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Entertainment & Sightseeing
in Las Vegas
The magnificent
casino entrances give Vegas an almost mythical glow.
There is far more to do in Las Vegas
than bar-hopping and it all starts with gambling.
Our favorite part of gambling is the free drinks, available as long
as you are playing (tipping the waitress is recommended). There is no
shortage of places to plunk down your money, but here's where to likely
find fellow PubClubbers and avoid those who aren't.
The young, energetic crowd goes to the Rio, Hard Rock, Luxor, Venetian
and Mandalay Bay. Caesar's caters to high rollers, Bellagio to the wealthy
and the Flamingo Hilton is primarily filled with senior or soon-to-be
senior citizens. The many other hotels/casinos bring in all types of
people.
The 21-year-old age restriction is strictly enforced everywhere. Casino
employees are largely friendly and quite helpful. In fact, they do a
good job of putting novice gamblers at ease, giving out advice on how
to place bets. When winning, it's customary to tip a few dollars for
their assistance.
Gamblers are treated
to well-lighted and spacious casinos.
What to gamble is up to the individual. We would like to don the tux
and play Baccarat just for the personal thrill of saying "I
must pass the shoe" in the finest James Bond tradition, but we
don't have a clue how the game is played. It's unlikely we will ever
learn – the Baccarat tables are in roped-off VIP areas and even
mediocre bets are more than our bar bill for an entire weekend.
For socializing, it's hard to beat craps. All those whoops and
hollers heard in casinos originate from the craps tables. This is because
when one player wins, so does everyone. In essence, everyone is on the
same team. This makes it easy to build a bonding relationship with fellow
players – especially those of the opposite sex.
The game is remarkably simple, which is quite important with your money
at risk and free drinks. First-timers should put a chip on the "pass"
section of the table during the "come out roll," which is
the first roll occurring after a table-clearing seven (called "craps,"
which is what you will say if you have money all over the table when
it happens). Put a chip behind your original chip and you get the house
"odds." This is the best bet in Vegas, by the way. Then just
stand there with your arms folded and collect your free drinks.
Blackjack, or 21, rewards either the dealer or the player(s)
whose cards come closest to 21. The safe play is to hold at 16 or higher
and take a "hit" if the card total is 15 or less.
Roulette is very exotic looking but is one of the lowest-percentage
forms of gambling.
Poker is played in its standard version, Caribbean Stud, Pai
Gaw and a few other versions we don't understand.
Then there are the slot machines, the most popular money grabbers
by a long shot. In fact, they account for 60 percent of a casino's revenue.
There are several varieties, from poker to the obnoxiously noisy "Wheel
of Fortune" machines that accept nickels, quarters or dollars.
The only tip we can offer here is to play machines along the aisles.
They are rumored to pay off more often because they get the most plays.
Contrary to some people's popular belief, machines are not set to pay
out after a set number of plays; it's a totally random process.
During major sporting events such as the Super Bowl and the NCAA hoops
tournament, sports books are more popular than slot machines.
Various bets can be placed on every major sporting event, including
over/under on regular-season hockey games. Drink coupons are earned
based on the amount of money bet if you watch the event at a sports
book.
Outside of the gambling, Vegas offers many great entertainment options.
In a way, Vegas is like an amusement park catering to adults.
Those tired of traffic on the Strip who wish they could just let loose
in a car have an outlet in CART
101. This driving school (half-day to two-day) puts students
behind the wheel of an actual Indy-style race car. Held at the Las Vegas
Speedway, 15 minutes outside north of the Strip, it puts you on the
1.5-mile oval track that is home to the NASCAR Winston Cup Series each
March. Top speeds vary according to driver skill (and nerve) but commonly
reach 150 mph. The Speedway also hosts the Derek Daly Driving School
featuring the same style of cars on an infield road course.
For thrills at slower speeds, there is a water slide adjacent to
the Sahara, a stomach-churning roller coaster that wraps around
the New York "skyline" at New York, New York an indoor roller
coaster at Circus Circus and indoor skydiving at FlyAWay (200
Convention Center Dr.).
There are IMAX movies and arcades at most casinos and, as we
mentioned in the PreParty
section, several free entertainment shows at the hotels.
You can get a birds-eye view of Vegas from the Stratosphere
tower for $6, or for nothing from the Voodoo Lounge at the Rio (free
in the afternoon but no tennis shoes when the club opens after 5 p.m.).
Freemont Street downtown is an experience.
Yet Vegas wasn't built around this type of amusement. For years, its
heart beat downtown, and today that is the place to go for those tired
of the Strip and the Strip prices. Gambling and drinks are cheaper and
the gaming odds are much better. A few years ago, history and cheap
prices were not enough of a draw to preserve this historical area, so
the city put a roof over the place, made it look like a gigantic Strip
marquee and proclaimed it The Freemont Street Experience. For
the full lighting effect, experience it at after dark.
The casinos, in their never-ending attempt to lure people inside, present
grand live shows in huge ballrooms. Some are regulars, like Siegfrield
& Roy at the Mirage and the highly-acclaimed "O" show at Bellagio;
other hotels book name acts on a year-round basis. Rodney Dangerfield,
Jerry Seinfield, Rod Stewart, Britney Spears, etc. Name the entertainer,
they all play Vegas.
There is no need to worry about any of this until arriving in town.
Marquees, billboards, cab ads and other means of advertising provide
continual less-than-subtle. Prices range from $25 to $90 (the latter
for Siegfried & Roy; you can see their white tigers for free at Mirage).
If time permits, a visit to Hoover Dam is worth the two-hour
drive. This incredible structure was constructed in the 1930s to feed
the area's growing need for power. We could fill this entire section
with a bunch of dam statistics, but suffice to say it is awe-inspiring
to peer over the edge. You can see it on your own or take a tour ($8
or a "Hard Hat" tour for $25).
While there, zip over to Lake Mead for some water skiing, jet
skiing or boating. You can ride right up to the edge of Hoover Dam.
Natural beauty like
Red Rock Canyon exists just 15 minutes from manmade mayhem.
Closer to town is Red Rock Canyon. A majestic beauty, it is
a natural limestone and sandstone formation created when Nevada was
deep under the sea. It bursts to life in the sunlight and provides an
amazing view of nature in complete contrast to the man-made wonder of
the city just 15 miles away.
Another natural wonder, the Grand Canyon, is within striking
distance. To get a glimpse, do a fly-by via one of the many helicopter
tours originating from Las Vegas. Tours vary, ranging from a simple
three-hour R/T adventure for about $150, to a champagne celebration
that includes a trip over the Strip for $300.
Helicopter tours of the city are available for $65. Hotels
are stuffed with flyers touting the different tour and helicopter companies.
Most hotels also have car rental counters, so getting out of the city
is much easier than finding your way out of the casinos
 Next
stop on the Party Bus: PubGrub
.
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