This is the list of things we made for our friends on our top picks of things to do, places to go etc... We took this from first hand experience and a whole buncha ideas from this forum.
I figured a first timer might appreciate this if they were looking for ideas.
Go to Circus Circus for steak night (about $40 pp )
If you have the money, go to Rosemary's for dinner ( about $160 for two for the evening )
Go to Orleans for $3 blackjack tables (slower gambling we found, our money lasted us longer)
Go to Orleans for Breakfast $6.95 and lunch buffet $7.95 ( we found it to be fresh, tasty and not all laden with grease :) ) - remember to tip your bussers.
Take a one cup coffee maker - there are none in most of the hotel rooms ( I like cream in mine, so, brought instant flavoured coffee )
Watch the Bellagio Fountains
Sit on Mon Ami Gabi deck and watch fountains and people watch
If you are going to sit at one table and gamble a while, Tip $2 for first drink and $1 for each one thereafter.
Use a system for BJ, ask at the table for a strategy card or whatever, use a system for betting amounts, we use
3 if you win
8 if you win
4 if you win
12 then go back to
3
each time you lose, go back and start at 3
I have not thought about the math, but, my husband has, we did not make a lot of money, but managed to cover our hotel and food costs while we were there by doing this.
If we only got one chair at the BJ table, he played $20, I pocketed the made money and when he was out of his $20, I took $20 and went in and gave him all my made money etc... we played like that for hours.
Have a monetary budget each day for gambling, if you lose it QUIT playing that day! (best lesson learned!)
Check out Ellis Island for the $5 steak (you have to ask for it as it is not on the menu -but is advertised on their redo board outside the casino), but only if you have a car ( we heard it is not in your best interest to walk ~ although it seemed ok to us, we did drive each time. ) their micro brewery beer is great ( I think $1.50 for a huge mug )
Buy a day pass for the double decker busses and just sit back and check out everything.
see Purple Reign ( was at Monte Carlo on the Wednesday we were there )
Check out the free show at Rio
Go to Voo Doo lounge at Rio ( the best view ever! ) free to go up between 5-7 - check out the sub decks for celebrities, neat.
Most hotels have great lounge shows that are free. Unless you must see the big expensive shows ( Celine, KA, Zumanity etc... ) I would just stick to these personally.
Palms (accross the street from Rio) to see if you can see any celebs.
Get players card everywhere you can, they will send you offers for hotel specials when you get back.
We took the monorail on a one time pass $5.00, and just did the back and forth to see everything.
We wish we had made it to the Venetian to see the gondolas.
If you have a car, take a day trip, we heard Valley of Fire is great, but, never made it.
Nosh ( eatery ) in Bally's ~ we just split the Highroller sandwich ( ask for horseradish on the side -- whew! hot!) and we shared it, it was HUGE
Cheesecake factory in Caesars had huge plate sizes, everyone says just share meals
Put your players card in and play some slots to get your name registered at the different casino's, hopefully that will get you offers via e-mail.
Olive's at Bellagio was pricey for lunch ($80) but very good I thought. I don't know that I feel comfortable paying $80 for lunch to be honest, so, may not go back, but, great food and service.
The monte carlo micro brewery is great beer and awesome bands
PIANO BAR AT NYNY, sooo wish we had taken the advice of so many to go and watch this, we got there too late and it was packed out the doors. Duelling piano's
Shop at Bijou Terner ( there is about 10 of these in Vegas and everything in there is $10 ) they have cool scarves, purses, necklaces etc... I saw them at MJM, Flamingo and Rio and I have heard there are other places too.
M&M and Coke store for sure.
Go to the fourth floor to the right when you get off the escalator, they have all their marked down stuff there.
GET CHOCOLATE AT ETHEL M's :) YUM!!
If you are going to see any shows, use the 2-4-1 coupons in the magazines that are found in every hotel ( either that or pay $8 surcharge to get 2-4-1 at the two tix-4- 1 or whatever they are called - they are around the M&M store. ) So, just buy them at the actual box offices with the coupons. ( advice we got from someone else, but, it makes sense )
Do not fear using coupons, everyone does there.
Use all the slot match and the BJ match coupons that you can, it is free money.
The shops in the desert passages at Alladin are great to look in for sure.
If you go to Pussycat dolls early, you get in free, plus no lineups for PURE afterwards and I think you get in for free ( I have heard the cover charges are $25-35 each person!!! )
Check out the shadowbar, we are sooo doing this next time, we walked past it in the afternoon ( there was a dancer ) and meant to go back to watch more, but, never got there.
