures can reach 120 degrees F.
By bus
Greyhound operates buses from Salt Lake City, Utah; Kingman, Arizona; and Los Angeles, California to Las Vegas.
By air
McCarran International Airport (LAS) is served by many domestic and international air carriers. Discount air carriers serving LAS include America West, JetBlue, and Southwest. As at most US airports, you can rent luggage carts for $3. A very few hotels offer check-in desks and luggage transfers at LAS. Getting from LAS to your hotel is accomplished by airport shuttle (Bell Trans, $3.50-$10); rent-a-car; taxi ($10-20); or limousine ($35). The taxi line is well organized, the city taxi dispatcher will direct you to a numbered space along the curb. You need not tip the taxi dispatcher. As in any city, you can be taken advantage of if the cab driver thinks you are naive or new to the city. Do not allow the cab driver to take you through the I-15 tunnel (an extra $10) or tell you the story about the "big accident" enroute to your hotel, if either of these happens take down the driver's hack license number and call the Nevada Taxi Commission.
By "rail"
A daily bus route from Needles, California to McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, with a stop in Laughlin, Nevada, is operated in concert with Amtrak's Southwest Chief (http://www.amtrak.com/trains/southwestchief.html). Amtrak California's San Joaquins (http://www.amtrak.com/trains/sanjoaquins.html) route operates 2 buses daily to Las Vegas from Bakersfield, California as part of its service.
Get around
By public transit
The Las Vegas Monorail runs on the east side of the strip behind the hotels with stops at several of the hotels. It costs $3 one-way and $5 round-trip. Do the math before boarding, it could be cheaper for a small group to take a taxi.
The city bus line, Citizens Area Transport or CAT, operates 49 routes thoughout the valley. Most routes operate 5:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. seven days a week. Some routes operate 24-hours a day. The fare is $1.25; $2 for the 301 and 302 routes that connect Strip and Downtown. They follow the same route but they differ in frequency of operation and number of stations along the way. The fare may be paid directly to the driver. You may find these lines overcrowded to the point of unavailability -- a taxi is usually a better idea.
For more information:
- Las Vegas Monorail, telephone (702) 699-8200, http://www.lvmonorail.com/.
- Citizens Area Transport, telephone (702) 228-7433, http://www.rtcsouthernnevada.com/cat/.
Taxi
One of the easiest ways to get around is by taxi. It is relatively cheap to go from hotel to hotel. The cab driver is required to turn on the meter and to take the shortest route to your destination. There is a surcharge for rides originating at the airport, but not for extra passengers. Taxi lines (queues) are typically found at the front of hotels. You would be unwise to attempt to hail one on the street, especially on the Strip as it is illegal for a cab to stop traffic to pick up or drop off a passenger. The best way to hail a cab outside of a cabstand is to use the following method: if you are wanting to go north on the strip, stand on the east side about 20 feet before a turn off. The cab you want to wave over will have the yellow lights off. Standing like this allows the cab to turn off the road and pick you up. It is customary to tip the hotel taxi dispatcher $1, and to tip the cab driver $3 to $6 for a normal ride, and about a $1 per bag of luggage.
See
There are loads of places to see in Las Vegas and its environs and some of these are listed below:
- Hoover Dam - the dam is less than an hours drive from Las Vegas and is regarded as a wonder of the modern world
- The Grand Canyon - numerous companies offer flights to and from the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas. Pink Jeep tours take small groups in luxury urban SUVs, makes a great day out.
- The casino-hotels along the strip - Luxor, Excalibur, MGM, Venetian, New-York New-York, Bellagio, Mirage, Caesars, Wynn all worth a visit.
- The lions at the MGM Grand.
- The volcano and the Secret Garden (White Tigers and Dolphins) at the Mirage.
- The free show in front of Treasure Island. This used to be a family-oriented pirate show, and has now changed to the more adult Sirens of TI complete with showgirls and hunky pirates, also starts in the evening. (Get there early, as it is hard to get a good spot, all MGM-owned property guests get priority viewing space. If in doubt, ask.)
- The fountain show in front of the Bellagio.
- Ride a gondola (inside or outside) and visit St. Mark's Square at The Venetian
- Fremont Street Experience
- Star Trek: The Experience in the Las Vegas Hilton - though frankly, unless you're a big Star Trek fan, it looks a little dated now.
- Guggenheim Las Vegas in The Venetian
- Red Rock Canyon
- Mount Charleston is the local ski resort.
Do
- Cirque du Soleil at Bellagio, Treasure Island, MGM Grand, and New York-New York.
- Ride the Manhattan Express at New-York New-York.
- The Stratosphere has a lot of fun stuff to do in the top, you can see the whole city from there.
- Blue Man Group at luxor
- Visit the Wynn and play golf!
- Indoor sky diving at Fly-a-way 200 Convention Center Drive (877) 545-8093 http://flyawayindoorskydiving.com/ $50 and up
- Shoot a machine gun at The Gun Store 2900 E Tropicana Ave 9am–6:30pm 7 days. (702) 454-1110 http://www.thegunstorelasvegas.com/ $25–$40 Photo ID required.
- Learn to handle any firearm like a pro at Front Sight http://www.frontsight.com/
- Gamble
Gamble
Be advised that it is state law that all gamblers must be 21 years of age. If you are under age and found gambling or loitering in a gaming area, hotel staff will ask you to leave, and could ask the metro police to issue you a citation. There is a curfew for anyone under the age of 18 and metro police are comfortable transporting violators to a juvenile center.
If you are going to gamble in Las Vegas, it would behoove you to learn and study the games before you arrive. One reason to gamble -- aside from the hope of winning money -- is that, by doing so, you could receive complimentary ("comp") rooms, meals, and even airfare depending on your play. Most casinos issue free "player cards." It is generally to your advantage to show or insert your player card every time you play a table game or slot machine. At the end of your trip, you can ask the hotel if you are eligible for any comps, you might be pleasantly surprised. Always play the games with the lowest house advantage, such as craps (dice) with full odds, and blackjack (if you are a skilled player). Bets which have the highest house advantage include slot machines, roulette, and some craps bets (hardways and propositions).
In the 90's many casinos took their Poker rooms out and replaced them with slot machines, recently Poker has made a comeback and more and more casinos offer it. Texas Hold'em can be found at almost all Las Vegas poker rooms along with 7-card stud, Omaha and others. Not all casinos have a poker room, so call the casino or ask a gaming floor attendant. Casinos with non-smoking poker rooms include:
- Wynn
- Bellagio
- The Palms
- Mandalay Bay
- MGM Grand
- Mirage
Buy
- Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. Don't miss free animatronics shows at Fountain of the Gods and Atlantis located at either end of the mall.
- Grand Canal Shoppes in The Venetian, including the tacky objets d'art shop featured in Martin Bashir's interview with Michael Jackson.
- More affordable (and arguably more tasteful) gift shops in the Aladdin.
- Fashion Show Mall which is on the strip
- Mandalay Place between Luxor and Mandalay Bay
- Las Vegas Outlet Mall a few miles south of Mandalay Bay
- Premium Outlet Mall Downtown
- Fashion Outlet Las VegasJust to 30 minutes of strip of Las Vegas you can buy at shop top-designer outlet stores in Las Vegas Primm Casino area!
Eat
Food in Las Vegas is good, but sometimes a little pricey.
- Roman Court at Caesars has good food as well as good icey drinks.
- Cafe' Lago at Caesars is elegant and has very good food.
- Cypress Street Marketplace is interesting and good for the family, it has every cuisine and is mostly cheap.
- Shang-hai Lily in Mandalay Bay is gourmet Chinese and an incredible fine dining experience.
- Buffets
The most famous buffets in Las Vegas are at the Bellagio, Paris and Aladdin, though the newly opened Wynn buffet is becoming more and more of a favorite with tourists and locals alike. If you plan to go to only one, those are the most spectacular. The best buffets typically run about $30 a person for a weekend dinner. Lunch is your best value at most buffets when they are around half price, breakfasts are cheapest and often have a great spread too. Do not forget that tipping your buffet waiter 10-15% is customary. You can leave cash on the table at the end of your meal or tip the cashier at the counter on a credit card.
When going to a buffet, try to avoid bringing a purse, backpack or other hand-held items. Asking another party to watch your property while you go up for a second helping of crab legs is inconvenient and leaving it unattended is a security risk. The risk is not only due to theft, but unattended packages and bags catch the eye of casino security quickly. Try to fit all of your belongings in your pocket when you visit a Las Vegas buffet.
- Boardwalk - Warning it is cheap 24hour buffet that is horrible, $
- Mandalay Bay - Medium line, good food, $$$
- Palms - Shorter line, good food, $$
- Paris - Foods from all parts of France, made-to-order omelettes and crêpes, $$$$
- Sahara - Short line, cafeteria style food, not good, $
- Tropicana - Long line, cafeteria style food, $$
- Wynn - Short line, exotic food, especially good for sushi, $$$$
- Rio - Long line, good food $$$
- Don't forget the In-N-Out burger joint. Just four items on the menu and delicious burgers. Can fill for less than $10!
Drink
In Las Vegas, free drinks are offered to all players, even those playing 5-cent slot machines. It is customary to tip the cocktail waitress at least $1 per drink (unless you like going thirsty). But remember you could lose money, perhaps more than the same drink would cost you at the bar, while waiting for your "free" drink! The bar will happily serve you wonderful signature drinks. Some examples of the hundreds of bars and nightclubs in Las Vegas include:
- Cleopatra's Barge, at Caesars Palace.
- Nefertiti's Lounge, at the Luxor. They specialize in 36-inch Sphinx margaritas and glasses made in the shape of mummy cases (they make nice vases after the fact).
- Venus Lounge, at the Venetian. Pricey but enjoyable for a couple of quick cocktails.
- Double Down Saloon, 4640 Paradise Road, 791-5775. A bit out of the way but plenty of atmosphere and out of the casinos if that's your thing.
- Ghostbar at The Palms, located on the hotel's roof, features a section of floor that is made of thick glass with nothing beneath it -- the glass is the only thing between your feet and the ground 35 stories below.
Nightlife
Nightlife in Las Vegas is an every changing industry. There exsist a club for just about every taste, whether it is a wild bar(Coyote Ugly) to a three room ultra lounge(Light, Pure, Tao). Almost every hotel has a club or lounge of some sort so it is easy to find something where ever you may be staying.
One thing to consider in Las Vegas there is essentially no last call. Most clubs remain open till 4am and then there are the various afterhours clubs as well. Drink prices can range anywhere from $4-$8 for a domestic bottle of beer, $8-$10 for well drinks(depending on if you like premium alcohol), and $200-$??? for bottle of alcohol which usually come with a table.
There is certain nights of the week where clubs are busy then others. For example on the weekends the ultra lounge/clubs are always full of tourists and locals alike. During the weekdays you will find that some of the best places to be are the clubs that have Service Industry Night(SIN). Those are usually the days when everyone that works in Las Vegas takes off(middle of th week Tuesday-Thursday) and thats their "weekend."
Cover Cover is a big thing in Las Vegas. Generally expect to pay anywhere from $15-$30 for cover. There of course is exceptions those mainly being groups of people that have paid for a table reservation, ladies, and sometimes locals. On nights where a club is having a Expect to wait in a line, depending on the night, anywhere from 10 minutes - 2 hours. A general rule of thumb, is to get there early as in before 10pm, yeah it will be empty but you will not have to wait in a long line, you might get a cheaper cover, but do not expect drinks inside to be any cheaper.
Table Service Now regarding table services in Las Vegas, keep in mind that a table generally comes with the bottle purchase not the other way around. Its just like a restaurant, unless you keep buying bottles from the hostess they will ask you to vacate the table so that someone else can occupy the table.
Attire Each club normally has a set policy on what a person can wear into their establishment. The problem with this is that they can define from one person to the next what is acceptable. When thinking about what to wear a few words come to mind that are very vague: Casual chic, Upscale attire, Business attire. General rule of thumb is most of the time women know what to wear when they are going out. Men just make sure not to wear tennis shoes, tank tops, hats, t-shirts. For men in general you can never go wrong with slacks and a button-up shirt.
Finally just a note about the current list of clubs. Nightlife in Las Vegas is VERY dynamic. It is always changing and clubs generally have a shelf life of about 4 years before something new has to be invented. There are clubs that are really not clubs(Rehab) just promotions at certain venue.
Near the Strip
Starting from the south side of the strip going north
- Rum Jungle at the Mandalay Bay (http://www.mandalaybay.com/)
General admission (Sunday - Thursday): $20. General admission (Friday - Saturday, Monday): $25. 3950 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89119
- Ivan Kane's Forty Duece (http://www.fortydeuce.com/) right outside the shops Mandalay Place at Mandalay Bay (http://www.mandalaybay.com/)
General Admission: $20 (Sun., Mon., Wed., Thurs.) Front of the line: $40 (Fri., Sat.) 3930 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89119
- Mix at the top of THE Hotel (http://www.thehotelatmandalaybay.com/home.aspx,) at Mandalay Bay (http://www.mandalaybay.com/)
Beginning at 10 p.m., Sunday - Thursday, $20. Friday - Saturday, $25. Locals are free. 3950 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89119
- Foundation Room (http://www.hob.com/venues/clubvenues/lasvegas/foundationroom.asp) at the top of the Mandalay Bay (http://www.mandalaybay.com/)
Mondays only, from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Locals: $10. non-locals: $30. 3950 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89119
- RA (http://www.ralv.com/index_flash.aspx?screenres=1&qs=allowFlashAutoInstall=true) at the Luxor (http://www.luxor.com/)
Wednesday - Thursday: Men - $20, Women - $10. Friday - Saturday: Men - $30, Women - $20. 3900 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89119
- Coyote Ugly at the New York - New York (http://www.nynyhotelcasino.com/pages/index_noflash.asp)
Monday - Sunday: after 8pm All - $10. New York-New York hotel-casino Las Vegas, NV 89109
- Studio 54 (http://www.studio54lv.com/) at the MGM Grand (http://www.mgmgrand.com/pages/index_flash.asp)
Wednesday & Thursday: $30. Tuesday, Friday, & Saturday: $40. 3799 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89109
- Teatro Euro Bar at the MGM Grand (http://www.mgmgrand.com/pages/index_flash.asp)
Tuesday - Saturday, 9 p.m. - approximately 4 a.m. 3799 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89109
- Tabu (http://www.tabulv.com/intro_flash.asp) at the MGM Grand (http://www.mgmgrand.com/pages/index_flash.asp)
- ICE (http://www.icelasvegas.com/home/main.asp) on the corner or Harmon and Koval
Wednesday, Friday - Saturday, 10:30 p.m. until the party ends. General admission: $20. 200 E. Harmon Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89109
- Empire Ballroom On Las Vegas Blvd. behind the Walgreens next to MGM Grand
Tuesday, Thursday Friday - Sunday, 10 p.m. - 6 a.m. General admission: $20. 3765 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89109
- Seven (http://www.sevenlasvegas.com/) next to the Monte Carlo
3724 Las Vegas Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89109
List being compiled
Sleep
On The Strip
- Aladdin,3667 S. Las Vegas Blvd, (702) 785 5555, 1 (http://www.aladdincasino.com).
- Bally's
- Bellagio, 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd, (702) 693-7111, 2 (http://www.bellagio.com).
- Boardwalk, Diagonal from MGM, cheap and convenient.
- Caesars Palace
- Circus Circus, 2880 S. Las Vegas Blvd., (877) 224-7287, 3 (http://www.circuscircus.com).
- Excalibur
- Four Seasons
- Flamingo, 3555 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
- Harrah's
- Imperial Palace
- Las Vegas Hilton, 3000 Paradise Rd., (888) 732-7117, 4 (http://www.lv-hilton.com).
- Luxor Resort and Casino, 3900 S. Las Vegas Blvd. , (702) 262-4100, 5 (http://www.luxor.com).
- Mandalay Bay, 3950 S. Las Vegas Blvd, (702) 632-7777, 6 (http://www.mandalaybay.com).
- MGM Grand
- Monte Carlo
- New Frontier
- Mirage, 3400 S. Las Vegas Blvd, (702) 791-7111, 7 (http://www.mirage.com).
- Paris
- Quality Inn Las Vegas Hotel, Key Largo Casino 377 East Flamingo Road, (702) 733-7777, 8 (http://qi-lasvegas.chidirect.com).
- Riviera
- Sahara
- Stardust
- Stratosphere
- Treasure Island (TI), 9 (http://www.treasureisland.com).
- Tropicana
- The Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd South, (702) 414-4100.
- Wynn Las Vegas, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd South, (702) 770-7000, 10 (http://www.wynnlasvegas.com). Built at a cost of $2.7 billion, this is the most expensive resort in the world, with the money plowed into (among things) a private golf course, an artificial mountain with a 5-story waterfall and a million-gallon water tank for the nightly show. Rooms from $250.
Off The Strip
- The Palms Hotel, 4321 W. Flamingo Road, 1-866-942-777, 11 (http://www.palms.com/). A bit off the strip this hotel offers gambling and also a great view of the strip from the Ghostbar.
- Rio Hotel, 3700 West Flamingo Avenue, 1-800-PLAY-RIO, 12 (http://www.harrahs.com/our_casinos/rlv/). Home to the world famous buffet.
- San Remo Hotel, 115 East Tropicana Avenue, (702) 739-9000, 13 (http://www.sanremolasvegas.com/). Located right behind the Tropicana and quick walk to the strip or monorail, this is a perfect hotel for the cheap traveler.
- Gold Coast Hotel & Casino , 4000 W. Flamingo Road, 888-402-6278. 14 (http://www.goldcoastcasino.com) A full service hotel with a casino, eight restaurants, a seventy lane bowling alley, 711 hotel rooms. Free shuttle to the strip, free valet parking, fitness center. The hotel has views of the strip and great value.
Downtown
- Main Street Station Hotel and Casino, 200 North Main St., 1-800-713-8933, 15 (http://www.mainstreetcasino.com/). A very nice hotel with Victorian theme, and the not-to-be-missed Garden Court Buffet.
- Fremont Hotel & Casino, 200 East Fremont St., 1-800-634-6460, 16 (http://www.fremontcasino.com/). 32,000 square foot casino and 4.5 restaurants, plus right next to the Fremont Street Experience light show.
- Plaza Hotel and Casino, 1 South Main St.
- Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino, 129 Fremont St.
Contact
Las Vegas Airport has free WiFi. On the Strip some internet cafes exist with prices from 20 cent per minute.
- Elysium Internet Cafe, on Sahara @ Buffalo. Phone:(702) 307-4931. $3/hr, or connect to wifi for free! http://www.elysiuminternetcafe.com
Get out
- Grand Canyon National Park is a few hours away by car.
- Lake Mead National Recreation Area is about one hour and twenty minutes north-east by car.
- Death Valley National Park is two hours to the west by car.
- Valley of Fire State Park (http://parks.nv.gov/vf.htm) is one hour north-east by car.
- Los Angeles is about 4 hours by car.
- Reno is about 6 hours north.
- Rhyolite is a ghost town from the gold digger era and about 1 hour north.
- Zion National Park
External links
- The City of Las Vegas (http://www.ci.las-vegas.nv.us/)
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