Las Vegas

Great place to visit for everyone; whether you gamble or not, you will find Vegas entertaining; great place for families too. We had booked our stay at Hotel Paris (one of the best locations right in the thick of things) almost 2 months in advance. TIP: look for deals on all online websites. Hotel website are not the best place to look for deals.

Landed at 8.30 am; took the free Rental Cars shuttle to the Rental car hub. Got our car in 15 minutes and were off exploring the city. TIP: if you do not have internet access on your mobile, carry a GPS for directions. had breakfast at iHop (budget $ 15 -20 per person);

Check-in at the hotel starts at 2 pm; early check-in with extra payment at 12.30 pm. If you you have booked using a discounted offer, you will be given a room facing the back; upgrade to main strip facing room for $ 50 .

Main strip from MGM Grand to Treasure Island. The strip is the place to stay as that is where the action is. Walking is the best way to explore the strip. It was pretty cool in the second half of December – day time temperatures were between 7 – 10 C. A light to medium jacket is a must. If it’s breezy, include a hat too. The real beauty of the strip comes out at night with the breathtaking lights and the absolutely massive and sharp LED displays.

Tip for people trying to find veggies – try Panda Express… Good veggies and proteins

Must see hotels

Paris – Eiffel Tower, arc de triomphe, nice cobble stone like pathway, ceiling styled like sky, Studio like setting with buildings on both sides of blvd
Bellagio – very big hotel, with art gallery (ticket); had a Faberge collection on display; Free water fountain show outside which can be seen from the main road too
Monte Carlo and Aria – good buffet in Monte carlo
Caesars Palace – very big, roman style, huge statues of Caesar, roman gods, FREE 5 minute show with lights, sound, fire, good effects …Atlantis…must see
Palazzo
MGM Grand … Must eat in: Rainforest cafe… With moving Python, crocodile; elephant, gorilla, other animals…artificial but look real; will cost ~ $ 25 – 30 per person
Shows … Saw David Copperfield
Mirage…. Great volcano show with fire, volcanic eruptions, fountains … Every 30 min.
Monorail connection between hotels…took train from Belaggio to Monte Carlo
Hollywood planet … have a 5 min “Thundershower” simulation with artificial thunder, lightening and showers inside; good shows; good eating joints
Venetian … Gondolas, artificial canals like Venice, gondola rides with male and female gondoliers who also sing for you
Wynn … very grand; Amazing flower decorations, hot air balloon; Ferrari and Maserati showroom … $10 entry unless you own one. Worth the money as you can see the latest models displayed on turn tables.

Try the ‘discounted ticket place’ for show tickets and restaurant … Deals upto 50% off.
Caution – the discounted seats for shows are not the best. So if you want to see the show up close, you would be better off buying early and from places where you can select your seats.

Car rental : look for online deals but remember that there are a lot of taxes added and the insurance can get pricey too. I got a deal with Firefly on priceline.com for a VW Passat for $13 per day but with taxes and insurance added, it came to $70 per day! For our trip having a car was a must and was well worth the cost.

Parking tips : all big hotels have self parking. Drive in and park wherever you want. You don’t have to stay at the hotel to park in it