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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Vegas must dos?
FI and I have decided that instead of doing gifts this year, we're going to do a weekend in Vegas. Neither of us have been there before, so we're pretty excited to go take a road trip and explore a bit.
Hoover Dam will be a stop for sure, but we're not sure what else would be the top things to hit in just a day or two actually in the city.
Any suggestions? If you've been, what was your favorite thing to do or see there?
Re: Vegas must dos?
South end of the strip is "the sign". It's on Las Vegas Blvd around Russell Road. Across from the casino that was called the Klondike. The casino may have closed by now, but it's good for parking.
If you are staying at Mandalay Bay, they usually give you a free pass to the House of Blues Foundation Room. This is different from the House of Blues on the main floor. The HoBFR is a great club with overstuffed couches and chairs, fireplaces, a bar and a relaxing enviroment. If you can afford the restaurant I highly recommend it. Their balcony gives you a great view down the strip. If you're religious, check out the HoB on the main floor on Sundays. They have a gosple brunch.
Luxor still has the pyramid shape and slightly the theme inside, but they have been re-doing it. I've never really found much I had to see there, but my friends had to see it because apparently Chris Angel did a promotion stunt there by somehow putting a playing card that he signed between the two panes of glass in the front door.
Excallibur has a fun Ren Show downstairs if you're into that. Other than that I always found it full of crying kids, which is a turn off for me.
NYNY has a rollar coaster which is just OK. Nothing to write home about. Coyote Ugly is here and I love the deli restaurant in the city section.
MGM has a lion exhibit, which is free. Not entirely excing because all they do is lie around all day, but worth a couple minutes gander. Sometimes they bring out babies that you can pay to have pictures with. Studio 54 is a fun club there. Also if you're a foodie, Wolfgang Puck has a restaurant there.
.... more to come
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The Monte Carlo has a cool Brew Pub downstairs. If you have a group you can buy this table-top tap thing. It's a glass container that you tap your beer off of.
The M and M Store and Coca-Cola store are in about this area as well. If your a fan, and even if you're not, it's cool to look at. If you have kids with you, the M and M store has a 3D movie that's pretty cute.
There's sort of a Hawaiin Market in this area. One of the stores on the corner is one that sells discount show tickets for the same night. Since the casinos want full houses each night they give the tickets to this place and you can bay them for cheaper than normal price. Every show room I've been in when in Vegas has been small, so there are no bad seats.
Harley Davidson Cafe is around this area, too.
... more to come
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The Bellagio is my favorite. While the fountains are impressive, they are not my favorite part. The lobby is great with it's Chihuly hand blown glass flowers. But if you keep going beyond this there is the conservatory. I've seen lifesized water wheels, green houses that you can walk through full of butterflies, bigger than life venus fly traps, trains that go all around it, just everything is amazing. If you keep going beyond this, there is the worlds tallest chocolate fountain.
Across from the Bellagio is the Planet Hollywood Casino. Miracle Mile shops are here. It's not bad and they are known for having a pretty good buffet.
City Center was finished recently and is next to the Bellagio. This I have never been through, but it looks pretty cool.
Caesers is across the other way from the Bellagio. It's cute, has a huge mall in it. A club. I never found it very special.
The Venetian has some awesome art to see. Also check out the gondola ride. It's cheaper if you go with another couple. The Grand Lux is great to eat in, but don't let it fool you - it's just the Cheesecake factory with a different name, same management. The Blue Man Group - great show! - and Phantom are also here. They also recently opened the Piazza, another tower with more mall stores and etc.
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Treasure Island has the Sirens of TI show outside which replaced the Pirate show. I find it pretty hoochie, but that's just my opinion.
Across from TI is Fashion Show Mall. Huge, but a mall is a mall. This one is just more expensive than regular ones.
The Wynn has some neat parasols that go up and down above one of their stair cases. I remember the view off their lobby was nice. Got to stay there one night and it was really nice.
The Rio has a great buffet. Last time I was there the price included going back all day. I don't recommend the seafoot buffet here. Parade in the sky is pretty neat to see and you get free beads. Voo Doo Lounge at the top has a great view of the strip from the middle.
Across from the Rio is the Palms. This is the one that had the MTV reality show in it. It also has the Play Boy Club up top.
Each time I'm in town I enjoy going to the Pepper Mill to eat. One side looks like a nice diner. The other side behind the glass door is a bar with a fire pit on water with music videos playing on screens above it. I guarantee you, you will not go away hungry from this restaurant. And Yummy!
The Stratosphere has the Top of the World Restaurant. It spins a 360 in about an hour so you get a full view of everything. Great restaurant usually, but a little expensive. If you go all the way to the top there are four rides. One is the Big Shot that goes straight up. One looks like a teeter totter that takes you over the edge of the building and sends you shooting straight down in a cart towards the street. The third, you get in a seat, you are swung out over the street, then they bring the chairs up so you are facing straight down to the ground as you spin. The latest one I have not tried. It looks like a bungy jump, but it isn't. You fall, but once you get close to the ground it slows you down instead of snapping you back up.
The Sahara has the Nascar stuff if you're interested in that. The ride is decent there. And you get to go two times when you're on it.
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Circus Circus has a cute theme park in it and I hear the steakhouse in there is damn good.
Past the south end of the strip is Freemont Street. This is the original strip where Elvis and the gang used to hang out. If you were into the Poker Tournament, this is where Binions is. Drinks and food are pretty cheap here, Plus the LED light show is just pretty awesome. They play music videos on a canopy that goes the lengh of the street. Most times there are two bands playing at either end and various street performers, kiosk vendors, people who draw pictures of your face, spray paint artists, and etc.
If you have time Yellow Brick Road is a fun show. YBRBand.com. At some of the station casinos they play at they are free, at others it's $5 cover. They are a classic rock band. They're real good and the lead singer, Brody for some songs dresses up like Ozzie, the Rolling Stones guy, Diamond Dave and acts like them. He'll go out into the crowd and interact with the audience doing stuff like changing Rolling Stones songs to "This guy can't get no hard erections" instead of "I can't get no satisfaction."
If you're into gay bars and drag shows, Free Zone off strip between the Hard Rock and the airport is a lot of fun. They usually have some good drink specials, it's the oldest Drag Show in Vegas I beleive (and pretty good to boot), plus... it's free to get in!
If you're into chocolates, Ethel M's Chocolate factory is off strip. It's real small, but You can walk through the facory and see their shop at the end. They also have a cactus garden to walk through that is supposed to have a very nice Christmas light display. When we were there, they gave away free chocolates in the shop.
This is a great site to check out how casinos and hotels really are. I've found their reviews are dead on: http://cheapovegas.com/index.php
Um um um... there's more I know that I 'm missing. Let me know if you have any questions. I lived there 7 years.
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Suddenly I feel like I need more than a day or two...
I am SO in for the rides off top of buildings... that is a for sure, must do. FI and I actually hung out at an amusement park one of our first days spent together and both love it, so we will be hitting that one up no doubt.
I think we're going to be staying at the South end of the strip. There's a marriott courtyard there that we can use points at, and it's really close. Looks like we might go this weekend actually. We may be able to do Friday to Monday if we go this week.
You hit a couple points that I had heard about but wasn't sure where they were exactly, and a lot that I hadn't ever heard of, but sound amazing!
Thank you so much for taking the time to type all of that... it's exactly the type of things I was looking for! We're not going to have a huge budget for this with all the wedding stuff going on still, but we both need a break! The discounted ticket info, and info on places that are free or low cover to get in are especially awesome. I really appreciate it!
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I did see something about that... I thought it was pretty interesting! Well, not topless, but you know... LOL
We're heading out in like an hour! I'm so excited!