Christmastime in Sin City (Plus Some Best Ofs)

Like everything else in Vegas, Christmas is BIG. It’s everywhere during the month of December, and it’s kind of a unique holiday experience. I read that Las Vegas is the top Christmas destination in the U.S. and having now been there during the holiday season, I can see why.

You see, in Vegas, they don’t do just a Christmas tree, they do the BIGGEST, BEST, MOST SPARKLY Christmas tree. They don’t do Santa, they do Elvis Santa. They don’t do snow, well, actually, this year they did do snow. We had flurries one day we were there, and on the day we flew out, a record snow storm blew in behind us. See?! Even snow in Vegas, when they get it, they go all out. And if they didn’t get any snow, the Bellagio was prepared, they made their own flakes to fall.

Speaking of the Bellagio, I think that hotel did the best job of presenting a Vegas Christmas. The beautiful dancing fountains outside pushed Celine and Cher off of the music list and instead danced to Christmas tunes, and I think put on some of their best shows ever (and I’ve seen a few now.) The Bellagio garden surely decked the halls by putting out its Christmas finest. There was a monster wreath that you could walk through, ginormous snowmen with falling fake snow, a rocking horse that was big enough to eat the passersby, reindeer flying through the sky, and, oh yeah, one heck of a Christmas tree surrounded by poinsettias. In the hallways and the lobby of the hotel, there were more Christmas decorations. There were toy soldiers (that were larger-than-life-sized) and Christmas candy hanging from the ceiling and stacks of even more larger-than-life-sized presents that were so sparkly that you could see your reflection in them.

But Bellagio didn’t corner the Vegas Christmas market. Every hotel lobby had monstrous-sized garland and bows and wreaths just hanging around. The chocolate shops had chocolate Santas that would take a week to eat just a foot. The pastry shops had gingerbread houses that you could live in, but probably then not want to chow down on. The brand-new Palazzo hotel had a water fountain filled with real cranberries floating on the water, and golden, glittery pinecones as ornaments. The Wynn hotel had lighted trees at the entrance like a winter wonderland.

Freemont Street was not to be outdone, either. Right next to the giant neon cowboy and cowgirl there was a Christmas tree that almost touched the lights from the canopy. Christmas music bounced off the walkway walls as we bounced from casino to casino to find the perfect slot machine.

The Freemont Street Experience light show also had a little holiday show that followed its regularly scheduled program. Alas, moron that I am, I thought I videoed it but had the stupid camera turned off. However, it was a delight to see the giant snowmen and giant candy canes dance on the ceiling, followed by, of course, a giant Santa.

Christmas was definitely in the air, the food, the water and the décor. Vegas is all about going big!

We managed to snag a great "Please come to Vegas, we’re really hurting" deal that included airfare and 5 nights at Caesar’s Palace, including an upgrade to the Forum Tower. I’ve stayed in many a hotel in Las Vegas, but this was my first Caesar’s Experience, and never let it be said that I’m not up for something new, so we booked.

I’ve got to say that it was one of the nicer hotels that I’ve stayed in during my trips to Las Vegas. (See my Best Vegas Hotels journal.) The property had everything you could ever want, and a staff that nearly fell over themselves to make sure you were having a great time. Admittedly, it was the slow month of December in the middle of an economic crisis, but it was still a nice property.

Upon arrival, we were checked into a room with two queen beds and no view (we had requested a King room, but since our plane arrived at 10 p.m., all the no-smoking King rooms were gone.) We were told that they’d reserve the room we’d requested for us the next day, so we could switch, and one night wasn’t that big of a deal. The room was not in the Forum Tower, but in the newer Augustus Tower, and was a beautiful room. It had to have been one of the second-biggest I’d stayed in on the Strip, and everything was new. The décor was classic, both manly and female at the same time.

When we changed rooms the next day, we were moved into the even newer Palace Tower. The room looked much the same, with the same décor, just with a King bed and a view of the Strip – out over the Bellagio fountains and towards Bally’s, Paris and Planet Hollywood.

There are plenty of restaurants available, including those in the Forum Shops, and oh yeah, the Forum Shops. However, in my humble opinion, one of Caesar’s strengths is also one of its biggest downfalls. This property is EXPANSIVE, and stretches over several Vegas blocks. However, that’s a bad thing, too. You have to walk 50 miles (exaggeration) to get anywhere. Want to shop? Walk 20 minutes. Want to eat? Walk 20 minutes. Forget something in your room? Walk 20 minutes.

However, I will give it one thing. In property, it’s all about location, location, location, and Caesar’s has location coming out of its ears. Situated in the heart of the Strip, it’s a (fairly) easy walk to the Mirage, TI, Venetian, Paris, Planet Hollywood, Bally’s, Bellagio, etc.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this property, with the above caveats in mind. And also, only if you can find a deal. In normal times, I’ve found that Caesar’s usually wants a small fortune to stay in one of their upgraded rooms, so just be smart.

Payard Chocolate Shop has one of the best marketing strategies I’ve ever witnessed. Pump the smell of luscious chocolate through the casino and the room towers, and then let the masses follow their noses to the establishment. It worked on me! Every time we went to our room, we would pass Payard and smell that chocolate smell and crave the sweets they had inside. So much so, that we stopped in the little restaurant – open only for breakfast, brunch and lunch – to have breakfast.

I ordered a chocolate waffle with bananas, and Jim ordered a two-egg omelet. If there were two eggs in that omelet, they had to have been ostrich eggs, because that was the biggest omelet I’d ever seen in my entire life! And my chocolate waffle was much more than that, the waffle pieces stood up on end and saluted the bananas foster that surrounded them, topped with whipped crème. Can I just say – yum! The breakfast cost us about $30, but that’s less than what we would’ve spent on a weekend brunch.

Jim was also excited about the coffee, he said it was some of the best he’d tasted. We asked, and it was Illy coffee, from Italy. When I was in Italy, I’d seen signs for this everywhere, but not being able to have caffeine, I generally don’t drink coffee. The waiter said it was the best coffee in the world, and Jim seemed to agree. So much so, that I bought him some for Christmas and he thinks it’s far better than his old favorite, Dunkin Donuts.

Anyway, everything was so good, and the chocolate scent so enticing, that we stopped there on the morning of our road trip to Death Valley to pick up some coffee for the road and some breakfast pastries. Turns out, it was just as good as eating in the little restaurant, just a little faster.

There are chocolate treats to take home as well, but I think they were a bit pricy. However I’m sure that would’ve been a nice treat for someone back home.

When in Caesar’s, follow your nose to Payard, and you won’t be disappointed.

No trip to Las Vegas is complete without at least one splurge on a fantastic steak dinner. We did our research online before we arrived, and decided that we’d try Wolfgang Puck’s new steak house, Cut, located in the new Palazzo. Because it was so new, we couldn’t get much feedback from those we asked, but hey, the menu online looked good, and it’s Wolfgang Puck, so how bad could it be.

The only bad thing about the place was the prices. Even though we’d seen the menu online, clearly, times are bad, because the prices had increased significantly. I think we were in a bit of sticker shock. Once we recovered, I think we developed a good plan to order good food and not break the bank, so we didn’t get up and run out screaming.

We had a few waiters/waitresses taking care of us. Sometimes, I feel like this is a pretentious show that mostly annoys and interrupts at the most inopportune times. However, at Cut, I felt like it was more a matter of specialties. Our waitress was a specialist in the meat cuts and drinks, and explaining the menu. Our waiter brought our bread, our in-between course treats, etc. It was like a choreographed dance, and it didn’t make me feel like I was being bombarded, it was more like I was being well taken care of.

But I’m sure you don’t care about that. You want to know about the food. Well, there were several cuts of meat to chose from, and several types. There was Angus, American Kobe (which is a hybrid of Angus and Kobe) and there was real, live, expensive Kobe beef. We decided to go with the American Kobe filet, which at 6 oz was listed for $54 on the menu. Whew! We added 2 more ounces for $20, and split the filet, along with a Caesar salad and pureed potatoes for our side. I think we’d have each ordered our own dinner if it wouldn’t have put us out $150, but this way, we had, as it turns out, plenty of food.

With all the bread sticks, and muffins with gruyere cheese, and pretzel rolls, and rye bread, etc. there’s plenty of things to eat. The Caesar salad was also plenty, and had the most tender lettuce I’d ever eaten. When the steak came, it was crusted with a variety of herbs and spices, and was cooked almost perfectly (medium plus.) We could’ve cut it with our fork, but we used the steak knives they brought us anyway. Both of us tried the mustard sampler they brought us, and we had ordered the house-made steak sauce (at $3 extra) to try, but the steak was so flavorful, that it was almost a sin to put anything on it. My boyfriend said it was the best steak he’d ever had. Now, I’ve had some good steak, so I couldn’t go that far, but it was darn good.

We wanted to order desert, at another $17, but we were in a hurry to get to our show, and we didn’t want to wait. However, they brought us each two small desert samplers, a key lime bar and a caramel/cashew bar. That was enough dessert for me, and they were very tasty.

Overall, one American Kobe steak, one Caesar’s salad, water to drink, and potato puree ran us $120. Merry Christmas to us. :) However, if you’re going to pay that much, you’d better get good eats, and we did, we really did.

I think I have written about this buffet in almost every Vegas journal I’ve written for IgoUgo, but folks, it’s THAT GOOD. If you don’t eat here, you’re just crazy.

Among my friends that have visited Las Vegas, and among those who really want to visit Las Vegas, the Le Village Buffet is possibly one of the most talked-about spots on the Strip. And it’s not just us, it gets voted the best breakfast in Vegas almost every year by almost every entity that makes such a list.

You’ll likely want to avoid it on a weekend day, unless standing in line doesn’t bother you. Weekday mornings still find a line, but usually one that moves a little faster and doesn’t wind around the casino. Weekday prices are $13.95 for the buffet – which may seem like a lot, but the days of the cheap-but-good Vegas buffet have gone the way of the dodo.

What makes this place so good? I have one word for you, CREPES! But seriously, it’s not just the made-in-front-of-you and the filled-with-whatever-you-ask-for fresh crepes, which you can then pile powdered sugar, chocolate and whipped cream on top of. Okay, it is just that. But in addition, there are plenty of other choices that make it worth your while. There are scrambled eggs with bacon, without bacon, there are different types of hashbrowns and breakfast potatoes, there’s bacon, there are pancakes, there’s French toast and just bread toast. There’s fruit, there are breads, there are chocolate croissants (the French should get an award for that invention) and there’s tasty coffee to wash it down with.

I told the crepe chefs while I waited for my crepe filled with strawberry sauce and chocolate how famous they were in my travel circle, and they seemed very pleased with their status.

This is hands down, no questions asked, the BEST breakfast you’ll have in Las Vegas. Don’t miss it!

I’m always raving about the Paris Breakfast Buffet, and rightly so. But this visit, we came across a coupon for the Rio Breakfast Buffet, and so I thought I’d give another establishment a chance to knock the Le Village Buffet off it’s top notch.

The draw of the breakfast buffet at the Rio is that it features food from around the world. The idea is good in theory, and is even good in just a few of the foods. However, it was far inferior, and at $20 a pop (before coupon) it’s really not worth the money.

Now, I think if you arrived early, on a weekend day, when they keep the food flowing and it doesn’t sit for a while, you might be more satisfied. However, when a breakfast burrito sits around under a heater, good things don’t happen. Actually, it was the breakfast burrito from the Mexican station, filled with eggs and ground beef that was one of the breakfast highlights, along with some chicken taquitos. The traditional scrambled eggs were less than tasty and a bit watery. The fresh-made omelet that I ordered with only 2 ingredients, cheese and bacon, was hardly edible and way too brown. The pancakes were soggy, the French toast sticks were chewy and tough, and the bacon was flimsy and soft. There were some sweets available, in the form of pecan pie tarts, lemon tarts, and chocolate canolli bites. However, they turned out to be way to sweet for breakfast, and while they tasted good, a bite or two was about all I could stomach.

Save your money, and eat at the Paris buffet. I’ve now confirmed it’s the best.

We agreed to see two shows when we went on our December trip to Las Vegas. One picked by me, one picked by my boyfriend. Who knew that it would be the "guy show" that would come out the winner of the week?

I was weary when Jim told me that he wanted to see Carrot Top. I’d seen Carrot Top on TV before, and never been that impressed. I’d had one sighting of him walking between the Luxor to Mandalay Bay, and his little head with that big hair on that way over-worked-out muscular body just turned me off.

This is why you don’t judge a book by its cover. Yeah, he’s a prop comic, but he’s so much more than that. His hour and a half show is well choreographed, well thought out, and funny as can be. It’s not all prop comedy. I’d say that the first third is prop, the second third is funny filler, and the third third is like a rock show. He pokes fun at current events, so it couldn’t possibly be stale, rote jokes. He interacts with the audience, and I’m betting that you can never know what these jokels will throw at you. He has sound effects, stage effects and effective jokes. He has a whole stint about Las Vegas and tourists and how you have to walk 500 miles to get anywhere, and it’s so relevant that it’s funny.

There was only a slight point of about 15 minutes where it got a little slow, and I worried that I wouldn’t make it through the whole show. But it picked up and ended with a bang – as he did impressions of several rock/music/pop culture stars.

I had to swallow my pride and admit that Jim picked a whopper of a show. It was far better than my pick – Phantom: The Las Vegas Craptacular – and I really enjoyed myself. I haven’t laughed so hard in a long time. So Yay! for Carrot Top. I understand that lots of other comics look down on him for being a prop comic. Well, they can shove it, because he’s good at that, but "real" comedy, too.

For some reason, the entertainment gurus in Las Vegas think that audiences can only pay attention for an hour and a half, so they took a classic Broadway musical and made it into a Las Vegas Spectacular version. It is my humble opinion, that in doing so, they tried to make a few "spectacular" special effects hold together a disjointed story, and to me, it was a huge disappointment.

I’m one of the biggest fans of Broadway musicals that you’ll find, and I’m looking forward to seeing how The Lion King will play when it opens, full-Broadway time, in Mandalay Bay in April. I’d never seen the original Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, so it’s not a matter of poor comparison. It was a matter of a story that was pieced together with just the biggest musical numbers, and one that was hard to follow. The cast, while talented, couldn’t seem to get it together. I think they were all singing the same words, but I couldn’t understand any of the words that they were singing. Some of the microphones didn’t work very well, they sang out of synch with each other, etc.

The night we were there, the theater wasn’t even half capacity (in the middle of the December slow season in a recession.) I have to say, that if I had paid for those $150 seats underneath the chandelier effect, I would have been royally pissed off. They took those of us that had paid for nosebleed seats and moved us – for free – into the expensive seats. So we paid about $75 each (still too much, if you ask me) and sat in $150 seats. There’s a reason for that, I think. I wonder how often the theater isn’t full of anything other than disappointment.

Save your money. Wait for the Lion King.

People are always consulting me before their Vegas trip for advice on what to do, where to stay, etc. Here’s my greatest hits as far as general Vegas tips go.

Stay on the Strip. Not to take anything away from the Hard Rock, Rio or Palms, but on your first (or any) trip to Vegas, you want to be in the middle of the action. The action is on the Strip. Stay there.

Take lots of ones, fives and tens. It will help you make your money last longer. If you’re putting big bills in the machines, you’re going to lose the money faster. If your $10 runs out and you’re losing, you’re less likely to put that next $10 in. Plus, you’ll need the small bills for taxi rides (which are almost always odd numbered fares, like $21, or $11, or $7.) The ones you’ll need for tipping the waitresses for bringing your free drinks, or the bellmen who get your cabs.

Take enough cash for your entire stay. ATMs on the Strip are notorious for their high fees for withdrawing money. Not only will you get slapped with a fee from your bank, because none of the machines are affiliated with any major bank, you’ll get hit with the ATM surcharge. I think $6 in fees to withdraw your own money is insane. I’ve seen the fees as high as $8.

Take advantage of the free drinks. Why anyone would pay $12 for a cocktail at a bar when they could get free drinks (that only cost a $1 tip to the waitress) while they’re already doing what they’re doing (gambling) I’ll never know. Eh, they may be watered down, but you can get a nice buzz going so you’ll pay less when you head out for the nightlife.

Play the penny slots. There’s a whole journal about this here, but I’ll say it again. Play the penny slots. They’re more fun, the money lasts longer, etc.

Eat at the Paris Buffet. read the journal entries if you don’t believe me.

ALWAYS REQUEST A STRIP VIEW in your hotel. I’m amazed at how many people just take their keys and walk away like zombies. All you have to do in most cases is ask. If they don’t have any available, or they want to charge you like idiots, then you’ve lost nothing (the only time THAT will happen in Vegas.) I have requested a Strip view on every trip and only not gotten it once, and in that case, they bumped me to a pool view.

Don’t walk until you drop. Everything in Vegas is on a huge scale, and everything looks closer than it actually is. You can stand at Mandalay Bay, and it looks like NY, NY is right THERE! So you think "we’ll walk and save the cab money." Thirty minutes later you’re still walking. Carrot Top has a joke about this in his act, saying it’s like someone is moving the hotel away from you to be cruel. Save your feet for walking the expansive hotel complexes. Take a cab. Trust me.

Wear comfortable shoes. If you’re not going to listen to me about not walking, at least bring comfortable shoes. I see chicks all the time carrying their high heels and walking barefoot on the sidewalks. Ewww! And I can’t tell you how many times I hear people talking about their blisters.

Play table games on Freemont Street. Cheaper minimums. ‘Nuf said.

I would say that the question I get asked the most from people who are going to Las Vegas is "Where should I stay?"

There are so many considerations that go into answering this question. What do you want your Vegas experience to be like? Do you want to be in the middle of things, or just have easy access to the middle of things? What is your budget? When are you going? Etc.

So I’ve put together this list, after 7 trips to Vegas in 6 years, to answer this question for my IgoUgo friends.

1. Best place to stay, period: Mandalay Bay – this hotel is always tops on my list of recommended hotels in Las Vegas. There’s only one downfall that I can see, and that is it’s location on the very end of the Strip. That minor inconvenience is easily overcome with cheap taxis, and the modern rooms, cool and well-ventilated casino, neat shops, Shark Reef, House of Blues, the new connector to the Luxor with shops and restaurants, a shuttle train to Luxor and Excalibur (though why anyone would go there is beyond me.) The staff is uber-friendly, everything is convenient, and there are great penny slots. The layout makes sense, and the rooms are easily reached from most anywhere. The wave pool and lazy river are incredibly fun. See? I love this place! You can get good deals here if you look, too.

2. Best place to stay if you can afford it: The Venetian. – One of my best hotel experiences was at the Venetian, and if you can keep an eye out and be flexible, you can occasionally find decent deals on these, touted the biggest rooms on the strip. It has the details down pat, the staff is accommodating and not snobby, there is plenty of shopping, you can request a mini fridge for your room, there’s a huge seating area in the room, and it’s center Strip, smack dab in the thick of things. With the addition of the new Palazzo extension, this place has got it all. The next time I can get a deal to the Palazzo, that’s were you’ll find me.
Best moderately priced hotel: Paris – Paris is one of the neatest of the themed hotels, with a foot of its Eiffel Tower reproduction stretching into the casino, which has tall ceilings and a sensible layout. There are lots of good places to eat, especially breakfast at Le Village Buffet, and the rooms, while not on par with Mandalay or Venetian, are perfectly fine. What are you doing in your room anyway? You’re in Las Vegas! The lobby is beautiful, and you feel like yelling "Vive La France!" as you roam the Parisian "streets." Plus, you’ve again got center Strip location, so almost everything is as convenient as it gets in Las Vegas.

3. Most overrated hotel: The Bellagio – In its heyday, I’m sure that the Bellagio was one of the nicest places to stay on the Strip – it’s certainly one of the most beautiful. It has a great location, a beautiful design, beautiful fountains, beautiful gardens, but not-so-beautiful service. In my opinion, if I’m paying for a 5-star, I want a 5-star. If I wanted a 3-star, I’d be paying a lot less over at Paris. Everything is overpriced here, from $12 drinks at the pool bar to the "who can afford this?" upscale retail shops. If you have money to throw around, by all means, throw it around here. However, one night here, with dirty dishes left outside my door from the previous guests the entire stay, was enough for me. Nevermore.

4. Next best moderately priced hotel: Luxor – If you can get a great deal here, and this is usually one of the lower-priced theme hotels on the Strip, by all means jump on that deal. Stay in the pyramid, if for no other reason than to experience the inclinator – the "elevator" that "leans" as it heads up the pyramid. The only downfall is that the Luxor is starting to show its age, from slightly worn carpet and a smoky casino. However, they’re investing in upgrades, and maybe you’ll get lucky with a room that’s newer. Again, however, you shouldn’t be spending that much time in your room anyway, so it should be just fine for the price. Plus, I think the Luxor has one of the nicer pools, and a great spa, so don’t overlook this option.

5. Hotel that I can’t even garner an opinion on: New York, NY – You know, this is one of the neater ideas for a theme hotel. The piano bar here is really fun, the Irish pub is fun, there’s New York pizza, and a roller coaster to boot. However, the room that we stayed in was so old and worn down that I was almost scared that a black light might display something that we didn’t want to know about. Also undergoing renovations, if this is the deal you get, make sure to get an upgraded room. The location is okay, not center Strip like Paris, and just not as classy, either. It’s mostly just . . . okay.

I consider myself a connoisseur of steak. It’s one of my favorite meals, and it’s one of the things I treat myself to whenever I go to Las Vegas. Come on, Vegas is a foodie paradise, so how can you possibly not get a gourmet steak by a celebrity chef while you’re there?

Each trip, I’ve splurged on a steak dinner, and I now offer up my recommendations for the best places for the best beef.

Best Steak #1: Prime, at the Bellagio – I don’t know if it’s because it was my first trip to Las Vegas, if it was because I was celebrating a birthday or if it’s because the food was just that good, but Prime is my #1 choice for best steak in Las Vegas. The restaurant has a brown and blue décor, you can get a table that looks out onto the dancing fountains, and last but not least, the steak is awesome! My filet mignon took a while to prepare, because they wanted to do it right, but it was worth the wait. Probably the best tasting meat I’d ever had, along with the best tasting sauces – it came with four to try. The only reason I haven’t been back is because there are so many places to try, but it would get my hearty recommendation to any first timers who can spare $50 for a good steak.

Best Steak #1.5: Delmonico, at the Venetian – When you’ve got so many great restaurants to chose from, it’s often hard to select the best of the best. I’ve eaten at Delmonico twice. The first time, chef Emeril Lagasse’s steak house was perfect. The second time, the meal wasn’t perfect at first, but they made it perfect on the second try. Emeril is one of my favorite chefs, with a southern flair for cooking that makes me feel at home. The steak was melt-in-your-mouth, and the sides were almost as good as the main course. I could order just side dishes and eat like a queen for a week. The décor is like a wonderful bistro, and I just like the atmosphere here. Only slightly less expensive than Prime, it’s still a splurge for your wallet, but also your taste buds.

Best Steak #2: Cut, at the Palazzo – The only reason that Cut came in at #2 is the price. If it was on taste alone, it would give Prime a run for its money. If you like steak, you’ll love Cut. It’s modern décor isn’t overwhelming, the wait staff takes really good care of you, and you’ll find your eyes rolling out of your head when you taste the American Kobe filet mignon. Your eyes may also roll out of your head when you get the bill, but taste-for-dollar, it’s not that bad.

Pretty Good Steak The BOA Steakhouse in Caesar's Palace can cook a mean steak, just not as bad to the bone as Cut, Prime, or Delmonico. However, you'll think you're in a celebrity restaurant just from the price tag. If you want a really good steak, just not a really great one, BOA in the Forum Shops will be a good pick.

Best Burger: Burger Bar, Mandalay Bay – If you want a good burger, look no further than the Burger Bar. It’s likely one of the most inexpensive pieces of beef you’ll get in Las Vegas, unless you splurge on the $60 Kobe beef burger, adding expensive truffles and maybe a fleck of gold on top. There’s nearly always a line from 6 p.m. – on, so try it at lunch or in an off-hour. It’s a build-your-own experience. Chose the beef, chose the bun, chose the toppings, chose the sauce, choose the fries. There’s almost too much choice, but if you don’t like it, you can only blame yourself, because you picked it. However, I wouldn’t count on that happening.

Even for the heartiest gamblers, Vegas can get to be a bit too much. All the neon and noise seem to pound in your head. So, I recommend day trips to Vegas visitors, just to get out into the great Southwest and let your lungs recover from cigarette smoke overload.

There are a few obvious opportunities, and a few not so obvious ones. Here is my list of best day trips from Las Vegas.

The Grand Canyon – This is the pretty obvious choice for number one. If you ever have the chance to see one of the wonders of the world, take it and grab hold of it as tight as you can. Standing on the edge of the great chasm in the earth that is the Grand Canyon is an experience in awe. My first glance made my hair stand up on the back of my neck and gave me cold chills – and not just from the cool January wind that was blowing. No picture you could ever take would do the Grand Canyon justice, and no picture could ever capture its expanse and its well, grand-ness. I’ve visited both the South Rim, on a 5-hour bus tour, and the West Rim, by rental car. The Skywalk at the West Rim is quite the experience, albeit a pricy one, but the Canyon view is just as spectacular from either vantage point. Often, tours offer a stop at Hoover Dam along with this trip, but for me, driving over it and stopping for photos was enough for me.

Red Rock Canyon – If it weren’t for the grand-ness of the Grand Canyon, Red Rock Canyon might be number one. Red Rock is much more intimate, much more accessible (only a half-hour drive from Vegas) and much more interactive. You don’t seem so scared to reach out and touch it, where as with the Grand Canyon, you’re almost scared to muss it up – or fall in. Red rock’s 13-mile scenic drive features hiking trails, beautiful scenery and red rocks. It’s one of my favorite day trips that I’ve taken.

Death Valley – The closest point in Death Valley National Park is about a two-hour drive from Las Vegas. The sights and views in Death Valley are akin to walking on the moon. In the summer, the temperatures are almost unbearable and restrictive to visiting Death Valley. It’s also too hot to be in Vegas, so if you’re visiting Las Vegas in the more comfortable months, consider a visit to Death Valley. Highlights are Badwater Basin – the lowest sea level point in North America, and the salt formations at Devil’s Golf Course.

Area 51 – If the thought of driving to the middle of nowhere to see something that doesn’t exist excites you, as it did me, than you should rent a 4x4 and head out to Area 51. For years, the government denied its existence, despite the fact that people that live in the little town of Rachel, NV could see it from their front porch, and people throughout the years had sightings of unidentified flying objects. The only thing to do here is to drive the long dirt road to the edge of the facility, where a very bored military dispatch sits, waiting to turn away rowdy tourists who test the government’s patience. There’s only a sign, that tells you where you are, and not to take pictures, which everyone does anyway. Stop in Rachel to eat at the Little Ale-inn, not so much for the food, but to visit the shop and say you did.

Next stop on our list – Bryce Canyon, Utah! I’ll let you know how it goes!

Play blackjack. Let’s get this straight, all the odds on all the games play in the house’s favor, otherwise, there wouldn’t be much of a business in casinos, right? However, blackjack is one of those few Vegas card games that, if you play by the mathematics and the general common sense of it all, the house holds less of an advantage. My trick is to NEVER play blackjack on the Strip. Why would you play $15 a hand on the Strip when you could play $3 and $5 hands on Freemont Street. Plus, the dealers are a little more "by the business" on the Strip, and the dealers on Freemont Street – and the pit bosses – will look at your hand and tell you how to play it. Binions is my favorite for blackjack, and two visits in a row we’ve had the same great dealer, Terry.

Play penny slots. Serious gamblers will laugh at my suggestion to play penny slots, but there are a lot of non-serious gamblers that will agree with me. You know you’re going to leave with a wallet that’s a lot lighter than when you came, but you might as well make your money last as long as you can. I also find that penny slots offer the biggest entertainment value. I see people on those 7-7-7 slots that look bored out of their minds. Penny slots offer bonus games, fun interaction, and themes that most people can identify with, like the following.

Elvis Multi-strike video slot. This game is the
most fun of any I’ve ever played. If you win a line
on the first level, you get a free spin on the second
level. If you win on the second level, you get a free
spin on the third. There are more chances to win
bonuses, and the bonus games usually involve
Elvis music – how can you go wrong with that? I
put $20 in one of these penny slots and walked
away 15 minutes later with an extra $100 in my
pocket. However, Jim didn’t win the big money,
but he made his money last a long time, and had
fun doing it.

Star Wars video slots. I’ve played this game
every visit for the last four visits. When you hear
the sounds of light sabers swishing and R2D2
clicking, it’s hard not to get drawn in. When you
play the Death Star Bonus, it’s just like the Force
is with you!

The Wizard of Oz. This was a new one for
me this year. However, when Glenda the good
witch appears on screen for no apparent reason to
give you some Wilds, you’re like "There’s no place
like Vegas!" Hit the Emerald City bonus, and you’re
whisked away to chose emeralds for bonus points.
Or, if you hit the winged monkey bonus (those
boogers always scared me) the monkeys will come
rip your icons away and replace them with wilds,
helping you add up the money.

Alfred Hitchcock. This game lives up to its
namesake, as it scares the heck out of everyone
when Hitchcock appears to give you a bonus.
Perhaps it’s popcorn (keep it coming! The more
popcorn, the more points) or maybe it’s a candy
bonus or a soda bonus. Either way, when he pops
up in the corner of the screen with that music, it
makes you nearly jump out of your chair.

Craps. Last trip to Vegas, we wanted to try our hand at craps, but even after studying online we were too chicken. This year, there was a free table and a $3 minimum, a perfect opportunity to learn. There are more ways to bet this game than enough, and most are sucker bets. But betting the odds can help you add up fast, and throwing the dice makes for loads of fun. You’re going to lose, but at least you’ll have a ball doing it.