Alan/ Paulie
As experienced members
What would your suggestions be for a first timers "must-dos" in one week?
My list is getting so long, I may have to extend my stay to 6 months!!!!
Not sure my wife would understand that...
My advice wouldn"t differ much from Paulie"s (although I don"t do shows)...
There are plenty of you arriving from MAN on the same flight -
definitely get together with 4 or 5 others and book a limo for the airport - hotel trip. All limo bookings are a minimum of one hour, ample time to get the driver to give you a tour of the strip.
A poker player visiting Vegas for the first time and not visiting/playing Binions just seems wrong - so definitely get downtown one afternoon/evening. Play a tourney or some cash at Binions, Golden Nugget, across the street from Binions, also has nice poker room. The Freemont Street Experience lightshow (free), is totally overwhelming, although the content is sometimes a bit lame. Rich "WarBwastardo" and Paul "TheGame" can give info about Glitter Gulch (next-door to Binions), if you require it. I actually quite like it downtown.
Of the posh hotels, the "don"t miss" for me, would be the Venetian - get up to the first floor, wander along the canal, listen to the gondoliers sing, past the over-priced designer shops to St Marks Square, where there are plenty of restaurants. Yes, all indoors, on the first floor - it definitely has the "wow factor"! The Venetian Deepstack Festival will be on when we are there so the best poker room in Vegas will be very busy during the afternoons and evenings.
A low stakes Pai-Gow table, with mates, is a great way to make the most of the "free" cocktails. Like all table games you will lose at Pai-Gow, but at least you lose really slowly and have the craic doing it.
The Bellagio fountain show (free) is worth a look if you"re in the area after dark.
If you are into thrill rides (I"m not), then I guess those on top of the Stratosphere tower would have to be on the list.