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1)What is there to do in Las Vegas other than gambling or drinking?
2)I've lost too much money gambling. Where can I eat for cheap?
3)Las Vegas seems too "Straight" for me. Where can I go "OUT"?
4)Where can I find vegetarian restaurants in Las Vegas
5)I want to participate in planning C8 in Vegas. How do I make sure my voice is heard?
1)What is there to do in Las Vegas other than gambling or drinking?
Once almost exclusively composed of lounge acts and gambling, Las Vegas has steadily become more of a family tourist destination and the newer attractions reflect that. While visitors will still have plenty of opportunities to catch legendary shows that range from Wayne Newton (you know you want to see him) to the Blue Man Group, there are also plenty of different and cheaper options to keep you entertained during your off-time in Vegas. Below is just a sample of what Las Vegas provides as far as tourist attractions.
Circus Circus
The
Adventuredome Theme Park is America's largest indoor theme park featuring
19 rides and attractions, including the world's only indoor double-loop,
double-corkscrew roller coaster. Other top attractions include Chaos, a
thrill ride that whirls its riders in three ranges of motion; Rim Runner
boat ride, which boasts a 60-foot water plunge; and IMAX RIDEFILM
Cineplex. The Adventuredome also has many attractions suitable for younger
children including a carousel, bumper cars, midway and arcade games and
clown shows. The hallmark of Circus Circus is the array of circus acts --
aerialists, high-wire walkers, trapeze artists, clowns and more -- that
perform under the Big Top, twice an hour daily from 11 a.m. to
midnight.
Treasure Island
Two fully rigged ships - a pirate galleon and a British frigate - moored
and anchored in the bay, play out for a mock sea battle every 90 minutes
beginning in the late afternoon. The show fills the sidewalk with
onlookers, who marvel at the cannons blazing, masts toppling, powder kegs
exploding and stunt actors leaping into the lagoon.
Desert Demonstration
Gardens
The gardens were developed to educate the public on
landscaping in the desert. Includes 11 theme gardens and more than 1,000
water-efficient plant species.
Where: 3701 W. Alta Drive
Hours: 8
a.m.-5 p.m. daily, excluding holidays. Staff docents are available 9
a.m.-1 p.m. Thu-Sat.
Cost: Free
Elvis-a-Rama Museum
Experience the life and career of Elvis Presley through
$5,000,000.00 of his original clothes and memorabilia. Highlights include
his 1955 Cadillac limousine, 1956 Blue Suede shoes, Las Vegas jumpsuits
including the Peacock, Cisco Kid, and Turquoise Phoenix. Also stage
guitars, jewelry and movie clothing. Free hourly performances included
with general admission.
•Where: 3401 Industrial Road
Hours: 10
a.m.-6 p.m. daily
Cost: $9.95 general admission; $7.95 for seniors,
Nevada residents and students; children under 12 free when accompanied by
an adult.
Madame Tussaud's Celebrity Encounter
The 30,000-square-foot exhibit features five themed
environments showcasing more than 100 wax figures of celebrities such as
Whoopi Goldberg, Elton John, Elizabeth Taylor, Bugsy Siegel, Don King,
Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, Liberace and many more.
Where: The
Venetian, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Hours: Opens at 11 a.m.
daily.
Cost: $13.50 general admission; $11.50 for Nevada residents and
senior citizens; $10.75 children ages 4-12; and free for children ages 3
and under
Star Trek: The Experience
Features a complete re-creation of the promenade from
"Star Trek: Deep Space Nine;" Quark's Bar & Restaurant; Zek's Grand
Emporium and Moogie's Trading Post; The History of the Future, a
self-guided museum tour; and The Voyage Through Space, an interactive ride
where visitors are "beamed" through time and space to the Transporter Room
and bridge aboard the USS Enterprise.
Where: Las Vegas Hilton, 3000
Paradise Road
Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. daily
Cost: $24.99 for an
all-day pass to the "History of the Future" museum & "Voyage Through
Space;" $19.99 with Nevada ID
The Tomb and Museum of King Tutankhamen
A full-scale replication of King Tut's Tomb, as found
by Howard Carter in 1922, and a museum.
Where: The Luxor, 3900 Las
Vegas Blvd. South
Hours: 9 a.m.-11 p.m. daily (until 1 a.m.
Fri-Sat)
Cost: $5
(all information courtesy of www.lasvegas.com)
Other Local Attractions:
Cirque du Soleil and the Blue Man Group
Vegas' attractions don't stop with Convergence programming. Though well-known for its glitz, LV offers access to some high-quality performance artists as well, including the renowned Cirque du Soleil and Blue Man Group. Both groups present exciting theatrical experiences that have the added attraction of being open to all ages.
Nothing describes the unique and magical appeal of a Cirque show better than the introduction from their website: http://www.cirquedusoleil.com
"Acclaimed by an audience of over 30 million worldwide, with numerous prizes and distinctions to its credit, Cirque du Soleil is a unique organization which has reinvented and revolutionized the circus arts. Since its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil has been pleasing the public with a novel show concept that is as original as it is non-traditional: an astonishing, theatrical blend of circus arts and street performance, wrapped up in spectacular costumes and fairyland sets and staged to spellbinding music and magical lighting."
Cirque has two resident shows in Vegas, "O" at Treasure Island, and "Mystere" at the Bellagio. Both play two shows nightly on weekends at 7:30 and 10:30pm.
The intruiguing and mysterious Blue Man Group (http://www.blueman.com/) offers a unique, music-filled performace unlike any other. From their website:
"Blue Man Group is best known for its award-winning theatrical productions which critics have described as "ground-breaking", "hilarious", "visually stunning" and "musically powerful." These performances feature three enigmatic bald and blue characters who take the audience through a multi-sensory experience that combines theatre, percussive music, art, science and vaudeville into a form of entertainment that is like nothing else. People from all over the world, from all walks of life and from all age groups have become fans."
BMG offers shows nightly at the Luxor at 7 amd 10 pm.
2)I've lost too much money gambling. Where can I eat for cheap?
CheapEats and Drinks in Vegas (courtesy of cheapovegas.com)
Garden Court Buffet at Main Street Station:
Fantastic buffet and a beautiful setting! This is our
favorite of the moment, especially on the weekends, when the brunch is
enormous and served with plenty of cheap champagne. There are loads of
variety and it's all good quality. At dinner they often offer lobster or
steak for a couple of extra dollars. Otherwise, you get Italian, Chinese,
Mexican, American and delicious desserts. Just over $5 for breakfast, up
to about $15 for the Friday night seafood dinner.
Orleans - A decent buffet for a good price. This one is a bit off the Strip, but definitely worth seeking out for dinner, where you can chow down for about $10 most nights
Gold Spike - The 24-hour restaurant which closes once a year for an hour for cleaning is one of the most amazingly cheap places to get food anywhere in the world. The prices and ambience will convince you you're in the Third World. $1.10 nets you a cheese sandwich (two pieces of wheat bread and a slice of American cheese, not grilled or warmed or anything) and all the atmosphere you can handle. (2 for 1 coupons available for hotel guests.) Complete ham or roast beef dinners are $2.50, potato salad is $0.60, and on and on. Everything on this menu is budget priced. Full breakfasts are $0.99 before 10:30 a.m.
Las Vegas Club Dugout - Not only do they have a late night steak and eggs special for $2.95, but they also have two pancakes with bacon or sausage for $1.50, or fried chicken, cole slaw and french fries for $2.75. Each includes all-you-want coffee. And, if a $2.75 is too rich for your blood, check out the 99-cent breakfasts from midnight to 5 a.m. Why, they're worth at least $1.25!
Binions Horseshoe - If you want to drink, and you don't want to gamble, stumble on in and belly up to the bar, because a beer is a measly 75 cents. Let's see, USA today or alcohol? we know which one is better for your brain, do you?
Westward Ho 27 oz margarita at 99 cents. With enough of them diluting your bloodstream you might even think the Westward Ho is a fancy place.
Jackie Gaughan's Plaza - $1 cocktails are strong and delightful. Their whiskey sours are awful, but everything else we have had here has been strong enough to double as an animal tranquilizer. If you drink enough of their liquor, you might break the Omaha Lounge's well-posted NO DANCING policy.
3)Las Vegas seems too "Straight" for me. Where can I go "OUT"?
"Out" in Vegas courtesy of www.gayvegas.tripod.com
A bathhouse that caters to gay men is The Apollo Spa & Health Club is located in the northwest corner of Commercial Center at 953 E. Sahara, Suite A-19. (702) 650-9191.
The Las Vegas Lounge is Las Vegas' exclusive Transgender Bar. Shows and T-dancers on Monday through Friday Please call (702) 737-9350 for more information and let them know where you found the information.
Also check Time Out's Gay and Lesbian listing page for more up to date information.
Gay nightclubs - a listing of the most popular by night
Sundays
Keys - Brunch with Clei on the piano from 11am to 3pm
Backstreet - $1.50 Beer Bust 4pm-7pm
Cobalt - Queer as Folk night 10:00 pm
Mondays
Goodtimes - Monday Night Liquor Bust Midnight to 3am
Keys - Clei on the piano 7pm-11pm
Tuesdays
Free Zone - Ladies Night beer an Lick Her Bust 9pm-11 pm Plus the New Flex Express Game
Keys - Rik Dante 7pm-11pm
Wednesdays
Keys - Dining with the Divine 9pm
Eagle - Underwear Night 10pm-3am, Free well draft if only in underwear
Thursdays
Backstreet - Square dance lessons 7pm-9pm
Keys - Rik Dante 7pm-11pm
Fridays
Eagle - Underwear Night II 10pm-3am, Free well/draft if only in underwear
Keys - Jonny Overton 7pm-11pm
Saturdays
Gipsy - Dance til dawn, male strippers, $6 cover
Keys - Maggi Albisani 8pm to 12 am
4)Where can I find vegetarian restaurants in Las Vegas
Mediterranean Cafe & Market
4147 South Maryland Parkway, Phone: 702-731-6030
Rainbow's End Natural Foods
1100 East Sahara Avenue, Phone: 702-737-7282
Long Life Vegetarian Restaurant
4130 S Sandhill Rd (at Sandhill & Flamingo)
702-436-4488
Vegan-friendly
Raw Truth Café
3620 E. Flamingo
(Flamingo & Pecos)
(702) 450-9007
5)I want to participate in planning C8 in Vegas. How do I make sure my voice is heard?
We want everyone to feel like they have input. We have 2 ways to participate in our decision making process. The most active would be to join our SinCitizens yahoogroup at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SinCitizens. This group will be made public should we be chosen to host Convergenc8.
We are committed to keeping the .net goth community involved and informed as we plan and prepare this most exciting of gatherings. Updates will be posted to the official website every month initially, and every two weeks as the Convergence date draws closer. At the same time, open online meetings will be held with representatives from the committee available to answer any questions.
According to the National Weather Service, the *average* temperature for the month of September in Las Vegas is 80.5 F/27 C, with the average *maximum* temperature reaching 94.5 F/35 C and the average *minimum* being 66.2 F/19 C. A weekend in Las Vegas at the end of September will, of course, be hitting the lower end of the temperatures that make up these averages.
Although the temperature extremes are much more comfortable during the end of September, bringing layers for both day and nighttime is still one's best option. Dressing up in long skirts or jeans during the day is not only doable, but also quite comfortable. Those who wish to dress in their finest corsets, leather, PVC, ballgowns, etc. at night will be even more comfortable, and more prepared against the cooler evening desert weather.
Although the temperatures are significantly lower at this time than in the summer, it still can't hurt to be prepared when tooling around town during the day. Carrying a bottle of water around, wearing sunscreen to protect that skin or covering up with layers (or even better, doing both), even using a parasol (for those so inclined) will all help to make those day trips more comfortable.