Steve's Birthday in Las Vegas-Nov 11 through Nov 18

Hello-This is my second report this year. Steve and I went to LV in April for my birthday so we got a great deal to come in November.

Day one-Nov 11-we leave BWI on time and stop in Albuquerque to leave off and pick up people. The one issue was a screaming child, but her mother soon rectified the situation. We land in Las Vegas about 1 PM PT. Our bags were on the wrong carousel but we get them eventually. We take the Bell transit bus (now $9 a person) to the Gold Coast. WE got 4 nights here-two comped and yes they comped the more expensive weekend. We could check in quickly. Both of us were hungry so Steve said let's try the Gold Coast buffet. I was warned against this. Actually, it was not as bad as feared. Steve liked it more than me. The dishes were simple but ok. Their home made gelato was good. We play a bit at the Gold Coast and I do OK. I tried the new Brittney Spears game and I got about 5 bonus games and win about $40. Some man (who we end up calling Mr. Brittney) sat there for hours. He wanted to give us the secrets to the game. We play a bit more around the casino and I give back my wins quickly. Steve plays about even. We then go next door to the Rio and I lose more and get some free drinks from an attractive blonde waitress. Steve and I then play this new Monopoly game. I play about even and he turns a $10 bill into $125 in about 30 minutes. He was constantly hitting the bonuses. This set the tone for the rest of the trip. We then take the free shuttle to Bally's and play there and in Paris. I lost more. We start to crash and hit the hay about 10:30 PM PT.

Day Two-Nov 12. We sleep a good 8 hours and are ready to go. We got the rental car today. I use Enterprise and usually pick up on Flamingo Road at the Wyndham (former Maxim). We took a taxi to Paris for breakfast. I had some Caesar's comp on my card from the Baltimore Horseshoe . Steve had some too and we saved $20. The buffet was great. Some friends of mine said Paris has gone downhill. There was some fantastic baked ham, great pastries as always, and the home made crepes are always great. Steve never had one and end up eating two of them. We play in Bally's and Flamingo and Cromwell before we pick up the car about 11 AM. We had a Nissan Maxima and the car was nice. Our first stop was Olympic Gardens. We learned they are no longer open 24 hours and have new ownership. There were no dancers there at all. They lost their video poker license for a few months and just got it back. We leave in about 15 minutes and head to Fremont Street. I always like Thursdays on Fremont. We park at the MSS. My losing continues. I got a beer. We both played the new Friends game and lose more. I usually do better here. We then hit the Plaza. Steve plays Wonder Woman in every casino he sees it and he won a bit here. We meet a nice couple from Minnesota who always stay at the Plaza. We compare Vegas notes and then move on. We make our way up Fremont and I keep losing. Steve is playing even. The crowd was good. The $3 crap game at the Fremont was packed. I could not get a spot. I hate crowding in. We then go over to the 4 Queens and my luck changed for a bit. I like the game "Towers of the Temples." I have gotten some great wins at the Maryland Casinos. I play for a bit then hit a great pay. We keep moving up Fremont. Steve likes the Sigma Derby at the D. I always lose there. We then used a coupon to eat the Fremont's buffet. It just cost us $8 each. It was pretty good-prime rib night. We then go to the Downtown Grand and El Cortez. I play roulette and lose. I have never seen so many 00 come up. Steve and I play the Flintstones game and he wins and I lose.

Day Three Nov 13- we sleep in a bit and my goal was to avoid Friday Strip traffic. Steve wants to check out OG's again. We hit In and Out Burger on Sahara first. That is always fantastic. We get there about 2 PM and there are dancers. Not many but at least they are worth a dance or two. Plus they could carry on a conversation. We spend a couple hours and then go to the Palace Station. Steve hits a Little Red game and wins about $100. I played my usual and lose. There was a new play 8 different slot games at once for $2 a spin min bet and it take $40 in less than 10 minutes. I get no bonus game. I said let's check out some new places so we go to Henderson to check out the Sunset Station and Green Valley Ranch. We had a buffet coupon for Sunset. I was at the Sunset Station once in 2006. I never ate there. We play a bit both about even and then hit the buffet. It was Prime Rib night here. WE use the buy one get and coupon and the cashier uses our cards for comps. Dinner cost us $12 COMBINED. What a great deal! The food was good. The Prime Rib was fantastic. There was a large selection of Mexican food (not my thing). Steve said it was quite spicy. We play a bit more and Steve wins about $130 on a Queen of the Wild 2 game. We then left and went to Green Valley Ranch. This is a great casino. It is nice with many new games. I play a new Flintstone reel game that no other place had in the valley. I actually won $50. I won a bit more on a Zodiac Sisters game and then everywhere I went the smoke was bothering me. Steve wants to then go back to the Strip and go to the SLS. That was disappointing. The club crowd is always interesting people watching, but their casino is lacking games. The mins on the tables for a struggling property were too high. I do not think we will go there again. Police were everywhere. I wonder if there was an incident at the club.

Day 4-Nov 14. Last night at the Gold Coast. I want my luck to change. I keep losing. We decide to go to the Southpoint. Both of us won there in April. We come into the casino and Steve sits down at the Wonder Woman game, puts in a $10 bill and two spins in hits the major for $140. He should do well because it is his birthday. I play a bit and play even. I go to the Flintstone game and a woman on the second machine hits a $438 bonus. I do not. I play Towers and lose some more. We had lunch at the Steak and Shake. There is just one of these in Maryland and there is always a line. The food is fantastic. It is less than I would have expected as well. We had to wait maybe 15 minutes for a table. It is the only one in the state of Nevada. We then play some more and I win a bit back. We leave when Steve starts to lose. I really like this casino. It is clean and the people are nice. Our next stop was the M Resort. I wanted to visit places neither of us have been to. I liked the place. It has a great vide and is a nice casino. Yes, I keep losing. There was an accident with injuries on Las Vegas Blvd so we detour. Steve said let's go back to Fremont Street. We play a bit here and there and then we go to Pizza Rock next to the Downtown Grand. I wanted to hit this place too. It was amazing. Their crust is one of the best I have ever had. I went to the New Jersey shore as a kid and I know good Italian made pizza. We ordered a special New York pizza with pepperoni, sausage, and ricotta cheese along with the usual sauce and mozzarella cheese. There were a couple bands on Fremont that were quite good.

Day 5-Nov 15-we oversleep and had to check out by Noon. Our next stop was the Silverton. They gave me three nights comped and free slot play. We used a keno coupon at the Gold Coast that we forgot about and watch the rest of the early football games. We forgot to make some bets due to oversleeping. We ask about the Marathon race and get a print out of the areas to avoid. We make it to Blue Diamond Road and see another in and Out Burger. So we got it again. We check in at the Silverton and Steve takes a nap. I was in the casino for a bit and I won maybe $20. I checked my free play and I was awarded $45 in free play. I did not expect that. I then go take a nap and both of us sleep about two hours. We then want to avoid the race (parts of the strip were closed until 11 PM). We had a coupon for Red Rock Station so we go there. We ate there in July 2014 and it was good plus we won there too. We play a bit and both lose. The buffet was good and we had the buy one get one again. There is a rice dish there with currents and wild rice that is fantastic. We then decide to hit the Suncoast and Rampart Casino in the Summerlin area. Steve wins and I lose. At the Suncoast casino I get 7 bonus games on Zodiac Sisters and win a combined $22 on them. What a joke. Steve got a nice line hit on Little Red that brought him even for the day. We had some freeplay coupons for the Rampart and Steve got $10 more for it being around his birthday. I actually won back about $20. We then go back to the resort corridor and try some more clubs-both were a joke. We go to Play it Again Sam's and had to leave due to an incredible amount of cigar smoke. Steve then finds this club called Pussycats and it was a joke. Avoid at all costs. I will never speak of this club again. I needed a drink or two to clear my mind so we go to the Wynn because there free drinks are the best. We then go back to the Silverton. It is about 3 AM.

Day 6-Nov 16. Steve's friend Larry who now lives in Arizona was coming into town. We would meet up later. The days are starting to run together, but it is Las Vegas. I can sleep when I get home. I was craving some BBQ so I suggested the Ellis Island Casino-we had coupons. I learned they do not open that restaurant until 4 PM. We sign up for the card and the woman behind the card see it is one day before his birthday and gives us some free beer coupons. That was nice. We had a free play coupon as well. I actually start winning, but gave it back. We then decide to go to Ern's BBQ at Container Park. We park at the El Cortez. I liked my beef brisket sandwich. Steve got chicken and he said it was average. The mac and cheese was good. We play a bit at the El Co and I played roulette and played even. That was a first. Steve then wants to go back to Olympic Gardens and there were a few dancers as Monday Night Football was starting. Steve had a pushy Russian chick give him a hard time. She could barely speak English. I had one dance and we left. Steve is not happy so we go to Talk of the Town club and it was better than I thought. I may be getting too old for the strip club scene. The place was a good value; however, the dancer I chose performed like a half dead fish. It was getting late and we were hungry. Larry was in town so we pick him up at Harrah's. I wanted to go to the Hash House a Go Go but they were closed. It was about 10:30 PM. We hit the Magnolia Room at the 4 Queens and we had a coupon to share. The food there was good. We then go around Fremont Street and I actually hit a couple small jackpots. I win about $80. It was after midnight and Steve's actual birthday so the Downtown Grand gave him some free play. He played even and I won $30.

Day 7-Nov 17th-Steve's birthday. We had to turn the car in by 4 Pm. We go to a souvenir store and In and Out Burger for the last time. The plans fir his birthday dinner was the Aria Buffet. I got the buy one get one from MyVegas on Facebook. This was our last full day. My luck suddenly changes. We spent most of the day on the Strip. I won about $300 in 20 minutes. This was on a Great Owl game and the Elton John game in Caesars Palace. I almost never win there. We then go to the Bellaggio but I do not play there. Larry did not want to get the Aria buffet. I treat Steve and it was really good. There were lots of great choices. I have never seen Indian Food on a buffet. They made Nan bread right there. We both left satisfied. We wanted to play there a bit but they system crashed during an upgrade and all slot tickets had to be hand paid. What a mess for a casino that size. We then go to the Cosmopolitan, have a drink,a nd Steve wins about $100. I lose about $40 but am still up for the day. Larry then takes us to Southpoint ( we wanted another shake from Steak and Shake) and my winning continues! I won another $50. I play even in craps. We get our shakes and cab it back to the Silverton. We need to get up for our flight. I go to the Silverton's Great Owl Game and I put in a $20. I cash out at $121. Where was this a few days ago!!! I have to go home.

Nov 18-we get up, have breakfast at the Silverton's café (their buffet does not open until 11 AM), then get a cap to the airport. We get checked in and through security in about 20 minutes. I think the key is to fly in on Tuesday and Wednesday. No problem getting back to BWI. I actually slept on the flight.

Thanks for reading. Viva Las Vegas.

Andy

 

Thanks for the trip report. One thing odd that mentioned...you said that Aria's system crashed during an upgrade, well the same thing happend at The Cal and MSS (I think on the same day) At the Cal and MSS they couldn't even make room keys and each time you wanted to go to your room a guard had to take you up and let you in. If Aria had the same problem imagine how many folks trying to check in having to be escorted all their guests

 

Sounds like you had a fun time. Next time the winnings will be bigger. Thanks for the report.

 

You had me at Steak & Shake!

That was one of my favorite places to eat when visiting my brother in Dallas.

Thanks for the nice read, Andy!

-Richard

 

Nice trip report, Andy. We're flying back on a Wednesday to BWI. We booked a 2pm direct flight on SW that arrives at 9pm. Originally we had booked a week trip in Vegas, but found out our daughter graduates from UMBC on Thursday. We were told her graduation ceremony was
next year........wrong. LOL With that said, a shortened Vegas trip is better than no trip.

 

Nice report! Your buddy had quite the thing for Olympic Gardens though. I wonder what happened for them to lose their license to offer VP for awhile...