Las Vegas, NV

Stratosphere

After a 4-hour flight from NYC, we arranged a last-minute car rental downstairs at McCarran International Airport. An Avis bus took us to a large off-site parking lot, where we picked up our cherry red Ford Focus and proceeded to cruise our way up the Vegas Strip to our temporary digs at the Stratosphere. Located on the northern end of the famous Strip, local lore has it that lights from the Stratosphere tower can be seen from space. Regardless of whether this is fact or fiction, Stratosphere tower is the tallest OB deck in the U.S. The tower is open daily, from 9am to 1am, and admission is free between 10am and 12 noon.

The computer check-in at Stratosphere was easy & wait-less. However, we were very disappointed by our view of the interior courtyard. Actually, that makes it sound too grand: we had an unobstructed view of an undeveloped lower rooftop. But, being too tired to request a change and positive that we weren't going to spend much of our trip in our room staring out the window, we fell into an 11-hour "nap" instead. When we awoke from our coma, we were also disappointed by the room service. While the food did arrive within 20 minutes or ordering, and arrived well-heated, it was evident that the saran wrap covering the food has melted into it, and even a simple hamburger tasted mediocre at best. Next time we're in Vegas, we'll definitely be passing on the room service here.

Bellagio

We breakfasted at the Bellagio Cafe, and from the minute we stepped foot onto the casino grounds, well, let's just say it's a feast to the eyes. I loved the aviary-theme of the garden entrance of the Cafe. The food was on the pricy side, but well prepared & presented, and the service was super, as to be expected. And as an added bonus, our table faced the Bellagio Flower Garden. And did I mention that most casinos on the Strip offer complimentary parking?

First-timer's Folly

Since the famed dancing fountains outside the Bellagio aren't turned on until 3pm, we saved that pleasure for after dark. After our very enjoyable breakfast, we embarked on a walking tour of the strip, thereby committing a grave mistake of every Vegas first-timer: presuming that the walk between the casino resorts is shorter than it appears. Let me assure you that it is not. But the walk did give us a chance to visit all the gift shops between casinos, where we found bottled water for a very reasonable $1.00 (in a tourist area, mind you!), as well as a motorcycle/scooter rental shop. On our foot travels, we used a nifty map from Cheapo Vegas that I highly recommend for those on a truncated stay in Vegas and no prior knowledge of the Strip. With this map, we were able to see most of the highlights we wanted to visit.

On our walk, we stopped by Paris Las Vegas to admire replicas of: Arc de Triomphe (at the entrance); the Paris Opera House (at the south corner); the Louvre (at the front north corner); and the Hôtel de Ville (behind the casino). We also visited Harrah's, where we signed up for the rewards program and received a nice tote bag for our time. We saw minor casino play, but no significant wins or losses to report!

Top of the World

We drove back to Stratosphere for lunch at Stratosphere's Top of the World restaurant, a revolving restaurant that completes it's 360-degree circuit in an hour. During lunch, we saw helicopter tours heading for the Grand Canyon, as well as the feet of riders of XScream dangling over the edge of Stratosphere tower and spinning - too much adventure for us, I confess. During our 10-minute wait for a table, we noticed that the lounge deck above the restaurant must be a great place to spend Happy Hour!

The Strip Continues...

After our delicious lunch (might I recommend the lobster omelette?), we started our walk south, down the Strip, to:

• the Sahara, which is home to single deck blackjack, but as the dealers & managers were equally nasty and poorly trained in customer service, we didn't bother staying to look for $1 blackjack, roulette, or craps;
• the Riviera, whose tubular exterior is a giant screen for an incredible spectacle of moving lights after dark, but not particularly exceptional by day; and
• Slots-O-Fun, home to a giant slot machine (a crowd favorite!), $1 craps, 50¢ blackjack, and what seemed like all the 1¢ slot machines in Vegas.

We also stopped by the centerpiece of MGM Grand: the Lions Habitat...neither impressive, nor shabby - just keep in mind, you're going to see pretty tame, but not particularly trained lions.

Topless Vegas

And, of course, it being our first time in Vegas, we had to see a topless show! We chose BITE, playing close to home at the Stratosphere, which is about:

"...the Lord Vampire and his search for the perfect female specimen that he will seduce and make the queen of the night. Aiding the Lord is his coven of sultry and nimble dancers, the Erotic Angels of Rock. Their story will be told through the classic rock songs of the 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s. Throughout the show, audience members will be chosen to become part of the erotic adventure."

Buying tickets rather last-minute (we raced to the theater and walked in on the opening song), we paid regular price for VIP seating. Voilá! Front row seats to a lot of booty- and boob-shaking -- which must be quite nice for those who appreciate female anatomy. If you do chance upon this show, just remember two things: (1) use this coupon for $10 off; and (2) don't worry overmuch about being chosen to perform their Cirque du Soleil-like tricks...the audience members "selected" are part of the show!

Vegas Strip: Day & Night

Having learned from our daytime walk, we toured the Strip by night as well, viewing by car the Brooklyn Bridge replica at New York New York, the Eiffel Tower replica at Paris LV, the orchestrated light show at Bellagio fountain, the hourly eruption of the Mirage's volcano, and Treasure Island's hourly Pirate Show.

Finally, overawed by the lights of the Vegas night, and exhausted by our journeys on the Strip, we capped off our Vegas weekend with a quiet night in with Law & Order: SVU. Our short Vegas retreat ended on a high note at Lucky's Cafe at Stratosphere, which serves delicious breakfast eggs and superior coffee (leaving on a near-redeye flight, we needed it!). The only good part about leaving Vegas so early in the morning is that we got to watch as the Wheel of Fortune slots were set up...what a herculean task! Who knew how much wiring was hidden within those slot machine set-ups - not I!

With a cup of Starbucks to go (also found within Stratosphere), we coasted back down the Strip in the early morning light - there was less traffic than when we arrived, but it was nowhere near deserted.

They say NYC is the city that never sleeps, but I think Vegas should really get a second look. For our next trip to Vegas, I can't wait to see the glass ceiling circus acts at Circus Circus, the Forum shops & indoor fountain shows at Caesars, the Desert Passage at Aladdin, and the Hermitage Art Museum at the Venetian. Just a little more time in Vegas would have been perfect!