Long first trip report!

Trip Report
First thanks for all your help, it made the trip go so much easier! This is a long trip report!

Day 1 Monday the 17th

We leave for the Airport early because I am excited and can’t sleep! Security is a breeze at the Buffalo Airport! We flew southwest and got the wonderful A boarding passes! We were worried about getting out but thank goodness we had a direct flight. They were offering the value of your ticket plus 200 dollars to give up your seat on the plane. I was tempted but they said they wouldn’t get us out for a few days and I thought NO WAY! What a freaking long 5 hour flight it was with the anticipation of landing and getting there! I couldn’t sit still, couldn’t sleep or read, all I could do was look out the window. Landing was awesome, seeing everything and thinking holy S**T this is so much bigger then I ever imagined! I wanted to hop off the plane before it finished taxing to the gate! Getting the luggage was no prob and we were on a shuttle to the imperial palace. I was a bit worried that it would be horrible because of everything I have heard about on here and other boards. We checked in within 5 minutes and were headed to the 15th floor. I expected to wait forever for the elevator, but to my surprise and pleasure it took all of 2 seconds (it was this way the whole trip) we got to our room and we had an angled view of Caesars Palace from our balcony which was great! We threw our stuff down and headed to get something to eat, we were starving! I wasn’t brave enough to try the food at imperial palace so we decided to go elsewhere. Once we stepped outside I was so overwhelmed that I forgot everything I had been told. We took a right and ended up going past Harrah’s and just kept on walking. Finally we got to the Venetian and I remembered the Grand Lux Café! It was great! Huge portions and reasonable prices! My pasta was awesome, some chicken thingie. We went back to IP and gambled on Press Your Luck nickel slots! I Love that machine! I won 50 bucks with my first slot pull and I was hooked on that for the rest of the trip! Went up to the room and fell asleep around 9 Vegas time

Day 2

Woke up at 5 am and showered got dressed and went down gambling, writing hubby a note about where I was! I gambled on the press your luck machine for 2 hours and came out even. Hubby found me at 7 am and we walked to Paris for breakfast buffet! What can I say, it was yummy! The smoked salmon, crepes and yummy fruit and everything else was fantastic. We walked around the Paris for a while, but didn’t see any slots that really interested me we window shopped and just had fun! We went to Caesars and saw the statue so, it was good but hubby really didn’t like it. We also went on the RACE FOR ATLANTIS and that was fun, but very short! We did more window shopping all day here and at the bellagio. We saw the botanical gardens and the cool ceiling at the bellagio. They were done like for Chinese New Year and were fantastic! WE just walked and walked and walked and then walked some more. We went to the Monte Carlo for a meet with people from LVA and had a great time. Hubby played Blackjack while I went to the meet and he won some money! After the meet we headed to have an early buffet at the Bellagio! It was great! It was expensive but worth every penny. The already split crab legs, huge shrimp, tons of fish and steak and lamb and salads and too much other wonderful food to mention. I loved the Crème Brulee (sp) and had 2 of them! We got there early so there was no line and every thing was fresh and hot We went to the Improv at Harrah’s and had a fabulous time. The comedians were so funny! After that I went to bed ( I know its vegas but I hardly ever stay up late b/c of work and it was hard to adjust to three hours ahead of time.)

Day 3
Woke up at 7 am and showered and dressed. We went next door to Harrah’s for breakfast, It was good but nothing compared to Paris. Today we went to the Hoover Dam. It was wonderful! We had a funny bus driver who kept us entertained the whole drive both ways. We took the discovery tour and enjoyed it. The visit to Ethel M chocolate was fun. I enjoyed the free sample. They ahd lots of things onsale from valentines thing and bought 2 choclated boxes one for me and one for mom The gardens were pretty. We got back around 4 and had to rush to shower and change as we had reservations at Delmonico’s at 5:30. We took a cab to the Venetian since I was in heels and my feet already killed from walking so much. The gondoliers were fun to watch and the hotel was beautiful! I think the most beautiful one in Vegas! Dinner was the best I have ever had. The service team treated me like a Queen. Usually I drink water so fast I have to beg for enough refills but here once I took a sip they refreshed my water glass. We had the chocolate soufflé which was to die for. mmmm I can still taste it! Took a cab back to IP changed and headed over to see Bellagio fountain show and Mirage Volcano. I loved the fountains! The Midnight show was awesome! We also went to Harrah’s were the were having a special engagement of the dueling pianos at the La Playa Lounge We sat there for a hour or two bfore the midnight show at the fountains. We went back and hubby conviced me to give BJ a try. We found a three dollar table limit at IP and played for a while, I came out dead even and hubby won 150 bucks! We went to bed

Day 4
Woke up later 8 am and took cab down to the end of the strip to Mandalay Bay. Ate the buffet for breakfast there. It was good, better then Harrah’s but not as good as Paris. After breakfast we explored Luxor, MB Excalibur and monte Carlo and NY NY. I rode the rollercoaster at NY NY and it gave me a huge headache. I have never ridden on such a rough rollercoaster before. Hubby complained that we were doing everthing I wanted to do and not much he wanted to do so when he whined about going ot the ESPN Sports Zone I agreed and we had appetizers there while he got his sports fix. We then went up stairs and played the games for a while. He was like a little kid in a Toy store. Very happy! We went back to IP and took a nap before heading to the Riveria to See Jay white as Neil Diamond. I absolutely Love Neil and let me tell you this guy came as close as possible to being the real Neil! I got my picture taken with him and felt like a real cheese ball but oh well it was fun! After that we went back to the IP and gambled some more ( me on the press your luck and monopoly slots! Hubby playing BJ) I saw a sign advertising free BJ lessons at 9 am the next day so I planned on taking those since I had no clue what doubling down or splitting or what was the right way to play.

Day 5 The last Full Day
I woke up and got dressed just intime for the 9 am black jack lessons! I went down and ther were only 3 other ladies taking the class. It was fun and I learned lots! Hubby asked if I wanted to play BJ and I said hell yes! So we went next door to o’sheas and got on the 2 dollar minimum table. At 930 I started playing and drinking. I played on the same 40 dollars and actually won 15 on top of that . I didn’t stop until 5 pm when I was drunker then hell because the drink service was so fast and quick at O’sheas! I went back to the IP for a nap before taking the free shuttle over to the RIO as we had tickets to the Scintas that night. The show was great probably the best of the three we saw! AFterwords we ate at the Rio carnival buffet and it was very good except I didn’t like splitting the crab legs myself. We took the shuttle back and went to see the treasure Island show. It was very good but my camera broke so I was disappointed that I did not get any pictures after this day. Oh well. We went back to the Ip and O’sheas but couldn’t find a low limit table as this was Friday night. I went up to bed and hubby found a 10 dollar talbe and he had good luck and won lots of money for us. He came up to the room at 330 and laid down.

Day 6
I woke up at 4 am and said I was ready to go and gamble. He said he would come with me! He didn’t sleep any that night! We went down to o’sheas and got on the 2 dollar table. I didn’t get a good feeling from the players I was playing with and left the table after 35 mins or so. We went to the IP and got on a 3 dollar table. Shane was the funniest dealer ever! We played until 930 am when we got hungry we took a cab because we were being lazy to the Paris for a last breakfast buffet, only had to wait like 25 mins because we said we would take smoking! After breakfast we walked back to the IP and had to shower and get the room packed up and stuff as we had to leave for the airport at 145 (the shuttle was picking us up then) We checked out of the room and noon and checked out luggage in the check room. We hopped on a 5 dollar a had black jack table and we won 165 bucks between my hubby and I in an hour! Disappointed t hat we had to go we colored up and went to cash in our chips. We hopped on the shuttle and made it to the airport. We got A boarding passes again. I went up to the counter when we got to the gate and asked if they needed anyone to get bumped from the plane. She said she wasn’t sure but took our names. I didn’t want to leave vegas yet! WE didn’t get bumped and all was well.

When is it time to go to vegas again? I LOVE Vegas!!!
Things we didn’t get to do but wanted, Madame Tussuads, Gondola Ride, Go Downtown go to alladain see a cirque show and gamble more !!!
WE came home with more money then we went with so that was exciting!! I love Vegas, anyone going soon that I can stow away in their carryon baggage?

 

The first trip is never long enough!! We've been 5 times and still have a list a mile long of things we haven't done...just gives you a reason to keep going back. You'll definitely have to go downtown next trip.

 

Emily, thanks for writing that trip report! It's so much fun to "see" LV through a first-timer's eyes!

So... now you've got the bug, like the rest of us.

 

Great report, I also love hearing about first time visits. I like the IP it isn't fancy like other places, but I'm comfortable there. The press your luck machines are my favorite too. I've spent many hours playing them at the IP and the bonus round have always been good to me. It sounds like you had a great first trip, now you'll become an addict like the rest of us.

 

That was a great report,you two did a little of
everything,perfect!!I second the Downtown day
next trip,not so much walking Downtown.

Booger

 

Wonderful report, Emily! Thanks so much for taking time to share it with everyone.

No matter how many times you visit Las Vegas in the future, nothing will ever replace the thrill and wonderment of that very first trip. But there is so much to see and do here, and so many changes happening, that Vegas will always be fresh and new to you.

And it doesn't seem that staying at Imperial Palace was a problem for you at all. As I expected, you weren't in the room much more than just to sleep there anyway.

Finally, congratulations on coming home a winner. Not everyone can say that, whether it's their first trip or otherwise.