Las Vegas

Going in June. My wife has a conference and then we get to use our timeshare deposit. Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas minor league baseball ($2 beer night) and maybe the Grand Canyon are on my radar along with the strip. Any suggestions? Staying in West Las Vegas and the northern strip near Circus Circus. Do you need a car?

Thank you in advance for any suggestions and advice!

If you're going to Red Rock Canyon and Hoover Dam you'll need a car. North Rim of the Grand Canyon is going to be a full day trip if you choose to do it. If you have the time, however, it's totally worth it. Kanab and Bryce Canyon are both great outdoors areas not too far away.

It's a bit of a drive across a lot of nothing to see a lot of nothing but Death Valley is an option. If you want to do something a lot more casual you can drive out to Oatman and feed donkeys.

Lutherf said:

If you're going to Red Rock Canyon and Hoover Dam you'll need a car. North Rim of the Grand Canyon is going to be a full day trip if you choose to do it. If you have the time, however, it's totally worth it. Kanab and Bryce Canyon are both great outdoors areas not too far away.

It's a bit of a drive across a lot of nothing to see a lot of nothing but Death Valley is an option. If you want to do something a lot more casual you can drive out to Oatman and feed donkeys.

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I was thinking of taking the tours for Red Rock but I also saw the scenic drive of 13 miles plus some easy hikes which looked fun. There was also a tour for a Lake Mead / Hoover Dam. Would going ourselves by car be better? I will probably rent a car for a week. Oatman is over 2 hours each way, is it worth it?

Las Vegas is about shows, food, and gambling

It is a foodies paradise now

Some of the best new restaurants in the US are in Vegas....

Great shows, and for me, I play poker....I love the town

Try to get there every other year or so....we stay at the bellagio when we go

Hoover dam is impressive considering when it was built...a marvel actually

Hari Seldon said:

I was thinking of taking the tours for Red Rock but I also saw the scenic drive of 13 miles plus some easy hikes which looked fun. There was also a tour for a Lake Mead / Hoover Dam. Would going ourselves by car be better? I will probably rent a car for a week. Oatman is over 2 hours each way, is it worth it?

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It makes almost no sense to try a DIY Hoover Dam visit. If you go then take the tour. Frankly, I'd skip a Lake Mead tour in June. It will be roughly a million degrees on the lake and that will take some of the fun out of anything you happen to see.

Oatman is more a curiosity than a destination. That being said, it's close to Loughlin so you've got a place nearby to stop, eat, gamble, etc. and Loughlin is a LOT less expensive than Vegas.

If you want something moderately boring but a complete 180 from Vegas you can visit the old Mormon fort. Otherwise, see the shows, go shopping, grab some food and watch the people. You definitely won't get bored just "doing the strip".

gdgyva said:

Las Vegas is about shows, food, and gambling

It is a foodies paradise now

Some of the best new restaurants in the US are in Vegas....

Great shows, and for me, I play poker....I love the town

Try to get there every other year or so....we stay at the bellagio when we go

Hoover dam is impressive considering when it was built...a marvel actually

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We went to Reno / Lake Tahoe many years ago. The food was really good with beef everywhere at ridiculous prices. I remember the dealers showing us what to do, we are not big gamblers. But my wife won like $6,000 on the slots. I'm sure we will do some gambling but definitely shows and food!

Hari Seldon said:

Going in June. My wife has a conference and then we get to use our timeshare deposit. Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas minor league baseball ($2 beer night) and maybe the Grand Canyon are on my radar along with the strip. Any suggestions? Staying in West Las Vegas and the northern strip near Circus Circus. Do you need a car?

Thank you in advance for any suggestions and advice!

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Pinball museum, go there. Just do.

beefheart said:

Pinball museum, go there. Just do.

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Same as the Pinball hall of fame? 3 miles off the strip.

Hari Seldon said:

Same as the Pinball hall of fame? 3 miles off the strip.

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I suggest taking in the downtown Fremont Street experience, especially on a Friday or Saturday night. Usually a good band set up in the main intersection, plenty of good food, free drinks in the casinos, 4 Queens, Golden Nugget, and a really good light show set to music in the roof area. Ask the locals about the off strip eateries. A lot of hidden gems only the locals can lead you to.

Hari Seldon said:

Going in June. My wife has a conference and then we get to use our timeshare deposit. Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas minor league baseball ($2 beer night) and maybe the Grand Canyon are on my radar along with the strip. Any suggestions? Staying in West Las Vegas and the northern strip near Circus Circus. Do you need a car?

Thank you in advance for any suggestions and advice!

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Pinball museum. Everything displayed is playable. Proceeds go to keeping the pinball machines operating and to charity.

IIRC it is on Flamingo is an unassuming strip mall.


ETA - I am late to the party.

Hari Seldon said:

Going in June. My wife has a conference and then we get to use our timeshare deposit. Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas minor league baseball ($2 beer night) and maybe the Grand Canyon are on my radar along with the strip. Any suggestions? Staying in West Las Vegas and the northern strip near Circus Circus. Do you need a car?

Thank you in advance for any suggestions and advice!

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I used to live in N LV, the area around Nellis. The city has a decent bus system, but for the area you are in I would rent a car. Highly recommend Red Rock, fantastic in the Spring with the cactus flowering. You read my mind, If your into Baseball check out the Area 51's, the citys AAA team, nice stadium and great evening out.

Enjoy your visit !!

Hari Seldon said:

Going in June. My wife has a conference and then we get to use our timeshare deposit. Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas minor league baseball ($2 beer night) and maybe the Grand Canyon are on my radar along with the strip. Any suggestions? Staying in West Las Vegas and the northern strip near Circus Circus. Do you need a car?

Thank you in advance for any suggestions and advice!

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Inside the Luxor Hotel is a replica of the King Tut tomb and replica artifacts you would see in the Cairo Museum; Having been to see the Tut exhibit in Cairo, I was pleasantly surprised at how much the Luxor strived for accuracy.

Go do some gambling!

Common Sense 1 said:

Go do some gambling!

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I will do some but am not a big Gambler unless you count the stock market where I have reduced my exposure. I've saved for 35 years, it's hard just to throw it away.

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yankintx said:

I used to live in N LV, the area around Nellis. The city has a decent bus system, but for the area you are in I would rent a car. Highly recommend Red Rock, fantastic in the Spring with the cactus flowering. You read my mind, If your into Baseball check out the Area 51's, the citys AAA team, nice stadium and great evening out.

Enjoy your visit !!

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Seems the 51s are changing their name. I'm familiar with them because they used to be the Mets AAA affiliate. Thanks!

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Hari Seldon said:

Seems the 51s are changing their name. I'm familiar with them because they used to be the Mets AAA affiliate. Thanks!

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That could be, its been 2011 since I have seen a game, they were the farm team for the Dodgers, but that too looks like it has changed.

yankintx said:

That could be, its been 2011 since I have seen a game, they were the farm team for the Dodgers, but that too looks like it has changed.

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The Mets AAA affiliate is now Syracuse which makes much more sense. Might go and see Teebow strike out a few times when it gets warm.

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Hari Seldon said:

Same as the Pinball hall of fame? 3 miles off the strip.

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Same! It moves every few years, gets bigger and bigger.

Back from almost 2 weeks in Vegas. Red Rock Canyon was very cool and hot. Near Summerlin where we stayed a bit. 13 mile scenic drive where you can stop and hike, take pictures. Would definitely do more hiking but it was pushing 100 and we had limited water. Still went about a mile in near the end by the trees. Surprising how much vegetation actually grows. Saw a couple of hard core hikers at our last stop. Don't know how they do it. Plenty of warnings, especially at the visitor center.

We did Hoover dam for a day when we stayed in Lake Las Vegas. Very cool as well. Toured the power room and inside the dam. You can drive over it into Arizona but are forced to park or turn around. Easy to get to and plenty of parking. We also stopped and walked across the Pat Tillman memorial bridge. Great views including the dam. Well worth it.

Did the strip as we stayed near Circus Circus which was a dump. Did the monorail but don't let them fool you. Its a lot of walking. They make you go through the entire casino, sometimes 2 on each stop. We liked it because we saw quite a bit. The strip by the big ferris wheel was cool. The Luxor (big pyramid) was neat where we saw the Blue Man group. My wife got picked to join them in their "feast" if anyone is familiar with their schtick. She was good at going along and received quite a few compliments after the show. Dueling pianos at Harrah's, the Fountains at the Bellagio, the Mile Shops at the Flamingo, along with checking out the various hotels was fun. Show girls along with legal pot and bars with frozen drink machines are all over. Plenty of live music as well.

We saw George Wallace at The Westgate which is a nice hotel casino on the northern strip. Took in a Las Vegas Aviators game in Summerlin at their new stadium. Very nice, great game. The ball flies out of the park. I think we saw 5 or 6 HR's. $2 beer night so it was packed. Right near the Red Rock casino which was fun. They have a movie theatre and bowling alley.

I forgot we did Fremont Street which is north of the strip with its own smaller hotel & casinos. Very cool, takes up a couple of blocks all covered. People zip lining over you every 10 minutes. 3 stages with live bands and various street performers and colorful characters. Kind of an adult south street seaport. You can walk with your alcohol. I recommend going to the convenient store for nice cold beer cans at 2 for $5 as opposed to the outside bars. Also you can park at the end of Freemont at one of the casinos for $5 as opposed to their parking for $20.

If anyone is planning a trip and has any questions feel free to ask.