SCOTT'S GUIDE TO LAS VEGAS
Living in Las Vegas, Nevada is a dream come true for this guy who loves manufactured worlds, over-the-top spectacle, world-class food, multi-million dollar stage shows, superstar concerts, and, yes, chasing those pesky casino jackpots. Since so many of my friends and family members come to Sin City on a regular basis, I thought I'd list my 'best bets' from a local who loves the Strip. I definitely have STRIP LOVE.
What are your favorites? Send me an
EMAIL!
TIPS & TRICKS
- GET THE PLAYERS CARD! - No matter how much you plan to gamble, always sign up for the casino's players card. We have friends who only stick a $20 bill in a slot machine once in a blue moon, but they STILL get free offers all the time including free hotel rooms, casino free play, food comps, etc. And, of course, the more you play, the more offers you'll receive. Do you think Dale and I have EVER paid for a hotel room in Las Vegas? Not so much. We hardly ever pay for fancy dinners, beverages, football and hockey games, or concerts and shows.
- Get one each at individual properties like Wynn, Resorts World, Venetian, Circa, and the others.
- Sign up for an MGM Rewards card to cover Bellagio, Aria, MGM Grand, Park MGM, New York New York, Mandalay Bay, Luxor, Excalibur, as well as MGM owned properties nationwide.
- Secure a Caesars Rewards card to cover Caesars Palace, Paris, Planet Hollywood, Horseshoe, Harrahs, Flamingo, The Cromwell, The Linq, and other Caesars owned properties across the country.
- AVOID HOLIDAYS - If your vacation schedule allows, try to avoid holiday weeks/weekends at all costs. Everything becomes wicked crowded everywhere you go and many popular restaurant reservations and shows tickets need to be booked/purchased months in advance. (Unless, of course, you like swarms of people.)
- WEEKDAYS ROCK! - Along the same line, we recommend arriving in Vegas on a Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday...then leave by Friday, for the best deals and prices, and less rowdy crowds. We hardly ever go out on a Friday or Saturday night unless we really have to. (You'll save money on airfare, too.)
- KNOW YOUR LIMIT - Know how much you can afford to lose and try to make your spending money last. On slot machines, for example, they say you need about 100 spins to win most of it back. So, if you have $100 to spend, that's $1 a spin. Also, don't chase jackpots. Just because a slot machine's top prize has reached its max-out amount, doesn't mean it's going to hit any time soon. For example, we've seen $50,000 'grand' prizes stick around for weeks.
- YOU CAN WIN WITH SMALL BETS - You do NOT need to play big to win big. We've witnessed someone win $18,888 on a Dragon Link slot machine with a 50¢ bet...and one guy score over $1 MILLION with a $50 bet! (But, most likely, you will lose. Remember...the house ALWAYS wins. Once it goes in the machine, or is plopped down on a table, you'll probably never see it again. Play for fun, not riches. Then, when you do win, you'll be pleasantly surprised.)
- HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE! - The desert is very dry. You need more water than you do at home. Drink plenty of water and never, ever go to bed without a bottle or two of water on the nightstand. You'll thank me in the morning.
- ALCOHOL - If you drink, know that cocktails are pretty darned expensive at most casino-adjacent bars. We can easily drop $18 or more (plus tip) for a single vodka soda. So, to drink free(-ish), sit at a slot machine and stick in a few bucks. Some casinos have better quality complimentary drinks than others, but they all have 'em (they even offer coffee, iced tea, and other non-alcoholic beverages). Just remember to TIP the cocktail servers at least a couple bucks; they work for tips. Free isn't really free anywhere in Sin City.
- SAFETY - It might be a no-brainer, but you've got to keep your eyes and ears open in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, there are scam artists looking to take advantage of unsuspecting vacationers and gamblers. If you win big, don't hoot and holler. If you've got a large amount of cash in your pocket, be VERY aware of your surroundings. Make sure you're not followed into an elevator or out to the street or into the parking garage. When we win, for example, and someone gets on an elevator with us afterwards, we always get off. If we feel like we're being followed, we make a B-line to a casino employee or security guard. And, we try not to talk to strangers sitting near us in a casino. We don't tell people where we're staying, how much we've won, or any personal information at all. It might sound paranoid, but on more than one occasion we've had folks try to make friends with us to later learn that they were bad actors. It's the world we live in and we're all got to be smart in order to stay safe.
- GET OFF THE STRIP - Sure, this section of my website is called STRIP LOVE, but I encourage visitors to get off the Strip when they come to town. The Las Vegas valley has a wealth of experiences, casino venues, natural wonders, restaurants, and more, away from the hustle and bustle and bright lights of Las Vegas Boulevard. From the iconic Golden Steer steak house, to Red Rock Canyon, the new Durango Resort, Lion Habitat Ranch, and so much more.
Las Vegas Magazine
You'll probably find a current issue in your Strip hotel room, but I always recommend folks read the most recent few issues online prior to their visit. It's got everything that's going on.
THE TWO MOST IMPORTANT PUBLICATIONS
Las Vegas Weekly
Geared more toward locals, Las Vegas Weekly is a great source of information about what's going on both on and off the Strip. A new issue every Thursday.
STRIP HOTELS
RESTAURANTS
There are thousands...but these are some of our favs:
StripSteak - Probably our favorite because they treat us like gold. We like to sit at the bar and we've become chummy with two of the head bartenders, Anthony and Junior. Everything is amazing, especially the rib cap, pork chop, and the complimentary french fries. We eat there at least once a month. At Mandalay Bay. Opens at 4:30 for dinner.
Flanker Kitchen + Sports Bar - This lively newish place at Mandalay Bay has much more than your typical sports bar food; the offerings are legit amazing. Try the pork chop (one of the best I've ever had, no joke), roasted brussels sprouts, smash burgers, lobster rolls, and New York steak with chimichurri. We wish it was open for lunch on weekdays, but it isn't, sadly. Opens at 4pm for dinner everyday and breakfast/brunch on Saturdays and Sundays at 9am.
CarverSteak - Sit in the bar area, in the main dining room, or outside and you can't go wrong. The Wagyu Cheesesteak Bites are to die for...they melt in your mouth. We don't love the puff pastry-covered lobster, but everything else is amazing! At Resorts World. Open for dinner.
Wally's - We can't get enough of Wally's amazing custom charcuterie boards, flat breads, and huge wine selection. You can even buy wine and treats to take home. At Resorts World. Open for lunch and dinner.
Hell's Kitchen - What?! We're recommending something at Caesars? All of Gordon Ramsey's 1,001 restaurants in Vegas are uber-popular and Hell's Kitchen is at the top of the list. You go for the Beef Wellington and for the open, frenetic kitchen. In front of Caesar's Palace. Open for lunch and dinner.
Happy Camper - A campy, super friendly, sometimes-open air pizzeria and bar. Part of the Fashion Show Mall with views of Resorts World and Wynn. Scores of disco balls, a firepit, beer pong, and Big Ass Lemonades! Try the pizza, natch, as well as the meatballs and the whipped feta appetizer. TO die for. 11am-11pm daily.
Diablo's Cantina - This Mexican place is lively and tasty! Just across from Blue Man Group on the second floor above the Luxor's lobby and casino...you'll be staring up at the pyramid rooms high above your head and hoping no one jumps. Open for lunch and dinner.
Carbone - They say "timeless Italian" on their website, but this ain't your local mom & pop Italian joint. It's very high end, very fresh, innovative, and one of the best we've ever been to. At Aria. Open for dinner.
CATCH - Another Aria standout. Classic seafood presented in an over-the-top manner. Check out the whole roasted branzino...yum! The Hit Me Cake looks amazing. At Aria. Open for dinner.
Wicked Spoon - Our favorite of the few buffets that are still around. Scores of options from a carving station, Asian selections, made to order omelets, pizza, mini Caesar salads, snowcrabs, and the biggest dessert bar you've ever seen. At the Cosmopolitan. Open for breakfast and lunch weekdays, brunch weekends.
Superfrico - Not for the overly conservative, nor for kids. This off-shoot of the late OPM show,* Superfrico features strolling, off-the-wall performance art and a DJ who plays nothing but vinyl records. The Chicken Parm is our fav! At the Cosmopolitan. Open for dinner.
* Sadly, OPM played their last show on December 31, 2023.
Charlie's Sports Bar - There are a slew of fabulous restaurants at Wynn/Encore, but we keep going back to this casual sports bar for the giant soft pretzel, tasty burgers, and yummy Reuben sandwich. At Wynn. Open for lunch and dinner.
House of Blues - They got rid of our beloved BBQ platter, but the food options are still great in this casual spot right off the Mandalay Bay casino. We like the smash burgers, jambalaya, voodoo shrimp, and tasty cocktails. (We go to concerts there, too.) Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
The Bar - Yes, the name is "The Bar," and this off-Strip chain of taverns has an amazing line-up of food and drink options 24-hours a day. We are partial to the location at Bermuda & St. Rose Parkway in Henderson, because we know everyone who works there. The pot roast, shrimp soft tacos, fried Oreos, and their new smash burger are stand-outs, but everything is amazing. They have video poker, keno, and slots at the bar, too. Play for free drinks and food.
Fiorella - Chef Marc Vetri's pasta bar is a moderately priced, but cozy joint in the newish Durango Casino & Resort located about 8 miles west of the Strip off of the 215 highway. We loved sitting at the chef's counter, watching as they prepared our food in the open kitchen. Freshly made pasta, focaccia bread right out of the oven, crispy calamari, and more.
more coming soon
RESIDENT SHOWS
We Have Some of the BEST Shows on the Planet
An innovative stage, no seats, music you know, completely immersive; you are a part of the show! Always something surprising. At Linq.
You know all the words and most of the dance moves...but have you seen MJ's hologram? Another Cirque show. At Mandalay Bay.
Yes, more Cirque. The innovative stage and the fire balls are the real stars of this high-energy epic battle show. At MGM Grand.
Yes, Cirque owns everything. This is the newest in town. Not for kids. Combines music, dancing, acrobatics, and stand up comedy all in one. At New York-New York.
The last Cirque entry is also one of the best. The most amazing pools of water magically appear on stage. Death defying acts. A man of fire. Much more! At Bellagio.
It's a lot of blue paint, no talking, a lot of drumming, and a lot of laughs. Fun for the entire family. At Luxor.
Crazy, loud, offensive, and death defying. Under a big top tent in front of Caesar's. This show is sooooo not for kids or super conservatives.
The already-iconic Sphere is home to director Darren Aronofsy's multi-sensory film on a screen you WILL NOT BELIEVE. We can't recommend this one more.
This is absolutely a sight to behold. The million dollar stage, magic, and special effects are the real stars in this new, $100+ million production at Wynn.
MORE STUFF TO DO
THE LAS VEGAS SPHERE EXPERIENCE - Wow! I mean, WOW! The Sphere has garnered international attention, and for good reason...it's like nothing you've ever seen before. The Experience includes a 50-minute movie on the largest screen known to man and when I tell you that it will blow you away, I'm not kidding. Y'all have to go see for yourself.
A HEADLINER CONCERT - Some of the best concerts happen right here in Sin City. We've had the pleasure of seeing Katy Perry*, Aerosmith, Cher, Taylor Swift, Fleetwood Mac, Imagine Dragons, Ricky Martin, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Lopez, Belinda Carlisle, The B-52's, and more. We especially enjoy the smaller theaters like the Bakkt Theater at Planet Hollywood, the Resorts World Theater, the Venetian Theater, and the Dolby Live at Park MGM. Check out Vegas.com for schedules.
* That's Dale and me with Katy last year. She is one of the nicest celebrities we've ever met.
THE NEON MUSEUM - Go at night and have your camera ready. A true Instagram-worthy destination. Scores of vintage Vegas signs are on display in this outside museum/park.
THE SHARK REEF - Did you know that Mandalay Bay has an aquarium beyond the convention center? From eels to jelly fish to big fat sharks! You even get to walk through glass tunnels under the water.
LION HABITAT RANCH - In the south valley near the M Resort, this outdoor exhibit features the original lineage of the famous MGM lions. There's a giraffe who paints pictures onsite, too. Just don't go when it's 1,000º outside.
FOUNTAINS OF BELLAGIO - You must go out to the sidewalk for ONE thing...the epic fountains in front of Bellagio.
- Monday-Friday – every half hour from 3pm until 8pm; every 15 minutes from 8pm until 11:55pm
- Saturday, Sunday & Holidays – every 30 minutes from 12pm until 8pm, every 15 minutes from 8pm until 11:55pm
BELLAGIO CONSERVATORY & GARDENS - The conservatory behind the Bellagio lobby is worth a tour. The display changes every few months depending on the season.
FREMONT STREET EXPERIENCE - It's loud and insane, but you've got to go at least once. The massive video screen overhead plays videos several times during the day and night. If you get overwhelmed, slip into the newer Circa Adults-only hotel for a drink.
AREA15 - This one is hard to explain. It's basically an interactive art installation, bars, restaurants, and shops. Omega Mart is brought to you by the Meow Wolf people, and it's like a grocery store on acid complete with secret doors and puzzles to figure out. You can also throw axes while drinking beer.
more coming soon