Las Vegas bound

EdDekker · Jan 16, 2003

There is a tour of the Nevada Test Site once a month.

The timing of your visit will probably not be compatible but it is a fantastic tour for a future visit. The tour is an all day event. Buses leave the DOE building in Las Vegas in the morning to Mercury to check in with security, the bus will than take you to various points of interest within the test site and return to Las Vegas by evening.

(Mercury is a 'town' just inside the gates to the test site used as office and housing space for test site employees as well as visitors from Livermore and Los Alamos. It is now 'under utilized'.)

The tour includes:

Frenchman Flat, the site of the remaining buildings from the weapons effect tests in which a town was built and destroyed. The film clips of this test are seen frequently in movies and on TV.

The Sedan Crater was a demonstration of Nuclear Excavation http://www.nv.doe.gov/nts/tours.htm
The Nevada Test Site Historical Foundation has a web site <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.ntshf.com/index.htm>http://www.ntshf.com/index.htm</A>

EdDekker · Jan 16, 2003

I agree that the buffet is a must Las Vegas experience. See http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/referenceguide-buffets.cfm for buffet reviews. There are two ways to handle the buffet, spend as little as possible to eat or to spend what you would spend in a restaurant in another city. The 'eat cheep' approach is to eat at a place with an under $10 dinner buffet, you will get poor food, cheaper than you could at home (My father used this approach. He loved the (than) $4 dinners at Circus Circus. I considered the same food almost edible, far worse than dorm food was at school and only slightly better than hospital food. I like to spend a bit more and get a VERY GOOD meal.

I like the 'Rio - The Village Seafood Buffet' and 'Paris - Le Village Buffet'. The Rio Seafood Buffet is more expensive, at $30 it is one of the most expensive dinner buffets, it has an excellent selection of seafood. (If you don't like seafood skip this buffet). Paris has had a excellent dinner buffet for $22. The Mirage and Bellagio buffets are highly rated but I have not been as happy with them.

(A common buffet trick is to arrive late for lunch, while they are changing the buffet to the dinner items to get Dinner for the Lunch price. The same trick works with the change from Breakfast to lunch.)

The Bally's Sterling Champagne Brunch on Sunday deserves a mention. It is expensive at $53 but is an experience. The food includes lobster tail, rack of lamb, omelets with lobster and shrimp, a sushi bar, an array of deserts good champagne, fresh orange juse (neather glass will be empty, a waiter will appear and refill the glass before it is empty) ...

Many of the Casinos publish books of coupons. These range from '2 for the price of 1' coupons for a snack, a free deck of cards, to coupons which are basically free money if you gamble. The free money coupons are to get you to make a bet or two knowing that it will be hard to make only one or two bets. A free money coupon may change the payback for a natural in a single hand of Blackjack from 1.5 to 1 to 2 to 1. Other free money coupons may double a single bet (bet the coupon with $5 to make a $10 bet). A web page with a summary of coupon books and an analysis of the value is on http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/ has a lot of good information on the free portion of their web site.

pdxman · Jan 16, 2003

I LOVE Vegas. Was dissappointed the other night when my wife said she was going this spring with her girlfriends and NOT me!

Anyway, Vegas can be as expensive or cheap as you make it out to be. It's a great place to just people watch and sightsee or you can spend some coin and experience some great eating or shows not available anywhere else. Gambling is at your discretion.

My recomendations:

If you like pools, Mandalay Bay, in warm months. A great steak was had at the restaurant 'Red Square' at M.B. Also lots of brands of vodka.

On the pricey side of buffet's was the Bellagio ($35 and long line) but was worth the wait. LOTS of variety and exotic meat, poultry and seafood you normally don't find.

New York,NY has a great roller coaster.

At your casino, register for the slot club even if you don't gamble. Usually you receive coupons for different things and are 2 for 1s.

Excaliber is getting old and dated.

Lots to do in Vegas and everyone has their own opinions about it. So just enjoy the things you enjoy.

Richard · Jan 16, 2003

Though Vegas has MANY wonderful shows, One I saw (and have since heard is replacing the tigers as THE "IN" show to see) is The Blue Man Group.

At the Luxor, it WILL likely sell out, so call now & get reservations 702-262-4400 or 800-557-7428

They are the blue headed dudes you saw doing the INtel commercials

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.blueman.com>http://www.blueman.com</A>

Words do not describe their show. Took my mother whom I thought would fall asleep (70) and she absolutely LOVED it.

Nice sized stage, EXCELLENT sound system, strange music played via pvc pipes, stage (and strange) antics... /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

I'll put it this way... if you go, and don't absolutely love it, I'll buy 1/2 of YOUR ticket. (gotta keep lid on this lmao, but serious offer!)

You can get a cd of their "music" which is quite a good cd, just again... kinda strange.

They also show in Boston, Chicago (where I've also seen them) and New York. Between Chicago and Vegas, the Vegas stage is about twice as big, has twice (literally) the musicians, more props.. just simply, a better show.

So, MY vote unequivically, is, see the Blue Man Group, you will NOT regret it, and you WILL be wonderfully entertained.

Richard

rancar · Jan 16, 2003

Thanks Ed for all these great tips on the buffets. I've never been to Vegas but if I go it'll likely be to just experience the buffets since I'm not into gambling.

.....Bob

RobertN · Jan 16, 2003

Front Sight is there, although I have yet to go. It is a top rated combat handgun course. The range is incredible from what a friend, who has goe says. They also have shotgun and riffle tactical courses.

BB_TX · Jan 16, 2003

You can have a great time in Vegas without gambling a cent. My wife and I go once a year or so. I like to gamble a little, but an hour or so a day is more than enough. Although shows can be expensive, there are so many free things to see and do, you don't need to spend much. A list;
1.Volcano at the Mirage (erupts every 15 minutes)
2.Pirate ship battle at Treasure Island (every 90 minutes I think)
3.See the White Tigers (Mirage any time)
4.Mardi Gras type floats suspended from the ceiling moving above the casino floor at the Rio (every hour in the evening)
5.Freemont Street Experience 5 or 6 block area of downtown with amazing 15 minute overhead light show that changes every hour.
6.Most all major casinos have lounges near the casino with very good entertainers trying to make it. Free.
7.Talking/moving statues at Ceasars (2 places)
8.The dam. About hour drive.
9.Walking around looking at the amazing architecture (Luxor, NewYork/NewYork, Venetian, etc)
10. Used to be a pretty good antique car display at Imperial Palace. Don't know if it is still there are not.
11.Such a vulgar display of wealth.
Just an amazing place to see./w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif

EdDekker · Jan 16, 2003

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr>

10. Used to be a pretty good antique car display at Imperial Palace. Don't know if it is still there are not.

<hr></blockquote>

I would not think of giving the owner of the Imperial Palace any of my money, even $6 to get into the Auto Museum. I would prefer to see money going to the old mob bosses of Vegas than to Ralph Engelstad.

Ralph Engelstad the owner is a neo-****. In 1989 he was fined $1.5 Million dollars by the Nevada Gaming Commission the SECOND year he threw a party honoring Adolph ****** on ******'s Birthday. The "****** was Right" bumper stickers passed out to the party guests are offensive enough, but it gets worse with the painting of Englsted in an SS Uniform.

He ignored the warning after the first party (the year before) so the Gaming Commission fined him to get his attention. At the time this was the second largest fine imposed on a casino.

Employees had also complained to the Gaming Commission that his office was full of **** memorabilia complete with the painting of Engelsted in an SS uniform and a ******** flag on the wall. Jewish employees charged this was a hostile work environment. (Yes, that's a hostile work environment.)

This is not just an Internet rumor. For example the story is mentioned in passing in a Las Vagas Review Journal article <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/1998/Jun-01-Mon-1998/business/7589904.html>http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/1998/Jun-01-Mon-1998/business/7589904.html</A>.

BB_TX · Jan 16, 2003

OK, the Imperial Palace is off my list. Never liked that place anyway.
Add
Dancing fountains at the Belagio (free), and
View of the strip from atop the Eiffel Tower at the Paris (few bucks)

Gary_in_Indiana · Jan 16, 2003

I'm going to be staying at the Riviera Hotel & Casino. It was about the closest to the convention center I could find on short notice. Great deal on the room, too-three nights for under $100 total! /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif