First Timer Tearing up Vegas!
........well, not really.
Although I will be going to Vegas for the first time in a short couple weeks to celebrate my dirty thirty and am absolutely thrilled about it.
This isn't a TR per se, although I may add some tidbits during the trip but will likely be to preoccupied to provide reliable updates.
Id love for anyone who's a regular there, or maybe only been once to give me some ideas on 'must do's, or must see's.
It's probably going to be very overwhelming taking everything in all at once.
Some trip deets.
Staying at The Mirage feb1-5 and just me and the GF.
Don't have any real plans other then check out the major casino's, aria, bellagio, venetian, rio etc. get a chip from as many as I can to add to my collection.
Really really wanted to see penn and teller but they seem to be off that entire week. Will likely settle on cris angel or David copper field instead.
Will be renting a car one day and drive to the Hoover dam and do their tour.......going to get a picture at the Vegas sign obv, may or may not check out pawn stars, haven't decided.
Learn craps and play some cheap craps, maybe check out some craft beers there.
As for questions I have.
Best way to get from airport to hotel, über, taxi, airport bus shuttle?
Is the $20 trick reliable? Booked a standard room, would love an upgrade.
I'm a SNG and trny player but I will of coarse play a bunch of cash because of its convenience but would also like to know the best trnys avail to play? So far I've gathered aria $125 daily is good for structure and turnout, and Venetian will be running their deep stack extravaganza so will check out those.
I am aware of the withholding, but that is only on $5k + cashes correct, or is it $5k+ in profit? I will almost definitely be avoiding every casinos $65 daily unless I'm really drunk and feel like Losing a small amount of money. Most of those are also in the neighborhood of 35 + 30 so no one is ever winning in them.
Best reasonably priced steak house? (similar pricing to keg??)
Buffet
Thai
Pizza
Etc
Any other shows in particular, or anything else poker related I should see?
Edit:
I only play holdem but would really like to branch out a bit and play some mixed games, horse, 8 game whatever it is. I don't even care if I have to announce to the table I don't know how to play a certain game and will look really fishy. Looking for smallest stakes there is. I play mostly 1-2 NLHE as to give an idea of current stakes. I feel this would equate to the same loss rate as maybe BJ or whatever, but way more fun! I think the Orleans runs a horse trny, but I don't think I'm there the day of the week it runs.
I appreciate any replies and advice, thanks!
Although I will be going to Vegas for the first time in a short couple weeks to celebrate my dirty thirty and am absolutely thrilled about it.
This isn't a TR per se, although I may add some tidbits during the trip but will likely be to preoccupied to provide reliable updates.
Id love for anyone who's a regular there, or maybe only been once to give me some ideas on 'must do's, or must see's.
It's probably going to be very overwhelming taking everything in all at once.
Some trip deets.
Staying at The Mirage feb1-5 and just me and the GF.
Don't have any real plans other then check out the major casino's, aria, bellagio, venetian, rio etc. get a chip from as many as I can to add to my collection.
Really really wanted to see penn and teller but they seem to be off that entire week. Will likely settle on cris angel or David copper field instead.
Will be renting a car one day and drive to the Hoover dam and do their tour.......going to get a picture at the Vegas sign obv, may or may not check out pawn stars, haven't decided.
Learn craps and play some cheap craps, maybe check out some craft beers there.
As for questions I have.
Best way to get from airport to hotel, über, taxi, airport bus shuttle?
Is the $20 trick reliable? Booked a standard room, would love an upgrade.
I'm a SNG and trny player but I will of coarse play a bunch of cash because of its convenience but would also like to know the best trnys avail to play? So far I've gathered aria $125 daily is good for structure and turnout, and Venetian will be running their deep stack extravaganza so will check out those.
I am aware of the withholding, but that is only on $5k + cashes correct, or is it $5k+ in profit? I will almost definitely be avoiding every casinos $65 daily unless I'm really drunk and feel like Losing a small amount of money. Most of those are also in the neighborhood of 35 + 30 so no one is ever winning in them.
Best reasonably priced steak house? (similar pricing to keg??)
Buffet
Thai
Pizza
Etc
Any other shows in particular, or anything else poker related I should see?
Edit:
I only play holdem but would really like to branch out a bit and play some mixed games, horse, 8 game whatever it is. I don't even care if I have to announce to the table I don't know how to play a certain game and will look really fishy. Looking for smallest stakes there is. I play mostly 1-2 NLHE as to give an idea of current stakes. I feel this would equate to the same loss rate as maybe BJ or whatever, but way more fun! I think the Orleans runs a horse trny, but I don't think I'm there the day of the week it runs.
I appreciate any replies and advice, thanks!
Comments
Grabbing a cab at the airport is easiest, just walk outside and there's a whole lineup of them waiting, will be around 20 bucks. For sure don't bother with the airport shuttle.
Also look into the rental car options online before you go - sometimes it's so cheap you can justify getting the car at the airport and just keep it for the whole trip.
See above in red.
There are dozens of great trip reports on here for Vegas but most of them are 5+ years ago.
I don't see anything in red. I'm viewing and posting from mobile. I just see the entire text field quoted.
I've been reading a ton of TR's from 2p2 also. Just been consuming all of my free time researching and google mapping various things.
Cool to see: if you visit Bellagio, the Conservatory always has a cool theme, being in Feb, should be Valentines obv, with the gf - Score! If not, it would probably be a Chinese New Year display. There is also a nice one in the Venetian, walking towards the Palazzo, but Bellagio does it best. Also should do it once just to see the Willy Wonka chocolate fountain which is in one of the shops there.
Best show in Vegas right now is Absinthe. Definitely go see this instead of Cris Angel (which has terrible reviews) or David Copperfield (way overpriced). It is open seating so if you get there say an hour early, you can sit right up next to the stage.
A car for the week is the way to go. Walking the strip is for Newbs. The casinos are so big, they seem close but even if the casino is right next door or across the street you are looking at least a 10 min walk. Walking Mirage to Ballys is easily 45 min. Driving, less than five. Every street intersection you cross, you have to ride an escalator up, walk across the bridge then ride the escalator back down, the first couple times is fun, especially because as Comp says, you can get some great views of the strip but after 5-6 times it quickly gets annoying and tiresome, especially if the escalators are broken, which they frequently are. If you have a Costco card, go to costcotravel.com for the best car rental deals. You don't pay until you pick up the car, so you can book and then cancel if a better deal comes along later. The bus is for chumps too, to ride the full strip one way can take two hours.
Cheapest craps on the strip would be at Casino Royale, almost direct across from Mirage. Also if you are driving to the Venetian, the parking garage is stupid far from the poker room. Just walk it from Mirage. But the minimums have been going up, you might get lucky and find $3, but it is probably $5. However, if you just want to get drunk and try it for a bit, at the back of Casino Royale, there is a bubble craps machine which was $1 min last time I played there. If you have a car, Palace Station, might be $3 min. BUT, if you are going to see Hoover Dam, the Railroad Pass and Hacienda casinos, which you will pass, will probably still be $1 min, with some $.25 roulette too. If not, $3 for sure. It will be shitty 2x odds but WTF, you get to shoot real craps for cheap.
BTW, if you go to Hoover Dam, you must leave early because the good tour, which takes you deep inside the dam, sells out very fast. Like plan to be there at least 30 min before the first tour starts, if not sooner. The good thing is, you can hit up the cheap craps on the way back. Also BTW, driving across the new bridge into Arizona, you won't see anything because they put up high barriers to prevent gawkers from slowing down to take pictures, so don't bother. Just go straight to the dam. Also if you rent a car, another bucket list thing to do out that way is Papillon helo rides to the Grand Canyon. You can usually find a deal on Travelzoo.
Papillon Helicopter Tours - Grand Canyon Deals
Other car rental things to do are the Valley of Fire and Pinball Hall of Fame. The first if you really like scenery, but it is a good hour each way just to get there and the opposite direction from Hoover Dam so if you do both, it eats up most of two days. The Pinball Hall of Fame is about 10 min from the strip and worth it if you like vintage pinball machines and 80's video games.
The problem with poker tourneys like say the DSE at Venetian, is you don't know if you are going to last an hour or 10 hours, so it blows a whole day because you can't plan anything else and unless the gf is going to hang around all day and watch you, you have to go track her down when you are finished. I like the $1500 guarantee at Planet Hollywood, because at most you will find one or two locals and the rest horrible tourists, it runs several times a day and will be done in 4 hours at the most. Last time we went, the three of us cashed in this tourney multiple times.
BTW if your gf does not play, casinos will let her pull up a chair behind you and watch and they will bring her free drinks as long as you are playing.
Food:
Do NOT miss the BBQ at Ellis Island (note you want the BBQ beside the sports book, not the main restaurant). It is one block behind Ballys, off the strip, easily walkable. It is also a brew pub so you can drink your way through their menu as well. Even if you are not gambling, the 16 oz drafts are $1. Craps there is $5. You will need a players card though to get the reduced food prices. You get the players card and then swipe it at a kiosk to print out your coupon for the BBQ.
Beer? BBQ? WinWin!
Another good food stop is Hash House a Go Go in the Linq casino. Definitely worth it for breakfast especially.
Chicken and Waffles FTW!
Steakhouses are not going to be cheap. I've heard good things about Binions and Circus Circus as far as reasonable/value. Better off going for burgers. I would recommend Le Burger, inside the concourse between Ballys and Paris and Burgr (Gordon Ramsay) inside Planet Hollywood. Either will give you a discount with your Total Rewards card and also take any comps you have earned (even if it is just $1).
Mixed games, you won't find anything. Poker is dying quickly. Vegas is 95% NLHE. Best you would do is the 4/8 O8 game in Venetian. If you have a car, you will find O8 at the Orleans as well, but it is stuffed with grumbly locals and not that much fun. Even the Venetian is all old locals in that game but occasionally you can find some drunk young kid who wants to try the game (I guess that role would be filled by you). I've played the HORSE tourney at the Orleans a couple times, cashed once. I also played the HORSE in the DSE at the Venetian. The DSE tourney was a tough game with people who knew what they were doing. I felt like the newb and I play HORSE a fair bit.
Finally last piece of advice, make a list of what you think you will do in Vegas, and then tear the list in half. You might get there.
Have fun.
Yes that is an entire fried chicken on top of four waffles. Their eggs Benny is unbelieveable too.
- Rent a car like I did when I was with family. It was worth it driving a Mustang convertible from & to the airport, Valley of Fire, Red Rock Canyon, etc.
- Start off exploring Vegas with the best free attractions: Mirage Volcano, Caesars Palace's Fall of Atlantis Bellagio's Conservatory & Fountains, Fremont Street Experience Light Show, Flamingo Casino's Wildlife Habitat.
- Please post photos on your Facebook of the new Las Vegas Arena.
It worked when westside8 & I did it for what is now The LINQ, but I don't know about Mirage.
I think there is a new $250 at Aria, but make sure that the first place prize is < $5K net of buy-in to avoid the unbeatable 30% tax.
Tell Sheldon Adelson to #GFY. >:D
Big Bus Las Vegas Hop-On Hop-Off Tour - Las Vegas | Viator
1. Sit down at any casino bar
2. Insert $20 bill into slot machine
3. Play a single hand of 25 cent blackjack
4. Make eye contact w/ bartender
5. Order a drink. It will be comped.
6. Tip $1
7. Cash out $19.75 or $20.25
8. Repeat whenever thirsty!
(9 - optional) Laugh at, or inform, anyone you spot actually paying for alcohol.
this is by far the best part of gambling in casinos in america
DeepStack Extravaganza I
Dates: January 25, 2016 - March 2, 2016
Location: Sands Poker Room
And I may substitute the steak dinner outing for that BBQ restaurant instead. What is the atmosphere of that place? Your plates look outstanding!
This.....
I went to Ellis Island my first trip (tip from Moose) and have made it back for the bbq and beer every time I go to Vegas. I have also introduced the place to friends and they loved it! I think the bbq doesn't get going till 4pm - you may want to call ahead and check when you are there. I also believe the bbq closes at 10pm. They have great food and cheap great beers brewed in house. Highly recommended! And actually the other restaurant at Ellis Island has a great baseball steak - beer combo going sometimes...it was excellent value.
Personally I also like the Venetian poker room food...they have table service and you can eat it right there at the poker table. I think the food there is excellent and I think it is reasonably priced. Besides just use your $2/hr comps to pay for it...
At the Aria poker room (and other), don't be afraid to order some higher end drinks. One time I was there I was drinking Grey Goose and watermelon juice....lol. Also a must try (on the non-alcoholic side) is their Strawberry smoothie/daiquiri thing. Order one and watch the entire table follow suit - very yummy!
I always walk the strip - although as Moose said it is very large scale and takes a bit to get from one property to the next. It is part of the Vegas experience IMO, and after sitting on my ass for long sessions of poker I need the exercise!
There are a ton of daily poker tournaments at most of the poker rooms on the strip. The best one is likely at the Aria...many of the other ones are true donkaments - good for relaxing and if you get lucky you can chop.
I stayed at the Monte Carlo on one of my early trips to LV and discovered their little poker room. It's one of my favourite rooms on the strip if there is action.
Looking forward to the TR!
Well I think you've sold me on it! I'm assuming Ellis island is its on casino complex and is just off the strip?
I briefed over their menu and it looks like everything is about half or less then what the same thing would be here, food and beer. They appear to have a decent beer selection too. I can't wait to visit it.
To get the discounts, do I just need to sign up for a PC?
Drive race cars.
Jump off the strat.
Drink Macallan in the Venetian poker room for free.
Crack a locals aces.
Do not sleep.
Last years chip
Yes I will definitely check for you. Do they normally distribute the chips before their start date (leaving on the 5th)?
Also, are there any other microbreweries or small craft brewers either on or near the strip, or maybe downtown that's worth checking out? Between me and the gf, are favorite things to generally do is check out local craft beers in any given location so we'll probably spend a fair amount of time craft brewery 'hop'-ing.....see what a did there?.........
As per bfillmaff I have a hard time paying for any alcohol in Vegas. Beer avail in casinos is mostly the std dreck. High end to most Americans is to get Corona or Heineken. Lol. Try asking for Sierra Nevada. Good if you can get it. Not all casinos offer it.
Unfortunately the chips tend to be avail starting on the first day but you never know. If there are any updates from the chipboard, I will post.
That seems like quite the deal. Too bad I don't play slots. I wonder if its valid on video poker which playing perfectly, usually has a 99% return rate. Could equate to some dollars. I didn't read any T&C's though.
Also, Couple other questions. I have heard much about this 'Earl' guy, regarding his talent in making some fine sandwiches. Are there multiple locations for this establishment, does it live up to the hype?
Lastly.....for now......what would be one of the best sports book to hit up. I want to take one evening and catch a leaf game there while placing a wager. I assume there are many, but having never bet sports, this will probably be my only sports bet while there.
Better off finding a poker room with a good TV and asking the floor to put the game on. Then the drinks will be free. Bring headphones and if you can stream internet video/radio then you will get sound too. BTW a good tip is 95% of casinos put the poker room beside the sports book. So if you look for one, you will usually find the other and the sports book can usually be easier to spot across the floor.
Also, bet against the Leafs. Win win in my books.
Thanks.
And I'm too much of a fan to bet against them. Plus, betting they will lose will probably pay $115 on a $100 bet. Sure it's a practically free $15 up for grabs but I'm going against the grain. I Stand to win a lot of money betting they'll win, probably even against buffalo!
If you just want to sit and watch, I'd recommend the Aria, Venetian, and the MGM Grand. I've heard the Wynn is good, but never been there.
Will be stopping in at each after our Dam tour, do a quick walk through, gambol $20 and pick up a $1 chip to bring home.
Hopefully this link works. This is the planned schedule heading back to the strip.
Opinions on locations? Should a skip any in favor of others? Any not on the route that should be?
Really looking forward to this day more then any other days we'll be there.
https://www.google.ca/maps/dir/Hoover+Dam+Lodge/Railroad+Pass+Hotel+%26+Casino/Eldorado+Casino/Lake+Mead+Casino/Jokers+Wild+Casino/Eastside+Cannery+Casino+Hotel/Longhorn+Casino/Las+Vegas+KOA+at+Sam's+Town/Boulder+Station+Hotel+%26+Casino/Barley's+Casino+%26+Brewing+Co,+East+Sunset+Road,+Henderson,+NV,+United+States/@36.053347,-115.0427445,12z/data=!3m1!5s0x87d53daa9723c723:0x1e54ca8220ece2a5!4m62!4m61!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c92ceb5993e9cf:0x9a43211fd74ff6b!2m2!1d-114.7848262!2d36.0099233!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c8d55b8c6d03dd:0xd98b50495a6ea96b!2m2!1d-114.9118905!2d35.9725592!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c8d6a4c51d5d43:0x7eacbb0a71eea442!2m2!1d-114.983564!2d36.032018!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c8d6ef6cfe451b:0x9067439decb17d6e!2m2!1d-114.9680507!2d36.0528133!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c8d6d2fee8a551:0x2475ef4ac12ffd02!2m2!1d-114.994648!2d36.052006!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c8daf2b6133a19:0x748ecd41faa33e22!2m2!1d-115.056404!2d36.107847!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c8da92af8be1c5:0x689255bf4330cee9!2m2!1d-115.0590552!2d36.1069912!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c8daed5098d2ff:0xc048d78f7eb4f1fc!2m2!1d-115.0597815!2d36.109348!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c8db3029f8d3dd:0xa20d2200f23b4f43!2m2!1d-115.084768!2d36.132692!1m5!1m1!1s0x80c8d0123cfbf759:0x17951a6d1a277e6b!2m2!1d-115.0750238!2d36.0724176!3e0
(any way to embed this instead, I'm on mobile)