Rio Carnival and other Las Vegas, NV Things to Do Tips

If you take a trip off the Strip out to the Rio Hotel Casino, do not miss the Carnival!! I think this starts about 3pm and then every couple of hours or so, but its worth the wait if you mistime it. Suspended above the casino floor the full Rio Carnival glides out on ceiling runners with floats and dancers equally matching the real thing. People in full Rio carnival dress sit in the floats throwing out jewelery, sweets etc. and you can actually sign up to be one of them. A real spectacular and all free!

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Phone: (702) 252-7777
Address: 3700 West Flamingo Rd
Directions: The Rio is located on Flamingo Ave., across the street from Gold Coast.
Website: http://www.harrahs.com/our_casinos/rlv/location_ho

Are you mad? Then you must try this....a rollercoaster ride with a difference. The tower of the Stratosphere Hotel and Casino is the tallest freestanding tower in the US and apart from a revolving restaurant on top of its 1150ft tower there are also three maniac rides! Only one was operating when we went because of high winds but I was the one that was screaming and I was only watching!! After the double-decker lift ride at 1800ft per minute to the top of the Stratosphere the walk round the inside of the tower is enough to turn your stomach if you suffer from vertigo, but go outside onto the terrace and watch the lunatics putting on their best brave face and you really will feel like screaming! The ride consists of a rollercoaster car that seats 8 on a rail on an arm that swings out into oblivion high above the Strip. If that is not enough to blow your mind, the arm then dips and the car rolls forward stopping..obviously.. feet from the end of the rail. Then it dips again and rolls forward even further!! By this time Id almost died!!

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Phone: (800) 998-6937
Address: 2000 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Directions: North end of Strip near Sahara Hotel
Website: www.stratoshperehotel.com

An excellent way to see all the hotels along the Strip, or at least the outside of them, is to take the little San Franciscan trolley bus which stops at all hotels. We picked the bus up at the Tropicana, far south end of Strip and it took us in an out the hotels right up to the northern end of the Strip. For a couple of dollars its a great way to cover a lot of ground.

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Las Vegas is renowned for its quickie weddings, but they dont have to be down a side street in a small plastic chapel with an Elvis look alike as the officiating judge. Most of the big hotels have their own chapel and of course will cater for your guests whether theres 2 or 200. We´ve been around to see many brides and grooms with entourage sweeping thru the casinos, and staying in bridal gear right thru the night....quite strange seeing a bride in full train and tiara sitting at the slot machines...but then thats Vegas! I think the most romantic and the most kitsch was the couple being married in a gondola on the canal on the 2nd floor of the Venetian Hotel

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Address: 3355 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Website: www.venetian.com

One of the things you musnt do in Vegas and that is miss the dancing fountain show at the Bellagio Hotel. You will be mesmeised by this amazing spectacular and want to come and see them again and again. The music changes...not sure if its weekly or monthly or even yearly, but to see the fountains dance to Chorus Line was something I shall never forget.

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Phone: (888) 987-3456
Address: 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd
Directions: In Front of the Bellagio Hotel
Website: http://www.Bellagio.com

If you go to see the fountains at the Bellagio, then take time to go inside this beautiful hotel and wander round their Conservatory. The sheer colour of the flowers is as startling as any Van Gogh or Constable and equally as pleasing. Every season has a theme and last year, nearing 4th July they had the American eagle and its chicks all made from flowers. Surrounding the centrepiece were full size statues of multinational children again all made of flowers. Miniature dancing fountains spanned a small wooden bridge so you could actually walk under them, but of course theres always one who had to put his hand into the fountain and cause its flow to drop and soak everyone!!

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Phone: (888) 987-3456
Address: 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd
Directions: Bellagio Hotel/Casino
Website: http://www.Bellagio.com

The MGM Grand hotel has lots to offer but my favourite moment was when we came face to face with the lions in their glassed habitat just off the lobby of the hotel. Several lions of various sizes are brought in to play, sleep and eat in this amazing area, accompanied by two keepers who will throw giant rubber balls for them to chase and roll on. The area is constructed so that you can walk through glass tunnels with the lions resting on top...just reach up and touch them...thru the glass of course! All is tightly controlled and each group of lions are only "on stage" for a couple of hours at a time

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Phone: 702-891-1111
Address: 3799 S. Las Vegas Boulevard

If you like the odd glass of wine or two why not go wine tasting in style. Las Vegas has 13 of the worlds 120 Master Sommeliers working in the top hotels, who will thrill you with their knowledge of the wines they serve. In the Wynn Hotel the wine director manages over 100,000 bottles including a $50,000 bottle of Cristal Champagne, whilst the Aureole Restaurant at Mandalay Bay has a 4 storey glass tower which houses 55,000 bottles and are retrieved by trained acrobats once the customer has ordered his choice. Go along to the Rio Hotel and enter the Wine Cellar and Tasting Room, where their collection of more than 50,000 bottles is valued at over $10million including collectable wines from all over the world. Their most famous is probably an 1800 Madeira passed down from the collection of Thomas Jefferson. Be adventurous and try something different in each hotel you visit...who knows if you hit the jackpot you may be able to buy the Madeira!!

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Directions: All restaurants.

Want to while away half an hour drooling, then go stand in front of the sparkling new Jean-Pierre Patisserie in the Bellagio and marvel at the biggest Chocolate fountain , or should I say chocolatefall in the world! Its 27ft tall and circulates 2 tons of dark, milk and white liquid chocolate. This is a chocoaddicts dream come true.
The patisserie has some of the finest home made chocs and truffles and ice cream on the Strip and the marshmallow train is a wonder.

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Phone: (888) 987-3456
Address: 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd
Directions: Center Strip, across from Barbary Coast/Flamingo
Website: http://www.Bellagio.com

For the lovers of fast, sleek, cars go visit the Exotic Cars shop in the Caesars palace Forum of Shops. A great shop that sells all named goods for the car fanatic....Mercedes Benz caps, shirts, wallets, keyrings. The same for Ferrari, BMW, Masserati...you name it Im sure its there, Now if you do buy something you get free entrance into their Exotic Car showroom and a chance to touch these beasts. If you dont buy anything you can still go in but they do charge.

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Phone: 1-(800) 634-6661
Address: 3570 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Directions: In the Forum by the Atlantis animated show.