Flamingo was super fun as a budget place when I last went like 10 years ago, glad to hear it’s still alive and kicking.
Man, Vegas has changed so much in 10 years. When I went, I could fairly easily get a couple mid-week free nights w/0 resort fees at Flamingo and I basically don’t play much besides some poker. Now it seems they’ve clamped down on freebies and even if you get them, the resort fees will still be ridiculous. That being said, still a bit of an itch to go, seeing as how I haven’t been there in a while.
It’s funny, my family and a couple childhood friends are from Omaha, and they refuse to vacation anywhere that isn’t Vegas (and they vacation 2x/year). I’ve been everywhere interesting around Omaha in that time: Toronto, Montreal, Miami, SF, LA, SD, Los Cabos, Vallarta, Cancun, Mexico City, and always ask if they’d like to join me and even offer to plan out the details, but it’s always “no thanks, but we’re probably going to Vegas in 3 months, if you wanna join”. Curious if this is a thing w/Midwestern Trumpers.
I’ve been going to Vegas every year over 10 years now and every year it gets a little more expensive in some small way. Cheap dining options are gradually disappearing. Cheap beer is getting harder to find. Last time there I couldn’t find a 16oz. can under $7. Blackjack 6:5 pretty much everywhere. 000 Roulette. Craps tables less than $15 get harder to find. Free parking is dead. Cover charges for pools even if you stay at the hotel.
Don’t even get me started on the weird alcohol rules on Freemont street. 10 years ago you could walk into any of the gift shops on the street and get a 22oz. for $2.50 and walk in and out of every casino and shop with it. Then they started bagging up any purchased alcohol and stapled a note to it saying not to be consumed on freemont street. Now those places don’t even sell alcohol anymore. You have to buy a $13 beer from the casino backed bars on the street, and all the stores on the street won’t let you in with it. God bless the occasional homeless person selling beer out of a cooler for $2/can.
This is distressing. I always rented a car in the past because I’m not a big drinker and preferred to save on taxi/ubers. They charge for parking even in the garages now?
Most places charge for parking. One reason I play poker at the Wynn and the Venetian is because parking is free there. I like to rent a car because I don’t usually stay on the strip.
There was free post-pandemic parking as an inducement to come back, but I hear MGM is going back to paid parking and I expect Caesars to follow.
I can tell you that my experience parking at the Harrah’s garage, even though I was a guest - it didn’t appear that they were charging. The gates would open before you grabbed a ticket or inserted a ticket on the way out.
I stupidly paid for parking at Circa downtown and the gate opened before I had even inserted my paid ticket :( .
I managed to get a couple mid weeknight rooms at flamingo for a little staycation next week. $102 with fees. All the low end Caesers properties are similar rates around there. This is with lowest tier status and zero pts this year.
Trying to pick a fine dining place for my group of 5 in June. Would prefer something with a tasting menu and under $200 a piece. Anyone tried Bazaar Meat?
Grunching from a couple weeks ago but Zuma could be just what you want. I went a couple years ago on a work trip and everything was amazing.
It’s $$$ but the quality and execution were stellar. Not sure if they have tasting menu but you could share things as a way to taste a lot of different foods, if you’re willing for that compromise.
One opened in Boston right before Covid hit, it’s on our list once the vax kicks in.
Heading to Vegas end of June, and normally go to a few nice restaurants when we do. Debating doing this as a cheap food trip, as I can’t imagine the experience is as good in fine dining right now due to covid regulations, even though I will be vaccinated. Anyone been recently that can share what the experience has been like?
I’ve been to Picasso 3 times, as it is probably my favorite Vegas fine dining restaurant (haven’t been to Robuchon or anything of that price level though). It was still really good when I last went 3 years ago.
I just found a @Riverman Vegas TR on that other forum and I can’t stop laughing. The writing is fucking hilarious even though I feel bad about the trip. I won’t post it without his permission but holy shit lol.
My Vegas indoor dining experiences at the end of March were that you had to wear a mask to the table (and took it off after being seated) and the kitchen/wait staff will be masked.
Don’t think it would really impact things tbh.
Edit to add: unless you’ll feel uncomfortable out like that, it took a couple days to adjust as a vaccinated covid-believer.