I'm looking to do things as cheap as possible to pad my gambling bankroll, but also hit several non gambling attractions. I got 7 nights comp'd at the Flamingo using my Diamond card.
Questions....
1) What shows/non-gambling attractions would you reccomend? I don't care how touristy. Freemont street? Hoover Dam? Only thing on my list right now is Penn&Teller.
2) Are diamond lounges substantial enough for a meal? Any restrictions on entering aside from being a Diamond card holder? (AC requires 10k tier credits that year or something)
3) Any new player/other promos I should take advantage of? You can PM me of required. Looking to eat cheap/free mostly, or get free play I can use to pay for food/attractions. I'm super cheap. I don't care about over-extending my welcome comps as long as it doesn't affect me at any AC Casinos. Probably won't be back to Vegas for a while.
4) Anything else you want to tell me
Thanks in advance.
Just people watching is fun, too. TONS of beautiful women wearing very sexy clothes. And I'm not talking about escorts. Just regular tourists.
Quote: TigerWuPinball Hall of Fame is pretty fun. Not far off the strip.
Just people watching is fun, too. TONS of beautiful women wearing very sexy clothes. And I'm not talking about escorts. Just regular tourists.
Oh yea, that is also on my list. They have a nice collection and a one-off game called Pinball Circus that was never manufactured, it's the only place you can play it.
Pinball is my other hobby, I have 2 machines at home.
Penn&Teller is a good show choice. They are just all around decent. Best show experience to encompass it all would be Absinthe.
Be sure to ask a host for meal comps. Mailers for your next visit won't do you much good.
Quote: MaxPenI think everyone should do Hoover Dam once in their life. To include the tour down below. Red Rock Canyon, at least drive around the loop, is a must as well.
Flying in from the east coast so I won't have a car, but the misses wants to rent one and drive to the Grand Canyon one day. I'm not sold because I don't want to spend my vacation driving. Any buses out of Vegas to the Canyon?
No requirement like AC, great for drinking, not for dinner. Also very limited hours. Of all of them Caesars is the nicest, but again same food issues.
Quote: BozDo not count on eating at the Diamond Lounges in Vegas, they are nothing like AC. At best they put out some wings while they last around 5. And there usually is a line waiting. Almost sad.
No requirement like AC, great for drinking, not for dinner. Also very limited hours. Of all of them Caesars is the nicest, but again same food issues.
That's disappointing. At harrah's philly it's a full spread and no requirement either.
How about grocery stores near the strip? We are planning a few decent meals, but I remember the food in and around the strip being expensive and mostly mediocre. I'd rather blow $1k on craps rather than bar food all week.
Quote: FleaStiffBe sure to ask a host for meal comps. Mailers for your next visit won't do you much good.
No host, but sometimes if I flutter my eyebrows enough at check-in they'll give me some buffet passes.
I thought hoover damn was pretty cool. But it's also basically what you'd expect. If you really wanna do it, go ahead. But if you're on the fence about it or aren't super into it, skipping it wouldn't be a huge bummer.
Definitely go downtown. Bawdy and raucous during the evenings in particular, but fun. You wanna splurge on a meal? There are worse places than Hugo's Cellar at 4 Queens. Old school Vegas.
Quote: MaxPenI think everyone should do Hoover Dam once in their life. To include the tour down below. Red Rock Canyon, at least drive around the loop, is a must as well.
Penn&Teller is a good show choice. They are just all around decent. Best show experience to encompass it all would be Absinthe.
Very good recommendations, especially pinball.
Mob museum. Neon graveyard. Circus circus arcade.
Splurge a little and take the helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon. There's nothing like flying through it at low altitude.i think there are some which pick you up from the strip.
For basic groceries, there are Walgreens on the strip a couple of places. Or Uber to a store as someone suggested. Not sure if you have a refrigerator in your room, though if you don't , some places will bring one if you ask. (Insulin, I think, is the reason )
For the fountains, eat at Mon Ami Gabi at Paris, use your comps. They're right across the street from Bellagio, wonderful food, patio dining fountainside. They start outdoor seating right at 6 last I knew.
Quote: gamerfreakI remember the food in and around the strip being expensive and mostly mediocre..
That's about it. A few suggestions based on my preferences, your mileage may vary.
Pub 365 at Tuscany. Yea it's bar food but you won't pay strip prices.
Peppermill- good food 24/7 at reasonable prices.
Tacos El Gordo- (Wiz approved) world class tacos
Secret Pizza at Cosmo- over priced but best pizza on the strip
Atomic testing museum
Las Vegas Speedway (drive an exotic around the track, for a fee)
fire machine gun at a range
Double double gorilla style, fries and vanilla shake at In 'N Out
dine at the Steakhouse at CC (old school)
Go to Red Rocks and drive and walk around
If you have time, and the desire, get out of town and check out Laughlin (the Colorado river ran surprisingly clear, cool and deep) and Death Valley
Visit the Cal and MSS for that Hawaiian vibe
Also, if you go to the Bellagio for the fountains, go inside and check out their Conservatory.
And I will second the Pinball HOF. In addition, the Crown and Anchor Pub is a 1/2 block away. They offer a free lunch for $20 coin-in.
Quote: BozThat's about it. A few suggestions based on my preferences, your mileage may vary.
Pub 365 at Tuscany. Yea it's bar food but you won't pay strip prices.
Peppermill- good food 24/7 at reasonable prices.
Tacos El Gordo- (Wiz approved) world class tacos
Secret Pizza at Cosmo- over priced but best pizza on the strip
Tacos El Gordo is a strong recommendation.
I was in Vegas for the first time in years, about a month ago.
It's so different now that I was amazed, shocked, confused, disgusted, saddened, and thrilled.
Quote: klimate10How long ago were you in Vegas, OP?
I was in Vegas for the first time in years, about a month ago.
It's so different now that I was amazed, shocked, confused, disgusted, saddened, and thrilled.
Woulda been 2009 or 2010
Congrats, should be fun!Quote: gamerfreakMy actual first trip didn't count since I was 17 at the time (and not a troublemaker).
How on Earth did you get 7 nights comped? I'm Diamond and usually they won't do more than 3.Quote: gamerfreakI'm looking to do things as cheap as possible to pad my gambling bankroll, but also hit several non gambling attractions. I got 7 nights comp'd at the Flamingo using my Diamond card.
Penn and Teller is pretty awesome and DEFINITELY worth a viewing. I also loved the Million Dollar Quartet. My opinion... The BEST free thing in Vegas as a first timer is to go watch the bellagio water show at night. Like, literally hide it from your view during the day and go there before a show starts at night and get a good spot on the rail. If you're lucky enough to get something like "Luck Be a Lady Tonight" I think it's just seriously awesome and encompassing what vegas means to me (glitz, glamour, huge hotels/casinos/etc).Quote: gamerfreakQuestions....
1) What shows/non-gambling attractions would you reccomend? I don't care how touristy. Freemont street? Hoover Dam? Only thing on my list right now is Penn&Teller.
Well, they might only be open certain hours and have 'meal' food in the evenings. If you really wanted to, yes, you could make your meals out of this... Though there's also some places a couple doors down from you that have little food courts (subway, mcdonalds, chipotle, etc) that aren't too terribly expensive. If your room has a fridge and/or microwave you could also just go shopping off strip (walmart about 15 min away from flamingo). I'm sure someone else has already mentioned the steak and eggs at Ellis Island =P.Quote: gamerfreak2) Are diamond lounges substantial enough for a meal? Any restrictions on entering aside from being a Diamond card holder? (AC requires 10k tier credits that year or something)
Just ask around about what loss rebates are out there. There's a couple at the south end of the strip and I think maybe a couple downtown still. Also, if you're not worried about bigger/better promotions down the road, downtown you should be able to get coupons for free aces/etc when signing up. Not the biggest bets ($25 max I think) but certainly they carry a high advantage (51% for the ace coupon). You should absolutely have the american casino guide or the gambling with an edge bonus book (forget what it's called but it's on gamblingwithanedge.com). Those coupons for signing up are free bets and discounted buffets all over (especially downtown). You could easily make a couple hundo off that book and eat cheap for a few days.Quote: gamerfreak3) Any new player/other promos I should take advantage of? You can PM me of required. Looking to eat cheap/free mostly, or get free play I can use to pay for food/attractions. I'm super cheap. I don't care about over-extending my welcome comps as long as it doesn't affect me at any AC Casinos. Probably won't be back to Vegas for a while.
Don't try to do it all... You can't. I've been going several times a year for a long time and there's still things I haven't done that are on my list (gamblers book store, mob museum, grand canyon, etc). If you're there for 7 days and want to do attractions, aim for one every other day and just enjoy the rest. The Flamingo has a SWEET pool area, so be sure to enjoy that!Quote: gamerfreak4) Anything else you want to tell me
Quote: RomesHow on Earth did you get 7 nights comped? I'm Diamond and usually they won't do more than 3.
To be more accurate, I did have to pay for 2 nights (probably weekend, or because it's around 4th of July). It was around $170 total including taxes for 7 nights. I picked a premium room, the basic room was a little less and would have been around $120 for the full week. If I wasn't staying so long I could have gotten a suite comp'd.
The only APish shenanigans I've taken part in so far has been hustling comps with CET (I shouldn't really even have a diamond card). Apparently it's been working because they comp me extremely well for the amount that I play (maybe 1 trip a month to AC with a bankroll <$200). I can PM you details if you want, but I don't think I'm doing anything all that revolutionary that you wouldn't know about.
Go through it and make some plans. Divide the strip into sections, and figure one day a section.
I had some friends out a couple of weeks ago and they asked me about a bar I'd never heard of. A quick Google search showed it to be a gay bar. What it didn't show was they host something called Smash Brothers tournaments, and evidently have a worldwide reputation for them.
Downtown is worth a trip, I'd start at the Container Park and work my way to the Experience.
As far as the Grand Canyon goes, it's a long bus ride that leaves very early.
Most tours give substantial discounts if you book seven days in advance.
I wouldn't chase many sign up promos, instead I'd buy an American Casino Guide book and join the Las Vegas Advisor. For $50, you'll get hundreds of dollars of matchplays and discounts.
It's already been noted in other threads that myself and several other forum members will be out and about around this time frame.Quote: gamerfreakThanks for the advice Romes.
To be more accurate, I did have to pay for 2 nights (probably weekend, or because it's around 4th of July)...
Perhaps we should get some kind of Mini-Meetup going?
Quote: RomesIt's already been noted in other threads that myself and several other forum members will be out and about around this time frame.
Perhaps we should get some kind of Mini-Meetup going?
Think big. Mega- Meet up or bust.
Quote: billryan
I had some friends out a couple of weeks ago and they asked me about a bar I'd never heard of. A quick Google search showed it to be a gay bar. What it didn't show was they host something called Smash Brothers tournaments, and evidently have a worldwide reputation for them.
That just sounds eff'd up.
Quote: MaxPenThat just sounds eff'd up.
Yea not looking to get that weird.
But I did order American casino guide and join LVA, and what I am gathering is that this city has an obsession with buffets. I somehow managed to avoid them the first time I visited.
I saw P&T when I was there and remember it being awesome and want to see them one more time before they retire or die. I also saw one of the circ de variations which was also good. I hear Cris Angel isn't to be missed (joking). But I did want to catch one other magic show, Piff The Magic Dragon.
Quote: MrVfire machine gun at a range
I did this when I went last time, except I shot a .45 handgun because even that was stupid expensive, something like $1-$2 per round. I thought it was a little ironic that the state of Nevada figured I was responsible enough to handle a deadly weapon, but needed to be removed from a pool bar by security for ordering a soda.
When I was there, this Australian guy rolled up and dropped $700 to shoot everything on the wall because he loves guns they can't possess anything close to an semi or fully automatic weapon over there.
Quote: gamerfreakI did this when I went last time, except I shot a .45 handgun because even that was stupid expensive, something like $1-$2 per round. I thought it was a little ironic that the state of Nevada figured I was responsible enough to handle a deadly weapon, but needed to be removed from a pool bar by security for ordering a soda.
When I was there, this Australian guy rolled up and dropped $700 to shoot everything on the wall because he loves guns they can't possess anything close to an semi or fully automatic weapon over there.
There are some groupon deals for gUn ranges that make it not so bad.
Also if you are trying to really save money, are you playing myvegas?
At fifty million dollars an acre you ain't NEVER gonna get no grocery store on the strip.Quote: gamerfreakHow about grocery stores near the strip?
You got Walgreens and few places like that, you got a WalMart near that OTHER strip... but the best thing to do is simply take a Limo or Taxi from the airport: There is a "convenient" store adjacent to a 7-11 enroute to the strip and EVERY cab and limo driver in town shops there. Their parking lot is always full, the 7-11 lot is usually empty.
Quote: FleaStiffAt fifty million dollars an acre you ain't NEVER gonna get no grocery store on the strip.
You got Walgreens and few places like that
I'll take an Uber to the Walmart. I was in that Walgreens though, shampoo was $12 and kept under lock and key.
Probably easier and more reliable than the free Sam's Town shuttle.Quote: gamerfreakI'll take an Uber to the Walmart.
The Strip is always strange for its pricing. Eight dollar toothbrush at the Venetian; 99 cent tooth brush at the old Terribles (now Silver Sevens or something). I still remember that guy who hit a headline making slot machine payout on the Strip and then went shopping at The Salvation Army store.
Quote: RigondeauxIf you hit the flamingo for the dl
Whoops! You lost me there. What is the "dl"? (Obviously, Vegas-speak is not my primary language.)
If you do the dam tour first or second day there and rent the car you also can do your shopping .... my sister bought a $1.99 foam cooler at Walmart ...ice is FREE at all casinos....a large garbage bag inside the cooler keeps the ice /water in better as sometimes they do leak .....they bought cereal milk lunch meat(put inside ziplock bags and into the cooler) soda stuff like that ..cooler was kept in the bathtub ..... with the two teenagers along they saved a lot of money on food for the 5 days there were there
with a car you can also do the RED ROCK tour $7 or so ....go early in the morning for a chance to see some wildlife
Looking at the free play coupons here:
https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/member-rewards-list/
How many of those casinos are in close proximity such that I could grind out in 1 or 2 casino crawls without spending more on cabs than I'd profit?
Quote: LuckyPhowWhoops! You lost me there. What is the "dl"? (Obviously, Vegas-speak is not my primary language.)
dl = diamond lounge. I had to puzzle it out myself.
Remember however that even if YOU are stone cold sober every other driver in town and every pedestrian is drunk and gawking at the sights. Thats why I never rent a car in Vegas. Just not worth a DUI.Quote: coilman..... check out a car rental for a day or two ....
Oh, and it ain't 'insurance'... boothlings are not licensed to sell insurance. If it was insurance, the rental company could not charge what it does for it. If you have multiple credit cards, don't get mixed up which one has the automatic rental car collison damage waiver.
There was a time when just about everyone who checked into the old Imperial Palace was lugging a cooler of beer, lunch meats and condiments with them. Use the IP's ice machines, dance drunk on the balcony's rail and never buy a meal there. No bathtubs for the cooler though, not at the IP.
Looking at just the "Gambling" offers, it looks like the only "LVA Casino Crawl" opportunity would be to take a cab/Uber downtown. You can walk to all 6 properties on the list fairly easily.Quote: gamerfreakAnother question:
Looking at the free play coupons here:
https://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/member-rewards-list/
How many of those casinos are in close proximity such that I could grind out in 1 or 2 casino crawls without spending more on cabs than I'd profit?
Ellis Island is within walking distance of the Flamingo. Maybe Silver Sevens too, if you are feeling adventurous.
If you catch the shuttle (free with your TR card) from Harrah's to the Rio, you can hit up the Gold Coast (next door) and the Palms (across the street).
Being that he is from out of town how is he going to pick up the rebate money?Quote: Romes
Just ask around about what loss rebates are out there. There's a couple at the south end of the strip and I think maybe a couple downtown still.
There is a small shop attached to a bar behind Cromwell. Prices aren't great but much better than the strip.
Quote: billryanThe American Casino Guide has at least a dozen coupons for BOGO Strip meals, and the LVA book has some, as well. You are on vacation. Don't be like the Beverly Hillbillies, wheeling in 50 gallon coolers filled with sandwiches and fresh roadkill.
There is a small shop attached to a bar behind Cromwell. Prices aren't great but much better than the strip.
Yea it is a vacation but I'll be there 10 days. It's too easy to spend $100+ daily on garbage food in touristy places. Plus I like cold cuts. Every CET property I've been at has had a fridge in the room, is this not the case at the Flamingo?
a) not all of them are month long pickups/etc.Quote: AxelWolfBeing that he is from out of town how is he going to pick up the rebate money?
b) You know that question I always put in the poll of my threads "Does Axel have action on this???" ;-)
No, I do NOT have action on your phantom loss rebates.Quote: Romesa) not all of them are month long pickups/etc.
b) You know that question I always put in the poll of my threads "Does Axel have action on this???" ;-)
Yes! And as of May, the shows offered included Penn & Teller -- and not bad seats, either. We went last month and got 7th row from the stage.Quote: BTLWIDon't forget that your CET diamond entitles you to 2 free show tickets a month.
Also, I believe its 2 per calendar month, so if you arrive on June 30, you can get 2 the day you arrive, and then 2 more on July 1.
If you don't get comped or 'twoferred' to a meal, don't eat it. Sounds like that cooler and groceries is going to be best for you. It fits your budget and your desires to avoid Tourist Prices. Get water bottles at casinos you visit. If you do comped/discounted buffets you may want to be taking a break afterwards. Don't spend all your time treking from one special to another, explore some casinos and drink water. Sounds like your cooler and your brown paper bag will be more enjoyable to you than paying fifteen dollars for a four dollar sandwich. If you do go back to your hotel for a Cooler Lunch, change your shoes and drink water. Dehydration in a casino can prove to be very expensive in your gambling and non-gambling decision making skills.Quote: gamerfreakYea it is a vacation but I'll be there 10 days. It's too easy to spend $100+ daily on garbage food in touristy places. Plus I like cold cuts.
I've read through the blog and everybody provided great tips. I think he most AP thing you can do is to rent a car for a week. I don't know when you're going, but Vegas rental costs are dirt cheap! Sometimes I rent a vehicle because it's cheaper than round-trip costs of taxi for a weekend. It also helps that you are a diamond member. Trying to eat "cheap" on the strip will run you dry. If you had a car, you can go to off-strip casinos like Silverton, Red Rock, GVR, and etc to take advantage of their dirt cheap breakfast buffets. I highly recommend the Grand Canyon as well if you're going to be there for a week. Chances are, you may get sick of it. Let me give you some cheap recommendations when it comes to dining.
If it's on the N64 and the original version, my brother and I will be there to collect the winnings. Of course there's probably a 1% chance it's on the original game.. =PQuote: djatcI heard there's a big smash tourney in Mandalay bay soon.