justme
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Post by justme on Apr 17, 2017 22:05:10 GMT -5
So, with vacation days to waste and trips with friends falling apart and not wanting to spend $$$ on a trip I'm meh about - I decided to head off to visit my cousin in Vegas for 8 days.
She lives on a military base there with two little ones. Not sure what ask they're up to doing. Not sure whether I'm stuck with uber or renting a car (not a huge issue since I have no hotel expense and I'm guessing most food at their place) or if there's a car I can borrow if I want to do something they're not up for.
She's been there at least a year, but with two young kiddos not sure how much she's explored or knows the area.
Anyone have any tips, tricks, or must sees? Regarding the strip I think the only thing I might be up to there is the zip line and a cirque show. Not sure if they have friends I can tag along with on nights they can't leave the kiddos.
Oh and I only every went to Vegas at 9 so 22 years ago.
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Tennesseer
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Post by Tennesseer on Apr 17, 2017 22:40:21 GMT -5
I met up with some friends in Vegas one Christmas and we drove out to Death Valley which is not too far of a drive.
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tskeeter
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Post by tskeeter on Apr 17, 2017 22:40:37 GMT -5
Hoover Dam is pretty cool, if you've never seen it. Zion Nat'l Park is a doable day trip, as is the north side of the Grand Canyon. There are some companies that do land sailing on nearby dry lake beds.
or, do Vegas kitsch with the Liberace museum and the like.
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Apr 17, 2017 23:15:56 GMT -5
I want to get to Hoover Dam next time. I loved Red Rock Canyon. It's a little outside of Las Vegas but an easy trip.
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Cheesy FL-Vol
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Post by Cheesy FL-Vol on Apr 18, 2017 5:54:12 GMT -5
Definitely check out Red Rock Canyon. It is just outside of LV on the west side. DD2 lives on the east side of LV and it took about 45 minutes to get there. There are numerous trails ranging from easy to difficult. Not sure of your museum-ish budget but there are quite a few places to see that are not related to actual gambling. I was there to visit DD last mother's day, and we went to the (I can't recall the name but should be easy to look up) the museum that has retired and restored LV signage, which was pretty cool. The tour guide gives an interesting dialogue of the history of LV area. We also went to the Springs Preserve Botanical Gardens which was gorgeous and interesting. There is also a Natural History Museum. I second seeing the LV kitsch.
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Regis
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Post by Regis on Apr 18, 2017 7:33:45 GMT -5
Since this is YM, I'd advise you that there is plenty of free entertainment outside of the hotel/casinos you can take in by just walking around on the strip.
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billisonboard
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Post by billisonboard on Apr 18, 2017 9:12:34 GMT -5
And sense it is Proboards, PM me if you want a non PG-13 recommendation.
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Lizard Queen
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Post by Lizard Queen on Apr 18, 2017 9:21:37 GMT -5
I thought checking out the hotels and shopping malls connecting them was pretty cool. Bellagio fountains, pirate ship show at treasure island. There a couple monorails that I think are free that connect a few hotels. (The hotels being so enormous, it's quite a walk from one to the next.) NY NY is cool to walk around in, and there's a roller coaster inside, if that's your thing. Fremont street is cool to see at night. One time, I spent 2 days on the strip and gambled only 75 cents. All the craziness of the strip gets annoying to me after a few days, though.
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justme
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Post by justme on Apr 18, 2017 9:47:48 GMT -5
Hoover Dam is pretty cool, if you've never seen it. Zion Nat'l Park is a doable day trip, as is the north side of the Grand Canyon. There are some companies that do land sailing on nearby dry lake beds. or, do Vegas kitsch with the Liberace museum and the like. Hoover is cool. When I went at 9 it was when you could still drive over it and we got to go on a dam tour inside of it. It was pretty cool. I think we went to zion? The name sounds familiar, I'll ask my parents.
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justme
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Post by justme on Apr 18, 2017 9:52:51 GMT -5
I thought checking out the hotels and shopping malls connecting them was pretty cool. Bellagio fountains, pirate ship show at treasure island. There a couple monorails that I think are free that connect a few hotels. (The hotels being so enormous, it's quite a walk from one to the next.) NY NY is cool to walk around in, and there's a roller coaster inside, if that's your thing. Fremont street is cool to see at night. One time, I spent 2 days on the strip and gambled only 75 cents. All the craziness of the strip gets annoying to me after a few days, though. Yea, I'll have to go on the strip at least one day just to see the changes in the last two decades. I think half the hotels that were there aren't around any longer!
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justme
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Post by justme on Apr 18, 2017 9:53:45 GMT -5
Blah, it looks like it'd be around $100 for a cirque show plus transportation there and back. Which would be like $60 if I had to take an uber.
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justme
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Post by justme on Apr 18, 2017 9:56:37 GMT -5
Hmm looks like renting a car would be around $160+ for the whole time I'm there. Or over $300 if I want a convertible lol
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Lizard Queen
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Post by Lizard Queen on Apr 18, 2017 12:06:53 GMT -5
I thought checking out the hotels and shopping malls connecting them was pretty cool. Bellagio fountains, pirate ship show at treasure island. There a couple monorails that I think are free that connect a few hotels. (The hotels being so enormous, it's quite a walk from one to the next.) NY NY is cool to walk around in, and there's a roller coaster inside, if that's your thing. Fremont street is cool to see at night. One time, I spent 2 days on the strip and gambled only 75 cents. All the craziness of the strip gets annoying to me after a few days, though. . Probably. They tore down and built up a few between the 90's and the 2000's, I know, and they were in the process of a couple more last time I was out there almost 10 years ago. Amazing what changes all the time.
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gooddecisions
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Post by gooddecisions on Apr 18, 2017 12:46:10 GMT -5
Rent a car for the week so you are not trapped. Over 8 days, I would alternate a day at the house/with the family and a day out on your own. That way, you will have space and so will they. Plan to do red rock, the strip and Hoover damn on your excursion days and maybe one more. You can get tickets for a show at the half price ticket booth by the MGM. if it we're me, I would pay for 1 night at one of the hotels on the strip and hang by a niece resort pool the next day.
have a great trip.
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justme
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Post by justme on Apr 18, 2017 16:36:46 GMT -5
Rent a car for the week so you are not trapped. Over 8 days, I would alternate a day at the house/with the family and a day out on your own. That way, you will have space and so will they. Plan to do red rock, the strip and Hoover damn on your excursion days and maybe one more. You can get tickets for a show at the half price ticket booth by the MGM. if it we're me, I would pay for 1 night at one of the hotels on the strip and hang by a niece resort pool the next day. have a great trip. I know they have a pool at the base. I could see how that one is. I saw a lot of the husbands coworkers a month ago and if they hang out at the pool shirtless I don't care if it's a puddle! Is it day of show that they're half price? I was messing around on priceline and they let me name my price on a convertible for cheaper than a compact. I'll have to message her about any difficulty with that with the base.
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Rob Base 2.0
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Post by Rob Base 2.0 on Apr 18, 2017 16:38:52 GMT -5
Just remember: what happens in Vegas, stays on the internet forever
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beergut
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Post by beergut on Apr 19, 2017 4:49:27 GMT -5
Visit Downtown Vegas, and watch the street entertainers.
Go at night, and watch the light show on Fremont.
Take some money to treat yourself to at least one nice expensive dinner.
Do not plan to eat on the Strip, as they will gouge you.
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garion2003
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Post by garion2003 on Apr 19, 2017 8:19:00 GMT -5
There's a free tram between Mandalay Bay, Luxor, and Excalibur - they are all adjacent on one end of the strip and are owned by the same company. But the main Vegas monorail runs more along the rest of the strip, and that is not free. But can totally be worth it after a long day.
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kareninwa
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Post by kareninwa on Apr 20, 2017 18:20:06 GMT -5
I recommend renting a car, just because it's a western city in the desert - you'll need it!
I also highly recommend both the Mob Museum in the old Federal Court building in Downtown, and the Atomic History Museum (a Smithsonian museum!) waaaaay off the strip on Flamingo. You do have to pay for admission, unlike those other Smithsonian museums.
If you like good quality diner food, try Blueberry Hill Restaurant that is a few blocks away from the Atomic History Museum. It looks like an old person diner, but the food is A-ma-zing! There are 3 other locations, but this one houses the bakery for the chain.
Another good day trip to do is visit Rachel NV on the Extra-terrestrial Highway. Along the way you will find many alien-themed gift shops. Just make sure you top off the gas tank!
KarenInWA
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wvugurl26
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Post by wvugurl26 on Apr 20, 2017 22:46:41 GMT -5
I will have to remember the website I was going to get my Cirque tickets at in February. They were much cheaper and you could buy in advance.
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