Because my primary activity in Vegas is sightseeing (rather than gambling), and because I’ve made so many trips to Vegas in the past, when I’m planning a trip, I try to focus on doing lots of new things as well as the handful of old standbys, like the Bellagio Fountain Show.  As there was a two year gap between my last trip in 2006 and this year’s trip, there were a lot of new things to do.

Planet Hollywood Casino

I surprised myself by falling in love with Planet Hollywood, which I had been predisposed to dislike because of the chain from which it comes and the fact that the Aladdin was overhauled to make it a reality.  I’m sure I made all sorts of disparaging comments about the place when I first heard about it.  I take it all back.  I wish I’d had more time on the day I visited to spend many more hours there, because it was the greatest casino hotel I’ve been in for a very long time.  I loved the decor, which was sleek and ultra-modern, yet accessible; I loved, loved, loved the classic rock that was playing the entire time I was there; and I loved the vibe of the place.  A vibe is something that can’t really be defined, but I felt it there.  It felt comfortable to me.  I also liked the fact that they gave me $5 free play just for signing up for their players card. That’s a little of the good ol’ Vegas so many of us miss.  Nothing like a little free play to make a player happy.  They also offer a free spin on a machine for the chance to win $2M, free show tickets, or a souvenir.  (I won a deck of cards.  Figures.)  With the oh-so-affordable and plentiful options of shopping and dining at the Miracle Mile Shops on-site, I think Planet Hollywood would make a great place to stay on a future trip.  And it’s about as far South on the strip as I would want to go.

Peppermill Fireside Lounge

I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to make it to the Peppermill.  What a great place to hang out!  If you’ve never been, you should make it a priority on your next trip.  For the solo, there is a nice long bar with Video Poker machines, and for couples or groups, there are great circular seating areas with comfy seats and fire pits and TVs everywhere.  It’s got a “vintage Vegas” feel to it and the decor is pretty wild, with a lot of hot pink.  The drinks are very reasonably priced.  I understand the food in the restaurant is good, too, though I didn’t try it.

Palazzo

The Palazzo is certainly as beautiful as the Venetian, but I have to say, I found it beautiful in the way a museum is beautiful:  Very untouchable and a bit cold.  I could appreciate the architecture, but it’s more of a showcase than anything.  I don’t think I’d be comfortable staying there.  There seem to be many upscale dining options, but I don’t usually avail myself of upscale dining.  I also don’t see it as a “destination” trip for me on future trips the way the Venetian has always been.  I’ve always made it a point to go to there to watch the street performers and gondoliers.  The Venetian just feels more accessible somehow.

Another new experience for me this trip was riding the double-decker Deuce bus between the Strip and Downtown.  It is a much nicer experience than the old Strip Express bus, I must say, though it was just as crowded and also very sloooow due to the large number of stops.  If I were under time constraints, I’d fork over the money for cab fare.  For the $2 one-way price, though, it was pretty cool.  I got a seat upstairs toward the front of the bus on both legs of the trip, and it was kind of neat seeing the Strip from a different, second-story perspective. The fabric seats were very comfortable, too.

Main Street Station Casino

While these hotels will not qualify under the “new and shiny” label, they were new to me.  This trip, I ventured off Fremont Street and over to The California and Main Street Station. I am embarrassed that it has taken me this long to visit them (since I’ve been Downtown on at least four previous trips). Other than the Golden Nugget, I’d have to say these two rank tops for me of the Downtown hotels.  They were both clean and safe, with a middle-class clientele, great prices for dining options, and comfortable casinos.  The indoor bridge linking the two casinos was very handy.  Main Street Station is a bit prettier, with all the wood and brass fixtures, and I am strongly leaning toward staying here sometime on a future trip so I can extend my stay longer than the four nights I can usually swing with my budget.

Fremont East

I was also very excited to see the Fremont Street expansion called Fremont East. When Neonopolis failed to get tourists to cross Las Vegas Boulevard, I started to wonder if anything could.  Well, wonder no longer, people were wandering down into Fremont East, where there are a lot of new restaurants and bars, including Hennessey’s Tavern, Hogs and Heifers, and Mickie Finnz Fish House & Bar.  Hopefully, by my next trip, there will be even more to do Downtown.  I’m very pleased to see Vegas investing the money to turn this area into a thriving tourist destination.  With more entertainment options, the prospect of staying Downtown on a future trip seems ever more appealing.

People sometimes question why I keep going back to Vegas when I’ve been there so many times before.  Some people who have visited Vegas a few times say “I’ve done everything there is to do there.”  The people who say these things don’t get Vegas at all.  I still haven’t done “everything” there is to do there after six trips!  The great thing about Las Vegas is that it is constantly growing and transforming itself into something new.  The landscapes of the Strip and of Downtown look so different now compared to my first trip in 2001.  Restaurants, shows, and hotels are constantly closing and opening.  Attractions come and go.  So I can go to Vegas every year, and every year, have a different experience.  In a way, it’s like visiting a different city every year.  Because it is a different city.  It’s always in the process of “becoming”.  I like that.