Vegas just isn’t fun anymore…. (3 Viewers)

[Major]

Am I the only one here who didn’t care at all for it?
I get that it can be fun, but there’s a lot of other areas more fun. IMO.

I never cared for it either. I don’t gamble, and don’t really like the crowds and prefer a quieter vibe. After I went, I remember telling my wife that my favorite parts were a tour we did of the Hoover Dam and reading by the pool with a book. But lots of better places that I can read by a pool with a book.

Yeah, it's tough to get any reading done at the hotel pools in Vegas

 

[General Malaise]

Oh come on. Any other city? At the very least the weather in Vegas will be great and the food will be good.

Vegas is not for everyone.

And if it's not for someone, it might seem like the worst place on earth.

Having been there probably 10+ times, I *KNOW* it's not for me. I haven't been since 2005 and I'll never go back. I can gamble anywhere, I'm not a 'show' guy, I don't care for crowds, I don't like being over-charged, I don't like inefficiency, I don't like 100+ degree days, I don't like congestion, and I don't care for bleak, desert landscape. If you drive around, it's depressing. Houses with aluminum foil covering the windows, no trees, no character, no culture, no charm.

Plus, I can't trust myself there. I get into things I shouldn't. I'm like a dog that's left alone at a home full of temptation, it's not a good spot for me. I fly way too close to the sun.

 

[General Malaise]

It just feels like a place that wants to separate you from your money. It's not inviting. It's "how much can I milk from you before you return home on a plane full of regret and soul burn". Hard pass.

 

[ghostguy123]

Speaking of these resort fees.....when I look at hotels.com and I see in the pricing "resort fees due at property", are there resort fees on top of that?

 

[Major]

It just feels like a place that wants to separate you from your money. It's not inviting. It's "how much can I milk from you before you return home on a plane full of regret and soul burn". Hard pass.

It's always felt like that to me but it was primarily on the gambling side of things. Since they discovered different profit centers in entertainment, everything is a huge money suck. I used to have a decent gambling rating and would get practically everything comped (flights, rooms, food, bottles, etc) so Vegas seemed like a budget destination. Even if I'd lose money gambling, I felt I was getting some value and the customer service was excellent. Now, I'm wacked with a resort fee upon check in and it just starts getting worse from there. With all the previously discussed table limits/odds, there's no chance I'm returning back to the tables and even then it seems they really only cater to whales.

 

[Softballguy]

I'm sure I'm in the minority but I miss the days when you actually had to put the silver dollars in the slot machines. Those heavy coins made that sweet sound when they came spewing out into the tray. Then you had to load them into those little plastic buckets and carry them to the cashier to be counted. You never quite knew how much you had until the coin counter let you know. I remember usually being pleasantly surprised by the final tally. Then they'd count those big bills on to your dirty black fingers. All the players looked like car mechanics with those dirty hands. Now, they have those 1 cent video machines that cost like $10.80 per spin. Taking that paper ticket to the cage just doesn't hit like carrying 35 pounds worth of coins did.

I think El Cortez on Fremont St still has some of those machines. The sound is sweet, very distinctive.

Yep, and Slots-a-Fun just added a bunch as well.

 

[B Maverick]

The thing that baffles me about the table limits is that you will see table after table at $25 (or higher) min with nobody at them. If you are lucky you can find a $10 table and they are 2 or 3 people deep waiting to play. Why wouldn't they change a few of the $25 tables to $10 to increase the players. They are staffed already with dealers so why not lower it to get those people playing rather than standing and waiting to gamble. Makes no sense to me.

We actually went to one of the tables no one was playing at and asked if they would let us bet $15 instead of $25 as the minimum. They actually allowed it. Was a Sunday or Monday night but still let us do it.

I disagree. I know old vegas and although it’s poetic and real, it was a desert mirage. MGM and others killed the strip, but people will still bet the reduced odds there instead of going to downtown or to the desert..

Shows and food are why you go to the strip, but staying there is for suckers.

There is very little 3:2 blackjack anymore. People accept the 6:5, so why should the house change? Same applies to the third green on roulette. I won’t play either. I’m definitely in the minority though.

When did the third green start on Roulette? I just noticed it this last January, but it had been awhile since I was there before that.

 

[Gally]

We actually went to one of the tables no one was playing at and asked if they would let us bet $15 instead of $25 as the minimum. They actually allowed it. Was a Sunday or Monday night but still let us do it.

I have asked everytime I go and have always been turned down. I tried to reason with them about they can take my money or nobody's money and they still said no. I would circle back every hour or so with still nobody at the table and still turned down

 

[Todem]

What's craps at a b tier strip place like mirage like on a weekend

I was just there. $15 mins for mirage on the weekend for both craps and blackjack.

Honestly it was less than I expected. Even 10 years ago $10 tables on the strip were few and far between and the a-tier places like Caesars, aria etc never dropped below $25.

In 2015 I played $10 craps at Caesars and Aria. It absolutely was there.

You can find $15 during the day during the week.....$10 are long gone post covid.

I just played $10 craps at Harrahs two months ago on a sunday afternoon, do you mean gone at higher end places?

Yeah.....good to know about Harrahs BTW for next time.

 

[3 hour lunch]

I personally like a really nice hotel for my home base. Thankfully, my faves are near good gambling spots. Can sleep, eat, swim, place sports bets and play slots at the home base, and head nearby to play tables a few times….

Circa next to Golden Nugget
Aria/Bellagio/Cosmo across from Cromwell
Venetian/Wynn close enough to Harrahs

 

[Snoopy]

Speaking of these resort fees.....when I look at hotels.com and I see in the pricing "resort fees due at property", are there resort fees on top of that?

Yes, a hidden fee to make it look like the room is less expensive than it really is.

 

[ghostguy123]

Speaking of these resort fees.....when I look at hotels.com and I see in the pricing "resort fees due at property", are there resort fees on top of that?

Yes, a hidden fee to make it look like the room is less expensive than it really is.

So there's resort fees that you pay, and then there's another resort fee??

 

[ghostguy123]

Speaking of these resort fees.....when I look at hotels.com and I see in the pricing "resort fees due at property", are there resort fees on top of that?

Yes, a hidden fee to make it look like the room is less expensive than it really is.

I called Excalibur, they told me there is NOT an extra resort fee on top of the resort fees stated on Hotels.com

 

[nirad3]

I spent a couple nights at the Luxor in January. I couldn't believe the table limits... I mean, at the LUXOR! I just didn't even play anything but video poker at the bar. I usually love playing 3-Card Poker and Let It Ride, too. Just couldn't bring myself to throw $200 on the table. I ended up playing quarter video poker (putting a $20 in) and sat at the bar for a couple hours drinking for free. Oh, and the drinks ringed up as $9 for a well vodka/7 on Friday and $13 on Saturday.

Can't see myself going back much. Being in SoCal I used to go 3-4 times a year. Loved it. Would go for WCOFF and also for 1st weekend of March Madness with great frequency. I guess I'm just old and curmudgeonly now.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

Oh come on. Any other city? At the very least the weather in Vegas will be great and the food will be good.

Vegas is not for everyone.

And if it's not for someone, it might seem like the worst place on earth.

Having been there probably 10+ times, I *KNOW* it's not for me. I haven't been since 2005 and I'll never go back. I can gamble anywhere, I'm not a 'show' guy, I don't care for crowds, I don't like being over-charged, I don't like inefficiency, I don't like 100+ degree days, I don't like congestion, and I don't care for bleak, desert landscape. If you drive around, it's depressing. Houses with aluminum foil covering the windows, no trees, no character, no culture, no charm.

Plus, I can't trust myself there. I get into things I shouldn't. I'm like a dog that's left alone at a home full of temptation, it's not a good spot for me. I fly way too close to the sun.

These are all concerns of mine as well.

 

[Peggy]

I personally like a really nice hotel for my home base. Thankfully, my faves are near good gambling spots. Can sleep, eat, swim, place sports bets and play slots at the home base, and head nearby to play tables a few times….

Circa next to Golden Nugget
Aria/Bellagio/Cosmo across from Cromwell
Venetian/Wynn close enough to Harrahs

You can stay anywhere on the strip and take the tram to get anywhere you want. Going to try Circa and stay downtown this summer. Stadium Swim!

 

[CGRdrJoe]

While I enjoy the variety of entertainment offered by Vegas I think I'd visit

I spent a couple nights at the Luxor in January. I couldn't believe the table limits... I mean, at the LUXOR! I just didn't even play anything but video poker at the bar. I usually love playing 3-Card Poker and Let It Ride, too. Just couldn't bring myself to throw $200 on the table. I ended up playing quarter video poker (putting a $20 in) and sat at the bar for a couple hours drinking for free. Oh, and the drinks ringed up as $9 for a well vodka/7 on Friday and $13 on Saturday.

Can't see myself going back much. Being in SoCal I used to go 3-4 times a year. Loved it. Would go for WCOFF and also for 1st weekend of March Madness with great frequency. I guess I'm just old and curmudgeonly now.

I think a bottled beer at the video poker bars are like 14 bucks if you aren't playing , the little drink/chips stores in the casinos are the only place to get beer at a value if you aren't gambling other wise you have to walk to like a rite aid and buy your own booze

 

[jwb]

We got married there in 99, and went back in 07 and 16. We're not big gamblers but the strip was always fun and exciting, the shows were good and the food was excellent and reasonable as well. I did really like sitting in the sportsbook for a few hours watching a game with 500 other people who all have money on it - great vibe.

We were somewhat considering it for next year, but we have a lot of places we've never been that we'd like to see, so it was always a low/medium priority to return. This thread is verymuch making me lean to "nah". We have good memories of it, and I'll keep it that way.

 

[Osaurus]

Speaking of these resort fees.....when I look at hotels.com and I see in the pricing "resort fees due at property", are there resort fees on top of that?

Yes, a hidden fee to make it look like the room is less expensive than it really is.

I called Excalibur, they told me there is NOT an extra resort fee on top of the resort fees stated on Hotels.com

Aka Sad Hogwarts

 

[Dwayne Hoover]

I still like it but its a weekend tops maybe once or at most twice a year.

I do seem to enjoy downtown more than the strip these days but I always have a reason to stay on the strip and never end up staying downtown.

Mostly I go when there is a band I want to see in vegas so its not all about the gambling. Also agree that gambling on the strip is pretty expensive but I do usually have the attitude that Im going to end up spending a good amount of money when I go there, so I have low expectations on coming home with much.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Oh come on. Any other city? At the very least the weather in Vegas will be great and the food will be good.

Vegas is not for everyone.

And if it's not for someone, it might seem like the worst place on earth.

Having been there probably 10+ times, I *KNOW* it's not for me. I haven't been since 2005 and I'll never go back. I can gamble anywhere, I'm not a 'show' guy, I don't care for crowds, I don't like being over-charged, I don't like inefficiency, I don't like 100+ degree days, I don't like congestion, and I don't care for bleak, desert landscape. If you drive around, it's depressing. Houses with aluminum foil covering the windows, no trees, no character, no culture, no charm.

Plus, I can't trust myself there. I get into things I shouldn't. I'm like a dog that's left alone at a home full of temptation, it's not a good spot for me. I fly way too close to the sun.

All legitimate gripes. There is a little more than desert a short drive away though (Mt Charleston).

I know it will be lost among participants on a fantasy football site, but don’t understand the appeal of gambling. At all. Much like alcohol, just doesn’t register in my brain. My wife plays a little, mostly Wheel of Fortune slots, but the few times I’ve tried, win or lose, I don’t care. Poker and blackjack are booooring. Weird, because I love playing games, including cards, like hearts and bridge. And I enjoy math/probability.
I guess I should consider myself lucky.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

Oh come on. Any other city? At the very least the weather in Vegas will be great and the food will be good.

Vegas is not for everyone.

And if it's not for someone, it might seem like the worst place on earth.

Having been there probably 10+ times, I *KNOW* it's not for me. I haven't been since 2005 and I'll never go back. I can gamble anywhere, I'm not a 'show' guy, I don't care for crowds, I don't like being over-charged, I don't like inefficiency, I don't like 100+ degree days, I don't like congestion, and I don't care for bleak, desert landscape. If you drive around, it's depressing. Houses with aluminum foil covering the windows, no trees, no character, no culture, no charm.

enjoy your vacation this summer!!

 

[The Z Machine]

Been here since Tuesday. Worked on Wednesday and been hanging out with my boys since. It's coming to a close tomorrow though...

Overall it's not as much fun as it used to be, that's true. Buy it's fancier and the ladies that go out to the clubs at night are a sight to behold.

Watching 4 games on big TVs while you have 21 live bets going it also amazing. Watching teams you hare lose and watching your team win is incredible. My voice is so shot.

I'm gonna have to wring out and detox when I get home though... so much booze.

 

[Chaos34]

I'm considering moving there. I've been over 100 times. I lived there for a few years in the early 00s. I was there last month. When I broke ground on a new house two Octobers ago, two sisters, a nephew and many lifelong friends lived here in the Cali desert where we were all raised. I've made peace with the desert and like the proximity to LA and Vegas where I have more family. Figured this would be my final resting place.

Well, the LA sister retired to Vegas, the local sister retired near Vegas, another sister and my brother were already retired in Vegas. many of those lifelong friends have retired to Oregon, Wyoming, Montana, and a few to Vegas. The whole famdamily but me and the Tahoe sis is retired in Vegas now. The Tahoe sis has chetbucks and is in Vegas right now shopping for a residential resort to match the one she has in Tahoe. She doesn't want to winter there anymore. They're having a lot of fun and I feel a little lonely being single at 62 in my abandoned town. The Cali retirement exodus you've read about is real.

The two that have been there the longest love living there but hate visiting the strip or downtown. Big bro hasn't been in years. Sis only goes when visiting friends make it so she must. The newly retired are dabbling, but I'm sure they'll get over it. I did when I lived there. I dunno. I sure can't afford something as nice as I built here there. But condo life in Henderson is probably in my future. What good is being here if every family gathering will be in Vegas the rest of my life?

 

[FiredMartz]

what town you live in now?

 

[Major]

Been here since Tuesday. Worked on Wednesday and been hanging out with my boys since. It's coming to a close tomorrow though...

Overall it's not as much fun as it used to be, that's true. Buy it's fancier and the ladies that go out to the clubs at night are a sight to behold.

Watching 4 games on big TVs while you have 21 live bets going it also amazing. Watching teams you hare lose and watching your team win is incredible. My voice is so shot.

I'm gonna have to wring out and detox when I get home though... so much booze.

Impressive. 3-4 days has always been the tipping point for me. Anything more and I'm ready to GTFO.

 

[jvdesigns2002]

I personally cannot agree with a lot of the Vegas hate. People that think that having a good quiet, relaxing, nature filled time in Vegas is impossible are just not doing or trying the right things when they are there. Lake Las Vegas is an area that is beautiful and quiet—where one can enjoy some quiet time and take a short drive and enjoy some night life if they wanted. The Colorado River and Laughlin are around a 60-90 minute drive away. Lake Mead, Red Rock Canyon, and Mount Charleston are all local to Vegas and offer wonderful peaceful, outdoor, nature activities. In regard to cheap gambling and lower limit games—-they are there and available—you just have to go to those areas as opposed to expecting to have those limits available on the 3-4 mile area that is the strip. In regard to expensive food and drink prices—I don’t see much of a difference between the nicer touristy areas anywhere else versus what you find on the strip. Do you think that a dinner at a top tier restaurant in Manhattan or Maui is going to be considerably cheaper than what you find on the strip? I personally don’t find that to be the case. I think the issue that most people have with Vegas is that they are going for too short a period of time. When I was younger, I’d go to Vegas for weekends or three day weekends—and it was all about hitting the ground running. Every moment was spent gambling, drinking, eating, people watching, partying. There was no time to go off of the strip. As Vegas (and the strip) have evolved—so has the way that I approach Vegas. Knowing that the strip has evolved to being more pricey and that I now enjoy mixing some outdoor/nature activities in my vacations—I don’t go for Vegas for a weekend or 3 nights anymore. I go for a week or more so that I have time to explore off of the strip.

Also, because I’m from California—I generally will drive to Vegas the vast majority of the time. The few times when I fly in, I will always get a rental car—as the ability to get around in Vegas is necessary if you want to venture far off of the strip. Going there for longer intervals of time, staying at timeshare places where I have the ability to provide food/beverages/snacks to myself, having my own transportation is the key to having a balanced trip in vegas—where you can party and have fun—but also relax and unwind. There are soo many cool areas in Vegas that are not on the strip—Fremont Street, Area 15, the Arts District (located kinda between where the stratosphere ends and where Fremont street is), the nature spots I mentioned before, Chinatown, Hoover Dam..etc. I would bet that the vast majority of people in here that are complaining about how Vegas is no fun and has changed are going for 2-3 night trips, are flying there, are staying on the strip the entire time—and when they are not—they are just paying a lot of money to UBER or take taxi’s everywhere. I would bet that gets old and frustrating quick—but you don’t have to do Vegas that way. That’s a choice.

 

[AAABatteries]

Am I the only one here who didn’t care at all for it?
I get that it can be fun, but there’s a lot of other areas more fun. IMO.

I never cared for it either. I don’t gamble, and don’t really like the crowds and prefer a quieter vibe. After I went, I remember telling my wife that my favorite parts were a tour we did of the Hoover Dam and reading by the pool with a book. But lots of better places that I can read by a pool with a book.

I'm heading there Monday for a conference - I'd rather the conference be in just about any other city in the US.

Depending on your free time and desire to drive, there are good places to hike right outside the city. Or spend a few extra days, and check out a NP.

What are your favorite places to visit for a short conference?

Some places I’ve been to that I enjoyed better - Chicago, Miami, Anaheim, Nashville and Austin.

Won’t have time for hiking but would enjoy that.

 

[Osaurus]

Been here since Tuesday. Worked on Wednesday and been hanging out with my boys since. It's coming to a close tomorrow though...

Overall it's not as much fun as it used to be, that's true. Buy it's fancier and the ladies that go out to the clubs at night are a sight to behold.

Watching 4 games on big TVs while you have 21 live bets going it also amazing. Watching teams you hare lose and watching your team win is incredible. My voice is so shot.

I'm gonna have to wring out and detox when I get home though... so much booze.

Impressive. 3-4 days has always been the tipping point for me. Anything more and I'm ready to GTFO.

Yeah. This is spot on. I’m trying all weekdays for my upcoming trip. Should be way less crazy.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

I'm considering moving there. I've been over 100 times. I lived there for a few years in the early 00s. I was there last month. When I broke ground on a new house two Octobers ago, two sisters, a nephew and many lifelong friends lived here in the Cali desert where we were all raised. I've made peace with the desert and like the proximity to LA and Vegas where I have more family. Figured this would be my final resting place.

Well, the LA sister retired to Vegas, the local sister retired near Vegas, another sister and my brother were already retired in Vegas. many of those lifelong friends have retired to Oregon, Wyoming, Montana, and a few to Vegas. The whole famdamily but me and the Tahoe sis is retired in Vegas now. The Tahoe sis has chetbucks and is in Vegas right now shopping for a residential resort to match the one she has in Tahoe. She doesn't want to winter there anymore. They're having a lot of fun and I feel a little lonely being single at 62 in my abandoned town. The Cali retirement exodus you've read about is real.

The two that have been there the longest love living there but hate visiting the strip or downtown. Big bro hasn't been in years. Sis only goes when visiting friends make it so she must. The newly retired are dabbling, but I'm sure they'll get over it. I did when I lived there. I dunno. I sure can't afford something as nice as I built here there. But condo life in Henderson is probably in my future. What good is being here if every family gathering will be in Vegas the rest of my life?

Makes sense. In a vacuum, Las Vegas isn't in the the top 10 places I would like to retire, but having all of your family there obviously changes things. And, in fairness, to me and most people like me, "Las Vegas" means "The Strip" and maybe "Downtown." I'm sure the actual city of Las Vegas is fine as a resident -- the tourism angle just isn't what it used to be.

Good luck with the move regardless.

 

[lakerstan]

I live in Vegas. If you are looking for cheap food or are focused on gambling, then yes I agree it isn’t the way it used to be 100%.

But I have a major airport 20 minutes from my house where I can go anywhere in the world. Last weekend my wife and I saw Journey and Toto at Mandalay Bay and spent the night. Tomorrow I’m going to see Springsteen at T-Mobile arena, having a nice dinner at Bavette’s At Park MGM. I’ll be seeing Neil Degrasse Tyson lecture with a meet and greet afterward at the Smith Center. Ringo Starr in June and Lady Gaga’s Vegas only Jazz show in July. I got to see Silk Sonic live twice, which was only in Vegas. Art exhibits, shopping, NHL, NFL (and Super Bowl) Formula 1 (not sure that is a good thing), and some of the best restaurants in the world are here.

There aren’t many places on the planet that can match that.

Add in the outdoor stuff, and it’s truly unparalleled.

But of all the sordid badness in Vegas, why do you consider F1 questionable?

A lot of things went wrong in the preparation of the race that upset a lot of people. It was months of preparation in the making and we were subjected to countless traffic jams, road work, the cutting down of trees to make room for bleachers - some of which blocked the view of the Bellagio fountains. Ticket prices were outrageous (they seem to be trying to remedy this with NV residents getting priority tickets this year) and they upset a lot of fans when a water valve cover clipped the undercarriage of one of the cars on a practice day. See the article below for more on that. Perhaps just growing pains.

‘Brutal’: F1 fans left gutted after ruined first night of Las Vegas GP

Police escorted paying fans out of the track without explanation, leaving a "sour taste" in some fans' mouths.

theathletic.com

 

[kevzilla]

Kudos to me for not Hippling this thread into oblivion.

I want to say this about value: Loss leaders had been on shaky ground for some time, but Covid was an accelerant. Most of the buffets were defenestrated, replaced by food courts where the resorts just collect rent and don't have the hassles of operation. More broadly, the land and buildings are mostly owned by REITs, and operated by other companies. It isn't that the Mob is gone; the entrepreneur is an endangered species, at least on the Strip. This is another argument for Downtown, where multiple CEOs are on-property and shaking hands every day.

Bottom line, every part of a modern Vegas resort has to make money. And as much as many folks dislike the changes on the Strip, it's quite crowded, day and night. One of the other side effects of Covid is that it has given this country a seemingly intractable case of the F-its. It was described as "pent-up demand" when they reopened, but I don't think it is particularly transient at this point.

I'll be there for Masters weekend. I will return this evening with a few thoughts on safety, retirement and my personal situation.

 

[Chaos34]

I live in Vegas. If you are looking for cheap food or are focused on gambling, then yes I agree it isn’t the way it used to be 100%.

But I have a major airport 20 minutes from my house where I can go anywhere in the world. Last weekend my wife and I saw Journey and Toto at Mandalay Bay and spent the night. Tomorrow I’m going to see Springsteen at T-Mobile arena, having a nice dinner at Bavette’s At Park MGM. I’ll be seeing Neil Degrasse Tyson lecture with a meet and greet afterward at the Smith Center. Ringo Starr in June and Lady Gaga’s Vegas only Jazz show in July. I got to see Silk Sonic live twice, which was only in Vegas. Art exhibits, shopping, NHL, NFL (and Super Bowl) Formula 1 (not sure that is a good thing), and some of the best restaurants in the world are here.

There aren’t many places on the planet that can match that.

I missed this before explaining my possible move there. Lakerstan? Another LA migrant? I share Laker seats with a college buddy. We bought them in the 80s and never gave them up. We sell them more than we go, but I'll see about a dozen games this season. It's a 2-3 hour drive for me depending on traffic. My Bro recently flew in for a game. $50 roundtrip. He got back and forth from Vegas as long as it took me to drive. His son there works for Southwest and keeps getting special deals. Three of my sisters just went to TJ and back, had a blast, and stocked up on old people's meds for cheap. A week later they did San Diego in a day. Did a bunch of museums, lunch at the Hotel Del, got some sun on the beach, and back to Vegas in no time at all. While their list differs from yours, they've seen a bunch of shows, eaten at great off strip restaurants and the list goes on. Like I said, they're having fun. I think it's a pretty great retirement city. At 62, I'm the youngest. The activities for retired seniors are rich and a couple of them have become very involved with the senior center in Henderson. One's volunteered at a dog rescue. They're all walking dogs in the current great weather. It was a great place to visit in the 80s. I agree the changes have all been for the worse, but it's a pretty sweet place to live if you do it right.

ETA: My bro is buying Raiders tickets, which I forgot to mention.

 

[General Malaise]

Oh come on. Any other city? At the very least the weather in Vegas will be great and the food will be good.

Vegas is not for everyone.

And if it's not for someone, it might seem like the worst place on earth.

Having been there probably 10+ times, I *KNOW* it's not for me. I haven't been since 2005 and I'll never go back. I can gamble anywhere, I'm not a 'show' guy, I don't care for crowds, I don't like being over-charged, I don't like inefficiency, I don't like 100+ degree days, I don't like congestion, and I don't care for bleak, desert landscape. If you drive around, it's depressing. Houses with aluminum foil covering the windows, no trees, no character, no culture, no charm.

enjoy your vacation this summer!!

I'm going to sit back in a recliner all week long nursing a giant cup of "I told you, so".

 

[Chaos34]

So what exactly is borderline unsafe?

I've experienced homeless folks being a little more aggressive than normal. And depending on the crowd and mood, people a little under the influence may be a bit more rowdy.

But I wouln't necessarily call it unsafe. Although I'm sure it all depends on the place and time.

That's pretty cool giving away the sleeping bags. The homeless problem in the early 00s was nothing like it is now. Even back then I found it pretty unsafe as cities go. I'd come from a decade in LA and another in San Diego. I lived in a notoriously high crime part to San Diego north county because I found a place right on the beach very close to work (Oceanside). I was single. I loved it but the crime was serious. No place for normal family folk. Moving to Vegas was an eye opener. Crime was far worse than Oceanside. My first place was a pretty nice apartment complex 20 minutes from the Strip. My neighbor was a cop. He said it was all they could do to police the area around the complex, which was across the street from Sunset Station. It was so bad, I frequently checked national crime stats because Vegas was down the list below LA and SD. Didn't make sense. Then The Wire became a thing and I learned about juking the stats. No city jukes the stats like Vegas. If the stats were clean they'd lose too much tourism. The resort areas are pretty safe and policed by a small army, the higher end neighborhoods are normal, but wander around that valley at your own risk. It's the product of a city built on gambling and sex. It was also notorious for having more fugitives than any place in the country. Prices were low, work was easy to find, and parolees flocked to the city too. That has probably changed for the better with things becoming so expensive.

 

[Joe Bryant]

The Cali retirement exodus you've read about is real.

Thanks. I know it's off topic and maybe it should be in another thread, but can you elaborate on that more? I have some friends thinking of moving from TN to CA. But it seems like I hear of 100x more people from CA moving to TN than the other way it seems.

I ask too as moving west is something we sometimes consider.

 

[Desert_Power]

It isn't that the Mob is gone; the entrepreneur is an endangered species, at least on the Strip.

"It's over for the little guy"

 

[The Z Machine]

Been here since Tuesday. Worked on Wednesday and been hanging out with my boys since. It's coming to a close tomorrow though...

Overall it's not as much fun as it used to be, that's true. Buy it's fancier and the ladies that go out to the clubs at night are a sight to behold.

Watching 4 games on big TVs while you have 21 live bets going it also amazing. Watching teams you hare lose and watching your team win is incredible. My voice is so shot.

I'm gonna have to wring out and detox when I get home though... so much booze.

Impressive. 3-4 days has always been the tipping point for me. Anything more and I'm ready to GTFO.

After losing 2 bets this morning each by 0.5 points, I'm ready to go too.

Last big bet is Purdue -11.5. Yall should fade the heel out of that.

 

[Major]

Been here since Tuesday. Worked on Wednesday and been hanging out with my boys since. It's coming to a close tomorrow though...

Overall it's not as much fun as it used to be, that's true. Buy it's fancier and the ladies that go out to the clubs at night are a sight to behold.

Watching 4 games on big TVs while you have 21 live bets going it also amazing. Watching teams you hare lose and watching your team win is incredible. My voice is so shot.

I'm gonna have to wring out and detox when I get home though... so much booze.

Impressive. 3-4 days has always been the tipping point for me. Anything more and I'm ready to GTFO.

After losing 2 bets this morning each by 0.5 points, I'm ready to go too.

Last big bet is Purdue -11.5. Yall should fade the heel out of that.

I used to have a habit of getting in on Thursday night before everyone else arrived for bachelor parties or various get togethers. I liked the calm before the storm and being able to relax a bit. Unfortunately, I'd also get caught up at the tables. Nothing worse than being down big before the party even starts while trying to act happy as everyone arrives. You're constantly trying to play catch up and that never works. I've learned to save my gambling until the last night/day if I gamble at all.

 

[Chaos34]

The Cali retirement exodus you've read about is real.

Thanks. I know it's off topic and maybe it should be in another thread, but can you elaborate on that more? I have some friends thinking of moving from TN to CA. But it seems like I hear of 100x more people from CA moving to TN than the other way it seems.

I ask too as moving west is something we sometimes consider.

With around 20 I personally know, all retiring from long careers in the defense industry, there's two reasons. The price of real estate in nicer parts of Cali and Cali taxes. They're the same reasons so many big corporations have left the state. Explained here.

A longer article featuring anecdotes: The quote below is why Vegas for a musician:

She once battled traffic for three hours to get to the airport from Studio City. She was tired of the high taxes and the worn look of older buildings in L.A. So she set her sights on Vegas, where she had performed with a Cirque du Soleil show and at many corporate events.

“It’s super-clean, mostly because all the homes are pretty new compared to L.A.,” she said. “There’s a lot more space, less people and less traffic. … The airport is only 12 minutes from my place.”

For L.A. gigs, she will hop on a 45-minute flight or brave the four-hour drive.

Her condo in a gated community is three times the size of her Studio City place and cheaper: She pays $2,500 a month in Vegas while renting out her old place for $3,600.

“I felt like it was the perfect middle ground,” Guo said.

There's possible ways to avoid the taxes for folks in your situation. Since your income is out of state and since you can likely keep a place in Tennessee, there's a trick to avoid Cali taxes. Beyond saying that, I suggest consulting a tax attorney or estate planner.

 

[FreeBaGeL]

We got married there in 99, and went back in 07 and 16. We're not big gamblers but the strip was always fun and exciting, the shows were good and the food was excellent and reasonable as well. I did really like sitting in the sportsbook for a few hours watching a game with 500 other people who all have money on it - great vibe.

We were somewhat considering it for next year, but we have a lot of places we've never been that we'd like to see, so it was always a low/medium priority to return. This thread is verymuch making me lean to "nah". We have good memories of it, and I'll keep it that way.

It's more expensive and more crowded. Which is only true of.......every reasonably popular travel destination in existence.

It's 2024. Everyone wants to travel now and everyone has lots of money. Unless you're traveling really off the beaten path with places that haven't found their way to IG/FB yet, it's going to be incomparable to 20 or even 10 years ago. That's not just a Vegas thing, that's a travel thing.

 

[Dwayne Hoover]

The Cali retirement exodus you've read about is real.

Thanks. I know it's off topic and maybe it should be in another thread, but can you elaborate on that more? I have some friends thinking of moving from TN to CA. But it seems like I hear of 100x more people from CA moving to TN than the other way it seems.

I ask too as moving west is something we sometimes consider.

Cali is both a great place to live and an expensive one. I don't know what living in TN is like but I can say that' im very happy living in the Bay Area. I'd be happy in Socal too but you gotta be okay with some sticker shock if you live here. I think for some, they want to get away and make their $$ go further

 

[The Z Machine]

We got married there in 99, and went back in 07 and 16. We're not big gamblers but the strip was always fun and exciting, the shows were good and the food was excellent and reasonable as well. I did really like sitting in the sportsbook for a few hours watching a game with 500 other people who all have money on it - great vibe.

We were somewhat considering it for next year, but we have a lot of places we've never been that we'd like to see, so it was always a low/medium priority to return. This thread is verymuch making me lean to "nah". We have good memories of it, and I'll keep it that way.

It's more expensive and more crowded. Which is only true of.......every reasonably popular travel destination in existence.

It's 2024. Everyone wants to travel now and everyone has lots of money. Unless you're traveling really off the beaten path with places that haven't found their way to IG/FB yet, it's going to be incomparable to 20 or even 10 years ago. That's not just a Vegas thing, that's a travel thing.

What has changed culturally that makes travel and eating out places where people are willing to spend tons of money? Was it the pandemic? Was it social media? Is it the Boomers or Millennials?

 

[dkp993]

Crime was far worse than Oceanside.

Oceanside has been trying hard over the past decade to clean up. It’s far better there now then it was in the 90’s or early 2000’s, especially down around the pier.

 

[fred_1_15301]

I love Vegas. I go once a year with my friend for about 5 days. I do nothing but eat, drink and play poker. I don’t play any other casino games. Between my friend and I, we pretty much get comped rooms the entire trip. I can get fairly cheap flight prices on the budget airlines. I will say that I don’t like the strip at all. We generally stay in downtown (Fremont) and love it!

 

[Schmeabs]

I love Vegas. I go once a year with my friend for about 5 days. I do nothing but eat, drink and play poker. I don’t play any other casino games. Between my friend and I, we pretty much get comped rooms the entire trip. I can get fairly cheap flight prices on the budget airlines. I will say that I don’t like the strip at all. We generally stay in downtown (Fremont) and love it!

Do you play poker only at the Golden Nugget?

 

[Pipes]

The best places are away from the strip now - South Point and Red Rock.

love South Point

 

[fred_1_15301]

I love Vegas. I go once a year with my friend for about 5 days. I do nothing but eat, drink and play poker. I don’t play any other casino games. Between my friend and I, we pretty much get comped rooms the entire trip. I can get fairly cheap flight prices on the budget airlines. I will say that I don’t like the strip at all. We generally stay in downtown (Fremont) and love it!

Do you play poker only at the Golden Nugget?

Pretty much. Softest poker game in Vegas IMO. I almost always leave Vegas covering the cost of my trip at a minimum.

 

[Pipes]

I guess my experience in Vegas is not the norm here. I stay on the Strip mostly (Vdara) or sometimes on Fremont St (Circa this year), but don't gamble and seldom dine in any casino resort. As someone else pointed out, there is a lot of great food off the Strip and away from downtown. Plenty of other things to do too. Each time I visit, I travel to at least one of the area state parks and/or national parks. I do see shows from time to time. I am seeing Penn and Teller on 4/2 and a concert at Virgin on 4/4 (Ministry). I do enjoy a good meal and people watching early on a Saturday morning at Mon Ami Gabi, but I seldom actually spend time doing anything else on the Strip. Things are expensive there for sure, but I guess it's really no different than anywher else. People keep going, gambling, and dining so it must be working for them.

I try to avoid the Strip altogether, and have gambled less than $100 total, in a dozen trips over the years. Unless I’m with my wife, stay in an Airbnb in Summerlin and eat in smaller, local restaurants. Rarely will go to shows, at Mrs. Xylem’s behest.

But for me, it’s home base for climbing in Red Rock, or a starting point for excursions to national parks.

Completely different world from the typical Vegas experience. Yet it’s still one of my favorite places, and a world class destination for outdoor enthusiasts.

I hit the strip on occasion to hit a show or a Knights game but this has been my experience as well. My aunt live out there and every other time we visit we do a major side trip. Have done Sedona, Grand Canyon, San Diego and most recently Antelope Canyon. The times we don't do that we spend a day hiking at Red Rock. definitely will be branching out more our next visit. If I get the urge to gamble it's less than a 10 minute drive to South Point. Love it out there

 

[FairWarning]

The best places are away from the strip now - South Point and Red Rock.

love South Point

They still sell the $1.50 hotdogs.