A Gamer lost in Las Vegas

[Turjan]

Where to escape the city and the heat

Heat? I go there for cooling down ! Anyway, when I was in Las Vegas in June there was still snow on the mountains west of the city. That looked quite nice from the hotel, but I don't know whether that's still the case.

 

[The Shaman]

DO NOT MISS...

...the Shark Reef aquarium at Mandalay Bay...

...Red Rock Canyon...

...Lake Mead and Hoover Dam...

...and the roller coaster at New York, New York.

And if you have the time, visit the Techatticup Ghost Town, about a half-hour outside the city - take the mine tour while you're there.

My wife and I were in Vegas last weekend - it was 117 degrees Fahrenheit at the lake. We encountered thunderstorms, flash floods, and sandstorms - just a typical trip to the desert. :\

 

[LightPhoenix]

I went to Vegas in February, and Blue Man Group was one of the best things I saw there. The shopping mall-thingee in Caesar's Palace is pretty cool. If you like poker, hang out in the Bellagio for a while and watch some poker. I saw a guy win a 100k pot while I was there, it was awesome.

 

[Alexander Heppe]

Wow, I'm quite overwhelmed by the quick responses so far. Most of the suggestions have already made it onto my To-Do-List. Thank you very much so far.

What about any good game or book stores? No LV Locals on this Board?

Anyway, just keep the good advice coming, I really appreciate it. It's always better to be coached by like-minded, fellow Gamers than simply relying on a one-for-all tourist guide/brochure...

Alex

 

[Angel Tarragon]

...Lake Mead and Hoover Dam...

That reminds me. If you plan on heading into Nevada by vehicle, find an alternate method to get into the state other than through the Hoover Dam. The security checkpoint they have setup is a mess, getting out of the state at least. And don't take a RV or rental vehicle through it. It took my parent and I a good portion of an hour (50 minutes!!!) getting out of Nevada through it. Going through the security checkpoint in a rental or an RV could take potentially twice as long or longer, as security will want to rummage through your vehicle for anything that might be a threat to national security. It is not nearly as bad to get into Nevada through it, but like I said, it could be a problem getting through if your in an RV. Just thought you'd like to know.

 

[kenobi65]

Just walking down the Strip at night is great. Various hotels have outdoor shows. It's been a while so I don't recall the hotel names but one had a great pirate ship attack, another was a volcano eruption.

The pirate ship show is at Treasure Island; the volcano is at the Mirage (which is right next door). The outdoor fountains at Bellagio are also very neat; they do a "show" choreographed to music (rotating through several different songs) every 15 minutes, IIRC. (If you've seen "Ocean's Eleven", the scene near the end of the movie, after the heist, as they all watch the fountain, is shot there.)

Even in late August, even at night, it's hot there. The heat just rolls off the pavement and sidewalk. If you're walking around, pace yourself, and (when possible) walk indoors.

 

[Alexander Heppe]

Thanks Frukathka, I'll keep your advice on crossing the Hoover Dam in mind. Thanks kenobi and templetroll, TI, Mirage and Bellagio are on my List as well. I'm still hoping on more gaming/fantasy/sci-fi related tips, though. So if anybody knows a Gamer from Las Vegas (are the locals called Vegans?) or knows a good Gamestore (or Bookstore, by the way), don't keep it to yourself.

And thanks for your replies so far, you guys are great!

Alex

 

[The Shaman]

The pirate ship show is at Treasure Island...

...is gone.

The ships are no longer a pirate ship and a King's warship - now they're both these awful fantasy-looking things, and one of them was moved from in front of the casino to one corner.

They seem to be abandoning the pirate theme and going for something more "fantasy island"-ish - even the sign out front has been neutered. :\

 

[Templetroll]

...is gone.

The ships are no longer a pirate ship and a King's warship - now they're both these awful fantasy-looking things, and one of them was moved from in front of the casino to one corner.

They seem to be abandoning the pirate theme and going for something more "fantasy island"-ish - even the sign out front has been neutered. :\

NOOooooo! Shiver me timbers, they gots the brains of a barnacle!!!

They need to put it back so Alex can see the show!