"Viva Las Vegas!" Las Vegas by Erin74

Much has been made of Las Vegas now being a family destination or even a honeymoon destination. That is just not the Vegas I know and love. I think that Las Vegas is still about the vices it was built upon: drinking, gambling and getting lucky. You can dress it up and add celebrities, designer martinis and velvet ropes.... but it's still Vegas. Vegas is down and dirty.

I live in Los Angeles, and Las Vegas is just a 5-6 hour drive across the desert. This makes it a perfect weekend getaway; a wonderful place to let off steam and sow all those wild oats. Throughout my twenties I've been going here several times a year. My tips are definitely oriented toward a twenty or thirty-something crowd that is interested in good clubs, interesting restaurants, chic hotels and a party environment.

BEST PLACES TO STAY:

The Venetian (huge rooms are standard, it's in the center of
the strip, surrounded by great food and shopping)

Paris (Central, nicely decorated and fairly hip)

Mandalay Bay (expensive, but worth it. It's got great clubs & the
best pool on the Strip)

Bellagio (the best hotel in Vegas, prohibitively expensive, definitely an older crowd)

The Palms (hot, new hotel with a young crowd and the best nightclub in Vegas-- "Rain")

DON'T STAY HERE, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!:

ANYWHERE off the strip (except the Hard Rock, Rio & The Palms).

Stratosphere (like a cheap, stinky version of Motel 6 waaaay
down at the end of the strip)

Circus Circus (this place hasn't been hip since 1983)

Excalibur (stay here in times of desperation only. The rooms
are boring and the the atmosphere is anything but elegant)

BEST CLUBS:

Light
Studio 54
Rain
Club Rio
Ra
Baby's


COOLEST CASINOS:

Bellagio (check out the dancing fountains & the rose garden. They also have their own museum filled with Monets and Picassos!)

The Venetian (take a ride on the gondolas & eat gelato)

Treasure Island (outdoor pirate shows every hour)

The Mirage (home of Siegfried & Roy's white tigers, a shark
tank behind the front desk and a complete aviary)

New York New York (the gaming floor looks like Central Park
and they've replicated part of the city for a food court!)

Paris (Eiffel tower... enough said!)

BEST SHOPPING:

Fourum Shops at Caesars Palace
Sephora
The Saks/Waterford/Wedgewood outlets on the south Strip

BEST SHOW:

"O" (Circque de Soleil at Bellagio)

CHEESIEST SHOW:

Wayne Newton (at the Stardust)

BEST "NICE" DINING:

Eiffel Tower Restaurant (Paris- really pricy but SO cool)

Aqua (Bellagio)

Spago (Caesar's Palace)

The Brown Derby (MGM Grand)
Nobu (Hard Rock)

BEST HANGOVER DINING:

Int'l House of Pancakes (at N. end of Strip)
Denny's (Mid-strip)

BEST BUFFET:

The Carnival World buffet at Rio

CHEAPEST GAMBLING:

O'Sheas ($3 Craps! It's grungy, old & filled w/ college kids)

Stratosphere (they're desperate to get people down there!)

BEST STRIP CLUB:

Olympic Gardens (both guys and girls)

BEST SPA:

Canyon Ranch Spa (at the Venetian)

WHERE TO PARTY WITH ROCK STARS:

The Foundation Room, above the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay
after a concert. If you can get in, you're golden!

BEST PLACE TO GET MARRIED IN VEGAS (assuming you're THAT drunk):

Little White Chapel (they offer drive-thru weddings!)

The Little Chapel of the West

BEST PLACE TO TAKE A PICTURE:

The "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign at the far south end of the Strip

RANDOM SIGHTS IN CASE YOU GET BORED (This town is nocturnal. The daytime isn't that interesting):

Hard Rock Hotel- "Rock Tour"- An exhibit of some of the Hard Rock's collection of music memorabilia

The Ventian- "Madame Tussaud's Celebrity Encounter" creepy wax museum

Luxor- "King Tut's Tomb". A full-scale recreation of King Tut's tomb & a museum

IF YOU HAVE COME TO VEGAS FOR THE ART: (And if so.... why?)

The Ventian- "Guggenheim". The Guggenheim Las Vegas features "The Art of the Motorcycle," and "Masterpieces and Master Collectors," including works by Cezanne, van Gogh, Kadinsky, Picasso, Matisse and more.

The Bellagio- "The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art"- An impressive collection of masterworks.

OTHER CHEAP THRILLS:

The roller coaster at New York New York. Great at night!

The "big shot" ride at the top of Stratosphere.

The gondolas at Venetian. Cute if you're with a significant other.

Gameworks on the strip has a huge rock climbing wall.

Bungee jumping in front of Circus Circus.

MOVIES TO WATCH TO GET IN THE MOOD:

Bugsy
Swingers
Leaving Las Vegas
Honeymoon in Vegas
Casino

*~*~ ENJOY YOUR TRIP! VIVA LAS VEGAS!! ~*~*