http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/ is the #1 site for reviews and what to do in Vegas. Overall very accurate and helpful. I use it weekly for food, but it will give you more info than you need for your trip. Just bring some good shoes and fun attitude. You ll enjoy just walking around looking at the casinos. Whatever you want to do is in Vegas. Food, sports, bars/lounges, clubs.Bring comfy shoes b/c walking the strip is a must do (you don t have to gamble, I never do). Following are some of my favorite casinos to walk through. The buildings are beautiful and the whole thing is not dedicated to the casino.FYI: If you ever need 1 You can always get a cab outside any of the casinos. They just line up. Here s a link to A virtual strip of Vegas http://www.virtualvegasstrip.com/index.h�� That way you can see where all the casinos on in relation to each other. The main ones people walk between are the MGM and The Wynn. The Palazzo isn t on the map, but it is in between The Wynn and the Vanetian. ---cool stuff goes on in there after about 4pm. Little free shows of different artistic things. Also, I love walking through Peter Lik s gallery. Great photographer and free to walk through. Even has couches and stuff if you just want to sit and people/photo watch. The Wynn is my favorite (newest) and I think nicest casino. They have these really cool free shows (okay one of them is lame), you can watch. They have these screens that come out from behind and above the waterfall with crazy lights and great music. The frog show is great, but the one about the lady and the bull is lame (only people from Spain seem to enjoy it, but all the other ones are cool) just walk out through the reception area of the Wynn (overlooking their waterfall). Ask when the next show is..there are servers there to bring you drinks and what not and even when there is no show (like once an hour it is still a very nice relaxing are to be), but you can bring your own drinks to or not have anything. It s rarely crowded (even on the weekends). That being said I love walking further South and checking out Mandalay Bay and the Luxor (the pyramid looking one). You should go to M M World. It s not a casino, but it is a really cool store with all kinds of M M stuff. Makes great gifts. Also, on the top floor they show these really cute M M movies (free/super short). My fave that I ve seen is about Red who loses his M while gambling in Vegas. Shows: Vegas is famous for Cirque Du Soleil shows. All of which you d be happy seeing. The most popular one is O. The stage is raised, lowered, and tilted thourghout the performance so the stage goes from being dry and raised to nonexistant to acrobats flying off it perpendiculary to the water a few hundred feet below. The guy who created the Cirque shows Cirque and went to The Wynn and created a new show La Reve and that s the one I really want to see. I can t find a very good clip, but this one is okay http://www.truveo.com/Le-Reve-by-Franco-�� Alot of people think Ka is the best. There are always comedy, magic, music, and even puppet shows (you name it) all over Vegas and each of the casinos has there own thing. You can t get half off cirque shows (and you should definitely book those in advance if you know when you re going), but there are 1/2 off ticket places you can go to and they sell 1/2 off tickets of most of the shows in Vegas. You go the day of the show and see what s available. One 1/2 off place is in the Hawaian Marketplace the other is by fashion show mall. Big yellow sign you will see it.EVERYONE that comes to Vegas watches the watershows at The Bellagio. Here s a clip from one of my fave shows http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-ZpUzZ4Y�� . This only shows a tiny part of the fountain and it is very powerful in person. They have different shows every 15 minutes at night. During the day sometimes it is every half hour and sometimes every hour. You ll see hundred of people standing there to watch them.. They have a bunch of different songs and the water is choreographed differently to each one. Also, the Bellagio conservatory (inside the bellagio) is another free huge attraction. They create a different theme every few months and it is amazing what they make out of flowers. I like the chocolate fountains around the corner from the conservatory and its a good place to get a sweet treat and then sit by the window and check out the pool.Treasure Isaland has a free show right out front The Sirens. It used be a pirate show and they sunk the ship. Now they still sink the ship but it s more of a strip tease. Still neat to watch, but people get really close to each other so keep your hand on your wallet (I ve never known anyone who got pickpocketed there, but my hubby swears it s a prime spot).The Mirage has these cool volcanoes that erupt every hour at night outside. Very cool, the
For me the most fun in Vegas is just to people watch, on the strip. Maybe that s just me. I find something new in lots of casinos every time I go. You really should go through Caesars and see the dolphins and big cats at the Mirage. As for eating Hugo s at the Four Queen s is a dining experience and if you like Italian, try Fillinis s at the Stratosphere, it s a hidden gem.
Siegfried and Roy statue on the strip!
Depending on when you get here, try to get reservations for the Neon Graveyard. It s where the Killers (locals) filmed their All these things that I ve done video (see link)Drive out to Rhyolite (linked below) to see the ghost town. Then stay after dark to see the most amazing stars-- You ve never seen stars like this before. FreeDrive out to Red Rock to hike, climb, walk, ride the burros and horses (see third link) It s free unless you drive on the Preserve path. ($8 usually)If you want to party, dance, and drink, forget the $20 at the door places on the Strip. You ll pay for watered down drinks and probably get in a cat fight with girls doing coke in the bathroom. INSTEAD hang out in the Fruit Loop (4th link) and enjoy smaller clubs with nicer people, locals, who will also hep you to the best spas, shopping, and eating. In Vegas the gay scene is not all exclusive-- EVERYONE is welcome! I m a straight girl from California and I never would have had an ounce of fun if I hadn t spent every Monday night dancing with my roommates at the gay bars. Beer busts and drinks are like, 3-5$ and cover is usually $5 depending where you go.
Along with all the other great ideas others have submitted, I would also like to recommend renting a car. Cars typically are not that expensive, maybe a couple hundred dollars for a weekend and you can always get a gps added in, which can direct you to ANY site in Vegas. Gas is relatively average in price as long as you hit a gas station off the strip. A few places I enjoy visiting when I m in Vegas are: Mount Charleston (about 45-60 min drive), Red Rock Canyon (30-45 min drive), or Lake Mead/Hoover Dam (little farther, maybe 1.5-2 hours). I visit Vegas a few times a year and it s great to just get away from the craziness of the city for a few hours. My personal favorite is Mount Charleston, the scenery is completely different in the mountains and they have an awesome restaurant when you get the the highest point. The Las Vegas area has tons of national parks and other fun things to do, unfortunately, renting a car is the cheapest and most efficient way to do that.Good Luck!
I would see the elvis museum,it s not free but i d like to see it.The Fremont street light show,my personal favorite due to the history of fremont street with many movies filmed on what was once a road and you now walk on.Diamonds are forever (james bond 007) drove his Mustang Mach1 on that street in the movie.Golden Nuggets new shark pool you might want to check out.Yah,the M M s store is cool.Me,i hate the Wynn place,the shows might be interesting.I think the Excalibur has a Merlin show that s animated.Ceasar s Palace for photo s of dressed up in the roman attire.I too just enjoy sitting on a wall or something and watch the folks go by on the strip,i can relax and sometimes catch someone talking about a place i have not seen.I d like to see circus circus inside the adventure dome,free i don t know.Margaretaville is kind of neat on the strip.The Liberaci museum if you liked the way he dressed up with all the fancy clothing plus many of the piano s should be on display.So he was goofy ,who cares... his attire was diamonds,ruby s etc.Some may not be totally free BUT all in all should be a good time.I miss vegas!Sam s Town outskirts of vegas has/had a show of sorts but it s been a while visiting vegas so ya might want to ask on that.I think it was a waterfall/light show.