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Just got back!

Discussion in 'Vegas Trip Reports' started by nancydrewit26, Mar 4, 2009.

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  1. nancydrewit26

    nancydrewit26 Tourist

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2007
    Messages:
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    Trips to Las Vegas:
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    My Trip Report

    Hey everyone!

    Just got back...we took our son for his 21st birthday.

    Got three nights comped at the Rio, and really enjoyed our stay. Our flight was about 5 hours late leaving Bellingham, so we didn't arrive until about midnight. We had rented an economy car from Alamo for $10 a day, but got upgraded to a mid-sized PT Cruiser...much to the delight of our 6'5" son. Got to the hotel in record time...where t:wave:he desk clerk apologized for our room not being ready (weird, considering we said we'd be there at 7 pm)...but it didn't matter much to us...our son just wanted to hit the casino floor. Just the same, they gave us a $50 food credit, which paid for all of us to have breakfast in the buffet the next morning. It turns out, our boy's favorite part of the trip was when a go-go dancer got up on a platform right in front of him at the Rio, and started singing and grinding right in front of him...(my husband didn't seem to mind that, either. Hmmm...)

    We did the strip the next day...went to the car museum at the Imperial Palace...gambled a bit and took in the sights. We went to the Price Is Right at Bally's that night; I ended up winning 1000 Harrah's points when they drew names in between games. It was very close to the TV show, with very funny clips of past shows...mostly bloopers and funny contestants making fools of themselves. The prizes were no where near as expensive as the show...but the host and announcer were good and it was thoroughly entertaining. If you like the TV show, I think you'd enjoy the Vegas version.
    Ended the day back at the Rio, didn't win...but seemed to play an awfully long time on what we put in.

    The next morning I suggested we go to the Palms across the street. I had read good things about the buffet there on this board, and I had seen advertisements saying that the slots were among the loosest in town. The buffet was very good, and I spied a "Happy Days" machine from my chair as I was eating. I said that I just wanted to give it a try, and we could continue on in our travels after I tried it. Well....my son discovered the "Star Trek" machines...my husband discovered the "Dirty Harry" machines....and we when we left the casino...it was dark out!

    Another place I wanted to try out was the El Cortez downtown, another place we'd never been in our twelve trips to Vegas. Definitely an older crowd...but we found the slots quite loose and the people very friendly. For sure it was a taste of vintage Vegas....coins clinking from the older slots, and people packing around the old plastic containers to put them in.

    We had to leave the next day, so we headed to Caesar's Palace to do the Cheesecake Factory for lunch. The orange chicken was to die for...and the portions were huge (I asked for the "lunch size", and found that hard to finish!) We ended with a little gambling at Caesar's, I won about $80, which was a nice way to end the trip...and headed to the airport. Of course, the flight going home was on time...unlike the beginning of the trip.

    All in all...we had a blast. :wave:
     
  2. BadBob

    BadBob Tourist

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2009
    Messages:
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    Location:
    Lombard Il
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    5
    nice trip

    We to will be staying at the Rio at the end of March and are planning to check out El Cortez. Sounds like we are going to be in you footsteps. Do you have any suggestions for us? :nworthy:
     
  3. cheermom

    cheermom Tourist

    Joined:
    Dec 14, 2005
    Messages:
    31
    Location:
    CT.
    We are staying at the Rio in 18 days:thumbsup:
    How was your room?? Nice?/ Which tower Ipanema or Masquerade??
    Did you have a nice view?
    Eat at any of the restaurants there?? Or the buffet other than breakfast?
    Sorry so many questions, never stayed at the rio before!!
    Oh sorry 1 more, was the pool open??Thanks so much...Annie
     
  4. blackjacknut

    blackjacknut VIP Whale

    Joined:
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    Did you win anything at the Palms on the "loose slots"?
     
  5. nancydrewit26

    nancydrewit26 Tourist

    Joined:
    Jul 12, 2007
    Messages:
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    Trips to Las Vegas:
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    I'm not sure if we won at the Palms or not...I was financing three of us...I know I was up about $100...but my husband and son were up and down. I know by the end of the day we were about even.

    No view at the Rio, I'm afraid. But apparently we were upgraded to a Masquerade Suite..and it was lovely. Great beds...and the room was nice and quiet.The buffet was great, and the only other restaurant we ate at was McFadden's. Check out Restaurant.com for $25 gift certificate for cheap...worked like a charm. I don't know if the pool was open...as a matter of fact, in all the years I've been doing Vegas...I've never swam in a single pool! Come to think of it, our room overlooked the three pools, and I don't recall seeing anyone swimming.

    The El Cortez had a coffee shop that we had a late-night snack at...and it was okay. I would have stayed there and gambled all night, but was out-voted when they wanted to go back to the Rio. I would have liked to have checked out the Gold Spike while I was out that way...I hear it has been renovated and has a whole new look. Hope you enjoy the El Cortez as much as I did...I really do think the slots were looser there.
     
  6. gotavegasjones

    gotavegasjones VIP Whale

    Joined:
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    Thanks for posting your TR.

    later, GVJ
     
  7. LVLady

    LVLady Tourist

    Joined:
    May 26, 2003
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    Location:
    Memphis, TN
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    Thanks for the trip report, my dh loves those Dirty Harry Machines too!
     
  8. gmoney590

    gmoney590 VIP Whale

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    Nice report. We took our son to Vegas on his 21st and he's never forgoten it.
     
  9. Blonde_4_ever

    Blonde_4_ever LasVegas4ever.com

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    Sounds like a great trip. My son is 21 this year too and eager to return to Vegas when he can actually gamble!
     
  10. jpw711

    jpw711 Is that your cat?

    Joined:
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    Great report, I'm curious, which airline?
     
    No reason to go home yet.
  11. Blondie76

    Blondie76 Low-Roller

    Joined:
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    Sounds like you all had a great time. Happy 21 years to your son! Thanks for posting. :)
     
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