Choppertours!

The first time I was in Las Vegas, I thought it was just a city for gamblers and not for folks like me. Boy was I wrong. I was there just for 2 days, 1 day was a business convention day, and the other day was the day off. I had a bit of cash to spare and I ran across a flyer for a half-day helicopter tour to the Grand Canyon. And since I love large objects in nature (mountains, large trees, lakes, etc) and I thought this might be my last trip to Las Vegas, I decided to take a helicopter flight to the Grand Canyon. The company was Papillon. Usually space is limited, but I was lucky and could be squeezed in that same day. Btw this was not some sales ploy, on a later visit I could not get a flight for 2 days!

I was picked up from my hotel by a Papillon van, and brought to their heliport. It's quite close to the strip actually, on the south end. There they made me watch a safety video, and I had to stand on a scale so they could get my weight. Maybe they learned not to believe what some people tell them about their weight, hehe.

The seating arrangement in the helicopter is based on weight distribution. Therefore, larger passengers usually end up in the middle. Another reason to lose weight! You want to sit in a window seat if you can.

I'll be short about the trip: it took about 45 minutes to the canyon, we had a great light lunch at the foot of the canyon, and the trip back took 1.5 hours because it was by another route and we landed once more to pump fuel. This time we flew over Henderson, the little town to the south of Las Vegas. Our day ended with a flight over the strip, we had a beautiful view of all the magnificent hotels. We rounded the Stratosphere, and flew back to the Papillon airport. The van brought us back to the hotel.

$279 (I did not know about coupons then) is a lot of money. But flying in the Grand Canyon is a, well, priceless experience.

Pretty Pictures

Last time I went to Vegas it was for the lamest reason you can think of: to see a movie. Now this was not just any movie, it was Star Wars Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. And what better place to meet up with friends to see a movie than Las Vegas?

These days, more and more so-called Digital cinemas pop up. They are easily distinguished when you keep an eye out for the "DLP" designation. In Vegas, there's DLP cinemas in the Palms and the Orleans. We went to the Orleans, a bit off-strip but it was worth the trip. Never will you see better picture quality than a giant DLP screen (well not in 2005 anyway). And this episode of Star Wars was digitally filmed, so it was 100% crisp and clear. The booming THX sound also helped a lot.

Later I also went to the IMAX theatre in the Palms. Wherever I go, when there's an IMAX theatre there, I make it a point of going, since I love the large screen, good sound, and great picture quality. However, after having seen the quality of a digitally shot movie in a DLP cinema at the Orleans, the IMAX was a bit of a disappointment. I guess next time I come to Las Vegas and feel the need for a movie, I'll check out the Orleans first.

On a side-note, while walking through the Orleans casino on our way out, we (a bunch of guys) noticed that the waitresses there were not just goodlooking, but their constumes are also the most flattering we've seen in Vegas so far. Pretty pictures, indeed.

Taxis in Las Vegas

Even though it looks like it's only a few blocks from one place to another in Las Vegas, the heat will make everything seem like much further away. You'll find that as you stay longer in Las Vegas, you'll take a cab more and more often. Walking is just too exhausting. If you must walk, make sure you're on the side of the street where the shadow is, that's usually on the east side of the strip. The side where the Flamingo is, the Venetian, the Wynn, and the Giant Coke Bottle.

When you take a taxi, you'll notice that the first thing the driver ususally does is get off the strip. Since it's always backed up they want to avoid the Strip whenever they can. Also, it gives them extra mileage.
Being the tourist you are, I think you should ask for them to drive along the strip, because you want to see the hotels and casinos. Plus you'll save a few bucks. When your first priority is to get there fast, then let them take any detour they want.

Any detour, except one. There's an infamous trick that some cab drivers like to pull on unsuspecting visitors when driving from the McCarren airport to the strip. Should you ever go through a tunnel, then the driver is trying to rip you off. The tunnel is to the south of the airport, and the Strip is to the north. There is no reason to use the tunnel. The only reason is to get more miles out of a passenger. So if this happens to you, make sure you do not tip when you get off, and let them know you got his/her license number and name. It never hurts to make a bad guy sweat, be it with or without airconditioning.

Airplay - Free show at the Las Vegas Tropicana

In May of 2005 I stayed a few days at the Las Vegas Tropicana, just across from the Excalibur. The reason for the choice is that I was with a group, and did not really have a say in where to stay. But the Trop is fine with me.


The main attraction in the casino is called Airplay, a 20-minute free show that they perform at 11, 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 on the casino floor. Or - above the casino floor actually. Even though there are some singers and acrobats performing on a stage, the real spectacular bit is the two guys, Chris and John, flying around above your head over the slot machines, suspended from some special rig they made for the show. To the tune of The Matrix or a heavily beefed up version of Charlies Angels' theme, they make the crowd go Wow. By the way, beware of pickpockets during the show. Everyone's attention is on the flying guys, so the bad guys could have a field day. Luckily the Trop realizes this, and there are many uniformed security people walking the crowds during the show.

Recently they also introduced two ladies to the Airplay bit. Their act is not as wild as that of Chris and John's, but still very energetic and fast-paced. They dangle on 1 hand, looking pretty, and acting like they are gonna fall. But like a waitress told me, nobody ever fell down on the slot machines during Airplay. I guess if they did, it would be over pretty soon.

Another great act they have is Tom and Magda, acrobats from Poland or somewhere in that vicinity. He's a muscular guy, she's an 84-pound flexible lady that gets thrown up in the air and swirled around the stage. They do an impressive balancing act, too, and they look like they've been doing it for many years. It's pretty close to perfection.

As they like to point out during the show, "Everywhere else in Las Vegas you would pay to see a show like this". Well maybe not as often as I have seen it now, but it's by far the most spectacular free show I can think of. I like it better than the Treasure Island sinking ships show, or the Bellagio fountains. You're up close (you can almost touch them) and the music is frantic and fast, which I happen to like a lot. Go check it out. The price is right!

Food!

The only thing that Las Vegas has more of than casinos must be restaurants. Or food courts. Or other places to eat.

A friend dragged me into a cab to get to the Rio, to have linner (that's a meal somewhere between lunch and dinner). I did not really want to go, there was a food court just where we were, so why take a cab to an off-strip casino resort? Well, after a 5 minute cab ride and a 5 minute walk through the Rio, we arrived at the Carnival World Buffet. We had to stand in line for a short while to get in, we paid about $13 per person if I'm not mistaken, and then we were let in.

My mouth is watering just remembering that buffet. It was LARGE! It had about every kind of food you can think of, and some you can't. Italian, french, chinese, and a dozen other countries were represented there with their respective cuisine. All drinks included. And the desert... more than you'll ever need. I never had warm bananas dipped in honey before, but it was gooood! Also many many chocolate deserts, we had it all over our faces but we didn't care. We thought about bringing a stretcher so we could just stay there for a few days. It may not have been "haute cuisine" (that's french for food they write about in magazines) but it was very good quality and the Carnival World Buffet is value for money! I'll make it a point to get back there when I'm really hungry next time.

A few days later, we wanted to eat in a "real" restaurant in the evening. Here comes a tip: make reservations! We tried several restaurants in Caesar's Palace Forum Shops, but they were all booked and minimum waiting time was 2 hours. I guess they were good restaurants. Anyway, we ended up eating in a food court that evening. Nothing wrong with that, but learn from our mistake - make reservations if you want to dine fine.

Tipping Tip

Most people that live and work in Las Vegas work in the tourism industry. When you, as a Las Vegas tourist, like your stay, you'll probably come back, and they know that. So everybody is very friendly to you. I've been to many places in the USA but I noticed that in Las Vegas people tend to be more friendly. Also, generally they go out of their way to make sure you are comfortable. I think that's a good thing.

And it does not hurt to return the favour. I learned this little tip from a friend who visits Las Vegas on occasion, and usually stays at low- to midrange hotels like The Boardwalk, The Flamingo or The Stratosphere. I think it works anywhere.

Most people leave a tip for the maid the day they leave, usually a few bucks, $5-$10 seems to be the norm. They leave it on the bed with a note "maid" or put it in the envelope that some hotels have for you to leave visitor comments.

Now, instead of putting in $10 at the end of your stay, you could also put in $1 every single day. Think of it. First, your maid may have the day off just when you leave, and the tip goes to someone else. You don't want that, I assume. Second, being a Las Vegas roommaid is not the most pleasant job (I would think), and just the small $1 makes her day a bit brighter. I have no clue if your room will be cleaned any better, but I can tell you that I once entered my room, and the maid, from the end of the hallway where she was doing another room, yelled "Thank you for the tip, Sir!".

Las Vegas may be called Sin City, but a little tip can go a long way.

Free Las Vegas Coupons!

For some reason, the Las Vegas image is that you can get everything for free there. Well maybe in a dim and distant past it was like that, but it certainly wasn't like that when I was there. The best you can get are the so-called "fun books". They are usually cheap looking booklets, given out by casinos for joining their players club. Sometimes you can get one without signing up.

The fun books have coupons in them, and 99 out of a hundred times they are either 2-for-1 deals, or a percentage off something. I did get a free mug at the Riviera, free entrance to some "ultra lounge", and a free pull on a slot machine at the Tropicana, but the rest is only cheaper and not free.

The free magazines that you can (and should) pick up at hotel desks and at the airport also usually have a lot of coupons inside. The most prevalent magazine is "Showbiz Weekly", and to make things easy for you, let me list some of their coupons:

- 2 for 1 Hypnolarious show
- $10 off a limited edition (yeah right) souvenir poster from the Western
- Free mug when attending a Lance Burton magic show
- 50% off a variety show at Bourbon Street
- $15 off the Michael Johns Hypnosis Show
- $10 off Xtreme Magic at the Tropicana
- 2-for-1 Hypnosis Gone Wild show at The Tuscany
- $5 off any $20 or over purchase at Planet Hollywood
- Free Change Color Mug (with purchase of any entree) at Cheeseburger
And last but not least:
- A Free Smile at Presto Pizza "On The Stip". I may take them up on the offer next time I visit Vegas :-)

There's loads more, but by now you will get a feel for what kinds of coupons are floating around there. You have to spend money to save money. No free Celine Dion tickets I'm afraid.

Depending on what you're planning to do in Las Vegas, I suggest you pick up some of those fun books and magazines a.s.a.p. and spend some time browsing. In my humble opinion, you should not go to a place because of the coupon, but if you see a coupon for something you would want to do anyway, by all means take advantage. I did have a great burger at Cheeseburgers in the Aladdin Desert Passage Mall, but I only found out about the free mug offer after I got back. Too bad, since I like mugs a lot. I guess I should have read this blog before I went.

I'll probably come back to the subject of coupons and freebies later on. Stay tuned, you may save some money. I'll even tell you about a trick Las Vegas cab drivers like to play on unsuspecting tourists!

Oh, and P.S... the little flyers that they are handing out in the evenings on the sidewalks are NOT free, or even 2-for-1 coupons :)

The Heat - a hot topic

Last august (2004) I spoke to a german lady that has been living in Las Vegas for over 10 years now. August is a slow month, because it's very hot then, over 100 fahrenheit or 37 celcius. "Do you ever get used to the heat?" I asked. "Never!" was her resounding answer. Still, for some reason I like being there, in the middle of the desert. Just make sure to always, always, always have a bottle of drinking water with you, and take sips regularly. First time I was there, being the stubborn guy that I am, I didn't want to walk around with such a "silly bottle", because I'm a big guy and I can stand the heat. Yeah, right. Untill I felt dizzy and my head began to hurt. A very friendly lady in a shop rescued me with a bag of ice, and a chair to sit on while I came to my senses. She told me more about dehydration than I ever wanted to know. Since then I never went outside without a bottle.

A similar warning goes for sunscreen. I myself don't tan or burn easily, but friends of mine also learned the hard way that the Las Vegas sun can be harsh. Better be safe than sorry.

Sunscreen and a bottle of drinking water. Don't leave hotel without it!

Las Vegas for kids - My Excalibur Experience

I've stayed at the Excalibur exactly once. The reason that I'm not staying there again is that I like my location to be more central-strip. The place itself is actually pretty decent. I had a standard room, which is located on the inside-facing side of the towers, so I did NOT have a view of the Las Vegas strip. That was a pity, since I like a good view, but the room itself surprised me pleasantly. It was big!

Actually, when I booked that place, I did not even know it was a "family hotel", aimed at parents with kids. I chose it because of the low price (then). The reason for the big rooms is so that you can set up cribs and extra beds. There you go! The main bed itself was pretty big, too. I had one king size, and it was very comfortable. Later on I'll tell you about the Tropicana, too, but their beds are not as good as those in the Excalibur.

One thing I definitely do like about the Excalibur is the food court. It's not very big, but it has a Pizza Hut Express, and I love those 7-inch peperoni pizzas. There's a donut shop, and a McDonalds, too. But the little pizzas do it for me. You can have 2 pizzas and not feel (all too) guilty! It's called vacationing, I guess.

On a sadder note - a taxidriver told me that the Excalibur is one of the next on the list to be ex/imploded. Even though it's doing pretty well, it was designed with kids in mind some 15+ years ago. During those 15 years, Las Vegas has figured out that it's not a good idea to have kids in town. First they thought that, if they make a kids-friendly casino, more people with kids would come because they did not have to arrange for babysitters. But the kids apparently are still too much of a burden for mom and dad to let them gamble for hours and hours on end. So the trend now is to make Vegas more and more kids-unfriendly (is that a word?). This includes raising room prices by double digit percentages. The Excalibur is not as cheap as it used to be.

I guess all this means that if you like to stay at the Excalibur, you better hurry - it may not be there anymore next time you come to Las Vegas.

A blog about Las Vegas

These days, you don't seem to exist if you don't have a blog. So, this day I incarnate!

Having said that, let's get on with the important bits. Check my profile to see who I am. Just don't expect this blog to be about my radio hobby. This blog is mainly about my other hobby - Las Vegas! Yes, I do like to play the odd game, but I can do that in my hometown just as well. I go to Las Vegas for other things - the themed hotels, the entertainment, the climate (yes!), and the general carnival that Las Vegas is. Check back here often because you may learn a few useful things, if you plan to go to Las Vegas yourself. My next trip is planned early august 2005.

Untill then, I will be writing about free Las Vegas coupons, Las Vegas tours, Las Vegas discounts, etc, etc. Basically all the things that I found about while in Las Vegas that I should have known about beforehand.

I'll be writing as a Las Vegas tourist - not as a person who's making his money off certain recommendations. So my opinion is honest. If some place stinks, I'll tell you. But if it's great, you'll hear about it here, too.

If you have any questions, or things you want me to check out for you while I'm in Las Vegas, let me know by responding to my posts. If I can fit it in my schedule, I'll find the answer for you while I'm there.

Keep coming back here - 'cause I will, too!