24 hours to kill in Las Vegas? That’s an easy one: hit the blackjack table, fortify yourself with free booze, and sit there until your savings give out (or your husband catches you), right? Well, sure that’s one way to do Vegas for a day, and a mighty popular one, too. But there’s more to see in Sin City than the King, Queen, Jack and Joker. Here are my suggestions for a rip-roaring adventure in “Pair-O-Dice”.
8 a.m. - 9 a.m.: Ditch the Strip and head to which takes the unofficial mantra of Vegas (more ... more … more) to ridiculous degrees. The pancakes are the size of pizzas, hash and eggs are plated in foot-wide skillets (the food covering every inch) and the special eggs benedict run the length of a forearm. It would be just another Vegas stunt if the food wasn’t so superb, but this place takes breakfasts to new heights with creative, complex creations on every plate. You’ll swoon for the snickers flapjacks; the griddled mashed potatoes with poached eggs, bacon and red pepper cream are to die for; and the “S’mores” mocha coffee, which comes topped with graham crackers and charred marshmallow, will take you right back to your sleepaway camp days. If you finish your plate, you’ll need to skip the lunch suggestion below.
9 a.m. - noon: From Hash House a Go Go, it will only be about a 15-minute drive to (allot at least 25 if you’re coming from the Strip). It may seem odd to leave town, first thing, but there’s no sight in Vegas proper that matches the awesome power of this canyon. At the bottom of the ocean several millennia ago, the walls of canyon have since been sculpted by the elements into a striking collection of natural bridges, arches and mottled peaks, colored in flamboyant ochres, rusts, blacks, whites and even hot pinks in places. Stop first at the to learn about the geologic and natural history of the canyon before setting off on the 13-mile loop driving tour. If you’re truly ambitious you can get out and hike (be sure to bring at least a gallon of water per person). Especially recommended is the Ice Box trail, much of which is shaded from the sun. It ends at a lovely little waterfall.
MORNING ALTERNATIVE
If nature isn’t your thing, how about death, doom and destruction? There are a lot of rollercoasters and spooky 3-D movies in Vegas, but none will terrify you more effectively than the . Much of the testing the United States did from the 1960’s onward took place right outside of Las Vegas, and this complex, fascinating museum details that history while giving visitors a chilling look at the power of the bomb. Though it might be a darker diversion than most who go to Vegas expect, it’s the finest museum of its sort in the nation and deserves to be seen.
Noon-2 p.m.: You’re in Vegas, baby so it’s your duty to do the buffet thing (and gain the requisite five pounds many visitors leave the Strip carrying). There are lots of fabulous buffets in town, but the one you should visit combines terrific food, a central location, and a décor so kitchy you could be nowhere else but Sin City. It’s the at the Paris Resort and Casino, designed to look like an idyllic, French town square (or perhaps a scene from Disney’s movie Beauty and the Beast), and each food station highlights a different region of France. Fondue, crepes, boeuf bourgignon, cheeses, pastries -- you name it, it’s all on offer, and because so much is cooked to order here, it’ll be tasty and fresh.
2 p.m. - 5 p.m.: Stroll or drive (depending on the weather). Stop when the spirit hits you and duck inside a Roman palace, an Egyptian pyramid, the cities of New York, Monte Carlo or Venice, a massive mall…or two … or three. The Strip is Vegas’ biggest attraction and simply walking and gawking at all of the “flare bartenders” (think Tom Cruise in “Cocktail”); the animatronic statues (perhaps in Caesar’s Palace); and all the rest of the insanity here (trompe l’oeil skies, fiber glass stone statues, fake body parts jammed into tiny cocktail waitress uniforms) is a hoot and a half.
AFTERNOON ALTERNATIVE
For those who’d rather see the Strip by night (and it really does reach another level when it’s lit up), that shrine of kitsch, the beckons.Here you’ll see all of Mr. Showmanship’s extraordinary costumes, hear his life story (or at least a version of it that downplays the AIDS that cut his life short) and if you’re lucky catch a tribute show by the beaming Wes Winters, who is a Liberace sound alike when his fingers hit the keyboards. He also tells dozens of charming and ultimately moving stories about the man himself. Not just for fans, the museum is a lark and should entertain even those who never heard the maestro play.
5:30 - 7:00: You’re not going to believe it, but again, I’m going to urge you to desert the Strip, and head to what I think is the most distinctive restaurant in town, . Named best Thai restaurant in the country by Gourmet Magazine, it’s an unpretentious little place set in a strip mall, about a ten-minute drive from the center of the Strip. Have the waiter order for you and you’ll have the meal of a lifetime, trying all of the Thai delicacies that never reach your neighborhood Thai place from searingly hot beef jerky, to addictive stews, to deeply sour fish dishes. This is where the celebrity chefs who lend their names to the famous restaurants on the Strip (but rarely cook there themselves) come when they want a gourmet night out.
7:30 p.m.: Join the Circus, or the in this case—these surreal extravaganzas are by far the most magical in town (though not cheap). I personally like “O” best, the water ballet performed on a dreamlike stage that morphs from swimming pool to lake to African Savannah in mere seconds. But Beatles fans will want to catch the newest show “Love” which incorporates the music of the Fab Four into the show, some of which released for the first time for use in the soundtrack of this show. Anybody with children should pick Mystere, the funniest of the Cirque shows, as well as the least expensive.
EVENING ALTERNATIVE
Or you could just wander the Strip again. Don’t waste your time waiting to see the free pirate show at TI (not worth it), but you will enjoy the dancing fountains at the Bellagio, the volcano at the Mirage, and all of the other free entertainments that lace the Strip at night. The hotels themselves are beautifully lit, and look even more outrageous at night than during the day, so do try and get out if you can.
11 p.m. on … Put on your dancing shoes and head to , , Tangerine or one of those other clubs consistently featured in US Magazine for Britney Spears and Paris Hilton spottings. They all have gimmicks—usually scantily clad women doing nouveau burlesque shows or celebrity DJ’s. Go to the websites to find out what the draw is the nights you’ll be in town. Warning: While these clubs aren’t as hard to get into as those in NYC or LA, you do need to be wearing appropriate club wear to get past the velvet ropes; and if you’re with a group of guys, split up. There’s no way they’ll let you in altogether.
Pauline Frommer is the creator of the new Pauline Frommer guides in bookstores now. She is currently working on Pauline Frommer's Las Vegas.
Hash House a Go Go, 6800 West Sahara Boulevard, phone 702/804-4646; www.hashhouseagogo.com/. Open daily 7:30 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Red Rock Canyon is located 13 miles West of Las Vegas. Take Charleston Blvd West until it turns into Nevada 159
Red Rock Canyon Visitor’s Center, phone 702/363-1921; www.redrockcanyon.blm.gov/. Open daily 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., free admission.
The Atomic Testing Museum, 755 Flamingo Rd, phon 702/794-5151; www.ntshf.org/. Open Mon-Sat 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sun 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Admission $10 adults, $7 seniors
Le Village Buffet at Paris Casino and Resort, 3655 Las Vegas Blvd South, phone 888/266-5687. Breakfast is $13, lunch $18, dinner and brunch is $25; alcoholic beverages are extra except at brunch when champagne is included in the cost. Open Sun-Thurs 7 a.m. - 10 p.m., Fri-Sat 7 a.m. - 11 p.m.
The Las Vegas Strip runs along Las Vegas Boulevard from the Stratosphere Hotel to the Mandalay Bay Hotel.
The Liberace Museum, 1775 E. Tropicana at Spencer, phone 702/798-5595; www.liberace.org/. Open Mon-Sat 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sun noon-4 p.m. Admission $13 adults, $8.50 seniors.
Lotus of Siam, 953 E. Sahara Ave in a strip mall, phone 702/735-3033; www.saipinchutima.com/. Open Mon-Fri 11:20-2:30 and 5:30-9:30, Sat-Sun 5:30-10 p.m.
For more information and to purchase a tickets go to www.cirquedusoleil.com.
Pure in Caesar’s Palace, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd South; cover and hours vary.
Tabu Ultra Lounge in the MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd South; cover and hours vary.
Tangerine in TI at the Mirage, 3300 Las Vegas Blvd South; again cover and hours vary.
Pauline Frommer is the creator of the new Pauline Frommer guides in bookstores now. She is currently working on Pauline Frommer's Las Vegas.