Hey all,
I am headed to Vegas for 4 nights - we need a getaway and it is what works for us with the driving distance and cost factor (we have 4 nights at a Hilton there that is paid for...) (this weekend)
So that being said, I don't gamble and we don't club... we do like to hike and are willing to drive a little bit to do so - any suggestions?
Would also like a few restaurant recommendations. Budget around 50.00 per person plus tip ... also cheap eats too
Thanks SO much!!

Great time of year for Red Rock Canyon or Valley of Fire......or both !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMPUlvHl4LY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFzPLSoaMNs

I agree with clarkgriswold, Red Rock Canyon is less than an hour away and Valley of Fire is about an hour.

If you go north on 15 then east for Valley of Fire (there is a brown sign on 15 for where to turn), you can go through the park and come out and drive along Lake Meade. You can then decide if you have time for Hoover Dam when you get to the point where you need to either go there or back to Vegas.

Another longer day trip would be to Death Valley. It is about 2 hours west of Vegas. There was record flooding there earlier this fall and some of the roads in the park were closed. Check locally to see if that affects getting there and/or seeing the parts of the park you want to visit. It is huge and awesome.

If you want an even longer trip, Zion is about 3 hours north of Vegas, so you would have to leave very early to have much time to hike in the park but it is also awesome and so worth visiting. We're on eastern time so getting going by 6AM is fine for us.

Mom, you should have went with in January


http://parks.nv.gov/wp-content/uploa...2014-02-10.pdf

Go to one of Emeril Lagassee's restaurants and have the banana cream pie.

Check out Westies trip report for food recommendations at off strip locations.

I had two great dinners at Lotus of Siam a few years ago. Heard it is still good. Twice nominated for James Beard award, which is very, very highly regarded in the food world. Inexpensive.




<The location, in a down-at-the-heels strip mall, is certainly no frills and quite a contrast to the glossy places in the big Strip hotels. I would encourage you to read some reports about the place so you know what to choose from their lengthy menu. Note that they also have a very good wine list, heavy on Reisling.

Take a look at Chowhound.com, where there is lots of info, and a rabid coterie of fans. For example:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/575793?tag=search_results;results_list>

Another vote for Lotus of Siam. Outstanding and reasonably priced.

We did Zion as a day trip from Vegas and found it reasonable to do and very much worth it.

Thanks all! We are here - went out to red rock today but it was VERY crowded - we decided to go back on Monday when hopefully it will be less crowded but it also is supposed to be pretty cold so we shall see - we did an easy walk on Rail Road Trail out by Hoover Dam as we were looking around Lake Las Vegas...

http://www.traillink.com/trail/histo...oad-trail.aspx

Watching the Baylor game (well husband is) and getting ready to head out to try to see the Rousey fight (my choice ) ...

Lotus of Siam - looks perfect! What great reviews it gets - we will check it out!!

A small bit above budget, at about $56 pp, is the Cut of the week, at Charlie Palmer. It's technically Four Seasons, and attached to the Mandalay Bay, through a walk across the lobby, and down a corridor and staircase.

The best part? Bottomless wine pairings with every course. My husband still mentions how much he enjoyed the dinner.

Hey Jet - that is fine We spent about $120.00 out the door for dinner last at Oyster Bay Seafood & Wine Bar in the Miracle Mile Shops - it is attached to our hotel... tonight? We were headed back from Rail Road Trail and stopped at whole foods and picked up dinner - (we are in a one bedroom with a full kitchen.. )

Lotus of Siam requires advance reservations unless you are willing to wait. It is best to secure advance reservations , but they are only accept reservations via phone during business hours.

A couple of excellent alternatives to Lotus are Chada Thai & Wine and, the recently opened and affiliated, Chada Street. Both are highly recommended and neither require advance reservations.

Another option for hiking is in the Spring Mountains. There is a recently opened welcome center that can provide you with hiking details. You might want to stop in Lulu's Bread and Breakfast on your way of town.

If you have time, go visit the Cosmopolitan, to see the chandelier bars, if nothing else. The tram runs to the Crystals Mall, attached to Aria, and has gorgeous shops to browse/dream.

wow.... we ate at Lotus of Siam tonight - best Thai food we have ever had! Thanks for the recommendation!!!

I am so jealous you got to go there and yet so thrilled you were able to.

When we were supposed to go to LV a few years ago, Lotus of Siam was the one place I was going to make DH go.

Thanks Janet! It was so great! Jet - we are going over to the Aria today.

I'm glad you liked Lotus. When we visited LV for four nights a few years ago, we ended up having two of the four dinners at that restaurant. (We ate no meals on the Strip)

It was very cold yesterday so we did not get to go to Red Rock but instead opted to enjoy the spa at the Aria - wow - that is a lovely hotel - one of the nicest I have been in on the strip. The spa was exceptional!

For a late lunch/early dinner we ate at Julian Serrano at the bar - they have tapas and sangria - it was great! We had a variety of tapas and a couple of glasses of sangria - very good. We took the monorail over to the Bellagio - walked a bit and admired their lovely fall decorations and a few other properties.

A great day in Vegas!

Did you have a drink at any of the bars in Cosmo? My husband had a specialty one he really enjoyed.