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A: First off, Amy is in that category (of people that don't like to gamble), but she loves Vegas. There are plenty of other things to do and see in Vegas. Some are free and some are not so free (but remember, you will be on vacation and you can always expect to spend lots of money on vacation). You can people watch, take in a show, laugh at a comedian, take a trip to the Grand Canyon, see Hoover Dam, gorge yourself at any of the buffets, shop at the many boutiques, go to a whore-house, dine at any of the many fine restaurants, swim or just hang-out by the pool, drink margaritas (or your favorite poison), visit a strip-joint, renew your vows/get married, ride a thrill ride, chuckle at the Elvis impersonators, ask a stranger to take your picture, go to the water park, visit the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign, walk to your favorite casino, watch the pirate show at Treasure Island, delight in the fountains or smell and see the botanical garden at Bellagio, experience the Freemont Street Experience, tour the antique cars at the Imperial Palace, ride the gondolas or visit the Guggenheim Museum at the Venetian, ride the Big Shot at the top of the tallest free-standing structure west of the Mississippi at the Stratosphere, go to Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay, swim with the Dolphins at the Mirage, see the Lions at MGM Grand, or go to the amusement park at Circus-Circus (and there are many other things I left out�I didn't want you missing the trip because you were reading this list).
Q: If I don't want to stay at the Flamingo, where would be a nice place to stay that is close by your hotel?
A: Click HERE to see a map of the Strip. Like I said, Flamingo is a mid-range place to stay. If you want something different, here are my humble opinions as to the quality of the Hotels/Casinos on the strip:
Highest Quality: Bellagio, the Venetian, and Mandalay Bay.
Upper Quality: MGM Grand, Paris, Caesars, Mirage, and Treasure Island.
Over-rated (you might as well stay somewhere in the "Upper Quality" range for the price you are paying), but considered High Quality: Luxor, Aladin, New York - New York, and Bally's.
Mid-range (Flamingo-types): Harrah's, Monte Carlo, Excalibur, Tropicana, Riviera, Imperial Palace, and Sahara
Lower echelon (cheap in strip quality): Bill's Gambling Hall, Circus-Circus, Casino Royale, and Stardust.
There are also some nice places like Hilton, Hard Rock, Orleans, Gold Coast, Rio, and Palms just off the strip, but there are all kinds of cheaper and low quality places to stay off-strip and they don't have casinos like Holiday Inns, Comfort Inns, and Quality Inns. There is also all the Hotels/Casinos Down Town, but they are far away from where we will be staying�it may be a hassle to hang out with our group that way, but you can do what you want to save money. We don't care where you stay just as long as you come!
Send me your Questions and look for the Answers here!
