Guides Posts, Page 23

The Experience

Walk through any casino and you'll hear the familiar servers cry "cocktails, cocktails?" But don't be fooled. Even before the mixology revival hit Las Vegas, not to mention the craft beer frenzy, Las Vegas amassed some of the most impressive wine cellars in the country. There are a number of reasons--proximity to California, high rollers with fancy tastes, etc--but whatever the reason, this may be one of the best places anywhere to enjoy a wide variety of fine wine. Let's get started!

Indulgence. It’s what we do best in Las Vegas. But what if your idea of indulgence isn’t fine dining, rare wines, fabulous entertainment, fine art, luxury shopping or sumptuous spas? What if your idea of indulgence is nothing more (or less) than good chocolate?

We got you. In fact, the Las Vegas Strip might have one of the most impressive concentrations of fine chocolate options anywhere this side of the Atlantic. Really.

The Experience

You might ask yourself why you would stay at a giant castle when heading to Las Vegas. You could say you want to be someone’s “Knight in Shining Amour” or perhaps your ideal vacation has hints of the dark ages or some snapshot of medieval times. It also could be that you know a good deal when you see one. Excalibur Hotel is located among one of the busiest intersections in Las Vegas. You are surrounded by the MGM Grand, NY/NY Casino and the LUXOR. Within minutes walking distance is CityCenter, Monte Carlo and Mandalay Bay.

In a laughing mood? That’s probably because you haven’t gambled away all your money yet.

But seriously, folks: Las Vegas is a town that loves to laugh, and if you’re looking for a fun comedy show, you’ve definitely come to the right place. Some of the most famous comedians in the world make people laugh here every night, others visit regularly, a few only drop in from time to time (sometimes without advance notice). Still, every serious comic will tell you that Las Vegas audiences might be the most challenging, yet are always the most rewarding.

The Experience
I dare you to have a meal at Mon Ami Gabi at Paris Las Vegas and sit out on the patio and not extend it an extra hour. It just is not possible to sit there with a view of the Las Vegas strip and a glass of wine in your hand and not want the meal to last a little longer.

Sticker Shock. They call it that when costs sneak up on new car purchase, but the effect can be the same with a vacation in Las Vegas. Sometimes it can seem like every direction you turn in Vegas, it takes more money, and every simple thing is twice as much as it should be.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. With a little bit of planning and keeping eyes open, you can wrangle the deals and have a very inexpensive fun time here—even if you’re just saving more money for gambling. We won’t judge.

Here are some tips:

Hotels

They remain one of the most unpredictable successes in Las Vegas history. When the intellectual, anti-establishment magic team of Penn & Teller first performed in Las Vegas, no one was sure it would go well, least of all them. But twenty years after their first show here, the tee-totaling, atheists who debunk magic while creating it have truly found a second home in their own theatre at the Rio Hotel & Casino.

Some things are sacred. In Vegas, not very much. But one thing this city takes very seriously is Italian food. Maybe it’s a hold over from the “good old days” when the wiseguys ran the place, but Italian cuisine has always been among the strongest dining options in Las Vegas, maybe today more than ever.