What Prompted Your First Visit To LV?

I used to go to Reno 1-2 times a year. No more because gambling is all it offered me and 12-14 hours of BJ for a couple of days was good enough.

In the early nineties a couple of friends had moved down to run pro shops, so I decided to visit them instead of Reno. BTW, one was at Arizona Charlies, they used to have a 50 lane bowling center. Anyway, I got a great package and went down. Being used to Reno, I had no car set up. Taxies killed me. Lesson learned. My first impression amazed me. Reno had a few sizable hotels, but the strip blew me away. My buddies gave me a few tips. I left my clubs at home, dummy! I didn't rent a car, dummy! I was told to shuttle to the Gold Coast (I was at the Imperial Palace) for good reasonable food. I learned that two nights in Reno was enough, but four in LV wasn't enough. I booked my next trip about three months later and 60-70 trips later I still enjoy every one.

What's your story?

Good Luck!
Ric at Joes

 

Quite a few years ago when our second child went off to college my wife and I decided to take an adult vacation. Our anniversary was coming up so we decided on Vegas. Our first trip was a 4 night stay at the Imperial Palace. I went with no coupons and $400 dollars cash for gambling and other expenses. What a great time we had! Couldn't wait to go back so the next year we booked again for our next anniversary. Eventually that trip turned into twice a year. If we lived closer I'm sure it would be more. We are getting ready to go again in a couple weeks. Our daughter and her husband are going with us and our son and his girlfriend are flying in from Texas so it is going to be a family vacation. Can't wait!

 

Alcohol ingestion.

 

Fatigue plus 2k left over from youngest daughter's wedding (they were lucky we didn't appropriate their wedding loot) :evillaugh

First trip July 2000 - 2k covered airfare, 3 night stay at Mirage, Mystere tickets for two, Magic+dinner show @ Caesar's, meals, cabs, and a wee bit for slot play - came back home with money to boot. Still hooked!

 

I've been gambling since I turned 18 (thanks to Indian casinos in Minnesota), so the day after I turned 21 I went to Vegas to celebrate with drinks and gambling. It was love at first sight, and I've been 4 times since. I've got another trip booked for May, and try to get out as much as I can!

 

My husband (relatively new boyfriend at the time) was headed to Vegas for a conference and asked if I'd like to tag along. Sure. Why not? Later, he did tell me he was surprised I agreed to go since we hadn't been dating that long. I was thinking it was a pretty nice way to see Vegas. The only money I'd be out was the cost of the flight ($5.00 plus points) and any of my meals. Pretty cheap trip to Vegas. Even if it didn't work out, I thought, at least I could mark Vegas off my bucket list. Little did I know, that one trip started a love affair with Vegas for the both of us. We returned the next year for another work conference and got married while we were there. Now, we typically take two trips a year to visit.

 

My niece's wedding.

 

Actually, I had no choice. My Dad planned our road trip though Vegas for a couple of nights. As an adult (almost, I was 20), my Dad wanted to go to Vegas so I took him, and I did that every couple of years after that. When I started going many times a year, it was after a break-up I had, and I just wanted to get away. This was in either "97 or '98. I had such a good time; so I learned how to count and have been going between 4 to 10 times a year since then. I started off getting cheap rooms at Stratosphere , Downtown, Circus Circus, IP, San Remo, or wherever I could. Now, I have a host and get comped at CET. I don't get a suite, but my host does upgrade my room to one which is larger and has a view.

 

A friend and I thought it would be fun to celebrate my 21st Birthday in Vegas in '82. I was hooked. I've had every major birthday there since and have traveled to Vegas 3-5 times a year.

 

I was dating my now husband, who had been once before. He and some friends planned a trip and he asked me if I'd like to go. I didn't have much money at the time (and didn't expect him to pay my way) and didn't really get the appeal so I passed. He came home with $1500 more than he started with and tales of all the fun they had. We tried to plan a trip about a year later, while we were engaged, but then his Mom got sick and we had to cancel, and she died shortly afterward. The next year we got married so that took most of our vacation time and money. Finally the year after we married (1997) we made our first trip together and I definitely got what all the fuss was about. Loved it and we've been back at least 18-20 times since, always together.

 

My first trip was for my 21st birthday, I always wanted to go and see what all the fuss was about. I was hooked the moment I landed. My friends who haven't gone don't understand what all the fuss is about but the ones that have all love to go back

 

SURVEY SAYS!

Good Luck!
Ric at Joes

 

Had a friend that goes pretty regularly and ended up coming along on one of his trips. Had a stupidly small budget, no plan for how to play it, and had done zero research.

You know how we always talk on here about how you shouldn't let yourself get stuck as someone's tour guide? That was him, stuck with me, on trip #1. I wasn't the nightmare some people are (pretty easygoing about things he wanted to do), but no agenda of my own.

 

I was hanging out with friends when one started talking about Vegas - "what?? you've never been to Vegas?????" was what I heard from 4 people pretty much at the same time... so we had to fix that and 4th of July weekend '97 was my first trip at the Luxor.... the next trip was over 3 years later and that's when I think I got hooked.... 26 trips total! I'm shooting to hit 50 by the time I turn 60!

 

Turning 21 in 1973, Me and a buddy drove from WI to LV non-stop, iirc 32 hours. OMG, I was in Vegas heaven. I haven't stopped going in 40+ years. It'll be 3 more trips this year. A low total for us, but we are building a new home. But hey, once it's completed, there still is Nov & Dec. for two more!

 

My first trip was in 2010 and was prompted by a group of three friends I was pretty tight with at the time. We also took a trip to NY together, another first for me. I think all at least a couple of them had been before. I had only been to a local casino maybe 2-3 times. I really enjoyed Vegas, but it wasn't quite as fun as it could be. Highlights were going to see KA and going from casino to casino downtown, grabbing a drink everywhere we went. The lowlights were walking way too far without a plan on where we were going, and without a drink in our hand, and not taking a direct flight from Seattle and arriving on the first day at midnight.

It was my second trip, with my BF, in 2012 that really cemented my love for Vegas. I was in charge of planning and really started to nerd out on all the things you can do and deals you can get in Vegas. I also really got into learning strategy for blackjack, which eventually lead to me learning Video Poker strategies, and how to play lots of other casino games.

 

It was March 2003. I was headed to the Pac NW for some hiking, but three friends convinced me to come to Vegas for one night on my way to the west coast. I resisted at first, thinking Vegas would be depressing and a dumb away to give away your money. Obviously, it was very different than what I was expecting. Had a blast tat first one night trip. Strangely, I haven't kept up with the friends tat convinced me to go, but I feel like I owe tem for twisting my arm to come along

 

Was on a road trip with family, in 1995, drove from CA to AR and back, ended up in Vegas for NYE 95/96.
Went back in 1998 for a speed skating tournament (Twice; spring break for a week, then in july for a weekend)
Didn't go back until 2002, with a gf
Then again in 2004 for a friends 21st.
Didn't go again until 2008, then 2012..then it went off the rails, haha.

 

My Mom introduced me to LV. She had made several trips there with her lady friends. The ladies then decided to take their daughters with them. It was the early 80s and I had little kids so my husband took a week's vacation to care for them while I was gone. I discovered FABULOUS LAS VEGAS. Back then it was a cheap place to visit and the Strip ended at Flamingo Blvd, There were very few stools / chairs for the slots. Most playing was done while standing; glad that has changed. I talked my husband into trying a trip there and we talked another couple into going with us. That's all it took. It's been two trips a year ever since.