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Old 11 Oct 08, 09:43 PM  
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Diamonddog2801
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Join Date: Nov 07
PART 2

So, you've had your flight, you've got to your hotel and checked in...
What next?

Transport



If you hire a car, it's almost certainly cheaper to pre-book it in this country. When you gauge prices, please make sure you include all the insurances you will need (and that is, at the very least, Collision Damage Waiver and/or Loss Damage Waiver level), and any add ons (extra drivers, under 25 surcharge). I would also strongly advise paying in advance for a 'free' tank of fuel - it means you can return the car empty. If you do not, you will have to fill up just before returning the car (which can be a real pain) or paying massively over the top for the hire company to 'top up' the tank. Weekly hire rates are almost always cheaper than daily rates.

The best company I know (and I've used them for many years now, without any problems, and they provide the best 'platinum package' insurance) is:

netflights

Also other sites:

usrentacar
holidayautos
carhire3000

to name a few. There are also the major firms themselves:

dollar
avis
alamo
hertz
budget

And more besides. If you strongly feel any other companies need to be listed here, please let me know. Most of these offer hire/drop off from multiple casinos/sites in Vegas. You will normally need both parts of your UK Driving Licence (if you only have the old paper licence, they look at you awful funny sometimes!) and your rental agreement to get a car.

A few things about driving in Vegas. Parking is normally free if you do it yourself, or you can get a valet to park it for you. Nominally this is free, but you normally give the valet a tip when he returns the vehicle for you. It works like this:
You pull up in the line marked 'valet drop off' or just 'valet'. A valet will come along (and call someone to unload your vehicle if you require this), take the keys from you and give you a 2 part ticket in return. This ticket is the only way you will be able to get your car back, so please do not lose it!. They will then park your car. When you next need it, go to the 'valet pickup' window and present your ticket. The clerk will (usually) rip the top piece off and give that to a valet, who will collect your car and pull it up to the valet pickup area. You present the last part of the ticket to them (and your tip!) and they open the door for you and you're away!

The advantages of valet pickup/drop off is that you do not have to walk huge distances from self parking (find out how far the MGM Grand car park is from the casino!), the car is parked safely by the valet, and it's returned to you with the air con already working!



Another question I'm often asked is "Do you need a car in Vegas?". The answer is 'no' - you can get around in other ways. To the question of "Whether it is desirable to have a car in Vegas?" the answer is "Yes, for a part of your stay, at least", if you ask me. Some things are just easier with a car - other things are just lazier! You pays your money and takes your choice!

Here's a brief description of easier ways to navigate the areas in and around The Strip, avoiding the real 'bottlenecks' (courtesy of lasvegasadvisor):

It's best to avoid the Strip and take the following shortcuts at prime times -- from 5 till midnight every night and 24/7 over the weekends. The shortcuts run parallel to the Strip (north-south) and across the Strip (east-west).

There are two good alternate north-south routes west of the Strip. The new road since '04 is Frank Sinatra Drive, which runs between I-15 and the parking lots/garages of Mandalay Bay, Luxor, New York-New-York, Monte Carlo, Bellagio, and Caesars Palace. It connects with Russell Rd. to the south and Dean Martin Drive (formerly Industrial Road to the north. (To get off in between, you have to drive through parking lots.)

Speaking of Dean Martin Drive, this service road also runs parallel to the Strip, but it's west (on the other side of) the freeway. It continues far south of the tourist corridor, but the most useful stretch is from W. Hacienda (where a bridge crossed I-15 and delivers you right to the Mandalay Bay parking garage) up to Sahara. North of there, you can make a quick dogleg on Wyoming (right) to Main Street (left) and continue north all the way to downtown.

On the east side, you should learn the Koval-Paradise parallel route from Tropicana to Sahara avenues. Go east on Reno Avenue (it intersects the Strip between Luxor and Excalibur), then follow it around to the north (left) onto Koval. You can hit the back doors of all the casinos on the east side of the Strip from the MGM Grand to the Venetian. Where Koval ends, do a dogleg right (east) on Sands Avenue, then left on Paradise, from which you can access the entrances to all the casinos from the Riviera to the Stratosphere.

Crossing the Strip on east-west thoroughfares can be brutal. The fastest way to get from one side to the other without touching it is to make use of the three-mile Super Arterial, which connects Paradise on the east to Valley View on the west via the six-lane no-lights Desert Inn Road. This shortcut is extremely convenient if you’re going from the Orleans, Gold Coast, Palms, or Rio to the Las Vegas Hilton or Hard Rock.

The second best option for crossing the Strip is Spring Mountain Road (west) and Sands Avenue (east) between the Fashion Show Mall and Treasure Island. Spring Mountain Road is often five times faster than trying to cross the Strip at Flamingo Road. And it’s only a long block away, the next large street over (north).

Tropicana Avenue is also preferable to Flamingo for crossing the Strip. Sahara is a good way to cross the north Strip.




Taxis are an obvious form of transport - and they do have their uses. However, they are more expensive than other forms of transport, and you cannot 'flag them down' - you have to get them from designated areas in casinos or other pick up areas, or get the casinos or establishments to call them for you. Also beware of being taken along The Strip- it can be mindnumbingly slow, and may well cost a small fortune. Most taxis will, where possible, use the arterial roads either side of The Strip to get you from A to B -it may seem longer, but it is almost certainly quicker (and cheaper).

Las Vegas Taxi Firms:

A-Cab Co. (Dark green skirting-White roof) 702/365-5686
Ace Cab Co. (White body-Red roof) 702/736-8383
A-North Las Vegas Cab Co. (White body-Blue roof) 702/643-1041
Checker Cab Co. (White body-Checkered fenders) 702/873-2000
Deluxe Cab Co. (Grey fenders-White roof) 702/568-7700
Desert Cab Co. (White body-Orange roof) 702/386-9102
Designated Drivers 702/456-RIDE (7433)
Henderson Taxi (White body-Yellow roof) 702/384-2322
Lucky Cab Co. (White body-Magenta fenders) 702/477-7555
Nellis Cab Co. (White body-Metallic blue fenders) 702/248-1111
Star Cab Co. (White-body-Green roof) 702/873-2000
Union Cab Co. (Black fenders-White roof) 702/736-8444
Vegas Western Cab Co. (White body-Lavender roof) 702/736-6121
Virgin Valley Cab Co. (White body, Purple roof) 702/737-1378
Western Cab Co. (White body-Brown skirting) 702/736-8000
Whittlesea Blue Cab Co. (White body-Red roof) 702/384-6111
Yellow Cab Co. (Yellow body-Black bumpers) 702/873-2000



The Deuce is the local double decker bus firm that travels up an down The Strip, and also go onto Downtown. It's cheap ($5 gets you a 24 hour pass, unlimited use in that time) and stops most everywhere. Because of this, however, it can be breathtakingly slow (it took us over an hour to get from downtown to the Monte Carlo once!) and they are nearly always extremely crowded. If you can get on in the first place, that is!



The Monorail runs from The Sahara to The MGM Grand. A full list of prices and times are available here (these change frequently, so check regularly) :
lvmonorail/ride/ticket_info/



The major disadvantage to the monorail is that (besides being quite expensive) the stations on The Strip are all at the back of the casinos and generally involve a long walk to The Strip itself (normally through the packed casino). It's very quick, air conditioned and very clean - but is really only a great idea if you have over half of the total trip to travel (in my opinion).

There are also two monorails that cost nothing. One connects The Mirage with Treasure Island. The other one connects The Excalibur, Luxor and Mandalay Bay. The latter one has a interesting trip sequence - if you catch it at The Excalibur it does not stop at the Luxor heading south towards Mandalay Bay. The casino owners want you visiting Mandalay Bay, so it only stops at the Luxor on the return journey north, from Mandalay Bay. The distance of the other (Mirage-Treasure Island) is so small, it barely seems worth the wait to queue (and I can be lazy!).

There are a few free shuttles, run by the casinos themselves, that take you to other casinos/properties. Here's a link to an up-to-date list:

lasvegasadvisor/refer...ree%20Shuttles

You can of course, walk. The distances involved can be very deceptive, and in the searing summer heat, you are likely to start hyper-ventilating if you walk in the heat for more than 15 minutes! But, for short distances, it's almost certainly quicker (and healthier, hyper-ventilation excluded, of course... ).

Eating/Drinking



Las Vegas provides such a huge variety of food choices (from top level chefs through to cheap buffets) that it's impossible to give a full insight here. The array of different eating places is huge too - so, where does one choose to eat?

There are literally hundreds of choices. Many of you will choose to stay in your own hotel - as some of them will have up 15 (or more) different food establishments under their own roof, it is possible to go somewhere different every night for a fortnight and never eat outside of your own casino! The days when nearly all casino eateries were 'loss leaders' is a thing of the past, however, so it's well worth considering the non-casino options too (in many cases, they will be cheaper - and quicker). There are many fine reference books on the subject, these probably being the best: "The Unofficial Guide To Las Vegas 2009" by Bob Sehlinger and "Brit's Guide to Las Vegas 2008-2009: And Day Trips in Arizona, Utah and California" by Karen Marchbank & Richard Evans. Both give great insight into current dining options. It is also worth referencing this website:
restaurant
for some great food deals and tips. And this one:
forbestraveler/food-d...rintslide.html
will give you an idea of some of the higher echelon restaurants.
However, restaurants are in an incredibly 'cut throat' market in Vegas. They open and close very rapidly - it is best to get an up-to-date list just before you travel.



Food wise, Las Vegas is most famous for the 'all you can eat' buffet. It has evolved over the years, and has got more expensive with that evolution too! However, for just pure variety, some of the buffets are quite amazing and offer choices from around the globe, and one really should partake of at least two or three in the space of your visit. The ones that seem to consistently get high ratings from punters are:

Mirage Cravings Buffet
Rio Carnival World Buffet (my own personal favourite)
Planet Hollywood's Spice Market Buffet
Bellagio Buffet
Paris Le Village Buffet

Also worthy of a mention is the Wynn Buffet - at around $38 a go, it should be good!. All of the above are mentioned as Dinner Buffets - they normally start around 4 in the afternoon (check the times though). I'm sure the breakfast and lunch buffets are decent too. Other personal favourites of mine are the Monte Carlo Buffet - both for lunch and dinner, and Harrah's Flavor Buffet, for dinner.

On the downside, I would suggest avoiding the buffets at The Excalibur, Imperial Palace and Circus Circus, which seem to get consistently poor reviews. I would also add, to many peoples surprise I'm sure, the Cafe Lago Buffet at Caesars Palace - we ate there this year and it was the worst meal I've ever had in Vegas. You have been warned!



Alcohol is incredibly easy to get in Vegas. More so, free alcohol is also available as long as you meet 2 basic criteria within a casino:
A) You are playing any casino game, and
B) You are not in a state where you are considered 'drunk'.

If you stay within those parameters, obtaining a free drink is a simple as saying " another large gin, please, waitress". The definition of playing is simply participating in any gambling at the casino (although casinos have been tightening up on slot players and people in sports books - you may have difficulty, depending upon the time of day and/or individual drinks servers). Cocktail waitress's make regular rounds and ask anyone if they would like a drink (the normal call is "Cocktails?"). As long as you're not asking for anything too outlandish (a request for Dom Perignon will not be honoured, most likely) the casino will happily give you a 'free' drink to keep you playing/losing money. 'Free' is not strictly true though, as the waitress relies on tips (and, believe me, in some cases that is their only wage), so she is unlikely to be in a hurry to ask or serve you again if you don't give her a tip. A dollar a drink is acceptable/normal, but you should tip a bit more if you have a group order and/or will be using her services regularly (this is, though, strictly your choice - you get the service you pay for, however). If you are having difficulty locating a waitress, by all means ask the dealer to call one, or search for one yourself . Here is a site that gives information on the subject
cocktaildoll/



As the minimum age for gambling and drinking are both 21, ordering drinks from bars etc can be difficult, if you are or appear to be around that age. Most establishments will ask for photo ID of anyone they suspect to be underage, so if you plan on ordering any alcohol, always have some ID with you. Your passport will be fine, but a photo driving license is much easier and not a total disaster should you lose it, whilst out partying!

Nightlife(clubs)



Like restaurants, there are an amazing array of nightclubs in Las Vegas, catering for all types of clientele. And, just like restauarants, they come and go like the wind - it's an incredibly ephemeral scene, relying wholly on fads, fashions and word of mouth recommendations. (As a 'for instance', The Palazzo has been open less than a year and its headline club was 40/40, a joint project with Jay-Z -who is a massive record producer/artist, if you were unaware. This closed down last month, and is now being converted into a sports book/bar!). Nightclubs are also not my specialist subject, I must say! So I'll just post this link :
vegas/nightclubs/
and hope you can find something to satisfy your wildest desires!

One thing I must include - some of these clubs have recently been heavily criticised for being involved in the systematic 'shaking down' of male customers in the queues to gain admittance. This included such practices as charging extortionate amounts for 'front of the line' passes, indiscrimate intimidation of patrons unwilling to part with their money for such 'services' (leading to the breaking of a leg of one such unfortunate innocent) and allowing outside security firms virtual carte blanche in the running of admission policies at the clubs. It's not all of them, and it may have ceased, but please bear it in mind.

Shows

A staple part of the Las Vegas scene, the diversity of shows means you'll always have a large choice of entertainment. It also, unfortunately, means that it's very difficult to pick the wheat from the chaff. There are many different ways of getting tickets for top shows, which I'll go into below. It's probably worth mentioning that most big music tours now take Las Vegas in on their travels (generally booked in the The House Of Blues at Mandalay Bay, The Garden Theatre At MGM Grand, The Joint at Hard Rock and The Theatre For Performing Arts at Planet Hollywood), so it's now a contemporary scene as well as the established comedian/magic/production line/all rounder shows I'm sure we all associate with Vegas.

If you're ahead of the game and know which show you'll want to see, it's easy to book via the hotels own website, or through other ticket agencies (such as Ticketmaster). You'll pick the tickets up on the day of the show - you still, however, pay a service/postage charge (!). The hotel/show websites seem to go on sale about 4 months before the sho night - but this does vary, so do a little research yourself for individual acts.

There are two other companies worthy of mention:

goldstar
travelzoo

who do great, upfront deals on certain shows. For instance, you can get Penn & Teller at The Rio tickets with Goldstar for about $52 at the moment - the retail price is more like $82. So they are certainly worth signing up for email notifications, and keep comparing them to the hotel website.

Prices have risen dramatically for all Vegas shows in the past ten years, however. It may be that you are prepared to wait and take a chance when you're actually in Vegas itself? There is a way to save big:



Tix4Tonite (tix4tonite) are a company with a few outlets on The Strip (inside the big green bottle next to the Harley Davidson Cafe, outside the Fasion show Mall and next to The Riviera) that sell heavily discounted (up to half price) tickets on the day of the show, for certain Las Vegas shows. It is impossible to predict what the shows will be - but, if you just want to see a show for the experience, while not being too worried what that show is, this may well be the way to go for you. After buying tickets, you'll get a voucher at shows that have assigned seating. You then go directly to the shows Box office to get your tickets and seats booked.

You're likely to find a far larger choice of shows on weekdays rather than at weekends, and some shows have/will never appear(ed) at these outlets. Of course very popular shows will sell out quickly, so you may need to queue before opening time to secure the tickets you want. The staff at these place are generally quite helpful and should be able to tell you if a certain show will require you get there early to buy tickets the next day. There are 2 lines at the Tix4tonite booths - one regular and one VIP. You can get a VIP Pass by bringing previously purchased ticket stubs with you . VIP customers are served before Regular customers.

The best selling, and sometimes most highly rated, shows in Vegas change regularly. However, the following seem to regularly get particularly favourable reviews:

Ka (Cirque De Soleil) at MGM Grand
La Reve at Wynn
Blue Man Group at The Venetian
LOVE (Cirque De Soleil) at The Mirage
Jersey Boys at The Palazzo
Danny Gans at The Mirage
Chris Angel 'Believe' at The Luxor

amongst many others. I've only ever seen one Vegas show - "Ka" this July. It was, I must confess, sensational - I highly recommend it! There is a Cirque De Soleil website:
cirquedusoleil/Cirque...en/default.htm
which allows you to sign up to their email notifications (once you become a member). This does get you regular reductions off certain shows, so it is certainly worth the effort.

Again, the subject is so vast, I can't even begin to touch the surface on here. Do some research, use sites like :
vegas/shows/
and take your choice!

Edited at 02:46 PM. Reason: Additions, editing & typos!
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