Anything of interest in Vegas? (Besides PHOF/Gameworks/Ladies?)

[MikeDeuce]

This is last minute, but I'm trying to figure out if there's anything else that I should check out in Vegas... Hiddem gems in particular.

I've gone a million times and I'm pretty tired of doing the same stuff.

Thanks to this thread ( http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=50674.0 ) I have one new and exciting thing to check out. And I'm probably going to sneak some time over at Gameworks as usual.

Doesn't have to be arcade-related, just stuff that we manliest of manly men would like (Besides debauchery, that's easy to find).

[AtomSmasher]

There was a thread on this recently on another forum I read: http://www.ls1gto.com/forums/showthread.php?t=83616&highlight=vegas

I just skimmed through it, heres the highlights:

There are some nice bike trails outside of town. Go to the Speedway. Lake Mead, Hoover Damn. Go see the Pirate show (I forget the hotel that has that)

Oooo! Oooo! go down to Henderson and check out the site of the big plant explosion that you always see on Exxtreme Videos!!!

Check out the Wynn, it's the newest Casino there, across from Fashion Show mall. They've got a nice Ferrari exhibit/dealership, as well as a cool (free) light/hologram show over a manmade lake inside. (Cost is you must buy one drink).

You can shoot just about any machine gun in the world at the gun shop. (can't think of the name) Used to be $50 for 50 rounds.

The best part of Vegas for me was Rum Jungle at Mandalay Bay. Get the Jambalaya (served in half a pineapple), stay late and get your hand stamped, come back for a great club with girls hanging from the ceiling for free. If you want a helluva stiff drink, the Volcano is made with 4 kinds of 151. !!!

Has anyone gone to the new GM experience? Pay $10 and drive H2, H3, Vette, Sky, GTO, and 9-3 Aero.

Im not sure if anyone mentioned it but ATV'ing in the Valley of Fire is fun. Unbelievable landscapes and pretty good trails. If im not mistaken you can have them pick you up from your hotel at the strip and then drop you back off later in the day.

[HaRuMaN]

I've been spending some time at the Gameworks in Phoenix....  not a bad place, and they have some classics, too.... Tron, Pac-Man, Galaga, Gorf, Frogger, etc...

[Vigo]

I just saw a mario kart arcade somewhere on the strip (maybe gameworks). Those are suppse to be rare.

I make my time in vegas by eating at all sorts of buffets. I figure I can get 10 all you can eat meals for about $100, or I can gamble that money away in a day (and I am a mild gambler compared to some.) It isn't a bad deal.

[reptilehead]

I just saw a mario kart arcade somewhere on the strip (maybe gameworks). Those are suppse to be rare.

I make my time in vegas by eating at all sorts of buffets. I figure I can get 10 all you can eat meals for about $100, or I can gamble that money away in a day (and I am a mild gambler compared to some.) It isn't a bad deal.

 Yeah gameworks has the mariocart, also has (what appeared to be) hand built mame style originals, the 75 foot rock wall, and all the house of the dead games (2 HOTD 4 whoo hoo) the harley cafe is a decent spot to be on a friday or saturday if the smell of rubber oil hot steel and leather is your thing.... oh yeah the eye candy is nice too.  The "pirate show" is at Treasure Island, the luxor is kewl as hell for the king tut display, Red Rock is a great place to go to hike, the river is a nice way to waste a day (nude beach somewhere, dont ask never been to it). The speedway is a stylin place on the weekends (check the local papers ect) The valley of fire (if youre so inclined to rent a car) has the most beautiful landscapes in a deserti have ever seen,  Death Valley is fun (bring a 4x4 and find some ghost towns) theres paintball, and go-karts and tons of places to rent anything youve ever wanted to drive (bikes, scooters, ferraris, hummers, off road buggys, jet-skis and even boat houses)
The arcade often overlooked is at Circus Circus, but i like it (silent scope need I say more?)
 Strip clubs a plenty, but most are overpriced and overrated, the freemont experiance is sweet with different shows every hour.
 Feeling adventurous? Rent a car, dont take out the insurance and drive.. anywhere... go out with your buddies and play "spot the hooker" its actually easier than you thought....heres a hint ... look at purse size... if it can only fit a pair of thongs and $200, chances are you can ask how much...  remember, the night-life isnt very active until at LEAST 11pm, with most places being DEAD till 1 am so get your rest.
 Gambling your thing? Go for it, what casino has the best odds on slots? answer none... they're all the same (IMHO) go to freemont and play some blackjack.... poker at binions (the REAL place to play the game) on the strip play some baccarat at the monte carlo (thats living)
 Best buffets... try the rio for variety, the luxor for quality (at least i think so) and the hilton for a good bargain (free beer or wine)
 Music? couple of places play NOTHING but metal on the weekends (off strip) but everything is that pop stuff that your kids listen to on the strip.
 The machine gun place is still around, almost every flyer display stand has info on it, its roughly $50 for 50 .... ak47, uzi, m-16, thompsons, mp 5 yeah the list goes on.... great way to take out your aggrivations after driving with no insurance on your rental that just got creamed by the mexican in the 81 gmc with no insurance.
 Heres some adventure: drive Las Vegas Blvd from beginning to end, check out the jets at the airforce base taking off (by the speedway) on the northern area of the strip and drive it south till it ends (take water and lots of music -- its a long drive) drive across town on Sunset Blvd.... I assure you, it actually DOES go from one side of town to the other.... just its kinda .... interrupted.  Got a date thats from out of town?  Take a drive on the 215 in the evening, and find 215 and Hulapai or 215 and Alexander (the lights you see from there are amazing) Drive back from the hoover damn in the evening (spend the day at the river its worth it) and have the same effect only you wont be able to stop and look.
 Heres something us "locals" apperently NEVER get tired of hearing "gee its soo hot here" when its only 100 and "how do you guys survive it" when its 120 out. I hear that every 5 minutes on the strip.... apperently the visitors LOVE annoying us locals with weather reports.... "Yes I'm fully aware its 100 at midnight, Yes I'm fully aware that it was 120 today, and NO the fact that theres no humidity does NOT make it easier to bear... 120 is STILL FEAKING OVEN HOT if you go outside"
 Here's a fun way to annoy the locals... (assuming you know some) call them at 9:30 on a wed night and convince them to go out partying.... after all you're "on VACATION WOO HOO!!!" Never mind your buddy works construction, has to be up at 4 am, and knows full well the dehydration that hes still suffering from when he starts work could land him in the hospital (UMC) for a week cause of heat stroke, but he's still out there with you partying cause he hasn't seen you in years!
 Yeah... I'm a local, yeah I'm a bit bitter (just got told by my buddy that hes coming out a week before his roomate -another buddy- is going to be here, this of cource is before the INLAWS come out for thanksgiving.) so I'll have a month of visitors that will think that just becuase THEY'RE on vacation I can stop my life.

 BUT in all seriousness.... if anyone wants some ideas of "other things" to do Ive got a list here I can't publish... the more "adult" side of vegas if you will... and tons of stuff you can do with the family too!

[MikeDeuce]

Thanks guys! Just got back, but I was checking this page on my phone fairly often for updates.

The Pinball hall of fame was great... Ended up going with my girlfriend and her mom and neither complained the whole time! Was great to play some machines that I haven't seen in 10+ years, and play a ton more that I've never seen or heard of.

Gameworks definitely did not have the Mario Kart arcade last time I was there... what a great arcade driver. I gotta find a local set here in the bay area and drag some friends over.

I did check out GM's "the drive" at the Sahara (thanks AS)... and went around in a vette, gto, and an H2. The performance course was super bland and short, especially if you have ever autocrossed or been on a road course. Pretty boring, unfortunately. The offroad course in the H2 was great, though, so I don't have any regrets there. I've never been off kilter soo much before that I could stick my hand out the window and touch the ground (not that I did... ground was hot, windows were up, and I like my hands). And I definitely won't be doing that in my pickup... so yeah.

Going to have to leave the womens behind next time and hit the ATVs. Gives me another reason to visit vegas.

Thanks again everyone!

These are just horrible cell phone pics, but... here's the gameworks classic arcade section, hidden deep inside:


Mario Kart GP Arcade:


The uh... Fry's Electronics, heh... We have these in the bay area so I was curious.


Ultracade for sale at Fry's...