You might not realize that there is an entirely different part of Vegas than the Strip.
Welcome to Freemont Street - part of the old, downtown part of Vegas. Here, the casinos are smaller and smokier, but offer you a lot more bang for your buck. The slots are much more loose, offering you a bigger win on that 20 cents play (if you're playing the penny slots.) This year's penny slot favorite award goes to the Elvis penny slot. If you bet the max of 60 lines (that's 1 cent per line), you can play up to three spins. If you win on the first spin, you're bumped to the second, if you win the second, you're bumped to the third. If you get the bonus, well, you're just lucky enough to not only win the money, but you get to hear ol' Elvis sing (guess which song makes the applause-o-meter above you register the highest.) Or, you could get to put pictures of Elvis (hopefully the cute, skinny ones) in an album, or guess which album will hit platinum status. It's a cool, interactive game. I really brought the BF over to the penny slot dark side!
And if you're looking for single-deck blackjack? Forget it if you're on the Strip, but on Freemont, it's not hard to find. Combine that with a $5 minimum bet (the minimums go up during busy times, like Sat. night) and you've got yourself a blackjack hootenanny. We had a dealer at Binions, Terry, who taught me more about how to play blackjack than any book ever did. If the dealer is showing a "2", chances are that he's going to win. That's his best card. If the dealer is showing a 3, 4 or 5 in single deck blackjack "There's a 10 coming and you don't want it. Make the dealer beat you." Always assume that the dealer has a 10 card under whatever he's showing. Always hit on a 16 ("Have you ever seen a dealer stand on 16?") and double down on a hand of 11. It was awesome. I had to borrow money from the BF, because at another table I'd previously lost the last of my gambling money, but here, with Terry's help, I won back enough to pay BF back and leave with a little extra.
And after you spend a whole day gambling away your shirt, around dusk you can take a moment and look up to enjoy the Freemont Street Experience - a show that takes place on the canopy above you that's filled with millions of tiny light bulbs. It's amazing how they make the images look so "movie like" with those lights - plus it's put to music.
Here's the full video of one performance. It's about 6 minutes long, my arm got tired holding the camera, but it's pretty cool video, if I do say so myself.
Showing posts with label blackjack. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blackjack. Show all posts
Monday, May 05, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Vegas Tips
I think I've mentioned it about a googillian times (as Ben Stiller said), but next week, I'm going to Las Vegas. This will be my 5th trip to Sin City, and I've managed to accumulate some helpful information that I'd like to share with you.
1. Bring comfy shoes: You're at New York, NY. You want to walk to Paris, Hotel. It's right there! A half hour later, it's still right there! The scale of everything in Vegas is a trick. There will be lots of walking.
2. Go in the spring or in the fall: During the summer, it's scorching hot. You may get better deals, because everyone else has decided that melting their shoes on the asphalt isn't what they want to do. The weather in the spring and fall is terrific.
3. Make reservations: If there's a restaurant you want to try, or a spa treatment you want to get, call and make a reservation. Up to a month in advance for restaurants, and most spas do their calendar a week or two out.
4. If you want to play table games, head to Freemont Street: Downtown Las Vegas is the home of the $3 blackjack table, whereas it'll cost you at least $15 per hand on the Strip. On Freemont Street, you can play longer for less money, and the slots are a bit more loose. Plus, there's the free light show after dusk.
5. Speaking of free, you'll find several attractions that are: Watch the fountains at Bellagio, watch the volcano explode at the Mirage, watch the Sirens show at Treasure Island, and just mosey through the theme hotels.
6. Take a day trip: After about 3 days, the clinking and dinging and smoke starts to get to you. This year, we'll go to the Grand Canyon and Red Rock Canyon.
7. Bring lots of ones. You'll do more tipping than anything else. And bring your cash with you. While getting cash out of the ATMS in the casinos, you'll feel like you're "winning", but really, you're losing, because of the ridiculous ATM fees.
I really need a vacation. Four days left. :)
1. Bring comfy shoes: You're at New York, NY. You want to walk to Paris, Hotel. It's right there! A half hour later, it's still right there! The scale of everything in Vegas is a trick. There will be lots of walking.
2. Go in the spring or in the fall: During the summer, it's scorching hot. You may get better deals, because everyone else has decided that melting their shoes on the asphalt isn't what they want to do. The weather in the spring and fall is terrific.
3. Make reservations: If there's a restaurant you want to try, or a spa treatment you want to get, call and make a reservation. Up to a month in advance for restaurants, and most spas do their calendar a week or two out.
4. If you want to play table games, head to Freemont Street: Downtown Las Vegas is the home of the $3 blackjack table, whereas it'll cost you at least $15 per hand on the Strip. On Freemont Street, you can play longer for less money, and the slots are a bit more loose. Plus, there's the free light show after dusk.
5. Speaking of free, you'll find several attractions that are: Watch the fountains at Bellagio, watch the volcano explode at the Mirage, watch the Sirens show at Treasure Island, and just mosey through the theme hotels.
6. Take a day trip: After about 3 days, the clinking and dinging and smoke starts to get to you. This year, we'll go to the Grand Canyon and Red Rock Canyon.
7. Bring lots of ones. You'll do more tipping than anything else. And bring your cash with you. While getting cash out of the ATMS in the casinos, you'll feel like you're "winning", but really, you're losing, because of the ridiculous ATM fees.
I really need a vacation. Four days left. :)
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Vegas Itenerary
As promised, here's some info on what we'll be doing in Vegas (because I'm sure you can't wait to find out. Ha.)
Since it's the BF's first trip to Sin City, we'll spend most of our first day there (we arrive at 10 a.m., so we'll have the whole day) cruising the Strip. Each hotel is like it's own mini-attraction, so we'll start at Mandalay Bay, and move our way up. One of my favorite things to see in Vegas is the indoor garden at the Bellagio, which changes themes with the season/holiday. I also hope that I can talk the BF into a gondola ride at the Venetian (the river is on the SECOND FLOOR!) Hopefully, he'll also be up for a trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower at Paris, because IMHO, that's one of the best vantage points for the Bellagio fountains (though you can't hear the music from up there.)
I'm pretty excited about our plans to go to Mix Lounge, atop Mandalay Bay's TheHotel. It's supposedly one of the best views of the Strip. I'll let you know. The cover is $20 on weeknights, and I'm sure the drinks are about $12 each, so it'll be a pricey view.
Vegas is also one of the best places to find great food. Each time I go, I eat at least one "splurge" dinner at a steakhouse. Emeril's Delmonico is great, the Prime in the Bellagio is great. Now, I'll get to form an opinion of the BOA Steakhouse - voted one of the best steaks in Veags in 2007. It's in Ceasar's Palace.
Speaking of food, Vegas is famous for the buffet. The best breakfast buffet in all of Vegas is in the Paris Hotel. It's called Le Village, and it runs about $20 a person. It's not cheap, but it's gooooooood. Everything on the buffet is tasty, but the crepes - made in front of you and with your choice of filling - make it the best. It'll save you money on lunch, too, because you'll be stuffed.
We'll also be spending some time at the Mandalay Bay pool. I HEART the pool. It's a wave pool, and it's surrounded by "beach" sand. They also have a lazy river, where you can sit on an innertube and just let the current take you along. I'm thinking we may bring our own, uninflated innertubes, because they rent them for $20. Vegas loves to nickle and dime you.
As mentioned a few days ago, one whole day will be taken up with our side trip to the Grand Canyon.
Then, of course we're going to see a show. I've always wanted to see "O", a Cirque de Soliel show with a water theme (the French word for water is "eau", thus the name.) I've seen another Cirque show, "Mystere", which was awesome. Tickets were not cheap to this little diddy - $137. There is a half-price ticket booth in Vegas that sells same-day show tix, but I didn't want to chance it. I wanted to see this specific show.
Of course, we'll be doing some gambling. I am a fan of the penny slots. Why? I can play longer and with less money, and the slots are often fun with games and bonus points and noises. :) Plus, I love me some blackjack. The minimums are WAY too high for me on the Strip ($20 per hand is the cheapest I've seen.) This is what makes downtown Freemont Street a great $11 taxi ride away. There are $3 and $5 tables there, which means I can play $50 at blackjack, and usually hang in for a couple of hours. The BF wants to learn to play craps, so we've been studying YouTube videos and tutorials. We'll probably play that at Freemont as well, because there, the dealers and casino staff are a bit more willing to "help" you learn, and things are a bit "looser".
I've also made the BF promise to take me dancing. (What is it with men? They'll dance with you to woo you, they get you, and they never want to go dancing again!) We'll hit the clubs Friday night. Maybe we'll see Paris Hilton. I'll let you know. Previous experience has made my favorite club "Light" in the Bellagio. "Pure" at Ceasars is pretty hard to get into (Plus a $50 cover.) "Tao" in the Venetian is way too young a crowd. We'll also get drinks at the "Ghost Bar" in the Palms, off-Strip. (Another good Vegas view, btw.)
There will be no sleeping. We can sleep when we're dead. :)
Since it's the BF's first trip to Sin City, we'll spend most of our first day there (we arrive at 10 a.m., so we'll have the whole day) cruising the Strip. Each hotel is like it's own mini-attraction, so we'll start at Mandalay Bay, and move our way up. One of my favorite things to see in Vegas is the indoor garden at the Bellagio, which changes themes with the season/holiday. I also hope that I can talk the BF into a gondola ride at the Venetian (the river is on the SECOND FLOOR!) Hopefully, he'll also be up for a trip to the top of the Eiffel Tower at Paris, because IMHO, that's one of the best vantage points for the Bellagio fountains (though you can't hear the music from up there.)
I'm pretty excited about our plans to go to Mix Lounge, atop Mandalay Bay's TheHotel. It's supposedly one of the best views of the Strip. I'll let you know. The cover is $20 on weeknights, and I'm sure the drinks are about $12 each, so it'll be a pricey view.
Vegas is also one of the best places to find great food. Each time I go, I eat at least one "splurge" dinner at a steakhouse. Emeril's Delmonico is great, the Prime in the Bellagio is great. Now, I'll get to form an opinion of the BOA Steakhouse - voted one of the best steaks in Veags in 2007. It's in Ceasar's Palace.
Speaking of food, Vegas is famous for the buffet. The best breakfast buffet in all of Vegas is in the Paris Hotel. It's called Le Village, and it runs about $20 a person. It's not cheap, but it's gooooooood. Everything on the buffet is tasty, but the crepes - made in front of you and with your choice of filling - make it the best. It'll save you money on lunch, too, because you'll be stuffed.
We'll also be spending some time at the Mandalay Bay pool. I HEART the pool. It's a wave pool, and it's surrounded by "beach" sand. They also have a lazy river, where you can sit on an innertube and just let the current take you along. I'm thinking we may bring our own, uninflated innertubes, because they rent them for $20. Vegas loves to nickle and dime you.
As mentioned a few days ago, one whole day will be taken up with our side trip to the Grand Canyon.
Then, of course we're going to see a show. I've always wanted to see "O", a Cirque de Soliel show with a water theme (the French word for water is "eau", thus the name.) I've seen another Cirque show, "Mystere", which was awesome. Tickets were not cheap to this little diddy - $137. There is a half-price ticket booth in Vegas that sells same-day show tix, but I didn't want to chance it. I wanted to see this specific show.
Of course, we'll be doing some gambling. I am a fan of the penny slots. Why? I can play longer and with less money, and the slots are often fun with games and bonus points and noises. :) Plus, I love me some blackjack. The minimums are WAY too high for me on the Strip ($20 per hand is the cheapest I've seen.) This is what makes downtown Freemont Street a great $11 taxi ride away. There are $3 and $5 tables there, which means I can play $50 at blackjack, and usually hang in for a couple of hours. The BF wants to learn to play craps, so we've been studying YouTube videos and tutorials. We'll probably play that at Freemont as well, because there, the dealers and casino staff are a bit more willing to "help" you learn, and things are a bit "looser".
I've also made the BF promise to take me dancing. (What is it with men? They'll dance with you to woo you, they get you, and they never want to go dancing again!) We'll hit the clubs Friday night. Maybe we'll see Paris Hilton. I'll let you know. Previous experience has made my favorite club "Light" in the Bellagio. "Pure" at Ceasars is pretty hard to get into (Plus a $50 cover.) "Tao" in the Venetian is way too young a crowd. We'll also get drinks at the "Ghost Bar" in the Palms, off-Strip. (Another good Vegas view, btw.)
There will be no sleeping. We can sleep when we're dead. :)
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