ToshaQ

Well, well, well! I’m back from Vegas, did I mention I was going? Maybe I did, I can’t remember! So, here’s a small travel review and a few pointers to be successful in Vegas.

My boyfriend works for Frontier, so we had the hookups for flights. Nothing like flying for free, eh? My ticket was only $55, great deal (There’s bargain #1, if you can, hook up on a companion or buddy pass). We stayed at the Wild Wild West hotel, just a few blocks from the hotel. I was stoked that the entire trip was only a required cost of $155. Until we got there, that is.

The hotel was actually pretty nice. I’m from Denver, as previously stated, and this “cheap” (as the locals put it) hotel was equivalent to our Holiday Inn, at a fraction of the price. We made our reservations through hotels.com, which I thought was a great deal… however hotels.com forgot to mention that if you pay for the room up front like we did, they REQUIRE a deposit. All in all, this makes sense to me because I’m sure they have quite a few destroyers that come through… but it just would have been nice to know. Especially since it was $100 deposit!

We decided, though, that our next visit we will pay the extra money to stay somewhere on the strip. Between the cab rides, bus fares, and walking we would probably would have SAVED money by paying closer to $200 on hotel expenses instead of $100.

Cab rides! Oh, joy. We got lucky 90% of the time and had nice drivers. Though, is $1-2 too little to tip on a $5-7 cab ride? Most seemed pretty upset about that. In Denver, cabs start a $1.30. Vegas it was $3.30. Big difference. However, other transportation options are available to those staying further from the strip like we did.

The Deuce, as they call it, was so amazing. This double decker bus, met you at which ever stop you happened to be at. For $5, you had a 24 hour pass, unlimited usage; whereas, for $2, you only had a one-time access. The day pass was a super deal. You can find The Deuce at any of the sheltered (though some aren’t) stops on the strip. Be ware, they take EXACT CHANGE only! If you get a chance, sit up top on the very first row. This was the best seating in the house. It was a little annoying to have to try to view the strip through huge advertisements, so we meandered to the very front and enjoyed the rest of the ride. The Deuce runs from downtown Las Vegas all the way up to the Outlet Malls.

Speaking of malls. Shopping. I wasn’t too impressed with the Fashion Show Mall. It was just plain boring. The Miracle Mall Shops were cute. My favorite though was the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. Mainly because of the MAC PRO store!!! I just had to go in on Fafi’s launch date, right? I only got a few things, but it was spectacular. Everyone should visit a pro store once in their lives! Watch out shopping, though.. you don’t want too many bags that you aren’t willing to carry while you walk/ride The Deuce. Also, sales tax is close to 10%, that’s INSANE!

Alcohol. Many go to Vegas for the parties, some for the experience. I was one of the select few who chose to go for the experience. I had one drink while I was there… not necessarily because I didn’t want to drink, I guess I just didn’t feel the desire? They do have really cool 1/2-1 full yard tall drinks. Watch out though, they’re pricey. We got a 1/2 yard for $20! Wow that was expensive for me. If you’re going to gamble, this is where the free drinks come into play. Take a seat at a slot machine or a table as planned and wait for the cocktail waitress to walk by. Remember, it’s always customary to tip your cocktail waitresses!

Gambling. We gambled FAR more than I had planned. I had set a gambling budget so we didn’t waste too much money, but I was so drawn to those penny slots!! My favorites (and the ones I won on) were Hot Hot Penny - not to be confused with Hot Hot Jackpot - and Cleopatra. If you set a gambling budget, stick to it!!

A few other tips. Avoid Promotion people, Time Share people, and the Hooker Sellers! If you’re not 26-30 or married, people trying to sell you time shares are a waste of time. They’re even more annoying than the men dressed in neon shirts snapping and pushing their whore cards at you. NO I DON’T WANT A HOOKER, THANK YOU!

I had the time of my life, but I’m glad to be home. Be prepared to walk probably more than you’ve ever walked. Buildings are further than they seem. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!