First time going to Vegas (1 Viewer)

[ratbastard]

As someone who has never been to LV, just reading this thread is exciting. Love the intel on the best/worst poker rooms as well.

 

[WedgeRock]

Maybe I missed it. Do we put our harvest requests right in this thread? Or will there be a separate thread?

3 racks of Paris. Please.

 

[Nanook]

I have been to Vegas Dozens of times over the years. As for Poker, my opinion is that there are only 4 or 5 rooms that are really worth going to. Aria & the Venetian are both excellent card rooms and if I want to play nl, one of those 2 rooms is probably where I would go. The Wynn is not bad either. For other non nl games Bellagio and Orleans would be on my list.

If you have never been to Vegas before you will be amazed at just how long it takes to walk from one casino to the next or even just from the strip into the Casino and back out to the strip again. EVERYTHING in Vegas is SUPERSIZED. The bigger Casinos like Bellagio, Aria, Wynn, Venetian etc are designed as a destination spot so you can go there and never have a reason to leave. You should leave whatever Casino/hotel you stay at and NOT spend 100% of your time there because, well, it's your first time to Vegas and there is so much there that it would be sort of a shame to just go to one casino and leave without doing at least a little exploring.

Someone said it earlier in this thread, but it is true that being in Vegas without money really sucks. Everything is expensive so bringing more than you think you will need isn't the worst idea ever. Budget your gambling money so if you have $1500 for the 3 nights don't make the mistake of blowing all $1500 the 1st night. $500 max/night and even if you blow all $1500 you will have at least had some fun all 3 nights.

 

[TheDonkeyKong]

Maybe I missed it. Do we put our harvest requests right in this thread? Or will there be a separate thread?

3 racks of Paris. Please.

Haha! I wish

 

[TheDonkeyKong]

I have been to Vegas Dozens of times over the years. As for Poker, my opinion is that there are only 4 or 5 rooms that are really worth going to. Aria & the Venetian are both excellent card rooms and if I want to play nl, one of those 2 rooms is probably where I would go. The Wynn is not bad either. For other non nl games Bellagio and Orleans would be on my list.

If you have never been to Vegas before you will be amazed at just how long it takes to walk from one casino to the next or even just from the strip into the Casino and back out to the strip again. EVERYTHING in Vegas is SUPERSIZED. The bigger Casinos like Bellagio, Aria, Wynn, Venetian etc are designed as a destination spot so you can go there and never have a reason to leave. You should leave whatever Casino/hotel you stay at and NOT spend 100% of your time there because, well, it's your first time to Vegas and there is so much there that it would be sort of a shame to just go to one casino and leave without doing at least a little exploring.

Someone said it earlier in this thread, but it is true that being in Vegas without money really sucks. Everything is expensive so bringing more than you think you will need isn't the worst idea ever. Budget your gambling money so if you have $1500 for the 3 nights don't make the mistake of blowing all $1500 the 1st night. $500 max/night and even if you blow all $1500 you will have at least had some fun all 3 nights.

Awesome thanks for the heads up. Will be looking to play 1/3 NL so this information is helpful! From what I’m seeing, the Venetian seems like the one. From stay, casino and how close it is to everything, it will work out great. I’m so excited can’t wait.

 

[Nanook]

Awesome thanks for the heads up. Will be looking to play 1/3 NL so this information is helpful! From what I’m seeing, the Venetian seems like the one. From stay, casino and how close it is to everything, it will work out great. I’m so excited can’t wait.

You are welcome. If you stay and play poker both at the Venetian you won't be disappointed. It isn't cheap, but it is quite nice.

 

[dkellerd]

Find one of the several Fat Tuesday’s, order a 190 Octane with an extra shot of Everclear and a Jell-O shot with whipped cream…do it, it does the trick! And also for a change of pace, Uber to the Pinball Hall of Fame…fun old pinball machines and other vintage games you won’t find elsewhere. Get a 3 day monorail pass to travel up and down the strip.

 

[Trihonda]

Ok, my advice is geared for the more budget conscious traveler. I tend to go on the cheap, but usually win enough at poker to cover all my trip costs. Its how I justify going as often as I do. These are my go-tos, but might not be yours (or others). I like cheap, but good. I’m not in it for THE best hotel or food, because there’s a huge massive leap in price. I want decent, but im not in my room much, so it’s more of a crash pad (location to other stuff is more important).

I like the Flamingo or PH for hotels (but since PH just closed their poker room, that’d be off my list. I think the flamingo poker room is very fishy and touristy. The room is right off the strip, so it brings in a lot of the drunken “hey, let’s play poker” crowd. I also like the last room I play for a day to be MY hotel, since I get tired amd can head right up to the room… if you’re playing until 2-3a and get tired at the Aria, it’s a 20-30 min walk back in the brisk air. I’m wide awake then… The rooms are clean amd serve my purpose. Often times most nights are comped, or discounted.

as for food, I’m all about good but cheap. I highly recommend the Ellis Island casino for gambling (other than poker) and the food.they have a bbq restaurant that is a local favorit, as well as a cafe that offers up amazing $9,99 steak meals. Now, it’s not a Ruths Chris steak, but it doesn’t seem like a $10 steak dinner. It feels more like what ids get at a steak supper club in the Midwest for $30. The casino is old vegas. They make you feel welcome. I’ve had pit bosses buy my buddy a pack of cigarettes when he needed a smoke. They want you to play there, and they treat you right. But it’s not as fancy as casinos on the strip. They also have their own micro brewery on site, with awesome fresh beers! Ellis is located one block behind Ballys, just off the strip. It’s about a 10 min walk from Bally’s or the flamingo. Ive eaten at the fancy places too, but I could eat at Ellis Island almost every meal of my trip, from huge breakfasts to steak dinner, prime rib, and BBQ…. Everytime I got to vegas, the locals rave about Ellis island. It’s def worth a try.

I also echo the advice of going to the Freemont Street experience at least once. Walk around, people watch, lol. The only poker game last I checked was in the golden nugget. .

as to getting around, skip the taxis, Uber is your friend - if you don’t have the app, get it. Use it. Ubers are about 1/3 the cost of taxis. For instance, a trip from the airport to the Flamingo is around a $30 taxi ride, or $11 by Uber. Same for going to Freemont. I’ve even gotten lazy with all the walking and taken a $7 Uber from the Aria to the Flamingo…. .

take in a show, I recommend the Circ shows, or Piff the Magic Dragon, but if going with the Mrs I’d also do one of the gondola rides at the V if that sounds fun. The high roller is fun too, if you like those sort of things, but just make sure to go pee, before you get on.

as for gamboling budget, I absolutely agree to have a daily stop loss. I’ve seen people with a 1500 budget, lose it all in day one, amd that ruins their trip. Take 500 with you each day. If you’re losing, don’t chase losses. I personally only gambol with a set amount each day, and if I win, I bank that away. So if I had 500 per day, and I win 500 on day one, I take my 500 winnings and my 500 investment and bank that, untouchable for the trip. That way, I’ll for sure leave with 1k. I then have two days of $500 gambols to play around with.

most of all, have fun!

here’s a meal from Ellis Island.

 

[billnict]

Ok, my advice is geared for the more budget conscious traveler. I tend to go on the cheap, but usually win enough at poker to cover all my trip costs. Its how I justify going as often as I do. These are my go-tos, but might not be yours (or others). I like cheap, but good. I’m not in it for THE best hotel or food, because there’s a huge massive leap in price. I want decent, but im not in my room much, so it’s more of a crash pad (location to other stuff is more important).

I like the Flamingo or PH for hotels (but since PH just closed their poker room, that’d be off my list. I think the flamingo poker room is very fishy and touristy. The room is right off the strip, so it brings in a lot of the drunken “hey, let’s play poker” crowd. I also like the last room I play for a day to be MY hotel, since I get tired amd can head right up to the room… if you’re playing until 2-3a and get tired at the Aria, it’s a 20-30 min walk back in the brisk air. I’m wide awake then… The rooms are clean amd serve my purpose. Often times most nights are comped, or discounted.

as for food, I’m all about good but cheap. I highly recommend the Ellis Island casino for gambling (other than poker) and the food.they have a bbq restaurant that is a local favorit, as well as a cafe that offers up amazing $9,99 steak meals. Now, it’s not a Ruths Chris steak, but it doesn’t seem like a $10 steak dinner. It feels more like what ids get at a steak supper club in the Midwest for $30. The casino is old vegas. They make you feel welcome. I’ve had pit bosses buy my buddy a pack of cigarettes when he needed a smoke. They want you to play there, and they treat you right. But it’s not as fancy as casinos on the strip. They also have their own micro brewery on site, with awesome fresh beers! Ellis is located one block behind Ballys, just off the strip. It’s about a 10 min walk from Bally’s or the flamingo. Ive eaten at the fancy places too, but I could eat at Ellis Island almost every meal of my trip, from huge breakfasts to steak dinner, prime rib, and BBQ…. Everytime I got to vegas, the locals rave about Ellis island. It’s def worth a try.

I also echo the advice of going to the Freemont Street experience at least once. Walk around, people watch, lol. The only poker game last I checked was in the golden nugget. .

as to getting around, skip the taxis, Uber is your friend - if you don’t have the app, get it. Use it. Ubers are about 1/3 the cost of taxis. For instance, a trip from the airport to the Flamingo is around a $30 taxi ride, or $11 by Uber. Same for going to Freemont. I’ve even gotten lazy with all the walking and taken a $7 Uber from the Aria to the Flamingo…. .

take in a show, I recommend the Circ shows, or Piff the Magic Dragon, but if going with the Mrs I’d also do one of the gondola rides at the V if that sounds fun. The high roller is fun too, if you like those sort of things, but just make sure to go pee, before you get on.

as for gamboling budget, I absolutely agree to have a daily stop loss. I’ve seen people with a 1500 budget, lose it all in day one, amd that ruins their trip. Take 500 with you each day. If you’re losing, don’t chase losses. I personally only gambol with a set amount each day, and if I win, I bank that away. So if I had 500 per day, and I win 500 on day one, I take my 500 winnings and my 500 investment and bank that, untouchable for the trip. That way, I’ll for sure leave with 1k. I then have two days of $500 gambols to play around with.

most of all, have fun!

here’s a meal from Ellis Island.

View attachment 743416

When I was in Las Vegas in late June, Uber and Lyft weren't much cheaper than a taxi thanks to "you know what." Hopefully it's gotten better since then...

Cheers!

 

[madforpancakes]

Ok, my advice is geared for the more budget conscious traveler. I tend to go on the cheap, but usually win enough at poker to cover all my trip costs. Its how I justify going as often as I do. These are my go-tos, but might not be yours (or others). I like cheap, but good. I’m not in it for THE best hotel or food, because there’s a huge massive leap in price. I want decent, but im not in my room much, so it’s more of a crash pad (location to other stuff is more important).

I like the Flamingo or PH for hotels (but since PH just closed their poker room, that’d be off my list. I think the flamingo poker room is very fishy and touristy. The room is right off the strip, so it brings in a lot of the drunken “hey, let’s play poker” crowd. I also like the last room I play for a day to be MY hotel, since I get tired amd can head right up to the room… if you’re playing until 2-3a and get tired at the Aria, it’s a 20-30 min walk back in the brisk air. I’m wide awake then… The rooms are clean amd serve my purpose. Often times most nights are comped, or discounted.

as for food, I’m all about good but cheap. I highly recommend the Ellis Island casino for gambling (other than poker) and the food.they have a bbq restaurant that is a local favorit, as well as a cafe that offers up amazing $9,99 steak meals. Now, it’s not a Ruths Chris steak, but it doesn’t seem like a $10 steak dinner. It feels more like what ids get at a steak supper club in the Midwest for $30. The casino is old vegas. They make you feel welcome. I’ve had pit bosses buy my buddy a pack of cigarettes when he needed a smoke. They want you to play there, and they treat you right. But it’s not as fancy as casinos on the strip. They also have their own micro brewery on site, with awesome fresh beers! Ellis is located one block behind Ballys, just off the strip. It’s about a 10 min walk from Bally’s or the flamingo. Ive eaten at the fancy places too, but I could eat at Ellis Island almost every meal of my trip, from huge breakfasts to steak dinner, prime rib, and BBQ…. Everytime I got to vegas, the locals rave about Ellis island. It’s def worth a try.

I also echo the advice of going to the Freemont Street experience at least once. Walk around, people watch, lol. The only poker game last I checked was in the golden nugget. .

as to getting around, skip the taxis, Uber is your friend - if you don’t have the app, get it. Use it. Ubers are about 1/3 the cost of taxis. For instance, a trip from the airport to the Flamingo is around a $30 taxi ride, or $11 by Uber. Same for going to Freemont. I’ve even gotten lazy with all the walking and taken a $7 Uber from the Aria to the Flamingo…. .

take in a show, I recommend the Circ shows, or Piff the Magic Dragon, but if going with the Mrs I’d also do one of the gondola rides at the V if that sounds fun. The high roller is fun too, if you like those sort of things, but just make sure to go pee, before you get on.

as for gamboling budget, I absolutely agree to have a daily stop loss. I’ve seen people with a 1500 budget, lose it all in day one, amd that ruins their trip. Take 500 with you each day. If you’re losing, don’t chase losses. I personally only gambol with a set amount each day, and if I win, I bank that away. So if I had 500 per day, and I win 500 on day one, I take my 500 winnings and my 500 investment and bank that, untouchable for the trip. That way, I’ll for sure leave with 1k. I then have two days of $500 gambols to play around with.

most of all, have fun!

here’s a meal from Ellis Island.

View attachment 743416

Love to hear the great review of Ellis Island! Been to Vegas quite a few times myself, but hadn't heard much about Ellis Island until recently on r/craps because it looks to have the lowest table limits. I'm staying at Bally's for my upcoming trip, stoked that this place is only a block away. It's a big ass Vegas block but still!

 

[buzzmonkey]

I have been to Vegas Dozens of times over the years. As for Poker, my opinion is that there are only 4 or 5 rooms that are really worth going to. Aria & the Venetian are both excellent card rooms and if I want to play nl, one of those 2 rooms is probably where I would go. The Wynn is not bad either. For other non nl games Bellagio and Orleans would be on my list.

If you have never been to Vegas before you will be amazed at just how long it takes to walk from one casino to the next or even just from the strip into the Casino and back out to the strip again. EVERYTHING in Vegas is SUPERSIZED. The bigger Casinos like Bellagio, Aria, Wynn, Venetian etc are designed as a destination spot so you can go there and never have a reason to leave. You should leave whatever Casino/hotel you stay at and NOT spend 100% of your time there because, well, it's your first time to Vegas and there is so much there that it would be sort of a shame to just go to one casino and leave without doing at least a little exploring.

Someone said it earlier in this thread, but it is true that being in Vegas without money really sucks. Everything is expensive so bringing more than you think you will need isn't the worst idea ever. Budget your gambling money so if you have $1500 for the 3 nights don't make the mistake of blowing all $1500 the 1st night. $500 max/night and even if you blow all $1500 you will have at least had some fun all 3 nights.

I'll add on to this and say don't try to do "everything." There is far too much to see or do on one trip.

 

[k9dr]

as to getting around, skip the taxis, Uber is your friend - if you don’t have the app, get it. Use it. Ubers are about 1/3 the cost of taxis. For instance, a trip from the airport to the Flamingo is around a $30 taxi ride, or $11 by Uber. Same for going to Freemont. I’ve even gotten lazy with all the walking and taken a $7 Uber from the Aria to the Flamingo…. .

I was in Las Vegas a few weeks ago and the availability of ubers was limited, wait times were long, and rides were expensive. Taxi rides from the airport are now a fixed rate based on where your hotel is:

 

[SpaceMonkey420]

Maybe I missed it. Do we put our harvest requests right in this thread? Or will there be a separate thread?

3 racks of Paris. Please.

Struck out hard there this week. Too many people. Couldn’t get close to staff, pits guarded the fills with their lives. Yes I offered double.

 

[Teach42]

Bellagio buffet is an annual tradition for our group. Never any regrets. Just know that the line can get long at times.

And I don't know if it's still the case, as it has been a while since I've gone. But at the Planet Hollywood poker room, around 3am it gets REAL easy. Lots of amateurs who sit down at the end of the night, more than lightly toasted, who just want to be able to say "I played poker in Vegas". If I remember right (highly debatable, it's been a while), I was playing 1/2 limit, and made about $600 each night between 3am and 5am.

 

[Moxie Mike]

I was in LV last month for a week, here are a few of my thoughts:

Food is pricey on the Strip. I would plan on $20/person for a casual/walkup meal and $30+/person for full service dining.

Most poker rooms only offer 1/3NL, I only saw 1/2 once and it was still $300 max so effectively 1/3. Aria, Caesar's, and Bellagio were surprisingly grindy and seemed to have lots of local regs and competent tourists. Bally's and Venetian were much better: more drinking in the evenings, and generally worse players all the time. YMMV.

Yeah pretty much this.

One trick if you're just walking around and want a drink is to go into one of the various CVS stores and grab a can of beer for $3 or 4 bucks. Much better than paying $9 apiece inside the casinos. There are no open container laws (or they're not enforced) so it's not a big deal to go in and out of the various properties with your beverage of choice.

As far as food goes, there's an alley on the north side of the Flamingo with a bunch of good options for various cuisines. Prices are probably $20/entree on avg. Bally's has a decent breakfast buffet for $13/person that's a pretty good value, especially if you eat enough to hold you over until dinner.

As far as where to stay? Caesars properties tend to be cheaper... 7 nights in June at Bally's was $300 total - with Diamond status at Caesars properties resort fees are waived.

As far as low stakes NLHE goes... the games at Bally's, The Flamingo & The Golden Nugget were the fishiest.

 

[EasyE]

Love to hear the great review of Ellis Island! Been to Vegas quite a few times myself, but hadn't heard much about Ellis Island until recently on r/craps because it looks to have the lowest table limits. I'm staying at Bally's for my upcoming trip, stoked that this place is only a block away. It's a big ass Vegas block but still!

I was going to add breakfast at Ellis island with $1 craps and roulette going on too then saw this. Great steak and eggs, bloody mary's and affordable gambling. A must stop for me at least once during a trip.

 

[Synthpop]

Poker room at planet Hollywood is closed.

If you are walking between Bally's and Ellis Island don't forget to check out stage door on the way. If nothing else for cheap sodas and beers...

 

[AlbinoDragon]

I'm more along the lines of @Trihonda as far as going a bit more on the cheaper side when I go to Vegas. I don't necessarily shun the "signature" restaurants at the big casinos, but know there is equally good food available just a smidge off strip. A few favorites:

Firefly on Paradise. Spanish style tapas and small plates. The best part is you order a few plates and can then order more of your favorites or try new ones. As each one is not a giant plate of food, it's possible to leave there quite content, far from miserably stuffed and having had a really good meal. I highly recommend the bacon wrapped stuffed dates!

https://www.fireflylv.com/

For a fun evening of Bavarian food, liter steins of beer, singing and a live band, complete with alpenhorn, Hofbrauhaus, also over on Paradise. Be sure to participate in the stein holding competition... it's not as easy as it seems!

[EDIT - I totally forgot... spankings!!! Maybe not when there with your S.O., but with a group of friends....]

https://www.hofbrauhauslasvegas.com/

And a restaurant I first experienced in L.A. when visiting friends there, Holsteins for pretty good burgers and boozy milkshakes. The bet part of going to the one in Vegas is taking what's left of your shake in a to-go cup and walking the strip with it!! Located in the second floor of the Cosmopolitan.

https://holsteinsburgers.com/




Damn, now I want to go. I made myself hungry and typing this and I just finished eating.

 

[FDLmold]

 

[BukNaked36]

These guys nail quite a few of the cheap places to eat in this video.

For poker rooms, download the poker atlas app. It tells you how many tables are going, wait list, current bonuses and phone number for each room. Most rooms you can call ahead to get on the list. The main rooms on the strip are Resorts World, Wynn, Venetian, Caesars, Bellagio, Aria and MGM. The smaller rooms are Flamingo and Ballys. Their list of Vegas rooms - https://www.pokeratlas.com/poker-rooms/las-vegas-nevada

The strip is big. It takes around 1.5 hours to walk from Wynn to Mandalay Bay. Mid strip is Caesars & Bellagio area.

Last trip I heard a woman ask "Is each one of these places like the size of airport?" I chuckled but it's actually a pretty good analogy.

Good Luck!

 

[TheDonkeyKong]

Ok, my advice is geared for the more budget conscious traveler. I tend to go on the cheap, but usually win enough at poker to cover all my trip costs. Its how I justify going as often as I do. These are my go-tos, but might not be yours (or others). I like cheap, but good. I’m not in it for THE best hotel or food, because there’s a huge massive leap in price. I want decent, but im not in my room much, so it’s more of a crash pad (location to other stuff is more important).

I like the Flamingo or PH for hotels (but since PH just closed their poker room, that’d be off my list. I think the flamingo poker room is very fishy and touristy. The room is right off the strip, so it brings in a lot of the drunken “hey, let’s play poker” crowd. I also like the last room I play for a day to be MY hotel, since I get tired amd can head right up to the room… if you’re playing until 2-3a and get tired at the Aria, it’s a 20-30 min walk back in the brisk air. I’m wide awake then… The rooms are clean amd serve my purpose. Often times most nights are comped, or discounted.

as for food, I’m all about good but cheap. I highly recommend the Ellis Island casino for gambling (other than poker) and the food.they have a bbq restaurant that is a local favorit, as well as a cafe that offers up amazing $9,99 steak meals. Now, it’s not a Ruths Chris steak, but it doesn’t seem like a $10 steak dinner. It feels more like what ids get at a steak supper club in the Midwest for $30. The casino is old vegas. They make you feel welcome. I’ve had pit bosses buy my buddy a pack of cigarettes when he needed a smoke. They want you to play there, and they treat you right. But it’s not as fancy as casinos on the strip. They also have their own micro brewery on site, with awesome fresh beers! Ellis is located one block behind Ballys, just off the strip. It’s about a 10 min walk from Bally’s or the flamingo. Ive eaten at the fancy places too, but I could eat at Ellis Island almost every meal of my trip, from huge breakfasts to steak dinner, prime rib, and BBQ…. Everytime I got to vegas, the locals rave about Ellis island. It’s def worth a try.

I also echo the advice of going to the Freemont Street experience at least once. Walk around, people watch, lol. The only poker game last I checked was in the golden nugget. .

as to getting around, skip the taxis, Uber is your friend - if you don’t have the app, get it. Use it. Ubers are about 1/3 the cost of taxis. For instance, a trip from the airport to the Flamingo is around a $30 taxi ride, or $11 by Uber. Same for going to Freemont. I’ve even gotten lazy with all the walking and taken a $7 Uber from the Aria to the Flamingo…. .

take in a show, I recommend the Circ shows, or Piff the Magic Dragon, but if going with the Mrs I’d also do one of the gondola rides at the V if that sounds fun. The high roller is fun too, if you like those sort of things, but just make sure to go pee, before you get on.

as for gamboling budget, I absolutely agree to have a daily stop loss. I’ve seen people with a 1500 budget, lose it all in day one, amd that ruins their trip. Take 500 with you each day. If you’re losing, don’t chase losses. I personally only gambol with a set amount each day, and if I win, I bank that away. So if I had 500 per day, and I win 500 on day one, I take my 500 winnings and my 500 investment and bank that, untouchable for the trip. That way, I’ll for sure leave with 1k. I then have two days of $500 gambols to play around with.

most of all, have fun!

here’s a meal from Ellis Island.

View attachment 743416

Awesome to know how others do Vegas and this was a great read. Made me look at it in a different perspective and I like how you DO Vegas. The part of rarely being in a hotel is true. I know personally we will probably leave the hotel early and won’t go back until the AM unless it is to freshen up. As for the places to eat they sound awesome and will definitely think about checking them out. There is so much stuff to do and see, as well as restaurants to eat at, casinos to gamble in, I think I’m already planing another trip before this one has even begun LOL!

 

[TheDonkeyKong]

Yeah pretty much this.

One trick if you're just walking around and want a drink is to go into one of the various CVS stores and grab a can of beer for $3 or 4 bucks. Much better than paying $9 apiece inside the casinos. There are no open container laws (or they're not enforced) so it's not a big deal to go in and out of the various properties with your beverage of choice.

As far as food goes, there's an alley on the north side of the Flamingo with a bunch of good options for various cuisines. Prices are probably $20/entree on avg. Bally's has a decent breakfast buffet for $13/person that's a pretty good value, especially if you eat enough to hold you over until dinner.

As far as where to stay? Caesars properties tend to be cheaper... 7 nights in June at Bally's was $300 total - with Diamond status at Caesars properties resort fees are waived.

As far as low stakes NLHE goes... the games at Bally's, The Flamingo & The Golden Nugget were the fishiest.

Definitely a good idea. Gonna be weird to slug beers while walking down the strip but I cannot wait to have many.

 

[crussader]

For a first trip I wouldn't recommend the venetian. It is at the very northern tip of the."heart of the strip". I would recommend the Bellagio. Next to Caesars. Right across the street from flamingo, Bally's, Paris, and the Linq. From Bellagio there is a free tram that will take you down to aria/park MGM with easy access to NY NY, Excalibur, Tropicana, and MGM. There's also a free tram at Excalibur that will get you to Luxor and Mandalay Bay.

 

[bradiggy]

Everybody has covered a lot of good stuff, but I'll throw my 2 cents in.
Assuming you and/or your friends are gamblers; take an Uber over to Jerry's Nugget for $1 craps. I couldn't find a strip table with less than $15mins on my last trip, which is a little pricey for me..
Tell your friends you brought them there for an authentic Vegas casino experience, but we both know you'll go to pocket some of the best $1 chips in Vegas.

 

[buzzmonkey]

Definitely a good idea. Gonna be weird to slug beers while walking down the strip but I cannot wait to have many.

No glass containers on the Strip and no glass or aluminum on Fremont and no drinking in the liquor store or convenience store.

 

[Highli99]

One trick if you're just walking around and want a drink is to go into one of the various CVS stores and grab a can of beer for $3 or 4 bucks.

I did this a bunch in my younger days. Also, the looks you get sitting down with a “tall boy” will guranteed action. When you pull a second “tall boy” out of your pouch while a beer is on order…that’s pro level getting paid with value bets. Almost as good as when I sat down at a game at the old osheas drinking from a pitcher, flipping sets of kings and arguing with floor about whether I could bet in .50 incriments. Stacking regs who leave the table is a rare Euphoria at a vegas poker table.

 

[auto]

As a chipper another cool place to check out is Spinettis Gaming Supplies.

 

[as4k]

Lots of amazing suggestions here! First time I went to Vegas I was maybe 14 or 15 (so, mid 1990's). I went back for a wedding 3 years ago and was floored at how much things had changed, but it still felt like Vegas
If you are up to playing off the strip, Red Rock is good. I played there and also really enjoyed the food there. Cant go wrong with In and Out if you dont have any near you. Hit up Freimont St for some interesting fun but also some neat street vendors. There is so much to see and do, I'd make a plan for some things you wanna do this time around. Enjoy!!

 

[moose]

I did this a bunch in my younger days. Also, the looks you get sitting down with a “tall boy” will guranteed action. When you pull a second “tall boy” out of your pouch while a beer is on order…that’s pro level getting paid with value bets. Almost as good as when I sat down at a game at the old osheas drinking from a pitcher, flipping sets of kings and arguing with floor about whether I could bet in .50 incriments. Stacking regs who leave the table is a rare Euphoria at a vegas poker table.

Pro level? Ha. Rookie level at best.

Pro level:

 

[spartan037]

I was in Las Vegas a few weeks ago and the availability of ubers was limited, wait times were long, and rides were expensive. Taxi rides from the airport are now a fixed rate based on where your hotel is:

View attachment 743679

I can vouch for this. It was in every cab I took on July 4th. Really early mornings taxis are ok because the street is dead otherwise Uber is better.

@TheDonkeyKong I would also recommend signing up for the Rewards every time you play at a casino for the first time. Every casino has their own rewards program and if they have multiple casinos you can use your rewards there. Examples Ceasear's rewards & Mlife. The Venetian and Palazzo are with the same company but their rewards only work at those 2 properties on Vegas. I spent like $500 gambling and now have 2 to 3 days comps at MGM's lower end properties. With pretty good discounts for the higher end properties.