So MIL has decided that we are all taking a family vacation (she and FIL are paying!!!!!) to Vegas. We have never been but I am really excited. One of the girls at work said to be careful because all the restaraunts and casinos have smoking allowed. I never even thought of this (from new england where it is banned just about everywhere). Is it really bad? Any specific places to avoid? ?Or any cool places to visit? We are going to Hoover Dam and Death Valley too.
Re: Smokey in Vegas?
I haven't been to Vegas in a quite a while, so I'm not sure about the smoking, but you'll definitely want to walk down the strip at night. Very cool.
My husband and I have been there twice and LOVE it!!! All the casinos do allow smoking, but it is very well ventilated (doesn't mean you can't smell it though). :-(
The one thing I would recommend is that if you are looking for cheap transportation you should ride "The Duce" (SP?). Its a double-decker bus that costs $5 for a 24-hour pass. It goes all the way from one end of The Strip to the other with multiple stops along the way and even includes Freemont Street. Plus if you go on the top level you get a pretty cool view of The Strip, especially at night.
You've got to go to the Venetian Hotel too. Just go and walk and look around, it is absolutely breathtaking on the inside.
Also, if you are planning on taking in any shows and are willing to pay for it, then you have GOT to go see one of the Cirque Du Soleil shows. I?ve been to both ?Mystere? and ?O? and I can?t decide which one I like more. They are both well worth the money and will blow you away!!!
Good luck and have fun fun fun!!! I guarantee you'll be hooked....I know we are!!!
I'm allergic to cigarettes, so I'm always a bit cautious about traveling to Vegas.
However, we in December for a race and had a great time. We stayed at the Encore in a nonsmoking room, tried to steer clear of casino floors, and spent most of our time at the the restaurants and shops at the Wynn/ Encore, and the Mandalay Bay to see the Lion King.
We had very few problems. When we decided to go for walks on the strip we did them in the morning when it was less crowded. Less crowds = less smoke for us.
Bar tab = $156,000, Bus to Foxwoods = $0, Puking in the Stanley Cup = Priceless
We are big Vegas fans. We even were married there!
The smoke is WAY better than it used to be. I think it is no longer allowed in restaurants, though I could be making that up. It is definitely allowed on the casino floor. It is the worst on the weekends when the partiers are out and about. It is relatively easy to avoid though, and well ventilated. Downtown casinos and cheaper casinos tend to be worse than the bigger strip casinos.
Vegas is great fun. Sort of like Disneyland for adults.
Not sure if it will be as fun pregnant since obviously you'll be sober etc, but it can still be fun just to see everything.
If you have specific questions, ask away, we have been there plenty and stayed everywhere from Terrible's (off strip) to the Ventian and Palazzo.
I was just there when I was 12 weeks and the smoke wasn't that bad. Stick to the newer casinos on the strip. They have higher ceilings and better ventilation. All the poker rooms are non-smoking so that's a great option if you play hold 'em. I didn't notice smoke in any of the restaurants, buffets, or shows.
There is great shopping at the Fashion Show Mall or the Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace. I don't know how long you're staying but it is possible to do a day trip to the Grand Canyon from there. It's a pretty long drive but you might want to do it if you've never been and don't know when you'll be back in the area. As far as shows go, I highly recommend Cirque de Soleil 'O'.
Wow, sorry that got so long. Have a great time!
med-free birth x2, breastfeeding, baby wearing SAHM
My BFP Chart
I live here in Vegas...
You can request a non-smoking room to avoid the stale smoke smell. they do allow smoking in casinos, but ALL restaurants are non-smoking, and there are many casinos that have smoke-free sections of the gambling floor as well. Pretty much the only smoke you'll encounter is on the gambling floor. Granted, you need to walk through the casino portion of the hotel to get pretty much everywhere (restaurants, shows, etc), but I keep to the edges and walk fast.
There is no smoking allowed in any restaurant anywhere in town.