Vegas planning

I’d appreciate any advice about how to plan my 4.5 days in Vegas in late February. I’ve never been. I will already be tired b/c I’m first flying to San Antonio to see friends for a few days. I’m mostly planning to just go from hotel to hotel and see all the amazing sights there. I had intended originally to see the Grand Canyon but it means about 10 hrs on a bus so, no. I might just see the Hoover Dam. All the tours that go to places like Red Rock Canyon say you can’t have back problems so I’m going to skip those. I want to see the downtown area as well as the strip, and I want to see Neon Museum. Other than that I want to see at least one show, dip my toes in the hotel pool (it will probably be too cold for real swimming), and eat at at least one fancy restaurant. I’m booked at the Venetian. I’m tempted to make a lot of dining reservations, buy show tickets, etc. but at the same time I like to have flexibility. I really don’t know how long it will take me to go from place to place or how much stamina I’ll have. I’m well aware that I can’t do everything. I have a short list of about 5 must dos.

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The Canyon from Vegas is a short trip by car. We rented a car to drive and I spend one day there and it was SO WORTH it.

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No amount of money is too much for renting a car to see the Grand Canyon.

I misunderstood.

That’s what I get for reading too quickly.

Red Rock is lovely and unless it’s changed there was plenty accessible without hiking too much. I went in a dress and sandals.

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Vegas is fluid enough it requires little planning outside of hotel and transportation. Most shows and restaurants are easy to come by. You could easily spend an entire day just hanging out at Venetian. For the sake of planning, book your must see show/restaurant. Arrange transportation/consider how you’re going to get downtown (old Vegas.)
Other than that, do not over-plan. Just let it happen to you …

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Vegas has some great sights and experiences! I agree about over planning. Maybe schedule one show and one dinner and then let the tide take you. My favorite thing to do is to walk from Wynn to Mandalay Bay and just stop in every hotel along that stretch (which IMO is all the best hotels on the strip). My favorites are the Venetian and Bellagio. Caesar’s Palace has some great shopping too and there is a mall near there as well.

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Unfortunately, I am really not up for renting a car in an unfamiliar area. I’m kind of a skittish driver. Also, with only 4.5 days, I want to mostly see Vegas. I have long planned this (I mean for like 10 yrs or more) as a family trip where we’d leave Vegas and spend several days in the Grand Canyon area. If I like my Vegas experience I still might do that one day, but I’ve never been able to get the kids interested in going (these are mostly teens now and still uninterested). There are the tours that take you to the GC by helicopter but I’m not sure I want to do that since I dislike flying of any sort and already have 3 flight days.

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BTW my short list of must do is:

–Bellagio fountains and conservatory
–Neon museum (relative talked for years about marrying here but changed mind, got me interested)
–A show (leaning towards Katy Perry or Absinthe, but still researching–was thinking David Copperfield but his reviews are scathing)
–See Eiffel tower at night, b/c I wanted to see the real thing at night but only was in Paris on a day tour
–Gamble for at least 5 minutes to say I did

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Makes sense. So much to do in Vegas! I’m sure you will have a fabulous time!

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My aunt and uncle used to live there. She worked for the construction company that built Venetian.

We got to see some behind the scenes pieces. Was cool.

I’ve only been there twice and in 1998 and 2000. We drove through in 2018 and I could not believe how different it looked. The hotels are set back, and they used to be admirable from the strip. Now so much is in front of the hotels.

You could honestly just visit hotel after hotel.

Do you like Avengers? They have a museum there.

I forget not everyone is as eager to drive as I am. Best to save GC for a family trip.

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She must. It’s on the sign. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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This one is unique, but very raunchy (especially the language). I thought it was ok, but wouldn’t be interested in seeing it again.

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Have you considered any Cirque du Soleil shows? I really enjoyed Love at the Mirage.

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Resist the urge to plan too much. As others said, it’s one of the best places to plan on the fly. Your plan to visit downtown is good. Fremont St. has a lot of sights and I really enjoyed the Mob Museum. I heard the million dollar photo op is gone from Binions casino, but that there’s a different one at Bally’s on the strip. It’s a good cheesy Vegas thing to do if you have a chance.

Walking the strip and checking out a bunch of the hotels is a great source of free entertainment. Love that the Conservatory is on your list. It’s one of my favorite places in Vegas. There is A LOT of walking involved just to get from one hotel to the next, but it’s so worth it.

I’ve seen a variety of shows there, from Carrot Top to Elton John. Never really hated one. The Cirque shows are good. My favorite is Love, but I also really liked MJ One at Mandalay Bay.

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I saw a lot of Cirque touring shows in the 90s when I dated someone who was obsessed with it. I think I’d like the O show, but would rather see it someday with my kids. I think I’d spend the whole time wishing they were there.

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I don’t mind driving in unfamiliar areas I mind parking in unfamiliar areas! Meters garages ect
have you looked into the monorail? Official Route Monorail Map of the Las Vegas Monorail

we were supposed to leave for Vegas tomorrow but I had to reschedule do to health issues. I had actually not planned on renting a car until later in the trip for hoover dam and Zion portions we had planned on using the monorail and walking the strip area.

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Do your research. When you look at the maps of the Strip, realize the scale of everything! Yes, it’s fun and easy to just walk from one hotel/casino to the next, again and again, but soon you will find you are a long ways from where you started. It’s more than three miles of walking, to go from the Mandalay Bay (at the south end of the Strip) to Circus Circus (almost north end). Things look so close on a map, but it’s deceptive.

The Strip has changed.I agree with @QwertySC

We made many trips there over the years, mostly for business, but it’s been a while for me - until last October. Now the hotel/casinos on the Strip are built out to the sidewalk and are just crammed together, trying to utilize every square foot along the street.

Vegas is definitely a different kind of place! It’s one of those places where you just have to see it in person. It sounds like you have a good plan started.

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O is the best show I’ve ever seen in my life. I’ve seen it twice. I get you’d feel bad but I’d do it anyway. I loved it all the more the second time.

Be sure when you’re at the Bellagio to check out the chocolate shop with its fountains too.

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I did this. It was back in 2003 or 4. Myself, fiance, and a friend. We thought it was way over priced … Until we took off. It was one of the best experiences I’ve ever done in Vegas. Worth it!

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I also did a helicopter tour from Vegas to the Grand Canyon (flew by Hoover Dam too), last November. It was a splurge, around $429, but I figured I wasn’t going to make a special trip to the GC so this was the only way I was going to see it. And it was definitely worth the money to me. But I wouldn’t recommend it if you don’t like flying. The flight was the best part of the tour for me, but my heart did some fluttering at moments.

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This is exactly what I was going to say. It would be perfect for the last day to give you a little quiet time in the desert if you don’t do the grand canyon.

Save the helicopter ride for being at the GC with your family. Experience of a life time.

As far as doing a little gambling, you are going to think I sound crazy, but the best odds for the player and the most fun on your own is playing craps. I was a complete gambling newbie when I went to a conference at Caesars palace in Vegas. I watch several videos on playing craps and learned the three basic bets which is all you need to know. I had the best time playing really suprised myself.

The biggest challenge is that the minimum bets are mostly now $25 at night. So bets add up quickly. But Paris and a few other places appear to have some $10 tables during the day. The Venetian is $15 during the day. It would give you a real Vegas experience, a rowdy craps table is really awesome.

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