Finding the Right Las Vegas Casino

Many people are planning a trip to Las Vegas this year. They plan on staying at a Las Vegas casino but have no idea which one to pick. There are an awful lot of Las Vas Vegas casinos to choose from. It is hard to decide what the perfect Las Vegas casino is. With careful thought, you should be able to decide which one is right for you.

There are many factors you should consider before choosing a Las Vegas casino. The first one is location. If you are coming from an airport, you may want to choose a Las Vegas casino that has a free shuttle. If you plan on touring the Las Vegas strip, you should choose a Las Vegas casino that is located directly on the strip. The Las Vegas strip is very long so be sure to choose a Las Vegas casino that is near the locations on the strip you wish to visit.

One Las Vegas casino you may enjoy is The Luxor. This Las Vegas Casino is Egyptian themed. The Luxor is shaped like an Egyptian pyramid. The elevators that go up to the hotel rooms even go up in a diagonal angle! There are also rides and attractions for children, all of which are Egyptian themed.

Another Las Vegas Casino you might enjoy is called The Excalibur. This Las Vegas Casino is medieval themed. The Excalibur has a show that portrays knights jousting, a midway with carnival games, and a whole menagerie of shops and restaurants. This Las Vegas casino is recommended if you have children.

There is another Las Vegas casino you may enjoy if you have children. It is called Circus Circus. Guess what the theme is for this casino? Circus Circus has a midway with many carnival games and circus acts every hour.

For a more adult themed Las Vegas casino, you may enjoy the Bellagio. This is an Italian themed casino. The Bellagio has gondolas surrounding the hotel for a romantic evening. They also offer fine Italian cuisines and have a very exquisite shopping center. This is a very popular Las Vegas casino.

All of these Las Vegas casinos have one thing in common and that’s lots of gambling! Las Vegas is located in Nevada and all forms of gambling are legal. Each one of the casinos offers a variety of gambling experience from: video slot machines, reel slots, video poker, poker, craps, roulette, keno, horse racing, black jack, and many more. You can also have alcoholic beverages while you are gambling and many are offered free by the casinos.

You will really enjoy your trip to Las Vegas. There is so much to do and so many different Las Vegas casinos to choose from. You may even want to visit more than one Las Vegas casino! Just don’t lose all of your money!

“Las Vegas” – Gambling, Golf And Good Times

In my previous writings I spoke about my Myrtle Beach and Disneyworld golf vacations, which are two excellent choices for golf and vacation destinations, no two ways about it. I had been alternating between both places for about ten years and had some great times but we were ready for a change, for something different. Where would we go next ? I had always wanted to return to Las Vegas since my first visit there in 1976, but just never had the opportunity. I had stopped in Las Vegas for three days on my return trip home from my Honeymoon in Hawaii, my favorite place on the planet, met some friends there and had a blast.

In 2002, my 50th birthday was quickly approaching and my significant other surprised me with a gift that I did not expect, a four day golf trip to Las Vegas. Can it get any better ? I guess maybe a five or six day trip would be better but she wanted to make sure we did not go broke while we were there so four days was a good compromise. We were staying at the MGM on Las Vegas Blvd., more commonly known as “The Strip”, where most of the more famous hotels in the city were aligned. From Mandalay Bay, The Luxor, Excalibur and New York, New York on the one end to Circus, Circus, The Riviera, The Sahara, and The Stratosphere on the other, and The Bellagio, Caesars Palace, Paris and Bally’s in between how could you go wrong ?

Then there was the golf. Upon review of the available golf courses we chose three venues that we thoroughly enjoyed. We played Bears Best, a Jack Nicklaus design and who is my favorite player of all time, as some of you may remember from a previous writing, Angel Park, an Arnold Palmer design and another magnificent golf venue, which includes three courses, The Mountain being my favorite, and last but certainly not least is Bali Hai, adjacent Mandalay Bay, right on the Strip. Jacks’ Bears Best course was designed by utilizing the signature hole layouts of some of his other outstanding golf course acomplishments to date and reproducing them in the Las Vegas landscape. The green fairways contrasting with the desert mountains and sand dunes in the background was a breathtaking site, especially if you have never been in the desert before. Angel Park was also very enjoyable and there was a great view of the golf course and a real green miniature golf course, (the only one I had ever seen) right off the dining veranda and the club house. It was a great setting for lunch as we took in the gorgeous panoramic view. Bali Hai was as exotic as the name exudes. With well over two thousand Palm Trees imported by the course designers, and many thousands of other varied forms of exotic plant life, complimented by the beautiful white sand bunkers, it added a tropical touch of the South Pacific to the desert, a unique and fun innovation to say the least. After 36 holes of golf at Bali Hai, my birthday celebration meal was a real treat. Dinner at the elegant Wolfgang Puck, “Cili” restaurant located right on premises, in the club house, at the Bali Hai golf course. The design and the ambiance of the restaurant and clubhouse was a continuation of the tropical theme so blatantly displayed on the golf course. Great food, fine wine, dessert and espresso with a touch of Sambuca to top off the meal, which included some live piano music playing in the background was the icing on my birthday cake so to speak.

After our dining experience at Cili’s we headed to the casinos. New York City is known as “The City That Never Sleeps”, but Las Vegas is the literal personification of that expression. We walked from one end of the Strip to the other stopping at almost every well known Casino in town and all the joints were hopping no matter what time we went in. New York, New York, MGM, The Bellagio, Caesars, Bally’s and Paris were our favorite stops. I actually won a few grand at The Bellagio but gave it right back at the Paris, but you only live once ( or do you ? – a topic for another time)so having fun should be the priority. It’s only money. Once you become enamored with the casino atmosphere and lack of daylight and get into a hot run on the Blackjack or Craps tables, it is very easy to transpose night and day. The hours pass quickly and I see many people having dinner at 5:00 or 6:00am and breakfast at 10:00pm or midnight for that matter. Since we were playing golf , we usually went to sleep around midnight and were out and about by 5:00am or so the next morning, which is when we noted the varied dining habits of the habitual gamblers and night time crowd.

As we strolled down the Vegas Strip I could almost feel the presence of some of the larger than life personalities who frequented Las Vegas in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s – Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy and the rest of the Rat Pack to name a few. I was especially reminded of Frank because Frank Jrs.’ face was plastered on the big sceeen video monitor and he was singing all of his dads hits and doing a pretty good job of it at that. Wayne Newton has been a lifer in Vegas and is still as popular as ever. Las Vegas has perhaps the biggest line up of top notch entertainment in the world. Wayne Newton, Barbra Streisand, Elton John, The Rolling Stones, Celine Dion, Tony Bennett and The Blue Man Group plus the first class Magic acts and much more all entertain in Las Vegas. The list of famous Las Vegas personalities from the Golden Age would not be complete without including mention of perhaps the most well known and idolized entertainer of all time, Mr. Las Vegas himself, the veritable “King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley”. His name is synonymous with the hierarchy of Las Vegas Royalty, they don’t refer to him as the King for nothing. The list goes on and on, but just check on line if you are planning a visit and you will note a dozen or more top rated shows at any particular time you may choose to plan a trip there. On our next night we walked the entire Strip again (aka Las Vegas Boulevard) starting at Mandalay Bay and finishing at the Sratosphere. We stopped in a least a half dozen Casinos, including MGM, New York, New York, Paris, Ballys’ and The Bellagio. The lights were incredible and the water light show in front of The Bellagio was most enjoyable and entertaining. It also kept me out of the casinos for a while longer and saved me some dough which made the time spent there that much more rewarding.

We revisited Las Vegas about four months later and we got some great deals on golf and hotel rooms. I guess they figured they should lower the rates for anyone crazy enough to play golf in 114 degree temperatures. It was tough I must say, but we played and still had a good time, wet face cloths and all. It was another wonderful vacation under our belt and they just keep getting better. If you’re considering Las Vegas for your next trip, I can guarantee you won’t be bored. It truly is the “City That Never Sleeps”. You can get some terrific packages, both for golf or just to stay and play at the resorts. Las Vegas is truly the ultimate playground for the over 21 crowd. Happy Vacationing and Golfing To All!

What to pack for a trip to Las Vegas, Nevada

I mentally pack our bags weeks ahead of a trip to Las Vegas because it gives me pleasure to think about where we’ll go and what we’ll do in Sin City. You don’t need much in Las Vegas and if you forget something, you’ll find most everything readily available although it may have sequins on it. Unless you’re planning on staying more than a few days, you definitely don’t need more than one carry on bag each.

Rule #1 comfortable shoes. You’ll have walked a long way by the time you even get out of the airport. The casinos are huge and even though they look close together down the Strip, we’re talking miles, not blocks. I bring a pair of tennis shoes and then dressy sandals for evenings. I also pack bandaids. My husband also brings tennis shoes and either nice sandals or leather shoes for evening.

Rule #2 no matter how hot it is outside, it may be cold in the casinos. Tank tops are fine, but pack a lightweight long-sleeved shirt to wear over it if air conditioning bothers you. Shows in the evening may also be cool so bring a lightweight wrap. Here’s what I take 1 pair jeans, 2 pairs cotton slacks or capris, 1 pair dressy pants, 4 tops (one of them dressy), underwear, nightgown, 2 swimsuits, and some sort of cover-up to wear to the pool. My husband also brings jeans, a good pair of slacks, 2 pairs of shorts (unless it’s cold; then he takes cotton pants); 3 cotton shirts or t-shirts; one dressier shirt; swimsuit; underwear, etc. Las Vegas is a casual place so don’t worry about being too fancy.

Rule #3 – What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Unfortunately that might mean your laptop or expensive camera if you’re not careful. While we always feel safe, be reminded that these are down times in Sin City and if opportunity strikes for someone out of luck, you could be, too. Women should either wear fanny packs (that fasten in front) or shoulder bags that can be held close to the body. Men might want to carry their wallets in a front pocket. By all means, take your digital camera if it’s not the thousand dollar model. You’ll want to take fun shots of your vacation. Of course disposable cameras are an even safer option and you can always have the photos printed on a disk when you get home.

Rule #4 A vacation to us means having coffee or tea in bed in the morning. Las Vegas hotels don’t provide in room coffee because they don’t want you in bed watching the early news; they want you down on the casino floor so that’s where the coffee is. We carry an electric tea pot so we can make tea or instant coffee. I also tuck in some granola bars so that we can have a snack with our hot beverage. We’re early risers so this works out well. By the time our friends or family members are up, we’ve already gone walking, swimming, or gambling and we’re ready for a real breakfast.

Before you know it, your brief stay is over. I tuck my still damp swimsuit from that last morning swim into a plastic bag, roll our dirty clothes into the bag and zip it up. When I leave home, I tuck an empty water bottle into my purse, fill it at the airport after going through security and then have water with me without having to pay five bucks for it. So, when it’s time to leave, I dump out the water and tuck the empty bottle back into my purse to do the same. I also pack the unused shampoos and soaps not for me but for a women’s crisis center back home. They appreciate these small toiletries for their often short term guests.

Now it’s time to leave unfortunately I didn’t need to buy an extra bag to carry all the money home, but maybe next time.

Night Life in Las Vegas

If you’re looking out for nightlife, Las Vegas is the correct place to enjoy at night. Nightlife in Las Vegas is most fascinating and spectacular place to see on earth; where coming across to alcohol is very easy. Thirty seven million tourists come each year to Las Vegas, as it is a home for casinos, luxurious hotels and clubs. Internationally Las Vegas is commonly known as the clubbing capital. Nightlife is famous in Las Vegas for its entertaining concerts, amazing shows and other live performances. Trip to Las Vegas will be incomplete if you dint watch the spectacular and full of entertainment Las Vegas shows. Nightlife in Las Vegas is very famous, as soon as the sun sets; there is such a huge display of sound and bright light, that it can be seen from the streets as well as from several miles away from the city. At night strips comes to life.

There are many things that comes into consideration for making the nightlife best in Las Vegas, it includes from going to hotels, casinos, or visiting any stage shows. Most of the hotels or the restaurants with their grand light display are open whole night. You need to come with full preparation and planning, during your visit so that you don’t miss any chance to enjoy as there are plenty of things to do and to see in Las Vegas. Incase if you come to Las Vegas without any planning, but you get the idea from where to start your nightlife, you can experience the best nightlife in your entire life. Most of the people with less planned vacation start their nightlife from one end of the strip to the other end. By doing so people can get experience of every single enjoyment of nightlife without even doing much planning.

Incase if your Las Vegas visit is of short duration and you have less time limit for your enjoyment, then make a plan for what all important things should be seen when time is running out of your hands. Plan your vacation by contacting your travel agent or browse the web so that you can make selection of the places to visit and activities to participate.
Few important activities that you should not miss are the Fremont Experience, the Eiffel Tower replica, The Star Trek Experience, Bellagio Fountains and the Stratosphere Tower. Whenever you visit those places you can enjoy the sounds and the sights of Las Vegas. Even during night times these activities are open.

If you want to book a lavishing car, like limousine or you want to have dinner at a restaurant with high rates or have night party at a hot trendy spot, then you can come across unexpected expenses. If you are running from short of money, Las Vegas personal loan can help you out by giving fast cash loan from $50 to $1500, so that you don’t restrict yourself from having the best time in Las Vegas, there is another option of getting finance, with a online free mortgage quote get a Las Vegas mortgage refinance. By getting no obligation house loan consultation, your house loan rate get be reduced. It is better to be free financially by reducing the mortgage amounts.

There are variations of nightclubs in Las Vegas from retro sound to hip-hop, from Jazz to discos, from salsa to Latin, from underage clubs to upscale styling club. Voodoo Lounge is best place for salsa. On Friday retro happy hours are prime features in the Beauty Bar. You can get both combinations of latest tracks as well as old memories in “Poetry”. For every taste and moods you can find bars, from Las Vegas sport bars, to quite and romantic bars, or a bar where you can have conversations. Few bars are so perfect to sip martini or a glass of malt scotch. Luxor Noir Bar, Auroro Bar, High Bar, Kahunaville Bar are the names of few famous bars in Las Vegas.

Today Las Vegas is not only a place for gambling, but now it has also become a part of famous places to eat. Las Vegas have plenty of restaurants with top most chefs from dining industry. You can get buffets with affordable price to top-class remarkable restaurants. The Joel Robuchon is one of the famous restaurants in Las Vegas; you can check out for Guy Savoy restaurant and try some French dishes. Alizè restaurant offers elegant rooms to dine; along with Vegas skyline view, this restaurant is also famous for its award-wining list of wines.

Keep in mind when you are consuming lots of alcohol, drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated. Always keep safety in mind about your health, so that instead of spending time in hospital you can enjoy Las Vegas.

Five Diamond Restaurants in Las Vegas

Each mega-resort on the Las Vegas strip hosts several premium restaurants to choose from, and the strip is home to four 5 Diamond Award winning restaurants which are sure to crave your hunger for a fine exquisitely prepared meal. These restaurants are Alex at Wynn Las Vegas, Joël Robuchon in the MGM Grand and Le Cirque and Picasso, both in the Bellagio.

Executive chef Alex Stratta earned his Five Diamonds in less than a year after opening his restaurant Alex at Wynn Las Vegas. At the time, only three other Las Vegas restaurants held the honor, a notable accomplishment. Carolyn Bates of gourmet magazine called this restaurant, “An exquisite jewelbox.” She went on to say that she would be surprised if any meal would surpass her experience. In-house Wynn designer, Roger Thomas, designed Alex with a theatrical grandeur that is sure to impress even royalty. Dinners here start at about $120 per person and up.

During a recent trip to Las Vegas, I had the pleasure of eating at L’Atelier, one of chef Joël Robuchon two new restaurants at the MGM Grand. I must say it was the best meal I’ve ever had the pleasure to have. The food was delicious, the service was equally impressive. Robuchon’s more formal dining room simply called Joël Robuchon offers a $360, 16-course tasting menu, or a $225 six-course option. L’Atelier features a hip, fun and active atmosphere while Joël Robuchon features more sophisticated and exotic surroundings. If you have just one meal in Las Vegas, have it here.

If you’re staying at the Bellagio, you have the option of picking from two Five Diamond restaurants each with its own delicious and unique offerings. Le Cirque is a whimsical French delight created by charismatic Restaurateur, Sirio Maccioni. Decorated in a jubilant showing of brilliant color, this famed lakeside destination offers fantastic views of The Bellagio fountains. For a mixture of French and Spanish cuisine, guests can visit executive chef’s Julian Serrano restaurant Picasso. This restaurant has won the Five Diamond award for 6 consecutive years and boasts a wine cellar stocked with more than 1,000 bottles from the finest European vineyards. In addition to satisfying your hunger, Picasso will satisfy your hunger for beauty as well as the dining room is decorated with original Pablo Picasso artwork.

Apart from the Five Diamond restaurants, there are dozens of other just as notable restaurants from fine dining along the Las Vegas strip. For example a really hot dinner reservation at the moment, is at Restaurant Guy Savoy at Caesar’s Palace. This restaurant offers a fast paced four course menu that is sure to introduce patrons to the creations of one of France’s most renowned chefs and get them to the Cher concert on time. A more relaxed ten-course tasting menu is available for $290.

Mix, 64 floors above the Las Vegas Strip at the Mandaly Bay’s THEHotel, features great food and an ambiance you won’t soon forget with hundreds of hanging translucent globes and breathtaking views of the city. Mandalay bay also features two other notable restaurants: Fleur de Lys and Aureole, in which Wine Angel Stewards ascend a four story glass tower to retrieve your favored bottle of wine. No matter where you choose to stay while in Las Vegas, you are sure to find some amazing restaurants nearby.

Listen to the full episode of Universe of Luxury: Las Vegas Edition