A Review: Las Vegas

Our hotel, New York New York.

Phew. What a fast few days we had in Vegas! Let me remind you, this was the third time I have been to wonderful Sin City and I loved it just as much this time as I have in the past.

I don't want to bog you down with crazy details so I'll try to get to the down and dirty.

*Transportation: When traveling in Vegas, take The Duce. There are tons of cabs waiting outside every hotel and casino to whisk you off to the next fabulous location but be ware, THEY TAKE THE LONGEST ROUTE. If you are planning to take a cab, take a peek at a map and tell them which way you want to go. The airport is right off the strip yet the cab driver took us around the block and down the highway to get to our hotel. The Duce is a bus that services Las Vegas Boulevard and costs around $2. The bus is the best bet to get you from one end of the strip to the other and to Fremont Street (Old Vegas). Otherwise, just walk everywhere. The city has come through and built walkovers for every intersection so it is very safe to walk around. But, heed this warning, the strip is tricky. The Trump casino looks very close when you are at The Luxor but it will take you over an hour and a half to walk there and it's hot!

*Cheap Eats: The first thing people want to talk about when I say I'm headed to Vegas is the cheap buffets. Trust me, they aren't real but if you're smart, you can eat pretty cheap for two of your meals and splurge on one. A lot of the smaller bars in the casinos have hotdog and beer deals. The best deal was at O'Shay's but that casino was closed and torn down this last time we were there. The Excalibur has a hotdog and beer deal also. I think it was $5 for a beer and a hotdog, which is a good price when you're hanging out and get the craving. There is a casino off the strip called Gold Coast and they have a decent buffet but for a good price. There is also a restaurant off the strip called Ellis Island Brewery and they have a $7 steak dinner. You get a steak, potato, roll, vegetables and a beer from their brewery. It's actually pretty good.

Also, don't forget the $1 margaritas. They are practically everywhere and one really isn't better than the other. Just go get one. Actually, I need one now.

*Expensive Eats but Worth It: So far there are only two places that I can tell you to splurge on when thinking of dinner. The first is the World Market buffet at The Rio which sits off the strip. If you head towards The Flamingo, you will come to a casino called Bill's. Outside Bill's is a free bus that runs between there, Gold Coast and The Orleans. That is the best way to get to The Rio. That particular buffet is amazing! They have some of the greatest foods and a huge selection. Warning: get there early to stand in line. 

The other place is Vic and Anthony's in The Golden Nugget on Fremont Street. This is more of a I-Won-Tons-In-The-Casino-And-I-Want-To-Spend-Money kind of place. Don't expect to head here for a cheap-ish meal. My veal chop was around $46 but I will say it was fantastic. There were 5 of us at the table and we shared 4 sides which were all awesome and we all had after-dinner drinks. I had a selection of port wine and it was delicious.

Best Free Attraction: Every hotel has their "thing" to get you into their casino. My all time favorite is the water and lights at the Bellagio. Every day, music plays and water dances. During the day, the shows are every 30 minutes and at night they are every 15 minutes. The music changes with each show but eventually start to replay. I could seriously watch the water all day long. Check out this video, this is B's favorite show. Mine is here.

That is all the info I'll give for now. It's hard to say which hotel is better because I've only stayed at two, The Flamingo and New York New York. I liked both of them as far as the room goes but I have to say I like The Flamingo's location better. New York New York is set way too far down the strip. It feels like you walk for days just to get anywhere and The Flamingo's pool is way better. There is a little more shade and it's a tad bit bigger.

I also want to add that every hotel and casino have rewards cards. Get one!! Don't worry, you won't have to sign up for millions of them because the hotels are owned by groups so one card will work for many hotels. You plug the cards into the slot machines and give them to an attendant when playing at the tables to accrue points. Not sure what the points do but when you visit Vegas again, you tell them you are a rewards member and then you are eligible for discounts on your rooms. 

All in all, I had a great time and I'm ready to go back again. Any takers? Anyone? 

Until next time!

Next review: Savannah, Ga!