Travel Blog

Whether it is your first time or you are a seasoned visitor to Las Vegas, check out these tips. Las Vegas tips for first timers  was put together through a combination of online searches as well as personal experience. The tips have been sorted gamblers, vacation only and business people. Most will find that there is something for everyone in each of the categories. Above all have fun when you visit Las Vegas. Control your gambling and the amount of alcohol you consume to ensure that you have a wonderful time while in Las Vegas.

Las Vegas Tips for First Timers

There will also be some tips that are captured under several headings. They have slightly different meanings for each category.

Tips for Gamblers

• Take gambling lessons – learn the basics of playing and understand the odds of winning. Spend some time reading up on the best games to play. The casinos are there to entertain you and most of all make money
• Manage alcohol consumption – free drinks are part of the package while playing, however too many can cloud your judgement and ability to decide when to stop
• Downtown Las Vegas – has better odds according to the roomers. There is also unique entertainment and less expensive rooms on average
• Sign up for players clubs – whether you play the slots or the tables, always obtain a free player club membership. They track your play. The casinos award comps based on your play and can be worth hundreds of dollars
• Rewards programs – they include free rooms, discounted rooms, free meals etc. Take advantage of these benefits to enhance your stay and reduce your overall costs.
• Off-Strip hotels – they tend to be more competitive and perhaps a little quieter. Many offer shuttles to the strip
• Maximize your comp’s – depending on your play talk to a slot host to understand what is available to you. Often they will offer a little more to get you to stay at their casino.
• Gamble were you like to stay – If you enjoy a particular hotel, obtain a players card and play at the hotels casino. You may be offered free rooms in the future. Or perhaps free meals or a show while you are there.
• Cash in when ahead – always walk away with cash when you are ahead. Over the long run casinos are betting you will lose all of your cash. The odds are in their favor.
• Tipping – always tip the server. Good tips will ensure repeated service whenever you need your drink freshened up.
• Restaurant reservations – ask your host to book a reservation and also obtain a line pass to avoid long lines at the buffet

Las Vegas Tips for First Timers & Consumers on Vacation

• Plan your attack – there is lots to see in Las Vegas. Prepare a plan to ensure that you get to see the items high on your list
• Bring walking shoes – even just walking in the hotel and casino involves lots of walking. These are big places. It is easy to put in 10000 steps just walking along the strip.
• If possible, avoid peak dinner times – during busy times such as conferences and holidays, restaurants are full, wait times can be long other wise.
• Happy hours – drinks can be expensive if you are buying, take advantage of the happy hours
• Tipping – tipping is standard, however if you are playing the slots, drinks are free. You should tip for each drink you receive to ensure continued service
• Downtown Las Vegas – take in the night time show on the street. It is closed off to traffic
• Free attractions – there are lots of free attractions along the strip and downtown. The Mirage Volcano, the Bellagio fountains and the light show on Fremont street downtow to name a few
• Don’t gamble – it is pretty hard not to. If you do set a limit and stick to that limit.
• Convenience stores – there are several drug stores along the strip that sell just about everything you need for a quick snack and even a meal if you have the means to cook it.
• Public transportation – buses run a regular schedule along the strip, downtown and thougout the city
• Off-Strip hotel – take a shuttle to some of the off strip hotels, a taxi, Uber etc.
• Visit at off-peak times – Everything is more expensive during peak times which include major holidays as well as large conferences. Shop around or pick another date to come to Vegas.
• Carry a light jacket, water and sunscreen everywhere – It can be cool at night and it is very dry. You will need water with you especially in the summer when temperatures exceed 100F.
• Anticipate resort fees and parking fees – most of the strip hotels are now charging a resort fee which is over and above the room rate you were quoted. There will also be taxes to pay as well. If you drive, there will be a daily parking fee.
• Take lots of photos – this is one of the best way to remember your trip to Vegas
• Understand the costume character game – if you take a photo of a costume character or a with one, expect to tip. That is how they earn their living.

Tips for Business Travelers

In addition to all of the above, here are a few more for business travelers to consider.

• Distances are further than they appear- stay in the same hotel as your conference, meetings etc. It took the writer over 30 minutes to walk from his hotel to the one across the street on  one trip. walking through the casino, up escalators to cross the street and into the next casino and finally into the hotel conference area which is located at the back of the property.
• Don’t buy drinks in the casino – drinks are very expensive in the casino if you are not playing. Take advantage of offers from your conference coordinator.
• If possible, avoid peak dinner times – large conferences place a strain on restaurants. You may want to book a reservation before you even arrive in Las Vegas
• Allow waiting time for cabs – the same applies to getting a cab. There are lots of them, however the lines can be long too.
• Budget for resort fees and parking fees – make sure your budget includes up to $45 for resort fees and $20 per day for parking along with normal taxes on everything.

If you have tips you would like to add, feel free to leave your comments.

We have just been made aware that along with Hotel Fees Increasing at the Aquarius Casino in Laughlin, they are adding a resort fee and they are not as free with giving out river view rooms. First as of May 1st, the Aquarius hotel is charging a $10 resort fee on all rooms per night. While this is far less than the $35, hotels in Las Vegas, this will come as a big surprise for many patrons. It will not be long before they also charge for parking. But so far as at the time of writing, there is no word of a parking fee yet. If you are a slot card member, you may have these fees waived.

Hotel Fees Increasing at the Aquarius Casino in Laughlin

We received complimentary rooms the last time we stayed at the hotel and the resort fee was also complimentary. If we had to pay for the room, $10 would have been added to the cost of the room along with associated taxes as well.

Many patrons will be upset over this increase especially since there will be no decrease in the cost of the rooms per night. If you are comp’d for the room, there will be no resort fee charged. At least that was our experience the last time we stayed at the hotel at the beginning of May. Parking was still free, however we are not sure how long this will last.

Some patrons will clearly move to other hotels to avoid paying these fees. However we suspect that all of the hotels have banded together and will be charging this fee. In the case of the Aquarius, the hotel was purchased last year by a new owner. They have to generate added income to help pay for the debt they incurred as part of the purchase.

We will provide further updates as more information comes available.

There are Changes at the Aquarius Casino in Laughlin and it is going to cost you more money! The Aquarius Casino and hotel was sold to a new owner last year and while it took them a few months, changes are now beginning to happen that will cost patrons more money. After all the new buyer must pay for the debt they took out to make the purchase.  For starters, anyone staying at the hotel will begin paying a resort fee of $10 per stay beginning May 1st, 2018. This is following the trend in Las Vegas and other locations. Many high end hotels in Las Vegas are charging as much as $35 resort fees per night stay.

Changes at the Aquarius Casino in Laughlin

What other changes are coming. Although there was no mention of parking fees yet, but it is just a matter of time before they begin charging parking fees as well. Laughlin has an entertainment venue where thousands of people come to listen to entertainers. Many use the parking garages, but do not go into the casino at all. The parking garages were built for the casino patrons. Many  casinos will start charging for parking in our estimation.

Those casino patrons who have a slot card and perhaps have a higher value slot card will likely be comp’d for rooms and meals. Patrons receiving free rooms will not be charged the resort fee as of the date this post was prepared. The same likely will apply to parking fees.

Casino hotels who charge resort fees may initially find that customers will complain and some will stay away from hotels in protest. Casino management find that this is temporary and customers just want to have a good time and they believe that their clients will just absorb it as part of their vacation costs or business costs.

If Las Vegas is any indication, occupancy rates are higher than ever and patrons have just ignored the extra charges. It is just part of the cost of doing business or going on vacation.

The Bellagio in Las Vegas is a wonderful place to visit. Both indoors as well as outdoors. Whether you are staying at the Bellagio or somewhere else, everyone should take time to visit the fountains and the water show. The Bellagio water show and the fountains in Las Vegas are great to look at as well as calming and enjoyable. This particular picture shows the fountain just outside the lobby of the hotel. Behind the fountain, you have the valet entrance and the main lobby of the hotel and casino. Behind the person taking the picture is the man made lake with the water show that takes place every 20 to 30 minutes depending on weather conditions. If it gets too windy they sometimes post pone the show.

Bellagio Water Show Fountains Las Vegas

Las Vegas gets over 300 days a year with full sun shine. They also receive lots of hot temperature days, although the winter can be cool. On this particular day in April it was hitting a high of around 90F, which is pretty comfortable pool weather.

It was Easter weekend and there were thousands of people out enjoying the sites, visiting the water fountains and heading inside to view the Bellagio gardens. The gardens are really quite stunning and everyone should take the time to visit them when they are in Las Vegas.

The theme changes every month to coincide with whatever is going on. For example in the fall, they will decorate for thanksgiving. Easter was represented this year in April of course. We love going to Vegas and staying at the Bellagio hotel. Book early if you want to stay at this hotel, since rates go up as the hotel fills up. For more information about hotels in Las Vegas Nevada, click here.

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Finding discounted hotel rooms at expensive Las Vegas hotels can be a challenge for many people, especially on weekends or when major events are taking place in Las Vegas. Many people are paying in excess of $200 a night for a room plus the resort fee, taxes and lately for parking. One night can suddenly balloon up to over $300 a night. This is way too expensive for many consumers visiting Las Vegas. They opt for cheaper hotels which frankly are not nearly as nice or comfortable. How do you go about finding discounted hotel rooms at expensive Las Vegas hotels?

Finding Discounted Hotel Rooms at Expensive Las Vegas Hotels

There are numerous ways to obtain rooms at far less expensive rates, which can also eliminate the parking fees and even the dreaded resort fee that all hotels charge in Las Vegas. Here is our list. While not all will apply to everyone, use these ideas when they work for you.

• Book rooms well in advance
• Stay during the week
• Avoid periods when large conferences are taking place in the hotel or in the city
• Negotiate your room rate
• Tip the desk clerk to obtain a better room at check in
• Obtain a slot card and subscribe to email notifications
• Utilize offers from the casino or the hotel for less expensive rooms
• Book stays as part of a Las Vegas vacation tour
• Stay in Las Vegas during slower periods e.g. Dec

Slot cards keep track of your gambling in the casino. If you want to stay at a particular hotel and plan on gambling, use your slot card to add points and comps to your account. Depending on the amount of play, you may become eligible for discounted rooms, meals and even free rooms as well.  If your not a big gambler do not be concerned. Get a slot card anyway. They may offer you a discounted room rate during slow periods at the hotel.

The Aquarius Casino Hotel Laughlin sold to Golden Entertainment is the latest news for the Laughlin Nevada casino market. We just got an email from the hotel advising of the change. We are slot members at the Aquarius Casino Hotel and are on their email distribution list. The hotel was sold to the Golden Entertainment group.  There was not much other news. Further, we have lots of questions. What is the impact on various comps we usually receive?

They offer free rooms and free play. Will this change, will they tighten up the slots? Will the continue with various upgrades that the Aquarius has been working on? The Aquarius Casino Hotel Laughlin sold to Golden Entertainment in June 2017.

Aquarius Casino Hotel Laughlin sold to Golden Entertainment

We included a copy of the email sent to us for your information. More to come on this deal and the impact on gamers and players in the future.

From the desk of the General Manager
Sean Hammond

As you know, our goal at Aquarius Casino Resort has always been to deliver the most entertaining experience possible. We consistently seek out new ways to make your time with us memorable. Consequently, whether it’s an upcoming event or tournament, or an improvement in our amenities, we look forward to sharing exciting news with you.

Our parent company, American Casino & Entertainment Properties, LLC is being sold to another renowned gaming organization, Golden Entertainment, Inc. Our team is excited about the opportunity to grow with Golden Entertainment. Especially because we know we’ll be able to provide the same level of superior service you’ve grown accustomed to. Your winning experience here at Aquarius is priority. You know from your history with us how sincere we are about that.

Golden Entertainment

I also wanted to give you a quick overview of Golden Entertainment. Golden Entertainment will operate over 15,800 slot machines, 114 table games. Also more than 5,100 hotel rooms across eight casino properties (currently, the four casinos they operate include three in Pahrump, Nevada: Pahrump Nugget, Gold Town and Lakeside, and one in Flintstone, Maryland called Rocky Gap). Golden Entertainment is also the largest tavern operator in Nevada. They have 55 locations that include PT’s Pub, PT’s Gold, PT’s Brewing, PT’s Ranch, Sean Patrick’s, Sierra Gold, and SG Bar.

The purchase of ACEP was announced on June 12th.  The management of Golden Entertainment maintains a long history of gaming experience in the Las Vegas region. They have an outstanding reputation for creating successful, well-run properties. We expect a smooth transition.

I will keep you updated as things progress. I am also proud to be able to share this news with you.I look forward to seeing you at the Aquarius!

Sean Hammond
General Manager

For more information about the Aquarius Casino Hotel in Laughlin, click here.

Trying to negotiate hotel room prices in Las Vegas NV can be a challenge. However if you are persistent, have a flexible schedule and willing to try various properties, lower prices are possible. Many people go to Las Vegas on package deals which includes the hotel as well air fare. thousands more drive to Las Vegas every year and book hotel rooms directly. They have a lot more flexibility in terms of timing. When the hotel is hosting a conference or nearing a high occupancy, it can be difficult to book at reasonable rates. Changing the date or trying a different property sometimes works. Visitors can save hundreds of dollars on their trip by moving to a different property or staying during the week vs. the weekend.

Negotiate Hotel Room Prices in Las Vegas NV

We recently made a reservation at the Bellagio for $87 per night. It appears the hotel is a little low on business during mid April and we were able to get pretty decent room rates. The week prior to our stay and the week after have rates that are more than double what we are paying.

There is a conference one week and a major sporting event scheduled. Rates jump when lots of people are in town for these events. Call your slot host or just talk to the reservations clerks to find out what is going on. If you are flexible with your dates, tourists can find pretty decent rates and top line hotels such as the Bellagio.

Conversely by moving off the strip to places like the Rio, which is the picture shown as part of this post can also help you obtain great rates for your stay in Las Vegas.

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We visit Las Vegas once per year. What a surprise to find out that drivers must now pay for parking at MGM hotels and parking fees at Las Vegas hotels in other areas as well. We were shocked to find out that we had to pay $15 per day for parking. This is in addition to the $35 resort fee that everyone must pay if you are staying at the hotel. Don’t forget the tax that is applied to both of these fees. That is over $50 a day just for driving to Las Vegas and staying in one of the strip hotels.

This is in addition to whatever room rate you are able to negotiate. Your slot card just became worth a lot more. It is important to always use your slot card whenever you are playing. If you are a Pearl member or higher at MGM resort hotels, they will comp you for the parking. All other people get to pay for the parking as mentioned above.

Why are they charging parking fees at Las Vegas hotels?

We stayed at the Bellagio Hotel and were surprised by this parking fee. Apparently the new hockey stadium is being built between the Montecarlo and the New York New York hotel. Patrons attending hockey games will have to pay for parking just like they do in many other cities.

Casino players will also pay for parking unless they have a slot card at Pearl or a higher level. Free in and out privileges are available to these players. You must qualify each year to maintain your level. This can be accomplished by charging food etc to your hotel room along with your play at the slots and table games.

It would have cost us $45 plus tax for the 3 days of parking however we have a Pearly card and were comped for the parking fee. Some hotels further away from the hockey stadium have not yet started charging for parking, however, it is only a matter of time. This is really a huge revenue opportunity for these hotels.

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The Wynn hotel and casino already offers spectacular rooms. Now they have taken service to the next level! For example, instead of trying to figure out the controller to open the drapes just tell the room to open the drapes! Amazon Echo Room Voice Control with Alexa smarts has been added to the Wynn hotel. This feature adds voice control to allow patrons to control their environment!

Apparently this is the first time this type of voice control has been offered. As of the date of preparing this post, not all rooms have voice control. Subsequently the feature is being added to all rooms over the next few months. We cannot wait to try it live!

Wynn Las Vegas to add Amazon Echo Room Voice Control

There will be some kinks to work out, however knowing Steve Wynn’s reputation it will not take long to sort them out. This is one of the best hotels to stay at in Las Vegas. Even their regular rooms are well above the majority of rooms available across the city in other hotels.

Yes they are expensive but they are worth it. Like all other casino properties, if you gamble and use a slot card, the room may be compensated. Always use a slot card when playing and check with your host to see what rates they will offer for these really fantastic rooms.

We will add to this post once we have tried it ourselves. In the mean time readers can leave a comment about their own experiences.

There are 10 Laughlin Casinos and Hotels in the Laughlin Nevada area. We have listed them in alphabetical order later on in this post. They all have their positives and negatives. However for our money the Aquarius and the Golden Nugget are probably the nicest of them all. Some accept pets. Some have accommodations for RV parking. All but the Tropicana and the AVI are located next to the Colorado River. The Tropicana is across the street and within walking distance of the walkway that runs along the river to all of the hotels except for the AVI and Harrahs. Harrahs is located off by itself and really can only be reached by car, although it is in the town of Laughlin and on the river. The AVI is several miles away on Indian property, with a really great beach and pool area on the Colorado River.

Laughlin Casinos and Hotels – List

• Aquarius – smoking, RV parking, on the Colorado River, ok pool
• AVI – smoking, RV parking, on the Colorado River, beach, golf, nice pool
• Colorado Belle – smoking, limited RV parking, on the Colorado River
• Edgewater – smoking, limited RV parking, on the Colorado River
• Golden Nugget – smoking, limited RV parking, on the Colorado River, nice pool
• Harrahs – smoking, on the Colorado River, ok pool
• Laughlin River Lodge – smoking, RV parking, on the Colorado River
• Pioneer – smoking, limited RV parking, on the Colorado River
• Regency – smoking, limited RV parking, on the Colorado River
• Riverside – smoking, RV parking, on the Colorado River, antique car display
• Tropicana – smoking, RV parking

The rates vary a great deal at these hotels. However unless there is some large event taking place, you can usually find rates that we much less than $100 a night. They may even be free if you are using a slot card and call the casino host.

There are several ways to find Laughlin hotel’s best prices. There are the usual ones such as going on one of the many travel web sites. However they are in the business of making money. They only get paid if you make a reservation with a hotel and pay through their website. The casino will never offer you prices based on your casino play for example. They will never offer you group deals and they will never offer you a negotiated price. You can find excellent deals and often the best prices that the hotel is offering online. However there are other ways to find Laughlin hotel’s best prices. Even the online prices by hotels are sometimes not what they will offer when you call direct and book a room. The best method by far is to comparison shop using all of the tools available to you.

Laughlin Hotels Best Prices – Slot Cards

By far the best approach, particularly if you have played the slots at any of the casinos in Laughlin is to call the casino and see if you are eligible for any casino rated rooms. Check the travel web sites first so that you know what the hotels are asking via the web site for a room on the dates that you are looking for. Armed with this knowledge, call the hotel-casino directly, give them your slot card number and request a room rate.

Chances are you have played the slots on previous trips and used your slot card. There is a good chance that you will be offered a reduced room rate or perhaps even a free room. If you are going to the casino and plan to play the slots you may as well get the best deal you can. Laughlin hotel’s best prices are always better than Las Vegas hotel deals. It is a smaller market and fewer hotels, however, they are competing with Las Vegas and must offer lower prices.

Always call the casino slot host for the best deals, what have you got to lose?

Did you know that Aquarius Casino entertainment is sometimes free to patrons of the casino.  During the early afternoon and evening, Casino patrons can sit and enjoy free entertainment in the lounge. Patrons can also purchase drinks or get up and dance if the music moves you.

We spent an enjoyable evening listening to a country and western band and watching line dancing in the lounge area. It was quite entertaining and very enjoyable. The band was very good and the dancers were just people visiting who enjoyed dancing. There were two women who with the band and they got up often to dance and help others particularly with the line dances which are a complicated sequence of moves as far as this writer is concerned. It was all very entertaining and absolutely free. Patrons needed to pay for drinks while watching, however you could also just bring in a drink that you got in the casino for free if you wanted.

Aquarius Casino Entertainment

There is only one lounge area with entertainment as far as we could tell. There is a sports area where you can also watch races and sports games as well, while betting if you enjoy that sort of thing. The city of Laughlin in conjunction with the casinos also sponsors big name entertainment from time to time. Their objective is to book rooms and attract customers to the city and to their hotels and casino’s. It works and Laughlin is often a booming place on the weekends.

The Aquarius Casino is a big casino with high ceilings and a fairly large non smoking area for those that cannot tolerate the stale cigarette smoke. The Aquarius Casino Entertainment also includes all of the latest slot machines and table games that everyone looks for. Golfers and also take in a golf game on one of the local courses and spend the evening at the casino.

The Claim Jumper in the Golden Nugget casino in Laughlin Nevada is one of our favorite restaurants to visit whenever we are in Laughlin. The Claim Jumper is located near the front entrance that sports a tropical setting. This restaurant offers great food at reasonable prices with great service. We always go for breakfast and usually split the meals. The meal size is large and more than enough for two people, at least for us. Many people never finish their meals leaving food on their plates. I guess it is a sign of our age or upbringing that shows through when we mentioned this point. We were always told to finish our plates when we were growing up.

Claim Jumper – Golden Nugget Casino

The Golden Nugget is a nice casino to visit as well. Although the ceilings are a bit low, they have lots of slot machines to play. The entrance has a tropical setting. There is access to the boardwalk that runs along the Colorado River to all of the other casinos. Drinks are free while you are playing slots and you also can sign up for a Golden Nugget Slot card which may provide you with various comp’s based on how much you play.

Food comp’s build up on your slot card as you play and these comp’s can be used at the various restaurants in the casino including the Claim Jumper. Apparently it is also part of a chain of restaurants across the US which you can sign up for to obtain free meals depending on how often you dine. It did not work for us since we do not go to the areas that the restaurant chain is in, but it sounded like a good deal.

The Wynn Casino conglomerate based in Las Vegas and also in Macau apparently is doing extremely well. It has posted record profits this year. Many people are wondering how they’re doing it considering the rest of Las Vegas is only posting average profits.

It turns out that this profit picture reflects how well the one-percenters are doing. In fact with the middle class being squeezed and more people ending up in the lower-class situations, they have less to spend on vacation and on casinos. As a result, some casinos are not doing very well. However the upper-class prefers executive style and high-class treatment. That is what the Wynn casino.

Wynn Casino – The Best in Vegas

The Wynn casino provides opulent service to their patrons. From the casino floor, The restaurants, the fantastic rooms with a panoramic view of the Las Vegas strip, and high-end stores, this is a place that will attract the rich.

There is also the PGA level golf course attached to the casino with the 19th hole that is comparable to the best in the nation. They cater to the once in a lifetime golfing experience. This is for people who are looking for a challenging golf course as well as enjoying the nightlife in Las Vegas.

Their pool is in a secluded environment, with protection from the wind. It provides all of the security as well as privacy that you would like.

The price of course for the hotel is higher than any of the other hotels on the strip. As a result, it attracts a better clientele and higher room rate along with higher take rates at the casino. This is the prime reason why the Wynn casino conglomerate is doing much better than many of the other casino chains across the country. You can still find deals at this hotel just like all of the others. However, you will pay more on average for a room at the Wynn Casino. It is worth it!

The Wynn Casino in Las Vegas and their sister casino in Maccau are doing extremely well due to the improving economy in the US and around the world and another factor that has many people concerned for many different reasons.

It turns out that the economic recovery for many people is not quite the same. The top 10% of the population has done very well. While the rest of us including the middle class has not recovered financially to the same extent. The top 10% of the population who are heavily invested in the stock market have reaped huge gains over the past 5 years. The market increasing in value by trillions and well over 100% from its low point.

The middle class has been lucky to have a job. They may not invest in the stock market. They have not been doing well. They are lucky if they have maintained their financial security. They have not achieved the asset gains that the rich have gained. They do not have the disposable money that the rich among us have. If you do not have a pension to rely on, you may not be doing so well financially. What does this have to do with the Wynn Casinos?

Wynn Casino – Performs Well

Well, it turns out that the Wynn casinos are outperforming all of the other Las Vegas Casinos since the top 10% of the population who have money are flocking to the Wynn in Las Vegas and spending their money in luxury restaurants and gaming activities. The middle class is going to the other hotels and they are not spending nearly as much money! As a result, these other locations are not performing financially as well as the Wynn Chain of hotels and casinos.

You really have to hand it to Steve Wynn who designed and built these hotels. Whether he saw this shift in demographics or not his properties are doing very well as a result and the rest of Las Vegas is not able to keep up. The unfortunate fact is that the middle class is getting squeezed, however, this is the subject of another post as some future time.

We recently enjoyed the seafood buffet at the Aquarius Casino and Hotel in Laughlin Nevada. This particular buffet is offered on Friday afternoons and evenings. The prime attraction for us is the crab legs that they offer in both hot and cold varieties.

These crab legs, the hot ones, were absolutely excellent. The meat was sweet and tender, not salty at all, and easy to extract. The Aquarius pre-cuts all of the larger pieces. As a result, they are easier to open and extract the meat from the shells. This is one of the best crab leg and seafood buffets for the money anywhere.

Aquarius Casino seafood buffet – Pricing

The price started at $26 plus tax, however, if you hold a yellow slot card or higher, you are eligible for a 25% discount which brings it down to $19.95. Then you can apply your slot comps to the cost of the buffet which can often mean you eat for free! How good a deal is that.

In addition to crab legs, they have many other types of sea food that is prepared in a variety of ways. In particular, the shrimp were large and fresh. They also had several different kinds of salmon, oysters, clams, mussels, etc. in addition to prime rib and other more traditional foods.

This price also includes two glasses of wine, beer, or mixed drinks. for the price of $26, it is a good deal and if it is free, due to comp’s, well that is a  fantastic deal! The wine is ok, although it is from a bulk tank. It is actually on tap and not poured from a bottle. Still, after the first drink, it is just fine and it is included in your meal. We have not tried the beer or the margarita, however, we have seen lots of people enjoying these drinks as well. Friday or Saturday night are the nights to try the Aquarius Casino seafood buffet!

The Colorado Belle is adding a new pub to the area just outside the north entrance to the casino. It is called the Colorado Bell Brew Pub. The area shown in this picture was taken a few years ago. It is an open area where there are various activities from time to time. They set up open-air parties, pubs, and dances along with bands that play on the weekend. This entire space is now under construction.

The entire area is now closed and boarded up and a new pub is being built in this space. O course we did not take a picture. Since all you would have seen are the barricades and part of the new roof. The pub will be open in the summer of 2014. We will be back at this location in May and will provide an update for our readers at that time.

Colorado Bell Brew Pub

Update – The Colorado Bell Brew Pub is now open with an inside and outside dining area. We visited and tried the breakfast buffet which was ok, but not great. We think this would be a great place to spend some time sitting outside on an afternoon or evening enjoying some munchies and a couple of beers.

All of the hotels are making changes and upgrading their facilities. As the economy is improving, they are benefiting and investing in their properties. Laughlin is in need of some updating. We are happy to see that they are now beginning to spend some money upgrading their facilities. Every casino and hotel is slowly investing some money. But they are not doing a wholesale update at this time.

Laughlin is on the Colorado River at the southern tip of the state of Nevada. It portrays Las Vegas the way it used to be many years ago. Therefore, it is a much more relaxed place to spend a few days and the prices are also much more reasonable as well.

Don Laughlin created Laughlin Nevada. His Riverside resort Hotel and Casino is the signature location for all of the casinos in the area. You can’t miss it as you drive down casino drive. It is located right on the Colorado River.

We have other posts on this website that provides a review of the casino. This post is about his antique car collection displayed on the third floor that is free for anyone to visit.

We included several pictures to show you the type of cars and motorcycles in this antique car show room. There are approximately 100 cars of various vintages and ages and models displayed in the show room. At any given time there are as many as five or six cars that are available for sale.

In addition to various models that are being shown in the showroom, also antique motorcycles of various kinds available for people to go to view.

The antique car showroom is located on the third floor. Access can be obtained by going up the escalators or taking the elevator to the third floor. It is free, all that they ask is that you don’t touch the cars and don’t go beyond the barriers. These cars are in excellent condition and pristine shape.

Riverside resort Hotel and Casino Laughlin Nevada

The hotel and casino is one of the original casinos along the Colorado River and also is home to a large RV parking lot where many vacationers in RV’s will park for a few nights or longer. There is also a large RV park across the road with services for those that want to stay longer.

The Riverside Casino also provides free water taxi rides across the river from a parking lot on the east side of the river which is actually in the state of Arizona. Many people who work at the casinos as well as tourists and casino visitors will park on the Arizona side and take the water taxi across the river. There is a huge amount of parking and the water taxis run every few minutes so no need to worry about schedules etc.

There is lots to do in the Riverside resort Hotel and Casino Laughlin Nevada, so don’t forget to at least take a walk through the casino. The only negative in our minds is the amount of people smoking in the casino. It can be a bit of a turn off for non smokers.

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The Golden Nugget Casino in Laughlin Nevada has been updating one of their restaurants. Harlows, a restaurants that many of you might know has been renamed to “Claim Jumper”. They have a new menu and spruced up a bit.

The menu has changed, the food is still excellent and the quantities are large. There is lots of food for those of you who want to split a meal. We often split meals simply because we cannot eat so much. The restaurant is really good about this. They will provide us with two plates with the meal already split equally. We ordered two eggs, a slice of ham with the bone in, home fries and toast for a price of $7.99. The meal was split and my wife actually could not finish her half.

Golden Nugget Casino – Restaurant

The waiters and waitresses at the Claim Jumper at the Golden Nugget casino in Laughlin Nevada, all are the same with new uniforms that are very tasteful. While the menu has changed, there are still excellent meals. the early bird meals are no longer available, so some people may pay a little more than they used to.

The Claim Jumper is located at the front of the hotel near the waterfall and jungle area. There is lots of light and it is a very enjoyable place to have breakfast or any other meal. Note that you can use the points on your slot card to pay for your meal as well provided that you use your slot card when you are playing the slots at the Golden Nugget.

We just had dinner at the pints brewery restaurant at the Colorado Belle casino in Laughlin Nevada. Designed to look like the interior of a ship, this restaurant combines a brewpub, a sports bar, and a bar that reminds you of being on an ocean liner.

Patrons can sit at the bar, watch sports or play one of their favorite video poker or slot machine games. They can also sit in the main restaurant and observe their favorite sports channel on one of the many TV screens located throughout the restaurant. This would be a great place to spend a few hours and chill. The area is safe and comfortable.

Colorado Belle Casino – Decor

The Decor is meant to be a river boat back in the 50s or 60s. You can also sit near the windows which is meant to be at the front of the ship, looking out on the Colorado River. This is a neat place to have breakfast, lunch or dinner. It is somewhat authentic, not meant for fine dining and more of a pub atmosphere.  Service was also fine, nothing exciting or memorable.

We found the prices to be about the same as any other restaurant in the Laughlin area. We had macho nachos which was a huge plate, with refried beans, tortia meat, onions, jalapeno peppers, and cheese. It was delicious and well worth the money. In fact it was one of the best plates of nachos that I have had in a long time. Next time we are in Laughlin, we will go back and try another dish at this location.

We did not try any of the other items on the menu, however we could see the other diners and some of their meals. They were large and looked delicious.

For more posts about casinos in Laughlin, Nevada, click here.

The Aquarius Casino in Laughlin Nevada has opened up their new Aquarius casino coffee shop – Duet. It replaced the Starbucks restaurant that used to be at the Aquarius Casino. This is a modern up-to-date clean, and smartphone and computer-friendly restaurant/coffee shop.

Wi-Fi is available within the coffee shop and within at least 100 feet of the entrance to the coffee shop. There are lots of chairs and tables set up. In addition, there’s a counter in the middle of the coffee shop that has lots of room for laptop computers with power outlets which are lacking in many coffee shops. This is truly a computer-friendly coffee shop.

Aquarius casino coffee shop – Duet

Background music is peaceful and not too loud which was a problem for the previous Starbucks restaurant. There are more food items available although they are expensive as usual in any casino coffee shop or restaurant.

This is a huge improvement to the previous Starbucks restaurant that used to be here. They still offer the 10% discount with your Aquarius card and you can charge your food and beverage to your room for later consideration to be comped.

There are other areas within the casino that are under construction and we look forward to these improvements as well. They are updating some of the other restaurants and have already updated the elevator lobby.

The Aquarius hotel is located on the banks of the Colorado River on the Nevada side of the river. Patrons can walk along the banks of the river from one end of the casino row to the other in comfortable and safe surroundings. Some of the casinos have outdoor dining on warm nights along the river. Although most are indoors with large windows that look out on the river. The Aquarius hotel has floor to ceiling windows in the buffet restaurant that allows you to look out on the river while enjoying your meal. The Aquarius casino coffee shop – Duet is located inside and does not have windows.

Palio at Bellagio is a great little cafe overlooking the pool were you can have a quick bite, coffee etc.
We always go here for our breakfast and split one of the gigantic muffins. They are so large that they will
easily satisfy most people. It is a bit expensive, but it is one of the few places you can get free refills of coffee. They also have the best blueberry jam from France! This is truly a great little place to read the paper, keep up with your social networks or write blog posts like this.

The Palio at Bellagio

This little cafe has become one of our traditions. Every time we go to Vegas, whether we are staying at the Bellagio or not we come here for breakfast on one morning. My wife likes the atmosphere and the view of the pool. I like the muffins, particularly the raisin bran muffins with blueberry jam spread across them. We cut them into 3 slices, they are so large and then spread jam across all three slices. This is one of the best tasting muffins around.

Prices are a bit on the high side, but then what isn’t in Las Vegas. A coffee in a Starbucks that is attached to a Casino is going to cost $3.50 a small coffee. Normally you would pay $1.75 for the same thing at a regular Starbucks. You pay for the atmosphere and the surroundings. It is just part of the overall cost of going to Las Vegas.

Although the number of calories is probably really high, once or twice a year is not going to make a huge difference and beside while you are in Vegas you are walking a great deal so that makes up for it. While in Vegas you probably get more exercise than any other time of the year just with the amount of walking that you do while in the city.

D.Vino at Montecarlo restaurant at the Montecarlo provided the service fast. We had three of four meals which were not very good, fish smelled fishy bad smell, the pasta was not very tasty, and the pizza very bland. We complained to management, and absolutely nothing was done. It was as if they did not care, so we did not leave a tip. We felt  bad for the waiter, since it was really not his fault, but we would have really sent the wrong message if we had left a tip. We also mentioned how concerned we were about the food to the Matri d, and they did nothing so I guess we will not be back there.

D.Vino at Montecarlo – Las Vegas

On the other hand we did receive the following from the D’Vino at  Montecarlo:

• Two nights comp’d – based on our play at the MGM group of resorts
• One night at casino rate which was less than $100, also a really good deal
• Seventy five dollars in free play to use in almost any slot machine
• Twenty dollar charge- coffee, water, paper, wifi, which many of the hotels now charge and frankly we disagree with this since we do not use the services.
• Room was ok, met all of our needs, but nothing to write home about
• Keurig coffee great
• Service poor – coffee , water missing, we had to order it from room service
• Mlife service poor- one attendant meant we had to wait in line for some time
• Fast food restaurants- McDonald’s, subway and others  makes it very easy to eat inexpensively
• Great pool area for kids, not something we took advantage of

We have stayed at many hotels in the Las Vegas area including the Montecarlo hotel. This was one of the worst from a restaurant perspective. We certainly got good value for the cost, since we were comp’d for the rooms.

We probably will not stay here again. There are much better places to stay at in Las Vegas and will not go to the D.Vino at Montecarlo again.

 This picture shows the Fashion Show Mall – Las Vegas at night with the giant saucer in the foreground along the Las Vegas strip. You definitely cannot miss this landmark along the strip. It is located across the street from the Wynn  Hotel on one corner. Treasure Island or TI as it is now called is on the other corner. There are well over two hundred stores in this mall along with a food court on the third floor. It has a combination of high-end stores as well as stores for the average person. Customers should watch for sales that are on from time to time. You probably will not save a lot of money making purchases in this mall, however, you certainly can find gifts to take home to the family. This is a huge mall and has something for everyone.

Fashion Show Mall – Apple Store

Most guys are not interested in shopping, however, this is one mall that I visit every trip I  make to Las Vegas. The draw is really two stores. I like to go to the Apple Store and also to a Gadget store, called Brookstone. Both stores are worth visiting for different reasons and can take an hour or two of your time. It is a good walk as well and then I grab an inexpensive lunch at the third-floor food court which has a complete set of all of the popular fast food restaurants with the exception of Mcdonald’s.

The Fashion Show Mall was updated significantly a few years ago with the giant saucer added and a large extension added to handle more stores. During conventions, it is often quite busy and it is within easy access from many of the casinos located in the central part of the Las Vegas Strip. It is well worth the visit even if it is just for a couple of hours.

For more stories and information about Las Vegas, click here.

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This picture shows the Mirage hotel at night from across the street in front of the Venetian. The Mirage Casino – Las Vegas is a beautiful site and has a volcano that erupts at night! In the picture, you can see the waterfall on the left of the picture. This is the location where the flames erupt into the air. You can actually feel the heat from the volcano when it erupts. Even from across the street which is over 200 feet away at least. The flames erupt into the air as well as run down the sides of the mountain and into the water pool at the bottom of the waterfalls. It is a show that everyone should see and enjoy for free.

Mirage Casino – Las Vegas – A Volcano

The erupting volcano at the Mirage Hotel is quite the spectacle and it is also free to anyone who happens to be outside in front of the hotel at the time. It is one of the attractions that we recommend you see while in Las Vegas and it is worth a walk into the hotel as well to view the aquarium in the lobby, the pool at the back of the hotel, and the casino itself.

The Mirage Hotel and casino is one of the hotels designed and built by Steve Wynn. He went on to build Treasure Island and the Bellagio before selling it to the MGM Group and then going on to build the Wynn Casino and Hotel which is his flagship hotel and the best hotel in Las Vegas as far as the writer is concerned.

There are many things that are free in Las Vegas to see at almost every hotel. For first-time visitors, the elegance, the size, and the free shows and exhibits will take all of your time. don’t forget to go for a nice meal and take in a show while in Las Vegas as well. Some of these shows can be spectacular.

This picture shows the Mirage Water Landscape – Las Vegas at the front of the hotel. This water landscape is a huge area covering several acres in front of the hotel. It is along the strip that includes a volcano. At night the volcano will erupt every 30 minutes. Flames belch out of the top of the volcano and run down the sides of the miniature mountain. This is a free show that really everyone can view and enjoy.

The only time that the volcano does not operate is during days when the wind is high and there is some potential for scattering the flames. These flames are so hot that you can feel the heat from across the street which is over 150 feet away. While watching the volcano erupt pay attention to the people around you and protect your wallet or purse. It is crowded and a perfect place for someone to remove something from your person.

Mirage Water landscape – Daytime

During the day this water landscape at the Mirage is a wonderful spot to enjoy and view. Thousands of people take pictures of this area every day of their friends and loved ones with the Mirage Hotel water landscape in the background. It really does make a wonderful backdrop to a picture and people will wonder if you are actually in the desert or on some tropical island somewhere.

The pool at the back of the hotel is another water landscape that guests can enjoy while lounging around the pool. Complete with a tropical paradise and waterfalls, this is another great place to visit. There is a drink service on the pool deck and there is also a bar service as well. Nothing better than lounging by the pool, enjoying the scenery, the sun, and a great tropical drink.

There is also a dolphin habitat that visitors can visit behind the pool. The volcano, the pool area, the outdoor restaurants, and the dolphin habitat are all part of the Mirage Water landscape in a tropical setting.

This picture is of the Wynn Casino and Hotel – Las Vegas took from across the street at the Fashion Show Mall. All of the major intersections now have walkways across the streets to prevent pedestrians from being injured crossing the streets. There is a great deal of traffic. After all these hotels will have up to 5000 rooms. As a result, it also takes a lot of employees to keep these places running. You really do not want to be a pedestrian trying to cross the street in Las Vegas today since not only is there a lot of traffic, the drivers are really aggressive. They will not give pedestrians the right of way when crossing the street.

The Wynn hotel has a small mountain in front of it complete with waterfalls and rushing streams and ponds. This is the ultimate in water landscapes due to the size and complexity of this work of art. That is really what it is because at night there is a lake that is in the back of the mountain facing the restaurants. They run a water show that is free to everyone watching. It is really a wonderful show and enhances your dining experience. We have seen it and it is definitely worth seeing.

Wynn Casino and Hotel – Rooms

The rooms at the Wynn hotel are really nice with push-button controls to run everything including the comfort of your bed. Open and close the drapes and blinds, turn the lights on and off and of course, the TV is also controlled by this same remote. The room is well appointed with everything that will contribute to your needs while at the hotel. The Wynn Las Vegas room comes with leather couches. Also a beautiful desk and a fantastic view regardless of which side of the hotel you are on.

One side of the Wynn Hotel faces west towards the strip and the mountains. While the other faces east overlooking the golf course and the mountains to the east. Beautiful views regardless of which way you look.

The Palazzo – Las Vegas is shown in this picture from across the street at the Fashion Show Mall. The Venetian can be seen in the background. This is a really huge complex with two towers both in the range of 3000 rooms. Also a shopping center on the 2nd floor in the area running between the two towers. In addition, since this is based in Venice, there are gondola rides on the water canals outside the hotel. Also inside the hotel on the second floor among the shops.

Take a ride and be serenaded by one of the little boat operators dressed in the traditional garb of Venice. The Palazzo and the Venetian are sister hotels with the Palazzo being the newer of the two. The rooms have the same basic design. However, the rooms at the Palazzo will be a bit larger than those at the older Venetian.

Palazzo – Las Vegas – Venetian

In both casinos, there is one in each tower, the Palazzo casino, and the Venation Casino along with many fine restaurants and entertainment areas. This complex is also connected to the giant Sands Exposition center at the rear of the hotel and many conference attendees will stay in one of these hotels while attending a conference at the Sands Convention Center. It is convenient and relatively close given the size of these giant complexes.

This is a very large complex, like many of the Las Vegas vacation destinations and visitors should also wear really comfortable shoes for all of the walking, that will be involved when you go to Vegas.

This picture was taken from the Wynn hotel’s front near the street showing the TI or Treasure island hotel in the background. The foreground shows a pond and shoreline of a small stream at the Wynn hotel. Just beyond this are to the left is what is supposed to be a mountain waterfall. The pond and waterfall are both on the Wynn hotel and casino property. TI – Treasure Island – Las Vegas is across the street and is approximately 3000 rooms with all of the standard attributes. There are many restaurants to try out and they also have a very nice pool. Friends of ours recently stayed at TI – Treasure Island. They were blown away by how nice it was, the pool and the clubs that they went to. They thoroughly enjoyed their time at TI – Treasure Island.

TI – Treasure Island – Pirate Show

One of the things that really stands out at the TI – Las Vegas is the pirate show that is held several times a day. Show times are posted in front of the hotel along the sidewalk. This pirate show at TI – Las Vegas is free to everyone and includes cannon fire, flames and pirate diving into the water. One of the ships actually sinks! The only time the show is not on is during windy conditions which could cause problems with the show.

Note that the pirate show was under construction the last time we were in Vegas in 2014 and may not be in operation. We welcome updates to this blog and will update this post accordingly next time we are in Las Vegas.

Ti – Las Vegas has been rebranded from the former Treasure Island casino. It was built by Steve Wynn, who also built the Mirage and the Bellagio. They were all sold to MGM properties who later sold the Treasure Island to another buyer. Steve Wynn went on to build the Wynn hotel and casino and hotel which is by far one of the nicest hotels in Vegas.

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The Montecarlo Casino and hotel in Las Vegas is a great place to bring the family and also adults as well. One of the nice things about this hotel is the Montecarlo Pool – Las Vegas area which is available to all guests staying at the hotel. The pool area includes a wave pool, a sandy beach, a beach volleyball court, and a river to float along on a raft. Also, a regular pool to spend time at while staying at the Montecarlo casino. This particular picture was taken from the deck of the Tram that runs from the Montecarlo all the way to the Bellagio Hotel stopping along the way at the Aria Casino and hotel. They are all owned by MGM Casinos.

Montecarlo Pool – Las Vegas – Food Court

Another great feature about the Montecarlo hotel in addition to the pool area is that they have a small fast food court which is excellent for families or anyone really who is vacationing on a budget. We all want to eat at a nice restaurant at least once while in Vegas, however, the rest of the time fast food is fine. They have a Starbucks, McDonald’s, Subway, and a pizza place to choose from. A note about Starbucks, coffee is going to cost you $3.00 for the same thing you would get at a regular Starbucks for $1.75. That is the hotel adding its the price on. as far as we could tell MacDonald’s coffee is the same price and is actually pretty good these days.

We ate at a restaurant called D.Vino’s in Montecarlo. We would not recommend this place to anyone. The Caesar salad was not good, the romaine looked old and the main courses were really tasteless.  The fish smelled fishy, the pasta was actually tough and the pizza had no taste whatsoever. We mentioned this to the maitre’d. Although they were going to tell the chef, they did not offer us anything other than they could redo it. Don’t waste your money, there are lots of other places to try that are much better.

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