Long trip report and seriously overdue. Vegas Aug 12-15

Ok, where do I even begin ? Or how do I even format this report ? I'm not going to walk you through my trip minute by minute but I think I'll do it in sections.
Accommodations/Hotel/Casino : I choose Bally's for this trip. It's location can't be beat and being this is not only my first trip in at least 7 years also my first solo trip, I thought Bally's would be a good choice. i'm happy to say I was correct, I was very satisfied with The Hotel. Staying center strip has it's drawbacks as far as gaming goes The decent VP available at Ellis Island and some NSUD at the Cromwell as well as the lower stakes and Lively games at casino royal give me plenty of gaming opportunities in my " neighborhood ' sort of speak while also being in the center of the action.
Checkin was a breeze although they did clip me $21 for early checkin, I really didn't care I flew out of Orlando at 6:30 am and I arrived in Vegas about 8 something, So I was early and I wanted my room. No bigge to me. I was in a smoking room ( I only smoke in Vegas ) The room was nice with a view of the corner of flamingo and the strip. I could see all the way to the gold coast and a partial view of the fountains across the street, very nice indeed.
The room itself was older but well maintained, The carpeting was a little worn. NOTE I did not say worn out, I also didn't say it had holes in it, It simply was a little worn that's all. The furniture was along the same lines it actually reminded me of furniture my parents had when we were kids. Wooden facia and reminiscent of an earlier Vegas , The sitting chair still had vestigese of a stain that was cleaned as some prior point But everything over all was neat a clean, I was very happy with the room, Plus it was spacious.Were these delux posh over the top chi-chi mega trendy resort rooms ? No they weren't. I didn't expect them to be, They were more than sufficient to meet my needs, Would I stay there again ? Yes I would. An overall great value in an ever increasingly expensive neighborhood.
The Hotel has aged quite nicely imo, well maintained with an overall pleasant appearance. It was really what I was expecting, Bally's isn't themed ( which I appreciate ) It's a casino plain and simple and it seems to understand that, I also can appreciate that, It's not pretentious It's not over the top It's a place to unwind for a few days relax at the pool ( which was very nice ) Gamble and drink a bit and explore the city. I really liked the food offerings from nicer restaurants to their food court to the 24 hrs lobby coffee kiosk " Lavazza " It's my favorite brand of coffee. It's from Italy, Your Welcome, I also like the fact how the front of Ballys now has a ton of quick bite places to eat increasing your food options tremendously, Very nice indeed.
The casino is long and well laid out not cramped or claustrophobic nor is it Cavernous, I think it's just right. I didn't play much there this time the VP isn't great I don't play slots at all and I don't play BJ. But this is the situation all over the strip in general today. Thank god for DT/Locals places, Like the rest of the Hotel the casino was ubeat well maintained and jumping for sure. There's something satisfying to me to see these older places holding there own against the mega resorts newcomers. If there's one thing I've learned Las Vegas NEEDS both of these type of places.
That's it for now I'm still tried didn't get home until 6 this morning., I'll keep posting the rest of my report on this thread.

 

Great start, Tony!
I was hoping you had a nice trip!

RICHARD

 

Will follow along Tony hopefully you have a great trip and you deliver a great trip report.

Hopefully your avatar is not an upcoming mugshot from your time in Vegas. But you are looking smart in it

 

Thanks!

 

Following along

 

Bally's gets a bad rap in their casino from a lot of people. I however really enjoy it. It's a great place to stay.

 

Thanks, I'll look forward to the next instalment.

 

Following too!!!!

 

Way to go Tony, thanks for the first installment. I look forward to hearing about the rest of your trip.

 

Thanks for the installment. I also love Bally's. Great location, big rooms and a cozy casino. And you are pretty much at Paris as well, without having to go outside. Like staying at 2 hotels at the same time.

 

Oh nice! Was wondering how your return was.

 

Sorry this is dragging out I'll have more in the next day or two

 

Enjoyed, will be waiting on the rest of your report.

 

The first thing on the list is for you to enjoy yourself. We are all interested in your exploits. Just make notes every evening that you can re-create your trip "whenever". You've explained everything we need to know.

Have fun and good luck!

 

Have a great trip!

 

Thanks, Paisano! I stayed at Paris last week, but liked the slot selection much better at Bally's.

 

This was my first trip to Las Vegas in 7 years. I hadn't been to Las Vegas since before my divorce and I wasn't really sure how it would be. The divorce was mostly my fault and I think I will always carry that burden on my shoulders. I relocated to Florida and I pretty much keep to myself. I don't socialize any longer and haven't really made any friends here. I essentially go to work and go home, that's pretty much it. So I had some trepidations about how my first getaway in 5 years would be and how I would feel about being in a place I shared so many wonderful memories with my ex wife.( who I still love dearly ) This would also be my first solo trip so I was a little anxious
I flew out of Orlando at 6am on Frontier. I like leaving early because you get the entire day in Vegas, Flying west the time change is your friend. Now I will tell you sitting on the plane I finally had a sense of accomplishment. 5 years ago I was sitting in Jail, My life I had worked hard to build was completely in shambles. My houses, business, Job and of course most importantly my Wife were all but memories. I was banned from working for a municipal, county or state agency that dealt in interstate commerce. I was in Solid waste ( recycling and sanitation ) In North Jersey for 25 years, I had run afoul of some federal regulations which cost me dearly. Not being able to work in my field has made financially gainful employment tuff. Its been a long and slow journey to rebuild my life. Finally after 3 years things began to improve Sitting on that plane I could finally see some substantial progress in my life.I was making good money again for the first time since moving to Florida. I actually have some decent discretionary income and The excitement of a Vegas trip began to take hold. I sat in my seat as Orlando faded from view ,I thought to myself I was really going on vacation for the first time in 6 years and for the first time in a very long time I smiled.
The flight was uneventful and my excitement began to grow as we approached Las Vegas the mountains and brown earth below signaled that my destination wasn't far off. Then I heard those golden words I hadn't heard in years. Over the planes intercom system" Prepare for final decent " My excitement was growing by the minute especially when Las Vegas first came into view, now we were landing I was getting so excited. There it was my favorite place in the world. Suddenly My anxieties I had that I previously mentioned seemed to dissipate. instantly. We landed and suddenly I was in Las Vegas again !! At this point vacation mode kicked in and I was ready to have some fun.
I uber'd it to the rental car company. Right across the street from the Orleans which I had to stop in for a bit, Played a little just to get my feet wet sorta speak. I always liked the Orleans and still do. Now my second stop was a Cannabis dispensary on the strip called Essence. it's located between the SLS and The STRAT right across the street from the worlds largest gift shop. Now I haven't smoked in 10 years nor have I had a drop of liquor in 7 years. That was about to change. As a teenager in the 70's I smoked and continued as a casual user most of my life. Perhaps a few times a year than finally stopping completely 10 years ago. However I simply had to finally purchase legal Marijuana, and so I did. Considering Its been illegal my whole life, walking into a store and just buying some was surreal. I loved it.
The drive to Bally's ( mind you I passed Bally's to get to Essence first ) I was a bit taken back at how "busy" and crowded the strip had become. The south strip and center strip, stores and eateries seemed to be crammed in everywhere. every square inch of space was taken. New casinos and towers filled the air it was both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. The North strip was a different story, It was kinda sad and depressing. What had they done to it ? All the old school low rollers joints had disappeared. All too often I hear board members refer to the places as " dumps" Well I for one enjoyed those dumps. It literally looked like a wasteland, CC looked so outta place and slots of fun was a mere shadow of it's former self. Didn't like the whole vibe one bit. I can only hope the Strat, CC and The SLS can hang on long enough for the area to be redeveloped. Perhaps they will be the low roller joints as opposed to the Mega casinos that are going to be built.
Checked into Bally's and all went well, They clipped me $20 bucks for early check in and that was fine. The room was neat and clean, It was slightly older and the carpet was a bit worn, but not torn in anyway again it was fine. Overall I really enjoyed my stay at Bally's. She has aged well. Great location, good room, decent amenities and a well maintained facility. I wouldn't hesitate to stay here again. I freshened up a bit and off to explore. I wandered around Bally's a bit, kind of absorbing everything. I wandered over to the Cromwell. Now I wanted to hate this place because it wasn't my Beloved Barbary Coast, But I didn't. I liked what they did the Cromwell looked pretty nice They do have a bank of decent VP which I played a lot and the drink service was excellent. I wish they had More VP.
I meandered around the center strip for a bit, so many little things triggered so many memories, I noticed a serious decline of timeshare reps and porn splappers. I did enjoy the rise of all the costumed characters hustling for a photograph. Especially the scantily clad ladies ....Viva Las Vegas baby !! For years there was a guy in a wheel chair with no arms with a bucket for money in front of Harrah's He wasn't there this time. Granted its been years but I wonder what ever happened to him. Overall I enjoy the center strip I just wish there were better gaming conditions available, However the Cromwell, Ellis Island and the Gold coast do offer some decent VP and there close by so it was ok.
I went back to my room and I indulged in some of the weed I had purchased. Let me tell you what this stuff was PO-TENT !!! one hit and I was wrecked, remember I hadn't smoked in nearly a decade. I went to the lobby bar and played a little VP. I will say it felt a little weird Being stoned playing VP and NOT breaking the law.It was quite enjoyable. I sat there sipping a beer playing some VP, people watching and chatting with the Bar tender and loving every minute of it. I was ready for something to eat and I strolled over to In-N-Out at the Linq. It was delicious. Now the last time I was here it was still the IP, Overall I thought the place looked good. I liked the promenade where In-N-out was located. Very nice all except Osheas they killed that place.
Now I wanna comment on this whole drink monitoring system that I read so much about. I honestly expected to be read the riot act at every bar I sat at and I hoped my play would qualify for comped drinks. Turns out I had nothing to worry about. In fact hadn't I read about it I wouldn't have even noticed it existed. I was served promptly at every bar I sat at ( the strip, DT and locals casinos ) and I was continued to be served without fail.
The only place that had a ticket pop out of the machine was the Cosmopolitan. I had a few drinks at the Chandelier bar. Very nice indeed. The Cosmo is certainly the hip joint these days. Its a milenial hotspot. In conclusion to this issue, it's no issue at all if your playing, The Bar tenders at Ballys took really good care of me. They knew I was there for a few days and as soon as I sat down the drinks were flowing very good service.
My first night I went downtown which I love. I was surprised to see how far fremont street had expanded. Last visit it ended several blocks before the El Cortez now it goes right up to it, very nice. I played lots of VP and strolled from one casino to the next From the Plaza to the El Co and I loved it. Lots of improvements and upgrades since my last visit. Saw the darkened Las Vegas club and the expansion of the GG. All good things in my eye's. I didn't really notice the smell that is often mentioned about the EL CO and Plaza they seemed fine to me. If there;s one thing I do like about DT as opposed to the strip is as the strip hotels evolve into more full service and opulent resorts DT seems to understand that their gambling halls plain and simple. Decent and relatively low table mins, some good VP and some really excellent and affordable eating and drinking options. A completely different experience than the strip. I ate some prime rib at Magnolia's which was very good. A lot of people knock this place but I found the food and service to be fine. In retrospect I should have gone DT my second night because I was getting tired and decided to call it a night.
Woke up bright and early My cell phone broke last night and I was crippled without it so Off to the T-Mobile store I went. It was several miles down flamingo but didn't open until 10 so I shot out to Sams Town. I always liked this place. I played some great VP and ate breakfast at their buffet. I thought the buffet was good, No lines and for $6 or so it was a good value. Went and got my new phone and headed back to Bally's Had a few beers and played some VP then headed over to the Cromwell and played some more VP. Walked over to the Casino Royale and feasted on some White Castle for lunch, god they were good. Headed back to Bally's and hit the pool up for a bit and just relaxed. I was just taking it all in. I grabbed an Uber and headed over to the Gold Coast for a little while just drinking and playing some VP. I always liked the GC I think this is another place that gives you a decent bang for your buck. I prefer the off strip, locals and DT Casinos over the new Mega Casino that permeate the Strip. Better VP and lower table mins and genrally better food values are what attract me. For me there's a little higher "Fun" factor in these.
Made my way back to Bally's and headed over to Ellis Island for dinner. Now this place gets bashed by a lot of you, me I love it. For me it's nice to see some small independent Casino's still thriving in an alarmingly corporate dominated Las Vegas. It's been voted best locals casino and best food value. The steak for $7.99 was excellent. Done perfectly. Played some good VP and the booze flowed freely. There's something very cool about being in a casino where you can see the entire place from where ever your standing. I enjoy that place very much. I spent the rest of the evening just walking the center/south strip. like I said earlier it got congested. Every square inch seems to have a store now. The fronts of most of the Casinos seemed obscured somewhat. Quite different from when I started going 20 something years ago. I strolled from Wynn and encore to Aria and everyplace in between. I didn't play much because let's face it this part of Vegas is a VP wasteland. I was mostly just people watching and checking out places which is actually pretty enjoyable in itself. North of the Casino Royale doesn't do it for me. The Venetian, Palazzo, Wynn just don't do it for me. Yeah there beautiful but the gambling is atrocious. The food is expensive and being a solo traveler that doesn't appeal to me. I'm not sitting by myself and eating a $40 dinner buffet. I walked through Harrah's and I watched the two Blonde Twins doing their dueling pianos. I was shocked that they were still there. I remember sitting with the ex watching them years ago. This was honestly the only time I felt a little weird because it definitely brought up some memories. But I moved on not trying to dwell on what was and just kept enjoying what IS. I kinda wandered aimlessly just absorbing the ambience of the strip. I loved it.
Well My last day each morning Bally's has a Lavazza stand in the lobby. Lavazza is a brand of Italian coffee that I loved so I hit that up and grabbed a pastry. As a solo traveler that's really all I needed to get going. I checked out and stored my bags. My flight wasn't until 9pm so I had lots of time. I returned my rental car and walked to the Orleans and played for a bit. They still have some excellent VP. I then shot over to downtown for a few more hours, Some more VP and some craps and roulette at the El Cortez. Those low limit games are just plain fun and entertaining. Absolutely loved it. Uber'd it to the Linq and enjoyed my last In-N-Out for lunch. Played some more craps at the Casino Royale and some more VP at the Cromwell. Had a few beers at Bally's and bid the Bartenders goodbye. Took an uber to the Fiesta Henderson to finish out my Vegas adventure. I always liked that place great VP decent table minimums I just enjoy the place. I sat at the Bar and began to play, the bartender pointed out some kind of bonus poker machine with a royal paying $2200 right next to me. It seems the locals and DT casinos have an edge on the strip with this kind of service. My very first hand I draw 4 to a royal and......Nothing but it was a very cool moment I was like get the hell out of here , its all good. I ate my last Vegas meal at the Fiesta coffee shop. I had an excellent breakfast for $5.99 It was so big I couldn't finish it. I really do love a good casino coffee shop. Unfortunately and unbelievably they seem to be a slowly vanishing species. I honestly just can't imagine a casino without a 24 hr coffee shop. after several hours I said goodbye to the Fiesta and took and Uber to the airport. my driver was in his 20's I explained to him that the weed I purchased was so potent I hardly touched it and would he want it as a tip ? He gladly accepted !!. The flight home was uneventful and my first Vacation in years had come to an end.
Conclusions & Observations
Las Vegas is still great. With all the changes good and Bad it's still my favorite place in the world. Biggest mistake I made was renting a car. I hardly used it. I knew I'd be drinking and smoking so I wound up using it sparingly. I used uber for the first time and found it to be an easy way to get around. They are definitely cheaper than cabs. When your only there for three days it's really hard to do all you want to do. I probably did about a third of the things I'd planned to do. So I thought even though my car rental was cheap. Less than a hundred for two days in the end it wasn't worth it.
The Strip, at first I kinda didn't like how it has become so cluttered, But it grew on me. Having a wal greens right in front of Bally's was a blessing. Asprin, Red Bulls all easily available and at very reasonable prices. I also found the eateries offered a nice array of easily accessible food options quickly. I do miss the sweeping views of the Casino's and wide openness of the strip, But it is what it is. After being there I can appreciate the what other posters have mentioned about the fountains at the Bellagio being on borrowed time. You can also add the volcano at the Mirage for that matter. This is the great downside to the corporatization of Las Vegas. It's all about the dollar, the mighty dollar, the bottom line and that's it. Standing in front of the fountains is an experience all unto itself. When that's gone it will never come back and that will be ashame. Stores and restaurants will increase revenue and fountains and Volcano's are an expense. To me things like that add to the Las Vegas experience the strip really doesn't need any more drug stores or fast food joints. While i'll admit using the same players card at multiple casinos is convenient. The homogenization of the Casino is a bummer.
The North strip is a disaster, it's essentially gone. No one is gonna convince me what is happening there is for the better. Is Vegas better off without the Riviera, Frontier, Stardust and westward Ho ? I don't think so. Resorts World and Fontainebleau when they are completed are gonna be just more multi thousand room hotels monuments to corporate greed high table mins and lousy VP. I can hardly wait for that. It's really unfortunate but those places that have been knocked down can never be replaced. That makes me a bit sad.
Downtown was awesome as usual. To me that's really where value Las vegas is alive and well. Good atmosphere great gambling, great food and outstanding drinks service. Fremont street has expanded quite a bit The D and the Grand I think are excellent additions to DT. Expansion of the GG is a plus and of course the new casino being built where the Vegas club once was is gonna be cool. some really decent outside Bars are great for people watching and in Vegas there's definitely some people to watch. I love downtown, you either do or you don't. Overall I think DT by far gives you a great bang for your buck. It just seems to be getting better.
The locals seen seems to be alive and well also. The places I hit up this time were as always fun. Good gaming overall great drink service and nice economical food choices, It's really amazing the difference in crowds and atmosphere from the strip and the locals casino. I will always enjoy the energy of the strip by the majority of my playing will always be DT and the locals joints, I love them
I found the legalization of recreational Marijuana to be most agreeable. I haven't smoked since I got home nor have I had a drink. To me it's going to add a new dimension to sin city. Here I shall indulge in both alcohol and Marijuana. It makes my trips a little more enjoyable and it also makes the times I do visit Vegas even more special. I really enjoyed being a little stoned and a little buzzed sitting at the bar talking to pretty girls and people watching playing some VP and just idleing away the hours. Cant wait to do it again.
Now I will tell you some of the things I read on this board make me question some people's reality here. Not one Casino not one did I find the smoke so bad " I couldn't breath" or ' I could cut it with a knife " and I was in all the downtown joints and a bunch of local casinos. I'm an ex smoker so I don't wanna hear it. That's not saying some people aren't more sensitive to smoke than I am, granted but I do think if you want it to bother you it will. I mean your in a casino you know they allow smoking so deal with it or go to another casino. Ive already touched on the drink monitoring system. Again if your playing your drinking. Plain and simple.
So much has changed in 7 years. The strip is still way cool and I'm a little saddened by some of the changes but encouraged by others. Las Vegas still provides a great value to the gambler. One look at the strip casinos tells you why the gaming is not great and the food getting more and more expensive, Because it can be. The tables and machines are packed. Most people don't have a clue what there doing or playing. So few people really explore the City outside the small area they stay in. People on this board are a completely different animal. Try explaining a pay table to most people, They ain't getting it. For people who have just begun to discover Vegas this is their normal. They know nothing else, However we do. There's still plenty of great gambling and food values in Vegas bit they are getting harder to find. Las Vegas needs both The Cosmopolitan's and Wynn's and Bellagio's as much as it needs the El Cortez , Plaza and Ellis Island's and a very healthy Locals market as well. If Las Vegas turns into a city run by one or two Corporations it will make for a very sad day for all of us.
Finally about my gaming I wound up with nothing to speak of as far as hits go. My VP play produced no 4OK, No deuces no nothing. A few wild royals and that's about it. I played low limit craps and roulette downtown $2 and $3 games just for a little fun. All in all I probably lost about $350-$400 bucks in three days, Considering all the free drinks I had and the amount of time I played there's no other gaming juristridiction that comes close for giving me such a nice bang for the buck. So in the end I had an awesome time. I enjoyed traveling solo, Vegas is really a great place for the solo traveler. I enjoyed myself so much I'm already booked 2 nights at the D in December. Viva Las Vegas !!

.

 

Great TR Tony! Like you I love everything about downtown and the local joints as you have much better value for your dollar.. Sadly Boyd cut me off so I've wandered back to center strip and love it, there's value there but you have to search for it...

Glad you climbed back on the horse, can't wait for your Dec TR

 

Great wrap-up, Tony!
Thank you!

RICHARD

 

Nice report Tony.