West coast trip 2009 - Part 7

Guest · 24 Jul 09, 04:23 PM

We get the helicopter trip this morning, motorcoach out to Boulder city then check in.

We get lucky, get a complimentary upgrade to an Ecostar helicopter and then get more luck as we get front row seats, I am sitting by the Pilot, Chuck who is ex-military and a fabulous pilot/guide.

The views are truly breathtaking, worth every cent of the $740 for the 3 of us.
Lunch consists of a Roll, crips and a piece of fruit, then comes the Champagne toast. We had 30 mins at the bottom of the canyon, flight time about 40 mins each way. The tour took 4 hrs all in.

Get back to the hotel and check out the resort area, really nice, clean, plenty of chairs and good waiter service.

In the evening we eat at the Hawaiian Cheese burger restaurant at the Miracle Mile.

Get back to the hotel, do a little gambling, met a nice lady who seems intent on telling me about her suite in a hotel not to far away!

Gamble to about 12:30, no luck so call it a night.
Next day we get the Deuce (7$ all day pass) so that we can visit all the hotels, do as many as we can until our feet/legs give out.

Take a gondola ride indoors in the Venetian, $16 per person, last about 15 minutes with 2 songs, it is now 5PM so back to the hotel, shower then back on the Deuce to Freemont street, takes about 1 hour, take in 2 slight shows, American Pie and Queen, what an atmosphere down there and what a light show, superb.

Beer is much cheaper here, so too the food, go to Tony Romas, bill comes to $45 for New York Strip steak, caesar salad, kids meal, 2 MGD and 2 lemonades.
Get the Deuce back, painfully slow and back to the hotel around midnight.

One thing to say about the hotels in Vegas is that they are not child friendly in that there arent too many places to sit down and have a drink with kids, you get asked to leave, general rule is that if there is a bar near then no kids allowed. Find a seated area away from the bar with waitress service.

Tomorrow we leave for San Diego.

Guest · 24 Jul 09, 05:23 PM

Great report!

**Michelle** · 24 Jul 09, 06:05 PM

Lovely day.

Can't wait to get there and sample the atmosphere for oursleves.

Cyclospora · 24 Jul 09, 06:27 PM

Great trippies! Looking forward to reading the rest

budgie6741 · 24 Jul 09, 08:47 PM

great report

Guest · 28 Jul 09, 08:10 PM

We loved the helicopter tour when we did it.

Another great report.

tracyh · 4 Aug 09, 12:22 PM

I'm feeling the atmosphere at Freemont Street/Downtown in your words, so we'll leave the food and beers till we get there then! Can't wait to see the lights. We'd love to do the helicopter tour, but it's just too much money for us unfortunately.

purple myra · 9 Aug 09, 02:39 PM

Fab day again, we did the small plane tour of GC but would love to do it in a helicopter

thewatsons · 17 Feb 10, 12:17 PM

nice one thank you for sharing

24 Jul 09, 04:23 PM	#1
	24 Jul 09, 04:23 PM Guest Guest
Guest Guest	West coast trip 2009 - Part 7 We get the helicopter trip this morning, motorcoach out to Boulder city then check in. We get lucky, get a complimentary upgrade to an Ecostar helicopter and then get more luck as we get front row seats, I am sitting by the Pilot, Chuck who is ex-military and a fabulous pilot/guide. The views are truly breathtaking, worth every cent of the $740 for the 3 of us. Lunch consists of a Roll, crips and a piece of fruit, then comes the Champagne toast. We had 30 mins at the bottom of the canyon, flight time about 40 mins each way. The tour took 4 hrs all in. Get back to the hotel and check out the resort area, really nice, clean, plenty of chairs and good waiter service. In the evening we eat at the Hawaiian Cheese burger restaurant at the Miracle Mile. Get back to the hotel, do a little gambling, met a nice lady who seems intent on telling me about her suite in a hotel not to far away! Gamble to about 12:30, no luck so call it a night. Next day we get the Deuce (7$ all day pass) so that we can visit all the hotels, do as many as we can until our feet/legs give out. Take a gondola ride indoors in the Venetian, $16 per person, last about 15 minutes with 2 songs, it is now 5PM so back to the hotel, shower then back on the Deuce to Freemont street, takes about 1 hour, take in 2 slight shows, American Pie and Queen, what an atmosphere down there and what a light show, superb. Beer is much cheaper here, so too the food, go to Tony Romas, bill comes to $45 for New York Strip steak, caesar salad, kids meal, 2 MGD and 2 lemonades. Get the Deuce back, painfully slow and back to the hotel around midnight. One thing to say about the hotels in Vegas is that they are not child friendly in that there arent too many places to sit down and have a drink with kids, you get asked to leave, general rule is that if there is a bar near then no kids allowed. Find a seated area away from the bar with waitress service. Tomorrow we leave for San Diego. Edited at 02:44 AM. Reason: Remembered some stuff I missed out

24 Jul 09, 05:23 PM	#2
	24 Jul 09, 05:23 PM Guest Guest
Guest Guest	Great report!

28 Jul 09, 08:10 PM	#6
	28 Jul 09, 08:10 PM Guest Guest
Guest Guest	We loved the helicopter tour when we did it. Another great report.

4 Aug 09, 12:22 PM	#7
	4 Aug 09, 12:22 PM tracyh Imagineer
tracyh Imagineer Join Date: Feb 04 tracyh's Reviews Hotel Reviews: 2	I'm feeling the atmosphere at Freemont Street/Downtown in your words, so we'll leave the food and beers till we get there then! Can't wait to see the lights. We'd love to do the helicopter tour, but it's just too much money for us unfortunately. __________________ Tracy & Iain April 1999 - Rodeway Inn Sept 2002 - Chatham Park Villa Sept 2004 - Quality Inn Plaza Nov 2005 - Crowne Plaza Universal Nov 2006 - I Drive Inn Sept 2007 - Homewood Suites Jan 2007 - DLP & Paris Oct 2009 - Road Trip (Groveland, Yosemite, Vegas, Lake Powell, Grand Canyon, Kingman, Palm Springs, Buena Park, Valencia, Santa Barbara, Monterey, San Francisco)