What to see
What to see while in Vegas:
The coolest attraction in Las Vegas in my opinion is the fountains in front of the Bellagio hotel. The lake in front of the hotel, which is bordered by European-style sidewalks, has dozens of fountain nozzles arranged in rows just under the water’s surface. Every 15-20 minutes or so the nozzles come up above the surface and shoot water up in huge jets that are choreographed to opera music that’s piped in through speakers in the streetlights on the sidewalk. Each show lasts about 5 minutes. We stayed for about 1 1/2 hours and watched several shows, and each one we saw was different. Almost every casino on The Strip has a show like this that you can watch for free (for example, Treasure Island has a pirate battle complete with a sinking ship that is raised and sunk every 1/2 hour), but the show at the Bellagio is the best! If you have $100 or more to spend per person, the Cirque de Soleil show “O” is performed inside the Bellagio. It was worth every penny.
Ghost Bar is one of Las Vegas’ greatest adventures. This great bar is located a top the beautiful Palms Hotel. The Ghost Bar not only boasts a partial glass floor but an outdoor deck that has an excellent view of Las Vegas.
Kids and Vegas: You need a car to get off the strip and so you also have air conditioning because it’s been upwards of 100 degrees. Every hotel has a pool, some are better than others, and the Mandalay Bay even has a wave pool. Plus there are tons of community water parks and play areas. Red Rock is beautiful, and you are close to Lake Mead and Hoover Dam. Check out the Natural History Museum and the Lied Discovery Museum on N. Las Vegas Blvd. Kids always love these places. They are across the street from each other, but in a sketchy neighborhood so go in the daytime. There is a Gameworks near the MGM which is good for a few minutes of fun. Across the street is the New York New York with a big rollercoaster. So bring the kids if you want because there is stuff for them to do.
Las Vegas is only fun if you like to drink and gamble. Great for a drunken party and gamble all nite vacation. As for what to see, the Bellagio fountain show, Treasure Island pirate show, check out the Venetian, that¡s pretty cool inside. I do however love staying in the nice hotels for next to nothing. Make sure its not conference week or you¡ll pay a fortune. Treasure Island, I would definitely recommend to stay, New York New York was nice too, although expensive as it was conference week.
Walk through the Venetian, which is one of the top 5 hotels in the world (and 5-star to boot). Believe me, it is a breathtaking place. Usually you can get a room for about $120 a night at the Venetian. Rent a car and do your gambling at the Stratosphere or a casino off of the strip. It might not seem that far away, but after walking through all of those casinos, you’ll want to drive everywhere. It’s also free to park everywhere, because they want you to go to their casino. Also don’t forget to check out the Hoover Dam!!
Hard Rock or Palms has all the pretty people. Paris Buffet on Friday night. Get to try French food. Go downtown for a blast of the past and a terrific light show. House of Blues 80’s night is the best! Describing Las Vegas in a single word: hedonistic!
