"must see" in vegas - one week trip
 

Message: I want to know the "must sees" for Las Vegas in mid-September or October. We will be there for one week and are probably staying at THEhotel at Mandalay Bay. Neither of us have been to Vegas before,in fact neither of us have been off the east coast. We have done extensive research via the internet. The difficult thing with that is there are so many differing views on everything. I would like to hear from some real people who have been to Vegas. I would love to hear the REASONS for your like/dislike of the attractions you are suggesting. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

As far as our interests go, here is a list in the order of priority:

sight-seeing
good food
shows

Really, there is nothing we are NOT interested in doing, except strip clubs! We are just not sure how much we can fit into a week.

I would think that in a week you could do everything in or around Las Vegas.

Google the area and pick what you like-Trip Advisor, Fodors, Frommers, many sites.

See all the areas of the strip, downtown,go in the pool, go to state parks, off strip casinos-you name it.

I'm sure you would like to pick everyone's brain but it's hard when we all see things from a different pocketbook and desires. Have fun.

I don't know if these are must sees but the first time I went to Vegas (it was for less than a week) we did the following: Hoover Dam, Red Rock Canyon, Lake Meade, a Ghost town, Liberace Museum, shopped at one of the outlet malls, as well as most of the stores on the strip which may I say are fantastic, took in several shows, went to the animal park/zoo behind I think the Mirage, went on the rollercoaster on top of New York New York. I really wanted to pick up a tour for the Grand Canyon but we didn't have time. Than theres all the freebies you can do: The Freemont Street Experience, the Belagio Light and Fountain show, the Mirage volcano show, The Treasure Island battleship show,The Caesars statue show. You will love Mandalay Bay, I'm currently booking a trip as well I'm not sure if I want to spend more for The Hotel because the rooms at the MB are very nice. You'll love the pool/beach area. My only advice is before you book your air/hotel find out what shows or concerts are playing at that time. I wanted to go in June;however I might end up going the end of April because I want to see 9 Inch Nails play at the Hard Rock.Can I ask what your best quote for air and the hotel has been and from who. Have a great time whatever you do.

jeffy:
Thanks for all the suggestions.

We are not booking our hotel and flight together because we are getting married at Mandalay Bay and room discounts are included in our wedding pkg. With our wedding pkg. we can stay at THEhotel for $199 per night. $299 on the weekend.

As far as a flight goes we have not decided on that yet because we have not set an exact date though all the web sites seem to be pretty consistent with price. We are flying from NJ and for two people it is about $460.

Hope this helps

jeffy:
Try travelaxe.com. It is a downloadable software that compares all of the travel websites/airline websites to give you the best individual prices and package prices. I just downloaded it. It looks like it will be very helpful. Let me know if it helps

acsproul thanks for the suggestion. If you're on your honeymoon lets face it you'll want to relax around the pool and not run around like we did.LIke I said the pool is really nice. Definitelly purchase your show tickets as soon as you decide what you want to see. Best wishes and congrats on your wedding.

Hi.

You can fit a lot into a week. You cannot see everything in and around Las Vegas, but you can see a lot. I spent about 3 weeks in Vegas over multiple trips last year and still haven't done some of the things that were on my list from the first trip.

I'll try to give some specifics (with reasons) soon. Until then, if you do a search for Las Vegas trip reports, you will probably find some posts that you would be interested in. There have also been numerous posts about 'must see' things in Vegas.

Take Care,
Mark

Do not miss Cirque De Soleil. Buy tix early to get good seats (they go fast). It's worth the money! "O" at Bellagio, a bit pricier, is another great show.

I agree - "O" at the Bellagio is definitely worth the splurge on cost. If you've never been off the east coast, definitely take advantage of the stunning scenery within a day trip of Las Vegas. You can take a tour via a tour company to the Grand Canyon. Or, rent a car and drive yourself to the Grand Canyon, Zion or Bryce National Parks. If you drive yourself, you might want to stay overnight near one of the parks. It would be a lot of driving to try & do it yourself in just a day. The parks are so spectacular - you'll be glad you did it. A full week in Vegas is a long time. You definitely have room for a side trip.