The Daily Buzz

There are hundreds of things to do while visiting Las Vegas that don't involve gambling. All of the activities listed on this page are for the traveler who is staying on the Strip.If the activity isn't on the Strip, then there is readily available transportation/shuttles to take you to where you will need to go for it.

I’m not suggesting that you wake up in a stranger’s hotel room missing your pants or anything, but I wouldn’t ever rule out one’s potential. I’ll give you some tips for drinking cheaply while in Las Vegas, but let's at least make an honest effort to stay coherent until about 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning?

When possible - always have some liquor and mixers in your hotel room.

If you are clubbing, go early and hang out at the casino bar for at least 30 minutes or so. The drinks are usually AT LEAST 30% cheaper than in the clubs, and you will almost always be served a lot faster.

Stop by the Barbary Coast. They usually have dollar drink specials at the main bar, and you can always discretely sneak through the front door with your drink in hand and legally walk the Strip.

Check out Margaritaville at the Flamingo, Kahunaville at Treasure Island, and Carnival Court at Harrahs. These places are well-known for their ability to serve you great margaritas, making sure you have a great time, and trying to make you fall off of a curb on the way out.

Stalk the cocktail waitresses. If you see a waitress is making her rounds in a certain slot machine area, discretely jump about 20 ft ahead of her and put some money in the machine. Play SLOWLY if you must, and go ahead and order your next drink when she brings your first. Don’t forget to tip $1-2 each time.

*Seriously folks. Know your limits and try your best to keep your friends under control. Nothing can ruin a great evening quicker than your best friend puking on your shoe, or you getting in a fight with a complete stranger over something ridiculous.

Are you a guy who enjoys seeing insanely hot women dance on stage mostly naked under an assumed name, only to come up and show you their artistically crafted who haws by rubbing them in your face for twenty dollars? Of course you are. Like almost everything else in the entertainment world, Las Vegas has some of the best Strip Clubs in the world all within a short cab ride away from the Strip. If you like Strip Clubs, it would make sense that you should probably check them out.

Ask the cab driver if they can do something to waive the cover at the club if you tip him extra. The majority of the Strip Clubs in Las Vegas pay an enormous commission to cab drivers for bringing people to THEIR Strip Club instead of the other guys. The driver might not be able/willing to help you out…but it’s at least worth the effort.

Just don't let them take you anywhere other than these places:

Seamless – 702.227.5200
Sapphire Gentlemen's Club - 702.492.3960
Spearmint Rhino - 702.796.3600
Club Paradise - 702.734.7990
SCORES – 702.367.4000
Cheetahs – 702.384.0074
Palomino (For Fully Nude w/ Liquor) – 702.642.2984

Everyone ALWAYS talks about wanting to do it, and there is no better time than now to conquer something you’ve always said you would do “someday.” You can call ahead and schedule a free pick up from the Strip, and at around $200 for everything – It isn’t even that expensive. The Sky Diving “School” in Boulder City (about thirty minutes from Las Vegas Blvd) has been around for over twenty years and has NEVER had a fatal injury or serious accident. I can honestly say that, second only to the anticipation on the way up, the worst part about Sky Diving is watching the 30 minute video that legally has to tell you all of the possible ways you could die without suing them. Once you get that out of the way, the only thing you have to do is to curl up like a banana and scream like you just won the lottery.

Check out the Sky Dive Las Vegas Website, and call to schedule in advance:

Sky Dive Las Vegas – 1.800.U.SKYDIVE

You are young, you like to have fun, and there is no better way to achieve both than by drinking and dancing with a lot of sexy strangers throughout the night. You are currently reading the most elaborate site dedicated to Las Vegas clubs on the internet, and you probably know by now that my information is all that you need to read if you are planning on clubbing in Las Vegas. It's just that good. We have over forty nightclubs in Las Vegas, twenty-five of which are good enough to be reviewed on JackColton.com. So as I always say…figure out exactly what you enjoy when you go to nightclubs (The crowd? The music? Want something low-key? Lounges?), and read through my nightclub guide to figure out the best plan of attack for the nights that you are in town.

Which Las Vegas Clubs to go to.
The TRUTH about VIP Services.
Las Vegas Night Club Dress Codes.

I couldn’t possibly list all of the places in Las Vegas to get pampered, so you might be better off asking your hotel concierge where they would recommend you get massaged, your hair done, a manicure, a pedicure, a facial, or a God knows what. Keep in mind that most concierges will probably have to recommend their property first, so you might ask them for a few alternative suggestions after they get the mandatory self-promotions out of the way (especially if you aren’t staying at a high-end resort).

Like I said, there are GREAT places everywhere, but I know that these properties have great Spas:

Mandalay Bay – 1.877.632.7000
The Venetian – 1.877.583.6423
Green Valley Ranch (Off Strip) -
1.866.STAY.GVR

Las Vegas has some of the most HIGH-END stores in the world
within walking distance of the majority of the hotels on the Strip. Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Diesel, Coach, Marciano, and Versace just to name a few. You could literally hop on a plane and buy an entire new designer wardrobe within just a few hours. There are a few great malls throughout Las Vegas Blvd, but I would suggest starting here:

Forum Shops @ Caesars Palace – 702.893.4800
Fashion Show Mall – 702.369.0704

Some do it to people watch, some do it to admire the billions of dollars worth of constantly innovating entertainment; whatever your purpose – walking a long Las Vegas Blvd is never a dull thing for those newly visiting Las Vegas. I would recommend starting at Bellagio and heading north towards the Wynn (or vice versa). The best time of the day is right after the sun goes down, as it isn’t as hot and you everything looks a lot better when it's all lit up.

Bring some water with you, ignore the time share salesman asking where “you fine folks are visiting from,” and don’t be offended when a few hundred Mexican’s flick porn at you. If you end up walking too far, you can either take a cab or one of the many “deuce” busses back to where you came from. Keep in mind that the busses are $2 a ride, and cabs on the Strip can ONLY legally pick up passengers in front of the casinos (not on the side of the street).

Ride the Roller Coaster at New York, New York. There probably are all sorts of things I am supposed to tell you about this roller coaster like how it simulates the barrel-roll of a jet fighter, rolls 180 degrees, hangs 86 feet in the air, then dives back under itself- promising dizzying excitement and white-knuckle thrills. I should probably even tell you that it drops 144 feet going nearly 70 MPH. But honestly? Who cares. This roller coaster is a lot of fun, and if you aren’t too much of a pussy to ride it – you should!

New York, New York – 1.800.693.6763

 

I have a love / hate relationship with The Stratosphere Hotel and Casino. I love the view that the tower offers, the “Top of the World” restaurant, and I would highly recommend that you ride the “Big Shot” ride (don’t bother with the other rides that are up top). Other than that, I hate almost everything else that the property offers its customers. The staff is rude, the area is crap, and walking through the casino floor reminds you of everything Las Vegas is trying to get away from. If you can stand all of that, I highly recommend that you take the 110 story trip to the top of the tower and check out the best view of Las Vegas. Like I mentioned, you will probably enjoy riding the “Big Shot” which shoots straight up into the air incredibly fast, but don’t mess with the other rides. They aren’t that fun, and have been known to occasionally break down with passengers on them for hours at a time.

The Stratosphere 702.380.7777

Sometimes doing something completely off the wall will help make your life a memorable one, and taking a ride on one of the widely-popular Gondolas at the Venetian Hotel and Casino is certainly a great way to lean out of the ordinary. You will sit down in a luxurious Gondola boat and have a singing Gondola operator navigate your way through the winding canals of the Venetian, both indoors and outdoors. You will see the sites and people will take pictures as you pass by. This activity might be best suited for couples in love, as going with a friend might be just a little bit weird, and riding by yourself in a Gondola is grounds for being egged by small children that might be roaming through the Grand Canal Shops. But to each their own. Rides go until midnight, and run $15 per adult / $60 per couple for private boat.

The Venetian – 1.877.583.6423

Las Vegas has caught up to and possibly even surpassed New York’s Broadway Avenue in many ways. Not only do we have many of their award-winning shows right here at our disposal, we also have added hundreds of millions of dollars in technologically advanced stages for all of our shows to perform on. Among many: We have Celine Dion, Elton John, Mamma Mia, Hairspray, Blue Man Group, three (3) Male Revues, five (5) internationally acclaimed Cirque De Soleil shows, and four (4) arenas constantly filled with top name performers making their tour stop in Las Vegas. I highly recommend Vegas.com as the best place to purchase show tickets in advance, but strongly caution you to do your research on which shows you will want to see while in town, because even though Vegas.com sells tickets for all of the shows, they promote the shows the most that pay them the highest sales commissions (same thing with nightclubs). Yea I let their secret out. You should also check TicketMaster to find out what concerts will be in town while you are here.

For Show Tickets: Vegas.com
For Concert Tickets: TicketMaster.com

*You can also check one of the many “1/2 Off” ticket outlets on the Strip the day of the show. You won’t find any of the MAJOR shows being sold there, but can probably get something entertaining for under $30 a ticket.

With over forty (40) different choreographed performances by over 1,200 water spouts that shoot up to 240 feet in the air, it is no wonder that the water show on the lake in front of the Bellagio Hotel and Casino is considered by many as the best free show in Las Vegas. A little insider tip? If you walk just about 30 feet into the actual Bellagio building right near the escalator that would cross over to Ballys (walking like you were going into the Bellagio shops), you will find a few private balconies on the side towards the lake that most tourists don’t know about. You can walk right in, and won’t be surrounded by noisy people taking hundreds of pictures every minute of the show. Show times are as follows: Monday-Friday 3:00pm - 7:00pm Every 1/2 Hour 7:00pm -12:00am Every 15 Minutes. | Saturday & Sunday 12:00pm -7:00pm Every 1/2 Hour, 7:00pm -12:00am Every 15 Minutes.

Bellagio Hotel & Casino – 1.888.987.7111

There has been an alarming trend going around Las Vegas Hotel Swimming Pools in the past couple of years – women running around completely topless. I was considering filing a complaint with someone who would care, but then quickly realized that this is one of the coolest trends in the history of Vegas. Known as “European Bathing,” these areas of the pool are blocked off from the main hotel pools, and are only open to those ages 21+. An alternative to topless sunbathing is spending your Sunday at the widely popular “Rehab” pool party at the Hard Rock Hotel. While not a topless pool, this sexy weekly event has been known to make even the fittest of supermodels feel self-conscious, and never fails to impress even the pickiest of traveler. Unless they just don’t look good in a bathing suit.

Venus @ Caesars Palace
Moorea Beach
(Pronounced “more-A-uh”) @ Mandalay Bay
Rehab
@ The Hard Rock (Not Topless!)

Animals are absolutely fascinating to me, and it is a true pleasure to be able to just be able to walk up and be standing right next to White Tigers at the Mirage, and fully grown Lions at the Lion Habitat of MGM Grand. Obviously the cats are inside luxuriously comfortable “habitats” at both resorts, but they still have plenty of room to play and show off what makes them some of the most feared animals in the world. The tigers have a pool at the Mirage to swim in, and the Lions at MGM can walk right over your head on the plexiglass "cat walk." Both of these attractions are free for all ages, and are open most days of the week until about midnight. Meow.

• Lion Habitat @ MGM Grand.
• White Tigers @ Mirage
.

I am not a golfer myself, but I know that Las Vegas is quickly becoming a premier destination for those who are. There are at least ten (10) major golf courses in the Las Vegas Metro, and several only a short distance away. All of them offer shuttles to and from hotels, and there are many companies around that offer entire multi-course golf vacation packages to the serious golfer. I’m assuming most of you will probably already know what you are looking for in your search for the right greens, so I’m not even going to pretend to be able to advise you on this subject. If you aren’t familiar with the courses in the area, you might enjoy reading the below website for reviews on area courses. Otherwise just ask your hotel concierge to take care of things for you.

Travel Golf Vegas

Did Ryan Seacrest make you angry on American Idol? Do you want to kick Britney Spears ass because of her latest baby shenanigans? Would you like to (fill in the blank) President George W. Bush? Then you really should visit Madame Tussauds at the Venetian. This sprawling museum of freakishly real looking fake people is absolutely filled to the walls with over a hundred of the most notorious celebrities the world has ever seen. You can see them, take pictures with them, and possibly even try to sneak out of the front door with them. Id probably should just stick with the pictures though. Madame Tussauds is open daily until 10PM (schedule varies throughout the year and by the days of the week). Check for the current schedule by going to the below link.

Madame Tussauds @ The Venetian - 702.832.7813

This is another category where I really couldn’t possibly list everything that I would recommend, as I haven’t yet had the privilege of eating at all of the amazing restaurants in Las Vegas. You will quickly notice, especially at the higher end properties, that Las Vegas has become a virtual Mecca of celebrity chef owned restaurants, and your dining options are truly endless throughout the Strip. A word to the wise however? If you are planning on going to a buffet, avoid most of them. The only good ones that I know of are at the Aladdin, Mandalay Bay, The Rio, The Wynn, and The Bellagio. Most of the rest of them taste like someone snuck into the kitchen and stole about 40% of the flavor before they put the food under the heat lamp. Also, don’t rule out eating in some of the Casino Cafes. The Bellagio Cafe, Grand Lux at the Venetian, Lucky’s at Hard Rock, and Raffles at Mandalay Bay are all exceptional quality 24 hours a day. On weekdays at Lucky's they have some "underground specials" after 11PM, you just have to ask for the special menu.

- What to expect when you arrive in Las Vegas.
- Things to do that don’t rely on luck.
- Trendy places to eat.
- Complete (and honest) Nightclub Reviews.
- Limousines. Limousines. Limousines.
- Las Vegas Tipping Guide.

- Clubbing? Read the Las Vegas Nightclub Guides.

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*If you have any further questions about any of the mentioned venues, please email either myself or the listed host for the nightclub in question. If you have a comment or complaint about any of the above clubs, please let me know. While it takes a collective amount of feedback to change any of the reviews - every one helps! - Jack Colton

 
 
 
The Las Vegas Nightclub Guide.
How To Get Inside The Club Quicker
How To Reserve Table Service
What does
What Are Vegas Nightclub Dress Codes?
The Vegas Drinks and Bar Guide.
The Vegas Tipping Guide
The Ultimate Las Vegas Bachelor Party Guide.
Planning the Vegas Bachelorette Party.
How to CURE a Hangover.
 
Read the Vegas Party Column
Check Out Las Vegas Nightclub Events.
Click Here For Direct Contact w/ Nightclub Hosts.
Las Vegas Tourist Information.
The 20 Most Beautiful People In Las Vegas.
Help Spread The Word About JackColton.com!
About JackColton.com
Contact Jack Colton.